Dorset I Escaped to the Country

Making the move from city to countryside

is often a momentous step.

Never in a million years I would imagine I would be

seeing a house like this. Never, ever.

But for many years, Escape to the Country has been

supporting countless people on the hunt for a new home.

What do we think of this?

Oh, my! Chocolate box!

We've travelled to the most picturesque pockets of Britain...

Take a look at that killer view.

That's amazing.

..to showcase thousands of exquisite country properties...

Oh! How pretty is that?

..that our buyers just couldn't resist.

Jules!

Seriously, get your cheque-book out now!

Join us as we catch up with those who bought their dream home...

-That's just lovely, isn't it?

-Wow, isn't that gorgeous?

..to find out how the move changed their lives when they escaped to the country.

Today, I'm in the maritime county of Dorset.

And this is the beach at West Bay, whose evocative sandstone cliffs

form part of the world-renowned Jurassic Coast.

Now in 2001, this coast was declared the country's very first

natural World Heritage site due to its intriguing geology,

which reveals 185 million years of the Earth's history.

Fast forward to the present day and Dorset also boasts a rich variety of

beautiful properties,

which makes it a firm favourite with many of our house-hunters.

And I'm thrilled to be back here to catch up with some of those who now

call this fascinating county their home.

Dorset, situated on England's southern coastline,

is one of our most popular counties and one of the most expensive for

property shoppers. Today I'll be revisiting Diana and Jonathan.

They swapped their suburban Sussex home for the peace of the Dorset

countryside 18 months ago but have wasted no time in putting their own

stamp on the beautiful house we found for them...

-Hello!

-Hello! How are you?

-I want to know everything. Show me everything.

-Come in.

..plus, I'll be meeting their new friends and visiting some of their

favourite country haunts.

Back in the autumn of 2015,

Jonathan and Diana were looking to move from Burgess Hill in Sussex and

settle down by the seaside.

We met when Jonathan was in the police force and I was a stewardess.

And after knowing each other for ten days, we decided to get married.

That was 33 years ago.

We enjoy travel.

We enjoy coming out of our comfort zone.

-We have good fun.

-We're energetic, aren't we?

-Yeah, we are.

-We like doing things together.

-Yeah.

The couple enjoyed packing in plenty of travel.

But with their two grown-up sons having flown the nest,

they were now looking for somewhere quieter to live.

Although they were retired,

they weren't planning to put their feet up right away.

I want to take up sailing.

Maybe get a small boat to go up and down rivers, that type of thing.

I want to meet new people, perhaps running a sewing group there.

-I think we'll turn out to be very busy.

-I think so, too.

-We will be busy.

Former police officer Jonathan was also a published author,

and wanted a space in which to plot his next move.

My writing, I started about five years ago.

Crime thriller based using my experience.

I'm on my third book at the moment.

And top of the wish list was a view of the sea.

They were after a bright home with three bedrooms,

a sewing room for her, along with that writer's den for him.

They had a budget of £500,000 to spend on their new purchase

and were open to most styles of property, but weren't so keen on thatches.

We started off close to the coast in the small village of Morcombelake,

where I showed them a 1930s property situated on a hillside

set in extensive gardens.

This is our first property, the house on the hill.

-It's lovely, isn't it?

-Isn't that gorgeous?

Absolutely gorgeous. The trees.

-This is the location you are looking for, am I right?

-Oh, yes, lovely.

It really is lovely.

The recently renovated interior went down well, too.

-Come in.

-Wow.

It's a really good sized kitchen.

Nice and light. You come straight in,

so the balcony is part of the kitchen.

Absolutely. So you can throw open the doors.

-That's your little champagne balcony.

-Yeah.

And even when it's cold, raining, you've still got that fabulous view.

-Look, look.

-I never noticed that!

-Oh, yes.

I'd say that was a fantastic moment.

I think it's gorgeous.

-It's lovely, isn't it?

-Beautiful.

-It's really, really lovely.

You've got a conservatory just through there,

which again makes use of the views.

-Yeah.

-You've got a really lovely sized utility room.

So this isn't where everything is.

So even as you're washing up in the utility room or doing the laundry,

-you've got the views.

-Fantastic.

-Lovely.

Just on the other side of the hallway was the main reception room

with wood burning stove.

