Monty Halls' Great Escape

[AJB]

As it happens I was up in that area the same time last year and weather was incredible. It wasn't a suprise that the first episode indicated the perfect location and outlook.

As he's only there for 6 months from April through to September, it's just one long holiday. He has money, connections, a researcher or two and all the basics covered. He deosn't even have to start collecting wood for winter and preparing for some proper hardship.

Not what I would call a tough life. Experts coming out of the pub to handle everything for him, and the BBC name to back it up. The locals know full well that the area will be innundated by tourists (and alternative life seekers) over the next few years, so naturally they are cashing in on it.

The same thing happened at Tarensay (sp?) after the original Castaways programme. It is now an alternative holiday desitination and money has flowed into the area.

Not that I want to deprive them of it. That area of rural Scotland really does need the financial support and when I was there the fuel strikes were on, so I saw first hand the effect of the reduced number of campervans and early holiday makers and how tight Spring was looking for some of them.

I enjoyed the images though, and yes it made me want to visit again. But my dissapointment is with the BBC, who can't do anything properly without (a) a celebrity, and (b) parachute. 'Survival' is such a misued term in media land. It seems anything outside the M25 is classed as survival.

He admits to not being a 'Ray Mears' type, so what is the prog all about then? The simple life (providing you have money) to show all of us what we are missing, as we are doing our best to get through the current situation. It strikes me it is more a tourist information series to boost the economy in rural Scotland.

Cheers thanks BBC. The Public Service Broadcasting service for which we pay another Tax for scores another great hit, and we learn diddly squat.

Lovely to look at, but seriously ..... totally pointless.

I wish I said that - I've been banging that drum since I left the production industry a lovely programme and a huge missed oportunity.

 

[demographic]

Best way to fund "The good life" is to get a TV station to pay to see how you get on
Thats pretty much what Hugh Fearnley–Whittingstall does isn't it?

Good luck to em, but unless you fully own your house you still have to pay for it and that involves getting paid work from somewhere

And paying council taxes kind of skuppers the self sufficiant thing as well, even if you can get all your own food you still have to pay the councill for whatever the hell they do with the cash.

 

[nomade]

Someone asked about the toilets, well they are on their way: next episode (read in Radio Times).

Composting toilets. Some people have reservations about recycling human feaces as they contain toxins and heavy metals. Today's modern human body is in fact unfit for releasing its waste into an environment where organic food is going to be produced.

 

[nomade]

Bothyman wrote:
"But what happened to Rueben after the filming was he just a Prop or did he keep him.
It just seemed rather strange he got him just before the filming started."

Yes perhaps a lot of what is shown is made up and not quite what it seems, I share the concern.

I read in Radio Times that Monty said his Border Collie was run over just before filming was due to start and he then got Rueben from an RSPCA kennel. He said he chose a dog that would present no difficulty at Applecross (wouldn't chase animals or people).

I share the remarks of other writers here that this and many other outdoors or "survival" TV programmes and more generally what I call "just do it!" programmes mislead the public into thinking that all you need is a dream, a vision, and then a "just do it" attitude.

While in fact as I implied in a previous post here, making a dream come true, including returning to the wild and to Stone Age lifestyle etc, costs money. Connections also help as someone remarked.

Sheer hard work/perseverence/resilience, skills, creative talent, imagination, sense of adventure and good luck are just not enough. Not in 2009.

A lot of TV programmes and this one too seem to say to viewers: "why don't you also go for your dreams? All it takes is just decide to "do it". It's just down to attitude, right mindset, venturing out of the comfort zone etc.

While under closer scrutiny, all these "changed life" TV stories involve people who can easily budget their dreams. Wouldn't we all implement our visions and dreams if we could budget them?

I will still continue to enjoy watching Monty's creating his little farm in paradise...

 

[Gailainne]

He said he chose a dog that would present no difficulty at Applecross (wouldn't chase animals or people).

He forgot about the chickens then .

I have no hangups about the programme, apart from wishing it was me : I'll enjoy it for what it is, but I think as someone elee said, his knowledge of marine life should make for some (hopefully) good shots of the rich wild life up there, in and out of the water.

I wonder if the estate has started renting out the cottage

Stephen

 

[Tengu]

Ah, but people who watch this sort of thing dont go out of their comfort zones, they are too aware of the existance of midges.

 

[nodd]

The beeb has used this location before .Ray Mears filmed at Applecross , Sand and the rock shelter near the parking area above the cottage in his series Wild Foods the coast episode.

A wonderful place I have been going to the area for several years. Now the secrets out, the drive over the pass is interesting better now the roads been improved

 

[Klenchblaize]

I'm sure he will be found out stalking with either the Estate or FCS in one episode. Not much else to do up there unless you like the water!

Cheers

 

[Steve13]

Well I for one enjoyed it, looks like a fantastic part of Scotland and one that I have to admit I have not visited yet!

No doubt it will be packed out this summer though after this

 

[nodd]

It could well get a bit busy bring on the midges ,just had a look at a photo I took of my wife on the beach and looks like his landy is parked by the cottage( wish I had called in for a cupper had I known) I thought at the time some one has nice place to stay.

 

[Gailainne]

nodd

Cheers for sharing that, I've always wondered where that rock shelf was, I've been to the middens at Dunnethead, which was also part of that programme, I didn't even know they existed, I was up there to go over to see Skara Brae and Maes howe, and a local in the pub told us about them.

Stephen

 

[bothyman]

I see the book is out now

 

[Shewie]

Did you see the state of those midgies last night ?

 

[bothyman]

Yes, friendly little beasties were'nt they

I noticed he'd been shopping in Lochcarron.

>> http://www.midgejacket.co.uk/

I enjoyed it, but the "Living like a crofter" bit wore a bit thin.



Next time I'm over there I'll go to The Walled Garden with half a dozen eggs and get a coffee, I wonder how much a Bacon Sarnie costs 2 Cabbages and a Lettuce.



MicktT

 

[Shewie]

Yes, friendly little beasties were'nt they

I noticed he'd been shopping in Lochcarron.

>> http://www.midgejacket.co.uk/

Is it common for them to get so bad, I couldn't work out if it was just a bit of clever camera work. The worst I've experienced was up near Ullapool one year but thankfully we had tents aswell so could escape them briefly.

Those jackets look like a good buy for £20

 

[andybysea]

Midges get that bad far further south, Bridge of Orchy ive seen them very bad and even further south on Strathaven moors slept out the night woke up in the morning and opened my bivi bag which should have been o/g to find it was one black moving mass of the damn things.

 

[bothyman]

There did seem to be a lot of them but the Veggie Patch and the Pigs won't have helped.

MickT

 

[Doc]

It was interesting he only stayed April to September.

I've worked as a rural GP in many similarly remote areas (Lochinver, Scourie, Isle of Skye, etc) and there is an interesting phenomenon you see - people who have moved there from England or the central belt in search of a stress free lifestyle, after having an idyllic summer holiday there. A lot get depressed in the winter, and quite a few do not stay.

In winter there is less employment, less daylight and although there is a good community spirit it can still be hard going. I enjoyed working there because the nature of the job is that you are always busy and always meeting people but my wife didn't find it so satisfying.

In the old days in the Yukon/Alaska a 'cheechako' (newcomer/greenhorn) only lost that appelation after a winter in country. Scottish winters are obviously not so extreme but I guess it would have been more realistic TV if Monty had stayed a whole year.