What do you think?
Rate this book
The Way of the Hermit: My Incredible 40 Years Living in the Wilderness
Subconsciously, I pressed myself into the loch's banks as that summer inched forward. We'd got off to a rocky beginning, but I started to see Treig in a different way. There was something about this land that told me just to hold on a while longer. It might've been just a whisper at the time, but I knew it was definitely worth heeding. I just knew that was it. This was the place.
Seventy-four-year-old Ken Smith has spent the past four decades in the Scottish Highlands. His home is a log cabin nestled near Loch Treig, known as "the lonely loch," where he lives off the land. He fishes for his supper, chops his own wood and even brews his own tipple. He is, in the truest sense of the word, a hermit.
From his working-class origins in Derbyshire, Ken always sensed that there was more ot life than an empty nine to five. Then one day in 1974, an attack from a group of drunken men left him for dead. Determined to change his prospects, Ken quit his job and spent his formative years traveling in the Yukon. It was here, in the vast wilderness of northwestern Canada, that he honed his survival skills and grew closer to nature. Returning to Britain, he continued his nomadic lifestyle, wandering north and living in huts until he finally reached Loch Treig. Ken decided to lay his roots amongst the dense woodland and Highland air, and has lived there ever since.
In The Way of the Hermit , Ken shares the remarkable story of his lfe for the very first time. Told with humor and compassion, his unique insights allow us to glimpse the awe and wonder of a life lived in nature and offer wisdom on how each of us can escape the pressures and stresses of modern life.
Seventy-four-year-old Ken Smith has spent the past four decades in the Scottish Highlands. His home is a log cabin nestled near Loch Treig, known as "the lonely loch," where he lives off the land. He fishes for his supper, chops his own wood and even brews his own tipple. He is, in the truest sense of the word, a hermit.
From his working-class origins in Derbyshire, Ken always sensed that there was more ot life than an empty nine to five. Then one day in 1974, an attack from a group of drunken men left him for dead. Determined to change his prospects, Ken quit his job and spent his formative years traveling in the Yukon. It was here, in the vast wilderness of northwestern Canada, that he honed his survival skills and grew closer to nature. Returning to Britain, he continued his nomadic lifestyle, wandering north and living in huts until he finally reached Loch Treig. Ken decided to lay his roots amongst the dense woodland and Highland air, and has lived there ever since.
In The Way of the Hermit , Ken shares the remarkable story of his lfe for the very first time. Told with humor and compassion, his unique insights allow us to glimpse the awe and wonder of a life lived in nature and offer wisdom on how each of us can escape the pressures and stresses of modern life.
272 pages, Paperback
Published May 28, 2024
343 people are currently reading
3160 people want to read
About the author
Ken Smith
2 books7 followersKen (10 spaces) Smith
Librarian Note: There is more than one author by this name in the Goodreads database.
Librarian Note: There is more than one author by this name in the Goodreads database.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 277 reviews
July 23, 2024
“I’m not armed with some higher knowledge or a greater sense of purpose, nor do I possess a highly evolved set of survival skills, or harbor superhuman abilities to hang tough in terrible conditions. I am just Ken Smith, a man who prefers to do things his own way.”
I picked up this book because of my curiosity about a man living off the grid. I picked it up for what I hoped would be some stunning nature bits. What I took away from it the most was a deep admiration for an unapologetic man living the life that brought him the greatest joy and peace. Quite honestly, I’d always assumed that hermits were persons that didn’t care for other humans. I’m sure that can be the case, but there are people living in society that feel that way, too. Ken Smith, however, did enjoy human company – albeit probably select human company. He just preferred to live without the demands and burdens of an ordinary life.
“… the biggest killers in the Western world are the symptoms of our own perpetual boredom and dissatisfaction with life’s mundane direction. A slow death through the grinding monotony of a routine that does us absolutely no favors.”
After living a regular workaday life as a young man, Ken had an accident that doctors predicted would leave him with permanent disabilities. Instead, he proved them wrong by his determination to learn to walk, read and write all over again. At the age of thirty-one, he planned a 2,000 mile trek through Canada and the Yukon and portions of the Rocky Mountains. It was here that he had his greatest inspiration, as well as his own admiration for people living simpler yet hospitable lives.
“For me, my adventures in Canada and America were the most transformative of my life. They hauled my existence out of the Derbyshire gray and into the Technicolor. I was alive and profoundly inspired.”
“I was always humbled by the generosity of the people who lived in some of those extreme outposts, especially the Indigenous Inuit.”
What I found interesting, probably due to my ignorance, is that a hermit might work a job outside of the rigorous demands of living in the wilderness. Well, Ken Smith did anyway. After his return from Canada he eventually landed in the Scottish Highlands, building a cabin in a remote location near the shores of Loch Treig. He worked as a ghillie for seventeen years on the Corrour Estate. If you’re not sure what that is (I wasn’t), in a nutshell he acted as a fishing and hunting guide for the estate’s guests. At first I thought that didn’t seem in character with a man who wanted to live off the grid, but then Ken helped me understand his role. And even hermits need some cash for supplies they can’t obtain on their own. Ken was more than just a “servant” of the guests, however. He explains the greater mission:
“The ghillie should be a real steward and scholar of the land. Good ghillies will have a firm instinct for the rhythms of the natural world too… the ghillie plays a vital role in habitat restoration and management for the betterment of the estate’s biodiversity as a whole.”
There’s a lot of interesting stuff in here, including Ken’s passion for brewing wine with anything from fruits to coffee to horseradish. (If you’re a friend, he’s saved you gallons upon gallons to celebrate his life at a party after his death!) He made me laugh with his hatred for midges and ticks and other pesky summertime insects. He has a love/hate relationship with the pine martens. And he also suffers heartbreaking setbacks.
