An Evolving Off-Grid Lifestyle: A Journey from Waterways to Wheels

An Evolving Off-Grid Lifestyle: A Journey from Waterways to Wheels

When it comes to off-grid living, there’s no single blueprint. Some may gravitate towards a secluded cabin, while others choose the freedom of a life on wheels. Benny and Emily illustrate this diversity, demonstrating that an off-grid lifestyle can be a dynamic and evolving journey. Their path has seen them transition between the slow life of the canals to the open road more than once, each phase offering unique challenges and rewards.

Their experiences reflect a shared commitment to an unconventional life. From Benny’s early involvement in squatting projects to Emily’s nomadic childhood, their individual experiences have shaped their shared desire for an unconventional life. Today, they split their time between a converted ambulance and a narrowboat repurposed as a creative studio, defining off-grid living in their own way. Discover how they navigate the challenges of living with limited space, harnessing solar power, and forging connections within the off-grid community.

Through their experiences, Benny and Emily offer valuable insights into the realities of off-grid living. Their story is not just about leaving behind the ordinary but about embracing a life where home is wherever they choose to park – or moor – it.

 

An evolving off-grid lifestyle

 

Personal Journey to Off-Grid Living

Benny’s path to off-grid living began with a desire for freedom. “Ever since educating myself on the housing industry and how we work to pay for shelter, I’ve been interested in alternative ways of existing,” he explains. In his 20s, he became involved in squatting projects, most notably the OK Café in Manchester. These projects transformed unused buildings into vibrant community spaces offering workshops, music, and creative outlets. This exposure broadened his perspective and sparked an interest in alternative living spaces. Boats, in particular, captured his imagination as functional, mobile homes that aligned with his values.

For Emily, being off-grid was a way of life from the very beginning. Her parents lived a nomadic lifestyle between Spain, Portugal, and the UK, often travelling in buses and other unconventional vehicles. After her parents separated when she was three, her father continued this way of life, and Emily spent holidays and weekends on the road with him. By age 11, she was being home-schooled while travelling the UK and Spain in an old bus. This upbringing created a deep love for the off-grid lifestyle. “I’ve always loved this way of life,” Emily says. Since graduating university in 2011, she has shaped her work-life around her unconventional lifestyle. While she hasn’t always lived off-grid full-time, she has spent significant periods in vans and, more recently, on narrowboats.

 

Challenges and First Steps

Like many who consider off-grid living, Benny and Emily faced tough decisions early in their journey. When they first got together, they were living in a van. However, a period of illness led them to rent a house in Todmorden, Yorkshire. During this time, they briefly considered settling down and buying a home in the area.

“We were feeling very uninspired by the houses we could afford,” Benny recalls. The prospect of taking on significant debt for a conventional lifestyle felt daunting. As they deliberated, the pull of off-grid living grew stronger. One day, from their rented bedroom window, they saw the smoke from a wood burner rising from a narrowboat on the nearby canal. That simple sight reignited their passion for an alternative lifestyle.

Inspired, Benny and Emily began exploring narrowboats for sale. “As soon as we stepped onto one, it felt very right for us,” Emily shares. The decision to return to off-grid living was made, but the process wasn’t without its challenges. One of the biggest hurdles was finding the right boat. With so many variations in size, style, and functionality, the search required careful consideration.

Fortunately, their prior experience with alternative living made the transition relatively smooth. Both Benny and Emily had spent significant time in unconventional homes, which helped them in evolving quickly to an off-grid lifestyle on the water. Their decision to embrace alternative living once again reaffirmed their desire for freedom and self-sufficiency.

 

Their Current Setup

Benny and Emily’s off-grid lifestyle is continuously evolving, as they adapt to new spaces and opportunities. After nearly four years living on a 56-foot narrowboat, they decided to sell it as their vision for off-grid living began to shift back toward something more dynamic.

During their time on the narrowboat, Benny also bought and restored a 20-foot boat as a side project. He transformed it into a creative space, a studio for their artistic pursuits, blending functionality with creativity. “We have kept this small boat” Emily explains, “but our main living space is our converted Renault Master St John’s ambulance, which we have now lived in for 4 months.”

