Dorset Escape to the Country

Did you know each of England's 68 lighthouses

has its own distinct signal?

Let me explain - each lamp flashes a certain number of times

and then repeats the pattern a certain amount of time later on.

So even if you're out at sea in the middle of the night

and you know the pattern,

you will know which lighthouse you're looking at.

So for example, this one flashes four times

and then 20 seconds later, four times again.

So, which one is it?

Coming up on today's show, we'll be helping a couple from Surrey

to escape England's crowded southeast

and the potential space is a real eye-opener.

Wow, this is amazing - oh, I like it!

This is really big. This is very deceptive.

And the trilling countryside also offers up some audible delights.

-You can hear the birdsong.

-I can, it's so tranquil and...

Absolutely fantastic.

Today, I'm in Dorset and this is Portland Bill lighthouse

whose lamp shines out over the English Channel -

one of the busiest shipping lanes in the world.

Its signal, on a clear night,

can be seen 35 nautical miles away at sea.

It's clearly doing a good job, at least today,

because there are no shipwrecks on this coastline.

And what a beautiful coastline it is.

Dorset shares its borders

with Devon, Somerset, Wiltshire and Hampshire.

The county is a magnet for over two million visitors a year

who are drawn here by its beautiful countryside and extensive coastline.

Bypassed by motorways and city settlements,

the 95-mile stretch of the Jurassic coast

charts 185 million years of prehistoric geology.

Over that time,

the sea has carved natural wonders into these limestone cliffs

such as Lulworth Cove

and the precarious chalk arch of Durdle Door.

Nearly half of Dorset falls

within protected Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty

yet its rural landscape is also a working one

with pastures around the Blackmore Vale

providing fertile ground for dairy farming.

The countryside remains much as it was

when Thomas Hardy wrote of it.

Hardy was born just outside Dorchester and, to use his words,

this really is a place "far from the madding crowd",

given that, on average,

413 people live within a square mile here,

making it one of the lowest populated counties in England.

So, in other words, Dorset has lots of space,

although you do have to pay a premium to get your share of it.

According to Dorset County Council's figures,

Dorset is the second most expensive county in the UK after London,

with the average house price here standing at £314,000,

which is £59,000 above the national figure.

That said, Dorset is also one of the healthiest counties in the country.

I have been told that if you move here,

you could live an average of two years longer,

which probably makes the price worth it.

Let's meet the couple

who have chosen this beautiful part of the country to come and live

and find out why.

Husband and wife Denise and Peter

first laid eyes on each other at a bowling alley, four decades ago,

and have spent a thrilling 32 years raising their family

in this four-bedroomed, semi-detached home

in the busy commuter town of Epsom in Surrey.

But now their three children are all grown up,

they want to downsize, release some capital

and realise a long-held desire.

I just want a change of environment.

I've lived in this area all of my life

and I just want to be out in the countryside.

Not too far from the sea, so we can do coastal walks,

and we just want to see birds, animals, rather than traffic.

A self-employed building consultant, Peter has only recently decided

to wind down professionally in order to fulfil the country dream.

It was one particularly horrible, cold day in January or February

and I'd got absolutely filthy dirty, freezing cold, soaking wet

and I thought "That's enough - it's time to sell up

"and move somewhere a little more relaxing

"and throw my equipment in the river."

HE LAUGHS

And he wants to swap the river for the sea

as they've both set their sights on relocating to West Dorset.

We like the area, it's very uncommercialised

and we really would like to be in a rural setting,

because where we live at the moment is quite built-up

and quite near the main roads.

We just want to chill and enjoy life.

With retirement on the cards, Peter and Denise have clear ideas

of how they want to spend their new-found freedom.

I do like to play golf,

I do intend to join one or more golf clubs down there.

I've been making jewellery for less than a year.

I went to a local craft class and was able to make a bracelet.

And I thought it was a really, really easy project to do

and from then on,

I've made more bracelets, necklaces, earrings etc.

I'm also a keen sea fisherman -

used to go out from boats in the English Channel

and I intend to once again join the local fishing club

and hopefully do some deep sea fishing.

And I also really like walks

and I can't think of anything better than the coastline of Dorset,

for that particular reason.

Their current house is already on the market

and they have approximate figures in mind

for the proposed West Country venture.

The budget for our move is £325,000

up to a maximum of £375,000.

