ISSN 2631-326X (Online)
SEPTEMBER EDITION 2018
The Freedom of Living Simply
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SEPTEMBER EDITION 2018
Write to Us!
Are you currently living in a small space and making it work? Are you working on a self-build, tiny house, or narrowboat renovation? Your story can inspire others to follow their dreams. Write to us at: info@tinylivingmagazine.co.uk
Contents 3
The Tiny Houses of Tintagel … Page
A Cool Way to Keep a Small Space Warm! … Page
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The “Selfie” … Page
The Green Grove – Planting Community Orchards … Page
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Published by: Tiny Living Productions Ltd, Glasgow UK Editor: Pamela Palongue Design by: Gilmour Graphics Email: info@tinylivingmagazine.co.uk On the cover: House in the Forest Photograph by JacobH
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The Tiny Houses of Tintagel By Pamela Palongue In a land where truth and legend are forever entwined, two tiny cottages stand at the edge of a woodland forest and garden. The cottages are quite divergent in style, but equal in charm! They were originally part of the Halgabron Mill in Cornwall, believed to have been built in the 18th century. The corn mill closed in the late 1800s, but fortunately the two cottages survived. The Millstream Cottage almost resembles a tiny castle with its gothic door and tiny turret, which opens up to a 12-sided conical, slate roof. The round living space has beamed ceilings and a small fireplace, but the tiny, efficient kitchen is all modern. The Coachman’s Cottage was formerly the stables as is evident from the front door. This little studio cottage has a sleeping loft accessed by ladder, and has tonnes of charm with latticed windows and exposed beam ceilings.
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Both of these cottages are available for holiday lets, offered through Sykes Holiday Cottages. If you are lucky enough to visit, be sure to take a walk along the public footpath beside Trevillet Stream, where you will see sycamore, beach, ash and rowan trees. And the lovely Waterfall of St. Nectan’s Glen is not to be missed!! Also in Cornwall is the Eden Project, which houses an impressive display of plant life with a simulated rainforest and Mediterranean climate biomes. It combines a unique view of the natural world with sustainable technologies of the future. To plan a visit, www.edenproject.com Any restoration is the ultimate form of recycling, and shows an appreciation of the past by making it functional and beautiful for the present. The Halgabron Cottages are a wonderful example of this. To book a stay, visit www.sykescottages.co.uk. A special thanks to Sykes Holiday Cottages for the use of their photos.
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Hand Crafted Log Cabin For Sale Made from Douglas Fir - FSC and PEFC certified
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The Glamping Show 20th - 22nd September
This is a huge, international event with both indoor and outdoor exhibitors, including shepherd hut builders, yurts and lots of products designed for small spaces. It takes place 20th - 22nd September at Stoneleigh Park in Warwickshire. You can register at www.theglampingshow.com
Narrowboat Helmsman Course The Narrowboat Skills Centre, located at Debdale Wharf Marina in Leicestershire, offers RYA-recognised training courses, including a 2-day Helmsman Course on a regular basis. They also offer a more advanced course for experienced boaters, and have classes on boat maintenance. To access a complete list of their courses, visit www.nbsc.org.uk
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Masonry stoves are both ancient and cutting edge. If you’ve ever visited Germany or the Scandinavian countries, you’ve likely noticed the large tiled stoves in the corner. They are usually centuries-old, and very beautiful. The technology behind them is fairly simple. The outside of the wood-burning stove is covered in ceramic tiles. When the tiles are heated, they will radiate warmth evenly throughout the room at a fairly constant temperature for several hours. They also burn the wood more completely, making their use more efficient and economical to operate, with much less emissions. The key is the use of masonry such as ceramic on the outside. But other types of masonry can also be used just as efficiently, such as soapstone, brick, stucco, stone and new high-tech materials which synergise the effect of the heat.
