I live in North Wales and always dreamed I'd finally buy an idyllic rural stone cottage, let's face it there are so many of them here. Off grid in many cases, certainly without gas supplies. But they are tiny and very hard work, it's a hard way of life. That is why so many are standing empty, in the end the former occupants left for hot and cold running water, central heating and a shop just round the corner. As we get older we need comfort and convenience more than in our youth. Mostly they end up as holiday lets because they are wonderful places to visit in short bursts, but just take a lot out of you to live there full time. Good luck.... what about a little plot of land and one of those static caravans?
My parents bought three acres near a national park when they retired early. It was idyllic for about eight years, then healthy and mobility problems started mounting in conjunction with the stress of a legal dispute. The reality was that they were too far away from family support, amenities and hospital care. On top of that, mum couldn't drive, which stranded her when dad passed away. So scary! Recognizing that some dreams have a window of viability is good. Aging into a supportive, nurturing place is a good dream too.
As someone who found their fairytale cottage, bought it and lives the dream, just do it, nothing nothing compares to the joy of living here every day, waking up sleeping, day dreaming, this cottage 600 years old has such a warm welcoming atmosphere, you will find your dream x
What a lovely place on earth! But agreed, we aren't 20 anymore, are we? To have an indoor loo/shower/washer/dryer are just things we can't consider luxury as we get older. Wales is beautiful. Thank you for sharing, Wendy! ✨✨✨
I am 60 and living in my childhood home again - I do not have any of those conveniences you mentioned, nor did my granny who lived in the same house until she was about 90!
I live in the Snowdonia National Park, it is stunning, there are many stone cottages for sale, maybe start searching around Gwynedd area, our cottage found us by searching, it kept coming up in searches, but I dismissed it as thought it was too small, but it just felt right when we came to see it…on my birthday, and a full moon. You will find your dream cottage ❤
i live on a narrowboat, but would love to trade it in for an off grid place with a couple of acres. The properties I've seen on line though, seem really expensive! Maybe I'm looking in the wrong place for something in my budget.
I think the property you looked at on the State Park land was extremely magical. As my husband and I watched your video we remarked that it’s amazing how depending upon what stage of life you’re in, you would see the property differently. If we were in our 30’s we would be mesmerized by it. All shortfalls would be seen as exciting challenges to be conquered. Every day would be a grand adventure. Well, I am presently beyond my adventure phase and therefore couldn’t help noticing the lack of running water, no indoor toilets, lack of head clearance upstairs and the fact that you would be lugging groceries ¼ mile to the house in the snow.
I live rurally right now and as I get older, I think of things like that. I've been thinking a lot of selling, then buying another place closer to town.
Well said!!! It is a real concern and potentially problematic situations living in such an area without modern conveniences at an older age! It is fun to fancy/romanticize such a place to live in but in reality, this may not be livable in real life day to day, especially in winter! 😌
I love the rustic, historic beauty but I know exactly what you mean about our needs and wants changing as we age. We used to want acreage and a separate art studio, huge gardens, chickens etc. but now that we are approaching our sixties it just isn’t best. And that’s okay!!! ❤ grow in grace and gentleness, and the now needs to be fully respected and embraced.
Clarity and reality are good things. We get to a certain point in our lives where the fantastical dreams of our youth aren't going to cut it any more. Fairy cottage and lively surroundings but basic amenities are now required.❤
James knows it's for the best. It's idyllic but a money pit. It'd take ages to put right; new concrete floors, probably new roof at the very least. Keep wishing, and all your dreams WILL come true! Good luck with the on-going search☘️🍀☘️🍀☘️
Yes, I was thinking the same thing- this would be ideal as an Air B & B holiday home (complete with an investor with a ton of money to fix up the place properly.) 😉
We live in the USA and found your adventure so nice! We are in our golden years and sold our home last year, set out to find a home where my hubby was born. Could not find a home to buy, so we are staying in a 1900 cottage on a farm that his long time family friend had on the property. I must say living in the country has give us both our life we were searching for. Our garden is producing quite nicely and I’m busy with the canning and freezing of the crops. Good luck on your journey to find, “home”!