Peter and Denise have requested a location

in the western portion of Dorset and near to the coast,

but not necessarily right on it.

So we'll be searching in the beautiful villages

around the market town of Bridport.

And I'm meeting up with both our buyers on Dorset soil

to get better acquainted.

-Welcome to Dorset.

-Thank you.

-Thank you.

It's a very beautiful spot I've brought you to, isn't it?

-It certainly is.

-Absolutely gorgeous.

Is this what you're looking for as a change from Epsom?

-Oh, definitely.

-Life in the country.

So tell me about the house - what's your sort of dream house,

within budgetary constraints?

Oh, anything between...

..two to four bedroom, or three bedrooms and a study...

I think three bedrooms is the minimum.

And with a garden,

somewhere with perhaps a few chickens to run around, grow a few vegetables.

So you said two to four, you said three bedrooms, minimum.

What are you going to use these bedrooms for?

Well, we've got three children, obviously,

and for visitors as well,

because quite a few of our friends in southwest London

definitely expressed an interest in coming down and spending time -

having, basically, a holiday home.

Right.

Of course, extra bedrooms means extra money

and it's quite an expensive part of the country you've chosen.

We know that.

So what is your budget?

Well, it's realistically between 325 and 375 -

up to 375 if it's the right house in the right location.

We would be prepared to take on a project,

providing it was towards the lower end of the project

-rather than the higher end.

-Right.

Because, obviously, we haven't got unlimited funds

to live on for the rest of our lives, so...

In terms of your house sale in Epsom, how's that going?

-We just accepted an offer yesterday...

-Great!

..which we're very, very pleased with.

-So it's all systems go.

-Yeah.

-Absolutely.

I'm buying into this dream,

but you have to buy into the houses that we've selected for you.

I've got three corkers,

so I just hope that they fit the bill.

-Well, we'll soon find out.

-We will, very soon. Follow me.

For a maximum budget of £375,000,

Peter and Denise are downsizing and looking for a character home

that has at least three bedrooms.

They'd consider a small project that involves minor refurbishment

and are after a decent-sized garden in which to grow vegetables

and possibly to keep chickens.

And lastly, they want to be within easy reach

of the enticing southern coast.

We've got a variety of great Dorset homes to show our buyers

but of course, the prices will be a guessing game

until the end of the tour.

Lastly, there's our mystery property,

set in a 350-acre plot -

and yes, I did say 350 acres.

So, with Peter and Denise's house under offer,

we better get it started.

Have you had some thoughts

about how you might meet some people and make friends?

-I might get a job.

-Ah.

THEY LAUGH

I'll pay you to carry the golf clubs if you require...

I'd rather stick pins in my eyes, thank you.

Good answer.

Our first destination in the remote hamlet of Hilfield.

And we're throwing our buyers right in at the rural deep end

with property number one,

as the nearest shops and pubs are about five miles away

in the picture-postcard village of Yetminster.

But with their hankering after traditional country life,

let's see what Denise and Peter make of our first house,

back in the peaceful pocket of Hilfield

in the thick of lush Dorset countryside.

OK, house number one - here we are.

Really, we wanted to show you something that was...well,

the absolute opposite to the hustle and bustle of Epsom.

-You've certainly done that.

-It's amazing.

We're in a beautiful, beautiful area.

-You can hear just the birdsong.

-I can - it's so tranquil and...

-Absolutely fantastic.

-Yes.

What are your thoughts about the style and the look

from the outside?

Looks quite a period cottage.

It is. It comes from the end of the 19th century,

farm workers' cottages

and it's attached, so that is your neighbour.

That's fine, that's not a problem.

Excited to look inside?

-Absolutely.

-Definitely.

-Let's have a look.

Built in 1889, this semi-detached Victorian cottage

has been gradually extended over the years

and has a deceptively large ground floor footprint

with three reception rooms.

This is the front room,

straight off that little sunroom-porch.

You can see the bones of the house here,

this lovely, original flagstone.

-Beautiful.

-Yeah.

-What a lovely, charming room.

I love the wide window -

-obviously that denotes the thickness of the wall, doesn't it?

-Exactly.

They were well-built, these Victorian cottages.

I do love the floor, absolutely adore the floor.

It's quite a decent-sized room.

Do you feel like it could be homely?