Stovefinders.com
They work extremely well in small spaces such as a tiny house, shepherd hut or even a narrowboat with the right kit. They can be found, ordered or built in almost any size, colour or decorating style. If you love the idea of re-using and recycling, an antique ceramic stove may be perfect for you. The beautiful stove pictured at the top of the page is a found object from www.Stovefinders.com. Based in Rayleigh, Essex, this small family run business travels all over Belgium, France and Germany to rescue these gems. They are freestanding, and quite frequently small which makes them perfect for a diminutive space. They are DIY projects - that with a little love, can become a beautiful piece of art in your home, as well as a practical friend. The good news is, this company does deliver which is a plus since they are sometimes quite heavy. One caveat; after restoring your stove, make sure to have it checked by a reliable professional to make sure that it is operating properly and safely!
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La Castellamonte design from Gondwana Green Heat
There may be some situations where you do not have the time to restore your own stove, and would prefer to buy something new. If this is the case, you may want to check with a company such as Gondwana Green Heat, www.gondwanagreenheat.co.uk.
Stovefinders.com
Based in Edinburgh, they are also a family business, and unique in that they supply several different makes of stoves, and also have engineers to take care of the installation and they can recommend local suppliers for fuel. One of the product lines they carry is called La Castellamonte. It has small, ultra contemporary options, like the Stack Stove here in black but they also design classic stoves which would work in a variety of settings, with minimal floor space used. Yet another option for heating with a masonry stove is a custom-built system. You can choose the specific type of masonry you want to use, and size for your space. Martin, a master builder at Masonry Heater Builders, www.stovemason.com specialises in building stoves to fit the space and particular need. Martin, who is the builder, is based in Scotland, but travels all over the UK, custom building the stoves. Soon he will be offering courses three times per year, for those who are interested in learning to build masonry stoves. The classes will be announced in the near future on the website. Masonry stoves work well in small spaces because they are a very simple system to set up, and can be designed to take up minimal floor space.
Stovefinders.com
There are sources available to ensure that you are using wood for fuel that is responsibly sourced. Visit www.woodheatassociation.org.uk for tonnes of helpful information.
La Castellamonte design from Gondwana Green Heat
Built by Stovemason.com
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The “Selfie” - The beautiful eco-retreat, Cae Mabon in Wales.
Have you ever thought of building your own home? Some brave souls have managed to erect between 7% and 10% of the new houses in the UK, which are self-built or custom designs.
and warm in winter. The clay and straw must be mixed and applied by hand which can be labour intensive. But if you’re willing to put in the work, you can have what you envision, and you’ll have the satisfaction of knowing that you built it yourself!
One of the attractions of building your own home, may be the ability to create exactly what you want. And building with cob probably provides the ultimate freedom in the creative process. Buildings can be constructed in any shape that you want, including round, square, octagon or free form. Cob also settles nicely into any style, from ultra-contemporary to ancient Hobbit-style houses.
Although the idea of self-building with cob may seem new-agey, it’s a part of the historic landscape of the UK. If you’ve ever been to Devon, you’ve seen the amazing cob homes that dot the coastline with beautiful simplicity and have been there for centuries, a testament to the longevity of cob.
Some other attractions are that it’s one of the most inexpensive ways to build since, it’s made from a combination of clay and straw, making it an organic, eco-friendly choice. Structures made with it have thick walls that act as insulation and tend to be cool in the summer
If you decide to take a divergent path and build with cob, it may feel at times like you have been set adrift in the ocean. Actually, there is more help available than you may realise. You just have to know where to look for advice and inspiration.
