0:00:02 > 0:00:03Welcome to Escape To The Country.
0:00:03 > 0:00:06This magnificent castle behind me has, over the centuries,
0:00:06 > 0:00:08played host to both medieval and Stuart kings,
0:00:08 > 0:00:11but when its current owner bought it less than 40 years ago,
0:00:11 > 0:00:14it was, in his words, a total wreck.
0:00:14 > 0:00:18So, who might be persuaded to take on such an ambitious project
0:00:18 > 0:00:20of restoration - and where?
0:00:20 > 0:00:22Well, join me in just a moment and I'll tell you.
0:00:40 > 0:00:42On today's show, two friends partner up
0:00:42 > 0:00:45to help one of them fulfil a long-held country dream -
0:00:45 > 0:00:49but bonding with the locals could prove tricky.
0:00:49 > 0:00:52Somewhere to sit out and enjoy looking at those cows.
0:00:52 > 0:00:54We've laid them on especially, Chris,
0:00:54 > 0:00:57to help you try and overcome your cow phobia.
0:00:57 > 0:00:59'And if the figures stack up,
0:00:59 > 0:01:02'our properties are right on the money.'
0:01:02 > 0:01:03I love it.
0:01:03 > 0:01:05Can I have it?
0:01:05 > 0:01:06Course you can! SHE LAUGHS
0:01:06 > 0:01:07- If you can afford it!- How much?
0:01:07 > 0:01:09How much is the question, isn't it?
0:01:11 > 0:01:13Well, today we are in Northumberland,
0:01:13 > 0:01:17and this is the very splendid backdrop of Chillingham Castle,
0:01:17 > 0:01:20home to the Grey family since the 13th century -
0:01:20 > 0:01:22a family, who, amongst other things,
0:01:22 > 0:01:25gave us a very popular blend of tea.
0:01:25 > 0:01:28Now, over the last 800 years or so, it's been lived in, fought over
0:01:28 > 0:01:31and then finally left to rack and ruin
0:01:31 > 0:01:34until its current owner, the very colourful Sir Humphry Wakefield,
0:01:34 > 0:01:37bought it back in the early 1980s.
0:01:37 > 0:01:38Now, later on in the show,
0:01:38 > 0:01:41I'll be getting my own, very special guided tour
0:01:41 > 0:01:43in the company of Sir Humphry himself,
0:01:43 > 0:01:46finding out just what it takes to restore a building like this,
0:01:46 > 0:01:49but also getting a little insight into what life is really like
0:01:49 > 0:01:51in a very Englishman's castle.
0:01:53 > 0:01:55Right at the head of England,
0:01:55 > 0:01:57Northumberland is the country's crowning glory,
0:01:57 > 0:02:00sharing County Durham and Cumbria's county borders,
0:02:00 > 0:02:04with Scotland just the other side of its northern boundary.
0:02:04 > 0:02:06And Northumberland's prime position,
0:02:06 > 0:02:08sitting shoulder to shoulder with Scotland,
0:02:08 > 0:02:12has greatly influenced the county's heritage and architecture.
0:02:12 > 0:02:14At the mouth of the River Tweed,
0:02:14 > 0:02:17the definitive border town of Berwick-upon-Tweed has changed hands
0:02:17 > 0:02:22between the English and Scottish at least 13 times.
0:02:22 > 0:02:24And the border wars which raged through the Middle Ages
0:02:24 > 0:02:27have left the landscape with a rich assortment
0:02:27 > 0:02:31of medieval fortifications, both ruinous and preserved.
0:02:31 > 0:02:32Among the many castles
0:02:32 > 0:02:35that litter Northumberland's beautiful coastline,
0:02:35 > 0:02:39Bamburgh was a key stronghold in Anglo-Saxon Northumbria,
0:02:39 > 0:02:41and the epic 1,900-year-old Hadrian's Wall
0:02:41 > 0:02:46charges over 70 miles from the North to the Irish Sea,
0:02:46 > 0:02:50cutting through the region's wild, dramatic and remote countryside.
0:02:51 > 0:02:53With swathes of secluded beaches
0:02:53 > 0:02:56and the UK's least-populated National Park,
0:02:56 > 0:02:58it's small wonder that Northumberland
0:02:58 > 0:03:01has been voted the most tranquil county in the country.
0:03:05 > 0:03:07Well, for a county with some beautiful
0:03:07 > 0:03:09rural and coastal locations,
0:03:09 > 0:03:12Northumberland also represents pretty good value for money.
0:03:12 > 0:03:15Currently, the average price of a detached property
0:03:15 > 0:03:17is £223,000 here.
0:03:17 > 0:03:21That's some 60,000 below the national figure.
0:03:21 > 0:03:23But, for all of its celebrated coastline,
0:03:23 > 0:03:26coastal properties are hard to find.
0:03:26 > 0:03:28However, step inland and you are blessed with
0:03:28 > 0:03:31not only beautiful countryside,
0:03:31 > 0:03:33but also exceptional value for money.
0:03:33 > 0:03:37But before we continue exploring this wonderful county,
0:03:37 > 0:03:39we're heading a little further south in the country,
0:03:39 > 0:03:43to the town of Conisbrough near Doncaster in South Yorkshire,
0:03:43 > 0:03:46home to today's buyer, Chris, a retired lecturer,
0:03:46 > 0:03:49and her best friend and neighbour, Linda, who works as a nurse.
0:03:49 > 0:03:52I used to have the pub at the bottom of the road, The Castle Inn -
0:03:52 > 0:03:54I was the landlady there -
0:03:54 > 0:03:57and Linda used to come in.
0:03:57 > 0:03:58I didn't really know her then,
0:03:58 > 0:04:01but I heard that when I thought about moving here,
0:04:01 > 0:04:05she was a bit worried, because she thought I was a bit stuck-up.
0:04:05 > 0:04:08But, anyway, I moved in and we became good friends
0:04:08 > 0:04:10- almost immediately, didn't we?- Yeah.
0:04:10 > 0:04:13I realised she wasn't stuck-up after all.
0:04:13 > 0:04:15And their friendship has seen them
0:04:15 > 0:04:17through the good times as well as the bad.
0:04:17 > 0:04:20My husband was alive when she first moved in,
0:04:20 > 0:04:24and then my husband sadly passed away five years ago,
0:04:24 > 0:04:26and Chris has been a real help to me,
0:04:26 > 0:04:29she's really got me through it, been a really good friend. Haven't you?
0:04:29 > 0:04:31Yeah, we've taken her out!
0:04:34 > 0:04:36Living next-door to one another for 12 years,
0:04:36 > 0:04:39Chris and Linda have developed a close bond,
0:04:39 > 0:04:41and have even put a gate up between their gardens
0:04:41 > 0:04:45so they can wander freely in and out of one another's properties.
0:04:45 > 0:04:47Boundary-hopping may soon cease,
0:04:47 > 0:04:50as Chris has recently put her three-bedroom detached home
0:04:50 > 0:04:51on the market.
0:04:52 > 0:04:55I've been very happy in this house, here,
0:04:55 > 0:04:58but it's getting a bit big for me now,
0:04:58 > 0:05:04so I'd like to move somewhere that's not so high-maintenance,
0:05:04 > 0:05:09and is warmer, and so I wouldn't have to spend so much time
0:05:09 > 0:05:11and so much money looking after it...
0:05:11 > 0:05:13and also the traffic.
0:05:13 > 0:05:16Although it's an unadopted road that I live on,
0:05:16 > 0:05:18they use it as a short cut.
0:05:18 > 0:05:20It does get very busy on that road at the top,
0:05:20 > 0:05:23and we both...you do some part-time work, don't you?
0:05:23 > 0:05:24And I walk up to work.
0:05:24 > 0:05:27You know, the traffic, sometimes, the fumes and the dust,
0:05:27 > 0:05:29you know, and you think, oh...
0:05:29 > 0:05:31It does get you down a little bit.
0:05:32 > 0:05:33A creative at heart,
0:05:33 > 0:05:37Chris now wants to downsize and escape her urban surroundings
0:05:37 > 0:05:41to find inspiration from the sea and countryside of the North East.
0:05:43 > 0:05:46The area that I'd like to move to is the Northumberland coast,
0:05:46 > 0:05:50because I had a friend who sadly died this year,
0:05:50 > 0:05:52and I used to spend time with her.
0:05:52 > 0:05:54She lived in a caravan on the beach
0:05:54 > 0:05:56and we used to walk on these empty beaches.
0:05:56 > 0:06:00It's so unspoilt and wild up there.
0:06:00 > 0:06:03She found her artistic side up there -
0:06:03 > 0:06:06and she's sort of inspiring me to want to go up there
0:06:06 > 0:06:09and find my creative side, as well.
0:06:10 > 0:06:12I WILL write that novel.
0:06:13 > 0:06:17But at the moment, Chris's creativity isn't entirely passive,
0:06:17 > 0:06:20as she turned her hand to an ambitious garden seat
0:06:20 > 0:06:23dedicated to the memory of Linda's late husband.
0:06:23 > 0:06:25I made a bench outside,
0:06:25 > 0:06:29and I wanted it to be one like Gaudi did in Barcelona.
0:06:29 > 0:06:33And I taught myself how to render, did all the tiling,
0:06:33 > 0:06:35and we got it finished...
0:06:35 > 0:06:37Well, that must have taken at least a year to do it.
0:06:37 > 0:06:39Yeah, but I think it sort of...
0:06:39 > 0:06:42It's the strongest bench in creativity,
0:06:42 > 0:06:44that it has got foundations, we dug foundations,
0:06:44 > 0:06:47it will never go anywhere.
0:06:47 > 0:06:49- Everybody comments on it when they see it.- Yeah.
0:06:49 > 0:06:51So, it's really unusual.
0:06:51 > 0:06:53Another thing that I'd like to do,
0:06:53 > 0:06:56if I got a place that had got a bit of a workshop, or a shed, even,
0:06:56 > 0:06:59is to make things out of found objects,
0:06:59 > 0:07:02like the driftwood and things that you find in abundance up there.
0:07:02 > 0:07:06So, making things as well as writing.
0:07:06 > 0:07:08And aside from artistic aspirations,
0:07:08 > 0:07:13proximity to her family is also fuelling the decision to relocate.
0:07:13 > 0:07:15I've got two sons.
0:07:15 > 0:07:19The elder one lives in Austria and he's married an Austrian woman.
0:07:19 > 0:07:22My younger son has married a Scottish girl,
0:07:22 > 0:07:25and they've just moved up to Edinburgh,
0:07:25 > 0:07:27so that's one of the reasons I'd like to move,
0:07:27 > 0:07:30because I'd like to move somewhere closer to them.
