The Floating Bothy hosts self-led Open/Open Call c artist residencies on a tiny house boat roaming London's River Lea Valley over autumn and winter on a Pay What You Can basis
"Bothies are remote, rural cottages that have outlived their original purposes but now are kept unlocked for people to take shelter or stay overnight without charge. They are located mostly in Scotland, with a small number in England and Wales, and have basic facilities - with no mains electricity, gas, or piped water."
The Floating Bothy resides nomadically within The Lea Valley (on the River Lee / River Stort) as a 'continuous cruiser' canal boat moving to a new visitor mooring location approximately every 14 days.
Residency
The Floating Bothy is a 13ft (L) / 6ft (W) / 6'6ft (H) entirely off-grid living space, suitable for 1-2 people as a comfortable liveaboard canal boat fully equipped with the below inclusive amenities.
• 6ft x 4ft "Small Double" Bed
• 7 Tog Duvet / 2 x Pillows
• Cast Iron Multi-Fuel Stove
• Firelights / Kindle / Logs / Coal
• Jackery Solar Panel & Battery
• 12v Lighting / Water Pump
• Dining / Working Table
• Wardrobe / Storage
• Calor Gas Water Heater
• Calor Gas Cooker
• Cool Box (no fridge)
• Shower / Wet Room
• Porta-Potti Chemical Toilet
• Kitchen Utensils for 2 persons
• Bottled Water / Ground Coffee / Tea
Off-grid living can afford a near permanent state of 'airplane mode' that is uniquely free from distraction and interuption and as such allowing for far deeper states, or longer periods, of contemplation.
Observing rivers, burning fires, and natural landscapes can all encourage a frame of cognition known as 'Soft Fascination' - a state of effortless attention that allows for mental reflection known to recharge the brain and allow tangental ideas / inspiration to more easily transpire.
Living on top of, and within, the natural environment of a flowing river allows for a reawakening of bodily senses that are otherwise reduced or starved in urban environments, along with a reattunement of the body's core circadian cycle whilst being directly exposed to day-night cycles.
Read
Listen
Work
The Floating Bothy offer a small library of themed short stories, poetry, and non-fiction titles. Alternatively guests can bring their own reading material to enjoy the equivalent to an undisturbed reading week.
The Floating Bothy is equipped with a vinyl record player and IKEA bluetooth speaker, allowing for the appreciation of full length analog albums as an enriching alternative to randomised digital playlists.
The Floating Bothy allows for laptop based work either at a small fireside table, or from bed. Sketching, painting, writing, photography, and film-making can also be conducted while aboard or in the local vicinity.
Wander
Cook & Eat
Wintering
Each location has immediate access to public footpaths, wildlife sanctuary's, and country parks. Offering the direct ability to take short walks or longer hikes. An Ordinance Survey Map of the Lee Valley is also provided.
The boat is equipped with a 2 hob / grill / small oven Calor Gas stove along with stew pot, sauce pan, frying pan, and baking tray - giving the ability to prepare and enjoy simple and wholesome meals.
Residing within a canal boat in autumn or winter affords a unique opportunity to revise our relationship to colder, darker times of de-growth - experiencing them as a time of constrained comfort, reflection, mystery, and imagination.
