Escape to the Country Season 24 Episode 3 | Northumbria
Denise Nurse helps a couple so fed up with the eight-hour round trip to see their son in Northumbria that they've decided to move there instead. Denise has the keys to some lovely properties and also pays a visit to Northumberland National Park.
Category
😹
FunTranscript
00:00First impressions really do count when searching for a new home in the country.
00:06It looks like a house you might draw really, doesn't it?
00:08And particularly property exteriors that immediately draw you in.
00:14It's a smiley house.
00:17What do you mean?
00:17It makes you smile, doesn't it?
00:20That's lovely.
00:21But we can't overlook the importance of a warm welcome inside too.
00:27I can see us sitting here on a cold night.
00:30Yeah, we find so many rooms to sit in, we needn't even talk to each other.
00:34Today we're escaping to Northumbria.
00:59Once an important kingdom in the early Middle Ages,
01:02the modern-day region includes the most northerly county in England,
01:06home to some truly epic vistas and plenty of elbow room.
01:16Northumberland isn't the least populated county in the UK,
01:20but it is in England.
01:21So for anyone looking to make an English escape that involves serenity,
01:27sparsity and a landscape with a view that speaks for itself,
01:32well Northumberland is a pretty good place to start.
01:37Lying in north-east England and bordering Scotland,
01:40the modern region of Northumbria encompasses the historic counties
01:44of County Durham, known simply as Durham, and Northumberland,
01:48where 97% of the land is classed as rural.
01:53Northumberland's an amazing county.
01:56It's full of beautiful castles, beaches, the roads are empty,
01:59it's not overpopulated, it's an amazing place to live.
02:03The people are super friendly.
02:06Locally quarried stone is used in much of the architecture here,
02:10showcased beautifully in the village of Corbridge.
02:13Once a little town supplying food and provisions to the Romans,
02:17it remains a popular place full of charming independent shops.
02:22I like the fact that it's so rural, but there's so much to do.
02:25So one minute you can be in a city,
02:27or the next you could be up on Hadrian's Wall
02:29having a walk through the mud, and it's just lovely to be outside.
02:34Whether ancient settlers, baby boomers, Gen Xers or millennials,
02:39Northumbria continues to hold great appeal
02:42as somewhere to set down roots.
02:46Family comes first is the main reason for this escape,
02:49because today's couple are understandably fed up
02:53making the eight-hour round trip to see their son in Newcastle.
02:57To them, the solution is simple,
02:59move closer and call in the experts to help.
03:02That's us, by the way.
03:07Hi, we're Alan and Rosie.
03:09We've been married for nearly 50 years,
03:11and as you can see,
03:13there's a slight height difference between the pair of us.
03:17We spent most of our married life
03:20in a 17th-century cottage in the country,
03:24and then we moved here nine years ago, closer to the town.
03:29As we've decided that we're going to make that move
03:31to be nearer to our son,
03:34we thought if we're moving,
03:35we may as well get back to living in the country again.
03:40Northumbria's a great place for being connected
03:42to the rest of the country,
03:44but this is a footpath that we often walk the dogs along,
03:48and as you can see, the motorway's quite busy.
03:51We'd just love to get back to the countryside again
03:53so that we can enjoy a...
03:56Peace and quiet.
03:57Peace and quiet, but also enjoy things like, you know,
04:00being able to go bird-watching easily.
04:03We've done all sorts of things in the past,
04:05like beekeeping and keeping chickens,
04:08and we've done a lot of rural things in the past.
04:10The good life, we went through very much the good life
04:13in our younger days.
04:15Although in a different phase of their life now,
04:18they are looking forward to shaking things up again.
04:21I'm hoping that with moving up into a completely new area,
04:26that there's going to be lots of exciting new things to do,
04:30people to see, and places to go.
04:34Yeah, we're getting older,
04:35but there's still things we want to do.
04:39Rosie and Alan have £550,000
04:42to spend on their new home.
04:44They'd love a detached property with at least two bedrooms
04:47and potentially a small project.
04:50A good garden is a must for them and the dogs,
04:53as is off-road parking and a garage.
04:56They want to live in a village community
04:58that's no more than 30 minutes
04:59from their sun pool in Newcastle.
05:07When Rosie and Alan and the dogs move up here,
05:09hopefully to one of the houses that we find them,
05:12they really are going to have the best of both worlds,
05:14moving closer to family
05:16and moving to this absolutely glorious county.
05:20Even in the rain, it's beautiful.
05:24But before the house hunting gets underway,
05:26I think it's best if we all meet up
05:28to get to know one another.
05:33Rosie and Alan, I can see why you want to move here.
05:35Whenever we've been up here, we've absolutely loved it.
05:38You know, it's quite an unknown part of the country for us.
05:41And so, yeah, it's lovely.
05:42So this big shift for the two of you in lifestyle,
05:46closer to your son, moving to a new county,
05:49how do you think it's going to change your lives
05:51and your daily lives?
05:52Well, we're hoping it'll make us young again.
05:55But we're pushing a lot, I think, on that one.
05:58I'm hoping it's going to be a more relaxed life.