Again, in here, the owners have really made use of the setting.

A really nice sized room. The door that goes outside.

And you've still got the view. It's so light and bright.

It's got a lovely feel to it. A really lovely feel.

-So you can imagine yourself relaxing in here?

-Absolutely.

-I can, actually!

-I can, actually! It's really...

-It's really nice.

Two of the three bedrooms were on the ground floor,

just off the main reception room, each with brick fireplaces.

These were served by a ground-floor bathroom.

Upstairs, the loft space had been converted into a spacious main bedroom.

Up here, you've got your own private suite, really.

-Wow.

-I like this. It's really bright.

Look at the views across there.

-Yeah.

-You could wake up to that view.

-Wow.

That is like a picture. It's absolutely lovely.

This floor is your own, not really for guests, unless in the future you

chose to stay in the bedrooms on the ground floor.

-It's a perfect house for a couple.

-It is.

-Yeah. Perfect.

I like the way they shaped the ceiling to get the light in.

-Beautifully done.

-They've done it really nicely.

Great. Let's go see what else is in store.

-Right.

-Lead us back out to the garden.

Our favourably positioned hillside retreat had got off to a perfect start.

Outside there was a former housekeeper's annexe that

could've been converted into a writing den or sewing room.

So you've got three quarters of an acre, really.

It's a joy. I like gardening!

I like working outside.

So, what would this beautiful house cost you?

Well, I'd say certainly top end.

So, I would say 525.

Not going to argue too much with that.

I'll be optimistic and go 520.

It's actually on the market for just under your budget.

£499,950.

-Good gracious.

-Good gracious. Unbelievable.

It's just absolutely gorgeous.

I feel quite emotional about it.

It's really, really fabulous.

Just under budget, the price and the property seem to hit the spot.

Lovely open plan. Beautifully done.

Nice soft wood everywhere. I wouldn't want to change anything.

I think it's really gorgeous.

The garden would be lovely for the two grandchildren.

They would have a whale of a time making camps and running around.

I think the views were our number one priority, quite honestly.

It's beautifully situated.

The rooms are so nicely done.

It feels as though the outside and inside are almost joined together.

Really delighted and pleased with it.

Our next property was inland, close to the border with Somerset

and Devon in the village of Thorncombe.

It was a beautiful house built of stone in the year 2000,

but added to later.

-What do you think?

-The house looks nice.

The views, really quite stunning.

On the edge of the village.

You are inland here, a little bit more than perhaps you wanted.

-How do you feel about that?

-Maybe it's a compromise.

-Yeah.

-Yeah, open mind.

-Yes, absolutely.

-What about the house itself?

What do you think about the look of it?

It looks nice. It's in nice condition.

Nice windows, nice outlook from the windows.

I'm really open to have a look.

-Let's go and have a look.

-Lovely. Thank you.

As is often the case,

the heart of the home was the stunning kitchen diner.

Very nice.

-Yes.

-Isn't that lovely?

A nice centre.

Yeah, a lovely island. Really nice size.

I feel like this is a family entertaining kitchen.

-Yeah, it is.

-Yes.

-And that little space.

I mean, you could almost have it as a little TV corner.

-Yeah.

-You could do whatever you wanted.

Leave it open like that.

-Yeah.

-If you had guests, this is where you'd be eating dinner too.

-Yes.

-Yeah.

It's really lovely. Really nicely done.

The main reception rooms were to the rear of the property.

Now this used to be the main living area of the house.

With the fireplace, double aspect.

But this is the real asset downstairs, I think.

-This summer room.

-Yes, it's lovely.

-Yes, lovely.

Now you can see this has been added on a little bit later.

-Yeah.

-But it's just so well done.

Yes. Absolutely lovely. A lovely room.

You don't feel as though you're in an extension as such.

-Really beautiful.

-It's been done so nicely.

-Yeah.

Upstairs there were three bedrooms, including a guest double with

outstanding views, and a large master ensuite.

It's a nice sized master.

-Yes, it is.

-Very big.

So the master looks out onto the courtyard and the garden.

And there are some views.

But the real views are to be had in here.

-That is a large ensuite, isn't it?!

-That is...

Wow. We have got lovely views.

Bath, glass of wine, views.

-What more can you want?

-What more is there to say?

-Yeah. Lovely.

