Norfolk and Cumbria 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'd be seeing a house like this. Never, ever.

But, for many years, Escape To The Country

has been helping countless people find their new home.

-What do we think of this?

-Oh, my! Chocolate box!

We've travelled to the most picturesque parts 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.

SHE SHOUTS

Seriously, get your cheque-book out, now!

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

I do love the house. You did really well.

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

escaped to the country.

Today I'm in Norfolk and this is Thetford Forest

which, at 72 square miles,

is the largest man-made lowland forest in the UK.

Back in the 1920s, however, this landscape looked very different.

It was all sandy heathland,

the result of over 700 years of rabbit farming.

But, almost a century ago,

the Forestry Commission took the area in hand and planted

lots and lots of trees and now it's a thriving, natural habitat.

And I'm very excited because it's near here that my mission begins.

Which is revisiting people who bought the houses

that we'd showed them and now call them home.

My journey today takes me to the north-west of England

and of course into the Norfolk countryside.

Later on, I'll be catching up with Angela from Edinburgh,

whose flair for design has really flourished since she made her move.

But, first, I'll be reunited with Kevin and Belinda

to see how they've got on making their dreams

of a new country life a reality.

In the summer of 2012 Belinda, a qualification assessor, and Kevin,

a retired RAF engineer,

were living with their two cats in Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire.

And dreaming of ditching their sedentary existence.

At the moment, we're both doing jobs that require us

to probably sit behind desks and computers,

yet we're practical people, active people,

and we're just not getting the life satisfaction that we really want.

It was a shared love of travel and caravanning

that prompted their move to the country.

We have been on caravan holidays for many years.

We love the freedom

and the open space which it provides us when we go.

The area we would like to move to is South Norfolk.

And possibly even into North Suffolk.

We think we're likely to find the countryside place that we want,

with land that we want, with the space to have what we want.

And what they wanted was more than simply a slice

of countryside living, as Belinda had her heart set on

running a cattery business from their new home.

And Kevin had ambitions to make money from his passion

of restoring classic cars.

With all this in mind,

Kevin and Belinda were after a house with a minimum

of two bedrooms and at least half an acre plot.

It also had to have scope for Belinda's cattery business

and space for Kevin's workshop. And, to top it all off,

they wanted the potential for holiday lets as well.

All for a budget of £450,000.

Our house search started on the rural outskirts of Mundham Common.

So, up a long private drive.

This is the property I want to show you.

Oh, right. Has it been more than one house at some point?

It has, it has history. The oldest part of the house

is this white bit at the end which has been re-rendered.

-That's from the 1780s.

-Is it?

-This is a Victorian extension,

-put in in the 1800s.

-Yeah.

-And this was put in in the '80s.

Right. Yeah, it's interesting, I'll give it that!

The mix of historic styles on the outside left them a bit bemused.

So I was keen to see what they'd make of the character inside.

This is the Victorian extension to the original cottage.

In terms of the living space,

you haven't really talked so much about how you want the space

for, you know, your living and kitchen. How do you use your space?

Lounge area, which this is, is big enough for us.

We like... We'd like a good dining, sort of kitchen area, you know.

-Sort of a social area.

-Well, this house has both.

You've got a dining room in the extension there.

-Right.

-And a kitchen area.

-Come on in. You like it?

-Yes.

-Yeah, I do.

Now, this is more like what I would have imagined.

Just off the entrance hall was a handy utility room,

right next to the stairs up to the first floor.

So, this is the master.

Again, over the oldest part of the house.

-Yes.

-Yes, that's definitely got character.

I love that ceiling.

There are two bedrooms which are over the new extension.

-And then another little boxroom and family bathroom at the end.

-OK.

Turning our attention outside,

the house came with a generous two-and-a-third acres of land,

complete with prime cattery real estate

in the form of some outbuildings ripe for conversion.

There was also a large open barn for Kevin's classic cars,

as well as a fully functional two-bedroom holiday let.

Albeit in need of a little TLC.

My only worry now was that they were a bit overwhelmed.

How much do you think it's worth?

350,000.

I would go 410.

You're optimistic with 350!

It's actually on the market for 459.

£9,000 over budget, house number one certainly seemed to have

given our couple plenty to think about.

For our second offering,

we travelled to the quiet woodland of Drymere to see a house

that had all the hallmarks of a feline paradise.

Property number two.

-Grief!

-We have excelled ourselves!

-Haven't you just!

Cos we've brought you to a cattery!

-Good grief!

-This is an up-and-running cattery,

licensed for 30 cat chalets, so you can have 68 cats.

