Northumberland Escape to the Country

Welcome to Escape To The Country.

This magnificent castle behind me has, over the centuries,

played host to both medieval and Stuart kings,

but when its current owner bought it less than 40 years ago,

it was, in his words, a total wreck.

So, who might be persuaded to take on such an ambitious project

of restoration - and where?

Well, join me in just a moment and I'll tell you.

On today's show, two friends partner up

to help one of them fulfil a long-held country dream -

but bonding with the locals could prove tricky.

Somewhere to sit out and enjoy looking at those cows.

We've laid them on especially, Chris,

to help you try and overcome your cow phobia.

'And if the figures stack up,

'our properties are right on the money.'

I love it.

Can I have it?

Course you can! SHE LAUGHS

-If you can afford it!

-How much?

How much is the question, isn't it?

Well, today we are in Northumberland,

and this is the very splendid backdrop of Chillingham Castle,

home to the Grey family since the 13th century -

a family, who, amongst other things,

gave us a very popular blend of tea.

Now, over the last 800 years or so, it's been lived in, fought over

and then finally left to rack and ruin

until its current owner, the very colourful Sir Humphry Wakefield,

bought it back in the early 1980s.

Now, later on in the show,

I'll be getting my own, very special guided tour

in the company of Sir Humphry himself,

finding out just what it takes to restore a building like this,

but also getting a little insight into what life is really like

in a very Englishman's castle.

Right at the head of England,

Northumberland is the country's crowning glory,

sharing County Durham and Cumbria's county borders,

with Scotland just the other side of its northern boundary.

And Northumberland's prime position,

sitting shoulder to shoulder with Scotland,

has greatly influenced the county's heritage and architecture.

At the mouth of the River Tweed,

the definitive border town of Berwick-upon-Tweed has changed hands

between the English and Scottish at least 13 times.

And the border wars which raged through the Middle Ages

have left the landscape with a rich assortment

of medieval fortifications, both ruinous and preserved.

Among the many castles

that litter Northumberland's beautiful coastline,

Bamburgh was a key stronghold in Anglo-Saxon Northumbria,

and the epic 1,900-year-old Hadrian's Wall

charges over 70 miles from the North to the Irish Sea,

cutting through the region's wild, dramatic and remote countryside.

With swathes of secluded beaches

and the UK's least-populated National Park,

it's small wonder that Northumberland

has been voted the most tranquil county in the country.

Well, for a county with some beautiful

rural and coastal locations,

Northumberland also represents pretty good value for money.

Currently, the average price of a detached property

is £223,000 here.

That's some 60,000 below the national figure.

But, for all of its celebrated coastline,

coastal properties are hard to find.

However, step inland and you are blessed with

not only beautiful countryside,

but also exceptional value for money.

But before we continue exploring this wonderful county,

we're heading a little further south in the country,

to the town of Conisbrough near Doncaster in South Yorkshire,

home to today's buyer, Chris, a retired lecturer,

and her best friend and neighbour, Linda, who works as a nurse.

I used to have the pub at the bottom of the road, The Castle Inn -

I was the landlady there -

and Linda used to come in.

I didn't really know her then,

but I heard that when I thought about moving here,

she was a bit worried, because she thought I was a bit stuck-up.

But, anyway, I moved in and we became good friends

-almost immediately, didn't we?

-Yeah.

I realised she wasn't stuck-up after all.

And their friendship has seen them

through the good times as well as the bad.

My husband was alive when she first moved in,

and then my husband sadly passed away five years ago,

and Chris has been a real help to me,

she's really got me through it, been a really good friend. Haven't you?

Yeah, we've taken her out!

Living next-door to one another for 12 years,

Chris and Linda have developed a close bond,

and have even put a gate up between their gardens

so they can wander freely in and out of one another's properties.

Boundary-hopping may soon cease,

as Chris has recently put her three-bedroom detached home

on the market.

I've been very happy in this house, here,

but it's getting a bit big for me now,

so I'd like to move somewhere that's not so high-maintenance,

and is warmer, and so I wouldn't have to spend so much time

and so much money looking after it...

and also the traffic.

Although it's an unadopted road that I live on,

they use it as a short cut.

It does get very busy on that road at the top,

and we both...you do some part-time work, don't you?

And I walk up to work.

You know, the traffic, sometimes, the fumes and the dust,

you know, and you think, oh...

It does get you down a little bit.

A creative at heart,

Chris now wants to downsize and escape her urban surroundings

to find inspiration from the sea and countryside of the North East.

The area that I'd like to move to is the Northumberland coast,

because I had a friend who sadly died this year,

and I used to spend time with her.

She lived in a caravan on the beach

and we used to walk on these empty beaches.

It's so unspoilt and wild up there.

She found her artistic side up there -

and she's sort of inspiring me to want to go up there

and find my creative side, as well.

I WILL write that novel.

But at the moment, Chris's creativity isn't entirely passive,

as she turned her hand to an ambitious garden seat

dedicated to the memory of Linda's late husband.

I made a bench outside,

and I wanted it to be one like Gaudi did in Barcelona.

And I taught myself how to render, did all the tiling,

and we got it finished...

Well, that must have taken at least a year to do it.

Yeah, but I think it sort of...

It's the strongest bench in creativity,

that it has got foundations, we dug foundations,

it will never go anywhere.

-Everybody comments on it when they see it.

-Yeah.

So, it's really unusual.

Another thing that I'd like to do,

if I got a place that had got a bit of a workshop, or a shed, even,

is to make things out of found objects,

like the driftwood and things that you find in abundance up there.

So, making things as well as writing.

And aside from artistic aspirations,

proximity to her family is also fuelling the decision to relocate.

I've got two sons.

The elder one lives in Austria and he's married an Austrian woman.

My younger son has married a Scottish girl,

and they've just moved up to Edinburgh,

so that's one of the reasons I'd like to move,

because I'd like to move somewhere closer to them.

