We venture into the wild woods of Wales to meet a remarkable woman who lives close to nature, in an earthen home that she constructed herself for only £1000. Here, she lives without electricity, running water, the internet, or even a telephone, yet insists that she is not going without, but is living a life of luxury in her dream home.
To many of us, this may seem like an extreme lifestyle choice, yet for Emma, this lifestyle is all about being able to build a closer relationship with nature and living a simple life where she is free of all the pressures of the modern world.
Her hobbit-like home is extremely simple. Straw-bale and cob construction with a living roof, the house has everything she needs and nothing she doesn’t. Cooking is done over an open fire. Water is brought in from a nearby spring-fed stream and in the evening, candlelight fills the home. She bathes in the river or in a wood-fire bathtub which she fills from the stream and her composting toilet looks out over panoramic woodland views.
Some would describe this as off-the-grid living, but in reality, it’s much more than that. There is no grid. No complex solar systems, water pumps, or rainwater harvesting to ensure that she always has lights, charged devices, and water in her taps and showers. Things that we consider to be essentials in our modern lifestyles are simply not required here. In many ways, visiting Emma is like taking a step back in time.
Emma’s story is an important and beautiful reminder of just how little we actually need to be content in life, and also a reminder of how much of ourselves we often sacrifice in order to obtain many of the things we do have. I hope you enjoy watching the full video tour (above) of this very special place.