-Wow!

-It's fabulous!

-It's all built to the highest feline standard.

-I can see that.

-You HAVE surprised me.

And it's a very successful business.

It can turn over about 30 grand.

Really? As much as that!

But Belinda wasn't the only one I was keen to impress,

as the property came with not one, but two gigantic sheds for Kevin.

This one has a pit!

-Oh, even better!

-Oh, yes!

-That's incredible.

-You'll never see me!

LAUGHTER

There were so many exciting elements outside,

but we still had a house to explore.

It's a very... It's a very simple layout

because you've got a little sort of sitting room here with a log burner.

-Right.

-And then through into the kitchen

-which goes out into the sunroom-conservatory, here.

-OK.

Yes, it's pretty, isn't it?

-Yes. Functional.

-Yeah.

Functional it may have been, but as we made our way to the living room,

-they started to get those homely vibes.

-Oh, that's nice.

-That's cosy.

-That's a nice surprise.

Can you imagine the two of you living here?

Yes. I'm starting to get the feel that we can.

I felt, as soon as we walked through the gate,

it felt right from the outside.

Yeah.

Upstairs, the house gave them three bedrooms.

This included a small single,

a twin room,

and a bright double.

And, now that we had the business,

hobbies and their accommodation sorted,

they just needed to figure out what it was all worth.

How much do you think it costs?

I would go...425.

I'd put slightly more, I'd say 440.

-This is on the market for 410.

-OK.

Under budget by a generous £40,000,

this substantial package certainly seemed to have wowed them,

even if the house itself wasn't quite what they had in mind.

The house didn't jump out at first. I was looking more at the cattery

and that's exactly what Belinda wanted.

And me. I mean, you know, it looks superb.

I think the house is probably a little bit of a compromise area,

and there's going to be some area of compromise,

I think, if we were to go for this.

Well, it seemed that both the properties that I showed

Kevin and Belinda had aspects that appealed to them.

There was space and potential for that all-important business

with the cats. But I hadn't used up my three lives yet

as the Mystery House was still to come

and I was curious to know how they would react to that.

For the final stop on our property hunt,

we headed south towards the Suffolk border.

And the village of Garboldisham.

I think it's absolutely gorgeous to look at.

-Stunning.

-I wanted something with character.

-So did I. Bags of that, hasn't it?

-Wait till you see inside.

This impressive mystery property

came in the form of an 18th-century Grade II listed farmhouse,

renovated to an exceptional standard.

I took them through the side door in the hope that they'd be knocked

sideways by all the character on offer.

So, lovely wooden surfaces throughout.

-Yes.

-Bespoke kind of units.

-Is it your kind of kitchen, Belinda?

-It's lovely.

It's surprisingly light.

Leading through into this space, which I think is really charming.

It's a lovely, open area.

For entertaining, dining, it's really sociable.

And, if that wasn't perfection enough,

there was also a separate formal dining room.

Upstairs there was a guest bedroom with en suite.

But, as we headed to the master,

I was hoping that the historic bones

would continue to charm Belinda in particular.

So this is where you notice the age of the property.

-Yeah.

-Very tight stairs.

Very sloping floors.

-It is, isn't it?

-Good grief.

Initially, I love it.

The bedroom reminds me of, you know,

-going to like a country house hotel.

-Yeah.

It was time to turn our attention outside.

The house sat in over three-quarters of an acre and there was room

in the garden for a small cattery where the veg patch lay.

But the big draw was the detached annexe,

which screamed holiday let potential.

It's a beautifully finished holiday let, it's very nicely done.

-OK.

-Very nice.

-What do you think this is on the market for?

-470.

I'll go 465.

This is on the market for 449,500.

-Is it really?

-You'd have £500 to play with!

Just shy of their £450,000 budget,

it seemed like the thatched charm of our Mystery House

was proving a serious temptation.

I know we've always spoken about a character home,

you know, that's full of charm. Beautiful inside.

I did see the thatched roof and I just thought

it's a little chocolate box cottage.

It's beautiful. And I didn't think I'd, you know,

ever be able to aspire to own one!

I left Kevin and Belinda with quite the decision to make.

The obvious appeal of a ready-made cattery business

was only hampered by the slightly underwhelming proportions

of the house that came with it.

While our gorgeous characterful Mystery House

seemed to offer something they always thought out of reach,

and offered unexpected income potential.

So, which one won through?

After an initial hankering after that beautiful

thatched Mystery House had passed,

I'm delighted to say that Kevin and Belinda realised that

an up-and-running cattery business was too good an option to pass up.

