0:00:03 > 0:00:05Welcome to Escape To The Country.
0:00:05 > 0:00:07This magnificent castle behind me has, over the centuries,
0:00:07 > 0:00:10played host to many medieval and Stuart kings,
0:00:10 > 0:00:13but when its current owner bought it less than 40 years ago
0:00:13 > 0:00:15it was, in his words, a total wreck.
0:00:15 > 0:00:19So, who might be persuaded to take on such an ambitious project
0:00:19 > 0:00:21of restoration - and where?
0:00:21 > 0:00:24Well, join me in just a moment and I'll tell you.
0:00:41 > 0:00:44On today's show, two friends partner up
0:00:44 > 0:00:47to help one of them fulfil a long-held country dream -
0:00:47 > 0:00:50but bonding with the locals could prove tricky.
0:00:50 > 0:00:54Somewhere to sit out and enjoy looking at those cows.
0:00:54 > 0:00:56We've laid them on especially, Chris,
0:00:56 > 0:00:59to help you try and overcome your cow phobia.
0:00:59 > 0:01:01'And if the figures stack up,
0:01:01 > 0:01:03'our properties are right on the money.'
0:01:03 > 0:01:05I love it.
0:01:05 > 0:01:06Can I have it?
0:01:06 > 0:01:08Course you can! SHE LAUGHS
0:01:08 > 0:01:09If you can afford it! How much?
0:01:09 > 0:01:11How much, is the question, isn't it?
0:01:13 > 0:01:15Well, today we are in Northumberland,
0:01:15 > 0:01:18and this is the very splendid backdrop of Chillingham Castle,
0:01:18 > 0:01:21home to the Grey family since the 13th century -
0:01:21 > 0:01:24a family, who, amongst other things,
0:01:24 > 0:01:26gave us a very popular blend of tea.
0:01:26 > 0:01:30Now, over the last 800 years or so it's been lived in, fought over
0:01:30 > 0:01:33and then finally left to rack and ruin
0:01:33 > 0:01:36until its current owner, the very colourful Sir Humphry Wakefield,
0:01:36 > 0:01:38bought it back in the early 1980s.
0:01:38 > 0:01:40Now, later on in the show,
0:01:40 > 0:01:43I'll be getting my own, very special guided tour
0:01:43 > 0:01:45in the company of Sir Humphry himself,
0:01:45 > 0:01:47finding out just what it takes to restore a building like this,
0:01:47 > 0:01:51but also getting a little insight into what life is really like
0:01:51 > 0:01:53in a very Englishman's castle.
0:01:55 > 0:01:56Right at the head of England,
0:01:56 > 0:01:59Northumberland is the country's crowning glory,
0:01:59 > 0:02:02sharing County Durham and Cumbria's county borders,
0:02:02 > 0:02:06with Scotland just the other side of its northern boundary.
0:02:06 > 0:02:08And Northumberland's prime position,
0:02:08 > 0:02:10sitting shoulder to shoulder with Scotland,
0:02:10 > 0:02:14has greatly influenced the county's heritage and architecture.
0:02:15 > 0:02:18The coastal castle at Bamburgh was a key stronghold
0:02:18 > 0:02:20in Anglo-Saxon Northumbria,
0:02:20 > 0:02:23and the epic 1,900-year-old Hadrian's Wall
0:02:23 > 0:02:27charges over 70 miles from the North to the Irish Sea,
0:02:27 > 0:02:31cutting through the region's wild, dramatic and remote countryside.
0:02:32 > 0:02:34With swathes of secluded beaches
0:02:34 > 0:02:37and the UK's least-populated national park,
0:02:37 > 0:02:39it's small wonder that Northumberland
0:02:39 > 0:02:42has been voted the most tranquil county in the country.
0:02:45 > 0:02:48Well, for a county with some beautiful
0:02:48 > 0:02:50rural and coastal locations,
0:02:50 > 0:02:53Northumberland also represents pretty good value for money.
0:02:53 > 0:02:56Currently, the average price of a detached property
0:02:56 > 0:02:58is ?223,000 here.
0:02:58 > 0:03:02That's some 60,000 below the national figure.
0:03:02 > 0:03:04But, for all of its celebrated coastline,
0:03:04 > 0:03:06coastal properties are hard to find.
0:03:06 > 0:03:09However, step inland and you are blessed with
0:03:09 > 0:03:12not only beautiful countryside,
0:03:12 > 0:03:14but also exceptional value for money.
0:03:14 > 0:03:17But before we continue exploring this wonderful county,
0:03:17 > 0:03:20we're heading a little further south in the country,
0:03:20 > 0:03:24to the town of Conisbrough near Doncaster in South Yorkshire,
0:03:24 > 0:03:27home to today's buyer, Chris, a retired lecturer,
0:03:27 > 0:03:30and her best friend and neighbour, Linda, who works as a nurse.
0:03:30 > 0:03:33I used to have the pub at the bottom of the road, The Castle Inn -
0:03:33 > 0:03:35I was the landlady there -
0:03:35 > 0:03:38and Linda used to come in.
0:03:38 > 0:03:39I didn't really know her then,
0:03:39 > 0:03:42but I heard that when I thought about moving here,
0:03:42 > 0:03:46she was a bit worried, because she thought I was a bit stuck-up.
0:03:46 > 0:03:49But, anyway, I moved in and we became good friends
0:03:49 > 0:03:51almost immediately, didn't we? Yeah.
0:03:51 > 0:03:53I realised she wasn't stuck-up after all.
0:03:55 > 0:03:58Living next-door to one another for 12 years,
0:03:58 > 0:04:00Chris and Linda have developed a close bond,
0:04:00 > 0:04:03and have even put a gate up between their gardens
0:04:03 > 0:04:06so they can wander freely in and out of one another's properties.
0:04:06 > 0:04:08Boundary-hopping may soon cease,
0:04:08 > 0:04:11as Chris has recently put her three-bedroom detached home
0:04:11 > 0:04:12on the market.
0:04:14 > 0:04:16I've been very happy in this house, here,
0:04:16 > 0:04:19but it's getting a bit big for me now,
0:04:19 > 0:04:25so I'd like to move somewhere that's not so high-maintenance,
0:04:25 > 0:04:30and is warmer, and so I wouldn't have to spend so much time
0:04:30 > 0:04:33and so much money looking after it...
0:04:33 > 0:04:35and also the traffic.
0:04:35 > 0:04:37Although it's an unadopted road that I live on,
0:04:37 > 0:04:39they use it as a short cut.
0:04:39 > 0:04:41It does get very busy on that road at the top,
0:04:41 > 0:04:44and we both...you do some part-time work, don't you?
0:04:44 > 0:04:45And I walk up to work.
0:04:45 > 0:04:49You know, the traffic, sometimes, the fumes and the dust,
0:04:49 > 0:04:50you know, and you think, oh...
0:04:50 > 0:04:52It does get you down a little bit.
0:04:54 > 0:04:55A creative at heart,
0:04:55 > 0:04:58Chris now wants to downsize and escape her urban surroundings
0:04:58 > 0:05:02to find inspiration from the sea and countryside of the North East.
0:05:04 > 0:05:07The area that I'd like to move to is the Northumberland coast,
0:05:07 > 0:05:11because I had a friend who sadly died this year,
0:05:11 > 0:05:14and I used to spend time with her.
0:05:14 > 0:05:16She lived in a caravan on the beach
0:05:16 > 0:05:18and we used to walk on these empty beaches.
0:05:18 > 0:05:21It's so unspoilt and wild up there.
0:05:21 > 0:05:24She found her artistic side up there -
0:05:24 > 0:05:28and she's sort of inspiring me to want to go up there
0:05:28 > 0:05:30and find my creative side, as well.
0:05:32 > 0:05:33I WILL write that novel.
0:05:35 > 0:05:37And aside from artistic aspirations,
0:05:37 > 0:05:43proximity to her family is also fuelling the decision to relocate.
0:05:43 > 0:05:44I've got two sons.
0:05:44 > 0:05:48The elder one lives in Austria and he's married an Austrian woman.