0:07:30 > 0:07:33So, with family to visit, things to make and books to write,
0:07:33 > 0:07:37this Northumbrian move heralds not only a change of location,
0:07:37 > 0:07:41but a complete change of lifestyle for both ladies.
0:07:43 > 0:07:45I think this is an important move for me,
0:07:45 > 0:07:48because it will probably be the last move that I make -
0:07:48 > 0:07:51and yet I feel now, at the age of 64,
0:07:51 > 0:07:53I'm still young enough and still active enough
0:07:53 > 0:07:58to make that move and make new friends and find new interests.
0:07:58 > 0:08:00You know, I'm going to miss her when she goes,
0:08:00 > 0:08:01and we've got such a good friendship,
0:08:01 > 0:08:04it's a shame, really, not to still be near her,
0:08:04 > 0:08:07so, possibly, when I'm... I mean, I'm almost ready
0:08:07 > 0:08:10for retiring myself, I might actually go and join her.
0:08:17 > 0:08:21For the best chance of what Chris - or, indeed, Linda - is after,
0:08:21 > 0:08:23our Northumberland property search will be focused
0:08:23 > 0:08:27in attractive villages within the northern portion of the county,
0:08:27 > 0:08:29pushing right up to the Scottish border
0:08:29 > 0:08:32and out towards the eastern coast.
0:08:32 > 0:08:34So, I'm meeting up with them in the county
0:08:34 > 0:08:37to glean a better understanding of this impending move.
0:08:38 > 0:08:41Well, Chris, Linda, welcome to Escape To The Country,
0:08:41 > 0:08:42and welcome to Northumberland.
0:08:42 > 0:08:45- Thank you.- So, you now think the time is right to make this move,
0:08:45 > 0:08:46and you've brought Linda along
0:08:46 > 0:08:50- as some sensible counsel in this move.- Yeah!
0:08:50 > 0:08:52I think I just need to keep a check on her, really,
0:08:52 > 0:08:54and make sure she makes the right choices.
0:08:54 > 0:08:57This is a very jolly, very warm set up, isn't it?
0:08:57 > 0:09:01Two old friends and neighbours escaping to the country,
0:09:01 > 0:09:04- or helping you to escape, Chris. - Yeah, I'm going first!
0:09:04 > 0:09:06I may follow very soon.
0:09:06 > 0:09:08Linda, you are also keen on moving,
0:09:08 > 0:09:10and this might also be a part of the world
0:09:10 > 0:09:12that could appeal to you in the future?
0:09:12 > 0:09:14Yeah, I'd love to live near the coast.
0:09:14 > 0:09:17It's a bit quieter up here and the beaches are nice and quiet,
0:09:17 > 0:09:20and it's just so lovely, so I might be tempted.
0:09:20 > 0:09:22So, there may be some competition for these houses, Chris,
0:09:22 > 0:09:24you may get gazumped by your neighbour!
0:09:24 > 0:09:26And that will be the end of that friendship, won't it?
0:09:26 > 0:09:27THEY LAUGH
0:09:27 > 0:09:32So, give us a sense, Chris, of the kind of property that you are after.
0:09:32 > 0:09:35Well, I like somewhere with character,
0:09:35 > 0:09:36that's probably been something else,
0:09:36 > 0:09:39you know, like an old schoolhouse or something.
0:09:39 > 0:09:41How many bedrooms? Because obviously you're going to want
0:09:41 > 0:09:43- friends and family to come and stay. - Two or three.- Mm-hm.
0:09:43 > 0:09:46Because I've got two sons - and one lives in Edinburgh,
0:09:46 > 0:09:48that's one of the reasons I want to move up, to be closer to him.
0:09:48 > 0:09:51So, I need at least a spare room.
0:09:51 > 0:09:52I'd like to have a view.
0:09:52 > 0:09:55It doesn't have to be sea, but not far from the sea,
0:09:55 > 0:09:58and I'd like somewhere with a kitchen I can sit in,
0:09:58 > 0:10:00because I've not had that before.
0:10:00 > 0:10:03A garden that I can sit in and hang the washing out,
0:10:03 > 0:10:04that's important, as well.
0:10:04 > 0:10:06Now, Linda, you know Chris better than I do.
0:10:06 > 0:10:10How easy is it going to be to satisfy her needs, do you think?
0:10:10 > 0:10:13I think it has to be something quirky for Chris.
0:10:13 > 0:10:16She won't make do with just boring or mundane.
0:10:16 > 0:10:18It has to have something unusual about it,
0:10:18 > 0:10:20because she's a very quirky person, aren't you?
0:10:20 > 0:10:22And in terms of the budget, then, Chris,
0:10:22 > 0:10:24how much do think you're going to have to spend?
0:10:24 > 0:10:28Well, I've only got 200,000, so that really is the maximum.
0:10:28 > 0:10:30Well, this is a beautiful part of the world.
0:10:30 > 0:10:33Why more people don't escape to the North East, I simply don't know.
0:10:33 > 0:10:34- Don't tell them, though.- No!
0:10:34 > 0:10:38It's a really hidden gem that offers you brilliant value for money
0:10:38 > 0:10:40- and beautiful landscape.- Yeah.
0:10:40 > 0:10:43We've got a really interesting range of properties to show you.
0:10:43 > 0:10:45- We've got some beautiful weather. - Yeah!
0:10:45 > 0:10:47- Shall we go?- Yep.- Come on, then. Follow me this way.- OK.
0:10:50 > 0:10:53For a top budget of £200,000,
0:10:53 > 0:10:55Chris is after a characterful property
0:10:55 > 0:10:59with a kitchen/breakfast room and at least two bedrooms.
0:10:59 > 0:11:01Ideally, she'd like a garden with a workshop
0:11:01 > 0:11:03in which to get creative
0:11:03 > 0:11:05and somewhere with an inspiring outlook...
0:11:05 > 0:11:09and we've got a wonderful mix of homes to serve up -
0:11:09 > 0:11:12but I won't be revealing the attached price tags
0:11:12 > 0:11:14until they've had a good look around each one first.
0:11:14 > 0:11:18Then, last on the property agenda is our Mystery House,
0:11:18 > 0:11:20which could bring the coast, and my companions,
0:11:20 > 0:11:23closer than they ever imagined.
0:11:30 > 0:11:33Now, I gather you have a rather unique phobia, Chris,
0:11:33 > 0:11:35of all things, about cows, is that right?
0:11:35 > 0:11:36It's not a unique phobia.
0:11:36 > 0:11:38They're actually very dangerous animals,
0:11:38 > 0:11:41- and they trample people to death. - LINDA CHUCKLES
0:11:41 > 0:11:44How many people do you think are killed a year by cows?
0:11:44 > 0:11:45About 7,000.
0:11:45 > 0:11:46THEY LAUGH
0:11:46 > 0:11:48Did you just make that up?!
0:11:48 > 0:11:51You did make it up, because I can tell you, it's five.
0:11:51 > 0:11:53Five a year.
0:11:53 > 0:11:54I was close, then(!)
0:11:54 > 0:11:56Actually, double the number killed by horses -
0:11:56 > 0:11:59- so, maybe there is something in your phobia.- Yeah.
0:11:59 > 0:12:01I hope we see some cows today. I want to see what happens!
0:12:01 > 0:12:03I've seen loads up here, actually.
0:12:03 > 0:12:06It's a bit of a hazard when you're a rambler.
0:12:06 > 0:12:09It is indeed. I mean, you certainly have to be careful,
0:12:09 > 0:12:12particularly with dogs and young children, if you're walking through.
0:12:12 > 0:12:16But again, it's one of those little elements of the Country Code,
0:12:16 > 0:12:19I think, you just... Yeah, be sensible.
0:12:19 > 0:12:22But, um, you do admire them, don't you?
0:12:22 > 0:12:24They are lovely creatures.
0:12:24 > 0:12:26From afar.
0:12:29 > 0:12:32Our first destination is the village of Mindrum,
0:12:32 > 0:12:34just 15 miles from the coast,
0:12:34 > 0:12:36lying in the shadow of the Cheviot Hills,
0:12:36 > 0:12:39at the northern fringes of the Northumberland National Park.
0:12:39 > 0:12:43The village is just a 15-minute drive from Wooler,
0:12:43 > 0:12:46which is a small town made of striking stone architecture,
0:12:46 > 0:12:50that sits seamlessly against a scenic country backdrop.
0:12:50 > 0:12:54Here, a variety of specialist shops and cafes can be found,
0:12:54 > 0:12:58including a delicatessen, post office and even an art gallery,
0:12:58 > 0:13:01which could be an outlet for creative Chris to explore.
0:13:01 > 0:13:05So, although a pint of milk is some eight miles away
0:13:05 > 0:13:06from the property back in Mindrum,
0:13:06 > 0:13:10the remoteness might just be the ticket, as it couldn't be further
0:13:10 > 0:13:13from the fumes and traffic our buyer wants to escape.
0:13:13 > 0:13:15With just ten neighbouring houses,
0:13:15 > 0:13:19this location is more cosy hamlet than busy village.
0:13:19 > 0:13:22This is what I want you to look at, Chris.
0:13:22 > 0:13:26- This one? Is it the whole row? - It's not the whole row,
0:13:26 > 0:13:28- it is effectively half of it, though.- Wow!
0:13:28 > 0:13:31What we've got for you is half a range
0:13:31 > 0:13:33of former farm workers' cottages.
0:13:33 > 0:13:35There were probably numerous cottages here,
0:13:35 > 0:13:38but, effectively, they've combined several to give you...
0:13:38 > 0:13:40well, as I say, half of that range,
0:13:40 > 0:13:43so you've got one, two, three, four, five of those windows
0:13:43 > 0:13:46and two chimney stacks.
0:13:46 > 0:13:48- When were they built?- 1830.
0:13:48 > 0:13:531830, so it's sort of long and thin, it's single-storey living, this.
0:13:53 > 0:13:55Yeah, I think it's lovely so far.
0:13:55 > 0:13:57Is this the sort of thing that you would go for?
0:13:57 > 0:13:59Yeah, yeah, it's fantastic.
0:13:59 > 0:14:01- Let's see what you think of the inside.- OK.- Can't wait.
0:14:03 > 0:14:05With roots in the early 19th century,
0:14:05 > 0:14:09this semidetached former estate cottage is built of sandstone
0:14:09 > 0:14:12and painted white at the front, but left natural at the back,
0:14:12 > 0:14:14which is where we find the entrance.
0:14:14 > 0:14:18- A nice little area to sit outside. - Yes!
0:14:18 > 0:14:20Come on in.