And, so, they moved in to house number two just over four years ago.

Now a little bird tells me that they're not at home today

because they are living in the garden!

Let's go and find out what that's all about.

Hey!

So nice to see you both.

Hello, it's lovely to see you.

-Hello, Alistair, nice to see you again.

-Back in Norfolk.

It's great, isn't it?

And you are, I see, living in a caravan!

-Yes, that's right.

-Tell us about that.

-Well, it's summertime, isn't it, why not!

-Well, I can see why.

This looks amazing.

The house was not what we wanted, was it?

-Initially.

-No, there was some compromise there.

How long did you live in it before you realised

that you'd have to change it?

We started the extension build in 2015?

Yes, it would be, yes.

We started doing the drawings I think back end of 2014,

getting an idea of what we wanted, sketches and things.

And then I finalised the plans back end of 2014, yes.

I think we've just taken each step at a time, really.

It'd be just nice to get out of the caravan,

back under a proper tiled roof!

I'm dying to see inside. We can chat more, but can I

-have a look inside?

-Absolutely.

-Not sure I can remember it!

-It's probably changed so much.

-It's changed dramatically.

On my last visit, the house had a very conventional layout.

But it's now been completely gutted and transformed into something

magnificently open-plan.

Aha!

Oh, that's great. I remember you weren't at all happy with the house.

-It was not a selling point for this property.

-Not at all. Not at all.

So we lived in it a while, decided what we wanted to do.

Making it open-plan only came into our heads probably a few months ago.

So wonderful, opening it all up.

Was it easy to get the planning permission, was that an issue?

No problem at all. Very easy.

Because it's out of sight from the road, it was never an issue.

-Right.

-Never an issue at all, the council never questioned anything.

-Straight through. They were excellent.

-Cos you've effectively

-doubled the size of the house, is that right?

-Yes.

-Yeah.

-Can I see the extension?

-You can indeed, yes.

I'll lead the way.

Kevin and Belinda have added a fantastic 2-storey extension.

Although it's not quite finished yet.

Oh, wow!

Oh, that's so impressive to see.

-Big space, isn't it?

-All those rafters!

This is going to be amazing!

-Well, you must be so excited?

-Very, yes.

-I know what it's like

when you've got a build on, you're like, oh,

it's never going to finish! But it will be finished!

Oh, yes, yes. I can see it in my mind,

-how it's going to be at the end.

-And then upstairs, what are you

going to do? It's like a ballroom up there!

That will be our master bedroom.

-Oh, really.

-With the French doors in.

And we'll put a Juliet balcony on there

and then the upstairs will be divided into three rooms.

One a dressing room. And an en-suite bathroom.

A dressing room!

-Yes.

-That's amazing.

With structural work complete, they plan on finishing

the rest of the jobs themselves to keep costs down.

Engineer Kevin is certainly going to have his work cut out.

As we head back out into the sunshine,

I'm keen to hear more about their new lives in the country.

First of all, tell me about the move.

How was the actual, kind of, sale?

What happened after the show, did you put an offer in straightaway?

No, we didn't.

We went home and there was quite a bit of deliberation, really.

Cos you were kind of in love with the thatched cottage as well,

-weren't you?

-Yeah, that was the one... We never wanted to buy

-a thatched cottage and you showed us one as a Mystery House!

-Yeah, yeah.

So, what swayed you in the end?

The business. I think it was the business.

My father, with his sensible head on.

Thanks, Dad! He said you've got a business there,

why are you going to throw that away?

Because you might not get planning permission,

-on a Grade II listed building.

-Yeah.

-And it made sense, really.

And what's like moving back to Norfolk?

Because you were based in Norfolk, weren't you?

1980s, I was at RAF Marham. I hated Norfolk then!

Because I was in my 20s and all I wanted was nightlife!

I was a young lad. But now I've moved back... I was quite reticent,

but now I've moved back, I love it.

I really do like it down here. I wouldn't live anywhere else.

When you go back to the Midlands or Cheshire,

it always just seems incredibly busy and not particularly enjoyable

-and rather stressful.

-Oh, really?

-Go, go, go.

-So you're always hankering to get back to Norfolk?

Yeah! I see family and friends in Cheshire and I come back,

I just can't wait to get back down here.

Yeah. It's nice to see them, but it's just, you know,

-I couldn't live up there any more.

-So there's no chance you would move

-away now? This is your...

-I don't think so!

I think we're pretty well-rooted now here in Norfolk.