This transition illustrates their adaptability and willingness to redefine what home means. Whether on water or wheels, Benny and Emily continue to demonstrate the creativity and adaptability that defines their evolving off-grid lifestyle.

 

The couple live in their converted ambulance and keep a small narrowboat for a studio space

 

Sustainability Practices

Living off-grid requires a thoughtful approach to energy and resource management, and Benny and Emily have developed creative solutions to these challenges. Their use of solar power, generators, and water-saving techniques highlights the balance between sustainability and practicality that defines their lifestyle.

They rely primarily on solar panels installed on their campervan and small narrowboat for energy. The solar panels charge leisure batteries, with the camper benefiting from a modern lithium battery setup. “The solar has worked great, especially for the camper,” Benny notes. Additionally, their van has a split-charge system that allows the batteries to recharge while driving. “We have a suitcase generator for the small narrowboat.” Benny continues “The generator is used only in deep winter when there is no solar energy available. We need it because the narrowboat’s engine doesn’t have an alternator to charge its leisure batteries.” This combination of systems ensures they remain self-sufficient year-round.

Managing water and waste presents its own challenges, especially in the campervan. “When on the boat it is quite straightforward as there are boater’s facilities here and there that allow us to fill our water, get rid of waste and toilet emptying.” Emily shares. However, their van’s 70-litre water tank typically only lasts about three days, and is supplemented by showers at service stations, leisure centres, or outdoor setups. They’ve devised an efficient portable shower using a bucket and rechargeable pump, allowing both to shower with just 15 litres of water.

Waste management can be another complicated component of life off the grid. They keep a small bin for general waste, disposing of it as they travel, and often use friends’ compost toilets to handle toilet waste. When travelling in Europe, they’ve found managing resources significantly easier due to the widespread availability of water, bins, and recycling stations.

 

Daily Life and Rewards

Benny and Emily’s off-grid lifestyle balances the simplicity of daily routines with the creative demands of their work. Their days begin with breakfast and tidying up their living space. “If it’s a filming day, we’ll focus on capturing content or editing videos we’ve already shot,” Benny explains. On other days, they dedicate their time to errands such as refilling the water tank, emptying bins, and managing other essential tasks.

Despite the challenges, such as maintaining a small space for diverse uses, Benny and Emily embrace the freedom their lifestyle offers. “The most rewarding thing has been feeling the freedom of extra time that living in a more affordable way has given us,” Emily shares. “We have also been lucky enough to create an income from filming our life on the road and waterways. This independent income has given us the freedom to travel and explore more than before.”

However, life in a confined space isn’t without its difficulties. “Keeping it tidy and available for several different uses has been testing on our patience and resilience,” Benny admits. Yet, they agree that the rewards far outweigh the challenges, as their lifestyle allows them to connect deeply with their surroundings and pursue creative projects on their own terms.

 

Relationship with Nature and the Environment

The couple’s off-grid journey is deeply entwined with the natural world, a connection they see as an essential aspect of their continuously evolving lifestyle. Living in a van and narrowboat places them in constant rhythm with the seasons and weather. “You very much live with nature,” Emily explains. “You are more aware of the seasons and the weather as it influences your day-to-day.”

Unlike the relative environmental separation experienced in a traditional home, off-grid living requires direct interaction with nature, whether fetching water, managing waste, or relocating to comply with mooring regulations. For continuous cruisers like Benny and Emily, moving every two weeks is mandatory, regardless of weather conditions. Emily acknowledges that this can be challenging: “When the weather is very bad, you have no choice but to move and endure whatever nature throws at you.” Yet, she also sees these moments as part of what makes their lifestyle so fulfilling. “The hard times make you appreciate the easier times and very much appreciate when you do have a full tank of water and don’t need to move for a few days!”

 

 

This intimate relationship with nature serves as both a motivator and reward for their unconventional way of living. For Benny and Emily, the freedom to travel and experience the world up close is invaluable. “To be connected with nature is so important and can so easily be lost when living in a house,” Emily reflects. “For us the freedom to travel and experience the world and nature is the reason we live like this.” Their off-grid life offers them an authentic bond with the environment, allowing them to embrace its challenges while finding joy in the changing seasons.