-Yeah - I like what I see so far.

-Good, very good.

Let's go and have a look at the kitchen.

So the house proceeds in these rooms -

you've got a little dining room there,

at the foot of the stairs and then this is the old kitchen.

-This is charming.

-Yeah.

This is really sweet, yeah. I like this.

You've got all the facilities - you've got some work surfaces...

Two sinks and the range.

-And also a walk-in larder as well, in that door...

-Oh!

So lots of storage for your...

That's a bonus, a walk-in larder.

So you've got the front room, which is south-facing,

so you get a lot of the sunshine,

and the dining room and the kitchen,

but you've also, through here, got a very nice study.

-Oh, this is a surprise.

-This is very nice.

You get the nice quarry tiles on the floor

and lots of lovely light

and doors out onto the garden, there.

It's a very useable space -

you could use it as an office or an extra bedroom...

-TV room.

-TV room.

-Yes, for sports.

Ah, so it's just been nabbed.

Yes, you could make it into a nice snug.

Yeah. Yeah, that would work.

With Peter getting first dibs on the study,

things seem to be going well for the ground floor,

which also benefits from a shower room

that doubles up as the utility.

Now we've completed our tour downstairs,

we're going to make our way up to the first floor.

There's a family bathroom and three bedrooms on offer.

To the front of the property lies the smallest bedroom

next to a larger double with glorious, unspoilt views.

Then this is the master.

Oh, this is...nice, a nice space.

No storage, no? OK.

Yes, you need to think about your storage.

You might want to appropriate one of your guest rooms

-as a sort of dressing room.

-Possibly.

-But it's nicely decorated.

-Nice colour scheme.

-Nice outlook.

The thing about all of the rooms up here are the views -

-you've got killer views.

-Fabulous.

Well, I can let you explore the rest of the house in your own good time,

but I'm going to show you the garden and ask you about the price,

so follow me.

As we make our way outside,

it gives Peter and Denise another chance

to take in this charming cottage.

Off the study, a paved patio

leads onto a delightful long and levelled lawn garden,

featuring ready-established vegetable plots

and plenty of room for chickens.

I mean, in terms of the garden,

is this the size that you're looking for?

-It's lovely.

-That's very, very, very acceptable.

Yeah, that's a really nice...

It's a really nice property.

OK. Well, what do you think it's on the market for?

Um...I would hazard a guess at about 320?

-I'd say about 315.

-315.

-Well, this is actually on the market for 340.

-Oh, OK.

That's the market price at the moment.

Why don't you have a look inside? We didn't see the rooms upstairs.

Have a nosey through those and I'll meet you at the front.

-OK, all right.

-Thank you very much.

Well within budget and all modernised and ready to go,

the first property is on the market for £340,000

and presents a late-19th century semi-detached cottage.

It comes with three reception rooms,

a kitchen-breakfast room, three bedrooms

and a large garden that is enveloped

by an exceptionally green and pleasant Dorset land.

I think it's a very nice house. Um...it is very remote.

Uh...the owners have done a really nice job refurbishing it

but it's not really to my taste.

The fact that the cottage appears to be in the middle of nowhere

is of some concern to me.

I would prefer to be in an area where there is some sort of life

other than...my other half.

Um...so it would concern me

to be living...quite a way out from civilisation, as it were.

Apart from the farmer in his field, it's just so tranquil here.

A little too remote for them, perhaps.

-Hello, guys - you all done?

-We are.

-Wonderful.

-Thank you very much.

-Thank you.

Well, shut the door, cos we're done too.

That's your house tour finished. Follow me.

When Denise and Peter make their move to Dorset,

one of their next steps on the road to the good life

is to keep chickens -

and they are not alone,

for as self-sufficiency becomes more popular,

over 700,000 of us have become back yard hen farmers

and chickens rank in the top ten most popular domestic pets.

So we sent our buyers to a farm in Dorchester

for a lesson in how to get the ball rolling

with poultry breeder, Jo Hunt.

Is there certain breeds that are more...user friendly, so to speak,

and lay lots of eggs?

Yeah - there's definitely more "user-friendly" hens.

We normally recommend you start off with a mixture of hens,

one of them being something like this one -

a little brown hybrid hen.

Lovely, docile nature. It'll lay you 300-330 eggs a year.

What about problems with foxes and things?

