Rich American YouTube family arrived in Edinburgh for new life in middle of nowhere

A family of American YouTube stars, with more than four million subscribers, left their luxury lifestyle behind for a new start in the Scottish countryside.

The Bennett family, or The Ohana Adventure as they're known on YouTube, ditched their mansion with its own swimming pool in the US desert to buy a rustic Scottish countryside cottage.

Vlogging their journey from the United States to Edinburgh, where they arrived with 23 bags, the family then travelled north to an unknown scenic countryside location.

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Mum Rachel and husband Jase admitted they were struggling to get used to the cold and the strange new world of oil heating, when they first arrived in June 2023.

The family, including son Shae, 16, son Wyatt, 14, and daughters Evee and Cora, 13 and ten, all arrived in the capital recently. Mum Rachel, 40, said at the time: "It's so crazy. One conversation six months ago led to us moving halfway across the world."

"It's been so hard saying goodbye to our home and starting a new life in another country. But we're thrilled to be on a new adventure."

The family, who have another two children, film every aspect of their lives for their YouTube channel and have become one of the most-known vloggers on the social media platform.

They recently visited the capital to see Taylor Swift perform at Edinburgh Murrayfield Stadium, and also shared clips of the family together in their new Scottish home.

Originally from Hawaii, the Bennetts moved several time before winding up at their plush Utah pad in 2021. After several international breaks, the Mormons wanted to go somewhere they could help others and do charity work.

Before making the move to Scotland, the family sold most of their belongings, including their fleet of vehicles. Their application for a three-year visa was rejected so they are only allowed to stay in the UK for a year.

That meant they could not buy and decided to rent a white-walled, four-bedroom cottage that is older than the United States itself. The kids will have to share rooms for the first time but say they do not care as they love the views.

But Jase revealed their new lifestyle does have some negatives. He said: "One of a few things we need to get used to is oil heating."

"We had never heard of this before and woke up freezing this morning. Next is actually using a fireplace to heat our home. I made my first coal fire this morning."

"I actually went outside and filled a bucket with coal to make a fire." The couple home-school their kids so can head out and go sightseeing whenever they want.

They visited Scottish Deer Centre, in Fife, and fed bears and deer. Rachel said: "Each day I try to look for things I can be grateful for here. I fully believe gratitude is the path to happier days."

*This article first appeared in June 2023*