06:01People seem very friendly.
06:02So we're hoping we're going to,
06:05after a few weeks, months,
06:07we're going to slot in, have a new social life.
06:10So tell me the situation with your current property.
06:13We would like something pretty quickly.
06:15We've got a buyer for our house at the moment.
06:18Naturally, the buyer would like to be in.
06:22Okay.
06:23So all we need then is to find you the right house right now.
06:26And I think we'd better get going.
06:27Yes, great.
06:30Our Northumbrian property search
06:32starts in the Durham village of Medhamsley,
06:35a 30-minute drive southwest of Newcastle in one direction
06:39and around five miles from the North Pennines in the other.
06:43A former mining village,
06:44Medhamsley has two dog-friendly pubs
06:46that both serve food and host quizzes,
06:49charity nights, and live music.
06:52A residence association organises events
06:54for the whole community
06:56and keeps the communal spaces well-presented.
07:00Here we are, property number one.
07:04What do you think?
07:05Well, it looks very nice from the outside.
07:07Very nice, yeah, lovely.
07:08I like the clad bit at the front, the clad porch.
07:12Isn't it gorgeous, the clad porch?
07:13Yeah, it's nice.
07:14Looks substantially built, I think,
07:16is probably the way to...
07:18Yes.
07:19Okay, so I think we should have a look inside.
07:20Perfect.
07:23Thought to have been the old pit manager's house,
07:26this detached stone cottage dates back to around 1850,
07:30but it has been extended over the years
07:32and now provides a range of versatile living areas.
07:36We're starting with a dining and sitting room
07:39to the front of the home.
07:42I think this is a gorgeous welcome to this house.
07:45Cheers.
07:46Beautiful.
07:47Very nice.
07:49I like this, I like the feel of this room.
07:51You like the height.
07:52I like the height, yeah.
07:53Plenty of light through the windows.
07:55Yeah, it's nice, it's good.
07:57I like the floors.
07:59What are you thinking, Rosie?
08:00You're taking it all in.
08:01I'm taking it all in.
08:01Any thoughts?
08:03No, not yet, I haven't seen enough.
08:05I thought you'd say that.
08:06But it's dining area that I'm a little concerned about.
08:11Ah, okay.
08:12Well, I think there are plenty of options here,
08:15let's just say that.
08:19This flexible space sits in the centre of the property
08:23with further separate reception areas to either side,
08:26which include a study and the main sitting room.
08:31This is nice.
08:32Yes.
08:33I like this, it's cosy.
08:35A nice little feast in the fireplace.
08:38Excellent.
08:39I could see us being here and sitting here on a cold night.
08:42Yeah, we'd find so many rooms to sit in,
08:44we needn't even talk to each other.
08:47Moving to the back of the property, we find the kitchen.
08:51It has been stylishly renovated
08:53and features a breakfast bar,
08:55contemporary ceiling lanterns
08:57and bifold doors to the garden.
09:01Oh, that's nice.
09:02Have a look at this.
09:03Yes, yes.
09:04This is lovely.
09:06Yeah, this is lovely.
09:07Yeah.
09:08Flooring's great.
09:09Yes.
09:10Very dog-friendly flooring for a start.
09:11Yes, yes it is.
09:12And it's just got that nice brightness to it,
09:16so this is exactly the sort of place we like.
09:20I like this little bar here as well.
09:22Is this you settling into a space?
09:24No, it's me wondering whether there's going to be
09:28enough flow of work surface for us.
09:31I can tell when she's thinking deeply.
09:34She goes quiet and calculates,
09:37and I think, oh, what's going on now?
09:39But I'm taking that as a good sign,
09:41because I think if you're thinking deep,
09:43you're thinking, how could I live here?
09:45Well, that's right, yeah.
09:46Oh yeah, I think I would know that if Rosie had thought
09:49this is not the place for me, we'd have known by now.
09:53If there were any lingering concerns about workspace,
09:56there is a solution.
09:58A door from the kitchen leads to a large family room
10:02with more kitchen units and seating, ideal for entertaining.
10:06This house is very generous with its lounge areas.
10:11It certainly is, and nice high ceilings in here as well.
10:15So this is like a combined utility room sort of snug.
10:20Pretty much.
10:20Yeah, well, entertaining area.
10:22Entertaining, really.
10:24It's not my type of thing, but I quite like it.
10:27There's plenty of space there.
10:28You were concerned about the dining area at the front.
10:30I mean, this could be an option.
10:32This could be.
10:32It could be.
10:33Yes, it could be indeed.
10:34Yeah, yeah.
10:35All these places could be.
10:36I like this as it is, as a seating sort of,
10:39we're used to a snug where we live now.
10:42I think it's time for you two to be set free
10:44to go and roam this house on your own.
10:46Have a look upstairs and I'll see you outside.
10:48Okay.
10:49Okay, head out that way.
10:50Bye.
10:52When it comes to bedrooms, there are four in total here,
10:55including one on the ground floor,
10:57as well as a useful shower room.
11:01Oh, a downstairs bedroom.
11:02That's quite handy.
11:03Oh, that's nice.
11:04Yeah, that's nice.