 

Community and Connection

Balancing isolation and community is a delicate challenge for Benny and Emily in their nomadic lifestyle. The fluid nature of living off-grid means building a solid, long-term community is difficult. “This is just one of the sacrifices we make to live the way we love so much,” Benny reflects.

In their larger narrowboat, which they’ve since sold, the couple often felt isolated. Moving frequently in search of the right place left them struggling to find a community that felt like home. “Yes, there were many pretty places and lovely towns, but we never found a community we fit into,” Emily shares. This search for connection was one of the reasons they transitioned from the larger boat to a van, while keeping a smaller boat to maintain ties to the canals.

Van life has offered a more flexible approach to building connections. “Due to being a much faster mode of travel, we can visit friends and go further,” Emily explains. This mobility has made it easier for them to maintain face-to-face relationships and connect with others on the road. Additionally, their YouTube channel and Instagram presence have enabled them to forge meaningful online friendships with other content creators, providing a sense of camaraderie and shared experience.

Despite the challenges, Benny and Emily have found balance in moments of solitude. “Sometimes it is the best thing to be moored in the middle of nowhere and have quiet, space, and time for ourselves,” Emily says.

 

Lessons Learned and Future Plans

Benny and Emily’s evolving off-grid lifestyle has taught them adaptability and self-sufficiency. For Emily, this lifestyle feels like an extension of her upbringing. “It’s in my soul,” she shares. Having lived in traditional houses before, she found it didn’t suit her, leaving her anxious and depressed. “I always return to living in a van or a boat. Living off-grid has taught me that there is so much more to life than the 9-5 and working until retirement.” For her, the ability to travel and experience the world in a fluid, ever-changing way is essential.

Benny, meanwhile, has gained confidence in his ability to provide for himself. “It’s taught me the satisfaction that can be had from doing simple tasks that we take for granted when living in a house,” he explains. This hands-on lifestyle has helped him develop new skills and build a resilience that he values deeply.

For newcomers considering an off-grid lifestyle, Benny and Emily recommend starting small. “It may be a good idea to give it a go first before selling up and diving straight in,” Emily advises. Renting a narrowboat or camper for a week, or volunteering at an off-grid community, can provide valuable insights into the realities of this way of life. “It is hard work and testing at times,” she adds, “but if you are committed, it is one of the most rewarding ways to live.”

Looking ahead, Benny and Emily plan to upgrade to a larger vehicle for added comfort while on the road, evolving within their off-grid lifestyle once again. They also see potential in becoming involved with an off-grid community, though these plans are still in their early stages. For now, they remain focused on traveling and exploring with their current setups, their small boat Rambler and their converted ambulance Ronnie.

 

Conclusion

Benny and Emily’s evolving off-grid lifestyle highlights the rewards of life outside conventional boundaries and the beauty of embracing change and growth along the way. Their journey demonstrates that even if you start with one form of off-grid living – whether it’s a campervan, narrowboat, or a piece of land – there’s nothing wrong with adapting as your needs and circumstances evolve. They have experienced the balance of challenges and joys that come with a lifestyle deeply connected to nature and focused on self-sufficiency. From learning resilience to finding satisfaction in simple tasks, their story is an example of how off-grid living can be a pathway to personal growth and happiness.

“If you are drawn to alternative and off-grid ways of living, don’t be afraid to answer that inner calling,” Emily encourages. For them, the highs of this lifestyle far outweigh the lows, offering a sense of being truly alive and engaged with the world.

Their story is an inspiring reminder that choosing an unconventional path can lead to unexpected opportunities, new skills, and a deeper appreciation for life. Whether you’re considering this lifestyle for its connection to nature, independence, or freedom to explore, Benny and Emily’s experiences show that with preparation, adaptability, and a willingness to embrace change, the rewards can be infinite.

Find out more about Benny and Emily’s off-grid adventures on water and wheels by following their Youtube channel or find them on Instagram.

 

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