So, with family to visit, things to make and books to write,

this Northumbrian move heralds not only a change of location,

but a complete change of lifestyle for both ladies.

I think this is an important move for me,

because it will probably be the last move that I make -

and yet I feel now, at the age of 64,

I'm still young enough and still active enough

to make that move and make new friends and find new interests.

You know, I'm going to miss her when she goes,

and we've got such a good friendship,

it's a shame, really, not to still be near her,

so, possibly, when I'm... I mean, I'm almost ready

for retiring myself, I might actually go and join her.

For the best chance of what Chris - or, indeed, Linda - is after,

our Northumberland property search will be focused

in attractive villages within the northern portion of the county,

pushing right up to the Scottish border

and out towards the eastern coast.

So, I'm meeting up with them in the county

to glean a better understanding of this impending move.

Well, Chris, Linda, welcome to Escape To The Country,

and welcome to Northumberland.

-Thank you.

-So, you now think the time is right to make this move,

and you've brought Linda along

-as some sensible counsel in this move.

-Yeah!

I think I just need to keep a check on her, really,

and make sure she makes the right choices.

This is a very jolly, very warm set up, isn't it?

Two old friends and neighbours escaping to the country,

-or helping you to escape, Chris.

-Yeah, I'm going first!

I may follow very soon.

Linda, you are also keen on moving,

and this might also be a part of the world

that could appeal to you in the future?

Yeah, I'd love to live near the coast.

It's a bit quieter up here and the beaches are nice and quiet,

and it's just so lovely, so I might be tempted.

So, there may be some competition for these houses, Chris,

you may get gazumped by your neighbour!

And that will be the end of that friendship, won't it?

THEY LAUGH

So, give us a sense, Chris, of the kind of property that you are after.

Well, I like somewhere with character,

that's probably been something else,

you know, like an old schoolhouse or something.

How many bedrooms? Because obviously you're going to want

-friends and family to come and stay.

-Two or three.

-Mm-hm.

Because I've got two sons - and one lives in Edinburgh,

that's one of the reasons I want to move up, to be closer to him.

So, I need at least a spare room.

I'd like to have a view.

It doesn't have to be sea, but not far from the sea,

and I'd like somewhere with a kitchen I can sit in,

because I've not had that before.

A garden that I can sit in and hang the washing out,

that's important, as well.

Now, Linda, you know Chris better than I do.

How easy is it going to be to satisfy her needs, do you think?

I think it has to be something quirky for Chris.

She won't make do with just boring or mundane.

It has to have something unusual about it,

because she's a very quirky person, aren't you?

And in terms of the budget, then, Chris,

how much do think you're going to have to spend?

Well, I've only got 200,000, so that really is the maximum.

Well, this is a beautiful part of the world.

Why more people don't escape to the North East, I simply don't know.

-Don't tell them, though.

-No!

It's a really hidden gem that offers you brilliant value for money

-and beautiful landscape.

-Yeah.

We've got a really interesting range of properties to show you.

-We've got some beautiful weather.

-Yeah!

-Shall we go?

-Yep.

-Come on, then. Follow me this way.

-OK.

For a top budget of £200,000,

Chris is after a characterful property

with a kitchen/breakfast room and at least two bedrooms.

Ideally, she'd like a garden with a workshop

in which to get creative

and somewhere with an inspiring outlook...

and we've got a wonderful mix of homes to serve up -

but I won't be revealing the attached price tags

until they've had a good look around each one first.

Then, last on the property agenda is our Mystery House,

which could bring the coast, and my companions,

closer than they ever imagined.

Now, I gather you have a rather unique phobia, Chris,

of all things, about cows, is that right?

It's not a unique phobia.

They're actually very dangerous animals,

-and they trample people to death.

-LINDA CHUCKLES

How many people do you think are killed a year by cows?

About 7,000.

THEY LAUGH

Did you just make that up?!

You did make it up, because I can tell you, it's five.

Five a year.

I was close, then(!)

Actually, double the number killed by horses -

-so, maybe there is something in your phobia.

-Yeah.

I hope we see some cows today. I want to see what happens!

I've seen loads up here, actually.

It's a bit of a hazard when you're a rambler.

It is indeed. I mean, you certainly have to be careful,

particularly with dogs and young children, if you're walking through.

But again, it's one of those little elements of the Country Code,

I think, you just... Yeah, be sensible.

But, um, you do admire them, don't you?

They are lovely creatures.

From afar.

Our first destination is the village of Mindrum,

just 15 miles from the coast,

lying in the shadow of the Cheviot Hills,

at the northern fringes of the Northumberland National Park.

The village is just a 15-minute drive from Wooler,

which is a small town made of striking stone architecture,

that sits seamlessly against a scenic country backdrop.

Here, a variety of specialist shops and cafes can be found,

including a delicatessen, post office and even an art gallery,

which could be an outlet for creative Chris to explore.

So, although a pint of milk is some eight miles away

from the property back in Mindrum,

the remoteness might just be the ticket, as it couldn't be further

from the fumes and traffic our buyer wants to escape.

With just ten neighbouring houses,

this location is more cosy hamlet than busy village.

This is what I want you to look at, Chris.

-This one? Is it the whole row?

-It's not the whole row,

-it is effectively half of it, though.

-Wow!

What we've got for you is half a range

of former farm workers' cottages.

There were probably numerous cottages here,

but, effectively, they've combined several to give you...

well, as I say, half of that range,

so you've got one, two, three, four, five of those windows

and two chimney stacks.

-When were they built?

-1830.

1830, so it's sort of long and thin, it's single-storey living, this.

Yeah, I think it's lovely so far.

Is this the sort of thing that you would go for?

Yeah, yeah, it's fantastic.

-Let's see what you think of the inside.

-OK.

-Can't wait.

With roots in the early 19th century,

this semidetached former estate cottage is built of sandstone

and painted white at the front, but left natural at the back,

which is where we find the entrance.

