Ardnamurchan – copywright Dave Wilkie
If we had the opportunity to start again, what world would we build?
That was the question posed by the makers of Channel 4 documentary / reality TV show, Eden. But the first challenge facing the 23 new inhabitants of ‘Eden’ (in reality a 600-acre estate in Ardnamurchan on the Western coast of Scotland) was basic survival. Living outdoors in Scotland in March is no joke: it is quite possible to experience all four British seasons in one day, and hypothermia is a real risk. Not to mention the ferocious Scottish midges.
So how did our budding survivalists fare with their survival priorities?
Positive mental attitude
The first rule of survival is a positive mental attitude, something the group had bags of (well until the first falling out). They practiced their team-building by creating a luxury toilet arrangement. I’m all for good hygiene, but I suspect in a real survival situation, they’d be prioritising a roof over their heads.
Score: 8/10 – with a few exceptions, everyone seems happy to be here.
Shelter
Hands down to the group. After a practice run, they quickly constructed a fairly sturdy shelter using straw bales, tree branches and tarpaulin. Individuals were partly chosen for their skill sets, and carpenter Raphael quickly proves his worth. With individual bed spaces and storage solutions, it evens stands up to the Scottish weather. For now.
As of week two, Anton seems to be the only person thinking ahead to winter and a more substantial home that may stand up to the 60mph winds that frequently batter this Scottish coastline. Unfortunately it seems like the rest of the group are more interested in tepees and holding meetings. I get the feeling Anton is not going to be around for long.
Score: 7/10 – they have a good shelter for now, but I hope someone else joins Anton in starting to think about winter quarters.
Water
Streams in the Scottish highlands tend to be pretty clean, however given there’s a herd of sheep and goats wandering around, some form of water purification would be advisable. We don’t get to see whether the group have been given water purification tablets, or if they’re boiling all water before use, but given that none of them seem to be permanently attached to the luxury toilet, it’s safe to presume they’re not suffering too much.
Score: 10/10 – everyone’s still alive and kicking.
Fire
Fire. Warmth, hot food and for the castaways, hot showers (what is this, a hotel?). In the first few weeks the group graduate from an open fire, to a barbeque and then an oven. One of the stars of the castaways is chef Stephen who seems to be able to create a Michelin-starred meal from the most basic of rations. Potato four ways, anyone? He can come cook for me anytime.
9/10: Fire is key to survival and the group have this sorted. Though I dread to think how many trees will have been toppled by the end of the year to fuel their bathing habits.
Food
Stangely, food seems to have been pretty low on the group’s priority list. Or perhaps it’s just me who’s always thinking of her stomach. Creating home comforts such as a hot shower and homebrew comes ahead of actually getting the vegetables they’ve been provided with in the ground.
There’s a reason why our ancestors spent the majority of their days gathering and growing enough food to survive: food in the wild is not an instantaneous affair. The group were given the luxury of start up rations designed to last until they could become self-sufficient. But have they underestimated just how long this will take?
Score: 4/10 – survival is about thinking long-term right from the beginning. Let’s hope our castaways get a good early crop of vegetables before the potatoes run out.
Will they survive Eden
It’s fairly safe to say Channel 4 is not going to stand by and watch people starve, but there is more to survival than putting food on the table. Mental strength is the number one requirement for survival and only time will tell if all these castaways have enough of that to survive.