It's a little bittersweet when a dream ends, but so positive that you're seeing it as the beginning to something new and exciting. Sometimes it's just as good to clarify what we do not want so as to narrow down to what we do. Wishing you all the luck in your journey home and feeling it will be just around the corner for you. 💕
Having lived in a place like that, within a National Park, it's all very well in the summer but think of the winter months, with little light... & the mud. Remember you'd also need to go through National Park Planning re any changes. Hoping this viewing helps to re-direct your search 💕
I just happened to see this, and you helped me so much. At first, I was all for that beautiful magical cottage. Something out of a fairy book tale. Your wisdom helped me to realize that sometimes our dreams change as we grow older, and that’s okay. I’m disabled, and a year ago, we moved from our house into a beautiful caravan on our property. Our son and his family moved into our house. I am disabled, and it has been so easy for me to clean and just even get out of the bed. Now my energy is focused on my grand baby and taking care of me. Not a big house that needs constant care. Our dream is to travel in our caravan and see North America, Alaska, and Canada. Thank you so much for this! We have been considering living off grid, but I have realized that with disabilities and age, it would not be practical for us or our children. Much love from 🇺🇸🍄🌻🌺🌼🌷🌸🪻🌈
Thank you so much for sharing this experience with us. The setting at that cottage was charming and peaceful. It looked like the perfect day for your visit. Your thoughts about realizing what you really want are so important ~ for all of us to consider in our lives. This was a powerful message and has provided much to think on. May we all be inspired by this. 💕
Living off grid is a beautiful dream nowadays, BUT, you have to sometimes face reality. It is probably a lot of hard work and you have to be fit! I am 72 and my husband 76 and both of us have health issues. It is not being negative, only practical. Sometimes, it will remain a dream. Good luck, my dears, things have a way of turning out well for our needs. Have faith!
I love reading the comments. So many people are in fear of solitude, no confidence in figuring out how to make it work . Yes it’s easier to live in a city with modcons and entertainment and shops. You also have to work harder to pay the much higher costs.
Thank you for sharing this journey with us! I do live off grid on a 9 acre croft and sometimes it just all seems too much! I find myself longing for a cottage with a little garden that I can actually look after .... 🌿💕
I hope this beautiful place falls into the hands of someone who will preserve it as it is, no horrid electricity or running water, just an oasis of no pollution..someone who will cultivate the land bring in animals and be a real custodian to the land, not a semi-hippy kinda of artist...etc.. and by the way I live off grid in an old small house without electricity or hot running water or a car in the mountains alone, growing my food, looking after my animals ( they are my family) and preserving my food, etc..and I'm the healthiest and happiest I've ever been. 🥰💚
I'm so glad that you didn't end up buying this cottage. It would have cost so much to get it up to speed. I was thinking all this for you and then I got to the end and your realization that you didn't want something so off grid and rustic.. Thanks for taking us on this journey. Honestly , I look forward to your videos so much. Greetings from Northern Canada.
I've lived totally off grid for about 6 years in an old travel trailer I had fitted in a small wood stove because of the romantic thoughts of living off the land, self sufficiency woman in the wild ...of the pacific northwest . I did alright and loved it most of the time ,but doing it all myself became A lot ,when i had to work for others so i could keep improving my space . 56 turned into 62 and i had had enough of it . but i did love living in the woods and will remember it with my pictures fondly Now i want hot running water into a big bathtub , a place to plug in my sewing machine. So on to my next adventure ... sold the land and getting ready to sell everything else ,getting married and moving to the highlands of Scotland with my lovely little Scotsman . But that cottage you showed us was really cute .showing us around I was thinking ,NO don't do it ! LOL It's a harder life than you can realize... You were wise to understand that ... I thought for sure you had bought it ,otherwise why is she showing us? keep looking your right place will come along and it will be perfect ,Cheers ❤
@@theunexpectedgypsy I Do love it there so much . He's coming here in a month so we can get married and then in December I'll be able to join him over there for good finally ,YAY
What a great exploration! I looked for my home-using both online searches and tons of driving-for years. Each time I visited a place in person it helped me confirm and/or refine my 2 lists: Have to have and Nice to have. It’s so important to have clear criterion, check places out in person, move on when it’s not right. Every “no” takes you closer to “yes!” This cottage was a beautiful example of something that met a set of outdated criteria. Now that you’re clearer it will be easier. ❤❤❤
I live completely off grid but have a huge solar system so I can run air conditioners, dryers etc,, however I do agree with the bogginess of the land plus the access issue would end up being a pain.