-A nice little area to sit outside.

-Yes!

Come on in.

As a former farm worker's cottage,

this modest property is just one room deep,

but that does mean some rooms

benefit from aspects to the front and rear.

Running from left to right, there are four rooms in total,

plus a bathroom and our first stop inside is the kitchen.

Well, let's start in here, then, Chris.

That's lovely.

I said I wanted a kitchen that I could sit and eat in and here it is!

-Here it is!

-With a lovely view.

-Oh, the view is fabulous from there!

-Yeah, I like it.

-Yeah, it's lovely.

The nature of a long, thin building

means the geography isn't traditional.

The family bathroom is right next to the kitchen,

but next we're taking a peek at the master bedroom to the far left.

It's a nice size -

just get out of bed, make a cup of tea, come back!

THEY LAUGH

This is a light, bright, dual-aspect room,

but bedroom two isn't bad either.

This is the other bedroom. It's quite a sweet little twin/double.

And then it leads on into here.

I think this has to be my favourite room here, actually.

-Oh, yeah, it's lovely.

-It's gorgeous!

It's got such a nice, quirky feel to it as well.

Good, I'm glad you like it.

Well, that wraps up all the internal accommodation.

Outside at the back there's a gravel courtyard with a large timber store

but the rest of the lawned gardens

lie entirely to the front of the property,

which is where we're heading

to have a stab at how much it all might cost.

Look at that!

You know, we do get to see some fabulous landscapes

on Escape To The Country,

but these do take some beating. Look, the Cheviots up there,

-the most amazing light today.

-It's wonderful.

And, of course, all of it surrounding

-a quite interesting first proposition.

-Mm.

So, Linda, can you help Chris out

on estimating the value of this one?

Em...about 185?

185, yeah? Chris?

Well, I think because it's on the edge of the National Park,

that might put the price up a bit,

but it is only two bedrooms, so I'll say 180.

Well done. Absolutely spot-on.

180, offers in the region of.

So your £200,000 affords it comfortably,

with plenty left over to make any little adjustments inside,

but also in particular, I think,

for the addition of some sort of workshop space out the back.

Go and have a wander round. This is our first one.

See what you get for 180

-and I will find you a little bit later.

-OK.

-Off you go.

£20,000 below budget, property number one...

The property is set in a tranquil, rural location

with views over the National Park.

When I walked into the house, the house had a lovely feeling to it,

I felt that I could live here,

it had a nice warm feeling to it in every room.

I think it's a good start. It is a lovely little house.

I just worry it's a little bit small and she has a lot of books

and I don't think she'd want to part with those,

so I think she might struggle to get the storage space here

that she needs for things like that.

I've got to think about the remoteness of the location.

Is it exactly what I want?

So it's given me a lot of food for thought.

You know, I've explored Northumberland

on many occasions throughout my life

and I have to confess the weather isn't always like this,

but when it is, where else would you want to be?

-It's glorious, isn't it?

-Fantastic.

And I think it's showed off our first offering in a brilliant light,

in more ways than one, but we have got plenty more to show you.

-All set?

-Yep.

-Might go over the border. How about that?

-OK.

-Wow.

The incentive for Christine's move to Northumberland

is the desire to get more artistic, drawing inspiration

from her new-found coast and country environment.

So we've arranged for Chris and Linda to meet Gerard van der Veen,

an artist originally from Holland

who takes reclaimed and salvaged natural materials from the county

and transforms them into home and garden features

to attract local wildlife.

-Hello! I'm Linda.

-Hi, I'm Gerard.

-Hello, I'm Chris.

-Hi.

Gerard, what do you do here?

I make all kinds of things for the environment.

I try to use old reclaimed slate

and make all kinds of products to enhance life in nature.

So, why slate?

It's a beautiful construction material to work with.

A lot of people think, you know, slate is slate.

No, it's not. You have from rock hard to butter soft.

So you really have to pick and choose the right piece of slate,

because from, say, ten pieces, I only use about two.

Oh, wow - what sort of things do you make?

I make a whole variety.

I make bird feeders, to bird tables, to birdhouses, nesting boxes.

I really want to enhance nature.

After a career in product design,

Gerard left the corporate world to set up his own enterprise,

creating products that are environmentally friendly.

Taking advantage of his proximity to the River Rede,

which meanders through the village of West Woodburn, where he lives,

he uses the water to clean, soak and cut the slate.

-Like this, yeah?

-Yes, yes.

-Just top and bottom. That's it.

-OK.

Just another hundred to go.

THEY LAUGH

Would you go back to city life, Gerard?

Um, not really, to be honest.

I fell in love with nature here, especially in Northumberland.

Its ruralness.

The main reason why I live very rural

is because you can shape your own life.

When you go back to the city, the city will shape your life,

and that's the reason why I'm here in Northumberland.

I'm into making things from found objects,

particularly driftwood I'm interested in,

and there's lots of it, isn't there, around here

-on the beaches of Northumberland?

-Yes, yes.

Now that you mention wood, I use slate, but I also use wood.

I'm using that also in the studio.

If Linda is ready, we could go to the studio

and have a look at what I make from wood and slate.

OK, lovely.

All of Gerard's products are handmade in his workshop,

and he's showing Chris and Linda how to make one of his bestsellers

using reclaimed offcuts of slate from across the county -

mostly found or donated.

What are we making today?

Well, I was thinking of showing you my window feeder -

it's my most popular product.

The birds love it, but also people who buy it love it,

because you can see birds in very close proximity.

This is the bottom. You put it in position there, under a slope.

-The reason why I use a slope is the water will drain out.

-Yeah.

So, when you put the food on, the food will never get mouldy,

and therefore they will eat everything you put there,

and so you won't attract vermin.

Using eco-friendly glue, two pre-cut angled slates are hinged together...

That doesn't seem a lot.

You don't really need very much.