-Do you get them in this borough, in this county?

-Yes.

Wherever you go,

you're going to have a problem with foxes and badgers.

You do need to have secure fencing.

Jo keeps over 300 breeder hens and 1,500 young stock

in a wide range of varieties, colours and egg-laying capabilities.

Typical starter prices for a hen from a reputable supplier,

that has had all its vaccinations, is around £25.

-Would you like to have a go at holding her?

-I would.

-Is there a good way to hold her?

-Yeah - slide your hand underneath

-and get your fingers either side of her legs and support her weight.

-OK.

-That's the best way.

-OK.

Oh, I can't believe how soft she is.

I was expecting much coarser feathers.

It's really quite downy, isn't it?

Ever so soft, and the legs are nice and smooth.

-She's really gentle as well.

-She's very docile, very.

Very cuddly!

Keen to get hands-on, Denise is clearly smitten already.

But the key to successful poultry keeping is good housing.

It's essential that the hen house is well located -

above ground level with sufficient sunlight and shade.

Also remember not to overcrowd the house

and ensure that you have enough space

as the minimum land requirement

is one square metre per average-sized hen.

The first thing you're looking for is easy access.

You can see every part of this hen house just by opening the roof.

The nest boxes should be in the darkest area of your hen house.

That's an interesting point.

The hen should only be in here either to sleep or lay its eggs.

The rest of the time, it should be outside.

The nest boxes are also on a slight angle -

-you notice that the eggs are rolling down to the corner?

-Yeah.

It's just, again, so the eggs are to the back -

A, it's easier for you to collect

-and it's harder for her to keep, to sit on them.

-Right.

There's actually seven eggs in there.

How many chickens would have laid those?

They lay roughly about three eggs a week.

We actually have five females in here.

Hens need daily attention,

with a ready supply of clean water and food.

With proper care, the average lifespan

can be up to 15 years and more,

but the older they get, the shorter their laying season.

Now our couple have gained

a practical insight into chicken husbandry,

we need to get back to the business of finding them the right house.

But not before a well-earned rest.

It's the second day of our property search here in Dorset

where, on a budget of £375,000, we're on a mission

to move Surrey-based husband and wife Peter and Denise

out of the cramped, suburban southeast of England

into the wide open West Country.

Still to come, there are two more properties to see

and we're spelling out the virtues of our last one.

-This is mystery with a big "M".

-It is a mystery.

And I'll be getting a lesson in art and local life

with a couple we first met more than a decade ago.

Like this?

Uh, no, no...that's a photographer.

For the first stop today, we're venturing out west,

to Broadwindsor, just over six miles north of Bridport.

Lying in a conservation area,

Broadwindsor is a small but lively village, steeped in history.

Amenities include a pub, a community-run shop

and a thriving arts and crafts scene,

which could be ideal for our jewellery enthusiast Denise.

Notable buildings include an 11th century, Grade II listed church,

as well as a former pub

where Charles II hid from the Parliamentarians

and reputedly escaped dressed as a serving wench.

But history aside, we're here to see a house.

And just on the side of the village, we've got exactly that

in the form of our second property.

This used to be the tollhouse for the road in and out of the village.

And you can see, it's the whole property.

It's a LONG house

and it's actually extended in two chunks,

-once in the '60s and once in the '90s.

-Yeah.

But it's built of the local stone,

the Jurassic limestone that you get around these parts.

-Looks very, very, very...

-Interesting.

-Interesting, yeah.

How do you feel about the concept

of taking on a historic property that you'd have to do something to?

Is it grade listed?

-No, it's not.

-Fine - that's...

Obviously, keeping it in character with the village,

but modernising it, is not a problem.

-Let's look inside.

-OK.

Dating back to the 1800s,

this historic detached property is abundant with character,

and for our buyers, who would be up for some minor improvements,

this could be just the ticket.

We're entering the property through a generous study

and straight into the sitting room.

-Wow!

-That a surprise?

-Yeah.

-This is really, really nice.

-Really old-school.

-Lovely and wide.

-Yeah.

You know, proportions are really, really good, yeah.

You've got a chimney breast there that you could open up

and put in a log burner or even a real fire.

Where the first house, I think,

was finished to a very high standard -

clearly, the people had come in and brought in a lot of...

This, I think, is more of a, sort of, open book

that you could write your story in.

