The Scottish Highlands are one of the world's most remote places. It might seem like no human being could, or would, scrape a living from the hard, rocky land and the deep, cold lakes. But if you go walking near Loch TreigA reservoir in the northern Scottish highlands. Its name, meaning lake of death, comes from Gaelic., 20km east of Fort WilliamA town in the Scottish Highlands. Its population of 10,459 makes it the second-largest settlement in the Highlands, after Inverness., you might just catch a glimpse of a lonely figure fishing in the tranquil waters.

Now, a BBC documentary has told his story. Ken Smith has been living as a hermit in the area since he built his own log cabin there 40 years ago. He has no electricity, gas or running water. He grows his own vegetables and forages for berries, but he mostly lives off the fish he catches.

For the last four decades it has been a life of perfect self-sufficiency. But there are signs his solitary existence cannot go on forever.

In 2019, Smith suffered a strokeA medical emergency that occurs when the blood supply to a part of the brain is cut off. They can cause lasting brain damage if not treated quickly.. He had to activate a GPS-operated locator beacon, allowing the coastguard to airlift him to Fort William, where he stayed in hospital for seven weeks. 

Despite doctors' best efforts to get him to move into a flat, he insisted on returning to his cabin. But damage to his vision and memory means he has to accept more help from others: a local gamekeeper now brings him food every few weeks.

For some, Smith is a shining example of what human beings can do in a state of perfect solitude. For others, he is a reminder of the limits of solitude and the dependency that we always have on each other.

The desire to seek solitude is certainly deeply ingrained. Human beings have been seeking refuge from civilisation for centuries. Many early Christians, following the example of Jesus, left their homes and families to wander in the wilderness. The best-known of these was Anthony the GreatAn Egyptian Christian monk who is revered as the Father of All Monks., who moved to the Egyptian desert and lived there alone for 35 years, eating only bread, salt and water.

But these so-called Desert FathersThe most prominent was Anthony the Great, who left his wealthy family to live in the Egyptian desert in around AD270, and inspired thousands of other men and women to do the same. quickly realised how difficult it can be to find solitude. When others heard of their example, they flocked to the deserts themselves. Soon there were so many of them that it was simply impossible to be alone, and many of them started banding together in communities that became known as monasteries.

Some philosophers have extolled the virtues of solitude. Friedrich NietzscheA German classical scholar, philosopher, and critic of culture (1844 - 1900), who became one of the most influential of all modern thinkers.'s famous work Thus Spoke Zarathustra tells the story of a hermit who, after a life of thinking alone in the mountains, descends to teach the people the wisdom he has gathered. 

Likewise, Jean-Jacques Rousseau was proud to call himself a hermit. But his supposed "solitude" was not actually very solitary, since he was almost always accompanied by bands of admirers.

Other thinkers suggest that solitude should be taken in moderation. Aristotle argued that humans are social animals, who naturally like living with each other. But he also thought spending some time away from others was vital for a philosopher.

The Romantic poets, too, delighted in temporary seclusion. William WordsworthAn English writer (1770-1850) best known for his poems about nature, such as Daffodils. wrote about the "bliss of solitude", but he also valued his friendships.

Yes: Scientific studies have found that spending time alone increases empathy, sparks creativity and helps build our mental resilience and self-knowledge. Spending time apart from other people gives us time for reflection and makes us behave better towards each other. 

No: Human beings are not made to be alone. Hermits throughout history, from Anthony the Great to Ken Smith, have found that living a totally self-sufficient lifestyle is not as easy as it looks. We should cherish the time we have with each other, not retreat from our commitments.

Or... It is rare that somebody can find peace in total isolation. But many of us need it from time to time. Life should be about a mixture of experiences.