..then joined to the base and left to set.

A bracket is then fashioned using salvaged copper wire...

..onto which a sucker is attached

so the feeder can be hung from a window.

Where do you get all the rest of your materials from?

Well, the slate is coming from all kinds of directions, to be honest.

A lot is donated, and I try to give it an extra life.

So after hanging 100 years on the roof,

I'm now trying to extend it by another, say, 25, even more, years.

Slate is a dark-grey metamorphic rock.

Essentially, it's compressed mud

that's been compacted and heated under extreme pressure

over millions of years.

-Finished?

-Yeah.

So another three window feeders.

I would say take the window feeder with you,

-and that's a token from me.

-Oh, thank you.

-Thank you, it's very kind of you.

-Lovely memory of today.

-It's been brilliant.

-Thank you.

-You've been inspirational.

So, as we turn our attention back to the house hunt,

let's trust that the inspiring vision continues.

Now, your son in Edinburgh must be delighted

that you're going to move so much closer to him?

-LAUGHING:

-Must be!

LAUGHING: Have you not told him yet?!

When I initially told them... When they moved to Edinburgh,

I said, "Oh, I could come up and live there!"

And my daughter-in-law laughed, which was not the response I wanted.

But since they've got used to the idea, they're quite keen,

-I think they'll like it.

-I think it would be great,

and you've got so much to explore up here!

So many things to go and see and to inspire you

and help you realise your creative ambitions,

from the coastline, the castles,

Hadrian's Wall, Kielder, the National Park,

you know, there are so many things, I think,

that can really fulfil that ambition.

And we're not far from Edinburgh and Newcastle as well,

-if we want a bit of culture.

-Absolutely.

Our property search is heading right up north and just out of the county

to the border village of Sprouston.

From here, the Scottish market town of Kelso

is the nearest place to pick up essentials and luxuries.

Situated on the banks of the River Tweed,

Kelso lies in a fertile valley

within ten miles of the English border.

At its centre is a cobbled square which is the largest in Scotland,

and whose Georgian town hall

is topped by a clock tower that chimes every quarter.

Another notable landmark

are the elegant remains of the Romanesque Kelso Abbey,

which was originally built in the 12th century.

It was once the largest and wealthiest abbey in the country.

The winding streets of the town host a vast range of shops and amenities,

eateries and accommodation.

These are all just a ten-minute drive

from the property I want to show Chris and Linda,

back in the rural outskirts of Sprouston.

Right then, Chris and Linda. Come over here.

-There we are.

-That is beautiful.

-Oh, that is really nice.

It's the end terrace, really,

in this interesting complex of former farm workers' cottages.

The look of the house with the porch and...

even those tiles on the roof, it just looks so welcoming.

It's just lovely.

The nice thing is, of course,

it being on the end, it does feel more like it is completely detached,

because your garden goes that way

and you've got those amazing views beyond

over towards England - because we have stepped over the border,

as you know. Only just.

About a mile or so.

You've also got access to a communal garden out here.

The garden, that sort of drew me in straightaway.

You can see already from here

there's all little nooks and crannies where you could sit,

and a summerhouse.

-Is this the sort of thing that might appeal?

-Yes. This looks gorgeous.

Let's have a look. Come on!

Let's stop talking about it. Let's see what you think.

Built between 1890 and 1900,

at first sight this pretty end terrace seems

to deliver on the character Chris was after.

Recently refurbished inside,

I'm confident the interior design will also match up to expectations.

To the right of the entrance hall we find the main reception room.

All right, Linda. You're in charge of the door.

Come this way, Chris.

Let's start with the living room.

This delightful space features a wood-burning stove in the fireplace

and double doors out onto the garden.

-This is nice.

-Yeah.

I feel like somebody like me lives here.

This first room is hitting the right mark for Chris,

so it's all very good so far.

What's more, we've also got a charming country kitchen.

-I love it.

-Do you?

Yeah.

It looks like solid beech, is it?

Yeah, it is solid beech, yeah.

As well as rustic wooden worktops,

the kitchen also has enough space for a small table

and a great utility room beyond.

Also on the ground floor is the family bathroom,

fitted with a classic heritage three-piece suite.

Then the staircase winds up to the first floor,

where there are three bedrooms.

One is part-furnished and comes with a WC en suite.

Another is being used as an office/music room.

And this is the master.

It's absolutely gorgeous.

The master also comes with its own en-suite shower room

and a decorative cast-iron fireplace,

but the real highlight of the master,

and indeed the whole property,

has to be the large wooden balcony through the French doors.

Wow, look at this.

-Wow.

-Amazing view, isn't it?

Yeah. I can see a little river.

Now, then. Here's the story.

That little bit of river you can see

is actually just a tiny part of the River Tweed,

and that's the border between England and Scotland.

So those houses you can see beyond it,

they're in England, and we're in Scotland.

-Right.

-You couldn't be closer.

And I love this time of year.

I love seeing the harvest in and done

and these round bales strewn across the landscape.

-It's just a lovely entree into autumn.

-Mm.

-And you wanted a view, didn't you?

-Yeah.

This is a lovely view.

It's not a sea view, but it's not bad.

Somehow appropriate that my English son's married a Scottish girl.

-There you are.

-And here I am.

-Yeah, exactly -

the whole family's now in Scotland.

Potentially. Not to pre-empt anything, of course, Chris.

SHE LAUGHS

I love it.

Can I have it?

Course you can! SHE LAUGHS

-If you can afford it!

-How much?

How much, is the question, isn't it?

-Mm.

-Come on. Let's go down there.

Give you a closer look at the garden,

and talk about the price.

So, as well as those stunning panoramic views,

which the owner tells me deliver amazing sunrises,

the cottage also benefits from a large communal lawned area

and a landscaped private garden.

With al fresco seating areas,

a sheltered barbecue,

a water feature, mature trees

and colourful shrubs, the garden is a real oasis

and the tools to tend it can be stored in a useful brick outhouse.