-Absolutely.

-It's very, very interesting.

I don't think we'd have ever considered anything quite like this

and quite as old as this, perhaps.

I would like to see more.

We go through here, it takes us to the dining room.

Lovely.

Had to slightly dip my head to get through there, but not too low.

So this room - I might suggest using this as a dining room.

It's a through room,

-it takes you to the kitchen and the stairwell.

-OK.

This is a house where you could style it as to...meet your needs.

Absolutely. It's a small room, but it's quite...

Again, the proportions, the widths.

Obviously the width of the house...

Well, it's bright, because you've got three windows,

Double aspect, which is...

Yeah, light coming in all the time.

But of course, the kitchen's key - let's have a look.

-Yes.

-OK. Let's go.

This is the last addition, so this was put on in the 1990s.

-OK.

-To make a kitchen room.

Really nice space.

-Yeah, I could see me cooking in here.

-Could you?

-Yeah, I could.

The tiles go really well with the age of the property,

sort of slate-looking.

In terms of the actual layout of the light and the space,

it could work.

Yes, it could, yeah.

-Good.

-I like this. I really, really like this.

I'm glad you can see...

This is definitely one

where you need to engage your "house imagination."

-Yes.

-Yeah.

Let's have a look upstairs.

You've got three bedrooms here, which I think is good.

You lead the way.

Served by a spacious family bathroom,

the three bedrooms upstairs

are arranged over the entire ground floor footprint

and so are all great-sized rooms.

Come on in - this is actually not the biggest room,

but perhaps the brightest.

It's above the kitchen, so at the modern end of the house.

It's nice - it's triple aspect, nice and light and airy.

Even with small windows,

you've still got a decent amount of light.

Yeah. In terms of...

I'll let you explore upstairs a little more -

first, let's have a peek outside.

-Mm-hm.

-Cos you do have a river.

-Do we?! That sounds...

-OK.

We're going to weave our way back through the property

to the gardens at the rear and the side of the house

that are mainly laid to lawn, backing onto meadows

and featuring a lovely little stream.

I might have slightly oversold it as a river.

-Yes, very narrow.

-But a brook, perhaps.

-Yeah.

-Very quaint.

-It's very sweet.

And who can boast of having a river in their back garden?

-Quite.

-I'm sure it leads to a river.

It does indeed lead to the River Parrett.

-Oh, I know, yeah.

-Any history of flooding at all?

None whatsoever.

That's actually quite a steep retaining wall,

so I think you'd probably be all right.

So you can see, from the back of the house,

you can see the age of the different extensions a bit more clearly -

the old house at the front,

the modern extension right at the back.

-What do you think of the garden?

-It's a manageable size - uh...

That's one way of putting it!

THEY LAUGH

Divided by the delightful stream, brook, river...?

I think a sit-on lawnmower is out of the question.

A bit perilous, yeah.

You'd be parked into the river/stream...

Let's call it the river, just to make me feel good.

So, what do you think it's on the market for?

-I think 330.

-Oh...

I think, given the location

and the size and the quaintness of it,

I think it'll be more than that. I think it'll be about 350-355?

OK, you're dead on the money. It's on at 350.

But the owner has been very frank

and said that she's aware that there's work that needs doing

and she would take sensible offers.

It would need a bit of money spent on it, yeah.

It needs a little bit of modernisation.

Why don't you go and have a look upstairs,

because we didn't really get to explore,

-and just get a feel of the ambiance?

-OK.

-And then I'll see you at the front.

-All right.

-Thank you very much.

With a guide price of £350,000, property two is a former tollhouse,

made of local limestone, that lies within a charming village.

The accommodation lends itself to three reception rooms,

a kitchen-breakfast room and three bedrooms

and the garden is rather special,

being that a river runs right through it.

I think the property is lovely. It's very unusual, very quirky.

Something I wouldn't have considered, and...

There's something magical, something special about it.

This property works in some respects,

in the fact that it's a really pretty little location.

Unusual, being a tollhouse -

I don't think I've ever been in one of these before.

However, maybe it's a little bit over our budget

when you add up the cost of the renovations

to the actual value of the property.

I love the property -

I think it's stunning and very, very beautiful,

but it does need a lot of work doing to it

and I really don't think that, at this time of our lives,

that we have that in us.