When it comes to stories like this, I still pay attention to the quality of the writing. I can’t help myself. I have to say it was solid writing. Ken wrote this in conjunction with Will Millard, a magazine and newspaper writer and fellow natural world lover. However, I felt the first part of the book to be slightly drier – perhaps his remembrance of the early days was a bit hazier? As the book advanced to his days along Loch Treig, the writing was infused with more warmth and passion. Perhaps because he’d finally found his place. Also, interspersed throughout are diary entries that I thought were very fine bits of writing indeed. I believe Ken Smith, on his own and in the moment, was able to put in words his most heartfelt, lovely thoughts. In any case, by the end of this book I felt like a close friend rooting for the best outcome in Ken’s now older age with all of the health issues that often accompany that stage of life.
Apparently, there was a documentary of his life prior to the writing of this book. In fact, Will Millard was inspired by this documentary to contact Ken and get this book written. I watched the trailer for the BAFTA-winning film The Hermit of Treig and even shed a little tear. Geez, and I haven’t even watched the actual film yet! In any case, I bet I’ll be finding a way to get an invite to that big party in the woods by the end. He’s warmed my heart with his humility, sincerity, and kindness. His simple message rings so true in today’s divisive and often unsympathetic, inhospitable world. It should be obvious, but sadly it's not.
“You shouldn’t feel self-conscious about saying a few kind words to the things that grow in your garden. You shouldn’t feel self-conscious about saying kind words to anything.”
I picked up this book because of my curiosity about a man living off the grid. I picked it up for what I hoped would be some stunning nature bits. What I took away from it the most was a deep admiration for an unapologetic man living the life that brought him the greatest joy and peace. Quite honestly, I’d always assumed that hermits were persons that didn’t care for other humans. I’m sure that can be the case, but there are people living in society that feel that way, too. Ken Smith, however, did enjoy human company – albeit probably select human company. He just preferred to live without the demands and burdens of an ordinary life.
“… the biggest killers in the Western world are the symptoms of our own perpetual boredom and dissatisfaction with life’s mundane direction. A slow death through the grinding monotony of a routine that does us absolutely no favors.”
After living a regular workaday life as a young man, Ken had an accident that doctors predicted would leave him with permanent disabilities. Instead, he proved them wrong by his determination to learn to walk, read and write all over again. At the age of thirty-one, he planned a 2,000 mile trek through Canada and the Yukon and portions of the Rocky Mountains. It was here that he had his greatest inspiration, as well as his own admiration for people living simpler yet hospitable lives.
“For me, my adventures in Canada and America were the most transformative of my life. They hauled my existence out of the Derbyshire gray and into the Technicolor. I was alive and profoundly inspired.”
“I was always humbled by the generosity of the people who lived in some of those extreme outposts, especially the Indigenous Inuit.”
What I found interesting, probably due to my ignorance, is that a hermit might work a job outside of the rigorous demands of living in the wilderness. Well, Ken Smith did anyway. After his return from Canada he eventually landed in the Scottish Highlands, building a cabin in a remote location near the shores of Loch Treig. He worked as a ghillie for seventeen years on the Corrour Estate. If you’re not sure what that is (I wasn’t), in a nutshell he acted as a fishing and hunting guide for the estate’s guests. At first I thought that didn’t seem in character with a man who wanted to live off the grid, but then Ken helped me understand his role. And even hermits need some cash for supplies they can’t obtain on their own. Ken was more than just a “servant” of the guests, however. He explains the greater mission:
“The ghillie should be a real steward and scholar of the land. Good ghillies will have a firm instinct for the rhythms of the natural world too… the ghillie plays a vital role in habitat restoration and management for the betterment of the estate’s biodiversity as a whole.”
There’s a lot of interesting stuff in here, including Ken’s passion for brewing wine with anything from fruits to coffee to horseradish. (If you’re a friend, he’s saved you gallons upon gallons to celebrate his life at a party after his death!) He made me laugh with his hatred for midges and ticks and other pesky summertime insects. He has a love/hate relationship with the pine martens. And he also suffers heartbreaking setbacks.
When it comes to stories like this, I still pay attention to the quality of the writing. I can’t help myself. I have to say it was solid writing. Ken wrote this in conjunction with Will Millard, a magazine and newspaper writer and fellow natural world lover. However, I felt the first part of the book to be slightly drier – perhaps his remembrance of the early days was a bit hazier? As the book advanced to his days along Loch Treig, the writing was infused with more warmth and passion. Perhaps because he’d finally found his place. Also, interspersed throughout are diary entries that I thought were very fine bits of writing indeed. I believe Ken Smith, on his own and in the moment, was able to put in words his most heartfelt, lovely thoughts. In any case, by the end of this book I felt like a close friend rooting for the best outcome in Ken’s now older age with all of the health issues that often accompany that stage of life.
Apparently, there was a documentary of his life prior to the writing of this book. In fact, Will Millard was inspired by this documentary to contact Ken and get this book written. I watched the trailer for the BAFTA-winning film The Hermit of Treig and even shed a little tear. Geez, and I haven’t even watched the actual film yet! In any case, I bet I’ll be finding a way to get an invite to that big party in the woods by the end. He’s warmed my heart with his humility, sincerity, and kindness. His simple message rings so true in today’s divisive and often unsympathetic, inhospitable world. It should be obvious, but sadly it's not.
“You shouldn’t feel self-conscious about saying a few kind words to the things that grow in your garden. You shouldn’t feel self-conscious about saying kind words to anything.”
May 29, 2024
You’ll read about 78-year-old Ken Smith, the Hermit of Trieg, and his 40-year life off-grid in Scotland.
