Stuart Grant is 90 years old, but he has a youthful spirit. He built his own Hobbit House, which has drawn visitors from all over the world. Stuart planted the seed for the Hobbit House in 1984, when he purchased an abandoned cottage in the hills of Tomich, Scotland, near the natural paradise of Inverness.

Stuart’s off-grid cottage was built nearly 200 years ago as a shoemaker’s cottage and croft. “There was no roof, just four 200-year-old walls. It’s not a fancy house; it’s made from other people’s scraps “Stuart stated.

Most people would be intimidated by the prospect of renovating a barely-standing house. But Stuart, a long-time carpenter and joiner, was energized by the task. “For the stonework, I cut the wood myself from fallen trees and collected stones from the river.

I installed the stairs. I never kept track of how long it took. I was having so much fun doing it that I couldn’t stop myself.” The Hobbit House structure is stunning, complete with a greenhouse, curved staircase, thatched roof, and fish pond.

Small trinkets and handcrafted carvings and quilts abound, and the wood-fired oven keeps the Scottish rain at bay. Stuart Grant was drawn to this project not only because of the labor that went into building it. The natural beauty of Scotland’s Highlands was breathtaking.

The Scottish Highlands are known as one of the most beautiful places in the United Kingdom, with their rolling hills dotted with sheep nestled within lush mountains and mile-wide lochs. Stuart, a self-described “glutton for scenic beauty, beautiful houses, and thatched cottages,” discovered the ideal place to live.

Tourists began arriving by the busload soon after Stuart finished building the Hobbit House, but Stuart didn’t mind. He doesn’t use the Internet and, due to his age, is unable to drive, but he enjoys meeting new people and showing them around his comfortable home.