We are an older couple and we have gone off grid. We can’t understand how others can afford to live connected to the grid with all their mod cons. Having been brought up in a rural situation myself l have found off grid living easy to adapt too. Hubby, a city boy has struggled a little. However, he says he wouldn’t go back. Our property is boggy in the winter, but that’s the perfect excuse to reforest that part of the land. We will need more firewood in the future. We live in the ideal location here in the Far North of New Zealand. We have moved into a wonderful caring community of like minded people, and although we are considered remote, we have a hospital only 8 mins away. Local shops cafes etc. But most importantly the boat ramp is nice and close.
Hope that you soon find that perfect peaceful spot to call home. I looked for 2 years and finally found my little 1 bedroom farm house on 5 acres in Texas. It's rural but only 2 miles from the near by small country town, so I can even bike there if I want to. I have chickens & bees and hope to soon have a few sheep. I love to make things, create things and build things. I live 100% off grid. This was an easy transition as I spent 5 years living on my sailboat off grid. Keep looking, your perfect place is out there waiting for you to find it. I look on-line at hundreds of properties till I found this one. Fingers crossed, soon you'll be in your wonderful home too. 🤗 🏡🧚
Looking at the cottage and the land reminded me of the magic of Beatrix Potter and her books. As you walked around, the thought popped in my head about an art school for the summer months. I don’t know if it would be possible…but it would be Fairy Haven for people all over the world…just an idea. Love to you both.
Your home is out there. Believe it. When you come to it, you will know, 'this is it.' Keep the faith, hope, the excitement and dream before you. Expect it.
When you crossed the bridge you said "Billy Goat Gruff!" First time I had heard that mentioned in many years. I remember reading that story when I was a kid!! What a cute little cottage! I'm sure fairies live amongst the woods around there!! You will eventually find the perfect place! That one was charming but so much work, and far out, and the national park system so near. Thanks for sharing with us. I did enjoy this tour!!!
So cool and inspiring to know that it is possible to spend so much time travelling, vlogging and blogging, but still be able to afford a cottage in a National Park !! There is a God !
This cottage is very picturesque, particularly on a sunny day, but even after seeing the earlier clip, I thought, what's it like in the winter, would the access roads be passable, where's the nearest food store, Post Office.. for sending out your artwork? On this video, I can see the roof needs repairing, along with many other renovations. The rooms aren't exactly large and they'd have to accommodate living space and studio (how do the dimensions compare with your current lovely studio?). Apologies Wendy for sounding like a boring old fart🤪 , I really do hope you and James find a beautiful and suitable home one day🥰💜💫
The estethic of this property is just enchanting, and perfect for a holiday in the rough. The public access in close proximity, the lack of space & amenities in the cottage would be very dysfunctional for you as it is... the cost of renovating to suit your needs? Tooo much! I have lived off grid and remotely on undeveloped land (with no house 🤦), and now...forget about it baby! The work involved day to day just for survival basics really drains the creative juices, especially when you are of an age ; ) Wales is a charming country, and your (spacious & functional) new dream property could be just around the corner 🍀💛🍀
You are right who wants to spend your golden years doing home repairs and doing a lot of worrying about lead in the water. We want to have a peaceful end to our Allied so we can enjoy our lives and not be worrying about bad things. And doing a lot of backbreaking work to bring things up to code and spending lots of money. I don’t know about you, but I need to take it figure out how to spend less money. But still keep the same quality of life. Thanks for bringing it to my attention all the things that can happen with a little dream cottage. That really could be a nightmare cottage. Thanks so much my dear friend. Hugs. Hugs and kisses and grandma, Sandy and Debbie
Thank you for sharing your lovely outing with all of us and a fairy cottage indeed! Our lives are dynamic and so are our dreams ❤ It's not the end of a dream but an expansion of one! One, that will be perfect for you and James, and this bit of journey has brought you both to the path you're meant to be 😘🌳🧚🌻🧚♂🦋🧚♀Your journey continues to where you're drawn too and where you're meant to be💕
As someone that’s lived off grid , built a house n remodeled one I feel comfortable saying . Be careful of what was mined as it can b a source of water contamination. Be careful of wetlands as u cannot build , fencing n all materials have increased its terrible on the budget . The place is magical but u can create your own magic without having to deplete your funds . Being close to a state park would worry me about strangers straying towards this place . I’m just being honest n doing some due diligence regarding purchasing which is something important. I wish u luck 🍀 finding your affordable safe home . U guys have wonderful energy n u will find a place . Much love ❤️
Lovely little cottage but in need of a fair bit of work to make it comfortable to live in. Can imagine in winter on those dark days it could feel a little cut off. Great you both found it helpful in deciding what you want/need now.