I was curious to discover if Ken chose this life or if it was chosen for him. I wanted to see what modern technology he relied on as he lived off the land and wanted to understand a little about how Ken spent his day.
This book is mostly written in Ken’s voice, sprinkled with his inspirational time in Canada and Alaska before seeking solitude, anecdotes about living alongside and his reliance on nature, and reports of his self-sustaining life.
I loved his attitude about the word ‘can’t’ and how it means that when one door closes it’s simply a conduit to another door opening. I could also understand what he meant when he said, “It’s just that I prefer to meet people on my terms, or rather, I like to be in control of my own day.” I’m much the same way. His aspirations of living to 102 “outside the conventions of mainstream society” are perhaps more admirable than achievable considering how his health is deteriorating.
I much more preferred the writing style of ‘Outsider’ by Brian Popplewell, also featuring the life of a local who chose solitude in the forest.
Regardless, I’m in awe of someone who can live like this. I don’t think I could.
I was gifted this book by Harlequin Trade Publishing and NetGalley and was under no obligation to providing a review.
I was curious to discover if Ken chose this life or if it was chosen for him. I wanted to see what modern technology he relied on as he lived off the land and wanted to understand a little about how Ken spent his day.
This book is mostly written in Ken’s voice, sprinkled with his inspirational time in Canada and Alaska before seeking solitude, anecdotes about living alongside and his reliance on nature, and reports of his self-sustaining life.
I loved his attitude about the word ‘can’t’ and how it means that when one door closes it’s simply a conduit to another door opening. I could also understand what he meant when he said, “It’s just that I prefer to meet people on my terms, or rather, I like to be in control of my own day.” I’m much the same way. His aspirations of living to 102 “outside the conventions of mainstream society” are perhaps more admirable than achievable considering how his health is deteriorating.
I much more preferred the writing style of ‘Outsider’ by Brian Popplewell, also featuring the life of a local who chose solitude in the forest.
Regardless, I’m in awe of someone who can live like this. I don’t think I could.
I was gifted this book by Harlequin Trade Publishing and NetGalley and was under no obligation to providing a review.
June 12, 2025
" . . . I'll tell you what I think is weird, and it ain't the hermit. It's how entire generations of people have been conned into believing that there is only one way to live, and that's on-grid, in deepening debt, working on products you'll probably never use, to line the pockets of people you'll never meet, just so you might be able to get enough money together to buy a load of crap you don't need, or, if you're lucky, have a holiday that takes you to a place, like where I live, for a week of the happiness I feel every day."
Using his mad survival skills, Ken Smith has spent the last forty years living in a cabin he built himself in a secluded area of the Scottish Highlands. He's got a unique attitude toward life, and despite shrews eating his Jaffa cakes, he's learned to love the wilderness.
"You have to surrender to the fact that you're not going to be master of the land if you choose to live in a place like this."
I enjoyed this immensely, though if anything, it made me even more grateful for electricity and indoor plumbing.
Many thanks to Hanover Square Press and NetGalley for the ARC. Here is my review - finally - more than one year overdue.
I blame the shrews.
Using his mad survival skills, Ken Smith has spent the last forty years living in a cabin he built himself in a secluded area of the Scottish Highlands. He's got a unique attitude toward life, and despite shrews eating his Jaffa cakes, he's learned to love the wilderness.
"You have to surrender to the fact that you're not going to be master of the land if you choose to live in a place like this."
I enjoyed this immensely, though if anything, it made me even more grateful for electricity and indoor plumbing.
Many thanks to Hanover Square Press and NetGalley for the ARC. Here is my review - finally - more than one year overdue.
I blame the shrews.
March 9, 2024
Read if you like: escapism, slice of life, living off the grid stories, nature
I feel like anyone alive right now could not help but like this book. With all going on in the world who has not fantasized about leaving it all behind for some remote cabin in woods.
In first discovered this genre of book through One Man’s Wilderness which the author actually references which was like a balm to the soul. Ken’s book is much the same detailing from his early life his draw to nature and adventures throughout Canada and the Scottish Highlands before ultimately deciding to make the wilderness his permanent home.
It’s easy to hear Ken’s Scottish lilt throughout the pages and he immediately feels like an old friend. I was happy to come along with him and hear his tales of bear encounters and near death experiences while living on the land.
For me this book felt like a much needed hot cup of tea and I would recommend it to anyone who just wants to escape for a while.
I feel like anyone alive right now could not help but like this book. With all going on in the world who has not fantasized about leaving it all behind for some remote cabin in woods.
In first discovered this genre of book through One Man’s Wilderness which the author actually references which was like a balm to the soul. Ken’s book is much the same detailing from his early life his draw to nature and adventures throughout Canada and the Scottish Highlands before ultimately deciding to make the wilderness his permanent home.
It’s easy to hear Ken’s Scottish lilt throughout the pages and he immediately feels like an old friend. I was happy to come along with him and hear his tales of bear encounters and near death experiences while living on the land.
For me this book felt like a much needed hot cup of tea and I would recommend it to anyone who just wants to escape for a while.
July 23, 2023
This book was a breath of fresh air to read. Ken Smith is authentic, honest, funny and has led a fascinating life living ‘off-grid’ in the Scottish Highlands. Now in his 70s this book explores his life so far (he plans to live to 102 so hopefully on day there might be a sequel!) charting his adventures in a childhood in Derby, walking adventures in Canada and spending time wandering around Scotland before building his home and life at the side of Loch Treig.