Well, these two are certainly keeping themselves busy,

and not just with their renovations.

The cattery business seems to be purring along nicely

since they took over, at one point peaking at 52 cats in residence,

and turnover practically doubling.

Although I can't imagine having that many visitors

leaves you a lot of time for yourself.

Is it kind of prohibitive in terms of, like, you going away?

It's very difficult to get away because you need to be here

most of the time. Opening hours are nine till 12, 4:30 to 6:30.

So one of us needs to be here during that time.

And the time in between that, during the day,

you're often disinfecting units out,

or there's something else that needs doing.

So, it's difficult to get out, it's difficult to get a holiday,

really, or much time off in the busy season.

And does that bother you, is it worth the...?

It's a bit of a labour of love.

I must say, I've put everything into this cattery, my heart and soul.

But it is rewarding when customers are happy.

So, I guess I don't feel I'm missing that much, really.

No, a holiday would be nice

and we will plan that, I think, in the future.

-And Christmas, do you have time off at Christmas?

-No!

No, family have to come to us at Christmas.

But because of the situation with the house,

that's been really difficult.

But, hopefully, in future years, when we've finished the house,

we'll be able to have some nice family Christmases.

This year, we know we won't have a kitchen so we've actually already

booked our Christmas lunch out this year.

Overall, I mean, it sounds like a lot of hard work and quite a bind,

in terms of you going away. I mean, are you happy with the change?

Because it was a complete career change for you, isn't it?

Absolutely. I wouldn't turn back at all.

I wouldn't go back to my former life.

Well, Belinda certainly doesn't seem to have any regrets about

her new life. But, before I leave,

I want to catch up with Kevin and see how that car collection

of his is coming along.

-Kevin!

-Ah, Alistair!

Oh, my goodness, look at this beautiful thing!

I remember showing you this and your eyes going out on stalks!

-Absolutely, yes.

-And you said, "Oh, I have a kit car."

In my head I thought, kit car is like, you know, Meccano.

I wasn't expecting something like this!

-Changed a bit over the years!

-Oh, my word! It's beautiful.

And I see you've got some other projects lined up behind.

I have. I've got an old 1974 Citroen DS at the back which I'm restoring.

And a Triumph TR4 from 1963.

And what about next door, because next door they had a home cinema,

another big sort of space there, are you still using that?

Still there. The home cinema's still there.

They left it behind for us. Gave it to us.

At the back was just a general dumping ground and last year

I built a craft room for Belinda.

So she's got a multi-gym in there and a bike on a little...

on some wheels. And she's got a great big craft table

and desk and a nice view over the fields at the back.

-So she's made up!

-When the house is finished it's going to be

like a paradise for you two!

-It is. And it's our pension, of course.

-Yeah.

-For the future.

-And I bet this is beautiful on the Norfolk roads.

-Blissful, yes.

Top down, sun shining, down the coast there, it's lovely.

Just to cruise, it's lovely, really lovely, yeah.

I bet she sounds good. Can I hear her?

Absolutely! I'll just have to pop in, Alistair, and then...

Into your bucket seats!

-Are you ready?

-Yes.

ENGINE STARTS

Oh!

Oh! That is beautiful.

What a great sound!

ENGINE REVS

-Are you a big fan of the car too, Belinda?

-I can't reach the pedals.

Oh, you don't get to drive?

-No.

-No. Still, nice to go out on the road.

You guys have made such a big success of this.

I mean, the cattery seems to be going from strength to strength.

The house is amazing. And then all of these things as well,

-it's really impressive.

-It's been great having you here.

-Thank you.

Yeah, thank you very much. Thank you. Just carry on.

Yes. Well, you'll get the house done and that will be a great...

That's the priority, Alistair. Yeah.

I suppose we should come back again.

-You're more than welcome.

-Thank you for coming back.

You're more than welcome.

Starting a new life in the country can be a lifelong dream

and those who choose to enlist our help often find themselves

one step closer to fulfilling it.

In the August of 2009,

Army dentist Jeremy and his GP wife Charlotte

were looking to get back to their country roots

with their two small children.

Jeremy would soon be retiring from the military,

so it seemed like the perfect time to leave busy Colchester behind.

They had a budget of £800,000 for a house with land

and in the tiny hamlet of Shotatton in Shropshire,

it was house number two that proved a serious contender.

-It's a barn conversion.

-Oh.

-Very impressive.

-But it's interesting, as you see,

it's a little bit of a farmyard.

There's some buildings scattered around so you're in a little

community. Essentially, it's a new build but dressed in old clothing.