0:14:21 > 0:14:23As a former farm worker's cottage,
0:14:23 > 0:14:25this modest property is just one room deep,
0:14:25 > 0:14:26but that does mean some rooms
0:14:26 > 0:14:29benefit from aspects to the front and rear.
0:14:29 > 0:14:33Running from left to right, there are four rooms in total,
0:14:33 > 0:14:37plus a bathroom and our first stop inside is the kitchen.
0:14:37 > 0:14:39Well, let's start in here, then, Chris.
0:14:39 > 0:14:41That's lovely.
0:14:41 > 0:14:44I said I wanted a kitchen that I could sit and eat in and here it is!
0:14:44 > 0:14:49- Here it is!- With a lovely view.- Oh, the view is fabulous from there!
0:14:49 > 0:14:51- Yeah, I like it.- Yeah, it's lovely.
0:14:51 > 0:14:53The nature of a long, thin building
0:14:53 > 0:14:56means the geography isn't traditional.
0:14:56 > 0:14:58The family bathroom is right next to the kitchen,
0:14:58 > 0:15:02but next we're taking a peek at the master bedroom to the far left.
0:15:04 > 0:15:05It's a nice size -
0:15:05 > 0:15:08just get out of bed, make a cup of tea, come back!
0:15:08 > 0:15:09THEY LAUGH
0:15:09 > 0:15:12This is a light, bright, dual-aspect room,
0:15:12 > 0:15:14but bedroom two isn't bad either.
0:15:14 > 0:15:19This is the other bedroom. It's quite a sweet little twin/double.
0:15:19 > 0:15:21And then it leads on into here.
0:15:21 > 0:15:24I think this has to be my favourite room here, actually.
0:15:24 > 0:15:27- Oh, yeah, it's lovely. - It's gorgeous!
0:15:27 > 0:15:29It's got such a nice, quirky feel to it as well.
0:15:29 > 0:15:31Good, I'm glad you like it.
0:15:31 > 0:15:35Well, that wraps up all the internal accommodation.
0:15:35 > 0:15:39Outside at the back there's a gravel courtyard with a large timber store
0:15:39 > 0:15:41but the rest of the lawned gardens
0:15:41 > 0:15:43lie entirely to the front of the property,
0:15:43 > 0:15:45which is where we're heading
0:15:45 > 0:15:48to have a stab at how much it all might cost.
0:15:50 > 0:15:51Look at that!
0:15:53 > 0:15:56You know, we do get to see some fabulous landscapes
0:15:56 > 0:15:58on Escape To The Country,
0:15:58 > 0:16:02but these do take some beating. Look, the Cheviots up there,
0:16:02 > 0:16:05- the most amazing light today. - It's wonderful.
0:16:05 > 0:16:07And, of course, all of it surrounding
0:16:07 > 0:16:10- a quite interesting first proposition.- Mm.
0:16:10 > 0:16:13So, Linda, can you help Chris out
0:16:13 > 0:16:17on estimating the value of this one?
0:16:17 > 0:16:20Em...about 185?
0:16:20 > 0:16:22185, yeah? Chris?
0:16:22 > 0:16:26Well, I think because it's on the edge of the National Park,
0:16:26 > 0:16:27that might put the price up a bit,
0:16:27 > 0:16:30but it is only two bedrooms, so I'll say 180.
0:16:30 > 0:16:33Well done. Absolutely spot-on.
0:16:33 > 0:16:36180, offers in the region of.
0:16:36 > 0:16:39So your £200,000 affords it comfortably,
0:16:39 > 0:16:42with plenty left over to make any little adjustments inside,
0:16:42 > 0:16:44but also in particular, I think,
0:16:44 > 0:16:47for the addition of some sort of workshop space out the back.
0:16:47 > 0:16:49Go and have a wander round. This is our first one.
0:16:49 > 0:16:51See what you get for 180
0:16:51 > 0:16:55- and I will find you a little bit later.- OK.- Off you go.
0:17:00 > 0:17:04£20,000 below budget, property number one...
0:17:12 > 0:17:15The property is set in a tranquil, rural location
0:17:15 > 0:17:18with views over the National Park.
0:17:18 > 0:17:21When I walked into the house, the house had a lovely feeling to it,
0:17:21 > 0:17:23I felt that I could live here,
0:17:23 > 0:17:26it had a nice warm feeling to it in every room.
0:17:26 > 0:17:30I think it's a good start. It is a lovely little house.
0:17:30 > 0:17:33I just worry it's a little bit small and she has a lot of books
0:17:33 > 0:17:36and I don't think she'd want to part with those,
0:17:36 > 0:17:39so I think she might struggle to get the storage space here
0:17:39 > 0:17:41that she needs for things like that.
0:17:41 > 0:17:44I've got to think about the remoteness of the location.
0:17:44 > 0:17:47Is it exactly what I want?
0:17:47 > 0:17:50So it's given me a lot of food for thought.
0:17:50 > 0:17:52You know, I've explored Northumberland
0:17:52 > 0:17:54on many occasions throughout my life
0:17:54 > 0:17:57and I have to confess the weather isn't always like this,
0:17:57 > 0:18:00but when it is, where else would you want to be?
0:18:00 > 0:18:02- It's glorious, isn't it?- Fantastic.
0:18:02 > 0:18:05And I think it's showed off our first offering in a brilliant light,
0:18:05 > 0:18:08in more ways than one, but we have got plenty more to show you.
0:18:08 > 0:18:10- All set?- Yep.
0:18:10 > 0:18:12- Might go over the border. How about that?- OK.- Wow.
0:18:22 > 0:18:25The incentive for Christine's move to Northumberland
0:18:25 > 0:18:28is the desire to get more artistic, drawing inspiration
0:18:28 > 0:18:31from her new-found coast and country environment.
0:18:31 > 0:18:34So we've arranged for Chris and Linda to meet Gerard van der Veen,
0:18:34 > 0:18:36an artist originally from Holland
0:18:36 > 0:18:39who takes reclaimed and salvaged natural materials from the county
0:18:39 > 0:18:42and transforms them into home and garden features
0:18:42 > 0:18:44to attract local wildlife.
0:18:45 > 0:18:48- Hello! I'm Linda.- Hi, I'm Gerard.
0:18:48 > 0:18:49- Hello, I'm Chris.- Hi.
0:18:49 > 0:18:51Gerard, what do you do here?
0:18:51 > 0:18:54I make all kinds of things for the environment.
0:18:54 > 0:18:56I try to use old reclaimed slate
0:18:56 > 0:18:59and make all kinds of products to enhance life in nature.
0:18:59 > 0:19:00So, why slate?
0:19:00 > 0:19:03It's a beautiful construction material to work with.
0:19:03 > 0:19:06A lot of people think, you know, slate is slate.
0:19:06 > 0:19:09No, it's not. You have from rock hard to butter soft.
0:19:09 > 0:19:11So you really have to pick and choose the right piece of slate,
0:19:11 > 0:19:14because from, say, ten pieces, I only use about two.
0:19:14 > 0:19:16Oh, wow - what sort of things do you make?
0:19:16 > 0:19:17I make a whole variety.
0:19:17 > 0:19:22I make bird feeders, to bird tables, to birdhouses, nesting boxes.
0:19:22 > 0:19:23I really want to enhance nature.
0:19:26 > 0:19:28After a career in product design,
0:19:28 > 0:19:31Gerard left the corporate world to set up his own enterprise,
0:19:31 > 0:19:34creating products that are environmentally friendly.
0:19:35 > 0:19:38Taking advantage of his proximity to the River Rede,
0:19:38 > 0:19:41which meanders through the village of West Woodburn, where he lives,
0:19:41 > 0:19:45he uses the water to clean, soak and cut the slate.
0:19:45 > 0:19:47- Like this, yeah?- Yes, yes.
0:19:47 > 0:19:51- Just top and bottom. That's it.- OK.
0:19:51 > 0:19:52Just another hundred to go.
0:19:52 > 0:19:53THEY LAUGH
0:19:54 > 0:19:56Would you go back to city life, Gerard?
0:19:56 > 0:19:58Um, not really, to be honest.
0:19:58 > 0:20:02I fell in love with nature here, especially in Northumberland.
0:20:02 > 0:20:03Its ruralness.
0:20:03 > 0:20:06The main reason why I live very rural
0:20:06 > 0:20:08is because you can shape your own life.
0:20:08 > 0:20:11When you go back to the city, the city will shape your life,
0:20:11 > 0:20:14and that's the reason why I'm here in Northumberland.
0:20:14 > 0:20:17I'm into making things from found objects,
0:20:17 > 0:20:18particularly driftwood I'm interested in,
0:20:18 > 0:20:20and there's lots of it, isn't there, around here
0:20:20 > 0:20:23- on the beaches of Northumberland? - Yes, yes.
0:20:23 > 0:20:28Now that you mention wood, I use slate, but I also use wood.
0:20:28 > 0:20:30I'm using that also in the studio.
0:20:30 > 0:20:33If Linda is ready, we could go to the studio
0:20:33 > 0:20:37and have a look at what I make from wood and slate.
0:20:37 > 0:20:38OK, lovely.
0:20:38 > 0:20:41All of Gerard's products are handmade in his workshop,
0:20:41 > 0:20:44and he's showing Chris and Linda how to make one of his bestsellers
0:20:44 > 0:20:47using reclaimed offcuts of slate from across the county -
0:20:47 > 0:20:49mostly found or donated.
0:20:49 > 0:20:51What are we making today?
0:20:51 > 0:20:53Well, I was thinking of showing you my window feeder -
0:20:53 > 0:20:55it's my most popular product.
0:20:55 > 0:20:57The birds love it, but also people who buy it love it,
0:20:57 > 0:21:00because you can see birds in very close proximity.
0:21:00 > 0:21:03This is the bottom. You put it in position there, under a slope.
0:21:03 > 0:21:06- The reason why I use a slope is the water will drain out.- Yeah.
0:21:06 > 0:21:09So, when you put the food on, the food will never get mouldy,
0:21:09 > 0:21:12and therefore they will eat everything you put there,
0:21:12 > 0:21:14and so you won't attract vermin.
0:21:16 > 0:21:20Using eco-friendly glue, two pre-cut angled slates are hinged together...
0:21:20 > 0:21:22That doesn't seem a lot.
0:21:22 > 0:21:25You don't really need very much.
0:21:25 > 0:21:27..then joined to the base and left to set.
0:21:29 > 0:21:31A bracket is then fashioned using salvaged copper wire...
0:21:32 > 0:21:34..onto which a sucker is attached
0:21:34 > 0:21:36so the feeder can be hung from a window.