Written in a conversational style this book is filled with wisdom, humour and plenty of good stories. I felt a bit like I was sitting next to the fire listening to Ken himself speak with the pine martens, birds and a hooded crow just outside. A book that makes you stop and reflect about your own relationship with the natural world and want to go after and follow your own dreams, wherever they may lead.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for sending me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Written in a conversational style this book is filled with wisdom, humour and plenty of good stories. I felt a bit like I was sitting next to the fire listening to Ken himself speak with the pine martens, birds and a hooded crow just outside. A book that makes you stop and reflect about your own relationship with the natural world and want to go after and follow your own dreams, wherever they may lead.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for sending me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
January 29, 2024
Marvelous. It made me laugh, it made me cry, and it made me think.
The moment I heard about this book I knew I had to read it. I have fallen in love with the Scottish Highlands and want to go there as often as possible. Furthermore, I saw a great documentary about Ken Smith last year and was charmed by his personality, so I wanted to get to know him better. But I was surprised how beautifully written and even profound this volume turned out to be.
The first part is a pretty classic autobiography, describing Smith's fortunes from birth to the time he began his life in the hut near Loch Treig. I knew the main facts from the documentary, but this detailed story moved me deeply. I found it so disturbing that although he was a young, intelligent and industrious man, he had no chance of finding employment other than grueling, poorly paid physical labor (in his own words, “I’d rather be freezing cold, hungry, poor and free; than freezing cold, hungry, poor and trapped”) - I guess because of his background and lack of education. Of course, it was thanks to these circumstances that he ended up living a much happier and more fulfilling life than most highly educated professionals, so by no means did I feel sorry for him - it just made me sad that our world can still be such an unfair, backward place.
I loved his adventures in the Canadian wilderness - I would gladly read a separate book devoted solely to his travels there. But here it is just an introduction to the main part of the story: what life as a modern hermit really looks like.
He describes in detail every possible aspect of it - from building a wooden house, to tending a garden (“You shouldn’t feel self-conscious about saying a few kind words to the things that grow in your garden. You shouldn’t feel self-conscious about saying kind words to anything”), to fishing, to being prepared for the worst weather. It may sound boring, but he somehow makes it fascinating. From each chapter you learn not only survival strategies (“Above all, your level of risk needs to be managed as much as possible, and that starts with shutting up the voice that says, ‘It won’t happen to me.’ It bloody well will”), but also his philosophy, and it is enlightening. He does not try to preach, he is a very humble and straightforward person, but time and again I found myself inspired by his words.
His story may be sobering for us city dwellers who dream of getting off the grid - he is not shy about the challenges and dangers he faces on a daily basis. I am sure this kind of life is not for everyone. But somehow it makes me feel better to know that it is possible and that he is happy there, on the slopes of Treig.
Many thanks to the publisher, Harlequin Trade Publishing, Hanover Square Press, and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book.
The moment I heard about this book I knew I had to read it. I have fallen in love with the Scottish Highlands and want to go there as often as possible. Furthermore, I saw a great documentary about Ken Smith last year and was charmed by his personality, so I wanted to get to know him better. But I was surprised how beautifully written and even profound this volume turned out to be.
The first part is a pretty classic autobiography, describing Smith's fortunes from birth to the time he began his life in the hut near Loch Treig. I knew the main facts from the documentary, but this detailed story moved me deeply. I found it so disturbing that although he was a young, intelligent and industrious man, he had no chance of finding employment other than grueling, poorly paid physical labor (in his own words, “I’d rather be freezing cold, hungry, poor and free; than freezing cold, hungry, poor and trapped”) - I guess because of his background and lack of education. Of course, it was thanks to these circumstances that he ended up living a much happier and more fulfilling life than most highly educated professionals, so by no means did I feel sorry for him - it just made me sad that our world can still be such an unfair, backward place.
I loved his adventures in the Canadian wilderness - I would gladly read a separate book devoted solely to his travels there. But here it is just an introduction to the main part of the story: what life as a modern hermit really looks like.
He describes in detail every possible aspect of it - from building a wooden house, to tending a garden (“You shouldn’t feel self-conscious about saying a few kind words to the things that grow in your garden. You shouldn’t feel self-conscious about saying kind words to anything”), to fishing, to being prepared for the worst weather. It may sound boring, but he somehow makes it fascinating. From each chapter you learn not only survival strategies (“Above all, your level of risk needs to be managed as much as possible, and that starts with shutting up the voice that says, ‘It won’t happen to me.’ It bloody well will”), but also his philosophy, and it is enlightening. He does not try to preach, he is a very humble and straightforward person, but time and again I found myself inspired by his words.
His story may be sobering for us city dwellers who dream of getting off the grid - he is not shy about the challenges and dangers he faces on a daily basis. I am sure this kind of life is not for everyone. But somehow it makes me feel better to know that it is possible and that he is happy there, on the slopes of Treig.
Many thanks to the publisher, Harlequin Trade Publishing, Hanover Square Press, and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book.
November 8, 2024
I have spent weeks waiting for this title from my library on reservation and I can say with all honesty, it was well worth the wait!
Ken Smith's story is fantastically inspirational, a man who has lived his life to his own plan, followed his heart and never compromised on his pursuit for freedom. The writing is honest, witty and completely heartfelt. The title of the story is self explanatory in that Ken has lived frugally in the Scottish wilderness for over 40 years, but the story of his childhood and his wanderings as a younger man into the Northern Territories of the US and Canada are equally gripping.
The book is truly wonderful, a real gem of an honest down to earth man who has an important message to impart. An absolute 5 star read.
There is a documentary about him from 2022 as well called The Hermit of Treig :-
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt18296448...
Ken Smith's story is fantastically inspirational, a man who has lived his life to his own plan, followed his heart and never compromised on his pursuit for freedom. The writing is honest, witty and completely heartfelt. The title of the story is self explanatory in that Ken has lived frugally in the Scottish wilderness for over 40 years, but the story of his childhood and his wanderings as a younger man into the Northern Territories of the US and Canada are equally gripping.