-Good - so, we're all done in Broadwindsor.

-OK.

-Ready for the mystery house?

-I am, indeed.

-Yeah. Come with me.

I don't think we've really hit the nail on the head

with those first two properties, so the mystery house...

Quite excited about the mystery house, in fact,

because they wanted something with character,

but not too much work,

and they want some space and they want neighbours.

Now, this property has all of those in spades

and it's behind this wall.

So mysterious...

The mystery house is our final stop

and we've headed even further west, out of Dorset,

to the village of Rousdon in east Devon.

The village is just three miles away

from the elegant coastal resort of Lyme Regis,

which has some great examples of Georgian architecture.

A huge range of shops and facilities are on offer here,

many with a strong focus on the sea,

from sailing clubs to fossil hunting.

And a footpath runs from Lyme

right along this magical Jurassic coastline

leading directly to the location of the mystery house

which has an alternative and most impressive approach

down a tree-lined avenue.

-Well, this is quite a mystery house.

-Yes, very much so.

-It's completely...jaw-dropping.

-We're supposed to be downsizing!

I'm sorry to break it to you, but it's not all yours.

This is the Rousdon Estate and this is an extraordinary building

that was built in the mid-19th century

by Sir Henry Peek, who was a sort of spice merchant

who then went on to make famous biscuits.

And he amassed a huge fortune and built this entire estate,

this whole fantasy village in the sort of mock Tudor style.

So the whole 350-acre site is now,

essentially, a sort of private community,

of which you could be part.

-As long as I don't have to mow the lawns.

-No, you don't.

-This is mystery with a big "M".

-It is a mystery.

I've never been here before

and I think it's just a stunning bit of architecture,

a very interesting story.

-Lead on.

-Yeah.

-Follow me.

The Grade II listed Rousdon Estate

comprises of numerous converted buildings,

including cottages, farmhouses, as well as a chapel,

and the section we've selected for Peter and Denise

is a mews house located in the courtyard.

This is amazing.

This was all the stable block - so the horses and carriages

would come in under the clock tower, into the cobbled yard

and then these were all various, sort of, professions

to do with looking after the horses.

And your house is part of it - not all of it.

It goes from this gable here - so this right-hand door -

across to this door here.

So it's the central section of the courtyard in front of us.

-Wow.

-That's quite an impressive building, that.

It's terrific!

-Shall we have a look inside?

-Shall we? Yeah!

-Follow me.

-Can't wait.

-Let's go!

Part of a ready-made community,

the stable courtyard has been carved into ten properties

but each one has its own individual design.

Come on in - better close the door behind you, Peter.

If you come over here,

you get the full view of the dining kitchen.

This is the first one where we've given you the dining room

and the kitchen in one space.

I like this, yeah.

This is really nice - great kitchen-dining room.

So what we're looking at the moment

is approximately half of the ground floor?

-Yes - this is the lion's share of the ground floor.

-OK.

It's not a massive property but, I think, very well laid out.

Fabulous. Certainly is.

Let's have a look at the next room.

Come on through - nice, big, wide walkway,

and then a step down into this area.

-I like this.

-Do you?

-I do.

Lovely oak floors. A slightly smaller space, but...

Big enough, it's big enough.

No, proportions are great. Like it - like it a lot.

There's some storage in there, the boiler is actually in there.

Under the stairs, you've got a shower and toilet.

It's a very efficient use of the space.

What about the stairs coming down into the sitting room?

That doesn't mind me in the slightest.

It just adds to the charm

and it is...a bit of a feature, within the house.

-Shall we go up them?

-Ooh, yes, please!

-Absolutely.

So, another step, into the master bedroom.

Wow - this is amazing. Oh, I like it!

This is really big. This is very deceptive.

Storage area there, what I assume is a wardrobe.

-No - this is an en suite.

-Ah!

-Oh, even better!

SHE GASPS

Shower room, toilet...

Then you've got two very nice guest rooms, both doubles,

and a family bathroom at the end of the hall.

-This is wonderful.

-Yeah - this works.

Really nice, really nice.

It's got a nice feel to it -

it has that slight sort of feel of the Victorian.

Big, high ceilings, lots of light.

I'm getting a good feel from this house.

Yeah. Yeah, I think it's fantastic.

Shall we take a look outside at your outside space -

you do get a garden as well - and maybe talk about money?