0:21:38 > 0:21:40Where do you get all the rest of your materials from?
0:21:40 > 0:21:44Well, the slate is coming from all kinds of directions, to be honest.
0:21:44 > 0:21:47A lot is donated, and I try to give it an extra life.
0:21:47 > 0:21:50So after hanging 100 years on the roof,
0:21:50 > 0:21:54I'm now trying to extend it by another, say, 25, even more, years.
0:21:55 > 0:21:58Slate is a dark-grey metamorphic rock.
0:21:58 > 0:22:00Essentially, it's compressed mud
0:22:00 > 0:22:03that's been compacted and heated under extreme pressure
0:22:03 > 0:22:05over millions of years.
0:22:05 > 0:22:06- Finished?- Yeah.
0:22:06 > 0:22:08So another three window feeders.
0:22:08 > 0:22:11I would say take the window feeder with you,
0:22:11 > 0:22:12- and that's a token from me. - Oh, thank you.
0:22:12 > 0:22:15- Thank you, it's very kind of you. - Lovely memory of today.
0:22:15 > 0:22:17- It's been brilliant.- Thank you. - You've been inspirational.
0:22:17 > 0:22:21So, as we turn our attention back to the house hunt,
0:22:21 > 0:22:24let's trust that the inspiring vision continues.
0:22:28 > 0:22:30Now, your son in Edinburgh must be delighted
0:22:30 > 0:22:32that you're going to move so much closer to him?
0:22:32 > 0:22:33- LAUGHING:- Must be!
0:22:33 > 0:22:36LAUGHING: Have you not told him yet?!
0:22:36 > 0:22:38When I initially told them... When they moved to Edinburgh,
0:22:38 > 0:22:41I said, "Oh, I could come up and live there!"
0:22:41 > 0:22:44And my daughter-in-law laughed, which was not the response I wanted.
0:22:44 > 0:22:47But since they've got used to the idea, they're quite keen,
0:22:47 > 0:22:50- I think they'll like it. - I think it would be great,
0:22:50 > 0:22:53and you've got so much to explore up here!
0:22:53 > 0:22:57So many things to go and see and to inspire you
0:22:57 > 0:23:01and help you realise your creative ambitions,
0:23:01 > 0:23:03from the coastline, the castles,
0:23:03 > 0:23:07Hadrian's Wall, Kielder, the National Park,
0:23:07 > 0:23:09you know, there are so many things, I think,
0:23:09 > 0:23:12that can really fulfil that ambition.
0:23:12 > 0:23:16And we're not far from Edinburgh and Newcastle as well,
0:23:16 > 0:23:18- if we want a bit of culture. - Absolutely.
0:23:20 > 0:23:24Our property search is heading right up north and just out of the county
0:23:24 > 0:23:26to the border village of Sprouston.
0:23:26 > 0:23:29From here, the Scottish market town of Kelso
0:23:29 > 0:23:31is the nearest place to pick up essentials and luxuries.
0:23:33 > 0:23:35Situated on the banks of the River Tweed,
0:23:35 > 0:23:37Kelso lies in a fertile valley
0:23:37 > 0:23:40within ten miles of the English border.
0:23:40 > 0:23:43At its centre is a cobbled square which is the largest in Scotland,
0:23:43 > 0:23:45and whose Georgian town hall
0:23:45 > 0:23:49is topped by a clock tower that chimes every quarter.
0:23:49 > 0:23:50Another notable landmark
0:23:50 > 0:23:54are the elegant remains of the Romanesque Kelso Abbey,
0:23:54 > 0:23:56which was originally built in the 12th century.
0:23:56 > 0:24:00It was once the largest and wealthiest abbey in the country.
0:24:00 > 0:24:04The winding streets of the town host a vast range of shops and amenities,
0:24:04 > 0:24:06eateries and accommodation.
0:24:07 > 0:24:10These are all just a ten-minute drive
0:24:10 > 0:24:13from the property I want to show Chris and Linda,
0:24:13 > 0:24:16back in the rural outskirts of Sprouston.
0:24:16 > 0:24:19Right then, Chris and Linda. Come over here.
0:24:21 > 0:24:24- There we are.- That is beautiful. - Oh, that is really nice.
0:24:24 > 0:24:27It's the end terrace, really,
0:24:27 > 0:24:30in this interesting complex of former farm workers' cottages.
0:24:30 > 0:24:33The look of the house with the porch and...
0:24:33 > 0:24:36even those tiles on the roof, it just looks so welcoming.
0:24:36 > 0:24:37It's just lovely.
0:24:37 > 0:24:39The nice thing is, of course,
0:24:39 > 0:24:43it being on the end, it does feel more like it is completely detached,
0:24:43 > 0:24:45because your garden goes that way
0:24:45 > 0:24:48and you've got those amazing views beyond
0:24:48 > 0:24:52over towards England - because we have stepped over the border,
0:24:52 > 0:24:53as you know. Only just.
0:24:53 > 0:24:55About a mile or so.
0:24:55 > 0:24:59You've also got access to a communal garden out here.
0:24:59 > 0:25:01The garden, that sort of drew me in straightaway.
0:25:01 > 0:25:03You can see already from here
0:25:03 > 0:25:06there's all little nooks and crannies where you could sit,
0:25:06 > 0:25:07and a summerhouse.
0:25:07 > 0:25:10- Is this the sort of thing that might appeal?- Yes. This looks gorgeous.
0:25:10 > 0:25:11Let's have a look. Come on!
0:25:11 > 0:25:14Let's stop talking about it. Let's see what you think.
0:25:14 > 0:25:17Built between 1890 and 1900,
0:25:17 > 0:25:19at first sight this pretty end terrace seems
0:25:19 > 0:25:22to deliver on the character Chris was after.
0:25:23 > 0:25:25Recently refurbished inside,
0:25:25 > 0:25:30I'm confident the interior design will also match up to expectations.
0:25:30 > 0:25:33To the right of the entrance hall we find the main reception room.
0:25:33 > 0:25:35All right, Linda. You're in charge of the door.
0:25:35 > 0:25:37Come this way, Chris.
0:25:37 > 0:25:39Let's start with the living room.
0:25:39 > 0:25:43This delightful space features a wood-burning stove in the fireplace
0:25:43 > 0:25:45and double doors out onto the garden.
0:25:47 > 0:25:49- This is nice.- Yeah.
0:25:49 > 0:25:51I feel like somebody like me lives here.
0:25:52 > 0:25:54This first room is hitting the right mark for Chris,
0:25:54 > 0:25:57so it's all very good so far.
0:25:57 > 0:26:00What's more, we've also got a charming country kitchen.
0:26:02 > 0:26:03- I love it.- Do you?
0:26:03 > 0:26:05Yeah.
0:26:05 > 0:26:08It looks like solid beech, is it?
0:26:08 > 0:26:10Yeah, it is solid beech, yeah.
0:26:10 > 0:26:12As well as rustic wooden worktops,
0:26:12 > 0:26:15the kitchen also has enough space for a small table
0:26:15 > 0:26:17and a great utility room beyond.
0:26:17 > 0:26:20Also on the ground floor is the family bathroom,
0:26:20 > 0:26:23fitted with a classic heritage three-piece suite.
0:26:24 > 0:26:27Then the staircase winds up to the first floor,
0:26:27 > 0:26:28where there are three bedrooms.
0:26:28 > 0:26:32One is part-furnished and comes with a WC en suite.
0:26:32 > 0:26:36Another is being used as an office/music room.
0:26:36 > 0:26:37And this is the master.
0:26:39 > 0:26:41It's absolutely gorgeous.
0:26:43 > 0:26:45The master also comes with its own en-suite shower room
0:26:45 > 0:26:48and a decorative cast-iron fireplace,
0:26:48 > 0:26:50but the real highlight of the master,
0:26:50 > 0:26:51and indeed the whole property,
0:26:51 > 0:26:55has to be the large wooden balcony through the French doors.
0:26:56 > 0:26:58Wow, look at this.
0:26:58 > 0:27:00- Wow.- Amazing view, isn't it?
0:27:00 > 0:27:02Yeah. I can see a little river.
0:27:02 > 0:27:04Now, then. Here's the story.
0:27:04 > 0:27:06That little bit of river you can see
0:27:06 > 0:27:09is actually just a tiny part of the River Tweed,
0:27:09 > 0:27:11and that's the border between England and Scotland.
0:27:11 > 0:27:13So those houses you can see beyond it,
0:27:13 > 0:27:16they're in England, and we're in Scotland.
0:27:16 > 0:27:17- Right.- You couldn't be closer.
0:27:17 > 0:27:19And I love this time of year.
0:27:19 > 0:27:21I love seeing the harvest in and done
0:27:21 > 0:27:24and these round bales strewn across the landscape.
0:27:24 > 0:27:29- It's just a lovely entree into autumn.- Mm.
0:27:29 > 0:27:32- And you wanted a view, didn't you? - Yeah.
0:27:32 > 0:27:33This is a lovely view.
0:27:33 > 0:27:36It's not a sea view, but it's not bad.
0:27:36 > 0:27:39Somehow appropriate that my English son's married a Scottish girl.
0:27:39 > 0:27:41- There you are.- And here I am. - Yeah, exactly -
0:27:41 > 0:27:43the whole family's now in Scotland.
0:27:43 > 0:27:46Potentially. Not to pre-empt anything, of course, Chris.
0:27:46 > 0:27:48SHE LAUGHS
0:27:48 > 0:27:49I love it.
0:27:49 > 0:27:50Can I have it?
0:27:50 > 0:27:52Course you can! SHE LAUGHS
0:27:52 > 0:27:54- If you can afford it!- How much?
0:27:54 > 0:27:56How much, is the question, isn't it?
0:27:56 > 0:27:57- Mm.- Come on. Let's go down there.
0:27:57 > 0:27:59Give you a closer look at the garden,
0:27:59 > 0:28:01and talk about the price.
0:28:01 > 0:28:03So, as well as those stunning panoramic views,
0:28:03 > 0:28:07which the owner tells me deliver amazing sunrises,
0:28:07 > 0:28:10the cottage also benefits from a large communal lawned area
0:28:10 > 0:28:12and a landscaped private garden.
0:28:12 > 0:28:15With al fresco seating areas,
0:28:15 > 0:28:17a sheltered barbecue,
0:28:17 > 0:28:21a water feature, mature trees
0:28:21 > 0:28:24and colourful shrubs, the garden is a real oasis
0:28:24 > 0:28:29and the tools to tend it can be stored in a useful brick outhouse.
0:28:29 > 0:28:32What's more, there's even the requested workshop
0:28:32 > 0:28:34in the form of a sage-green timber summerhouse.