0:05:48 > 0:05:52My younger son has married a Scottish girl,
0:05:52 > 0:05:54and they've just moved up to Edinburgh,
0:05:54 > 0:05:56so that's one of the reasons I'd like to move,
0:05:56 > 0:05:59because I'd like to move somewhere closer to them.
0:05:59 > 0:06:03So, with family to visit, things to make and books to write,
0:06:03 > 0:06:06this Northumbrian move heralds not only a change of location,
0:06:06 > 0:06:09but a complete change of lifestyle for both ladies.
0:06:11 > 0:06:13I think this is an important move for me
0:06:13 > 0:06:17because it will probably be the last move that I make -
0:06:17 > 0:06:19and yet I feel now, at the age of 64,
0:06:19 > 0:06:22I'm still young enough and still active enough
0:06:22 > 0:06:26to make that move and make new friends and find new interests.
0:06:26 > 0:06:28You know, I'm going to miss her when she goes,
0:06:28 > 0:06:30and we've got such a good friendship,
0:06:30 > 0:06:32it's a shame, really, not to still be near her,
0:06:32 > 0:06:35so, possibly, when I'm... I mean, I'm almost ready
0:06:35 > 0:06:39for retiring myself, I might actually go and join her.
0:06:46 > 0:06:49For the best chance of what Chris - or, indeed, Linda - is after,
0:06:49 > 0:06:51our Northumberland property search will be focused
0:06:51 > 0:06:56in attractive villages within the northern portion of the county,
0:06:56 > 0:06:58pushing right up to the Scottish border
0:06:58 > 0:07:00and out towards the eastern coast.
0:07:00 > 0:07:02So, I'm meeting up with them in the county
0:07:02 > 0:07:06to glean a better understanding of this impending move.
0:07:07 > 0:07:09Well, Chris, Linda, welcome to Escape To The Country,
0:07:09 > 0:07:11and welcome to Northumberland.
0:07:11 > 0:07:13Thank you. So, you now think the time is right to make this move,
0:07:13 > 0:07:15and you've brought Linda along
0:07:15 > 0:07:18as some sensible counsel in this move. Yeah!
0:07:18 > 0:07:21I think I just need to keep a check on her, really,
0:07:21 > 0:07:23and make sure she makes the right choices.
0:07:23 > 0:07:27So, give us a sense, Chris, of the kind of property that you are after.
0:07:27 > 0:07:30Well, I like somewhere with character,
0:07:30 > 0:07:32that's probably been something else,
0:07:32 > 0:07:34you know, like an old schoolhouse or something.
0:07:34 > 0:07:36How many bedrooms? Because obviously you're going to want
0:07:36 > 0:07:39friends and family to come and stay. Two or three. Mm-hm.
0:07:39 > 0:07:41Because I've got two sons - and one lives in Edinburgh,
0:07:41 > 0:07:44that's one of the reasons I want to move up, to be closer to him.
0:07:44 > 0:07:46So, I need at least a spare room.
0:07:46 > 0:07:48I'd like to have a view.
0:07:48 > 0:07:51It doesn't have to be sea, but not far from the sea,
0:07:51 > 0:07:54and I'd like somewhere with a kitchen I can sit in,
0:07:54 > 0:07:56because I've not had that before.
0:07:56 > 0:07:58A garden that I can sit in and hang the washing out,
0:07:58 > 0:08:00that's important, as well.
0:08:00 > 0:08:02Now, Linda, you know Chris better than I do.
0:08:02 > 0:08:05How easy is it going to be to satisfy her needs, do you think?
0:08:05 > 0:08:08I think it has to be something quirky for Chris.
0:08:08 > 0:08:11She won't make do with just boring or mundane.
0:08:11 > 0:08:13It has to have something unusual about it,
0:08:13 > 0:08:16because she's a very quirky person, aren't you?
0:08:16 > 0:08:18And in terms of the budget, then, Chris,
0:08:18 > 0:08:20how much do think you're going to have to spend?
0:08:20 > 0:08:23Well, I've only got 200,000, so that really is the maximum.
0:08:23 > 0:08:25Well, this is a beautiful part of the world.
0:08:25 > 0:08:28Why more people don't escape to the North East, I simply don't know.
0:08:28 > 0:08:30Don't tell them, though. No!
0:08:30 > 0:08:33It's a really hidden gem that offers you brilliant value for money
0:08:33 > 0:08:35and beautiful landscape. Yeah.
0:08:35 > 0:08:38We've got a really interesting range of properties to show you.
0:08:38 > 0:08:40We've got some beautiful weather. Yeah!
0:08:40 > 0:08:42Shall we go? Yep. Come on, then. Follow me this way. OK.
0:08:46 > 0:08:48For a top budget of ?200,000,
0:08:48 > 0:08:50Chris is after a characterful property
0:08:50 > 0:08:53with a kitchen/breakfast room and at least two bedrooms.
0:08:53 > 0:08:56Ideally, she'd like a garden with a workshop
0:08:56 > 0:08:58in which to get creative
0:08:58 > 0:09:00and somewhere with an inspiring outlook...
0:09:00 > 0:09:03and we've got a wonderful mix of homes to serve up -
0:09:03 > 0:09:06but I won't be revealing the attached price tags
0:09:06 > 0:09:09until they've had a good look around each one first.
0:09:09 > 0:09:12Then, last on the property agenda is our Mystery House,
0:09:12 > 0:09:15which could bring the coast, and my companions,
0:09:15 > 0:09:17closer than they ever imagined.
0:09:22 > 0:09:25Now, I gather you have a rather unique phobia, Chris,
0:09:25 > 0:09:27of all things, about cows, is that right?
0:09:27 > 0:09:28It's not a unique phobia.
0:09:28 > 0:09:30They're actually very dangerous animals,
0:09:30 > 0:09:33and they trample people to death. LINDA CHUCKLES
0:09:33 > 0:09:35How many people do you think are killed a year by cows?
0:09:35 > 0:09:37About 7,000.
0:09:37 > 0:09:38THEY LAUGH
0:09:38 > 0:09:40Did you just make that up?!
0:09:40 > 0:09:43You did make it up, because I can tell you, it's five.
0:09:43 > 0:09:45Five a year.
0:09:45 > 0:09:46I was close, then(!)
0:09:46 > 0:09:48Actually, double the number killed by horses -
0:09:48 > 0:09:51so, maybe there is something in your phobia. Yeah.
0:09:52 > 0:09:56Our property search is heading right up north and just out of the county
0:09:56 > 0:09:59to the border village of Sprouston.
0:09:59 > 0:10:01From here, the Scottish market town of Kelso
0:10:01 > 0:10:04is the nearest place to pick up essentials and luxuries.
0:10:05 > 0:10:08Situated on the banks of the River Tweed,
0:10:08 > 0:10:09Kelso lies in a fertile valley
0:10:09 > 0:10:12within ten miles of the English border.
0:10:12 > 0:10:16At its centre is a cobbled square which is the largest in Scotland,
0:10:16 > 0:10:17and whose Georgian town hall
0:10:17 > 0:10:21is topped by a clock tower that chimes every quarter.
0:10:22 > 0:10:26The winding streets of the town host a vast range of shops and amenities,
0:10:26 > 0:10:27eateries and accommodation.
0:10:28 > 0:10:31These are all just a ten-minute drive
0:10:31 > 0:10:34from the property I want to show Chris and Linda,
0:10:34 > 0:10:38back in the rural outskirts of Sprouston.
0:10:38 > 0:10:40Right then, Chris and Linda. Come over here.
0:10:42 > 0:10:45There we are. That is beautiful. Oh, that is really nice.
0:10:45 > 0:10:48It's the end terrace, really,
0:10:48 > 0:10:51in this interesting complex of former farm workers' cottages.
0:10:51 > 0:10:54The look of the house with the porch and...
0:10:54 > 0:10:57even those tiles on the roof, it just looks so welcoming.
0:10:57 > 0:10:59It's just lovely.