11:05Future-proofing a little bit for us, isn't it?
11:09Next door in the study, a second staircase leads up
11:13to a room in the eaves, in use as a den.
11:16Oh, now that one, I wasn't expecting that.
11:19No.
11:21Oh, there.
11:22I've got to be careful of my head for the height here.
11:24Yeah, it's just a storage really, isn't it?
11:26Well, it's a...
11:28Yeah.
11:29You'd find a use for it.
11:31The main staircase back in the center of the house
11:34leads up to a spacious family bathroom
11:37and the three remaining bedrooms,
11:39all of which are comfortable doubles.
11:43Look at this, the main bedroom.
11:45Yes.
11:46Again, lovely window.
11:49Plenty of room for wardrobes, isn't it?
11:51Yes, yeah.
11:52There's good sounds coming from up there.
11:54I think that they're really taking to this house.
11:56Definitely cast the net wide with this property.
11:59Lots to offer, but I'm wondering
12:02if it might be a bit too much for them.
12:04Another big room.
12:05Yes, that's nice, big.
12:07Again, with lots of storage.
12:09And I do like the big windows.
12:12Yes, there's a lot going for it.
12:14Has got a lot going for it.
12:17And there's a lot going on outside as well.
12:20Out here, we find a large level patch of lawn,
12:24a double garage, several seating areas
12:27and a couple of outbuildings.
12:30Look at this.
12:30Now, this is good.
12:31Oh, I like this.
12:32Yeah, I like this.
12:34Truly, we'd never use the rooms in the house, would we?
12:37Yeah, this is lovely.
12:39Yeah.
12:40We like a good summer house.
12:41Yes.
12:44Complete with a WC,
12:45it's another additional living area
12:47in this substantial home.
12:50There you are.
12:51Yes.
12:52Have a good look around.
12:53There are so many rooms.
12:54Yeah, it's endless surprises, I think.
12:58Yeah, and I think the garden would be big enough.
13:00How much do you think this property is on offer for?
13:02I would think probably about 500,000 pounds.
13:07I think I'd go a bit higher than that.
13:09I think I'd go five to five.
13:12Well, I've got to say this first one goes to you.
13:14You're spot on.
13:16However, that said,
13:19you were also right.
13:20It has dropped in price by 25,000 pounds.
13:23So it's been on offer for four months.
13:25Right.
13:26And the current price is 500,000 pounds.
13:28Goodness me, that's excellent.
13:30Under budget at 500,000 pounds,
13:33this detached stone cottage has a number of living areas,
13:36four double bedrooms and a good sized garden
13:39with two high spec outbuildings
13:42that offer yet more entertaining space.
13:45It lies in a well-served village
13:47and is just a 30 minute drive from their son in Newcastle.
13:51Pleasantly surprised, really.
13:52Well, pleasantly surprised.
13:53I'm even going a little bit more on quite enthusiastic.
13:58It could work for us very well.
13:59Yeah.
14:01Obviously, there will be some things
14:04that we'd make alterations to,
14:07but I think you'd need to live in somewhere like this
14:09for a start, get the feel of it
14:11and then make the alterations later.
14:14It feels very comfortable, doesn't it?
14:17I feel surprised that it is so comfortable.
14:20It feels like a home.
14:21It's a good feel.
14:22Yeah, a really good feel.
14:38The market town of Holtwhistle in the Tyne Valley
14:41is nestled between the Northumberland National Park
14:44and the North Pennine area of outstanding natural beauty.
14:48It's renowned as the exact geographical centre of Britain.
14:52I came to Holtwhistle for the beautiful walks,
14:54the countryside,
14:55we're literally a mile and a half,
14:57two mile from Hadrian's Wall.
14:59And of course the community is fantastic.
15:01Everyone's welcome, lovely people
15:03and special place to live.
15:06The town has a range of independent shops
15:09which give the high street its own special identity.
15:13It's also a well-connected location
15:15with two trains an hour running between here and Newcastle,
15:18a journey which takes a little under an hour.
15:21Carlisle can be reached by rail in 30 minutes.
15:25But walking is the reason why so many people flock here.
15:29So we're sending Rosie and Alan
15:30for a stroll around Caulfield Quarry,
15:33just two miles outside of the town.
15:35They're meeting local Catriona Mulligan
15:38who is a passionate champion for her hometown.
15:41It's absolutely beautiful.
15:43It is.
15:45On every sort of weather,
15:47even with the mist today.
15:49Well, here Holtwhistle has a walking festival
15:53and you are the lady who actually runs this.
15:56Is that true?
15:57Yeah, that's right.
15:58There's been a walking festival here in Holtwhistle
16:00for 20 years.
16:02And we run the festival for 10 days
16:05at the end of April to the beginning of May.
16:08We've got it open to the public
16:10We've got at least three walks and events each day.
16:14Shorter ones, longer length
16:16and very often special interest walks as well.
16:18Looking at mosses and lichens or fungi or archeology.
16:24And they tend to be at a slow pace as well.
16:27Very popular birdwatching walk.
16:30And of course they managed to cover
16:32about a mile and a half in about four hours.