-Lovely.

-Wait until you see inside.

Excellent.

The outside may have been old but the inside was all new

and perfect for entertaining.

Yeah, that's very impressive, isn't it?

It's quite stunning, that.

You feel like you don't need any more house than this.

Well, it seemed we were off to a great start in the kitchen

with the mix of old and new features impressing Jeremy and Charlotte.

Also downstairs, we found a very square sitting room,

but there was one other feature in particular

that I was keen to show off.

-Ta-da!

-Oh, I say.

-Yeah.

We didn't ask for this.

Didn't ask for this, did you?

The boys would love it. It's beautiful, yeah.

-It's absolutely stunning.

-I think I can cope with the plain lounge.

The plain lounge, yeah.

Upstairs, this conversion had a jaw-dropping six bedrooms,

including a sumptuous master bedroom suite.

But it was time for us to make our way outside.

The formal garden provided excellent entertaining space and a large lawn,

but that was it in terms of land.

Nevertheless, I was interested to hear their thoughts

when it came to the price.

As it stands, it's three-quarters of an acre

-and how much do you think it's worth?

-I think 675.

I'm going to go with 725.

OK, well, if you split the difference, you are exactly right.

It's on the market at £700,000.

-Mm.

-Yeah, it's food for thought.

-Mm.

And they obviously did think about it seriously as they decided to

make an offer on it.

Another memorable highlight from our house tours.

Although many of us have a romantic notion

of escaping to the countryside,

it's quite overwhelming, unless you have a focus.

And, for our next home buyer, Angela,

it was the prospect of a new job that took her from Edinburgh

to the beautiful Lancashire countryside.

Back in August 2012, school bursar Angela was living in a flat

in the middle of Edinburgh

and was set to start a new job in the Lancashire Borders.

It was the perfect time to move to the countryside

and be closer to family. With son Anthony now at university,

Dad Norman would be joining her for the search.

My role in looking at these houses is to spot any possible flaws.

Four eyes are better than two.

I've got sort of a romantic notion and I'll fall in love with somewhere

and Dad will probably see the back of the house

is falling down, or something.

Father and daughter shared a passion for all things culinary

so a good kitchen was top of the wishlist for Angela.

I'm a very keen cook, as is Dad.

We've travelled all over the place, haven't we,

doing different cookery courses?

-Yes.

-Try and get away once a year and try something new.

But that wasn't the only priority as she knew exactly

what else she wanted from her new home.

I think I'm a country girl at heart, really.

My ideal property would be a traditional cottage

type of property.

Lots and lots of character, beams, open fireplace,

roses around the door.

Bearing all that in mind,

Angela was looking for a house with two bedrooms,

a country kitchen, a study, a small garden and space to park the car.

With a £250,000 budget,

I was quietly confident that we had three lovely properties to show her.

Our first stop was in the pretty village of Whittington

where I showed them a stone-built Victorian terrace property.

Here is house number one.

Pretty. Bay window.

-I like bay windows.

-Norman, what are your thoughts?

-Yeah, it looks nice.

Kind of like something that I live in at the moment.

It's got roses around the door. See, they're the bits that I look out.

-All right.

-That was one of your requirements, wasn't it?

-Yes.

Angela certainly seemed pleased with the outside,

thanks to the roses and the windows, so it was time to see

what she and dad Norman thought of the interior.

Straight into the front room.

These big, high windows looking out over the fields to the church.

That is a lovely view, isn't it?

-What would you do?

-Yes, I like the view out the window.

-The view, the view is lovely.

-What about the room?

The room feels quite spacious.

Nice high ceilings.

It's OK, it's a reasonable size.

After a quietly polite response here,

I was hoping the dining room would deliver.

So, another room at the back.

Now, now we're talking.

Oh, this is more to your liking.

Yes. Look at that. This is perfect.

-Yes, I quite like this as well.

-Yes.

It was good to hear Angela warming to the charms of this property,

but there was more to see in the kitchen.

Is the good mood continuing?

Compact. Quite well-designed, I think.

Not a lot of work space, is there?

So, Mr Practical, what are your thoughts about the kitchen?

If it was me, I would like a bigger kitchen.

But this is obviously quite practical.

Upstairs, there was more space than they might have expected

with three bedrooms, one of which could have been ideal

for her son when he came to stay.

And the master provided some fabulous views.

Heading outside, to the rear of the house lay a communal parking area

that led to a lawn and patio with views out over the Lune Valley.

-So, how much do you think the house costs?

-I think it's

at the top end of the budget. I think it's, let's go for 245.

