I live in Britains loneliest house - the nearest neighbours are 25 minutes drive away, I have to watch DVDs instead of Netflix and Ive never heard of Love Island
A woman who lives in Britains loneliest house is almost completely cut off from the outside world - but she still loves it.
A woman who lives in Britains loneliest house is almost completely cut off from the outside world - but she still loves it.
Sue Edwards is the sole occupier of Skiddaw House, which sits in the mountains at the heart of the Lake District, and only has her dog Jura for company.
The 49-year-old, who bought the solitary shack two and a half years ago, has hardly any electricity and is forced to get by with just 10mb of wifi data each month.
Sue has therefore resorted to watching DVDs rather than Netflix and has never heard of ITVs Love Island. She can still communicate with the wider world on WhatsApp, although hates when people send her unnecessary gifs.
Despite her isolation, Sue loves being away from technology and even welcomes guests to Skiddaw House, opening it up as a hostel every weekend in summer.
This is the track leading to Skiddaw House, located in the Lake District, which is 3.5 miles from the nearest road
Sue Edwards is the sole occupier Skiddaw House where she only has her dog Jura for company
Skiddaw House sits at more than 1,500 feet in the heart of the Lake District
At more than 1,500 feet, Skiddaw House is inaccessible by car and the shortest walking route, to the village of Threlkeld, takes around an hour and 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, her nearest neighbours at Dash Farm are a 25-minute drive away and the nearest shop, in Keswick, is five miles away.
Sue admitted that it was initially a struggle getting used to the long walk for groceries, which was made even worse if she ever forgot something on her shopping list.
She told the Sun: In the beginning, there would be times when I got home and realised Id forgotten bin bags or something, but Ive got the shop down to a fine art now.
The north-facing house also has no mains electricity, gas, telephone or neighbours. There is no heating or internet and water is sourced straight from the mountain.
In order to get around, Sue has installed special tyres, called grabbers, on her car that can handle mud, snow and sandy terrains much better than a normal vehicle.
But, even being so far from civilisation, Sue still battles with the same car problems as every other commuter across the UK.
The north-facing house has no mains electricity, gas, telephone or neighbours
The house also has no heating or internet and water is sourced straight from the mountain
The village of Threlkeld (pictured) is the closest town to Skiddaw House and, takes around an hour and 20 minutes to reach by car
She has had three punctures in almost three years, which may not sound like a lot, but can be a real pain calling a mechanic when mobile signal is patchy.
Sue spent three years as a PE teacher in Slough, before working in a hostel in Portishead, Somerset, when she came across the hostel after it was put up for sale.
At the time it was owned by a former couple, who had run it for six years. They decided to sell up after having a baby and advertised the house on social media.
Sue was unsure about buying the property at first, not because of how isolated it was, but due to fears over managing it on her own.
She told the Sun: I wasnt worried about living on my own. Its just you sometimes need to go and get a contractor. Can one person do it all?
But the former couple ran it for six years together, and they both said theyd do it again on their own. So that was enough for me.
I love it. I mean, I just love it. Its a privilege.
Skiddaw House (pictured) was built in 1829 by the third Earl of Egremont, who was said to have 43 illegitimate children
Skiddaw House is nestled between three mountains near Keswick in Cumbria
Sue told the Look With New Eyes blog that she planned to stay at the house until at least May 2027, when her lease expires.
She uses stoves to heat the building when it gets cold, while the gas hobs are strictly reserved for cooking. Sue also stressed that she is able to have a hot shower every morning thanks to the hot water boilers.
The house itself includes six bedrooms and five bathrooms, which can accomodate 21 people at one time.
Sue told the Look With New Eyes blog: I love that it is possible to not just live off-grid, but run a sustainable business too and 21 of us can experience this amazing place together in simplicity and commonality.
No phone signal, no Wi-Fi, just people all coming together for shelter, a bed, a meal and maybe a beer.
Skiddaw House offers beautiful views of Lake District fells - with no dwelling or structure in sight other than an ancient dry stone wall.
Shooting and sporting rights are included in the sale. The listing says it has historically been a successful grouse shoot across the land.
Even at the height of the holiday season, when hikers and tourists flock to the lakes, the property is so far off the beaten path that it stays isolated.
Most of the Lake District is owned by big estates or by the National Trust - so an opportunity for such an enormous area of privately-owned land is a rare one.
The house itself includes six bedrooms (including the one pictured) and five bathrooms, which can accomodate 21 people at one time
Pictured is one of the wood stoves in the house, which is used to heat the building when it gets cold, while the gas hobs are strictly reserved for cooking
Skiddaw House was built in 1829 by the third Earl of Egremont, who was said to have 43 illegitimate children. It was built to house a gamekeeper to look after his sporting birds and a shepherd to look after his sheep.
During the shooting season, the Earl himself and his party would stay there.
After his death the cottages fell into disrepair. It was used for occasional school camping trips but was derelict by the 1980s.
Since 2007 it has been a hostel with the Youth Hostel Association (YHA). Before the pandemic, around 2,500 people a year would spend a night there.
The house was also used as a murder scene setting in Hugh Walpoles 1932 novel The Fortress. He wrote: It is one of the loneliest dwelling-places in all the British Isles, the only building from Threlkeld to Dash.
The Lake District sees 15.8million tourists visit every year, according to the National Parks website - so Skiddaw House provides a one-in-a-lifetime opportunity to escape the crowds to enjoy the scenery.