16:35Yeah, that's absolutely fantastic.
16:38Caulfield Quarry is a great place to begin
16:40an exploration of Hadrian's Wall.
16:43A UNESCO world heritage site,
16:45the stone fortification runs 73 miles
16:49across the width of England
16:51and was built to guard the Roman empire to the south.
16:54Hadrian arrived here in AD 120 and said,
16:58this is where I'm going to build my wall.
17:00It was built in six years.
17:03It's quite phenomenal.
17:04Especially with the accuracy of some of these things.
17:08It's just amazing.
17:09And they had no dynamite.
17:10You know, this was hewn and chipped.
17:12All these stones were all faced by hand.
17:15So this would be a hive of industry.
17:17There would be lots and lots of people working here,
17:21hauling stones, using block and tackle to live.
17:24When you're looking from the north,
17:26it would be pretty intimidating
17:28because you've got the cliff,
17:29you've got Hadrian's Wall that's 20 feet.
17:31And then you'd have a Roman soldier on top of that.
17:35So they were about saying, we're in charge.
17:40And they certainly were.
17:41This was a military zone.
17:42You could not pass through without laying down your arms.
17:46You'd come through here, through a mile castle.
17:48You'd lay down your arms and you would pay a fee.
17:52So they were certainly controlling
17:55what became their northern boundary.
17:58Fortunately, outsiders get a much warmer welcome
18:01from the locals these days,
18:03as they will continue to discover
18:05when our adventure here starts again in the morning.
18:16Rosie and Alan are a couple who really know what they want.
18:19But today, I want to put that to the test.
18:22As I show them more of this brilliant county,
18:24I'm really interested to discover
18:26how they're gonna react to more of a community feel
18:29and just how big their vision really is.
18:32We're beginning our day in Northumberland,
18:34in the rural village of Longhurst,
18:37a couple of miles northeast of the town of Morpeth
18:40and not too far from the coast.
18:42The closest amenities can be found in Pegswood,
18:45where there's a bakery, a doctor's surgery,
18:48and a supermarket, as well as a mainline train station.
18:52On a direct route to Newcastle,
18:54a single journey takes about half an hour
18:56with advanced tickets costing less than £10.
19:00A few minutes away by car,
19:02our next viewing is centrally located in Longhurst.
19:05So, this is the next property we want to show you.
19:08Yeah. It looks sound.
19:09It looks sound. Sound, okay.
19:12It's quite an imposing, solid building, isn't it?
19:14Yeah.
19:15It looks like a house you might draw, really, doesn't it?
19:17It does, yes.
19:18It does, but it looks interesting.
19:19I think this house will surprise you.
19:22There's a lot more to it than meets the eye.
19:24So let's get started.
19:26Please.
19:28Built in 1945, this detached house
19:31was constructed with the local stone
19:34that is typical across the region.
19:38Right, let's come into this lounge.
19:40Right. Okay.
19:41First thoughts?
19:42I love the floor.
19:44Yes.
19:44I like the boards.
19:45They've been done beautifully.
19:47And it's a big room.
19:49It's lovely.
19:50Nice, high ceilings.
19:51Yeah, nice, high ceiling.
19:52You get the light coming all the way through here.
19:54Yeah. Lovely windows.
19:55You've got a great view while you're sitting and relaxing.
19:57You've got your wood burner,
19:58so it's quite cozy and a nice feature.
20:01That's nice.
20:01Yeah.
20:02Yeah, a nice wood burner.
20:04Lovely things.
20:06Beyond the living room, at the back of the house,
20:08there's a large and light dining room,
20:11plus a utility and useful cloakroom.
20:14Then to the other side of the hallway,
20:16we come to the kitchen breakfast room.
20:19Nice little breakfast table there.
20:21Yes.
20:21That's nice, yes.
20:22Nice position.
20:23Nice surprise.
20:26So in terms of this kitchen, the style,
20:27the amount of surface area, the flow,
20:30how are you feeling?
20:31I feel it's a little bit limited for surface.
20:35It's workable.
20:35It's very workable, isn't it?
20:36And it's got plenty of cupboard space.
20:39And then you've got a pantry over there, and-
20:41Oh, a pantry.
20:42Oh, pantry.
20:43Now, we-
20:43Oh, that talking.
20:44Oh!
20:46This could be the determining factor.
20:48Pantry.
20:49Doesn't matter about anything else.
20:52I'm leaving the couple to explore the upstairs
20:54at their leisure,
20:55which includes a smart family shower room
20:58and three bedrooms,
21:00a single and two doubles.
21:04The main bedroom.
21:05Yeah.
21:06Nice and big.
21:07White window.
21:09Yeah.
21:10Again, all these lovely clawboards.
21:12Yeah.
21:13Yeah, very nice.
21:14Second bedroom, yeah.
21:16That's big enough.
21:17Double bed.
21:18Yeah.
21:19Space for a guest room.
21:21And it's got wardrobes, so if it was a guest room,
21:24that'd be plenty.
21:26Outside, there's a huge lawn edged with mature shrubs,
21:30plus a handy outbuilding and garage,
21:33both built from the same stone as the house.
