One of the worst things about being a ‘happy hermit’ these days (or any introverts who just prefer a small circle of friends) is that the extrovert world expects you to join in! There’s nothing wrong with being introvert or extrovert, but it really does pay for everyone to enjoy a little solitude, and appreciate that some people prefer nature and animals to non-stop motormouths!
Read Deer Man, the story of a Frenchman who lives for 7 years alone in a forest, apart from native deer who gradually learn to trust him and bring him into their clan, even playing tag and telling him where the best food is! He left to speak the truth to a human world that desperately needs to hear that we should not take our natural world for granted, and work to protect it.
England has six types of deer. If you use deer-resistant flowers for gardens, avoid pet-toxic flowers. If you see deer on roads (mostly at dawn and dusk), dim lights to avoid startling. Councils can help by not planting in railing gaps, as deer get stuck (and can bolt, even if injured). RSPCA often take ages to arrive due to being busy. For trapped/injured deer, also call police (traffic hazard) and marksmen can humanely shoot suffering deer.
other people who are ‘happy hermits’
Finding Hildasay is the story of ex-paratrooper Christian, who had hit rock bottom, with depression so bad he shut himself in his bedroom for weeks. Then while surfing (his sole respite) he cast his eyes along the coastline and realised that’s where he wanted to be. So he decided to walk it all! In a few days, he was off with a tent, walking boots, a tenner in his pocket and two days worth of food. It took 6 years to navigate the West Coast, Northern Ireland, the cliffs of Scotland and the perimeters of the Highlands. And during that time he spent 3 months on an island with no-one but his beloved dog. It was there that he found his journey all the more remarkable.
The Way of the Hermit is the story of Ken, who has spent the last 40 years living alone in the Scottish Highlands, with no electricity or running water. He home is a log cabin near ‘the lonely loch’ where he lives off the land, chops his own wood and even brews his own tipple. Raised in Derbyshire, he spent time travelling in the Yukon before becoming the Hermit of Loch Treig. Reading old diary entries, he reflects on why he turned his back on society and lived a life in nature instead.
Deep Country is a mesmerising account of Neil, who spent 5 years living alone in a hillside cottage in Wales. Summer and winter, with no transport or phone. Often he did not see another soul for weeks and found hidden places to call his own. He immerses himself in the rugged British landscape and explores the unspoilt wilderness around him.
the story of the ‘North Pond Hermit’
In the US, Christopher Wright is also known as the ‘North Pond Hermit’. He went missing in 1986 and lived as a hermit in the wilderness (stealing food from nearby cabins and melting ice to drink) to survive. He lived with almost no possessions and only saw two people in 27 years, before he returned to society when he was arrested during a burglary.
Having now repented for his ways, he lives quietly in rural Maine. When asked if he had spoken to anyone during his almost-3o years of solitude, he said that he had exchanged the word ‘hi’ with a hiker once!
the hermit responsible for climate science
The Snow Man: A True Story tells the tale of a man living alone in the mountains, whose hobby of measuring snowfall led to a global understanding of climate change. When Billy came to the mountains as a young man, his only companions were a skunk and a pine marten. He needed something to fill the hours, so he began to measure the snow that fell – day after day and year after year.
But as the man grew older, he noticed the snow was disappearing. It arrived later, melted sooner and there wasn’t as much of it. So he shared his records with a local scientist, who shared them with other scientists. And soon his measurements where being used by scientists worldwide, who even today gather groundbreaking data to study climate change.