0:28:35 > 0:28:38Now, this, I'm thinking, would make a great writer's retreat.
0:28:38 > 0:28:42Yeah, it's great. Writing and reading in there, it's wonderful.
0:28:42 > 0:28:44Is this inspiring to you?
0:28:44 > 0:28:46I just love it. The whole... Everything about it.
0:28:46 > 0:28:50- Yeah?- Yeah, it's very you, this house, I think.- Yeah.
0:28:50 > 0:28:52Let's get to the nitty-gritty, then,
0:28:52 > 0:28:56because we haven't dealt with the price yet, Linda.
0:28:56 > 0:28:59- Mm.- Go on, then.- I would say...
0:28:59 > 0:29:02- 195.- 195.
0:29:02 > 0:29:04- Just under budget.- Mm.
0:29:04 > 0:29:05I think it's above my budget.
0:29:05 > 0:29:07- Go on.- 225.
0:29:07 > 0:29:09225.
0:29:09 > 0:29:13This is on the market for offers in excess...
0:29:13 > 0:29:18of £192,500.
0:29:18 > 0:29:21- So you weren't far off, Linda.- No!
0:29:21 > 0:29:23It's certainly under budget.
0:29:23 > 0:29:26It's a great property in a great, great spot.
0:29:26 > 0:29:29I will seriously consider it.
0:29:29 > 0:29:31Go on, then. Discuss it amongst yourselves,
0:29:31 > 0:29:34- and I will come and find you a bit later on.- OK.
0:29:39 > 0:29:41Comfortably under budget,
0:29:41 > 0:29:45this Victorian cottage is packed full of charm and character.
0:29:45 > 0:29:48It has three bedrooms that include a most impressive master suite
0:29:48 > 0:29:51with commanding views from a private balcony.
0:29:51 > 0:29:54Outside, the gardens offer plenty of scope
0:29:54 > 0:29:57for Chris's creative ambitions.
0:29:58 > 0:30:02Ah! Here you are. Enjoying your garden?
0:30:02 > 0:30:04- I am.- Ah!- Just mind out, there.
0:30:04 > 0:30:06- I can't see the view.- Pardon me!
0:30:06 > 0:30:09Pardon me. Well, you haven't bought it yet.
0:30:09 > 0:30:11- No.- Our search will continue tomorrow, but in the meantime
0:30:11 > 0:30:14- I think we should go and enjoy a well-earned glass of wine.- Let's.
0:30:14 > 0:30:17- Come on.- Sounds good.- Mine's red. - Oh, is it?!
0:30:26 > 0:30:28We're in Northumberland, which is where Chris,
0:30:28 > 0:30:31from a town near Doncaster in South Yorkshire,
0:30:31 > 0:30:34wants to establish a new life in the country.
0:30:34 > 0:30:36She's got £200,000 to spend
0:30:36 > 0:30:40and has brought along her best friend and neighbour Linda to help.
0:30:40 > 0:30:43We've still got two more property options to put forward,
0:30:43 > 0:30:45and our ladies are lost for words
0:30:45 > 0:30:47when it comes to the Mystery House.
0:30:47 > 0:30:49How do we feel about this...notion?
0:30:49 > 0:30:50This idea?
0:30:54 > 0:30:57- There is a deathly silence! - I know!
0:30:57 > 0:31:00And I visit one of the county's many fascinating castles...
0:31:00 > 0:31:01Wow!
0:31:01 > 0:31:04..to learn about its ancestors past and present
0:31:04 > 0:31:05both inside and out.
0:31:05 > 0:31:08I never thought I'd see prehistoric cattle in this number.
0:31:08 > 0:31:10Not least in Northumberland.
0:31:13 > 0:31:16I am loving this house search in Northumberland,
0:31:16 > 0:31:19and the unique dynamic between Chris and Linda
0:31:19 > 0:31:21is, if I'm honest, really intriguing -
0:31:21 > 0:31:24because on the one hand we are trying to fulfil Chris's ambitions
0:31:24 > 0:31:27to make a move to Northumberland,
0:31:27 > 0:31:30but if Linda's hopes for the future are to be realised, too, well,
0:31:30 > 0:31:33chances are she may not be far behind her -
0:31:33 > 0:31:35and that is where our Mystery House comes in.
0:31:35 > 0:31:38Now, on the one hand, of course, I would love to sell it to Chris,
0:31:38 > 0:31:41but it's also got an interesting option for Linda, as well,
0:31:41 > 0:31:44so could we be on the brink of pulling off a first
0:31:44 > 0:31:48for Escape To The Country - selling not just one, but two properties?
0:31:48 > 0:31:51However, before we get to the mystery proposition,
0:31:51 > 0:31:52we have another house to see.
0:31:54 > 0:31:56To get to it, we're going to hop back over the border
0:31:56 > 0:31:58between England and Scotland
0:31:58 > 0:32:01to the small rural Scottish village of Whitsome.
0:32:02 > 0:32:04Just over three miles away from the house,
0:32:04 > 0:32:07the English village of Norham is the closest place
0:32:07 > 0:32:08to find a good selection of facilities,
0:32:08 > 0:32:12from pubs and a convenience store to a baker's and a butcher's.
0:32:13 > 0:32:16Featuring a green surrounded by terraced stone cottages,
0:32:16 > 0:32:19Norham is one of the most northerly villages in England.
0:32:19 > 0:32:22So much so that one end actually lies in Scotland.
0:32:23 > 0:32:25The village sits in the shadow
0:32:25 > 0:32:27of the towering 12th-century Norham Castle,
0:32:27 > 0:32:31whose ruins were first captured on canvas by the painter JMW Turner
0:32:31 > 0:32:35in 1797 and came to feature in many of his works.
0:32:37 > 0:32:41So, following in the footsteps of one of the country's great masters,
0:32:41 > 0:32:43the landscape here could provide the perfect backdrop
0:32:43 > 0:32:46for our creative house hunter Chris.
0:32:46 > 0:32:49If she can see past the bovine neighbours.
0:32:51 > 0:32:54We talk about the peace and quiet of the countryside, but not here today.
0:32:54 > 0:32:57As you can hear, the farmers around about
0:32:57 > 0:33:00are busy sorting out their planting for winter crops and so on.
0:33:00 > 0:33:02There's a bit of farming activity going on,
0:33:02 > 0:33:04but of course, the countryside is a busy place.
0:33:04 > 0:33:07All of this activity surrounds... that.
0:33:07 > 0:33:10It's a lovely-looking house. Stone-built.
0:33:10 > 0:33:12Here we are again in farm worker's cottage territory.
0:33:12 > 0:33:16You can see this lovely Victorian terrace.
0:33:16 > 0:33:18End property, again, so you've got lovely views.
0:33:18 > 0:33:22Somewhere to sit out and enjoy looking at those cows.
0:33:22 > 0:33:25Yes, now, the cows, we've laid them on especially, Chris,
0:33:25 > 0:33:28to help you try and overcome your cow phobia.
0:33:28 > 0:33:31- Thank you. - They're enjoying the sunshine,
0:33:31 > 0:33:32they're not bothered by us,
0:33:32 > 0:33:34so I'm hoping that in time you won't be bothered by them.
0:33:34 > 0:33:36They're very close to the house, though.
0:33:36 > 0:33:39The fence is all right, though, I've checked it.
0:33:39 > 0:33:40Don't worry about it.
0:33:40 > 0:33:44It also comes with this garden and that summerhouse.
0:33:44 > 0:33:46I didn't notice that at first.
0:33:46 > 0:33:49- That's nice.- Yeah.- That would be quite a useful studio for you.
0:33:49 > 0:33:51- It would. - Linda, what's your first impression?
0:33:51 > 0:33:55I don't think it's as pretty as the last house we saw,
0:33:55 > 0:33:58but it is nice, yeah. Let's see what it looks like inside.
0:33:58 > 0:34:00Right then, let's see what you think.
0:34:00 > 0:34:03Although sensing a bit of trepidation outside,
0:34:03 > 0:34:05this stone-built semidetached home
0:34:05 > 0:34:08is definitely worth a closer inspection.
0:34:08 > 0:34:10It's got a rather unusual layout,
0:34:10 > 0:34:12so could deliver that quirky character
0:34:12 > 0:34:13Chris was hoping for.
0:34:15 > 0:34:16Down on the ground floor
0:34:16 > 0:34:19is a double bedroom, a bathroom and an open-plan
0:34:19 > 0:34:21kitchen, dining and living room
0:34:21 > 0:34:23with a stone feature fireplace.
0:34:24 > 0:34:26- That's lovely.- Oh, that is nice.
0:34:26 > 0:34:28I've never had a kitchen this big before.
0:34:28 > 0:34:30But what makes this one slightly curious
0:34:30 > 0:34:34is that the main living room is not here, it's upstairs.
0:34:34 > 0:34:37Just beyond the kitchen/living area, through a small hall,
0:34:37 > 0:34:40lies the double bedroom and the main four-piece family bathroom,
0:34:40 > 0:34:42which has two entrances...
0:34:43 > 0:34:47..but in many ways this is a property of twos.
0:34:47 > 0:34:49It's got two bedrooms, two bathrooms
0:34:49 > 0:34:50and two living rooms,
0:34:50 > 0:34:52the second one being up the stairs
0:34:52 > 0:34:53on the first floor.
0:34:54 > 0:34:58Have you ever tried upside-down living, as it were?
0:34:58 > 0:35:01No. But somebody who lives at the bottom of my garden
0:35:01 > 0:35:02has got an upside-down house.
0:35:02 > 0:35:04And I've been to New Zealand.
0:35:04 > 0:35:06There you are, then!
0:35:06 > 0:35:09- What do you think? - That's really unusual, isn't it?
0:35:09 > 0:35:12I was just expecting a landing, but it's the whole floor,
0:35:12 > 0:35:13and I love the windows.
0:35:13 > 0:35:16I'm already thinking that I'd have the bigger kitchen
0:35:16 > 0:35:17and come and sit up here,
0:35:17 > 0:35:20or maybe I'd have one room for music, one room for the TV.
0:35:20 > 0:35:22- Nice idea.- Quirky.
0:35:22 > 0:35:25It is quirky. Well, you said that Chris would like quirky.
0:35:25 > 0:35:26Is this quirky enough, Chris?
0:35:26 > 0:35:27It's quirky, yeah.
0:35:29 > 0:35:31Up here, what could be Chris's master
0:35:31 > 0:35:34is another spacious double bedroom.
0:35:34 > 0:35:37Fitted wardrobes. I like the shape of it, again.
