Watch: The dog walker who sold all her belongings to live in a container off-grid in rural Scotland

A dog walker sold all her belongings to live in a container off-grid in rural Scotland.

Robyn Swan, 32, had always dreamed of living off the land, but only began researching off-grid living seven years ago. After spending years saving, Ms Swan made the jump in December last year and bought just under seven acres of land near Stirling for £185,000.

To help pay for the land, Ms Swan, who owns a dog-walking business, sold all her belonging including her furniture, TV and her car.

Ms Swan also remortgaged her home in Stirling that she now rents out out to cover her mortgage and bills.

Ms Swan, from Stirling, said: "It just felt like the right decision at the right time in my life. Everything just fell into place." She was able to fulfill her life-long dream after buying a piece of land, which had been on the market for six years.

She said: "The land had been under offer a few times, but people wouldn't be prepared to live off-grid so the sales would all eventually fall through. Most people want a dishwasher or a tumble dryer, but I never really worried about that."

It took two months to build the container and Ms Swan had to sleep on a mattress on the floor during the process. She bought a a second-hand kitchen from Facebook marketplace for £5,000 and set up a bed.

She said: "I was lucky to have loads of friends chipping in with items or a helping hand. It's not quite finished yet but I have a bed and kitchen sorted.”

Her aim is to become fully self-sufficient and live off the land.

She said: "I grow some of my own food including potatoes and certain fruits, but I am not nearly where I want to be in terms of self-sufficiency.

"I also plan to set up a solar system for the living spaces, but the process is quite expensive. I would love the site to be 60-70 per cent self-sufficient but I am currently at 10-15 per cent."

Living without being connected to the mains has been easier than expected.

Ms Swan harvests rain water, bathes in a cast-iron tub she got for free from Facebook marketplace and re-uses her bath water for the plants.

She said: "I use a pink cast-iron tub for my baths, which a local interior designer was giving away. To heat it, I have to light a fire underneath and sit on a plank of wood so I don't burn out my bum.

"In terms of electricity, I have a power bank in the van, which charges as I drive it. That's where I usually charge my phone and laptop.”

Ms Swan has no fridge and has to eat what she buys that day from local shops.

Over the past seven months, Ms Swan has set up a fence around the entire perimeter and built shelters for the animals living on the site, including eight sheep, six pigs and over 20 chickens. She hopes to turn the land into a functioning farm.

"I want to start a market garden in the area the pigs are currently in now,” she said. "I will grow all the fruit and vegetables. I'm hoping to plant some fruit trees soon.”