The end of a dream can be a hard pill to swallow, but look at it as the beginning of new dreams. I have a rural property and although not off grid is not without many challenges. I find being totally realistic about what you really want and how it suits your life (as you age as well) to be very important. Good luck in finding what you are both looking for 🦋
Wales is so beautiful. Loved the opportunity to see the cottage and the woodlands. It is quite magical. I am a creature of comfort. A proper bath, kitchen and laundry are must haves for me. What an inspiring location for painting and even writing a book.
I feel so emotional about this video - it left me in tears. I know how important it is to have a home for yourself to feel safe and secure, after loosing our home during the gfc and renting since. I hope to one day find our dream home too. Good luck on your journey! xx
Thank you so much for showing us the cottage. We have walked passed this cottage for years, and we always wondered what it was like inside. It is beautiful...
My dream is to have a welsh cottage with my beloved, I’m a little welsh and I just imagine my beau there cooking pumpkin soup in the cottage with a tea towel on his shoulder. This was a dream to watch.
I was born and raised in Canada. My ultimate dream is to live in a heritage cottage in England or somewhere in the UK. It’s simply idyllic. I hope your dream comes true in every way!
I‘m such a city person, I can barely see the beauty of it for all the horrors of the solitary situation and all the discomfort of off-grid and isolated living. And unlike many other commenters here I never was young enough to find an outhouse enchanting. The bits of landscape were absolutely stunning.
Having lived that dream I remember locals pointing out that animals stand in the stream we were drinking from and they were even going to the toilet in it, but it was interesting seeing all the wriggling things coming through the taps. There was also the fear of sudden illness or an emergency, telephone access. I had cause to ring the ‘local’ police once and even they had no idea where we were. And getting back home after the protracted shop, only to find something had been left of the list! And don’t even consider the ‘friendly and curious people’ who thought they had the right to peer through your windows or walk through your door.
We have a cottage (1400 Sq ft) on 3.5acres that borders a National Park. It is very tranquil they do control burns every two years for underbrush. The winds whistling through the trees, deer and rabbits roaming, camping/picnicking near the running creek and picking all sorts of berries. We live 20 miles from a small town but as we age this peace of heaven will be passed down to our kids. Our plans are to buy a patio home closer to town due to recent health issues. As the seasons change so do our lives! 🤗
yes so nice to realize that the dreams we have when we are young are not the same when we get older. Life changes and so do minds and bodies. you were good to remember that, and realize that a new adventure can be a new dream.
I watched your vid with so much feeling. I too am at that stage where my dream of the forest cottage has given way to the reality of a heart condition, arthritis, and aching joints. I will forever dream but waking up each morning to my "senior" reality with a wry smile. Thank you for the fantastic images of a beautiful place.