21:36Then we come to something
21:37that wasn't on Rosie and Alan's wishlist.
21:40I promised you a little extra with this house.
21:42Yes.
21:43It's not a little extra.
21:44It comes with a whole second house.
21:46Right.
21:47Come on, let me show you more.
21:51I know they're definitely up for a project,
21:54and in my mind, this two-bedroom annex
21:56could be just the thing to keep them busy.
21:59Now, this surprised even me.
22:01It certainly is.
22:02It's certainly a surprise.
22:04Yes.
22:05All this space, you've got a lovely open plan,
22:08kitchen, lounge area.
22:11You could let this make a bit of extra income.
22:12Yeah.
22:13It's certainly something to think about.
22:15Why don't you have a little wander around?
22:16We'll do that.
22:17And then I'm going to meet you back out there,
22:19because of course, we still have to discuss
22:21how much this property's on the market for.
22:24Yeah.
22:25Right, let's have a look through here.
22:28Okay.
22:30That's really nice.
22:31Really nice little bedroom.
22:33Yeah.
22:34It's deceptively large, actually.
22:36It's not a slow little bedroom, is it?
22:37No, it isn't.
22:38Oh, it's got their own little garden as well.
22:41Yeah.
22:42And upstairs is a second bedroom.
22:45Another room.
22:46All right, another en suite.
22:49Yeah.
22:50It's a surprise, isn't it?
22:51It's a surprise.
22:53With the tour finally complete,
22:55it's about time we talked cash.
22:58How much do you think this property is on the market for?
23:01I think 450,000 pounds.
23:04Okay.
23:05I would go 425,000 pounds.
23:09That is very interesting.
23:12Tells me a lot about what you know about the market here
23:14and your thoughts about this property,
23:15because this property is on for 550,000 pounds.
23:20Goodness.
23:21We don't know much about the area.
23:23Well, you'll find that the closer you get to the coasts,
23:25the property prices are higher,
23:27and that's reflected here.
23:31With a price tag of 550,000 pounds,
23:35this attractive 1940s detached stone property
23:39may be at the top of their budget,
23:41but it offers two reception rooms, three bedrooms,
23:44a large garden, and the additional bonus
23:47of a two bedroom home.
23:49It's within the requested commute to Newcastle
23:52and close to the coast.
23:54The house is beautiful.
23:55It's been sympathetically referred by the people
24:00who are here at the moment,
24:02and all credit to them,
24:02because it's been beautifully done to a high standard.
24:05It was a surprise to see the extra building,
24:09and it's beautifully done,
24:10but I don't feel that we would actually
24:14get the benefit from it.
24:16I don't feel that we would actually
24:19I don't think we would use the annex as a let.
24:24It would be something this property is offering
24:27that a lifestyle we wouldn't use.
24:37From its breathtaking interior
24:39to its raw and rugged coastline,
24:41there's much to inspire a move to Northumbria,
24:44and if the region is calling you,
24:46it's good news when it comes to property prices.
24:50Detached homes in Northumberland
24:52sell for an average of just over £322,000,
24:56with County Durham lower still at around £210,000,
25:01and both those figures are way under the UK average.
25:05Estate agent Caroline Scott has advice
25:07for those wanting to move here.
25:11Drive around the areas,
25:12because everybody thinks we're quite a small area.
25:15You've got to get in the car,
25:17have a really good drive around,
25:18find out where all your local amenities are.
25:20If you need schools, check out the schools,
25:22and just get your feet on the ground.
25:24Get to know this county.
25:25Exactly, exactly.
25:26But what's the property market like here?
25:29Round here, we're still very buoyant.
25:31Countryside, rural, coastal,
25:33definitely you are looking at
25:36probably having to have a higher budget,
25:38whereas if you were looking closer into the town centres,
25:41although it's handy for commuting,
25:44people definitely do seem to be wanting
25:46to put their money more into rural and coastal properties.
25:49What would you say makes Northumberland so special?
25:51The people.
25:52We have such friendly, outgoing people in Northumbria
25:58and across to Cumbria as well.
26:00I have to agree with you, definitely the people,
26:02and it's pretty gorgeous as well.
26:06And choosing to buy in a Northumbrian village
26:08is a good way to become immersed in community life.
26:12How about this four-bedroom, semi-detached property?
26:15On the market for £290,000,
26:18it's a cosy home that has an upside-down layout.
26:24Over the border in County Durham,
26:26this three-bedroom, detached brick-and-render bungalow
26:30has a price tag of £350,000
26:33and comes with a huge, well-established garden.
26:38But you don't have to live here
26:39to enjoy this glorious region.
26:41From £90 a night,
26:43you could stay in one of these well-appointed holiday huts
26:47within a working farm.
26:48Located in the North Pennines area
26:50of outstanding natural beauty,
26:52which has some of the darkest skies in the country,
26:55it's an ideal place for a spot of stargazing.
27:05For our mystery property,
27:07we're heading to Wrighton Village in Tyne and Wear,
27:10the closest location to our House Hunters family.
