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Welcome to Down the Lane

A website showing, through personal trials and tribulations, the results of a downshifting experience

Life takes you wherever you want it to go usually. For a large part of it you can be happy and content, then things change around you and it's not what you want it to be anymore.

This sums up how I was feeling in 1999. I had a good secure job, well paid and I didn't have to worry too much about paying the Bills. Then, in six traumatic weeks, everything changed and it became apparent that taking away certain parts of my life, there wasn't much left. I took stock of the situation and decided I could only have the quality of life I wanted by changing it and making my destiny through my own means.

Out went my Railway Management job and in came the self-reliant world. The last 8 years has taken me through Oddjobbing, Gardening Work, earning a bit on the Web through Surveys and Mystery Shopping etc. Now I'm lucky enough to have a summer job of Dressing Room Attendant for the Kent Cricket Team and spend the winter month's on other casual diversities.

Although still not earning half the amount I was 8 years ago, I have supplemented some of this by growing much of my vegetable needs and keep chickens for eggs (but they're pet's really!!).

Working on the "Do I need it and if I do, can I make it" principles, the frugal life has become second nature, the paying of Bills a challenge and the outcomes a sense of personal achievement.

The Web Site

Down the Lane has grown from just 30 pages in late 2003 to nearly 1,000 pages as of now.
The Website is referred to quite regulary in both National and Local Press, major Websites such as the BBC and has been the subject of two TV Documentaries.
The Forum, which was refurbished in Spring 2009 now has just over 3,300 members and averaging over 400 posts per day

In the last year......
Through much needed publicity about Chicken Battery Farming (campaigned about by Down the Lane since 2003), the Chicken Keeping Section has grown considerably to give help and advice to those thinking about having, or who have just started, keeping Chickens in their back gardens.


A recent feature appearance on Meridion
Tonight's 'Unsung Sporting Heroes'
with Samgeets Bhabra
The Frugal Living Pages
Video's
Many pages now have 'how to' or fun Video's to add to the Sites diversity.

The Down the Lane Blog
This was started to give me a chance of going off topic, well more off on one is probably nearer the mark!
Subjects vary from the interlect to absolute dribble (but I like it!)

Down the Lane Extras
As time has moved on, the website has gone off into other subjects. People finding pages for say WW1 Battlefields may find it strange why they were on a site about keeping Chickens! So, the Site has now been split into two, thus giving each category more definition. .

In Extras - Growing up in the 50's and 60's
These pages have become very popular, nothing like some of us oldens going back to 'the good old days' and a chance to say 'When I was your age..." !! Maybe there's clues in these pages for why so many want to return to more the lifestyle we had then?



Down the Lane and Social Networking
To keep up with the ever moving trends of the Internet, the Website has now a
Facebook Page and all video clips featured in this site plus more (one or two no relevance whatsoever!!) can be found on the dedicated Youtube Page

Popular Pages

Earning Extra Money
10 years of scraping to pay the Bills, I've done my fair share of oddjobbing, from Newspaper Rounds to Decorating to House and Pet Sitting.
Go to Earning Extra Money

In The Blog
Over 130 articles about 'most things in life'.
From interlect to dribble!

Latest Posts...


Find it here

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Thank You

To John at WebOne UK for hosting this website and providing me with much technical expertise! (visit his great Allotment site here)

 

Now troubles are many they're as deep as a well, I can swear there ain't no Heaven but I pray there ain't no hell
Blood Sweat and Tears
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Chicken Keeping
Pages

Keeping chickens in back gardens is still on the rise.
The Chicken Keeping Pages
offer you most of what you need to know when starting out, plus many lessons learnt from my 12 years experience with them. Plus new Shopping Pages

Down the Lane
Forum
Now attracting around 130 new members a month, this is the place to ask questions, share knowledge and have fun with likeminded people
The Forum

Fortnightly Diary

My Downshifting journey, with archives back to 2001
The Diary Pages

Ex-Battery Hens
Pages dedicated to this terrible Farming method

Many people are now taking these poor creatures on as pets.
Read more about it and how you can rescue and keep these poor creatures
The Battery Hen

The Vegetable Garden

A big part of living the frugal life and being more self-reliant is growing your own Vegetables. Go to
The Garden Farm
Plus newShopping page on bargain Sheds at under £250
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The Down the Lane
Chicken Keeping Pages
are sponsored by
Chicken Coops