The book is truly wonderful, a real gem of an honest down to earth man who has an important message to impart. An absolute 5 star read.
There is a documentary about him from 2022 as well called The Hermit of Treig :-
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt18296448...
July 31, 2023
I recently wrote about Polly Toynbee’s memoir: ‘This is how a memoir should be written: … , and most of all, in fun’. However, this book is the other type of memoir I like: about no one famous, just someone who has lead a very interesting life.
The book is witty and full of insights, about life in general and people. I particularly loved his use of the words ‘mammalian Top Trumps’, when mentioning what to do when attacked by a bear etc. Hopefully not something I need to know about though. It is also very lyrical.
Rereading The Times article from when this book was published, I was saddened to hear how much Ken has gone downhill this last year; he wasn’t keeping his cabin tidy, he hadn’t planted potatoes, he was low on food, and, more worryingly, he hadn’t bothered to chop wood. Perhaps his time in the wilderness is coming to an end.
But basically, a joy to read.
P.S. The film about him is still available on the IPlayer
The book is witty and full of insights, about life in general and people. I particularly loved his use of the words ‘mammalian Top Trumps’, when mentioning what to do when attacked by a bear etc. Hopefully not something I need to know about though. It is also very lyrical.
Rereading The Times article from when this book was published, I was saddened to hear how much Ken has gone downhill this last year; he wasn’t keeping his cabin tidy, he hadn’t planted potatoes, he was low on food, and, more worryingly, he hadn’t bothered to chop wood. Perhaps his time in the wilderness is coming to an end.
But basically, a joy to read.
P.S. The film about him is still available on the IPlayer
November 12, 2024
A curate’s egg, but overall a good book that deserves three stars.
Ken Smith’s determination to survive on his own terms, off-grid, away from humanity, and in nature is admirable, even if the original reason for this desire is a sad one. The book was written as Ken appears to be coming to the end of his life, and is the more poignant for that.
The weakness of the book is that is is ghost written (though based on Ken’s meticulous diaries) and therefore I often felt like I was listening the ghost writer (Will Millard), rather than Ken himself. The loss of Ken’s original voice was exacerbated by my listening to the audiobook version, read in funereal tones by a narrator from the other side of the Penines (ie a different accent to Ken’s Derbyshire tones). Anyone who has seen the excellent 2022 documentary about Ken ‘The Hermit of Treig’ by Lizzie Mackenzie, will know that Ken has a lively, quick-witted way of speaking with an excellent sense of humour. Irrespective of the narrator, that did not come through in large passages of the book (anyone who has seen documentaries produced and presented by the ghost writer - a naturalist and expedition leader - might feel it is more of him that is being transmitted.)
Anyway, well done to Ken for getting the book out at all. The world needs more people like him.
Ken Smith’s determination to survive on his own terms, off-grid, away from humanity, and in nature is admirable, even if the original reason for this desire is a sad one. The book was written as Ken appears to be coming to the end of his life, and is the more poignant for that.
The weakness of the book is that is is ghost written (though based on Ken’s meticulous diaries) and therefore I often felt like I was listening the ghost writer (Will Millard), rather than Ken himself. The loss of Ken’s original voice was exacerbated by my listening to the audiobook version, read in funereal tones by a narrator from the other side of the Penines (ie a different accent to Ken’s Derbyshire tones). Anyone who has seen the excellent 2022 documentary about Ken ‘The Hermit of Treig’ by Lizzie Mackenzie, will know that Ken has a lively, quick-witted way of speaking with an excellent sense of humour. Irrespective of the narrator, that did not come through in large passages of the book (anyone who has seen documentaries produced and presented by the ghost writer - a naturalist and expedition leader - might feel it is more of him that is being transmitted.)
Anyway, well done to Ken for getting the book out at all. The world needs more people like him.
June 10, 2024
Ken Smith never wanted to live a conventional life, so he headed out to the wilderness of the Scottish highlands, built himself a cabin and has lived alone there ever since. He’s not a true hermit. He has visitors, and he frequently walks, trains, or hitchhikes to nearby towns to buy supplies and drink a pint or two, but it is a hard life. He deals with extreme weather, animal visitors, and injuries and illness, but he never seems to regret his choice to live there. I found this book difficult. As he catalogued fish, plants, and wild animal visitors, and detailed how he built his cabin, I felt like we were too busy counting the trees to see the forest. I wanted to know why he wanted to live this way, how his family reacted, how he dealt with never having a wife or children. He tosses off stray comments about visitors, a movie being made about his life, and having a stroke. I needed more information. Making it more confusing, his timeline is all over the place, so I was not sure at any point when I was in the narrative. Do I admire his ability to maintain his lifestyle? Yes. Do I feel I got the real story? No. Other readers may give this five stars and write glowing recommendations, but this is my reaction.
August 21, 2024
I wasn’t impressed with this at all. Having traveled extensively and roughly and lived off the grid for 30 years I was hoping to hear some good stories. I didn’t find the writing very engaging. What made me quit though was after listening to his absolute disdain for people working for a living he finds his perfect spot and can afford to live there because he’s on the dole. Huge eye roll and I was done. Glad I borrowed this from the library and didn’t spend any money on it.
July 19, 2025
You'd think Ken Smith's lifestyle is reserved for a handful of people with access to the outdoors and strong physical health. One that is "very beautiful but..." implausible for the majority of people to follow. In my opinion, what Ken's lifestyle is about is not necessarily about building a log cabin and walking 50 miles round to the grocery shop. The way of the hermit is about the appreciation of small things, of the hardship as well as the pleasure in our lives. It's about acknowledging the role of everything that surrounds us no matter if it goes against our own desires. It's about the pleasure of doing things for one's own, independently from big corporations and bureaucrats. I believe that anyone can live like him no matter if it's in a remote ramshackle of a house or in a tenement flat. This is one of the most inspiring books I have read in a while, a book that is vital to read every once in a while we forget what this life is all about.
