Living off somebody else's land

[RLM]

Good morning. I noticed the discussion that some members had on your Forum following the TV programme on the 'Hermit of Loch Treig'. I knew someone who had an involvement in the production and he told me that the hermit, Ken Smith, had simply set up camp there 40 years ago and because he caused no mess and meddled no one he was left in peace and in fact occasionally helped by the estate people.

A former soldier did something similar by the shores of Loch Ness back in the 1970s and stayed there for a long time photographing and recording sightings of the monster. Again, because he caused no problems, he was permitted to stay but there was nothing in writing.

There was a hermit living close to Ballantrae on the Ayrshire coast from just after WW2 until his death in the 1980s. He lived in a deep cave facing the sea about a mile north of Ballantrae. The locals called him Snib. He survived by doing odd jobs for the hotels/pubs in Ballantrae who would give him a hot meal and food to take back to his cave. He was a beachcomber and kept his cooking fire going on driftwood. When he died and his background was looked into, it was discovered that he had been a bank manager in Dundee who one day just decided to give it all up and go ' on the tramp'. As in the other two cases, the local Laird left him in peace because he bothered nobody.

Land and rights are always very jealously guarded and I would be very surprised if any landowner was prepared to grant anyone legal, written permission to set up a permanent camp. I suspect that for every hermit who has been tolerated dozens of others have been given their marching orders.

 

[Chris]

Welcome to the forum, RLM.

It's really interesting to hear of some of these stories. I suppose these things become trickier the more populated our isles become, but hopefully we don't run out of such stories. The key in these cases, I suppose, is that they were likely adding a net benefit by being respectful and probably deterring others from causing nuisance.

 

[demented dale]

welcome to the forum. and thanks for posting an interesting read x

 

[Mesquite]

Hello and welcome to the forum

Interesting to note that all the examples you gave were set in Scotland. I don't think they'd have had much success south of the border.

 

[Tantalus]

Sometimes in remote places a set of eyes that you trust is worth more than the place being deserted completely and nobody knowing who comes and goes.

Welcome to the forum

 

[Laurentius]

It rather depends on what you regard as rights to land. Morally I suppose it is a question of whether you are taking something from someone else who needs it. I read the story of Harry the Hermit on Hamstead heath and decided I must needs take my own piece of land off the Council, I am still there

 

[Laurentius]

It rather depends on what you regard as rights to land. Morally I suppose it is a question of whether you are taking something from someone else who needs it. I read the story of Harry the Hermit on Hamstead heath and decided I must needs take my own piece of land off the Council, I am still there

To be honest though it is not an everyday situation, the Council benefit from my occupation of the land, it is very difficult for them to access, hence it being practically abandoned by them, I have put up fences and signs told various people in no uncertain terms to leave the land alone. By and large I have support for what I am doing.