Fantastic, yeah.

Both Denise and Peter are clearly bowled over

by this striking mews property so far

and I've no doubt that the large, low-maintenance garden

won't disappoint.

It's extraordinary, this church at the bottom of your garden.

Sir Henry obviously had this vision

of a perfect little village community with its own church.

Do they ring the bells?

They don't - that's a private dwelling now, it's a home.

-Is it really? Gosh.

-Amazing.

Obviously, this is your garden,

but clearly, you've got to be quite friendly with your neighbours,

one on each side.

But you have, as a resident of the estate,

access to the 350 acres.

So you can, you know, walk around those at your leisure -

including two pathways which take you straight down to the beach.

-Oh! Incredible!

-You're kidding!

-You can walk to the beach.

-Oh, yeah - that sounds good to me.

-Pretty amazing, isn't it?

-I didn't even realise we were that close.

-Yeah.

So what do you think it's on the market for?

-370?

-I'd be amazed if it's less than 400, 420.

Peter, you think we're very mean,

showing you a property so above your budget!

This is actually right on your budget -

it's on at £375,000.

-I won!

-Incredible. That's amazing.

So you could have your slice of the Rousdon Estate.

-That's really surprising.

-Yeah.

Why don't you have a look inside?

-We skirted round upstairs quite quickly.

-Yeah.

I'll see you at the front.

-OK.

-Thank you very much indeed.

-Thank you.

That...is a good mystery house.

With a guide price of £375,000,

the mystery property is a spacious mews house

that makes up part of an exclusive 350-acre estate.

A high-quality, two-storey conversion,

it features a large kitchen-diner, open plan sitting room,

as well as three good-sized bedrooms,

including an en-suite master.

I think it's safe to say that both our buyers

are quite taken with this unique proposition.

I'm very excited about the property - it's such an unusual consideration

and I just think we should really think about it seriously.

My head's spinning like a roulette wheel!

It really has just gone crazy.

I mean, it's nothing that I would even have possibly considered,

you know, until having seen it.

It's just so, so different and I'm really in a...

HE LAUGHS

-..off me head at the moment, basically.

-Befuddled.

I am. I just...it's just difficult to put in words,

cos I don't know, you know, what to say,

because it's just blown me away.

That marks the end of Denise and Peter's property tour

around Dorset and east Devon,

but in 2002, we were in this same glorious spot,

helping Londoners Chris and Sue find their dream West Country escape.

This is the first, first opportunity I've seen -

you know, the other house and this house -

as somewhere suitable for painting.

Half a century of the city commute had taken its toll

and Chris in particular was longing to sit on a cliff somewhere

to draw real land and seascapes rather than painting from photos.

And although we didn't find them their ideal country abode,

the experience was the catalyst that completely changed their lives,

for they are now fully fledged Dorset residents.

What's more, Chris's amateur pastime has evolved into his profession,

and he and his wife run a gallery in Bridport,

which is where I met up with them both.

Chris and Sue, it is such an honour to meet you,

because you predate me -

you were on the show before I existed,

as far as Escape To The Country was concerned.

-We were, yes.

-11 years ago.

-That was 11 years ago.

It doesn't seem like it.

I know you didn't buy one of the houses,

but it did kind of get you down here, is that right?

-Mm, yeah.

-We had an inkling, but we didn't know it was possible.

Then once we'd done the programme, the genie was out of the bottle,

and everything said,

"Yes, let's try it when we're in a position to do it."

So, we're surrounded by your art.

This is all your beautiful art on the wall, Chris.

-Are these all yours?

-Yes, they are, yes.

I see the sign - they're all very different styles.

Mostly, they're local views,

purely because I've got this commercial background

and I want to tap in on that, really, I suppose.

Do you mean you want to do things that people will buy?

Yeah, yeah.

I...I call myself an artist with a small "a",

but I've got a kind of marketing background,

so I would like to sell some.

If you imagine what it would be like

to move down and open a little gallery,

-this is kind of how you imagine it.

-Mm.

Has there been any regrets? Have you missed London?

-No - we've been back twice.

-Twice?

-Twice in five years.

We still get a buzz, but it's nice to come home.

And it was home -

as soon as we moved here, it was home.

Have there been any difficulties, any problems?

If you were giving some advice to some of our escapees...?