June 15, 2023
The Way of the Hermit is the witty, fascinating and riveting autobiography about Ken Smith's experiences living at Loch Treig in the Scottish Highlands without running water or electricity for forty years. His reliance on the land, common sense and reading nature signs are learned and brilliant. He describes his life before Loch Treig including his childhood collecting bits of nature, spooky experiences, fascinating jobs, his horrendous industrial accident, Yukon and Northern Canadian adventures, dealing with deep grief, foraging for food, being attuned to nature sounds, log-pile management, wild animals, living with ticks (I have Lyme...you don't want it), neighbours and how he built his cabin.
Smith is deeply reflective and doesn't worry about the small stuff. His writing style is conversational and a pleasure to read. This book is also a bit of an insightful social commentary packed with wisdom and insight into human nature. One of the many ideas which stood out to me most is that it is not the hermit who is "weird" but rather living on-grid full of debt like sheep caving to the whims of the government. In his view being a hermit means choosing to meet people on his own terms and controlling his days as much as possible. Another profound description which resonated with me is living where you are meant to be, comfortable and at peace with indescribable well-being. I have had the fortune to discover such a place with a deep connection to a country other than where I was born and raised. The feeling is beyond description!
As a nature fiend, this book really connected with me on so many levels. Though not a "hermit", I am happiest fully immersed in nature and can understand Smith's passion for living the lifestyle and thereby learning multitudinous life lessons. His descriptions are stunning and his lifestyle while a hermit (he is now in his 70s) was clearly worth sacrifices and hard work, as all things worth pursuing are. The adventures he had! I'm thankful he wrote them so people such as me can enjoy them.
If you hanker for peace in all of its forms, do read this inspiring book with gorgeous wilderness descriptions and compelling anecdotes.
My sincere thank you to Pan Macmillan and NetGalley for providing me with an early digital copy of this wonderful, wonderful book.
Smith is deeply reflective and doesn't worry about the small stuff. His writing style is conversational and a pleasure to read. This book is also a bit of an insightful social commentary packed with wisdom and insight into human nature. One of the many ideas which stood out to me most is that it is not the hermit who is "weird" but rather living on-grid full of debt like sheep caving to the whims of the government. In his view being a hermit means choosing to meet people on his own terms and controlling his days as much as possible. Another profound description which resonated with me is living where you are meant to be, comfortable and at peace with indescribable well-being. I have had the fortune to discover such a place with a deep connection to a country other than where I was born and raised. The feeling is beyond description!
As a nature fiend, this book really connected with me on so many levels. Though not a "hermit", I am happiest fully immersed in nature and can understand Smith's passion for living the lifestyle and thereby learning multitudinous life lessons. His descriptions are stunning and his lifestyle while a hermit (he is now in his 70s) was clearly worth sacrifices and hard work, as all things worth pursuing are. The adventures he had! I'm thankful he wrote them so people such as me can enjoy them.
If you hanker for peace in all of its forms, do read this inspiring book with gorgeous wilderness descriptions and compelling anecdotes.
My sincere thank you to Pan Macmillan and NetGalley for providing me with an early digital copy of this wonderful, wonderful book.
June 22, 2024
This is a beautifully written book….poetic in parts. It certainly describes a lifestyle that is not for everyone but it is definitely interesting and informative. It has many ideas on living a good and simple life….even for us city dwellers. Love, love, love this biography. #indigoemployee
August 15, 2025
I bought this for my husband, who has always had something of a yearning for wilderness. Ken’s story is on a whole other level, as he has earned himself the moniker Hermit of Loch Treig.
Having read the book I’m full of admiration for Ken’s work ethos and survival knowledge. Attuned to nature in a way so few of us are, his years spent living off grid have created a character who you can see likes to do things his own way. Reading about his daily exertions or the way he copes with the environment he’s living in is, at times, terrifying but there’s a genuine passion for it that is quite inspirational.
Credit has to go to Will Millard his co-writer for organising the book into a comprehensive narrative. We learn about Ken’s early life in Derbyshire before he was sent to Scotland at fifteen to work. Following a savage beating that had him in a coma for some time, and having to learn to walk and talk again, Ken heads to Canada where he lives wild. We get a sense early on of his stubbornness and determination to find a way to manage things. When his parents both die and he is left with no money, it takes a certain mindset to not be defeated by events.
Perhaps a man of his time. Reading about his decisions and the circumstances that led him to Loch Treig its testimony to the support network he’s built round him that he’s maintained his lifestyle.
Interesting to read, though it felt a bit like an insight into some kind of curiosity. Now to plan how to support my husband’s need for wilderness adventures without having to be involved myself!
Having read the book I’m full of admiration for Ken’s work ethos and survival knowledge. Attuned to nature in a way so few of us are, his years spent living off grid have created a character who you can see likes to do things his own way. Reading about his daily exertions or the way he copes with the environment he’s living in is, at times, terrifying but there’s a genuine passion for it that is quite inspirational.
Credit has to go to Will Millard his co-writer for organising the book into a comprehensive narrative. We learn about Ken’s early life in Derbyshire before he was sent to Scotland at fifteen to work. Following a savage beating that had him in a coma for some time, and having to learn to walk and talk again, Ken heads to Canada where he lives wild. We get a sense early on of his stubbornness and determination to find a way to manage things. When his parents both die and he is left with no money, it takes a certain mindset to not be defeated by events.