0:10:59 > 0:11:00The nice thing is, of course,
0:11:00 > 0:11:04it being on the end, it does feel more like it is completely detached,
0:11:04 > 0:11:06because your garden goes that way
0:11:06 > 0:11:09and you've got those amazing views beyond
0:11:09 > 0:11:13over towards England - because we have stepped over the border,
0:11:13 > 0:11:15as you know. Only just.
0:11:15 > 0:11:16About a mile or so.
0:11:16 > 0:11:20You've also got access to a communal garden out here.
0:11:20 > 0:11:23The garden, that sort of drew me in straightaway.
0:11:23 > 0:11:24You can see already from here
0:11:24 > 0:11:27there's all little nooks and crannies where you could sit,
0:11:27 > 0:11:28and a summerhouse.
0:11:28 > 0:11:31Is this the sort of thing that might appeal? Yes. This looks gorgeous.
0:11:31 > 0:11:33Let's have a look. Come on!
0:11:33 > 0:11:35Let's stop talking about it. Let's see what you think.
0:11:35 > 0:11:38Built between 1890 and 1900,
0:11:38 > 0:11:40at first sight this pretty end terrace seems
0:11:40 > 0:11:43to deliver on the character Chris was after.
0:11:44 > 0:11:46Recently refurbished inside,
0:11:46 > 0:11:51I'm confident the interior design will also match up to expectations.
0:11:51 > 0:11:54To the right of the entrance hall we find the main reception room.
0:11:54 > 0:11:57All right, Linda. You're in charge of the door.
0:11:57 > 0:11:59Come this way, Chris.
0:11:59 > 0:12:01Let's start with the living room.
0:12:01 > 0:12:04This delightful space features a wood-burning stove in the fireplace
0:12:04 > 0:12:07and double doors out onto the garden.
0:12:08 > 0:12:10This is nice. Yeah.
0:12:10 > 0:12:12I feel like somebody like me lives here.
0:12:13 > 0:12:16This first room is hitting the right mark for Chris,
0:12:16 > 0:12:18so it's all very good so far.
0:12:18 > 0:12:22What's more, we've also got a charming country kitchen.
0:12:23 > 0:12:25I love it. Do you?
0:12:25 > 0:12:27Yeah.
0:12:27 > 0:12:29It looks like solid beech, is it?
0:12:29 > 0:12:31Yeah, it is solid beech, yeah.
0:12:31 > 0:12:33As well as rustic wooden worktops,
0:12:33 > 0:12:36the kitchen also has enough space for a small table
0:12:36 > 0:12:39and a great utility room beyond.
0:12:39 > 0:12:41Also on the ground floor is the family bathroom,
0:12:41 > 0:12:44fitted with a classic heritage three-piece suite.
0:12:45 > 0:12:48Then the staircase winds up to the first floor,
0:12:48 > 0:12:50where there are three bedrooms.
0:12:50 > 0:12:53One is part-furnished and comes with a WC en suite.
0:12:53 > 0:12:57Another is being used as an office/music room.
0:12:57 > 0:12:58And this is the master.
0:13:01 > 0:13:02It's absolutely gorgeous.
0:13:04 > 0:13:07The master also comes with its own en-suite shower room
0:13:07 > 0:13:09and a decorative cast-iron fireplace,
0:13:09 > 0:13:11but the real highlight of the master,
0:13:11 > 0:13:12and indeed the whole property,
0:13:12 > 0:13:16has to be the large wooden balcony through the French doors.
0:13:17 > 0:13:19Wow, look at this.
0:13:19 > 0:13:21Wow. Amazing view, isn't it?
0:13:21 > 0:13:24Yeah. I can see a little river.
0:13:24 > 0:13:25Now, then. Here's the story.
0:13:25 > 0:13:27That little bit of river you can see
0:13:27 > 0:13:30is actually just a tiny part of the River Tweed,
0:13:30 > 0:13:33and that's the border between England and Scotland.
0:13:33 > 0:13:34So those houses you can see beyond it,
0:13:34 > 0:13:37they're in England, and we're in Scotland.
0:13:37 > 0:13:38Right. You couldn't be closer.
0:13:38 > 0:13:40And I love this time of year.
0:13:40 > 0:13:42I love seeing the harvest in and done
0:13:42 > 0:13:45and these round bales strewn across the landscape.
0:13:45 > 0:13:50It's just a lovely entree into autumn. Mm.
0:13:50 > 0:13:53And you wanted a view, didn't you? Yeah.
0:13:53 > 0:13:54This is a lovely view.
0:13:54 > 0:13:57It's not a sea view, but it's not bad.
0:13:57 > 0:14:01Somehow appropriate that my English son's married a Scottish girl.
0:14:01 > 0:14:03There you are. And here I am. Yeah, exactly -
0:14:03 > 0:14:04the whole family's now in Scotland.
0:14:04 > 0:14:08Potentially. Not to pre-empt anything, of course, Chris.
0:14:08 > 0:14:09SHE LAUGHS
0:14:09 > 0:14:10I love it.
0:14:10 > 0:14:12Can I have it?
0:14:12 > 0:14:13Course you can! SHE LAUGHS
0:14:13 > 0:14:15If you can afford it! How much?
0:14:15 > 0:14:17How much, is the question, isn't it?
0:14:17 > 0:14:19Mm. Come on. Let's go down there.
0:14:19 > 0:14:20Give you a closer look at the garden,
0:14:20 > 0:14:22and talk about the price.
0:14:24 > 0:14:27So, as well as those stunning panoramic views,
0:14:27 > 0:14:30which the owner tells me deliver amazing sunrises,
0:14:30 > 0:14:33the cottage also benefits from a large communal lawned area
0:14:33 > 0:14:35and a landscaped private garden.
0:14:36 > 0:14:38What's more, there's even the requested workshop
0:14:38 > 0:14:41in the form of a sage-green timber summerhouse.
0:14:43 > 0:14:46Now, this, I'm thinking, would make a great writer's retreat.
0:14:46 > 0:14:49Yeah, it's great. Writing and reading in there, it's wonderful.
0:14:49 > 0:14:51Is this inspiring to you?
0:14:51 > 0:14:54I just love it. The whole... Everything about it.
0:14:54 > 0:14:58Yeah? Yeah, it's very you, this house, I think. Yeah.
0:14:58 > 0:15:00Let's get to the nitty-gritty, then,
0:15:00 > 0:15:03because we haven't dealt with the price yet, Linda.
0:15:03 > 0:15:06Mm. Go on, then. I would say...
0:15:06 > 0:15:09195. 195.
0:15:09 > 0:15:11Just under budget. Mm.
0:15:11 > 0:15:13I think it's above my budget.
0:15:13 > 0:15:15Go on. 225.
0:15:15 > 0:15:17225.
0:15:17 > 0:15:20This is on the market for offers in excess...
0:15:20 > 0:15:25of ?192,500.
0:15:25 > 0:15:28So you weren't far off, Linda. No!
0:15:28 > 0:15:30It's certainly under budget.
0:15:30 > 0:15:34It's a great property in a great, great spot.
0:15:34 > 0:15:36I will seriously consider it..
0:15:36 > 0:15:39Go on, then. Discuss it amongst yourselves,
0:15:39 > 0:15:41and I will come and find you a bit later on. OK.
0:15:46 > 0:15:48Comfortably under budget,
0:15:48 > 0:15:52this Victorian cottage is packed full of charm and character.
0:15:52 > 0:15:56It has three bedrooms that include a most impressive master suite
0:15:56 > 0:15:59with commanding views from a private balcony.
0:15:59 > 0:16:02Outside, the gardens offer plenty of scope
0:16:02 > 0:16:04for Chris's creative ambitions.
0:16:06 > 0:16:09Ah! Here you are. Enjoying your garden?
0:16:09 > 0:16:12I am. Ah! Just mind out, there.
0:16:12 > 0:16:14I can't see the view. Pardon me!
0:16:14 > 0:16:16Pardon me. Well, you haven't bought it yet.
0:16:16 > 0:16:19No. Our search will continue tomorrow, but in the meantime
0:16:19 > 0:16:21I think we should go and enjoy a well-earned glass of wine. Let's.