-Well, let's go see more of those views outside, I think.

-OK.

The space and views on offer were convincing our couple,

and there was even more outside.

A double garage had an upper storey that could've made a writer's room

or somewhere to sew.

And the garden had various areas in which to soak up the surroundings.

Can you imagine sitting here, looking out onto those views?

-Very nice indeed.

-They are lovely.

-Really lovely.

There's not a pylon in sight.

The scenery will change as the seasons pass.

-It's really nice.

-Shall we talk price?

How much do you think this property is on the market for?

Erm, 510.

-Diana?

-I'd say 505.

It is an immaculate house.

Top end again. Absolute top end, I would say.

Jonathan was spot-on.

It is on the market for £510,000.

Very good value for money, I think.

£10,000 over budget, this attractive stone property offered Jonathan

and Diana a modern living space in beautiful surroundings.

I think the stone house property is really lovely.

So comfortable, so well finished, inside and out.

The location is lovely.

Presented just superbly with the views, really, really spectacular views.

If I were moving in with the family,

with our two sons as they were younger, it would've been perfect.

It's a very, very comfortable house.

But probably not what we're looking for.

Perhaps something a little bit more of a challenge,

a little bit more quirky.

After a successful first day, the next morning I took our couple

to the market town of Bridport, just a stone's throw from the coast,

where I showed them a smart 1930s property.

We started the tour at the rear, where the seaside view was maximised.

Now as you both do want to live by the coast...

..here is a house by the sea.

Bringing you in this way, you really get to appreciate the views,

which is what you're after, and what you've requested, really.

-Yeah.

-What do you think about the house itself?

Good size. Nice windows.

Immediately I see those big glass doors, which is showing us a view again.

And making the most of it.

-Let's go in.

-Lovely.

-Thank you.

-Thank you.

The seaside home was given a two-storey extension in 2013.

And we started off in the newer section.

A really good size.

Really nice.

Bright. I like the fixtures and the fittings.

-They look good.

-Yep. Loads of cupboards.

-It's been nicely done.

-Yeah.

Would this kind of space work for you and the way that you live?

-Yeah. Definitely.

-Yes.

-Yeah.

-This is the front of the house.

Let's go to the view side of the house.

This used to be two rooms.

It works well as a big room, really.

A really good size room, log burning stove.

-Nice.

-That's lovely, isn't it?

-And the views are really gorgeous.

-Gorgeous, aren't they?

Huge doors.

-It feels like a lovely Dorset picture...

-Yes.

-..there, doesn't it?

-Yeah. Very good.

-Let's go higher because, of course,

that sea view can only get better.

With the downstairs views winning them over,

we went upstairs to explore the four bedrooms, including two singles at

the front and the two larger bedrooms at the rear.

You could have next door as a master,

but this had the space for the en-suite.

Yeah. And you've got the view.

-It's lovely, isn't it?

-That's what this house is about.

-That picture.

-Yeah.

-Yeah.

We asked for a sea view but didn't think you'd find it.

How you did it, I don't know.

Outside, the garden, which was largely laid to lawn,

offered them a blank canvas.

As did a rear garage,

which had planning permission in place to be redeveloped,

and had potential for their creative pastimes.

It needs work doing, but the view is still here.

-Lovely.

-You strike me as people that want to do a little something.

I like messing around in the garden, creating new ones.

So this would be a nice one to create!

How much is this property on the market for?

How much is that sea view going to cost you?

Again, it's got to be top end.

-An optimistic 515.

-OK.

Still some garden to be done.

I'm going to be really optimistic and go for 495.

You both are being very optimistic.

It is actually on the market for £540,000.

-Is it really?

-So I know I've been naughty by going over budget.

But you did say you might have a little bit extra

over the half a million.

And there's always room to negotiate.

-540 is the guide price.

-Yes.

-OK.

Although it was over budget by £40,000,

our third property fulfilled that long held dream of a sea view.

The first impression was nice big, bright, light, airy house.

Really attractive. South facing.

Walking distance to the sea.

The location, absolutely lovely.

The views out southwards really does take the eye.

The garden itself needs quite a lot of work doing on it.

To do it to the right standard, you would be looking at quite a lot of

-money.

-I would hope there'd be room for negotiation,

because I'm definitely interested.

Yeah. It's definitely up there.

