Inside life living out of a converted Ford Transit van in Scotland - 'I feel closer to nature'

It is an image that shows the reality of a trainee electrician’s simple life living out of a Ford Transit van - with just a bed, desk and tinted windows as ordinary comforts.

Fed up with low wages and the rising cost of rent, Dom Wright, 30, left his job at an EV charging installation firm in Edinburgh, having been left unfulfilled with gruelling 12-hour shifts and stagnant pay.

Dom Wright, 30, relaxing in the Scottish outdoors | Dom Wright/@outside_with_ron

He has swapped city life for the open road, turning a van into his own home in a bid to improve his work-life balance while studying an Open University law degree.

Subscribe today for the best Scottish news via our daily newsletter

And living on the road has significantly reduced his outgoings - to the point it has allowed Mr Wright reach his goal of £50,000 for a house deposit in Edinburgh.

READ MORE: United US flights from Edinburgh Airport to Washington DC increased in major new deal

But the move wasn’t entirely impulsive. In late 2023, Mr Wright had purchased a £17,000 Ford Transit van and over the course of a few weeks, he spent around £1,500 on a DIY renovation- insulating the interior, fitting a double bed and desk, cladding the walls, and installing tinted windows for privacy.

Dom Wright reads inside the back of his converted Ford Transit van | Dom Wright/@outside_with_ron

Since April last year, the van has been his full-time home.

He parks in scenic spots around Scotland - from Loch Lomond to Portobello Beach - and finds joy in a much simpler life, far from city noise and cramped housing.

“I used to feel embarrassed, like people would judge me for cooking in car parks,” he said. “But now I just own it. It feels cosy and I feel closer to nature. The birds are louder and rain on the roof is relaxing”.

Renting a spare room for £750 a month while earning as little as £10 an hour some days, Mr Wright had felt stuck.

“I was stressed and eventually I rage-quit,” he said. “I gave a week’s notice and left.”

Mr Wright is pursuing a law degree with the Open University - a path he started in 2019. His study spaces are just as unconventional as his home - sometimes at Longniddry Beach, other times in a nearby McDonald’s.

He has even parked to sleep for the night under a bridge in Edinburgh.

Dom Wright goes for a swim in the Highlands | Dom Wright/@outside_with_ron

“People are being priced out of cities,” he said. “it’s not just students - it’s nurses, tradespeople and those on a modest wage.

“Edinburgh is full of Airbnbs and holiday lets. Van life isn’t a perfect solution, but it allows a skilled worker like me to stay near the city without adding pressure to the local housing market.”

Mr Wright added: “There is something peaceful about knowing if I need a break from studying, I can jump in the sea for a swim.”

The university student began sharing his van-life journey on social media, under the handle @outside_with_ron. His van-life content on TikTok and Instagram has allowed his most popular video to accumulate more than 600,000 views.

Despite the simplicity of his lifestyle, Mr Wright is far from off grid.

He owns a three-bedroom house in Manchester, bought in 2020 while he was serving in the armed forces. It is rented to a family at below-market rates- £725 per month, around £300 below the area’s average.

“I’m holding the rent steady because I know how tough it is out there,” he said.

Now over one year into his mobile lifestyle, Mr Wright said he believed the change has made him more resourceful, grounded and connected to the beauty of the Scottish outdoors.