"Spending a year in the Highlands has really opened up my eyes to what I do and don't want to do with my life. I remember working in the offices of Tatler and I suppose at heart I'm not really an office person. Spending hours in an office is not what I want to do with my life. Of course, I have doubts.

A lot of people said "if you're going away for a year are you just running away from things?" And I suppose that - even though I hadn't thought about it - so many people said that to me I thought am I? Am I just running away and putting things off for another year?

On the island you have big arguments but half an hour later you have to cook together or you have to go and build a fence together or you have to go and socialise together. We were so close together that we worked out from the beginning that you have to resolve things straight away. That intensity of being so close and living on top of each other it can... it's really hard.

There were definitely moments when I thought I really need to get away, I want my space and that is why there was this run down place which was a 40 minute walk from the village and absolutely everyone without question would go there at least once during their time on the island.

I have to say I laughed a lot on the island. We had some of the funniest, funniest people there. Because we knew each other so well you could just look at someone at times and laugh. I don't know if every Castaway would say that - they would probably look at people and just despair.

I remember noticing when we had our visitor week we all got used to the sight of each other and when everyone's friends and family came onto the island for a couple of days I just remember being so amazed at how unhealthy everyone looked.

Deep down every single person has this dream of abandoning their 9 to 5 lifestyle. I have no regrets about applying for the Castaway project. Absolutely none. It was one of the most fantastic things I've ever done and I've always had the thought in my mind to make the most of life no matter what - but it's possible."

WEBLINKS
There are news reports available online which look at how some of the other community members are getting on since the project finished:

Castaways learning at home.

Another BBC series which threw volunteers into the deep end was Surviving the Iron Age, which not only created an artificial community but also sent them back in time - the website Surviving the Iron Age gives more information.

Content last updated: 16/03/2005

About our author

Ben Fogle is a presenter, writer and adventurer. Since appearing on television as a castaway on a remote Scottish island, Ben has undertaken various extreme sporting challenges, and has presented numerous TV programmes. He is a fellow of the Royal Geographical Society and the President of the Campaign for National Parks. Read Ben's full biography.

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