0:35:38 > 0:35:41And finally for the internal tour is the shower room -
0:35:41 > 0:35:43again, Jack and Jill in style,
0:35:43 > 0:35:45so also acts as an en-suite to the master.
0:35:45 > 0:35:47There you are.
0:35:47 > 0:35:49Jack and Jill, what a great idea.
0:35:49 > 0:35:50THEY CHUCKLE
0:35:52 > 0:35:56I think it's fair to say that both ladies are suitably impressed
0:35:56 > 0:35:58up to now - and the final piece of the puzzle
0:35:58 > 0:36:00is what's on offer in terms of garden space.
0:36:00 > 0:36:02That, and the all-important price.
0:36:05 > 0:36:08This is the thing to consider now, of course, the garden.
0:36:08 > 0:36:10We glimpsed it on our way in.
0:36:10 > 0:36:11The main event here, really,
0:36:11 > 0:36:14is that studio summerhouse, which I'm sure you'd make good use of.
0:36:14 > 0:36:16Insulated, it's got power in it -
0:36:16 > 0:36:19and, of course, behind it, those lovely views of the Cheviots.
0:36:19 > 0:36:20Yeah, it's gorgeous.
0:36:20 > 0:36:22I think it's a really simple proposition,
0:36:22 > 0:36:25but I think it could work for you, that's what I really like about it -
0:36:25 > 0:36:26and I think Linda's coming round to it, too.
0:36:26 > 0:36:29- Yeah, I agree. I do think it would work for her, actually.- Yeah.
0:36:29 > 0:36:32Well, let's get down to the numbers, shall we?
0:36:32 > 0:36:35You've got £200,000 to spend.
0:36:36 > 0:36:39We're just over the border in Scotland, so...
0:36:39 > 0:36:40make me an offer on this one.
0:36:40 > 0:36:42I think it's near the top of the budget.
0:36:42 > 0:36:44I would say 195.
0:36:44 > 0:36:46195. Linda?
0:36:46 > 0:36:49I don't agree, actually. I think it's the lower end.
0:36:49 > 0:36:51I think maybe even 175.
0:36:51 > 0:36:53- Oh, do you?- Mm.
0:36:53 > 0:36:55Well, I'm afraid you're both wrong -
0:36:55 > 0:36:56but it's good news,
0:36:56 > 0:37:00because this is on the market for offers in the region of...
0:37:00 > 0:37:03£165,000.
0:37:03 > 0:37:05Wow, I like it even more now!
0:37:05 > 0:37:06I thought you might!
0:37:07 > 0:37:10Right. It's not a big place, but we will give you a little more time
0:37:10 > 0:37:13to have a run around and see what you think of it, get a feel of it,
0:37:13 > 0:37:16because it is different, that whole upside-down thing.
0:37:16 > 0:37:17Go and enjoy yourselves.
0:37:17 > 0:37:21- OK.- OK.- And I will find you somewhere a little bit later on.
0:37:21 > 0:37:22Brilliant.
0:37:22 > 0:37:25You know, there's an old phrase which I rely upon every day -
0:37:25 > 0:37:26less is more.
0:37:26 > 0:37:29That's the way to get something simple, to get something efficient,
0:37:29 > 0:37:32and to get something which ultimately just works,
0:37:32 > 0:37:34and that's what I love about this property.
0:37:34 > 0:37:35Less is more.
0:37:38 > 0:37:40£35,000 below budget,
0:37:40 > 0:37:44this Victorian semidetached upside-down cottage has a modern,
0:37:44 > 0:37:47open-plan kitchen, living and dining room.
0:37:47 > 0:37:50Two double bedrooms, two bathrooms,
0:37:50 > 0:37:53as well as a substantial, fully-powered summerhouse -
0:37:53 > 0:37:56and the property is situated in a peaceful, rural pocket
0:37:56 > 0:37:58surrounded by farmland.
0:38:00 > 0:38:04This house is probably more the sort of house that I was imagining
0:38:04 > 0:38:06I would want to have.
0:38:06 > 0:38:11Because of that old exterior, some history to it,
0:38:11 > 0:38:13but all the mod cons inside.
0:38:13 > 0:38:17I wouldn't have to do anything to it, and yet it would be so peaceful
0:38:17 > 0:38:20and I've got extra space outside,
0:38:20 > 0:38:24a small garden but also a summerhouse and somewhere to sit.
0:38:24 > 0:38:27- Wow, it's big in here, isn't it? - It's lovely.
0:38:27 > 0:38:30I can imagine actually not having the settee in here
0:38:30 > 0:38:34- and have this as like a workshop. - Yeah, it's a lovely space.
0:38:34 > 0:38:36This one is a good contender, I think,
0:38:36 > 0:38:40because it's got the space she needs, the quirkiness she likes,
0:38:40 > 0:38:42it's nice and quiet, lovely views.
0:38:42 > 0:38:47I'm not sure about the cows. She didn't seem too worried today,
0:38:47 > 0:38:49so it may cure her phobia, you never know!
0:38:49 > 0:38:53Ah, I thought I might find you out here!
0:38:53 > 0:38:55Very useful thing, isn't it?
0:38:55 > 0:38:57- It's lovely.- Yeah.- It's perfect.
0:38:57 > 0:39:00Already I'm having my studio workshop in here
0:39:00 > 0:39:02to do my driftwood sculptures.
0:39:02 > 0:39:03I thought you might.
0:39:03 > 0:39:06- You see, it's all coming together beautifully.- Mm!
0:39:06 > 0:39:09So, we have potentially another property
0:39:09 > 0:39:11on your list of possibles, do we?
0:39:11 > 0:39:15- Definitely.- But there is one more to see - our Mystery House -
0:39:15 > 0:39:19and for that we're going to take a bit of a drive back over the border.
0:39:19 > 0:39:21- Come on.- OK.
0:39:34 > 0:39:38With miles of prime coast and acres of beautiful countryside,
0:39:38 > 0:39:42control of Northumberland has been a source of conflict for centuries.
0:39:42 > 0:39:44A legacy of this turbulent past
0:39:44 > 0:39:48is found within the now peaceful walls of the county's castles.
0:39:50 > 0:39:52I've come to visit Chillingham Castle,
0:39:52 > 0:39:54home to Sir Humphry Wakefield.
0:39:54 > 0:39:58The castle had lain derelict for some 50 years,
0:39:58 > 0:40:00but Sir Humphry poured his heart and soul
0:40:00 > 0:40:02into a formidable restoration project,
0:40:02 > 0:40:05and now proudly opens the castle to the public.
0:40:08 > 0:40:11- Sir Humphry.- Jules. - Very nice to see you, sir.
0:40:11 > 0:40:14- Very good to see you. - And what a wonderful home you have.
0:40:14 > 0:40:15I love it very much indeed.
0:40:15 > 0:40:16It's a wonderful border castle
0:40:16 > 0:40:18with all the strengths that you would expect,
0:40:18 > 0:40:20and all the history's still here.
0:40:20 > 0:40:22It's interesting to stand here and imagine
0:40:22 > 0:40:25what this would have looked like when great retinues arrived
0:40:25 > 0:40:27to use the castle and host events over the centuries.
0:40:27 > 0:40:32Oh, many kings, and forces - assault forces - as well.
0:40:32 > 0:40:35- It's seen a lot.- But it's been your home since the early 1980s,
0:40:35 > 0:40:39when you set about, let's face it, a pretty ambitious project.
0:40:39 > 0:40:42I'm fascinated to see just what you've done
0:40:42 > 0:40:43and how you've gone about it.
0:40:43 > 0:40:45Can you give me a very personal tour?
0:40:45 > 0:40:47I will show it to you.
0:40:47 > 0:40:49It's wonderful.
0:40:49 > 0:40:52Chillingham became fully fortified in 1344,
0:40:52 > 0:40:55and there have been very few structural additions since then,
0:40:55 > 0:40:58apart from the elaborate galleries built in the Tudor period
0:40:58 > 0:41:00which surround the central courtyard.
0:41:02 > 0:41:03This is fabulous.
0:41:03 > 0:41:06Wow. What was it like when you first discovered it?
0:41:06 > 0:41:10When I came here it was a forest of trees.
0:41:10 > 0:41:12Wherever you see a stone cracked,
0:41:12 > 0:41:13there was a tree growing up.
0:41:13 > 0:41:15It was just crying out for action.
0:41:15 > 0:41:18The stones here, the paving stones here,
0:41:18 > 0:41:22they were put in for the King's visit in 1603.
0:41:22 > 0:41:26- Which king?- King James I of England, VI of Scotland.
0:41:26 > 0:41:29But the family's ancestors must have been a bit downhearted
0:41:29 > 0:41:31when they thought the King was coming,
0:41:31 > 0:41:34because the amount of expense they'd have to go to to accommodate him.
0:41:34 > 0:41:36They had cash.
0:41:36 > 0:41:37They wanted him to stay.
0:41:37 > 0:41:40They were on the up, and that was just the ticket.
0:41:40 > 0:41:42- So it was a nice political move? - Very nice.
0:41:42 > 0:41:45A very good, strong political move, yes.
0:41:45 > 0:41:49- Come on, show me what you've done. - Come and have a look.
0:41:49 > 0:41:53Many rooms have been returned to their opulent regal splendour
0:41:53 > 0:41:55and are chock-full of curios
0:41:55 > 0:41:59that present a wonderful mosaic of history and periods.
0:41:59 > 0:42:02Sir Humphry has tackled dry rot, collapsed roofs, burst pipes,
0:42:02 > 0:42:06birds and bats to bring the castle back to its former glory,
0:42:06 > 0:42:10which really shines through in the King James I drawing room.
0:42:12 > 0:42:16Wow. Well, this is another moment in time completely, isn't it?
0:42:16 > 0:42:20It is. It's the same moment in time put in for the King.
0:42:20 > 0:42:22Is that an Elizabethan ceiling?
0:42:22 > 0:42:23Yes. 1500.
0:42:23 > 0:42:26But for all the challenges of restoring the castle
0:42:26 > 0:42:31and the responsibility of being the guardian of this building,
0:42:31 > 0:42:35what is day-to-day life like for you in a castle like this?
0:42:35 > 0:42:37Day-to-day life is absolutely wonderful,
0:42:37 > 0:42:40and I love living here,
0:42:40 > 0:42:42and feel very happy living here,
0:42:42 > 0:42:45and feel the ghosts are happy with me.
0:42:45 > 0:42:47Well, Sir Humphry, it's been a real treat.
0:42:47 > 0:42:50I'm going to leave you in peace. Thank you very much indeed.
0:42:50 > 0:42:52But there's so much more to see.