0:16:21 > 0:16:24Come on. Sounds good. Mine's red. Oh, is it?!
0:16:32 > 0:16:34The incentive for Christine's move to Northumberland
0:16:34 > 0:16:38is the desire to get more artistic, drawing inspiration
0:16:38 > 0:16:41from her new-found coast and country environment.
0:16:41 > 0:16:44So we've arranged for Chris and Linda to meet Gerard van der Veen,
0:16:44 > 0:16:46an artist originally from Holland
0:16:46 > 0:16:49who takes reclaimed and salvaged natural materials from the county
0:16:49 > 0:16:52and transforms them into home and garden features
0:16:52 > 0:16:54to attract local wildlife.
0:16:55 > 0:16:57Hello! I'm Linda. Hi, I'm Gerard.
0:16:57 > 0:16:59Hello, I'm Chris. Hi.
0:16:59 > 0:17:01Gerard, what do you do here?
0:17:01 > 0:17:04I make all kinds of things for the environment.
0:17:04 > 0:17:05I try to use old reclaimed slate
0:17:05 > 0:17:09and make all kinds of products to enhance life in nature.
0:17:09 > 0:17:10So, why slate?
0:17:10 > 0:17:13It's a beautiful construction material to work with.
0:17:13 > 0:17:16A lot of people think, you know, slate is slate.
0:17:16 > 0:17:19No, it's not. You have from rock hard to butter soft.
0:17:19 > 0:17:21So you really have to pick and choose the right piece of slate,
0:17:21 > 0:17:24because from, say, ten pieces, I only use about two.
0:17:24 > 0:17:26Oh, wow - what sort of things do you make?
0:17:26 > 0:17:27I make a whole variety.
0:17:27 > 0:17:31I make bird feeders, to bird tables, to birdhouses, nesting boxes.
0:17:31 > 0:17:33I really want to enhance nature.
0:17:36 > 0:17:37After a career in product design,
0:17:37 > 0:17:40Gerard left the corporate world to set up his own enterprise,
0:17:40 > 0:17:43creating products that are environmentally friendly.
0:17:45 > 0:17:47Taking advantage of its proximity to the River Rede,
0:17:47 > 0:17:51which meanders through the village of West Woodburn, where he lives,
0:17:51 > 0:17:55he uses the water to clean, soak and cut the slate.
0:17:55 > 0:17:57Like this, yeah? Yes, yes.
0:17:57 > 0:18:00Just top and bottom. That's it. OK.
0:18:00 > 0:18:02Just another hundred to go.
0:18:02 > 0:18:03THEY LAUGH
0:18:04 > 0:18:06Would you go back to city life, Gerard?
0:18:06 > 0:18:08Um, not really, to be honest.
0:18:08 > 0:18:12I fell in love with nature here, especially in Northumberland.
0:18:12 > 0:18:13Its ruralness.
0:18:13 > 0:18:16The main reason why I live very rural
0:18:16 > 0:18:18is because you can shape your own life.
0:18:18 > 0:18:21When you go back to the city, the city will shape your life,
0:18:21 > 0:18:24and that's the reason why I'm here in Northumberland.
0:18:24 > 0:18:26I'm into making things from found objects,
0:18:26 > 0:18:28particularly driftwood I'm interested in,
0:18:28 > 0:18:30and there's lots of it, isn't there, around here
0:18:30 > 0:18:33on the beaches of Northumberland? Yes, yes.
0:18:33 > 0:18:38Now that you mention wood, I use slates, but I also use wood.
0:18:38 > 0:18:40I'm using that also in the studio.
0:18:40 > 0:18:43If Linda is ready, we could go to the studio
0:18:43 > 0:18:46and have a look at what I make from wood and slate.
0:18:46 > 0:18:48OK, lovely.
0:18:48 > 0:18:51All of Gerard's products are handmade in his workshop,
0:18:51 > 0:18:54and he's showing Chris and Linda how to make one of his bestsellers
0:18:54 > 0:18:57using reclaimed offcuts of slate from across the county -
0:18:57 > 0:18:59mostly found or donated.
0:18:59 > 0:19:01What are we making today?
0:19:01 > 0:19:03Well, I was thinking of showing you my window feeder -
0:19:03 > 0:19:05it's my most popular product.
0:19:05 > 0:19:07The birds love it, but also people who buy it love it,
0:19:07 > 0:19:10because you can see birds in very close proximity.
0:19:10 > 0:19:13This is the bottom. You put it in position there, under a slope.
0:19:13 > 0:19:16The reason why I use a slope is the water will drain out. Yeah.
0:19:16 > 0:19:19So, when you put the food on, the food will never get mouldy,
0:19:19 > 0:19:22and therefore they will eat everything you put there,
0:19:22 > 0:19:23and so you won't attract vermin.
0:19:26 > 0:19:30Using eco-friendly glue, two pre-cut angled slates are hinged together...
0:19:30 > 0:19:32That doesn't seem a lot.
0:19:32 > 0:19:35You don't really need very much.
0:19:35 > 0:19:37..then joined to the base and left to set.
0:19:38 > 0:19:41A bracket is then fashioned using salvaged copper wire...
0:19:42 > 0:19:44..onto which a sucker is attached
0:19:44 > 0:19:46so the feeder can be hung from a window.
0:19:48 > 0:19:50Where do you get all the rest of your materials from?
0:19:50 > 0:19:54Well, the slate is coming from all kinds of directions, to be honest.
0:19:54 > 0:19:57A lot is donated, and I try to give it an extra life.
0:19:57 > 0:20:00So after hanging 100 years on the roof,
0:20:00 > 0:20:04I'm now trying to extend it by another, say, 25, even more, years.
0:20:05 > 0:20:08Slate is a dark-grey metamorphic rock.
0:20:08 > 0:20:10Essentially, it's compressed mud
0:20:10 > 0:20:13that's been compacted and heated under extreme pressure
0:20:13 > 0:20:15over millions of years.
0:20:15 > 0:20:16Finished? Yeah.
0:20:16 > 0:20:18So another three window feeders.
0:20:18 > 0:20:20I would say take the window feeder with you,
0:20:20 > 0:20:22and that's a token from me. Oh, thank you.
0:20:22 > 0:20:25Thank you, it's very kind of you. Lovely memory of today.
0:20:25 > 0:20:27It's been brilliant. Thank you. You've been inspirational.
0:20:27 > 0:20:30So, let's trust that that inspiring vision continues
0:20:30 > 0:20:32when our house hunt gears up again in the morning.
0:20:39 > 0:20:41We're in Northumberland, which is where Chris,
0:20:41 > 0:20:43from a town near Doncaster in South Yorkshire,
0:20:43 > 0:20:46wants to establish a new life in the country.
0:20:46 > 0:20:48She's got ?200,000 to spend
0:20:48 > 0:20:52and has brought along her best friend and neighbour Linda to help.
0:20:52 > 0:20:56We've still got two more property options to put forward,
0:20:56 > 0:20:57and our ladies are lost for words
0:20:57 > 0:20:59when it comes to the Mystery House.
0:20:59 > 0:21:01How do we feel about this...notion?
0:21:01 > 0:21:02This idea?
0:21:07 > 0:21:09There is a deathly silence! I know!
0:21:09 > 0:21:13And I visit one of the county's many fascinating castles...
0:21:13 > 0:21:14Wow!
0:21:14 > 0:21:17..to learn about its ancestors past and present
0:21:17 > 0:21:18both inside and out.
0:21:18 > 0:21:21I never thought I'd see prehistoric cattle in this number.
0:21:21 > 0:21:23Not least in Northumberland.
0:21:26 > 0:21:29I am loving this house search in Northumberland,
0:21:29 > 0:21:32and the unique dynamic between Chris and Linda
0:21:32 > 0:21:34is, if I'm honest, really intriguing -
0:21:34 > 0:21:37because on the one hand we are trying to fulfil Chris's ambitions
0:21:37 > 0:21:39to make a move to Northumberland,
0:21:39 > 0:21:42but if Linda's hopes for the future are to be realised, too, well,
0:21:42 > 0:21:45chances are she may not be far behind her -
0:21:45 > 0:21:47and that is where our Mystery House comes in.