What's more, there's even the requested workshop

in the form of a sage-green timber summerhouse.

Now, this, I'm thinking, would make a great writer's retreat.

Yeah, it's great. Writing and reading in there, it's wonderful.

Is this inspiring to you?

I just love it. The whole... Everything about it.

-Yeah?

-Yeah, it's very you, this house, I think.

-Yeah.

Let's get to the nitty-gritty, then,

because we haven't dealt with the price yet, Linda.

-Mm.

-Go on, then.

-I would say...

-195.

-195.

-Just under budget.

-Mm.

I think it's above my budget.

-Go on.

-225.

225.

This is on the market for offers in excess...

of £192,500.

-So you weren't far off, Linda.

-No!

It's certainly under budget.

It's a great property in a great, great spot.

I will seriously consider it.

Go on, then. Discuss it amongst yourselves,

-and I will come and find you a bit later on.

-OK.

Comfortably under budget,

this Victorian cottage is packed full of charm and character.

It has three bedrooms that include a most impressive master suite

with commanding views from a private balcony.

Outside, the gardens offer plenty of scope

for Chris's creative ambitions.

Ah! Here you are. Enjoying your garden?

-I am.

-Ah!

-Just mind out, there.

-I can't see the view.

-Pardon me!

Pardon me. Well, you haven't bought it yet.

-No.

-Our search will continue tomorrow, but in the meantime

-I think we should go and enjoy a well-earned glass of wine.

-Let's.

-Come on.

-Sounds good.

-Mine's red.

-Oh, is it?!

We're in Northumberland, which is where Chris,

from a town near Doncaster in South Yorkshire,

wants to establish a new life in the country.

She's got £200,000 to spend

and has brought along her best friend and neighbour Linda to help.

We've still got two more property options to put forward,

and our ladies are lost for words

when it comes to the Mystery House.

How do we feel about this...notion?

This idea?

-There is a deathly silence!

-I know!

And I visit one of the county's many fascinating castles...

Wow!

..to learn about its ancestors past and present

both inside and out.

I never thought I'd see prehistoric cattle in this number.

Not least in Northumberland.

I am loving this house search in Northumberland,

and the unique dynamic between Chris and Linda

is, if I'm honest, really intriguing -

because on the one hand we are trying to fulfil Chris's ambitions

to make a move to Northumberland,

but if Linda's hopes for the future are to be realised, too, well,

chances are she may not be far behind her -

and that is where our Mystery House comes in.

Now, on the one hand, of course, I would love to sell it to Chris,

but it's also got an interesting option for Linda, as well,

so could we be on the brink of pulling off a first

for Escape To The Country - selling not just one, but two properties?

However, before we get to the mystery proposition,

we have another house to see.

To get to it, we're going to hop back over the border

between England and Scotland

to the small rural Scottish village of Whitsome.

Just over three miles away from the house,

the English village of Norham is the closest place

to find a good selection of facilities,

from pubs and a convenience store to a baker's and a butcher's.

Featuring a green surrounded by terraced stone cottages,

Norham is one of the most northerly villages in England.

So much so that one end actually lies in Scotland.

The village sits in the shadow

of the towering 12th-century Norham Castle,

whose ruins were first captured on canvas by the painter JMW Turner

in 1797 and came to feature in many of his works.

So, following in the footsteps of one of the country's great masters,

the landscape here could provide the perfect backdrop

for our creative house hunter Chris.

If she can see past the bovine neighbours.

We talk about the peace and quiet of the countryside, but not here today.

As you can hear, the farmers around about

are busy sorting out their planting for winter crops and so on.

There's a bit of farming activity going on,

but of course, the countryside is a busy place.

All of this activity surrounds... that.

It's a lovely-looking house. Stone-built.

Here we are again in farm worker's cottage territory.

You can see this lovely Victorian terrace.

End property, again, so you've got lovely views.

Somewhere to sit out and enjoy looking at those cows.

Yes, now, the cows, we've laid them on especially, Chris,

to help you try and overcome your cow phobia.

-Thank you.

-They're enjoying the sunshine,

they're not bothered by us,

so I'm hoping that in time you won't be bothered by them.

They're very close to the house, though.

The fence is all right, though, I've checked it.

Don't worry about it.

It also comes with this garden and that summerhouse.

I didn't notice that at first.

-That's nice.

-Yeah.

-That would be quite a useful studio for you.

-It would.

-Linda, what's your first impression?

I don't think it's as pretty as the last house we saw,

but it is nice, yeah. Let's see what it looks like inside.

Right then, let's see what you think.

Although sensing a bit of trepidation outside,

this stone-built semidetached home

is definitely worth a closer inspection.

It's got a rather unusual layout,

so could deliver that quirky character

Chris was hoping for.

Down on the ground floor

is a double bedroom, a bathroom and an open-plan

kitchen, dining and living room

with a stone feature fireplace.

-That's lovely.

-Oh, that is nice.

I've never had a kitchen this big before.

But what makes this one slightly curious

is that the main living room is not here, it's upstairs.

Just beyond the kitchen/living area, through a small hall,

lies the double bedroom and the main four-piece family bathroom,

which has two entrances...

..but in many ways this is a property of twos.

It's got two bedrooms, two bathrooms

and two living rooms,

the second one being up the stairs

on the first floor.

Have you ever tried upside-down living, as it were?

No. But somebody who lives at the bottom of my garden

has got an upside-down house.

And I've been to New Zealand.

There you are, then!

-What do you think?

-That's really unusual, isn't it?

I was just expecting a landing, but it's the whole floor,

and I love the windows.

I'm already thinking that I'd have the bigger kitchen

and come and sit up here,

or maybe I'd have one room for music, one room for the TV.

-Nice idea.

-Quirky.

It is quirky. Well, you said that Chris would like quirky.

Is this quirky enough, Chris?

