Ex-soldier rebuilds hideaway cabin in mountain woods
AREAL-LIFE Rambo has rebuilt his hideaway mountaintop cabin – after it was torn down by forestry officials.
Ex-lance corporal Mike Allen, 38, carried huge 10st stone slabs up a steep hill to build the woodland sanctuary by hand.
Former soldier Mike built his rural retreat as a way of dealing with his post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) – only to see it torn down by environment bosses because he didn’t have permission.
Mike won his fight to rebuild the cabin as a safe space for struggling veterans like himself to get away for a peaceful break.
It has now been kitted out with exercise stations, cooking facilities and a dry-stone walling centre for former military personnel to come and unwind.
Mike said: “It is nearly finished and will have a number of different uses.
“I’ve been able to come up here every day building and finish my work despite the lockdown and it is pretty isolated anyway.
“You have to hike 25 minutes up a steep mountain to reach the cabin, so it is tucked away.”
After the original cabin in the Sirhowy Valley was knocked down, Mike worked with environment agency Natural Resources
Wales (NRW) for permission to rebuild it as a facility for military veterans.
Mike – who toured Afghanistan in 2011 – has big plans for the site and hopes he can help those in similar situations to his own.
“It will be used as a safe place of work for people suffering from PTSD,” he said.
“Sometimes we struggle to be around normal people and it can be hard to cope – but when we’re with other veterans and other people in the same position, it’s easier.
“It will have a fitness centre and fitted with an outdoor gym with a TRX machine, pull-up bars and press-up stations.
“We will have barbecues up here where people can come and have a sit-down and watch the views.
“We will also do tree-planting and have a course in dry stone walling so people can learn new skills.”
Mike said there will be also be mental health specialists available should veterans need help.
He said building the remote cabin helped him deal with his own demons.
He said: “After leaving the Army, I had some serious mental health issues and other problems. I struggled for a very, very long time and things weren’t working.
“Things continued to go downhill so I ended up going up the mountain and started building.
“The cabin started as a shelter but turned into something really special.
“It was healing me. It gave me cover from the elements, focus and a sense of accomplishment whilst appreciating the landscape.
A spokesperson from NRW said they had a “very positive meeting” with Mike about opportunities for how the land can be used to help rehabilitate military veterans.
They added: “People who are active and enjoy the outdoors are more likely to live longer, healthier and happier. We help people get out and enjoy our fantastic natural environment, and support communities and partners to improve access and facilities.”