0:21:47 > 0:21:50Now, on the one hand, of course, I would love to sell it to Chris,
0:21:50 > 0:21:53but it's also got an interesting option for Linda, as well,
0:21:53 > 0:21:56so could we be on the brink of pulling off a first
0:21:56 > 0:22:01for Escape To The Country - selling not just one, but two properties?
0:22:01 > 0:22:03However, before we get to the mystery proposition,
0:22:03 > 0:22:05we have another house to see.
0:22:06 > 0:22:09To get to it, we're going to hop back over the border
0:22:09 > 0:22:10between England and Scotland
0:22:10 > 0:22:13to the small rural Scottish village of Whitsome.
0:22:15 > 0:22:17Just over three miles away from the house,
0:22:17 > 0:22:19the English village of Norham is the closest place
0:22:19 > 0:22:21to find a good selection of facilities,
0:22:21 > 0:22:24from pubs and a convenience store to a baker's and a butcher's.
0:22:26 > 0:22:29Featuring a green surrounded by terraced stone cottages,
0:22:29 > 0:22:32Norham is one of the most northerly villages in England.
0:22:32 > 0:22:35So much so that one end actually lies in Scotland.
0:22:36 > 0:22:37The village sits in the shadow
0:22:37 > 0:22:40of the towering 12th-century Norham Castle,
0:22:40 > 0:22:44whose ruins were first captured on canvas by the painter JMW Turner
0:22:44 > 0:22:48in 1797 and came to feature in many of his works.
0:22:49 > 0:22:53So, following in the footsteps of one of the country's great masters,
0:22:53 > 0:22:56the landscape here could provide the perfect backdrop
0:22:56 > 0:22:59for our creative house hunter Chris.
0:22:59 > 0:23:01If she can see past the bovine neighbours.
0:23:03 > 0:23:07We talk about the peace and quiet of the countryside, but not here today.
0:23:07 > 0:23:09As you can hear, the farmers around about
0:23:09 > 0:23:12are busy sorting out their planting for winter crops and so on.
0:23:12 > 0:23:14There's a bit of farming activity going on,
0:23:14 > 0:23:17but of course, the countryside is a busy place.
0:23:17 > 0:23:20All of this activity surrounds... that.
0:23:20 > 0:23:22It's a lovely-looking house. Stone-built.
0:23:22 > 0:23:25Here we are again in farm worker's cottage territory.
0:23:25 > 0:23:28You can see this lovely Victorian terrace.
0:23:28 > 0:23:31End property, again, so you've got lovely views.
0:23:31 > 0:23:34Somewhere to sit out and enjoy looking at those cows.
0:23:34 > 0:23:38Yes, now, the cows, we've laid them on especially, Chris,
0:23:38 > 0:23:41to help you try and overcome your cow phobia.
0:23:41 > 0:23:43Thank you. They're enjoying the sunshine,
0:23:43 > 0:23:44they're not bothered by us,
0:23:44 > 0:23:47so I'm hoping that in time you won't be bothered by them.
0:23:47 > 0:23:49They're very close to the house, though.
0:23:49 > 0:23:51The fence is all right, though, I've checked it.
0:23:51 > 0:23:52Don't worry about it.
0:23:52 > 0:23:57It also comes with this garden and that summerhouse.
0:23:57 > 0:23:59I didn't notice that at first.
0:23:59 > 0:24:01That's nice. Yeah. That would be quite a useful studio for you.
0:24:01 > 0:24:04It would. Linda, what's your first impression?
0:24:04 > 0:24:07I don't think it's as pretty as the last house we saw,
0:24:07 > 0:24:10but it is nice, yeah. Let's see what it looks like inside.
0:24:10 > 0:24:12Right then, let's see what you think.
0:24:12 > 0:24:16Although sensing a bit of trepidation outside,
0:24:16 > 0:24:18this stone-built semidetached home
0:24:18 > 0:24:20is definitely worth a closer inspection.
0:24:20 > 0:24:22It's got a rather unusual layout,
0:24:22 > 0:24:24so could deliver that quirky character
0:24:24 > 0:24:26Chris was hoping for.
0:24:28 > 0:24:29Down on the ground floor
0:24:29 > 0:24:31is a double bedroom, a bathroom and an open-plan
0:24:31 > 0:24:33kitchen, dining and living room
0:24:33 > 0:24:35with a stone feature fireplace.
0:24:36 > 0:24:38That's lovely. Oh, that is nice.
0:24:38 > 0:24:40I've never had a kitchen this big before.
0:24:40 > 0:24:42But what makes this one slightly curious
0:24:42 > 0:24:45is that the main living room is not here, it's upstairs.
0:24:46 > 0:24:49Just beyond the kitchen/living area, through a small hall,
0:24:49 > 0:24:53lies the double bedroom and the main four-piece family bathroom,
0:24:53 > 0:24:55which has two entrances...
0:24:56 > 0:24:59..but in many ways this is a property of twos.
0:24:59 > 0:25:01It's got two bedrooms, two bathrooms
0:25:01 > 0:25:03and two living rooms,
0:25:03 > 0:25:05the second one being up the stairs
0:25:05 > 0:25:06on the first floor.
0:25:07 > 0:25:10Have you ever tried upside-down living, as it were?
0:25:10 > 0:25:13No. But somebody who lives at the bottom of my garden
0:25:13 > 0:25:15has got an upside-down house.
0:25:15 > 0:25:17And I've been to New Zealand.
0:25:17 > 0:25:18There you are, then!
0:25:18 > 0:25:22What do you think? That's really unusual, isn't it?
0:25:22 > 0:25:24I was just expecting a landing, but it's the whole floor,
0:25:24 > 0:25:26and I love the windows.
0:25:26 > 0:25:28I'm already thinking that I'd have the bigger kitchen
0:25:28 > 0:25:29and come and sit up here,
0:25:29 > 0:25:32or maybe I'd have one room for music, one room for the TV.
0:25:32 > 0:25:35Nice idea. Quirky.
0:25:35 > 0:25:37It is quirky. Well, you said that Chris would like quirky.
0:25:37 > 0:25:39Is this quirky enough, Chris?
0:25:39 > 0:25:40It's quirky, yeah.
0:25:41 > 0:25:44Up here, what could be Chris's master
0:25:44 > 0:25:46is another spacious double bedroom.
0:25:46 > 0:25:49Fitted wardrobes. I like the shape of it, again.
0:25:51 > 0:25:53And finally for the internal tour is the shower room -
0:25:53 > 0:25:55again, Jack and Jill in style,
0:25:55 > 0:25:58so also acts as an en-suite to the master.
0:25:58 > 0:26:00There you are.
0:26:00 > 0:26:01Jack and Jill, what a great idea.
0:26:01 > 0:26:02THEY CHUCKLE
0:26:05 > 0:26:08I think it's fair to say that both ladies are suitably impressed
0:26:08 > 0:26:10up to now - and the final piece of the puzzle
0:26:10 > 0:26:13is what's on offer in terms of garden space.
0:26:13 > 0:26:15That, and the all-important price.
0:26:18 > 0:26:20This is the thing to consider now, of course, the garden.
0:26:20 > 0:26:22We glimpsed it on our way in.
0:26:22 > 0:26:23The main event here, really,
0:26:23 > 0:26:27is that studio summerhouse, which I'm sure you'd make good use of.
0:26:27 > 0:26:28Insulated, it's got power in it -
0:26:28 > 0:26:31and, of course, behind it, those lovely views of the Cheviots.
0:26:31 > 0:26:32Yeah, it's gorgeous.
0:26:32 > 0:26:35I think it's a really simple proposition,
0:26:35 > 0:26:37but I think it could work for you, that's what I really like about it -
0:26:37 > 0:26:39and I think Linda's coming round to it, too.