You've made life difficult for us!

I'm afraid I will need to drag you both away from the gorgeous view,

as we still have the Mystery House to go.

-Yeah. OK.

-Our property hunt is not over.

-Thank you very much.

-What else have you got up your sleeve?!

With two strong property contenders already in the bag,

I felt brave enough to take a punt with the Mystery House.

We always like to challenge our buyers with the final property.

Open up their eyes,

take them to see something they wouldn't have seen themselves.

This Mystery House was no exception.

For some, it's a timeless classic.

For others, it's most definitely character overload.

What do you think I have up my sleeve for the mystery property?

I really don't know.

You've surprised us so far.

I can only think, although we said we would prefer not to,

perhaps you've got a thatched property.

So remind me why you don't like thatched?

We didn't want the upkeep of the thatch.

And normally they're very small and not light and airy.

I know you're going to pull something out that's going to really

throw the spanner in the works.

-And we are going to be making a big decision, aren't we?

-Yeah.

Our final offering took us back to Morcombelake,

close to the location of our first property.

But this one was very different and Diana and Jonathan's suspicions

were spot on.

LAUGHTER

How did we know?!

How pretty is that?

And you did know, didn't you?

So I'm afraid my Mystery House wasn't as much of a mystery as it

should've been, because you completely guessed.

But how pretty is that?

What a lovely setting.

-Wow.

-Actually, it looks really nice.

It's a really nice house.

I know you said no thatched.

I wanted you to give this a chance because those fears you have about a

thatched being perhaps pokey, it doesn't really apply.

It's gorgeous. Let's give it a go.

-Shall we?

-Absolutely, yeah.

-Are you up for trying it?

Absolutely, yeah.

That's all I wanted to know.

With surprisingly positive reactions to the exterior of this grade two

listed 17th-century proposition,

I wanted to show Diana and Jonathan that period needn't mean pokey.

This is the main living room.

Very light and bright.

-What a pleasant surprise.

-I take it all back. It's really bright.

Higher ceilings, I think, than usual on a cottage.

-Yeah.

-And I like the way they're painted it rather than left dark.

It brightens it up.

Good sized windows. You can see the sun is really coming in.

Was it what you expected?

From a thatched place, no.

It is much brighter, much lighter.

This is the older part of the house.

Let's take you through into the newer part.

Isn't that lovely? It's really light.

So many windows, you couldn't ever call this dark and dingy, could you?

-No.

-I'm causing problems, aren't I?

-Yes.

-Giving you too many choices.

You are. You are definitely causing us problems.

-Shall we go and explore the upstairs?

-Lovely.

As well as a cosy snug downstairs, there were three bedrooms upstairs,

all of a good size, including a master in the eaves.

Gosh. It's all so nice.

-Bright.

-Yeah. You can lie in bed and look out at the lovely view.

And this room has a wet room.

Oh, I thought it was just wardrobe space. Nicely done.

It's totally different from my experiences of thatched cottages.

You know, which have always had the small windows and everywhere is

dark inside the house.

Really, really different.

Crumbs!

THEY LAUGH

We'd confounded their expectations of thatched cottages with this

bright and spacious property.

Having shown them the extensive grounds with a timber cabin that

could've made a perfect sewing or writer's room,

all that was left was to discuss the price tag.

How much is this charming property on the market for?

Oh, dear.

I'm going to go for 520.

OK. I can't believe it's anywhere near our price range.

Again, top end, but I'd say 525.

You hit the nail on the head.

Oh, well done.

It is on the market for £525,000.

The good news is, if you are interested,

the owners are willing to take offers.

-So, I think it's attainable, it's achievable.

-Yeah.

Although slightly over budget, it seemed the Dorset thatch had

successfully fulfilled their wish list,

whilst surprising them at the same time.

It was really pretty.

Unexpectedly so.

I'm really pleased with it.

Really bright, big rooms.

I could easily live in them.

It was a lovely, lovely house.

We could certainly see ourselves sitting in the grounds having a

glass of wine, catching the sun until it went down.

It's really given us something to think about.

The first thing you see is a really beautiful looking house.

White, blue frames. Looks so pretty.

I think I'm far more open now in my views on thatches.

Oh! We'd better get going because we have so much to discuss.

Where are you both going to live?