0:42:52 > 0:42:53Come back many times and see all the other rooms,
0:42:53 > 0:42:57because we've got lots of other rooms to show you.
0:42:57 > 0:42:59There is so much more to see,
0:42:59 > 0:43:01and I couldn't leave without exploring
0:43:01 > 0:43:03some of the 360 acres here,
0:43:03 > 0:43:06and, exclusively on the grounds of this estate,
0:43:06 > 0:43:10another descendant, this time of potentially prehistoric pedigree,
0:43:10 > 0:43:13is free to roam the grounds outside.
0:43:13 > 0:43:15Park warden Ellie Crossley is taking me to see
0:43:15 > 0:43:19the Chillingham wild cattle... from a very safe distance.
0:43:19 > 0:43:22Ellie, I've come across many animals that are termed wild,
0:43:22 > 0:43:25- but yours are the real thing, aren't they?- Yeah, absolutely.
0:43:25 > 0:43:28They've been here for, potentially, 800 years
0:43:28 > 0:43:31- and they've never been handled by humans.- And how careful
0:43:31 > 0:43:34do we need to be in getting close to them to get a real understanding
0:43:34 > 0:43:37of how they've managed to survive for so many centuries?
0:43:37 > 0:43:40Each and every day, when I take people into the park,
0:43:40 > 0:43:43I make my decision based on their mood and what sort of day it is.
0:43:43 > 0:43:44Today it is quite warm and sunny,
0:43:44 > 0:43:47so they're quite relaxed, so we can probably get a bit closer today.
0:43:47 > 0:43:50I can see one just poking his head up through there. Is it a he?
0:43:50 > 0:43:53- Yes, that is a bull. You see the horns that point forward?- Yes.
0:43:53 > 0:43:56The cows have horns that go upwards and backwards slightly.
0:43:56 > 0:43:59- How much closer can we get? - We can get a bit closer, yes.
0:43:59 > 0:44:01Come on, let's have a look.
0:44:01 > 0:44:04BULL MOOS
0:44:04 > 0:44:07This rare-breed herd currently stands at just over 100
0:44:07 > 0:44:10and are believed to be the only survivors of the wild herds
0:44:10 > 0:44:13that once roamed Britain's forests.
0:44:13 > 0:44:16The cattle were held sacred by pre-Christian pagans,
0:44:16 > 0:44:18who sacrificed them to their gods
0:44:18 > 0:44:21and later in their history the wild cattle were used
0:44:21 > 0:44:24both to defend the castle, as well as to feed its inhabitants.
0:44:26 > 0:44:29The bull, there, looks absolutely beautiful,
0:44:29 > 0:44:32and there is certainly something very prehistoric
0:44:32 > 0:44:34about the outline of the head and the shoulders.
0:44:34 > 0:44:36Yeah, and the way the dappled effect
0:44:36 > 0:44:38makes him blend perfectly in with the woodland, as well.
0:44:38 > 0:44:40But in terms of the way you manage them,
0:44:40 > 0:44:43as I understand it, you don't interfere with them at all.
0:44:43 > 0:44:45No vets, no calving.
0:44:45 > 0:44:46You don't really even have to feed them.
0:44:46 > 0:44:49No, I mean, it's literally just survival of the fittest out here.
0:44:49 > 0:44:50That's how it's always been.
0:44:50 > 0:44:53That's resulted in extremely strong, hardy animals
0:44:53 > 0:44:55that can do very well without our help.
0:44:55 > 0:44:58It's quite a thought to think that this small number of animals
0:44:58 > 0:45:02that we're looking at now represents such a huge leap back in time.
0:45:02 > 0:45:05And that's why it's really important to keep them here,
0:45:05 > 0:45:08cos this shows such a vast difference between these animals
0:45:08 > 0:45:10and what we've now created on our farms,
0:45:10 > 0:45:13which are so incredibly different to these guys.
0:45:13 > 0:45:16A dairy cow wouldn't survive five seconds out here.
0:45:16 > 0:45:19On a farm, you have one bull who never has to compete for his females
0:45:19 > 0:45:21a day in his life, basically.
0:45:21 > 0:45:22Whereas here we have 50 bulls,
0:45:22 > 0:45:24and they're all competing for the top spot
0:45:24 > 0:45:26to be able to mate with the females.
0:45:26 > 0:45:28It's absolutely amazing watching that.
0:45:28 > 0:45:29Well, it's a wonderful sight, Ellie.
0:45:29 > 0:45:32I never thought I'd see prehistoric cattle in this number.
0:45:32 > 0:45:35Not least in Northumberland. But it's a real joy.
0:45:35 > 0:45:37- Thank you very much. - You're very welcome.
0:45:38 > 0:45:40What history these ancient cattle,
0:45:40 > 0:45:44the castle walls and its reputed ghosts have experienced
0:45:44 > 0:45:46over the centuries.
0:45:46 > 0:45:49In an unbroken cycle since the 13th century,
0:45:49 > 0:45:52the majestic Chillingham has proudly stood the test of time.
0:45:57 > 0:46:00I'm back on the road with our house-hunter Chris,
0:46:00 > 0:46:02along with her best mate Linda,
0:46:02 > 0:46:05and we're all travelling to our final property destination.
0:46:05 > 0:46:09The mystery proposition is in the hamlet of Guyzance,
0:46:09 > 0:46:11in the heart of Northumberland proper -
0:46:11 > 0:46:14and also our closest location to the coast.
0:46:14 > 0:46:19Well, Linda and Chris, our property tour is nearly over,
0:46:19 > 0:46:23we've just got one more to come, our Mystery House.
0:46:23 > 0:46:26Any thoughts, Linda, as to what it might be?
0:46:26 > 0:46:30I have no idea at all what you're going to get for her this time,
0:46:30 > 0:46:33I just can't think what it might be at all.
0:46:33 > 0:46:36Well, it might not just be for Chris.
0:46:36 > 0:46:39- Ah!- It might involve something for you, Linda...- OK.
0:46:39 > 0:46:40..as well,
0:46:40 > 0:46:43and you may not have to fight over it.
0:46:43 > 0:46:46- There's a riddle for you, Chris.- Mm.
0:46:47 > 0:46:50Our ladies should be encouraged to know
0:46:50 > 0:46:52that the Mystery House is just five miles from Warkworth,
0:46:52 > 0:46:55a place they both know and love.
0:46:55 > 0:46:58Just a mile from the beaches, and surrounded by the River Coquet,
0:46:58 > 0:47:00Warkworth is an ancient village
0:47:00 > 0:47:03whose steep roads are lined with attractive traditional buildings
0:47:03 > 0:47:08housing an assortment of artisan shops, pubs, cafes and hotels.
0:47:10 > 0:47:14Then, at the summit, stand the medieval ruins of Warkworth Castle,
0:47:14 > 0:47:18which is where William Shakespeare set scenes from his play Henry IV.
0:47:18 > 0:47:22A ten-minute drive away from the action, in the quiet of Guyzance,
0:47:22 > 0:47:23is a 35-acre woodland
0:47:23 > 0:47:27where, within a private development of 12 holiday cottages,
0:47:27 > 0:47:29we find the last in our selection.
0:47:32 > 0:47:34Right, then.
0:47:34 > 0:47:35Mystery House time.
0:47:35 > 0:47:37- Or Mystery Houses.- Mm!
0:47:37 > 0:47:41Because within this complex of holiday cottages,
0:47:41 > 0:47:45a good number of them are being sold off into private home ownership,
0:47:45 > 0:47:47as it were, as more domestic homes.
0:47:47 > 0:47:50- So we have a choice of properties to show you...- Oh!
0:47:50 > 0:47:54..and we have two in particular that we'd like you to look at.
0:47:54 > 0:47:55Which would mean, of course, Linda,
0:47:55 > 0:47:58that you and Chris could continue to be neighbours.
0:47:58 > 0:48:01How do we feel about this...notion, this idea?
0:48:06 > 0:48:08- There is a deathly silence! - I know!
0:48:10 > 0:48:13Well, initially, I don't like it.
0:48:13 > 0:48:15It looks like a holiday cottage.
0:48:15 > 0:48:17Exactly what it is.
0:48:17 > 0:48:19However, as I say, many of them are now being sold off
0:48:19 > 0:48:21- to become individual homes.- Mm.
0:48:21 > 0:48:24I have the keys, here, to this one,
0:48:24 > 0:48:26- which I'd like you to look at in particular...- Mm-hm.
0:48:26 > 0:48:30..but I think, Chris, we'll show you one down here.
0:48:30 > 0:48:31OK.
0:48:33 > 0:48:37Although it appears that Chris has made up her mind already,
0:48:37 > 0:48:38I've still got my fingers crossed
0:48:38 > 0:48:42that she might like the exterior of the cottage we've chosen for her.
0:48:42 > 0:48:44What do you think?
0:48:44 > 0:48:47It sort of looks like a... glorified caravan site.
0:48:48 > 0:48:51Given the robust but enchanting stone architecture
0:48:51 > 0:48:54and the history that goes with it, to be fair,
0:48:54 > 0:48:58I definitely wouldn't describe this development as a caravan park.
0:48:58 > 0:49:00Come on, let's see what you think.
0:49:00 > 0:49:02What we have to show Chris
0:49:02 > 0:49:04is an end-of-terrace old farmer's cottage
0:49:04 > 0:49:07with a neat garden that wraps around the back.
0:49:07 > 0:49:11Recently renovated to a high-spec contemporary finish,
0:49:11 > 0:49:13on the ground floor there's a kitchen,
0:49:13 > 0:49:14a WC and a sitting room -
0:49:14 > 0:49:16which is our first port of call.
0:49:18 > 0:49:21It's a bit small and a bit modern-looking, I think.
0:49:21 > 0:49:22Not much character inside.
0:49:24 > 0:49:26Sadly, they haven't been persuaded.
0:49:26 > 0:49:28Perhaps the kitchen might fare better.
0:49:28 > 0:49:32It still feels modern and a bit plain.
0:49:32 > 0:49:33Oh, dear. Chris?
0:49:33 > 0:49:35I agree. It's just not working for me.
0:49:37 > 0:49:40Still no takers from either of our ladies.
0:49:40 > 0:49:43So this will be a whistle-stop tour.
0:49:43 > 0:49:46Upstairs, a family bathroom serves two bedrooms -
0:49:46 > 0:49:49one a double with exposed beams, the other slightly smaller.
0:49:50 > 0:49:52On paper, the mystery property
0:49:52 > 0:49:55seemed like an obvious plan to present -
0:49:55 > 0:49:57two great friends, two great neighbours,
0:49:57 > 0:50:01and here's the chance to continue living close by to one another -
0:50:01 > 0:50:03but it's not to be.