0:26:39 > 0:26:42Yeah, I agree. I do think it would work for her, actually. Yeah.
0:26:42 > 0:26:44Well, let's get down to the numbers, shall we?
0:26:44 > 0:26:47You've got ?200,000 to spend.
0:26:48 > 0:26:51We're just over the border in Scotland, so...
0:26:51 > 0:26:53make me an offer on this one.
0:26:53 > 0:26:55I think it's near the top of the budget.
0:26:55 > 0:26:56I would say 195.
0:26:56 > 0:26:58195. Linda?
0:26:58 > 0:27:01I don't agree, actually. I think it's the lower end.
0:27:01 > 0:27:04I think maybe even 175.
0:27:04 > 0:27:05Oh, do you? Mm.
0:27:05 > 0:27:08Well, I'm afraid you're both wrong -
0:27:08 > 0:27:09but it's good news,
0:27:09 > 0:27:12because this is on the market for offers in the region of...
0:27:12 > 0:27:15?165,000.
0:27:15 > 0:27:17Wow, I like it even more now!
0:27:17 > 0:27:18I thought you might!
0:27:20 > 0:27:23Right. It's not a big place, but we will give you a little more time
0:27:23 > 0:27:26to have a run around and see what you think of it, get a feel of it,
0:27:26 > 0:27:28because it is different, that whole upside-down thing.
0:27:28 > 0:27:30Go and enjoy yourselves.
0:27:30 > 0:27:34OK. OK. And I will find you somewhere a little bit later on.
0:27:34 > 0:27:35Brilliant.
0:27:35 > 0:27:38You know, there's an old phrase which I rely upon every day -
0:27:38 > 0:27:39less is more.
0:27:39 > 0:27:42That's the way to get something simple, to get something efficient,
0:27:42 > 0:27:44and to get something which ultimately just works,
0:27:44 > 0:27:46and that's what I love about this property.
0:27:46 > 0:27:47Less is more.
0:27:50 > 0:27:53?35,000 below budget,
0:27:53 > 0:27:57this Victorian semidetached upside-down cottage has a modern,
0:27:57 > 0:28:00open-plan kitchen, living and dining room.
0:28:00 > 0:28:02Two double bedrooms, two bathrooms,
0:28:02 > 0:28:06as well as a substantial, fully-powered summerhouse -
0:28:06 > 0:28:09and the property is situated in a peaceful, rural pocket
0:28:09 > 0:28:10surrounded by farmland.
0:28:12 > 0:28:17This house is probably more the sort of house that I was imagining
0:28:17 > 0:28:19I would want to have.
0:28:19 > 0:28:23Because of that old exterior, some history to it,
0:28:23 > 0:28:25but all the mod cons inside.
0:28:25 > 0:28:30I wouldn't have to do anything to it, and yet it would be so peaceful.
0:28:30 > 0:28:33Ah, I thought I might find you out here!
0:28:33 > 0:28:35Very useful thing, isn't it?
0:28:35 > 0:28:36It's lovely. Yeah. It's perfect.
0:28:36 > 0:28:40Already I'm having my studio workshop in here
0:28:40 > 0:28:42to do my driftwood sculptures.
0:28:42 > 0:28:43I thought you might.
0:28:43 > 0:28:45You see, it's all coming together beautifully. Mm!
0:28:45 > 0:28:48So, we have potentially another property
0:28:48 > 0:28:51on your list of possibles, do we?
0:28:51 > 0:28:54Definitely. But there is one more to see - our Mystery House -
0:28:54 > 0:28:59and for that we're going to take a bit of a drive back over the border.
0:28:59 > 0:29:00Come on. OK.
0:29:14 > 0:29:18With miles of prime coast and acres of beautiful countryside,
0:29:18 > 0:29:22control of Northumberland has been a source of conflict for centuries.
0:29:22 > 0:29:24A legacy of this turbulent past
0:29:24 > 0:29:28is found within the now peaceful walls of the county's castles.
0:29:30 > 0:29:32I've come to visit Chillingham Castle,
0:29:32 > 0:29:34home to Sir Humphry Wakefield.
0:29:34 > 0:29:37The castle had lain derelict for some 50 years,
0:29:37 > 0:29:39but Sir Humphry poured his heart and soul
0:29:39 > 0:29:42into a formidable restoration project,
0:29:42 > 0:29:44and now proudly opens the castle to the public.
0:29:48 > 0:29:51Sir Humphry. Jules. Very nice to see you, sir.
0:29:51 > 0:29:53Very good to see you. And what a wonderful home you have.
0:29:53 > 0:29:55I love it very much indeed.
0:29:55 > 0:29:56It's a wonderful border castle
0:29:56 > 0:29:58with all the strengths that you would expect,
0:29:58 > 0:30:00and all the history's still here.
0:30:00 > 0:30:02It's interesting to stand here and imagine
0:30:02 > 0:30:04what this would have looked like when great retinues arrived
0:30:04 > 0:30:07to use the castle and host events over the centuries.
0:30:07 > 0:30:12Oh, many kings, and forces - assault forces - as well.
0:30:12 > 0:30:15It's seen a lot. But it's been your home since the early 1980s,
0:30:15 > 0:30:19when you set about, let's face it, a pretty ambitious project.
0:30:19 > 0:30:21I'm fascinated to see just what you've done
0:30:21 > 0:30:23and how you've gone about it.
0:30:23 > 0:30:25Can you give me a very personal tour?
0:30:25 > 0:30:27I will show it to you.
0:30:27 > 0:30:28It's wonderful.
0:30:28 > 0:30:32Chillingham became fully fortified in 1344,
0:30:32 > 0:30:35and there have been very few structural additions since then,
0:30:35 > 0:30:38apart from the elaborate galleries built in the Tudor period
0:30:38 > 0:30:40which surround the central courtyard.
0:30:42 > 0:30:43This is fabulous.
0:30:43 > 0:30:46Wow. What was it like when you first discovered it?
0:30:46 > 0:30:49When I came here it was a forest of trees.
0:30:49 > 0:30:51Wherever you see a stone cracked,
0:30:51 > 0:30:53there was a tree growing up.
0:30:53 > 0:30:55It was just crying out for action.
0:30:55 > 0:30:58The stones here, the paving stones here,
0:30:58 > 0:31:02they were put in for the King's visit in 1603.
0:31:02 > 0:31:06Which king? King James I of England, VI of Scotland.
0:31:06 > 0:31:09But the family's ancestors must have been a bit downhearted
0:31:09 > 0:31:11when they thought the King was coming,
0:31:11 > 0:31:14because the amount of expense they'd have to go to to accommodate him.
0:31:14 > 0:31:16They had cash.
0:31:16 > 0:31:17They wanted him to stay.
0:31:17 > 0:31:20They were on the up, and that was just the ticket.
0:31:20 > 0:31:22So it was a nice political move? Very nice.
0:31:22 > 0:31:24A very good, strong political move, yes.
0:31:24 > 0:31:27Come on, show me what you've done. Come and have a look.
0:31:28 > 0:31:32Sir Humphry has tackled dry rot, collapsed roofs, burst pipes,
0:31:32 > 0:31:36birds and bats to bring the castle back to its former glory,
0:31:36 > 0:31:40which really shines through in the King James I drawing room.
0:31:41 > 0:31:46Wow. Well, this is another moment in time completely, isn't it?
0:31:46 > 0:31:50It is. It's the same moment in time put in for the King.
0:31:50 > 0:31:51Is that an Elizabethan ceiling?
0:31:51 > 0:31:53Yes. 1500.
0:31:53 > 0:31:56But for all the challenges of restoring the castle
0:31:56 > 0:32:01and the responsibility of being the guardian of this building,
0:32:01 > 0:32:04what is day-to-day life like for you in a castle like this?
0:32:04 > 0:32:06Day-to-day life is absolutely wonderful,
0:32:06 > 0:32:09and I love living here,
0:32:09 > 0:32:12and feel very happy living here,
0:32:12 > 0:32:15and feel the ghosts are happy with me.
0:32:15 > 0:32:17Well, Sir Humphry, it's been a real treat.