It's quirky, yeah.

Up here, what could be Chris's master

is another spacious double bedroom.

Fitted wardrobes. I like the shape of it, again.

And finally for the internal tour is the shower room -

again, Jack and Jill in style,

so also acts as an en-suite to the master.

There you are.

Jack and Jill, what a great idea.

THEY CHUCKLE

I think it's fair to say that both ladies are suitably impressed

up to now - and the final piece of the puzzle

is what's on offer in terms of garden space.

That, and the all-important price.

This is the thing to consider now, of course, the garden.

We glimpsed it on our way in.

The main event here, really,

is that studio summerhouse, which I'm sure you'd make good use of.

Insulated, it's got power in it -

and, of course, behind it, those lovely views of the Cheviots.

Yeah, it's gorgeous.

I think it's a really simple proposition,

but I think it could work for you, that's what I really like about it -

and I think Linda's coming round to it, too.

-Yeah, I agree. I do think it would work for her, actually.

-Yeah.

Well, let's get down to the numbers, shall we?

You've got £200,000 to spend.

We're just over the border in Scotland, so...

make me an offer on this one.

I think it's near the top of the budget.

I would say 195.

195. Linda?

I don't agree, actually. I think it's the lower end.

I think maybe even 175.

-Oh, do you?

-Mm.

Well, I'm afraid you're both wrong -

but it's good news,

because this is on the market for offers in the region of...

£165,000.

Wow, I like it even more now!

I thought you might!

Right. It's not a big place, but we will give you a little more time

to have a run around and see what you think of it, get a feel of it,

because it is different, that whole upside-down thing.

Go and enjoy yourselves.

-OK.

-OK.

-And I will find you somewhere a little bit later on.

Brilliant.

You know, there's an old phrase which I rely upon every day -

less is more.

That's the way to get something simple, to get something efficient,

and to get something which ultimately just works,

and that's what I love about this property.

Less is more.

£35,000 below budget,

this Victorian semidetached upside-down cottage has a modern,

open-plan kitchen, living and dining room.

Two double bedrooms, two bathrooms,

as well as a substantial, fully-powered summerhouse -

and the property is situated in a peaceful, rural pocket

surrounded by farmland.

This house is probably more the sort of house that I was imagining

I would want to have.

Because of that old exterior, some history to it,

but all the mod cons inside.

I wouldn't have to do anything to it, and yet it would be so peaceful

and I've got extra space outside,

a small garden but also a summerhouse and somewhere to sit.

-Wow, it's big in here, isn't it?

-It's lovely.

I can imagine actually not having the settee in here

-and have this as like a workshop.

-Yeah, it's a lovely space.

This one is a good contender, I think,

because it's got the space she needs, the quirkiness she likes,

it's nice and quiet, lovely views.

I'm not sure about the cows. She didn't seem too worried today,

so it may cure her phobia, you never know!

Ah, I thought I might find you out here!

Very useful thing, isn't it?

-It's lovely.

-Yeah.

-It's perfect.

Already I'm having my studio workshop in here

to do my driftwood sculptures.

I thought you might.

-You see, it's all coming together beautifully.

-Mm!

So, we have potentially another property

on your list of possibles, do we?

-Definitely.

-But there is one more to see - our Mystery House -

and for that we're going to take a bit of a drive back over the border.

-Come on.

-OK.

With miles of prime coast and acres of beautiful countryside,

control of Northumberland has been a source of conflict for centuries.

A legacy of this turbulent past

is found within the now peaceful walls of the county's castles.

I've come to visit Chillingham Castle,

home to Sir Humphry Wakefield.

The castle had lain derelict for some 50 years,

but Sir Humphry poured his heart and soul

into a formidable restoration project,

and now proudly opens the castle to the public.

-Sir Humphry.

-Jules.

-Very nice to see you, sir.

-Very good to see you.

-And what a wonderful home you have.

I love it very much indeed.

It's a wonderful border castle

with all the strengths that you would expect,

and all the history's still here.

It's interesting to stand here and imagine

what this would have looked like when great retinues arrived

to use the castle and host events over the centuries.

Oh, many kings, and forces - assault forces - as well.

-It's seen a lot.

-But it's been your home since the early 1980s,

when you set about, let's face it, a pretty ambitious project.

I'm fascinated to see just what you've done

and how you've gone about it.

Can you give me a very personal tour?

I will show it to you.

It's wonderful.

Chillingham became fully fortified in 1344,

and there have been very few structural additions since then,

apart from the elaborate galleries built in the Tudor period

which surround the central courtyard.

This is fabulous.

Wow. What was it like when you first discovered it?

When I came here it was a forest of trees.

Wherever you see a stone cracked,

there was a tree growing up.

It was just crying out for action.

The stones here, the paving stones here,

they were put in for the King's visit in 1603.

-Which king?

-King James I of England, VI of Scotland.

But the family's ancestors must have been a bit downhearted

when they thought the King was coming,

because the amount of expense they'd have to go to to accommodate him.

They had cash.

They wanted him to stay.

They were on the up, and that was just the ticket.

-So it was a nice political move?

-Very nice.

A very good, strong political move, yes.

-Come on, show me what you've done.

-Come and have a look.

Many rooms have been returned to their opulent regal splendour

and are chock-full of curios

that present a wonderful mosaic of history and periods.

Sir Humphry has tackled dry rot, collapsed roofs, burst pipes,

birds and bats to bring the castle back to its former glory,

which really shines through in the King James I drawing room.

Wow. Well, this is another moment in time completely, isn't it?

It is. It's the same moment in time put in for the King.

Is that an Elizabethan ceiling?

Yes. 1500.

But for all the challenges of restoring the castle

and the responsibility of being the guardian of this building,

what is day-to-day life like for you in a castle like this?

Day-to-day life is absolutely wonderful,

and I love living here,

and feel very happy living here,

and feel the ghosts are happy with me.