So Jonathan and Diana had four fantastic properties to choose from.

The first, the hillside retreat,

was just on the budget and had been beautifully renovated.

Our second, the modern stone house, offered them space and rural views.

The third was over budget and the garden did need a bit of work,

but had those fantastic sea views.

And finally, our mystery thatch had enlightened our couple.

But which one would win through in the end?

By the time we sat down to discuss the next step

on the beach at Charmouth, they'd narrowed down their options.

We've had a chat and we've had a heart and head confrontation.

What we've decided is that we'd like to make an offer

on the house by the sea.

And if the offer isn't accepted,

then we'd go for the house on the hill.

Wow. Sounds like a grand plan.

Yeah. We're really, really pleased that we've actually found somewhere

and in such a lovely place.

So I left Jonathan and Diana on the beach with a Plan A and a Plan B.

Clearly they preferred the house with the sea views.

But they also would've very happily settled for that wonderful

hillside retreat. So which property did they end up buying?

I'm very pleased to report that they managed to secure

the house by the sea.

I'm here to find out how they've transformed the place,

and also what life is like 15 months on.

Hello! How are you?

Hi, Jonathan. How are you?

-Hi, how are you?

-So nice to see you.

So nice to be back here. I want to see everything.

Come through.

It's immediately clear that the main transformation isn't inside the

house, it's out the back.

-The garden!

-That's the main thing.

-Yes, a lot of work has been done out there.

-A lot of work.

You've completely changed it.

I remember there being lots of lawn just here.

Because the view is so big and open,

we actually wanted the garden to be big and open,

as opposed to it being enclosed.

So we actually wanted to try and put light stones down.

We got the stones because we're near the sea.

And we like travelling, as we said before.

And lots of ornamental plants, so we haven't got to keep worrying

about cutting the sort of weedy grass.

It's more manageable, really.

We can actually enjoy where we're living.

We can go out and not keep worrying about the garden.

And if we do go away, then...

We actually use more of the garden now.

-Before, we never used the grassy area.

-At all?

Or down the bottom. Now we actually use it all.

We've got a table further down.

Jonathan really sort of designed the garden.

And we had a lot of people say,

"You're getting rid of the grass, oh, no!"

But we're pleased that we did.

And you've opened up this room,

because I remember they had divided the room with a...

The settee was here.

Yes, we've opened it up, so that we try and get the view all the way.

-Any other changes?

-Painted the walls, that was about all.

And new curtains, that's about it, really.

Now I remember the view.

I mean, it's stunning here.

But it was spectacular from upstairs.

-Yes.

-Let's go and see that view.

-OK.

Having invested their energies on fixing up their seaside themed garden,

Jonathan and Diana haven't changed much inside.

The kitchen is largely as it was.

And the master bedroom was all about the vista overlooking West Bay.

-There it is. The view that sold the house.

-It is.

It is. You stood there and said, "There we are."

-And you were right.

-That's what you asked for.

It is. And yes, it's lovely.

You never tire of it. First thing in the morning,

last thing at night when the lights are all twinkling.

-Yeah, it's lovely.

-And in fact, as well as being the best place to

see that view from, this is the best place to see the garden from.

Yeah. I think it really shows off the colours and the shapes that we've done.

Now as well as the garden, the other thing you are keen on

working on, Diana, was the sewing.

-Ah, yes.

-Did you find a little sewing room?

I found a little sewing room.

I think the one we identified originally.

-Let's go and see it.

-OK.

When we first viewed the property back in 2015,

I suggested turning one of the single bedrooms at the front

into a space for Diana's hobby.

And here is the sewing room.

Teenage bedroom to sewing room.

Yeah.

-Is this still a hobby?

-It is still a hobby.

I seem to have collected rather a lot of stuff.

But it just happens with sewers.

I've managed to do quite a lot. I've joined a couple of groups.

Nice people. I wanted to start to run a group but there are a couple

-of groups going anyway, so...

-Already?

-Yeah. Joined them.

I got to know the local people.

-But this is what happens.

-I spot a first prize certificate.

Oh, yes. That was the Melpash Show last year.

I entered a cushion that I'd made for our eldest son and his family,

which was a beach scene.

And I entered it and got first prize.

Congratulations. I love this piece.

-Is that finished?

-Yeah, I've finished that piece.