27:14It's a pretty place on the outskirts of Wrighton town,
27:17so has excellent access to all the essentials.
27:20Community spirit thrives here,
27:22and the pub on the Village Green
27:24is even owned by the locals.
27:26So we're stopping by to get the lowdown about village life
27:29from landlord Mick Rolfes.
27:32Really intrigued to learn more
27:33about this community pub concept.
27:36What is it, and what's your role here?
27:38A couple of years ago, this place was sitting empty.
27:41It was up for sale.
27:42Looked like it was going to get developed.
27:43So a few members of the community
27:45kind of got together to campaign for it to remain a pub.
27:48Whatever happens to it,
27:49if it changes hands or whatever, it needs to remain a pub.
27:52But then it still sat empty.
27:53So then they looked at,
27:55it was happening around the country,
27:58villagers buying the locals.
28:00So that's what they did.
28:02There's over 400 people actually own a piece of this pub.
28:04That's amazing.
28:05So it's like crowd sourcing,
28:07crowd funding for the pub.
28:09Basically, yeah.
28:10Were you a local prior to this?
28:11Yes.
28:12Not all my life.
28:13My wife, Hannah, grew up here.
28:15So when we were looking to settle down,
28:17that's how we came to Wrighton.
28:18Since then, what's it like,
28:20interacting with your owners, 400 plus locals?
28:23It's great.
28:24There's a committee of 11, 12,
28:27who are responsible for the shareholders.
28:29So that's who we kind of interact with directly.
28:31But obviously then, we see the shareholders every day.
28:35We have like a number of community-based activities
28:38that are on.
28:39There's yoga.
28:40We put on comedy nights, open mic nights.
28:43We have gigs on.
28:44There's a community cinema.
28:46There's all sorts.
28:47There's book clubs.
28:48Sounds great.
28:48There's a club for everything.
28:50There's a whiskey club.
28:51Well, what would you say have been the key ingredients
28:54for how you've interacted with everyone?
28:59I just love beer.
29:02That is the key to running a successful pub, right?
29:04You've got to love your beer.
29:06And the great thing is,
29:08I'm going to be showing you two a property
29:11right here on this village green.
29:13Oh my goodness.
29:14I know, and we don't often get to do that.
29:16So I'm quite excited.
29:17It is our mystery house.
29:18I'm going to wander off,
29:22get the property ready,
29:23and then see you two in a few minutes.
29:26I took a bit more time getting to know more
29:28about the community pub.
29:29Yes.
29:29It's a mystery house.
29:30Lovely.
29:31Thank you so much.
29:33Right in the heart of what sounds like a wonderful village
29:36proudly sits the final property in our lineup.
29:40Now I didn't want to give too much away,
29:42but while we were sitting there at the pub
29:44over Rosie and Alan's shoulder,
29:46I could see the mystery house.
29:47It's right here.
29:52This beautiful detached grade two listed Georgian property
29:57is packed with history.
29:59In the 1800s, it was used as a penny bank
30:03where local miners could save their money.
30:06This is one of my favourite things.
30:08I love a window seat and a chance to just sit down
30:12and watch the world go by.
30:14Heaven.
30:17But with Rosie and Alan on route,
30:19it's time to get back to work.
30:23That's the pub we were sitting at just there,
30:25and this is the mystery house.
30:27Come and take a look.
30:29It's a smiley house.
30:30What do you mean?
30:31Well, it makes you smile, doesn't it?
30:33Oh, that's lovely.
30:34These are my favourite properties to show.
30:36I love the grandeur of a Georgian house.
30:39Certainly different to anything
30:40we've ever seen or lived in before.
30:42And that is why I love the mystery house.
30:44Blimey.
30:46It is a bit of a blimey house, isn't it?
30:50Just wait till you see what's inside.
30:54They are up for a spool project,
30:56and being custodians of this exceptional house
30:59dating to 1750 might keep them busier than they imagined,
31:03if they're up for the challenge.
31:05This lovely Georgian living room.
31:07It certainly is.
31:07Look at the proportions.
31:08Yeah, look at that fireplace.
31:11I know.
31:11Amazing.
31:12Plenty of light in it for during the day,
31:15and in the evenings,
31:17yeah, it'd be an extremely cosy room to be in.
31:19I can see exactly the sort of things
31:22that I'd want to do in this room, really.
31:25It'd be a great project.
31:27Rosie, your mouth's open.
31:29You're taking your mouth off.
31:31What's going on in your head?
31:33I am just dumbfounded
31:37by what I would have to do with it.
31:41Take a lot to make the curtains.
31:45I do so, and I do make curtains.
31:47I've never made any on this scale before.
31:50Well, let's see if once you've seen some more,
31:52you start to fall in love,
31:53and it becomes a labor of love, perhaps.
31:55Yes.
31:55Come on.
31:59Across the entrance hall lies a formal dining room.
32:04Beyond that, there's an additional eating area
32:06right next to the recently modernized kitchen.
32:10And then just off the kitchen, yet another little room.
32:13This one's more like a TV room at the moment, or snug.
32:16This is lovely.
32:17It is lovely.
32:18I do like this room.