OMG Wendy 🤗. A beautiful location for an holiday but to live? I am the wife of a builder and although I can see the potential I can also see so much work to be done. Not to mention the access to move stuff out and stuff into the property! A money pit I'm afraid Wendy and James. A project for someone much younger, no disrespect. As you get older you're not not has able and agile. And I'm speaking from experience. And have yout htought that you'd never get time to get any art work done ☹. Your little dream house is waiting for you somewhere Wendy. Love, peace and blessings xx
What a lovely place and what a challenging but important realization for you both. I find as I get older I am having more of those realizations myself. I think no matter where you eventually land the faeries will be with you
It was so lovely seeing one of these cottages close up as we passed some on the landscape the other day and often wondered what they looked like inside thanks for sharing guys 😊
Having searches for a new ‘spot” is a wonderful way to adventure… but reality has come home to sit with us (me @ 80 and hubby 77) knowing that we are truly “too old” to dream of off-grid, remote and tree-filled spaces to live. But I still enjoy going to look.
What a lovely little cottage. I do agree with lots of the comments here that it's not easy living without certain things. Central heating being one of them, trust me on this one. I'm in a cottage with 1 woodburner and that's it for heat and its not fun in the winter. However if you are looking for cottages that do have all the things and want to move up to Scotland then............. It is good that at least you both now know what you don't want.
I felt a little sad at the end when it seems the cottage isn't for you, but the more of the cottage I saw, the practical side of me took over. There is a person I follow on RU-vid who was selling his cottage, outbuildings and cultivated land in Ireland for a ridiculously affordable price. For a moment my heart ached with the thought of actually buying it and living there but it was an impossible dream for me. I think I need to wear my logical hat from time to time and perhaps I should count my blessings living in the home I own and make it into my dream abode. Wishing you and James all the luck in the world to find a place to really call home. x
It is a quaint little house, but is more suited to young strong people. Those stairs, the low roof attic, the 3 acres to mow, and the distance to go for help.
I’ve just come across your posts by just looking at your post on decluttering your cloths,,& then walking in the woods,thank you so much it was beautiful, I will continue to to watch your posts,you are my type of person,I’m so pleased I’ve discovered you.
We are often shown that what we think we want, when faced with reality we don’t. Everyone dreams, some materialise, some pass you by and remain pipe dreams. That’s okay, move on to another dream, one that will be more beneficial at this stage in your lives. It’s out there waiting for you, you just don’t know it yet. Take care, enjoy the journey. 🤗🙏🏻🌹
If you buy this property, i will be an easy fix a very easy one. Plus you can generate some amount of power from the stream on the property to provide you with power for essentials. Just lift the roof a few feet built a stare case from the store area. Put a small water turbine and at last add two more rooms at the back of the cottage ( make a kitchen a bathroom for bedroom down stares out of it). And you can also have a bathroom for upstairs wright next to the stair case above the store room. You just just have to extend the roof a bit.
Really enjoyed the authentic experience of viewing the cottage along with you. Framing the idea of one dream ending and another one beginning is very relatable and helpful, thank you! 🌞♥️
I’m 70 & if the finances became available to live off grid I’d jump at it, as long as there was an accessible road & a good water supply, everything else can be arranged. I’ve lived with heating & water run of a stove in the past, it was the best form of heating I ever had. I’ve also had a septic tank before. If there’s no electricity then as long as you can afford solar, small wind turbines or a generator, everything is doable & worth it to leave the craziness of this modern word behind. The only downside that cottage had was the public footpath so close & possibly problems with trespassers to the mine.
those cottages are healthier to live in than modern houses.the lime walls breath and there is a lot less mould and dust build up.I used to love my granny's cottage in Roscommon.
My questions for finding a house: How far to the nearest hospital? Fire department? Grocery store? Hardware/building supply store? Are there a few neighbors near enough to help, but far enough away to stay out of my business? Is it near a flood zone, or frequent path of high winds? Although American, I'm not a gun owner. I feel the biggest safety is around people and "civilization". I'd only live in the woods alone if I was willing and able to use a gun, and so far, I'm not.
My dream is a stone cottage in England but at my age, I want all the modern conveniences and would have to be close to civilization and a bus ride to museums and theaters. Ha ha TFS! Fun to see!
I think the land is beautiful and the cottage is sweet. I can’t, of course, speak to if this is your home or not. But what this cottage does speak to is there are cute cottages out there and now the universe knows what you want if this isn’t your home then no worries your home is still out there. I am sure you will know your home when you see it. If this is it then wonderful! ❤❤
I am here for the big adventure to go check out this beautiful fairytale cottage in the woods. It sounds wonderful. I can’t wait to watch the video from the beginning to the end. Thanks so much for the invitation.