Well, Sir Humphry, it's been a real treat.

I'm going to leave you in peace. Thank you very much indeed.

But there's so much more to see.

Come back many times and see all the other rooms,

because we've got lots of other rooms to show you.

There is so much more to see,

and I couldn't leave without exploring

some of the 360 acres here,

and, exclusively on the grounds of this estate,

another descendant, this time of potentially prehistoric pedigree,

is free to roam the grounds outside.

Park warden Ellie Crossley is taking me to see

the Chillingham wild cattle... from a very safe distance.

Ellie, I've come across many animals that are termed wild,

-but yours are the real thing, aren't they?

-Yeah, absolutely.

They've been here for, potentially, 800 years

-and they've never been handled by humans.

-And how careful

do we need to be in getting close to them to get a real understanding

of how they've managed to survive for so many centuries?

Each and every day, when I take people into the park,

I make my decision based on their mood and what sort of day it is.

Today it is quite warm and sunny,

so they're quite relaxed, so we can probably get a bit closer today.

I can see one just poking his head up through there. Is it a he?

-Yes, that is a bull. You see the horns that point forward?

-Yes.

The cows have horns that go upwards and backwards slightly.

-How much closer can we get?

-We can get a bit closer, yes.

Come on, let's have a look.

BULL MOOS

This rare-breed herd currently stands at just over 100

and are believed to be the only survivors of the wild herds

that once roamed Britain's forests.

The cattle were held sacred by pre-Christian pagans,

who sacrificed them to their gods

and later in their history the wild cattle were used

both to defend the castle, as well as to feed its inhabitants.

The bull, there, looks absolutely beautiful,

and there is certainly something very prehistoric

about the outline of the head and the shoulders.

Yeah, and the way the dappled effect

makes him blend perfectly in with the woodland, as well.

But in terms of the way you manage them,

as I understand it, you don't interfere with them at all.

No vets, no calving.

You don't really even have to feed them.

No, I mean, it's literally just survival of the fittest out here.

That's how it's always been.

That's resulted in extremely strong, hardy animals

that can do very well without our help.

It's quite a thought to think that this small number of animals

that we're looking at now represents such a huge leap back in time.

And that's why it's really important to keep them here,

cos this shows such a vast difference between these animals

and what we've now created on our farms,

which are so incredibly different to these guys.

A dairy cow wouldn't survive five seconds out here.

On a farm, you have one bull who never has to compete for his females

a day in his life, basically.

Whereas here we have 50 bulls,

and they're all competing for the top spot

to be able to mate with the females.

It's absolutely amazing watching that.

Well, it's a wonderful sight, Ellie.

I never thought I'd see prehistoric cattle in this number.

Not least in Northumberland. But it's a real joy.

-Thank you very much.

-You're very welcome.

What history these ancient cattle,

the castle walls and its reputed ghosts have experienced

over the centuries.

In an unbroken cycle since the 13th century,

the majestic Chillingham has proudly stood the test of time.

I'm back on the road with our house-hunter Chris,

along with her best mate Linda,

and we're all travelling to our final property destination.

The mystery proposition is in the hamlet of Guyzance,

in the heart of Northumberland proper -

and also our closest location to the coast.

Well, Linda and Chris, our property tour is nearly over,

we've just got one more to come, our Mystery House.

Any thoughts, Linda, as to what it might be?

I have no idea at all what you're going to get for her this time,

I just can't think what it might be at all.

Well, it might not just be for Chris.

-Ah!

-It might involve something for you, Linda...

-OK.

..as well,

and you may not have to fight over it.

-There's a riddle for you, Chris.

-Mm.

Our ladies should be encouraged to know

that the Mystery House is just five miles from Warkworth,

a place they both know and love.

Just a mile from the beaches, and surrounded by the River Coquet,

Warkworth is an ancient village

whose steep roads are lined with attractive traditional buildings

housing an assortment of artisan shops, pubs, cafes and hotels.

Then, at the summit, stand the medieval ruins of Warkworth Castle,

which is where William Shakespeare set scenes from his play Henry IV.

A ten-minute drive away from the action, in the quiet of Guyzance,

is a 35-acre woodland

where, within a private development of 12 holiday cottages,

we find the last in our selection.

Right, then.

Mystery House time.

-Or Mystery Houses.

-Mm!

Because within this complex of holiday cottages,

a good number of them are being sold off into private home ownership,

as it were, as more domestic homes.

-So we have a choice of properties to show you...

-Oh!

..and we have two in particular that we'd like you to look at.

Which would mean, of course, Linda,

that you and Chris could continue to be neighbours.

How do we feel about this...notion, this idea?

-There is a deathly silence!

-I know!

Well, initially, I don't like it.

It looks like a holiday cottage.

Exactly what it is.

However, as I say, many of them are now being sold off

-to become individual homes.

-Mm.

I have the keys, here, to this one,

-which I'd like you to look at in particular...

-Mm-hm.

..but I think, Chris, we'll show you one down here.

OK.

Although it appears that Chris has made up her mind already,

I've still got my fingers crossed

that she might like the exterior of the cottage we've chosen for her.

What do you think?

It sort of looks like a... glorified caravan site.

Given the robust but enchanting stone architecture

and the history that goes with it, to be fair,

I definitely wouldn't describe this development as a caravan park.

Come on, let's see what you think.

What we have to show Chris

is an end-of-terrace old farmer's cottage

with a neat garden that wraps around the back.

Recently renovated to a high-spec contemporary finish,

on the ground floor there's a kitchen,

a WC and a sitting room -

which is our first port of call.

It's a bit small and a bit modern-looking, I think.

Not much character inside.

Sadly, they haven't been persuaded.

Perhaps the kitchen might fare better.

It still feels modern and a bit plain.

Oh, dear. Chris?

I agree. It's just not working for me.

Still no takers from either of our ladies.

So this will be a whistle-stop tour.