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Cae Mabon (pronounced Cae as in “sky” and Mab-on as in “fab”) is a beautiful eco-retreat with all sorts of self-building examples, including cob, straw bale, timber construction and hempcrete (a mixture of the core fibers of hemp and lime). In 2008, it was named the Number 1 natural building site in the UK by the noted professor of architecture, Tom Woolley. It’s located in the Welsh countryside near the village of Llanberis, but you might feel as if you’ve wandered into the Hobbit’s lair of Middle-Earth. It is not open for touring, but you can hold a retreat there by booking in advance, but be forewarned, they are usually booked a year in advance! There are several events held there throughout the year, and a diversity of classes which you can attend in this magical, idyllic place. Check here for events, www.CaeMabon.co.uk
Though the requirements might seem daunting at first, there is a group of people who have come together to form an entire eco-village called Lammas. They offer classes in practical skills such as self-building, but also health and mindfulness. You can access their courses here www.lammas.org.uk/en/courses If you’re located in Devon or nearby, check out this excellent resource, the Devon Earth Building Association, for general information and also links to craftsmen and architects in the area, www.devonearthbuilding.com And finally, another great resource with links to courses can be found at Low Impact.org: www.lowimpact.org/ directory/categories/cob-building-courses
A few years ago, Wales initiated a sustainable scheme called, “One Wales: One Planet”. This plan allows for the self-build concept, so long as certain requirements are met. Each prospective home builder must be responsible for providing 65% of their own needs, such as gardens for food, water, waste disposal and energy, which could be provided through sustainable technologies such as solar and wind. They must accomplish this by using no more than 1.88 hectares of land to supply their needs, but home builders are given five years to achieve the 65% level of selfsustainability. The home itself must be made of sustainable and locally-sourced materials – like cob for instance. Finally, the home owners must establish an income-generating business to sustain themselves. This is a great plan because it encourages small business and cottage industries that are good for the economy and the local community. The business could be selling products derived from the land such as honey from beehives, but it could also be practical or creative, such as nature photography, or selling baked goods. The scheme can be accessed at the following link: www.gov.wales/docs/desh/ publications/090521susdev1wales1planeten.pdf
- A traditional cottage made of cob in Devon.
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Orchards were once a common sight to see on the landscape. One place where they are making a comeback is London! Although London may not seem to be the natural choice for planting fruit trees, they actually grow quite well in an urban environment. Apples, plums and pears all grow well here on the island and they can be grown in relatively small areas and are fairly low maintenance. The Orchard Project.co.uk is helping to re-fruit the country by establishing community orchards in unused spaces and teaching orcharding skills. One of the great things about planting fruit trees is that they also provide habitat for birds and other wildlife while growing, as well as yielding fruit.
Photography - Jettcom
In Scotland, Scottish Orchards.com is educating and planting orchards which are adjusted to the Scottish climate and biodiversity. They also lend advice to groups or individuals planning their own orchard.
The Green Grove – Planting Community Orchards 11
If you’re lucky enough to have even a small garden space, you may be able to plant one or two fruit trees. They can be planted as close as 1.5 to 6 metres apart, depending upon the variety of tree and rootstock. They are also able to continue to thrive if planted near a fence or wall. So if you have a choice between planting an ornamental hedge or a fruit tree, why not consider something that yields organic fruit? If you live in the city and there’s not a community orchard near you, maybe consider starting one. With organisations like The Orchard Project and Scottish Orchards, you will have lots of support and education available. www.theorchardproject.co.uk www.scottishorchards.com
The SMALLEST House in the UK The smallest house in the UK is just 3.05 metres by 1.8 metres, or 5.49 metres squared. It was built in the 16th century, and used until 1900 when the last occupant moved out, incredibly a 6-foot 3-inch fisherman. He apparently did not leave by choice however, but was forced to move out when the council declared it unfit for human habitation.
Plan Your Canal Trip! Narrowboats.org has an excellent canal route planner which has over 10,000 different points of interest to plan a personalised canal trip! The information includes the routes, location of bridges, locks, restaurants, pubs and local attractions. After you’ve planned your trip you can download a PDF of the route you’ve chosen. To plan your trip, visit www.narrowboats.org
Known as the Quay House and located in Conwy, Wales, you can tour the home for £1 – a tiny fee for a tiny house.
Photography - Martyn Richards, ‘Autumn fog’
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Big Facts About Small Spaces The average size of a home in the UK is 76 square meters, which is the smallest national average in Europe Over 15,000 people in the UK live on the water on narrowboats and canal boats, with several thousand in London alone A shipping container home can be converted into a permanent dwelling with building regulation compliance for around ÂŁ15,000 + VAT There are now over 80 companies building shepherd huts in the UK, with an increasing number of them used as granny (or grandpa) annexes for aging parents According to the British Property Federation, a record 8,000 ‘micro homes’ were built in the UK in 2017 13
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