There are some real parallels between what we are seeking to achieve with Community Moorings and the ‘hutting’ movement. Check out http://www.thousandhuts.org/ for more information about this. Scandinavians know hutting very very well, and indeed it has been a part of Scottish culture since the creation of mountain bothies and in particular since the industrial revolution where small communities of huts were created in the countryside surrounding cities as a get-away from working-class urban life.
Hutters have had similar challenges to ourselves. From the problems with their landlord at the biggest hutting site at Carbeth, to the challenges of creating new sites and ensuring the public perception of their community is spot-on. They have also recently done some amazing work to revive and expand their cause. Including creating a handbook for creating new hutting sites – check it out. I would love to see us reach this stage with Community Moorings and create a template, or formula if you will, for mooring sites across the country. We’re just a wee bit behind on the paperwork front, yet we may well be ahead of the game in a year or so with our new sites!