-Norman?

-I think about 210.

Well, you're not quite there.

It is actually right at the top of your budget,

it's £5 short of £250,000.

Thought it would be near the top, with the number of rooms, really.

A whisker under budget,

our first property had begun to hint at a rosy future ahead for Angela.

But we had more to see.

For our second offering, we hopped over the border

into Cumbria to the small hamlet of Old Hutton,

where we had a stone and slate cottage

from the 1900s to show Angela,

complete with views out towards the Lake District.

-Oh, wow.

-That's nice.

-That is gorgeous!

-Where's my cheque-book?

-Oh, that's what we like.

-It reminds me of my grandmother's place back in Ireland.

-Oh.

-I think we've done well.

-I think you have done very well, yes.

Very good.

This gem of a property seemed to have sent her heart soaring

before we'd even stepped through the front door.

But I thought she'd be even more impressed by what awaited inside.

SHE GASPS

What do you think?

-Bingo.

-Bingo, that's what we wanted.

Yeah, very nice indeed.

It's so attractive, it's so...

Oh, love it.

And also beautiful views.

-So, could you imagine moving straight in?

-Yes.

-Really?

My bags are packed.

It looked like she was ready to move in already and I had a feeling

she'd think the kitchen was a cook's paradise.

-Ta-da!

-It just gets better. It just gets better.

-Incredible.

-I'm speechless.

-It's absolutely...

-What do you think?

It's just making me want to be here now.

-That's what we like.

-Moving in now, tomorrow.

The master bedroom in this house was magnificent and came with stunning

views that, on a clear day,

stretched all the way to the Lakeland fells.

But, to really seal the deal,

I wanted to show her somewhere that could take sleeping

to a whole new level.

Oh! That's a surprise. I wasn't expecting this.

I was thinking, when Anthony comes down to visit,

you could have a bed up there,

all made up, and then have this as your study.

What do you think, Norman?

Yeah, it's pretty good. I'd put a bed upstairs.

While the garden was a small one,

it made up for its size with those incredible views.

This is your garden, this is the house, what's the price?

Let's go 262.

-Norman?

-I would think 240.

240?

This property, in its current state, is on the market for...

249,950.

-Where's my cheque-book?

-I was nearest.

-You were nearest.

Priced within her budget,

this house certainly seemed to fit the vision Angela had

of her dream home.

I'd shown Angela two very thought-provoking properties

and, at the time, I did think she had a clear favourite

but it's never over

until we've thrown the Mystery House into the mix

so let's see what she thought of that.

For our mystery property, we stayed in south Cumbria but headed further

west to the small hamlet of Hale,

just outside the village of Milnthorpe.

A converted cow shed, or shippen, lay in wait,

dating back to the 1700s, in a farmstead development of six houses.

-Oh, wow!

-So, in from the lane,

you come into this lovely cobbled courtyard

and the property I want to show you is this one,

with the castellated turret.

-Yeah.

-What are your first impressions?

-Fantastic.

-It's very interesting, it's very attractive.

-Yes.

-Very attractive.

-I won't say nice, it's better than nice.

-Better than nice.

-But I can't wait to see the inside of the rooms

because, I mean, having sort of your own turret.

-Never had one of those before.

-Queen of the castle.

-Yes.

It was clear that Angela couldn't wait to get inside.

Past the turret... straight into the kitchen.

-Oh, that was a surprise.

-Now, what do you think?

It's big enough. Plenty of work space.

Lots of character, got the beams.

-It has got the beams, yeah.

-Yes.

-Yes?

-Bay window, enough room for a table.

-That's good.

-Does it feel like the sort of house you want to live in?

-It feels lovely.

-Should we go look upstairs?

-Yeah.

Our Mystery House did have an unusual layout,

as also on the ground floor was the guest bedroom,

which came with its own en suite.

Upstairs, we found the sitting room.

Up the turret...

..into the main living space.

-Beams.

-Beams.

-Small windows.

Lots of character. That's, that's wonderful, isn't it?

And, look, gives you for the first time a proper,

-functioning open fire.

-Great.

I'm surprised that there's an open fire in a building upstairs.

Again, historical, because shippens, people lived above the animals,

the animals would be down below

and they could live up here so they needed the fire.

-That's great.

-Norman?

Plenty of room. Take out some of the bigger furniture.

-There's a door there.

-A door with a lovely balcony.

-Onto a balcony.

-Yes. So you could sit out there on a summer's evening.

-It really is Rapunzel-like, isn't it?

-Mm.

And you would sleep...

