{"id":690843,"date":"2026-07-14T09:11:19","date_gmt":"2026-07-14T09:11:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/690843\/"},"modified":"2026-07-14T09:11:19","modified_gmt":"2026-07-14T09:11:19","slug":"couple-give-up-city-life-to-live-on-a-welsh-island-with-two-neighbours","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/690843\/","title":{"rendered":"Couple give up city life to live on a Welsh island with two neighbours"},"content":{"rendered":"

Lois and Aron live rent free, there are 500 sheep and the nearest light pollution comes from Ireland<\/p>\n

Neil Shaw Assistant Editor<\/p>\n

06:46, 14 Jul 2026Updated 06:49, 14 Jul 2026<\/p>\n

Couple give up city life to live on a Welsh island with two neighbours<\/p>\n

A couple who had lived in Cardiff their whole lives moved from the city to a tiny off-grid island with just four residents and hundreds of sheep \u2013 and it\u2019s saving them a fortune. Lois Roberts and Aron Llywd had grown tired of the hustle and bustle of city life.<\/p>\n

It had been their dream for a number of years to move off-grid and live sustainability. But, without the funds to do so, it didn\u2019t seem like it was within reach.<\/p>\n

Until they came across a job on a tiny island, which involves maintaining the gardens and 10 holiday accommodations, in return for a rent-free home and salary. And, best of all, it\u2019s almost entirely off-grid with a population of just four, including them; except for its excessive amount of sheep, of which there is 66 to every human.<\/p>\n

\"Lopis<\/p>\n

Lopis and Aron on their island<\/p>\n

\u201cI didn\u2019t really think of where things came from before and took everything for granted,\u201d said Lois, aged 29. \u201cNow I know exactly where our water and power comes from \u2013 and I\u2019m careful about the amount we use, as it\u2019s precious.<\/p>\n

\u201cI can\u2019t pop to the shop if I\u2019ve forgotten to buy something. Or see family and friends whenever we want. It takes a lot of effort for people to visit us; but we\u2019re always appreciative when they do.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt is a bit like going back in time, as we live in an old house and the compost toilet is outside at the back of the garden. And there is no signal on the island \u2013 apart from if you trek to the top of the mountain \u2013 but we do have WiFi in our house.<\/p>\n

\"The<\/p>\n

The island of Ynys Enlli or Bardsey Island<\/p>\n

\u201cSometimes, it cuts off and we\u2019re isolated. But then again, even with it, we feel like we\u2019re separated from the rest of the world.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s almost like we\u2019re in a bubble with its own time and rules. We consider the sheep our neighbours. It\u2019s especially cute in spring during lambing season, as there\u2019s loads of little lambs everywhere. \u201cWhen we go to the mainland after a long time on the island, it feels like we\u2019ve been in a dream.\u201d<\/p>\n

The island of Ynys Enlli \u2013 known as Bardsey Island \u2013 is located in the Llyn Peninsula in Gwynedd<\/a>, Wales.<\/p>\n

\"The<\/p>\n

The house on Ynys Enlli<\/p>\n

Lois, before moving, had just finished her masters degree in clinical psychology and began working as a researcher. Aron, also 29, was a lighting technician for film and television. When they saw the island warden role advertised, though, they snapped it up and ditched everything they knew behind with no questions asked.<\/p>\n

She said: \u201cStarting an off-grid lifestyle from scratch wasn\u2019t going to be possible. But we kept seeing people on television and online that had changed their lives by living in remote areas \u2013 and we were desperate to do the same.<\/p>\n

\u201cAlso, having just finished university, I wanted to do something different and not go straight into a mainstream role.\u201d At first, they worked seasonal roles only between 2024 and 2025, where they went back home in the winter.<\/p>\n

\"The<\/p>\n

The island is full of life and the couple grow their own food<\/p>\n

It wasn\u2019t until the previous full-time wardens left in March 2026 that the pair took their place. Now, it\u2019s just Lois, Aron, two farmers \u2013 and the 500 sheep.<\/p>\n

Lois said: \u201cGuests stay between April and September, so we need to make sure the houses and gardens are kept in good condition. The houses were built in the 1870s and are listed, so they require a lot of maintenance.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen things break, such as doors or windows, it\u2019s our job to get them back in tip-top shape. The work is often unpredictable, so we have to solve the problems as they arise. We do have help from volunteers who stay on the island, so we manage tasks according to what needs to be done.<\/p>\n

\"They<\/p>\n

They can see the Northern Lights<\/p>\n

\u201cBut the best part of the job is seeing the changes that each season brings. From the sea thrift, to the foxgloves that pop up, and the blackberries in summer. It feels incredibly special and grounding.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think, in the city, I rarely had the headspace to sit down and learn a new craft for hours. Since moving here, I\u2019ve learned how to knit, make cyanotype prints, weave and play the banjo. And we\u2019re self-sustainable.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s our own veg patch and large poly tunnel, as well as two lobster cages. Our five chickens also give us fresh eggs each day. Using the nearby orchard, we\u2019ve been able to make our own cider, too.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Lois<\/p>\n

Lois on the beach<\/p>\n

Despite being two of four, it\u2019s not as isolating as people might think. The sense of community is strong, as everyone checks in with each other and lends a helping hand whenever needed.<\/p>\n

She said: \u201cLiving by the seasons and relying on nature can bring its own set of issues. We rely on solar energy and if we have a few weeks of no sun, then we have no power. In the winter, we generate this from a wind turbine.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut we do have a generator and batteries as a backup. And long periods of sunshine does mean our water supply runs low, as we rely on rain water for washing and other household uses.<\/p>\n

\"Their<\/p>\n

Their job is to maintain the island<\/p>\n

\u201cOur drinking water is from a well on the mountain. Keeping these supplies separate means we can make the best use of our limited resources.\u201d<\/p>\n

While in Cardiff, over half of their monthly pay check was spent on rent, bills and other living costs. It was impossible for them to save and the thought of getting on the property ladder was a distant dream. Now, though, they\u2019re able to save half of their pay as their living costs are so low and will put the funds toward their future.<\/p>\n

\"Lois<\/p>\n

Lois and Aron<\/p>\n

Their plan is to stay on the island for the next few years and then settle down elsewhere when the time is right. For now, they\u2019re enjoying a much slower paced lifestyle and aim to soak up everything the island has to offer. Lois added: \u201cWe\u2019re lucky enough to see the Northern Lights from our doorstep.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd we get to experience total darkness at night. It\u2019s a luxury we didn’t get in the city. It\u2019s always a privilege to see the stars so clearly and sometimes, we see the Milky Way.<\/p>\n

\"Lois<\/p>\n

Lois on the island<\/p>\n

\u201cThe closest light pollution is actually from Dublin.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Lois and Aron live rent free, there are 500 sheep and the nearest light pollution comes from Ireland…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":690844,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[35],"tags":[12956,5903,101,56,54,55],"class_list":["post-690843","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-rugby","tag-gwynedd","tag-rugby","tag-sports","tag-uk","tag-united-kingdom","tag-unitedkingdom"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/690843","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=690843"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/690843\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/690844"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=690843"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=690843"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=690843"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}