That's a beach scene.

That was made out of a dress I made for our son's wedding.

So I used bits of it. I just like the colours.

I thought it was nice and seaside-y.

That really sums up your move as well, doesn't it?

-What you came here for.

-Yeah. It does.

-The sea.

The blues and greens and the view.

Diana's needlework adorns other rooms in the house,

including the guest double overlooking the rear.

They've clearly settled into this stunning house with the sea view.

But this probably wasn't the only one on the cards,

and I'm interested to find out how they reached their decision.

When I left you, you had two choices.

Yeah. We did. This was number one.

And we rang the estate agent.

And we put an offer on this one on the Monday, a firm offer.

It took a while though, didn't it?

Yes. That was in October?

-Yeah.

-We are talking about 18 months ago.

18 months ago. And then we moved three months later, in January.

-Yeah.

-But you also did keep your eye on the hilltop house as well?

Well, we did. Initially we were told there was an offer in on this house.

We didn't want to get into a bidding war when they said that somebody

else had put an offer in. So we said, we decided this was the area.

So we made an offer for the hilltop house and that wasn't accepted.

So that same day, we had heard back from these people to say that our

offer would be accepted.

It wasn't quite straightforward but you got here in the end.

We got here in the end, yeah.

We were very pleased to end up here in the end.

It was everything we asked for.

We asked you to find us a view. You found it. Near the sea.

You found that. It does offer all we wanted.

Jonathan, the plan was to do a little bit of writing when you moved here.

-Yes.

-How is that going?

-Slowly, because of all the other...

Don't worry, I'm not your editor, I'm not chasing!

Because of all the other work and the other jobs.

But, yeah, the story's there.

It's just a question now of really getting it done properly.

This house was on the market for a £540,000, wasn't it?

You'd given me a budget of 500,000.

-Maximum.

-Well, you said you might have a little bit extra.

So how much did you eventually pay for it?

522 and a half.

So you found the extra!

But you sort of met somewhere in the middle?

-Yeah.

-Yes.

-We did.

-I'm so pleased that you ended up in a house that

you absolutely loved during our house hunt.

-Yes.

-Have you ever looked back?

I think when we first moved in we looked at the garden and thought,

there's a lot of work that needs doing here.

That was a slight heart sink.

But we looked at the view and we said, "No,

"we knew we had a lot of work to do." So, that was it.

Never regretted moving for one moment.

-You're through the other side now?

-Yes, exactly.

Never... We haven't... I haven't regretted it.

And you haven't either, moving here. It'll all we ever wanted.

So, thank you again.

It's our pleasure, Diana.

Later on, I'll be meeting some of her new friends

at the local knitting circle. Who's chief knitter in the group?

-Oh!

-It was all nice until I asked that question!

Plus, I'll be visiting one of Jonathan and Diana's favourite

Dorset beauty spots.

But before that, another memorable success story

from our country property portfolio.

Over the years our property journeys with our house hunters have covered

the length and breadth of the British countryside.

Armed with different budgets and requirements,

they've all had a desire to improve their quality of life

through a move to the country.

It's such a satisfying outcome when they make that all-important

offer on a house that we've shown them.

Back in the summer of 2009, Sally and Jeff were wanting to

upsize from their Surrey bungalow and had a £600,000 budget.

Their wish list included an office, indoor gym and a room for Jeff's

collection of 700 model fire engines.

Denise Nurse came to the rescue with this Dorset barn conversion.

You want to upsize.

We bring you this property.

First impressions?

First impressions are very positive.

Yeah, certainly a lot bigger than the property we've got now.

So that's another plus.

It is bigger but it's also attached, as you can probably see.

So you've got a neighbour right there.

-How do you feel about that?

-I don't think that's a problem.

Certainly from the outside it's impressive.

And it looks distinctive, which is always a good start.

There's quite a lot to get around,

so I don't think we should waste any more time. Let's have a look.

The house was certainly large enough for all their

collectables and gym gear.

As you'd expect with such a big house,

we have a big entrance hallway for you.

-What do you think?

-I like it.

It's got some mysterious doors going on.

Aha! Lots of mysterious doors, which we will go through later on.

But I want to start with this one.

The kitchen. I think it's often the heart of the home.

-Oh, yes.

-What do you think of this one?