32:19So this was obviously a new extension, wasn't it,
32:22do you think?
32:24You've spotted the special thing about this property,
32:26because you see that door over there?
32:28Yeah.
32:29There's even more to this house than I thought I'd just look.
32:33More?
32:34Yes.
32:35So it comes with what could be a separate cottage,
32:38and at the moment, it's rented out,
32:39but as you can see, there's a connecting door.
32:41So you could just make it part of the whole property.
32:45All right.
32:46And so this connects the two.
32:48I'm hearing more encouraging noises from you now.
32:51Oh, yes, yeah.
32:53You're warming to it, yeah.
32:54I'm pleasantly surprised with this.
32:55So take that energy with you.
32:57Yeah.
32:58Keep exploring.
32:59Thank you very much.
33:00All right, I'll go.
33:02I'll see you later.
33:04This is the thing with the mystery house.
33:05It really makes you work,
33:07and it's making them think about what they really,
33:11really want and what they're willing to do to get it.
33:16Up on the first floor,
33:17there's an impressive family bathroom
33:19and two of the property's three bedrooms.
33:23Oh, big room.
33:24Oh, that's a nice size.
33:26Impressive windows.
33:27This window is just stunning, isn't it?
33:30It is.
33:31So it's lovely to be able to see out to the village green.
33:35You'd be able to see the pub from here.
33:38Yeah.
33:42Yes, another nice room.
33:43Much bigger than you think it is.
33:45Nice window seat.
33:47Yeah.
33:47Fine place.
33:48Yep.
33:49Make a feature of that.
33:51The largest bedroom is up on the second floor.
33:55And this is a surprise as well, isn't it?
33:57Excellent.
33:58But you've still got plenty of light coming in on that.
34:01Yeah, yeah, plenty of light.
34:04But this tour is not over yet.
34:07I know there was a lot to see in there,
34:08but we've got all of this to explore as well,
34:11and I can't wait to show you.
34:11I didn't realise this.
34:13Here you go.
34:14Bet you weren't expecting this.
34:16Certainly not.
34:17No, I wasn't.
34:17So that door there-
34:19Is the one that comes through?
34:21Correct.
34:22All right.
34:23I can see now.
34:23Upstairs, you've got two bedrooms and a bathroom.
34:27And the current rental income is £650 a month.
34:31Right.
34:31Yeah, yeah, that's good.
34:33This is almost big enough for us to live in.
34:37Well, let's head outside,
34:39see the garden and the outside area,
34:42figure out how much this would cost.
34:44Off to you.
34:46The lawned, south-facing garden is a good size
34:49with lots of mature plants.
34:52Well, this mystery house
34:53certainly has a lot to offer, doesn't it?
34:55Absolutely.
34:56Taking everything into consideration,
34:57how much do you think this property is worth?
35:00I think it would be above our budget.
35:03I think it would probably be £575,000.
35:08Alan?
35:09I'll be optimistic and I'll say £560,000.
35:14Okay.
35:15Well, the good news is this is on at £550,000.
35:18So it's at the top of your budget,
35:20but you could afford it.
35:21It is a beautiful, beautiful house.
35:25And its potential for being stunning is really there.
35:29It's just a case, I think, with us,
35:33is would it be a bit too big for two of us?
35:37So I think that's what we need to think over with this one.
35:41At £550,000, this grade two listed
35:45detached Georgian property is an elegant proposition
35:49with gorgeous original features.
35:52It's a spacious home spread over three floors
35:54with three bedrooms.
35:55The attached two-bed annex could easily be incorporated
35:59into the main house if required.
36:01Located in the heart of a thriving village,
36:04it's also within easy reach of Newcastle.
36:07The location of this property on the village green
36:11and everything else around it is just fantastic.
36:15Couldn't ask for a better location.
36:17The property has got a huge amount of opportunity.
36:21It does need to have a little bit of TLC on a few aspects.
36:26And it's a case of do we feel up to doing
36:30that amount of work?
36:31My heart says this was a great idea.
36:35My head says this would be fantastic.
36:37It's just what we want.
36:39But I had to engage my head on this occasion.
36:42And my head says, don't be silly.
36:45It needs somebody special to bring out the best in this.
36:49And we're not perhaps those special people.
36:56One of the best things about house hunting
36:58in the countryside is the incredible unspoiled scenery
37:02you get to take in when traveling around.
37:06Whilst in the region, I couldn't miss out the opportunity
37:09to head into the Northumberland National Park
37:12to enjoy its natural beauty
37:14and meet visitor development and tourism officer,
37:16Duncan Wise, who's been lucky enough
37:19to call this his office for 22 years.
37:24Duncan, thank you for meeting me here.
37:26Standing up here, looking at this view,
37:29I feel like I've got like three or four different types
37:32of people looking at different vistas.
37:35This is fantastic.
37:36What's it like working here?
37:38It's a real privilege, to be honest.
37:40Northumberland has a wild beauty associated with it.
37:43And it's often called the land of the far horizon.
37:46And from here, it's not difficult to see why.
37:48And being a protected landscape,
37:51what does it take to stay protected?
37:53And what can people do to contribute towards that?