0:50:03 > 0:50:05So, next, we need to talk about the price,
0:50:05 > 0:50:07which is normally the moment I look forward to -
0:50:07 > 0:50:09but on this occasion I'm dreading it.
0:50:11 > 0:50:14It does open up right around here.
0:50:14 > 0:50:16Yes, it's a fair-sized garden, isn't it?
0:50:16 > 0:50:18I can certainly see this bursting with life
0:50:18 > 0:50:20with some clever planting and what have you.
0:50:20 > 0:50:22I mean, yeah, you've got the neighbours around,
0:50:22 > 0:50:25but it is what it is, it's an old farm complex.
0:50:25 > 0:50:27But, again, this lovely architecture coming through.
0:50:27 > 0:50:29Yes, a nice outside space.
0:50:30 > 0:50:32Hurrah. We got a good thing.
0:50:32 > 0:50:35We got one thing right with this one for you.
0:50:35 > 0:50:38Humour me and make us an offer on our Mystery House.
0:50:38 > 0:50:43I think, given the proximity to the sea, I'll say 150.
0:50:43 > 0:50:45150. Linda?
0:50:45 > 0:50:46I was thinking the same, actually.
0:50:46 > 0:50:48I thought about 150,000.
0:50:48 > 0:50:51So let's say you both agree on 150.
0:50:51 > 0:50:53This is on at £175,000 -
0:50:53 > 0:50:55because of its proximity to the sea
0:50:55 > 0:50:58and all the things that you've identified, Chris, really.
0:50:58 > 0:51:00Yeah.
0:51:00 > 0:51:03Now, to be fair, I don't think you need to have another look inside
0:51:03 > 0:51:06this one. However, I would appreciate it
0:51:06 > 0:51:10if you would go and have a look at the first property we saw, Linda,
0:51:10 > 0:51:12which I think might be of interest to you.
0:51:12 > 0:51:14I'm still hoping!
0:51:14 > 0:51:16You know where it is, it's round the corner,
0:51:16 > 0:51:17and I will come and find you later on.
0:51:17 > 0:51:19- We'll guess the price on that one, too.- OK.
0:51:19 > 0:51:22Be interesting to see what you think. Off you go.
0:51:23 > 0:51:25Well, there you have it.
0:51:25 > 0:51:31Sometimes it goes really well, and sometimes it goes really badly.
0:51:32 > 0:51:36And sometimes it feels like a real disaster.
0:51:38 > 0:51:40Comfortably under budget,
0:51:40 > 0:51:42the two-bedroom Mystery Home for Chris
0:51:42 > 0:51:44is a stone cottage in a small private complex
0:51:44 > 0:51:48of both residential and commercial properties.
0:51:48 > 0:51:51Set within a 35-acre site and close to the coast,
0:51:51 > 0:51:53the development has another lot for sale,
0:51:53 > 0:51:57so could enable the two friends to stay as neighbours.
0:51:57 > 0:52:00And the other property that we had earmarked for Linda
0:52:00 > 0:52:02is just around the corner.
0:52:02 > 0:52:06This is another semidetached two-bedroom potential home,
0:52:06 > 0:52:09but with a slightly smaller internal footprint
0:52:09 > 0:52:11and an open-plan kitchen and living area
0:52:11 > 0:52:14that spreads throughout the entire ground floor.
0:52:14 > 0:52:16Oh, to have been a fly on the wall
0:52:16 > 0:52:18during their house tour of this one!
0:52:18 > 0:52:20HE KNOCKS But we've got to go.
0:52:20 > 0:52:22- How are we doing?- OK.
0:52:22 > 0:52:24Out you come. Come on, Linda.
0:52:26 > 0:52:28Now, I know what Chris thinks of next door
0:52:28 > 0:52:29and what you thought of it.
0:52:29 > 0:52:33This one is cheaper, but what do you think it's worth?
0:52:33 > 0:52:35Hm, 145?
0:52:35 > 0:52:39Try 165. Yeah, there's only ten grand in it.
0:52:39 > 0:52:41- Has it sold itself? - No, it's too small.
0:52:41 > 0:52:44It just feels the same as the other one.
0:52:44 > 0:52:47However, ordinarily I might be crestfallen
0:52:47 > 0:52:49and desperately disappointed -
0:52:49 > 0:52:51but I think we've shown you some really good properties
0:52:51 > 0:52:54this week, Chris, and maybe one or two of them
0:52:54 > 0:52:56may provide an option for the future.
0:52:56 > 0:52:58- Maybe.- Maybe.
0:52:58 > 0:53:00Right, come on. Let's go and think about it.
0:53:09 > 0:53:10When I last saw Linda and Chris,
0:53:10 > 0:53:14I certainly got the sense that perhaps not all of our efforts
0:53:14 > 0:53:15this week had been in vain.
0:53:15 > 0:53:19There certainly seemed to be a little twinkle in Chris's eye -
0:53:19 > 0:53:22but have we managed to find her a home for the future?
0:53:22 > 0:53:23Well, let's go and ask her.
0:53:30 > 0:53:32Well, how are we doing, then?
0:53:32 > 0:53:35- Great, thank you. - Are you feeling refreshed?
0:53:35 > 0:53:37- Yes.- Relaxed?
0:53:37 > 0:53:38- Yes.- Relieved?
0:53:38 > 0:53:40- Yes.- I thought you might be!
0:53:40 > 0:53:43Hopefully it wasn't that bad, Chris.
0:53:43 > 0:53:46- Goodness me, we've done some miles this week, haven't we?- We have!
0:53:46 > 0:53:48And we've seen some fabulous scenery
0:53:48 > 0:53:50and we've also been able to offer you, I think,
0:53:50 > 0:53:55a really nice package of properties to tempt you with.
0:53:55 > 0:53:57Are you still sure that this is the part of the world for you?
0:53:57 > 0:53:58Definitely.
0:53:58 > 0:54:03- So, where are we?- I like the property with the balcony...- Yeah.
0:54:03 > 0:54:06..and the upside-down house.
0:54:06 > 0:54:08Both of which happen to be...
0:54:08 > 0:54:12in Scotland, albeit only just,
0:54:12 > 0:54:16- but let's face it, the border is pretty porous really.- Yep.
0:54:16 > 0:54:20Right, then. Two properties to choose from.
0:54:20 > 0:54:22A property with a balcony near Kelso.
0:54:22 > 0:54:25- What did you think of that, then? - It was beautiful.
0:54:25 > 0:54:28I felt like somebody like me had lived in it.
0:54:28 > 0:54:30- You said that when we got there. - I know.
0:54:30 > 0:54:32And then I found out that it was an artist's house.
0:54:32 > 0:54:34It was just beautiful.
0:54:34 > 0:54:36It's obviously made quite an impression.
0:54:36 > 0:54:39- Linda, what did you make of it? - It was just so stunning,
0:54:39 > 0:54:42I just didn't imagine she could get anything like that for her money.
0:54:42 > 0:54:45But then we took you to what we're now calling
0:54:45 > 0:54:47the upside-down house, Chris -
0:54:47 > 0:54:49and clearly that works for you as well.
0:54:49 > 0:54:51At first when I saw it...
0:54:51 > 0:54:54I mean, there was a field full of cows next to it to start with,
0:54:54 > 0:54:55which put me off a little bit.
0:54:55 > 0:54:57But, again, it was a beautiful house,
0:54:57 > 0:55:00beautifully built, an old farmer's house,
0:55:00 > 0:55:03but once you went inside, it was so modern,
0:55:03 > 0:55:07and it would be a lovely house for people to come and stay, as well.
0:55:07 > 0:55:10What have you concocted between you to try and resolve this dilemma?
0:55:10 > 0:55:16The price of the upside-down house is appealing,
0:55:16 > 0:55:19but I'm trying not to let that sway me absolutely
0:55:19 > 0:55:22if I wanted the other one more,
0:55:22 > 0:55:25and it is difficult to decide between the two,
0:55:25 > 0:55:29so I'd have to come up and see them both again.
0:55:29 > 0:55:31Probably bring my son and his wife with me.
0:55:31 > 0:55:34I mean, we know you wanted to be nearer to your son.
0:55:34 > 0:55:35He, of course, lives in Edinburgh.
0:55:35 > 0:55:37So actually it might work out quite well.
0:55:37 > 0:55:40Yeah - and I've always wanted to be Scottish as well.
0:55:40 > 0:55:41So, I would be!
0:55:43 > 0:55:45But for both of those properties you can look out and see England.
0:55:45 > 0:55:48I mean, you couldn't be closer to the border.
0:55:48 > 0:55:51- No.- So, Linda, you also have said throughout
0:55:51 > 0:55:55that you also were considering following your neighbour
0:55:55 > 0:55:57and moving up here.
0:55:57 > 0:55:59- Would you do it?- I would, actually -
0:55:59 > 0:56:02but I think I would have something nearer to the coast,
0:56:02 > 0:56:05but I'd still be near enough to Chris to see her regularly.
0:56:05 > 0:56:07So you won't be near neighbours.
0:56:07 > 0:56:11You may indeed end up on either side of the border -
0:56:11 > 0:56:14but clearly remaining the greatest of friends.
0:56:14 > 0:56:17That is, I think, very obvious for anyone watching this.
0:56:17 > 0:56:19So I wish you all the best, Chris,
0:56:19 > 0:56:22in making what could be quite a difficult decision,
0:56:22 > 0:56:26but one which I hope will give you everything you've been looking for.
0:56:26 > 0:56:28- Thank you.- Thank you.
0:56:33 > 0:56:35Well, Northumberland and its border with Scotland
0:56:35 > 0:56:38has been hotly contested for centuries,
0:56:38 > 0:56:42but it would seem we've left Chris with a contest all of her own -
0:56:42 > 0:56:44to try and choose between two, I think,
0:56:44 > 0:56:46pretty exceptional properties.
0:56:46 > 0:56:48But unlike so many of the fierce battles
0:56:48 > 0:56:51that have been fought up here over the years,
0:56:51 > 0:56:53I do hope hers has a happy ending.
0:56:53 > 0:56:54I'll see you next time.
0:56:56 > 0:56:57A week after our visit,
0:56:57 > 0:57:00Chris tried to make plans for a second viewing
0:57:00 > 0:57:01at the upside-down house,
0:57:01 > 0:57:04but, alas, someone else had already snapped it up.
0:57:04 > 0:57:06So her search continues.
0:57:06 > 0:57:08If you'd like to escape to the country
0:57:08 > 0:57:11in England, Northern Ireland, Scotland or Wales
0:57:11 > 0:57:14and would like our help, then please apply online at...