-It's a good size. Really nice size. I like it.

-It is.

It's very open. Lots of space. Great views out of the window.

And I love that central island. That's lovely.

I like to be cooking in the kitchen and having people around me.

This is an ideal place for that.

The living room didn't disappoint either.

This is a good size, isn't it?

Lots of wall space, because we have got a lot of pictures and paintings

that we need somewhere to hang up. I like the fireplace.

-A working fire?

-A working fireplace.

Great. That's what we want.

Then it was time to reveal what was behind those mysterious doors.

-Sally, this, I think, should be just for you.

-Oh, yes!

Isn't this lovely? A little snug all to myself.

All to yourself. It's an escape, isn't it?

Well, there are plenty of rooms to escape to in this property,

so let's keep looking.

That door leads through the utility room back to the kitchen.

-Here, another room.

-Yes.

-Yet another room.

-Could be a dining room.

-The current owners have used it as such.

It could be a study, because it's got a nice view out over the

-adjoining properties.

-It could be.

Another door led to a key requirement on their wish list.

Ah! They've already got a gym.

This is where it would be.

-Oh, my goodness me.

-Look at this.

-Yes.

-Ideal. It really is.

It's just a wonderful space, isn't it?

And a view out other than looking at a wall, as we do at the moment,

when we're on the running machine or the cycling machine.

-Absolutely perfect.

-This is a really good space.

A real selling point.

Upstairs this vast barn conversion was home to six bedrooms,

all good-sized doubles.

All of this built-in wardrobe space here.

They really have utilised everything in this property.

They certainly have.

-But this is the room I want to show you.

-Oh, yes.

-A lovely room.

-It's huge.

It's huge and there's more to it.

Here, you've got a walk-in wardrobe.

-Oh, I like that.

-Come this way.

I'm not sure that's big enough for all your clothes, dear.

Through here, you have your en-suite.

Oh, look.

-It's great.

-It is lovely.

I think you quite like this property, don't you?

-It's growing on us.

-I think we do.

Outside, we didn't hold back on space, either,

with a massive lawned garden, a field and two paddocks.

All in all, just over a four acre plot size.

All of that property, all of this land.

The question is, how much do you think it's worth?

I think were talking up in the 700 thousands, I really do.

-OK.

-So 700,000 from Jeff.

I was going to go as high as that, if not higher, to be honest.

-But I could be wrong.

-Give me a number.

-725.

725. So that's quite a bit above your budget.

It is. But what about if I told you it's actually on the market at £585,000.

-What?

-What?

-You are serious?

-I'm absolutely serious.

That's amazing.

Well within their £600,000 budget,

Jeff and Sally succumbed to the space of the barn conversion,

and made an offer on it.

Another inspirational house-hunting journey in England's Jurassic heartland.

More than 40% of the Dorset countryside has been designated as

Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty,

but aside from its arresting coastline and countryside,

there are many man-made marvels to admire too,

including more than 9,500 listed buildings,

and when it comes to setting up home here, with over 150 villages to

choose from, you are definitely spoilt for choice.

Plus, its lack of motorways and cities make this truly rural county

an ideal getaway.

But if you're after a bit more of a buzz, where better than Bridport,

one of Dorset's premier market towns.

It has a reputation for arts and culture,

and a rich heritage built on the rope making industry.

It's home to over 1,000 historic buildings,

including a lovely 1920s Art Deco cinema.

And it is, of course, Jonathan and Diana's news hometown,

and an ideal place to meet up with friends.

Diana has invited me along to her sewing group,

which meets in a yarn shop next to the Bridport cinema,

and is run by local, Rosie Shelton.

And for the ladies in the social circle,

it's less about the knitting and more about the chatting.

So how long have you been coming to Knitter Natter?

Probably came here about two weeks after I moved to Bridport.

And we wandered into the shop.

We spoke to Rosie, and she said she had a Knitter Natter group,

so along I came and met these lovely ladies.

And it's been great. I really got to know the area, and everyone made me

feel really welcome, so it's just a lovely way to...

It's a really nice way to meet people.

You don't really need to even discuss the knitting,

you're just talking about life and everything else.

Always putting the world to right with politics.

Always gets heated, but, um, yeah.

And there's always nice cake.

What are you working on at the moment?

