Ken Smith chose a life far removed from roads, electricity and the routines of modern society. For almost 40 years, he lived alone in a handmade log cabin beside Loch Treig in the Scottish Highlands, relying on fishing, foraging, growing vegetables and chopping his own firewood, as per a report by the BBC and BFI.
His secluded existence eventually caught the attention of filmmaker Lizzie MacKenzie, who first met him while working at a remote restaurant. Years of friendship came before the camera, allowing MacKenzie to gradually earn Ken’s trust and understand the man behind the unusual lifestyle.
That relationship became the foundation for the BBC Scotland documentary The Hermit of Treig, which followed Ken’s life, his connection with the wilderness and the challenges of remaining independent as he grew older.
How did Lizzie MacKenzie meet Ken?
MacKenzie grew up on a small island on the west coast of Scotland and developed an early attachment to open spaces and a life away from convention. Her route into documentary filmmaking was equally unconventional.
In 2017, after leaving a horse training job, she met award-winning documentary filmmaker Amy Hardie. Hardie was working on a feature-length film about horses and PTSD in ex-military personnel and brought MacKenzie onto the production as an intern.
MacKenzie worked her way from intern to production assistant and then assistant director over two years. She described the experience as a kind of DIY film school that gave her the skills and confidence to begin telling her own stories.
Her connection with Ken began before she ever started filming him.
At the time, MacKenzie was running a remote restaurant located 17 miles up a dirt track. Local deer stalkers were among her nearest neighbors, friends and regular customers. They often told stories about an older man living at the edge of the shooting estate in a log cabin he had built himself.
The cabin was a two-hour walk from the end of the dirt track. During one January visit, with snow covering the ground, MacKenzie went looking for Ken because she wanted to learn how to fish properly.
Fishing turned out to be the way into Ken’s world.
The two became friends, and MacKenzie was struck by his energy and curiosity. Ken was approaching his 70s, yet she found him deeply engaged with life and eager to explore the world around him.
That first connection stayed with her. Even after years had passed, she could not shake the idea of making a film about him.
