“I live in off-grid cliff-edge Sussex cottage and run it as a film set - It's a privilege to spend time here"
Daniel Clarke lives in an off-grid cliff-edge cottage in Cuckmere Haven where he has the responsibility as location manager for the film crews who shoot there.
Meet the man living in an off-grid, cliff-edge Sussex cottage - with just enough power to charge a phone and run a rice cooker.
Daniel Clarke moved into his coastguard property in Cuckmere Haven when the owner left home on a seven-year pilgrimage four years ago.
The 41-year-old has the privilege of waking up each morning to the breathtaking view of the famous white chalk Seven Sisters cliffs on England's southern coast. But Mr Clarke admits that life off the beaten track isn't always as easy as it seems, saying peak winter plunges the candle-lit cottage into darkness for all but five hours of daylight.
The potter, who has a studio in one of the cottage's accompanying cabins, also takes on responsibility as location manager for the many film crews who shoot there.
Around five years ago, when he was working as a yoga teacher, Mr Clarke received a message from a friend inviting him to meet the owner of the cottage, Carolyn.
He said: "I thought I was there about a retreat. We got on like a house on fire. Carolyn told me she wanted to go on a pilgrimage to China, and asked if I could see myself living there. I almost fell through the floor! She wanted someone who was a Buddhist and could look after the house.
"It's obviously a high-maintenance house. I spent a year working through how to live there and how to run it as a film set, finding out if I could live there. It was a no-brainer for me; anyone who has been here would say that. I was excited for the challenge."
In July 2022, Mr Clarke packed up his life in nearby Newhaven, turned off most of his electronic devices and headed for life on the water's edge.
The coastguard cottage boasts two bedrooms, a living room, a kitchen, a sun room with 180° views of the sea and a large bathroom. A gorgeous garden and spacious deck also open out to the sea, whilst a series of cabins serve different individual purposes. One serves as Mr Clarke's pottery studio for his brand The Pilgrim Potter, whilst another is rented as an Airbnb - complete with an old WWII bunker for a kitchen.
The remote cottage is completely off-grid, relying on solar panels and a small wind turbine to generate power. But Mr Clarke says this is often only enough to charge his phone and operate his rice cooker, though he does also have a small generator he can use.
He said: "It's very, very basic. I moved in the middle of July, so I had that long stretch before winter. As the winter crept in, it got harder... The cold I could deal with, but the darkness was difficult. I have candles, but things like doing the dishes and putting clothes away are hard in the dark. We lose the light at around 2 o'clock in the winter, so there's only about five hours of light in the house. The day feels incredibly short - I'm ready to go to bed at 4pm. But I just have to accept that this is the rhythm of life here.
"Carolyn has owned the cottage for 30-odd years. She has put her heart and soul into it and it's beautiful. There's not a day that goes by that I don't think of her. It's such a privilege to spend time here."
Carolyn had initially envisioned walking to China from the Sussex coast, but was later forced to drive it instead with her dog. Currently in Mongolia, Mr Clarke says she'll soon begin her journey home - but won't arrive back on British shores for another couple of years.
Mr Clarke also grows his own vegetables in his garden and even cans his own food to keep it fresh for winter.
Along with his responsibilities of maintaining the cottage, Mr Clarke also doubles up as a location manager for film crews, as well as a tour guide for wanderers.
He said: "You get people entering the garden, letting themselves in. If I'm not busy, I'll happily show them the house. There's a sense of public ownership; everyone has their own story about the cottage.
"It can feel very isolated here, but also very public in other ways. I really enjoy the filming and the shoots. I spend a lot of time on my own, and then suddenly, 40-odd people from the fashion industry or a film crew of 150 show up. My job is to keep everyone safe and maintain the space."
Mr Clarke added that the cottage is also open to the public on select weekends.
Despite the difficulties of living in his remote cottage, Mr Clarke says he wouldn't change anything about it.
He said: "Every day is different. And each thing is beautiful. Even when the roof's leaking and the wind's howling, you just hunker down and get the fire going. You can't get any closer to the sea without getting in a boat. Though I do sometimes miss the trees.
“To live here, you have to be flexible, to be part of the landscape, rather than fighting it. The dark in the winter is the biggest challenge. Some people find it kind of spooky, but I don't. In the winter, often there's no power at all.
"I'm only two miles from the nearest town, but it can feel like 200 miles sometimes. It's a beautiful and very unique spot. You are close to everything but also very isolated. There's also a lovely community here. We all get together in the summer."