Well, this is a cardigan I started knitting when I came here

first of all, 15 months ago, but it got side-lined, because winter,

and it's now come out again.

I've nearly finished it.

So this is a seasonal knitting, picking this back up.

Yeah. And some... And the nice thing is,

that if you do get stuck with anything,

there are lots of people who can help and add advice.

Who's chief knitter in the group?

Ooh.

I'll tell you who it isn't.

OK. Let's start there.

Sorry, my question should've been who's the worst knitter in the group?

-I've just been taking it all back, so...

-Oh, really?

So yeah, they're very good.

You see, it's because they're not busy chatting.

-I know.

-They're focused.

-Yes.

Focused. They've had their cake and they're just head down.

We're listeners.

Is it a different person that makes a cake every week?

Some people just bring it in, don't we, really?

If someone's got time to make something,

we just bring it in and treat everybody.

-Treat each other.

-Who's the clever person that made this week's cake?

-Rosie.

-Rosie. Thank you very much, Rosie.

-Would you like some?

-I was waiting to be offered some.

That's why I came. Apart from the company, too.

The cake and the company.

It seems Diana has had little trouble in finding like-minded

friends in this close-knit community.

Ten miles down the coast from Bridport is the beautiful Dorset

village of Abbotsbury.

With its collection of classic stone thatched buildings,

the setting is straight out of a Thomas Hardy novel,

and packed with old world charm.

Abbotsbury was once home to a lavish monastery,

founded in the 11th century.

In the Middle Ages, the monks established a swannery,

farming the swans to produce food for their banquets.

Located on a lagoon behind Chesil Beach, it's one of a few

places in the world you can walk through a colony of nesting swans,

and it's one of Diana and Jonathan's favourite Dorset spots.

It's feeding time, and some of the 600 swans are peckish.

So how often do you come to the swannery?

-At least once a week.

-Do you feed the swans every time?

-Nope.

-This must be the place that you bring all your visitors.

-Oh, yes.

-Oh, yes. Yes.

-Yes, yes.

-You've become tour guides here.

-We do.

We had three in the last two weeks.

How would you say your life has changed overall,

since moving here to Dorset?

Crumbs.

-Totally changed.

-It has totally changed.

Because we've had to find out...

-..find out everything, really.

-Yeah.

We didn't... So we knew the area from driving through,

and we had to, not only make a new group of friends,

we had to find out where the local nice spots are,

which is why we're here.

Down to local craftsmen, everything really.

But it's... That was one of the nice parts.

-It was quite challenging.

-A bit like starting again.

-Yes.

-Yeah.

-But you have the time to discover everything.

-Exactly.

-Yeah. Every day you find something new.

You go to different places and you meet different people and it's just,

it's like being on holiday, honestly.

It really is. Every day is a lovely day.

What else have you got planned? Because as you say, you've been so

busy with the house and settling in and finding out where everything is.

Does it always feel like now that life can start,

that new life that you were wanting to start?

We get to do things like identify courses, like I want to go foraging.

I want to learn more about the plants and the hedgerows.

So I'm going on a course for that, and I've got books and I'm starting

to take them out with us and have a look in, so lots of things now.

In the past, you said,

"I wonder what that would be like to know more about,"

but now you've got the time to actually find out about it.

So has it lived up to your expectations, this big move?

Oh, yes. But it's far surpassed it.

-No doubt, yeah.

-Surpassed it.

I think very often we sit there and say we can't believe we live here.

We can't believe that we've moved and it's now our home.

And the children come down and they say,

"We know it's your home because everything's here,

"but it's just amazing that you're down by the sea and you're in a

"different place."

And they do comment how happy we are too, and it's...

I've said before, it's because we've done it together.

And we go out and we do things together as opposed to one working

or both working, and it's been a nice, it's been a really nice move.

-Yeah.

-Really happy with it.

It's been so lovely catching up with Jonathan and Diana,

and getting a little glimpse into their new life here in Dorset.

Although they've been busy settling in to their coastal home and doing

up the garden, they found the time to enjoy their fresh surroundings

and make new friends.

It's been wonderful to see them fully embrace the slightly

slower pace of life, and hopefully their journey will give others the

confidence to make the big move and escape to the country.

If you dream of escaping to the country in Wales, Scotland,

England or Northern Ireland, and would also like our help,

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