..right next door.

The period charm of this place continued to cast

its spell over them as we stepped next door into the master bedroom.

So, you've got an en suite there and you come straight into

a good-sized bedroom.

It is a good size, isn't it?

-I like this room. Yes.

-Yes, I like it as well.

-Yeah.

-I think the whole property has a very nice feel to it.

-It's great.

This conversion had a really pretty, private rear garden

and patio. But it was time to talk money.

Well, that's the package, what's the price?

I will be going...

..260?

-Norman?

-250, full budget.

Well, this property is actually on the market

for exactly the same price as the last one, 249,950.

-I win.

-You win again.

Coming in just under her budget of £250,000,

our Mystery House certainly seemed to have caused quite the dilemma.

House number two's cottagey charm had her ready to sign

there and then, but, as is often the case,

the Mystery House's character and quirky style

had an immediate impact.

So, which one did she pick?

There was a moment back there when none of us really knew

which house Angela was going to go for.

But I am delighted to say that she fell in love with

the Mystery House and here I am, five years later,

to find out how her countryside adventure has panned out.

-Hey, Angela.

-Hi.

-So lovely to see you.

-Welcome back.

-I love it. I remember this courtyard,

-I remember the famous turret.

-Yes. Beautiful sunny day as well.

I know, I've brought the sunshine. I can't wait to see what you've done.

-Come in.

-Oh, wow!

-It looks a bit different.

-It's so different.

My God, there's like a whole new space there. That wasn't there,

-was it?

-No, that is an extension that we put on

two years after moving in.

-Oh, right.

-So everything's been done in stages.

The kitchen was the first thing. I think the character is great.

I've tried to keep as much of that as possible.

-And the garden's completely different.

-It is.

It was not like that at all, was it?

-No, we actually took out 60 tonnes of soil...

-No way!

..to make it a sunken garden.

-Blimey.

-I've actually got more garden,

usable garden now than I had before.

-That makes...

-Be better for me in my old age, not so many steps to go up.

-Oh, good, so you're planning to stay here.

-Yes. Of course.

Angela has certainly been busy.

As well as her extensive kitchen renovations,

the ground floor bedroom has been updated,

and she has even more to show me upstairs.

I remember, it was these stairs and this room that won you over.

-I remember it.

-The turret.

-The turret.

-Oh, it's lovely.

-Yes.

-It's lovely. Real character.

-Oh, it's great.

Oh, you've replaced this, this was a big, open fire.

It was an open fire.

And it didn't actually give out a lot of heat.

-Cos you loved... That was another one...

-Yeah, and all the heat

went up the chimney so we've put that in now, which is great.

It's like a sauna up here now in the winter.

That's nice, a stable door upstairs, I've not seen that before.

-That's out onto your lovely balcony.

-That goes on to the new balcony.

So you've got those views that you loved.

Got some chairs out there and some fruit trees.

It's very tastefully finished, so beautiful, all your interior design.

The master bedroom has also benefited from her magic touch,

inspired in no small part by her new job,

working for an interior design company.

And the bathroom next door has been completely transformed.

But those aren't the only changes in her life,

so I'm keen to sit her down

and grill her on everything that's been happening.

So, come on, let's spill the beans.

Actually, tell me about the house sale, was it difficult?

How did it go? Because you were...

..trying to go for a little cheeky offer, was that right?

I did put in an offer, it was quite cheeky but it was accepted.

Oh, really? So what did you pay for it in the end?

230,000.

-Gosh.

-Yes.

-And looking at it now...

-Do you know how much it's worth now?

-I think about 295.

Wonderful. And the move generally, you...

From Edinburgh down to the countryside, how was the transition?

It was good.

The locals are so friendly.

I was immediately adopted and taken care of, and invited out.

There's a great social life here.

No, it's been good. Work changed.

Yeah, because you were moving here because of a job.

-How was that?

-Well, it was fine.

The school I was working for merged with another school

and everybody was sort of pooled for their jobs,

and it was quite a difficult year, really. But I chose not to stay.

So you left education.

-So I left education.

-Oh.

And were you tempted to go back to...

Did you think it had all gone wrong?

No, it's just time for a change, really.

And the opportunity came up to be self-employed

so I thought I would do that and enjoy the sunshine

during the day and perhaps work in the evenings, if I want to.

-Quite good.

-That sounds like a good plan.

I think when you start looking round and where would I move back to,

I thought about going back to Edinburgh, but this location,

I just love the house.

I do love the house. You did really well.