0:32:17 > 0:32:19I'm going to leave you in peace. Thank you very much indeed.
0:32:19 > 0:32:21Come... But there's so much more to see.
0:32:21 > 0:32:23Come back many times and see all the other rooms,
0:32:23 > 0:32:26because we've got lots of other rooms to show you.
0:32:26 > 0:32:28There is so much more to see,
0:32:28 > 0:32:30and I couldn't leave without exploring
0:32:30 > 0:32:33some of the 360 acres here -
0:32:33 > 0:32:35and exclusive on the grounds of this estate
0:32:35 > 0:32:37are the Chillingham wild cattle,
0:32:37 > 0:32:40believed to be the only survivors of the wild herds
0:32:40 > 0:32:42that once roamed Britain's forests.
0:32:42 > 0:32:46Park warden Ellie Crossley is taking me to see them
0:32:46 > 0:32:47from a very safe distance.
0:32:47 > 0:32:51The bull, there, looks absolutely beautiful,
0:32:51 > 0:32:53and there is certainly something very prehistoric
0:32:53 > 0:32:56about the outline of the head and the shoulders.
0:32:56 > 0:32:57Yeah, and the way the dappled effect
0:32:57 > 0:33:00makes him blend perfectly in with the woodland, as well.
0:33:00 > 0:33:02But in terms of the way you manage them,
0:33:02 > 0:33:04as I understand it, you don't interfere with them at all.
0:33:04 > 0:33:06No vets, no calving.
0:33:06 > 0:33:08You don't really even have to feed them.
0:33:08 > 0:33:11No, I mean, it's literally just survival of the fittest out here.
0:33:11 > 0:33:12That's how it's always been.
0:33:12 > 0:33:15That's resulted in extremely strong, hardy animals
0:33:15 > 0:33:17that can do very well without our help.
0:33:17 > 0:33:20It's quite a thought to think that this small number of animals
0:33:20 > 0:33:24that we're looking at now represents such a huge leap in time.
0:33:24 > 0:33:27And that's why it's really important to keep them here,
0:33:27 > 0:33:30cos this shows such a vast difference between these animals
0:33:30 > 0:33:32and what we've now created on our farms,
0:33:32 > 0:33:35which are so incredibly different to these guys.
0:33:35 > 0:33:37A dairy cow wouldn't survive five seconds out here.
0:33:37 > 0:33:41On a farm, you have one bull who never has to compete for his females
0:33:41 > 0:33:42a day in his life, basically.
0:33:42 > 0:33:44Whereas here we have 50 bulls,
0:33:44 > 0:33:46and they're all competing for the top spot
0:33:46 > 0:33:48to be able to mate with the females.
0:33:48 > 0:33:49It's absolutely amazing watching that.
0:33:49 > 0:33:51Well, it's a wonderful sight, Ellie.
0:33:51 > 0:33:54I never thought I'd see prehistoric cattle in this number.
0:33:54 > 0:33:56Not least in Northumberland. But it's a real joy.
0:33:56 > 0:33:59Thank you very much. You're very welcome.
0:34:00 > 0:34:02What history these ancient cattle,
0:34:02 > 0:34:06the castle walls and its reputed ghosts have experienced
0:34:06 > 0:34:07over the centuries.
0:34:07 > 0:34:10In an unbroken cycle since the 13th century,
0:34:10 > 0:34:14the majestic Chillingham has proudly stood the test of time.
0:34:19 > 0:34:21We're travelling to our final property destination,
0:34:21 > 0:34:23which is in the hamlet of Guyzance,
0:34:23 > 0:34:25in the heart of Northumberland proper -
0:34:25 > 0:34:28and also our closest location to the coast.
0:34:29 > 0:34:31Our ladies should be encouraged to know
0:34:31 > 0:34:34that the Mystery House is just five miles from Warkworth,
0:34:34 > 0:34:36the place they both know and love.
0:34:37 > 0:34:40Just a mile from the beaches, and surrounded by the River Coquet,
0:34:40 > 0:34:42Warkworth is an ancient village
0:34:42 > 0:34:45whose steep roads are lined with attractive traditional buildings
0:34:45 > 0:34:50housing an assortment of artisan shops, pubs, cafes and hotels.
0:34:52 > 0:34:55A ten-minute drive away from the action, in the quiet of Guyzance,
0:34:55 > 0:34:56is a 35-acre woodland
0:34:56 > 0:35:00where within a private development of 12 holiday cottages
0:35:00 > 0:35:02we find the last in our selection.
0:35:05 > 0:35:07Right, then.
0:35:07 > 0:35:08Mystery House time.
0:35:08 > 0:35:10Or Mystery Houses. Mm!
0:35:10 > 0:35:14Because within this complex of holiday cottages,
0:35:14 > 0:35:18a good number of them are being sold off into private home ownership,
0:35:18 > 0:35:20as it were, as more domestic homes.
0:35:20 > 0:35:23So we have a choice of properties to show you... Oh!
0:35:23 > 0:35:27..and we have two in particular that we'd like you to look at.
0:35:27 > 0:35:28Which would mean, of course, Linda,
0:35:28 > 0:35:31that you and Chris could continue to be neighbours.
0:35:31 > 0:35:34How do we feel about this...notion, this idea?
0:35:39 > 0:35:41There is a deathly silence! I know!
0:35:43 > 0:35:46Well, initially, I don't like it.
0:35:46 > 0:35:48It looks like a holiday cottage.
0:35:48 > 0:35:50Exactly what it is.
0:35:50 > 0:35:52However, as I say, many of them are now being sold off
0:35:52 > 0:35:54to become individual homes. Mm.
0:35:54 > 0:35:57I have the keys, here, to this one,
0:35:57 > 0:36:00which I'd like you to look at in particular... Mm-hm.
0:36:00 > 0:36:03..but I think, Chris, we'll show you one down here.
0:36:03 > 0:36:04OK.
0:36:06 > 0:36:10Although it appears that Chris has made up her mind already,
0:36:10 > 0:36:11I've still got my fingers crossed
0:36:11 > 0:36:15that she might like the exterior of the cottage we've chosen for her.
0:36:15 > 0:36:17What do you think?
0:36:17 > 0:36:20It sort of looks like a... glorified caravan site.
0:36:21 > 0:36:24Given the robust but enchanting stone architecture
0:36:24 > 0:36:27and the history that goes with it, to be fair,
0:36:27 > 0:36:31I definitely wouldn't describe this development as a caravan park.
0:36:31 > 0:36:33Come on, let's see what you think.
0:36:33 > 0:36:35What we have to show Chris
0:36:35 > 0:36:37is an end-of-terrace old farmer's cottage
0:36:37 > 0:36:40with a neat garden that wraps around the back.
0:36:40 > 0:36:44Recently renovated to a high-spec contemporary finish,
0:36:44 > 0:36:46on the ground floor there's a kitchen,
0:36:46 > 0:36:47a WC and a sitting room -
0:36:47 > 0:36:49which is our first port of call.
0:36:51 > 0:36:54It's a bit small and a bit modern-looking, I think.
0:36:54 > 0:36:55Not much character inside.
0:36:57 > 0:36:59Sadly, they haven't been persuaded.
0:36:59 > 0:37:01Perhaps the kitchen might fare better.
0:37:01 > 0:37:05It still feels modern and a bit plain.
0:37:05 > 0:37:07Oh, dear. Chris?
0:37:07 > 0:37:08I agree. It's just not working for me.
0:37:11 > 0:37:13Still no takers from either of our ladies.
0:37:13 > 0:37:16So this will be a whistle-stop tour.
0:37:16 > 0:37:19Upstairs, a family bathroom serves two bedrooms -
0:37:19 > 0:37:22one a double with exposed beams, the other slightly smaller.
0:37:23 > 0:37:25On paper, the mystery property
0:37:25 > 0:37:28seemed like an obvious plan to present -
0:37:28 > 0:37:30two great friends, two great neighbours,
0:37:30 > 0:37:34and here's the chance to continue living close by to one another -
0:37:34 > 0:37:36but it's not to be.