Perhaps a man of his time. Reading about his decisions and the circumstances that led him to Loch Treig its testimony to the support network he’s built round him that he’s maintained his lifestyle.
Interesting to read, though it felt a bit like an insight into some kind of curiosity. Now to plan how to support my husband’s need for wilderness adventures without having to be involved myself!
June 16, 2025
I'm not sure about you, but I have quite frequent occasions when I'd like to go and live in the woods to enjoy some peace and quiet. Well, Ken Smith did precisely that. His life story is an extraordinary one, but one has to admire how early in life he realised what he wanted to do. Simply put, he wanted to spend his life in nature. Not in complete isolation, but living in a cabin in the woods. It wasn't a straightforward journey, but he succeeded and found his place on the shores of Loch Treig.
The book is not a chronological day-by-day account of his life and adventures. He has carefully constructed the story he wanted to tell his readers by picking out life events that have been turning points for him. Moreover, he speaks a lot about his values and struggles related to living in the wilderness. He kept diaries all his life, and he frequently shares daily snapshots of his hermit life with us. To some degree, it also felt that he wanted to impart some knowledge on his readers. I cannot appreciate the detailed explanation of fishing on Loch Treig, but I'm sure there are plenty who could. It's an enjoyable read for those who love Scotland and nature. There's also a movie (The Hermit of Treig) that I'm now curious to watch.
The book is not a chronological day-by-day account of his life and adventures. He has carefully constructed the story he wanted to tell his readers by picking out life events that have been turning points for him. Moreover, he speaks a lot about his values and struggles related to living in the wilderness. He kept diaries all his life, and he frequently shares daily snapshots of his hermit life with us. To some degree, it also felt that he wanted to impart some knowledge on his readers. I cannot appreciate the detailed explanation of fishing on Loch Treig, but I'm sure there are plenty who could. It's an enjoyable read for those who love Scotland and nature. There's also a movie (The Hermit of Treig) that I'm now curious to watch.
August 19, 2025
This book is one of the most heartwarming pieces of literature that I have ever encountered. Life in its simplest form, viewed through the perspective of an altruist.
Some chapters may appear dull at first glance until you realise the passion he has for the little things in life. I absolutely loved the book and I can't wait to watch the documentary when time allows.
I hope he gets his dream of living to 102. Long live the Hermit of Treig!
Some chapters may appear dull at first glance until you realise the passion he has for the little things in life. I absolutely loved the book and I can't wait to watch the documentary when time allows.
I hope he gets his dream of living to 102. Long live the Hermit of Treig!
May 13, 2025
Really just beautiful writing.
March 23, 2025
This book has touched me and moved me in ways I didn’t expect.
Leaving everything behind and moving over to Scotland just resonated its life lessons even more. There is a call to the wild in each of us, whatever that “wild” is. Go and do it now. That’s the biggest (and hardest) lesson.
Leaving everything behind and moving over to Scotland just resonated its life lessons even more. There is a call to the wild in each of us, whatever that “wild” is. Go and do it now. That’s the biggest (and hardest) lesson.
April 8, 2025
Interesting but just too detailed for my taste. No real character development, he’s the only subject. Very bel gazey, I needed more depth and detail besides the tails of living under a tarp.
January 6, 2024
Having read this, I can't decide whether Ken Smith is a very interesting man or a very dull one. The way he lives is interesting, yes - but maybe it takes quite a dull man to live like that, a man content at any rate with plenty of stimulus for the senses but very little for the intellect. Certainly he has no 'poetry' about him, and no great spiritual truth to reveal (unless it is his distinctive method of making tea). He is just someone who set off and allowed the road to take him where it would, and it eventually took him to a cabin on Loch Treig where in fact he probably has more contact with the outside world than a lot of people his age living in urban council flats.
The big thing that marks him out from most of us is that he never married, has seemingly had little to do with women and relationships, and doesn't regret it. That in itself debars him from ordinary life, and ordinary life from him. Perhaps he has chosen the better part - who knows? - but for most of us, family life with all its ups and downs *is* life itself. I'm not sure his is an example that many would want to follow, when it comes down to it, or could follow even if they wanted to. He's a rare, lucky individual who has lived the life of his choice without having to try too hard for it.
As always with books of this type it is hard to tell where the subject ends and the ghost-writer (Will Millard) begins. It's an unfortunate fact but - Thoreau perhaps aside - the very fact of living an unusual life almost guarantees that you will not have the skills to write about it without the aid of an interpreter who can put it in nice, familiar, middle-class journalistic terms. Personally, call me prejudiced but I find it hard to believe that anything of much worth would be written by a Will, or an Olly, Barney, or Ben.
Incidentally the book (probably not Smith, who has probably never thought about it) claims that Loch Treig means 'lake of death'; but the Gaelic for death is bàs. My Gaelic lexicon tells me that treig is a verb meaning 'to forsake', so Loch Treig could mean 'forsaken lake' or 'a lake to forsake'; but that doesn't sound like the very straightforward and functional style which - contrary to popular belief - is typical in Gaelic place names. Alternatively the word may very well come from some ancient language spoken before even Gaelic arrived.
The big thing that marks him out from most of us is that he never married, has seemingly had little to do with women and relationships, and doesn't regret it. That in itself debars him from ordinary life, and ordinary life from him. Perhaps he has chosen the better part - who knows? - but for most of us, family life with all its ups and downs *is* life itself. I'm not sure his is an example that many would want to follow, when it comes down to it, or could follow even if they wanted to. He's a rare, lucky individual who has lived the life of his choice without having to try too hard for it.