Angela was always a very keen cook,

so I've promised to lend her hand in the kitchen

where she's about to whip up some banana bread.

It's like a home ec class.

-Welcome to the WI.

-Did you join the WI?

-I did join the WI.

-Oh!

I want to know, how's it been being in the countryside?

Cos you were a city girl, weren't you, really?

I was, but, you know, with the countryside we've got around here,

-it's great.

-So, do you do a lot of entertaining and cooking?

I do, yes, I do.

I've done some cookery classes as well, for the WI.

-Teaching people Thai cooking.

-You're teaching there?

-Yeah.

-I have done, in the past.

-I'm just going to bash these just because...

-Just because you want to.

-Yeah.

Very good.

Do you intend to stay here long, long, long term?

I think I'll probably be coming out in a box.

-Really?

-Mm.

-Well, that's... Coming out in a box is not great to hear,

but the fact that you're going to stay here for the rest of your life

-is wonderful.

-I think so. And, I mean, the house is

-so well-designed for that as well for old age, so...

-Yeah.

..having everything downstairs.

-We did you good.

-You did. Did really well.

I love these sort of recipes where you literally just throw

-everything in.

-How much cinnamon?

One tea...tablespoon, that's quite a lot of cinnamon.

-And then whiz.

-Then whiz.

MACHINE WHIZZES

It's the magic of cake.

And then dot with the pecans.

Oh, it's really good.

We'll enjoy that later but there are other key ingredients

in Angela's life that have made her move fulfilling.

A little bird tells me there's a certain special person in your life.

-Yes.

-And how did you meet him?

He built the extension.

Love it.

You bagged the builder.

-Yes.

-And how long have you been together? What's his name?

-Robert.

-Robert. How long have you and Robert been together?

-Three years now.

-Three years.

-Yeah.

-Wow, very good.

Angela certainly seems to have mastered the recipe for success

when it comes to her new life,

but now it's time to get back to the kitchen.

-Oh, there we go.

-Looks lovely.

Are you still a member of the WI?

-Not any more.

-Not after this.

-No. Not after this, I've been sacked.

Been excommunicated.

Now, when am I going to meet Robert?

I think we're going to pop up to the clay pigeon shooting ground.

Oh, is this another one of your country pursuits?

-It is.

-You're going hell for leather for the country pursuits.

-Let's see if you're good shot or not.

-No, I am a terrible shot.

-So am I.

-Oh, there you go.

-I'm still learning.

-I'll stick with you.

Armed with enough banana bread to keep even the hungriest person

happy, we're heading off to meet Robert,

the man responsible not only for the fantastic work on Angela's home,

but for her new-found happiness as well. This must be Robert.

-Hiya.

-Very nice to meet you.

-Nice to meet you.

-Heard a lot about you.

All good things. It's an amazing spot.

-It's fantastic.

-What can we see from up here?

Well, you've got Arnside Knott there,

-Morecambe Bay the left.

-Are you a local? Did you grow up around here?

-Yeah.

-Oh, you've got yourself a local.

-Five miles away.

-Yeah.

Congratulations on your beautiful extension.

-It looks really great.

-Do you like it?

-Yeah, really magical.

-And we've made you some cake.

-Made some cake.

-Thank you.

Have some cake.

Oh, I'll have a little bit.

I warn you, I've done this before.

I'm a terrible shot.

Jules would be appalled.

But you can give me a few tips.

Forward.

Tuck it in.

You'll swing to your left.

-OK.

-Just keep about a yard in front of you.

-A yard.

-Yeah. Say pull when you want it.

-Yeah.

-The first clay to come.

Pull.

GUNSHOT

That's quite tough on the shoulder, isn't it? Pull.

GUNSHOT

Ah, see the smoke coming out.

It might be better if you just move it up slightly.

Pull.

GUNSHOT

Oh, that's quite enough.

Enough public shame. I'll leave it to the experts.

I'd love to see you shoot.

And it's so nice to see you both looking so happy and healthy.

Come on, show me your countryside skills.

I'll eat cake. I'm much better at that.

Pull.

GUNSHOT

Ah, shot!

It's such a treat catching up with our home buyers and finding out

what they've done to their properties.

I mean, that extension! Actually, everything that Angela

and her builder boyfriend Robert have done

to their property in Lancashire.

I mean, it could be inside an interior design magazine.

And, also, I can't stop thinking about the extension to the cattery

that Belinda and Kevin have done.

I'm going to have to come back in four years

and see what it looks like. I hope you've enjoyed all these revisits,

and you'll join us again for another edition of I Escaped To The Country.

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

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