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Man built a bunker under Hampstead Heath and lived in it for two years

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Resurfaced independently across 3 calendar years, with breakout response in 2 of them.

submissions
3
submitters
3
observed span
2020–2023
peak thread · 140 comments
343 pts
latest 20+ return · 2023-11-18
107 pts

Submission timeline

2007–2026

One slot for every year since HN launched. Height is that year's peak points; orange marks a 100+ point or 50+ comment breakout. Select a bar to open its strongest thread.

First comments on top threads

HN comment order

I live near the heath and regularly walk and run through it - would have loved it if there had been some pictures of it, or even a diagram/map or where it was or what it looked like! There are a few pictures here: - This one shows the entrance hatch http://camdennewjournal.com/article/homeless-man-living-on-h... - https://www.standard.co.uk/news/crime/hampstead-heath-breaki... - https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/7265542/real-life-breaking-bad... Based on those pictures, the description in the article, and some local…

I love seeing this creativity, but I hate the system that causes people to have to live this way. I was homeless off and on for years, blending in. Crashing in college campus common areas, or living in my car. Bumming showers from friends once in a while or paper towel baths in gas station bathrooms. Would sometimes sleep in the trunk when it got cold enough. I was normally employed, had friends, and most knew nothing of my living…

lrvick·107-point thread·

> Through a series of steep escalations, the case had passed to officers from counter-terrorism command... Skimming through the article - the police agencies, justice system, etc. poured an utterly ridiculous number hours and pounds into the case of an old homeless man, who'd dug himself a tiny "hobbit hole" to live in. Those organizations need to be replaced with some sane, reality-oriented ones. And maybe the leaders of the old organizations should be reassigned - to standing sentry duty…

The first top-level comment from each of the four biggest threads, in HN’s own order. Excerpts are shortened; open a comment for full context.

Breakout years
2

100+ points or 50+ comments

Total points
474

reference only — not used in Hall rules or ranking

Total comments
203

reference only — not used in Hall rules or ranking

Every submission

DateTitle as submittedByPointsComments
2020-03-05Man built a bunker under Hampstead Heath and lived in it for two yearsFirst breakout · Best threadoska343140
2022-03-10Van Allen dug himself a bunker beneath a public parkjhylands246
2023-11-18A homeless man built a life underground Hampstead HeathLatest 20+ point returnvermilingua10757