Upstairs, a family bathroom serves two bedrooms -

one a double with exposed beams, the other slightly smaller.

On paper, the mystery property

seemed like an obvious plan to present -

two great friends, two great neighbours,

and here's the chance to continue living close by to one another -

but it's not to be.

So, next, we need to talk about the price,

which is normally the moment I look forward to -

but on this occasion I'm dreading it.

It does open up right around here.

Yes, it's a fair-sized garden, isn't it?

I can certainly see this bursting with life

with some clever planting and what have you.

I mean, yeah, you've got the neighbours around,

but it is what it is, it's an old farm complex.

But, again, this lovely architecture coming through.

Yes, a nice outside space.

Hurrah. We got a good thing.

We got one thing right with this one for you.

Humour me and make us an offer on our Mystery House.

I think, given the proximity to the sea, I'll say 150.

150. Linda?

I was thinking the same, actually.

I thought about 150,000.

So let's say you both agree on 150.

This is on at £175,000 -

because of its proximity to the sea

and all the things that you've identified, Chris, really.

Yeah.

Now, to be fair, I don't think you need to have another look inside

this one. However, I would appreciate it

if you would go and have a look at the first property we saw, Linda,

which I think might be of interest to you.

I'm still hoping!

You know where it is, it's round the corner,

and I will come and find you later on.

-We'll guess the price on that one, too.

-OK.

Be interesting to see what you think. Off you go.

Well, there you have it.

Sometimes it goes really well, and sometimes it goes really badly.

And sometimes it feels like a real disaster.

Comfortably under budget,

the two-bedroom Mystery Home for Chris

is a stone cottage in a small private complex

of both residential and commercial properties.

Set within a 35-acre site and close to the coast,

the development has another lot for sale,

so could enable the two friends to stay as neighbours.

And the other property that we had earmarked for Linda

is just around the corner.

This is another semidetached two-bedroom potential home,

but with a slightly smaller internal footprint

and an open-plan kitchen and living area

that spreads throughout the entire ground floor.

Oh, to have been a fly on the wall

during their house tour of this one!

HE KNOCKS But we've got to go.

-How are we doing?

-OK.

Out you come. Come on, Linda.

Now, I know what Chris thinks of next door

and what you thought of it.

This one is cheaper, but what do you think it's worth?

Hm, 145?

Try 165. Yeah, there's only ten grand in it.

-Has it sold itself?

-No, it's too small.

It just feels the same as the other one.

However, ordinarily I might be crestfallen

and desperately disappointed -

but I think we've shown you some really good properties

this week, Chris, and maybe one or two of them

may provide an option for the future.

-Maybe.

-Maybe.

Right, come on. Let's go and think about it.

When I last saw Linda and Chris,

I certainly got the sense that perhaps not all of our efforts

this week had been in vain.

There certainly seemed to be a little twinkle in Chris's eye -

but have we managed to find her a home for the future?

Well, let's go and ask her.

Well, how are we doing, then?

-Great, thank you.

-Are you feeling refreshed?

-Yes.

-Relaxed?

-Yes.

-Relieved?

-Yes.

-I thought you might be!

Hopefully it wasn't that bad, Chris.

-Goodness me, we've done some miles this week, haven't we?

-We have!

And we've seen some fabulous scenery

and we've also been able to offer you, I think,

a really nice package of properties to tempt you with.

Are you still sure that this is the part of the world for you?

Definitely.

-So, where are we?

-I like the property with the balcony...

-Yeah.

..and the upside-down house.

Both of which happen to be...

in Scotland, albeit only just,

-but let's face it, the border is pretty porous really.

-Yep.

Right, then. Two properties to choose from.

A property with a balcony near Kelso.

-What did you think of that, then?

-It was beautiful.

I felt like somebody like me had lived in it.

-You said that when we got there.

-I know.

And then I found out that it was an artist's house.

It was just beautiful.

It's obviously made quite an impression.

-Linda, what did you make of it?

-It was just so stunning,

I just didn't imagine she could get anything like that for her money.

But then we took you to what we're now calling

the upside-down house, Chris -

and clearly that works for you as well.

At first when I saw it...

I mean, there was a field full of cows next to it to start with,

which put me off a little bit.

But, again, it was a beautiful house,

beautifully built, an old farmer's house,

but once you went inside, it was so modern,

and it would be a lovely house for people to come and stay, as well.

What have you concocted between you to try and resolve this dilemma?

The price of the upside-down house is appealing,

but I'm trying not to let that sway me absolutely

if I wanted the other one more,

and it is difficult to decide between the two,

so I'd have to come up and see them both again.

Probably bring my son and his wife with me.

I mean, we know you wanted to be nearer to your son.

He, of course, lives in Edinburgh.

So actually it might work out quite well.

Yeah - and I've always wanted to be Scottish as well.

So, I would be!

But for both of those properties you can look out and see England.

I mean, you couldn't be closer to the border.

-No.

-So, Linda, you also have said throughout

that you also were considering following your neighbour

and moving up here.

-Would you do it?

-I would, actually -

but I think I would have something nearer to the coast,

but I'd still be near enough to Chris to see her regularly.

So you won't be near neighbours.

You may indeed end up on either side of the border -

but clearly remaining the greatest of friends.

That is, I think, very obvious for anyone watching this.

So I wish you all the best, Chris,

in making what could be quite a difficult decision,

but one which I hope will give you everything you've been looking for.

-Thank you.

-Thank you.

Well, Northumberland and its border with Scotland

has been hotly contested for centuries,

but it would seem we've left Chris with a contest all of her own -

to try and choose between two, I think,

pretty exceptional properties.

But unlike so many of the fierce battles

that have been fought up here over the years,

I do hope hers has a happy ending.

I'll see you next time.

A week after our visit,

Chris tried to make plans for a second viewing

at the upside-down house,

but, alas, someone else had already snapped it up.

So her search continues.

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