Grylls with wife Shara
In a 2007 interview with The Guardian, he said the island had no telephone, emails or other people. In the 2007 interview, he said his filming and work kept him away from his family for long periods. In his 2024 National Geographic Traveller interview, Grylls explained that the house uses wind and solar power.
The island is about six miles off the north Wales coast and is connected to a lighthouse, The Guardian reported.
Grylls said the location can become difficult in winter, when sea spray can reach over the roof. “What I find so hard about my work life and my filming life is that I’m away from my family so much,” Grylls said. The house, which stands around 300ft above the sea, was once used by the lighthouse keeper’s family. The property was bought as a place where Grylls could spend time away from the demands of his work. His family would drive to a marina, load their food and other supplies into a RIB, and travel about six-and-a-half miles to the island. Even when he was at home, he often had meetings and a busy schedule. “Even when I’m home it can be mad, with constant meetings, so what’s so precious about this is that it’s literally just us, no meetings, no nothing. The family spent about six weeks on the island each summer. Getting there was part of the experience. They would travel from the marina by RIB with food, the children and everything else they needed for their stay. The island’s remote location means that the property operates differently from an ordinary home.