37:55Well, this is a very sensitive landscape.
37:57And we work very much closely with local landowners
38:00and farmers and other agencies to keep it special.
38:03But there's a role that visitors can play as well
38:05in terms of just looking after the landscape,
38:08not dropping litter, making sure that, you know,
38:11they're just taking photographs
38:12and leaving nothing but footprints.
38:14You know, we want to develop tourism
38:16in a way that is sustainable.
38:18Well, it's not just this beautiful landscape
38:19in the daytime.
38:21It's quite special at night as well, isn't it?
38:23Tell me about the Dark Skies Initiative.
38:25Well, we have so little light pollution here.
38:28Most of the light pollution tends to come
38:30from towns and cities and larger conurbations
38:32away to the east of us or to the west of us.
38:34But between those areas, you have this area
38:38of basically unspoilt countryside and unspoilt sky.
38:43On a clear night, you can look up into the night sky
38:45and see more than 2,000 stars.
38:47You can even see the Milky Way really clearly
38:50from this location.
38:52This is quite unique, not just for the UK,
38:55but I understand across Europe, this place.
38:58I think so.
38:58We have what was called a Gold Tier Dark Sky Park,
39:01International Dark Sky Park,
39:03and it recognises the pristine nature
39:05of the dark skies that we have here.
39:07And yes, we certainly can celebrate the fact
39:10that we were England's first International Dark Sky Park
39:12and at the time, Europe's International Dark Sky Park.
39:15That's so special, just being out here at night.
39:19And I think the most stars I ever saw
39:21was down in South Africa,
39:22travelling there in the middle of the vast plain.
39:24So to be able to do that in England,
39:28must be amazing.
39:28It is, it is.
39:29And I think that wow factor,
39:31we see certainly children when they're looking
39:33through a telescope for the very first time,
39:35seeing the rings of Saturn
39:37or seeing the Andromeda galaxy,
39:39you know, they're blown away.
39:41So for the ordinary person who's going to come up here
39:45and discover Northumberland
39:46and then want to experience the dark skies,
39:49what's the best way to do that?
39:51Well, we're very fortunate here.
39:52We have four observatories here in the Dark Sky Park,
39:55including Kield Observatory,
39:57which is a fantastic observatory,
39:59running nearly 700 events a year.
40:02Or you can just literally step out of your front door,
40:05move away from street lighting
40:06and just to enjoy the night sky.
40:08You have a wonderful job.
40:10I can see why you've been doing it for 22 years.
40:12Thank you so much for spending some time with me today.
40:14Thank you, it's been a pleasure.
40:19It's the end of a long week here in Northumberland
40:21and now it's time to find out
40:23what Rosemary and Alan are going to do next.
40:28Hello, you two.
40:30So what's this experience been like for you?
40:32I think you've opened our eyes
40:35to properties we wouldn't have looked at otherwise.
40:39We've looked at some completely different things
40:41and it's been great, really good.
40:44The weather is beautiful.
40:45The weather has been glorious.
40:46We've experienced everything.
40:48Sun, rain, wind and plenty of beauty.
40:53Yeah.
40:54What factors have you noticed
40:56What factors have been coming into play for you
40:58as we've looked around?
40:59Possibly the fact that we'd like a property
41:03that would be easily made ours
41:07so that we have time to actually explore
41:10all this wonderful area.
41:13That's quite important, really.
41:15So have any of our properties come up top trumps?
41:19This is the first house.
41:20The first house, we liked it immediately we went into it
41:24and we would certainly like to see it again.
41:27And if it's right,
41:29then I think we'll try and move on with that one.
41:32Yeah, good.
41:33So good news.
41:34You seem very keen,
41:35but I sent some hesitancy from you, Rosie.
41:38I'm still not a hundred percent sure
41:40how I could manipulate the downstairs
41:44to be the usable space that I would like it,
41:49but it's worth looking at again.
41:50So all going well,
41:52if you go back and have another look,
41:54could this be the house for you?
41:56It could be.
41:57I think it could be.
41:58Yeah, I think it could be.
41:59Yes, you're particularly keen, aren't you?
42:02I am keen, yeah, I'm keen on that one.
42:05So we'll see.
42:06Well, make sure you let us know what you decide
42:09and if you go ahead.
42:10And I can't wait to hear that you've settled down
42:12and enjoying the community out here.
42:14I wish you all the best.
42:15Thank you very much.
42:20I really do wish Rosie and Alan all the best
42:23with their second viewing of property number one.
42:26And I'm really excited for the start
42:28of this new chapter for them in this beautiful county
42:31that offers them everything they've been looking for.
42:35I'll see you next time on Escape to the Country.
42:39The couple did return to our first property in Durham
42:42and the second viewing won Rosie over,
42:44so much so that they decided to put in an offer
42:47which I'm delighted to reveal was accepted.
42:50We're thrilled for them
42:52and hope they'll be very happy
42:53in their new Northumbrian home.
42:59If you would like to escape to the country
43:01in England, Northern Ireland, Scotland or Wales
43:04and need our help,
43:05why not apply online at bbc.co.uk forward slash take part.