As always with books of this type it is hard to tell where the subject ends and the ghost-writer (Will Millard) begins. It's an unfortunate fact but - Thoreau perhaps aside - the very fact of living an unusual life almost guarantees that you will not have the skills to write about it without the aid of an interpreter who can put it in nice, familiar, middle-class journalistic terms. Personally, call me prejudiced but I find it hard to believe that anything of much worth would be written by a Will, or an Olly, Barney, or Ben.
Incidentally the book (probably not Smith, who has probably never thought about it) claims that Loch Treig means 'lake of death'; but the Gaelic for death is bàs. My Gaelic lexicon tells me that treig is a verb meaning 'to forsake', so Loch Treig could mean 'forsaken lake' or 'a lake to forsake'; but that doesn't sound like the very straightforward and functional style which - contrary to popular belief - is typical in Gaelic place names. Alternatively the word may very well come from some ancient language spoken before even Gaelic arrived.
Read
August 24, 2024I love reading survivalist stories and this book was great. Ken has had a hard life, and not just because he chose to live most of it in a rural setting without electricity. He makes it seem like that was the easy part, actually. I loved hearing his outlook on the choices he had made. He continually emphasizes how our every breath is a gift. Life is a miracle, don't squander it.
July 7, 2024
A fantastic story of a man and the way he choices he made to live on his own. This book made me smile and laugh and also come close to tears. His insights into how we live our daily lives was also thoughtful and weaved effortlessly into the story.
August 11, 2024
“Even if you don’t want to go off grid, there’s a way to incorporate some of this into your own life.” I’m a fan of indoor plumbing, but yeah, let’s all go hiking more!
Listened to this on my phone from the library.
Listened to this on my phone from the library.
August 23, 2024
3.5, book has it all— memoir of a nomad traveler, the describing of living in the wild land, knowledge of different species from insects to birds and wildcats. ken is a pure hermit indeed.
January 22, 2025
Si je disparais d’ici 5 ans vous savez où me trouver lol
August 18, 2024
I came across this book in Waterstones in Oban when on holiday in the Scottish Highlands. There were lots of books of a similar nature which I flicked through. I liked the writing style of this one the most, and then discovered that the author shares his birthday with me, and that was that, decision made.
And as you can see, I wasn't disappointed.
This book is mostly about Ken Smith living in a hut he builds on the shores of Lake Trieg. But it also talks about his childhood in Derbyshire, his first trip to Scotland and his time spent travelling in Canada.
We learn how he fills his days, finds paid work, builds his hut, does his shopping, fishes from the loch etc. There is a whole chapter on how he chops his wood! He also tells us about the sheer hard work of it all, and about the realities and harshness of life in the great outdoors and exposure to the elements.
His love of nature and his enjoyment from living the way he does shines through the whole book.
He has kept a diary all his life and there are extracts from his diary in the book, and even his personal notes are beautifully written.
And as you can see, I wasn't disappointed.
This book is mostly about Ken Smith living in a hut he builds on the shores of Lake Trieg. But it also talks about his childhood in Derbyshire, his first trip to Scotland and his time spent travelling in Canada.
We learn how he fills his days, finds paid work, builds his hut, does his shopping, fishes from the loch etc. There is a whole chapter on how he chops his wood! He also tells us about the sheer hard work of it all, and about the realities and harshness of life in the great outdoors and exposure to the elements.
His love of nature and his enjoyment from living the way he does shines through the whole book.
He has kept a diary all his life and there are extracts from his diary in the book, and even his personal notes are beautifully written.
August 24, 2025
Ken Smith's life is nothing short of a wonder. I give him full kudos and total credit for everything he has accomplished living completely off the grid. It really goes to show you how much more appreciative we should be about the value in learning skilled trades, living closer with nature and fully appreciating the beauty and abundance of food it can provide us. While I physically wouldn't be able to live the way he does, I have the utmost respect for his choices and totally understand it. We have grown way too accustomed to the age of the internet and capitalism is outrageous these days. we're too focused on having more stuff or the best stuff or the newest stuff, and I think if more people lived like Ken did or at least had his mindset, we'd have a much better society than we do right now.
I really enjoyed reading this, and I could hear his accent while reading along. I also enjoyed that it seemed to be written in the same way he was talking, so you felt a closer connection to him while reading his story. I highly recommend this.
I really enjoyed reading this, and I could hear his accent while reading along. I also enjoyed that it seemed to be written in the same way he was talking, so you felt a closer connection to him while reading his story. I highly recommend this.
July 10, 2024
“I’ve spent the majority of my life living outside the conventions of mainstream society, and I’ll tell you what I think is weird, and it ain’t the hermit. It’s how entire generations of people have been conned into believing that there is only one way to live, and that’s on-grid, in deepening debt, working on products you’ll probably never use, to line the pockets of people you’ll never meet, just so you might be able to get together enough money together to buy a load of crap you don’t need, or, if you’re lucky, have a holiday that takes you to a place, like where I live, for a week of happiness I feel every day. And then they have the bloody cheek to guilt you into somehow being grateful for it?
No. I’m pretty certain I’m not the weird one, and yet here we are, my friends. Let’s be honest, you didn’t buy this book just because you were curious about me, did you? You’re here because that small part of you, that hermit that sits within us all, wants to know if there is something more, and if it can be done.
Well, it can.”
No. I’m pretty certain I’m not the weird one, and yet here we are, my friends. Let’s be honest, you didn’t buy this book just because you were curious about me, did you? You’re here because that small part of you, that hermit that sits within us all, wants to know if there is something more, and if it can be done.
Well, it can.”
February 23, 2025
One of my new favorite books! This man has lived an incredible life, full of adventure and struggle and excitement and pain. This book drew me in and kept me fascinated the whole time. Highly recommend.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 277 reviews