0:37:36 > 0:37:38So, next, we need to talk about the price,
0:37:38 > 0:37:40which is normally the moment I look forward to -
0:37:40 > 0:37:42but on this occasion I'm dreading it.
0:37:44 > 0:37:47It does open up right around here.
0:37:47 > 0:37:49Yes, it's a fair-sized garden, isn't it?
0:37:49 > 0:37:51I can certainly see this bursting with life
0:37:51 > 0:37:53with some clever planting and what have you.
0:37:53 > 0:37:55I mean, yeah, you've got the neighbours around,
0:37:55 > 0:37:58but it is what it is, it's an old farm complex.
0:37:58 > 0:38:00But, again, this lovely architecture coming through.
0:38:00 > 0:38:02Yes, a nice outside space.
0:38:03 > 0:38:06Hurrah. We got a good thing.
0:38:06 > 0:38:08We got one thing right with this one for you.
0:38:08 > 0:38:11Humour me and make us an offer on our Mystery House.
0:38:11 > 0:38:16I think, given the proximity to the sea, I'll say 150.
0:38:16 > 0:38:18150. Linda?
0:38:18 > 0:38:19I was thinking the same, actually.
0:38:19 > 0:38:21I thought about 150,000.
0:38:21 > 0:38:24So let's say you both agree on 150.
0:38:24 > 0:38:26This is on at ?175,000 -
0:38:26 > 0:38:28because of its proximity to the sea
0:38:28 > 0:38:31and all the things that you've identified, Chris, really.
0:38:31 > 0:38:33Yeah.
0:38:33 > 0:38:36Now, to be fair, I don't think you need to have another look inside
0:38:36 > 0:38:39this one. However, I would appreciate it
0:38:39 > 0:38:43if you would go and have a look at the first property we saw, Linda,
0:38:43 > 0:38:45which I think might be of interest to you.
0:38:45 > 0:38:47I'm still hoping!
0:38:47 > 0:38:49You know where it is, it's round the corner,
0:38:49 > 0:38:50and I will come and find you later on.
0:38:50 > 0:38:53Be interesting to see what you think. Off you go.
0:38:55 > 0:38:56Well, there you have it.
0:38:56 > 0:39:02Sometimes it goes really well, and sometimes it goes really badly.
0:39:03 > 0:39:07And sometimes it feels like a real disaster.
0:39:09 > 0:39:11Comfortably under budget,
0:39:11 > 0:39:13the two-bedroom mystery home for Chris
0:39:13 > 0:39:16is a stone cottage in a small private complex
0:39:16 > 0:39:19of both residential and commercial properties.
0:39:19 > 0:39:22Set within a 35-acre site and close to the coast,
0:39:22 > 0:39:25the development has another lot for sale,
0:39:25 > 0:39:27so could enable the two friends to stay as neighbours.
0:39:29 > 0:39:31Has it sold itself? No, it's too small.
0:39:31 > 0:39:34It just feels the same as the other one.
0:39:34 > 0:39:36However, ordinarily I might be crestfallen
0:39:36 > 0:39:39and desperately disappointed -
0:39:39 > 0:39:41but I think we've shown you some really good properties
0:39:41 > 0:39:44this week, Chris, and maybe one or two of them
0:39:44 > 0:39:46may provide an option for the future.
0:39:46 > 0:39:47Maybe. Maybe.
0:39:47 > 0:39:50Right, come on. Let's go and think about it.
0:39:58 > 0:40:00When I last saw Linda and Chris,
0:40:00 > 0:40:03I certainly got the sense that perhaps not all of our efforts
0:40:03 > 0:40:05this week had been in vain.
0:40:05 > 0:40:08There certainly seemed to be a little twinkle in Chris's eye -
0:40:08 > 0:40:11but have we managed to find her a home for the future?
0:40:11 > 0:40:12Well, let's go and ask her.
0:40:19 > 0:40:21Well, how are we doing, then?
0:40:21 > 0:40:24Great, thank you. Are you feeling refreshed?
0:40:24 > 0:40:26Yes. Relaxed?
0:40:26 > 0:40:27Yes. Relieved?
0:40:27 > 0:40:29Yes. I thought you might be!
0:40:29 > 0:40:32Hopefully it wasn't that bad, Chris.
0:40:32 > 0:40:36Where are we? I like the property with the balcony... Yeah.
0:40:36 > 0:40:39..and the upside-down house.
0:40:39 > 0:40:42Right, then. Two properties to choose from.
0:40:42 > 0:40:45A property with a balcony near Kelso.
0:40:45 > 0:40:48What did you think of that, then? It was beautiful.
0:40:48 > 0:40:50I felt like somebody like me had lived in it.
0:40:50 > 0:40:52You said that when we got there. I know.
0:40:52 > 0:40:55And then I found out that it was an artist's house.
0:40:55 > 0:40:56It was just beautiful.
0:40:56 > 0:40:59But then we took you to what we're now calling
0:40:59 > 0:41:01the upside-down house, Chris -
0:41:01 > 0:41:03and clearly that works for you as well.
0:41:03 > 0:41:05It was so modern,
0:41:05 > 0:41:09and it would be a lovely house for people to come and stay, as well.
0:41:09 > 0:41:14The price of the upside-down house is appealing,
0:41:14 > 0:41:18but I'm trying not to let that sway me absolutely.
0:41:18 > 0:41:21So I'd have to come up and see them both again.
0:41:21 > 0:41:23Probably bring my son and his wife with me.
0:41:23 > 0:41:26I mean, we know you wanted to be nearer to your son.
0:41:26 > 0:41:28He, of course, lives in Edinburgh.
0:41:28 > 0:41:30So actually it might work out quite well.
0:41:30 > 0:41:32Yeah - and I've always wanted to be Scottish as well.
0:41:32 > 0:41:34So, I would be!
0:41:35 > 0:41:38But for both of those properties you can look out and see England.
0:41:38 > 0:41:40I mean, you couldn't be closer to the border.
0:41:40 > 0:41:43No. So, Linda, you also have said throughout
0:41:43 > 0:41:47that you also were considering following your neighbour
0:41:47 > 0:41:49and moving up here.
0:41:49 > 0:41:51Would you do it? I would, actually -
0:41:51 > 0:41:55but I think I would have something nearer to the coast,
0:41:55 > 0:41:57but I'd still be near enough to Chris to see her regularly.
0:41:57 > 0:41:59So you won't be near neighbours.
0:41:59 > 0:42:03You may indeed end up on either side of the border -
0:42:03 > 0:42:06but clearly remaining the greatest of friends.
0:42:06 > 0:42:10That is, I think, very obvious for anyone watching this.
0:42:10 > 0:42:12So I wish you all the best, Chris,
0:42:12 > 0:42:15in making what could be quite a difficult decision,
0:42:15 > 0:42:19but one which I hope will give you everything you've been looking for.
0:42:19 > 0:42:21Thank you. Thank you.
0:42:25 > 0:42:28Well, Northumberland and its border with Scotland
0:42:28 > 0:42:30has been hotly contested for centuries,
0:42:30 > 0:42:34but it would seem we've left Chris with a contest all of her own -
0:42:34 > 0:42:36to try and choose between two, I think,
0:42:36 > 0:42:38pretty exceptional properties.
0:42:38 > 0:42:41But unlike so many of the fierce battles
0:42:41 > 0:42:43that have been fought up here over the years,
0:42:43 > 0:42:45I do hope hers has a happy ending.
0:42:45 > 0:42:47I'll see you next time.
0:42:48 > 0:42:49A week after our visit,
0:42:49 > 0:42:52Chris tried to make plans for a second viewing
0:42:52 > 0:42:53at the upside-down house,
0:42:53 > 0:42:56but, alas, someone else had already snapped it up.
0:42:56 > 0:42:59So her search continues.
0:42:59 > 0:43:01If you'd like to escape to the country
0:43:01 > 0:43:03in England, Northern Ireland, Scotland or Wales
0:43:03 > 0:43:06and would like our help, then please apply online at...