You may have a dream, but you've got to be flexible.

-Right.

-Because you don't know that dream until you're in it.

I want to experience more of the inspiring Dorset environment

that is now home to Chris and Sue 24/7.

So leaving Sue behind to look after the gallery -

and armed with sketch pads and pencils -

we're off for a mini art class at nearby Charmouth Beach

which has one of the best vantage points of the hill and cliff

at Golden Cap.

And, at this moment, I can't think of anywhere else I'd rather be.

-So, this is the Golden Gap.

-Yes.

It's the highest spot on the south coast.

-Really?

-Yeah.

And this is your preferred view to draw?

-Do you have any preferences?

-I like comfort.

-I'm not a great person for going out with piles of kit and...

-No?

-No.

-You don't have an easel?

-I have an easel, I have easels...

I was wanting a smock or, at the very least, a hat.

Anything can be arranged.

-Any tips?

-Um...

It doesn't matter what you draw, as long as it resembles what you see.

And it doesn't matter if anybody else doesn't see it.

If you enjoy doing it, then that's a good drawing.

-I like your style.

-I always start with a horizon.

Chris not only lives in the heart

of Dorset's historic coast and countryside,

but he also successfully uses his surroundings as his career,

depicting the county's iconic landmarks and views,

such as the nearby harbour at West Bay...

..and further east along the coast, towards Abbotsbury.

I'm liking what you're doing, but I shouldn't copy you.

I should draw what I see.

It's interesting, because you see you're much less fearless

about putting in all the details.

It's all there - you can tell where it is.

-I think it's brilliant - well done.

-Thank you.

So, I can understand why you'd want to make this your life,

as opposed to the rat race of London.

-Yes.

-Any regrets?

Um...

Other than I should have - or we should have -

done it a lot sooner.

That's a pretty good regret.

After savouring some of the more relaxing elements

of Chris's daily life here in Dorset,

I'm definitely sold.

But it's time to find out if this magical county -

or, indeed, any of our properties -

have worked their charm on our present house hunters.

I think we've got a clear winner -

the mystery house seems to win hands down.

Peter and Denise are in a great position -

they've got an offer on their house in Epsom

and they're ready to move, but we just need to find out

whether they're really going to go for this lovely house

that we've found them - let's find out.

I've shown you all the houses, and I have a very strong feeling

that the mystery house is in the lead -

the other two houses, not so much. Is that right?

The mystery house is a real contender,

yes, you're right.

I didn't particularly warm to either of the first two houses,

for various reasons -

the remoteness of the first house, and it was obviously semi-detached,

and the second house needed a lot of work doing to it,

and it would have entailed renting and complete renovation

while that was being done,

so it would have been a lot of pressure.

You're in a good position,

cos you got an offer on your house in Epsom.

-We have, mm-hm.

-Do you think about making a move on the mystery house?

What are your thought about it?

We are going to talk about it tonight

and...weigh up the...all of the good points and the not-so-good points

and, uh...yeah, discuss our future.

You can choose where you live,

-but you can't choose your neighbours.

-Very true.

And the concept is totally different to what we were expecting

and it really has sent my head into a total spin,

so it does need an awful lot of consideration

before we commit to that sort of thing.

Yeah, we did parachute you

-into a completely different concept of living.

-You certainly did!

But it was well worth it,

because it helped us appreciate what we want and what we don't want.

And on the positive side,

what has it, sort of, clarified for you that you do want?

It's absolutely confirmed what we first thought -

that we just love Dorset/East Devon.

And it is definitely going to be the place where we want to live.

Do let us know what you decide and what happens with your house.

-Yes, we will.

-We certainly will.

-Of course.

-Thank you very much for your help

-Thank you.

-Cheers.

One of the great joys of my job is bringing people down

from the hubbub of the London suburbs to this,

like our two escapees, Chris and Sue,

from ten years ago on the show.

And you know what? I think that Peter and Denise

are going to be joining their number -

give or take a few quibbles about the mystery house,

I think we managed to hook them.

Join us next time for more successful episodes

of Escape To The Country.

On reflection, Peter and Denise

decided not to pursue the mystery property,

but the good news is that they have had an offer accepted

on another Dorset property,

so we wish them well with their move.

If you would like to escape to the country

in England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland

or even further afield to the continent,

and need our help, please apply online at...