What a lovely little adventure you had and thank you for taking us with you! It is funny how we change direction and what we want evolves as we get older. At 55, I have realized what I want in a home is Cute, Cozy and Convenient. LOL! Looking forward to seeing where your path leads. Much love to you both!
Dave you never got to ask for us to give Tonya a thumbs up were always rooting for her as well as you you both are an inspiration at least to me I ove watching your content not because it's fascinating you both are such a loveing couple the respect and kindness and tenderness you show to each other it's such a blessing to watch it makes me appreciate my husband more so for that I'm ungreatful and I do enjoy watching Tonya cook she's so talented be safe guys keep doing what your doing your good people the world needs more Tonyas cause did I forget to mention how funny that chic is she gets me laughing so hard she's quite the comedian
When u sat outside in front of the cottage I got a flash of history & sae all the men & women that had also sat there over the years & posed for their loved ones pictures 🤗
Thanks for taking us on this lovely journey. It’s good to see the physical of what we think we want in our lives. Then we can step back and examine the needs. Love to you both.
Its a cute cottage - but many things to consider - definitely a LOT of work and verification of the 'can and can't be done'. As we get 'more seasoned', there are many other factors to consider and bear in mind. Definitely need to take time to clarify and ponder. 💞
as beautiful as the cottage is i imagine its very isolating on your own in winter xx im so happy you ended on a positive note that even though you realised it was not for you its time for a new dream x
With your back problems not wise to choose to live such a hard way of life. Our needs change as we become older which includes eye sight (people never factor that in when looking at remote places). Thanks for showing us that wonderful cottage.
I gave a major house dream this year. I sold all of my off grid and supplies to go with it. I kept a few things but I'm moving closer to the city in the next year. It's just time and where I am in life and I plan on honoring that.
Lovely cottage but so many concerns. Mossy/boggy ground, accessibility, midges/flies - lots hit the camera lens. Also practicalities on use of top floor, utility hookups, mines and trespassing is a big one. Lovely cottage but if I were you I’d keep looking.
Myheritage is from Himalayas , Kashmir but born and raised in West Midlands but I absolutely love wales. I visit often and it feels like home, it’s just a shame my children refuse to move or I’d be living in some remote old cottages somewhere in Wales. There’s something heavenly about its landscape
It was so beautiful and magical and I just kept thinking about hauling in groceries in the rain and cold. It would be a hard life that could be wonderful if that is what you wanted. Your words at the end are a vision for all our futures as we age. We just moved and I chose access to a highway over a quaint but isolated community, because I want my children to be able to visit and vice versa, I realized that became my priority. We were also looking at a place in a parkland that would be cut off for the winter at times. Best of love to you and James.
As a family who live in an old cottage, it's a lot of physical upkeep. We brought our place while in our late 20's/early 30's and boy after 23yrs its played a huge demise on my health. We've found that over the yrs city folk are moving out to our area/village and yes like we did have plowed money in to the properties to improve for today's comforts that we've become used too, but they also bring lots of loud noisy party's which spoils our location. My father still also lives across the road to us just on the village green, so we will stay as long as he's with us, then see where our children settle before moving on. Wish you both well in searching for your forever home, and glad that you've been able to see clearly with what you need to live comfortably with.❤
Thanks for taking us around this magical place. I totally understand your concerns. I always wanted to live off grid on the middle of nowhere. Would be great for an artist / writers retreat but wouldn't fancy it permanently
Job well done! The cottage is really darling, old and quaint, and with work, will be darling. I thoroughly enjoyed your little adventure! You two are the British versions of me and husband' across the pond. Thanks for making and sharing!
Loved the cottage, Wendy. I would be terrified about staying by myself out there. What about wifi? I don't think I could make it out there. Good luck and I hope and pray you and James find your fairy tale cottage. And it may be this one. Thanks for sharing. Please tell James hello. Sending love and big hugs Sherry ❤
