Escape To The Country Season 26 Episode 9 heads to stunning Cumbria, where Jules Hudson helps a couple search for the perfect rural home with space to build a carpentry workshop. After an inspiring Paralympic cycling career, retirement opens the door to a new adventure — launching a woodworking business while embracing life surrounded by nature and water.
From charming countryside properties to a mystery house packed with potential, this episode showcases the beauty of Cumbria and the exciting possibilities of rural living in the UK. Discover inspiring homes, outdoor lifestyles, and the dream of turning passion into a peaceful country life.
#EscapeToTheCountry #Cumbria #CountryLiving #RuralLife #PropertySearch
From charming countryside properties to a mystery house packed with potential, this episode showcases the beauty of Cumbria and the exciting possibilities of rural living in the UK. Discover inspiring homes, outdoor lifestyles, and the dream of turning passion into a peaceful country life.
#EscapeToTheCountry #Cumbria #CountryLiving #RuralLife #PropertySearch
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FunTranscript
00:00Here on Escape to the Country, it's always our aim to win gold.
00:05That's stunning, yeah.
00:06Yeah?
00:07Certainly on the outside, that's like the dream.
00:09And today, with a Paralympic cyclist in tow, is no exception.
00:14Oh, cheeky.
00:15Old.
00:16You ain't getting on the podium.
00:19We're gearing up for an adventure to find a dream Cumbrian home.
00:24Awesome.
00:24What do we think?
00:25Looks good.
00:26Looking really interesting.
00:28I like it.
00:28Yeah?
00:28And to get over the finish line in style.
00:32Really?
00:33How?
00:34Oh, my word.
00:35That's a good surprise.
00:36That's a good surprise.
00:37Yeah, yeah.
01:03Yeah, yeah.
01:04And that's a good surprise.
01:12That's a good surprise.
01:15I'm sorry.
01:15I love you.
01:15That's a good surprise.
01:16I love you.
01:19And I love you.
01:20I love you.
01:21I love you, I love you.
01:24And you love you.
01:25I love you.
01:26of a health warning yes it can take your breath away but it can also steal your heart
01:33in the far northwest of england on the border with scotland you'll find the county of cumbria
01:42i actually came up with the northwest and to the lakes in particular to study about 30 years ago
01:46and loved it so much i never went home to leicestershire so um yeah i love the lakes
01:52love the lake district really love lake windermere and now i'm in a dream job because i'm here telling
01:57other people how amazing it is the market town of kendall has both the lake district and yorkshire
02:03dales national parks on its doorstep with a packed social calendar that includes walking cycling and
02:10mountain festivals the village of pulley bridge draws holiday makers who come for afternoon tea
02:17and paddle steamer rides across lake ullswater my favorite place actually um uh small lake between
02:28windmere and the coniston called ethelate water which is um um beatrix porter's favorite um lakes as well
02:38it's so beautiful i always loved it now you could say that cumbria is one great big adventure playground
02:48and you'd be right perfect if amongst other things you're into cycling or indeed open water swimming
02:54just two of the reasons why today's buyers want to move here
03:04so one of the things that's super important to us is being close to rivers and locks or lakes to
03:12swim in uh caroline's an avid cold water swimmer and on mornings like this where the sun is shining
03:18it's freezing cold so i'm gonna stay on the side
03:22meet outdoor adventure enthusiasts caroline a charity fundraiser and steve a double paralympic
03:29cycling champion with four world para cycling titles i race my bike for british cycling and paralympics
03:39gb and today i'm on a seven hour training ride i'm four hours in three to go best i crack
03:46on
03:48steve was diagnosed with a degenerative eye condition in 2011 so my visual impairment is
03:55called retinitis pigmentosa which is i think a fancy name for basi tunnel vision so i don't have
04:01any peripheral vision anymore eventually i will lose my sight completely there's no cure for that
04:07at the moment so i'm pretty fortunate that i'm still able to ride a bike on my own and do
04:13a lot
04:13of things without uh aids or a walking cane uh but i realize those um those days may not last
04:22too much
04:22longer after 11 years of road and track cycling with his sighted pilot chris latham steve will hang
04:30up his cleats for the final time in six months so my retirement from cycling unfortunately doesn't mean
04:38i'm retiring from work which is which is a real shame that'd be great wouldn't it uh no so i
04:45i'm
04:45actually a carpenter by trade i'm going to pick up kind of where i left off but instead of building
04:50houses i am planning on making furniture i think it would be much easier well safer for me now to
04:57be
04:57navigating around a fixed workshop which is obviously a big part of this move they've already accepted an
05:05offer on their modern three-bed terrace in the large west yorkshire village of my thornroyd near
05:10halifax and along with their beloved dog murphy they are raring to go we've always been passionate
05:16about the mountains and rivers and lakes i think it's now time to enjoy life in the hills again i
05:22think
05:22it'll just be nice to have it on our doorstep really excited about just having that really really
05:27accessible and lots of swimming caroline and steve want a detached character property with two bedrooms
05:35and a small garden within walking distance of village amenities storage for all their outdoor equipment
05:41is a must as is a workshop for steve or the potential to create one for all this they have
05:47a budget of 425
05:495 000 pounds well it's not every week i get to spend time with the decorated paralympian what an
06:05achievement steve has clocked up through his career three olympic games five medals and caroline behind
06:13him all the way and now they're embarking on a new adventure in what some would argue i suppose is
06:20the adventure capital of england the lake district but you know what these two are clearly no strangers
06:26to adventure and fingers crossed we can find them just what they're looking for because frankly when
06:31you do look across this landscape i defy anybody not to want to be here
06:40before our search begins i'm meeting caroline and steve to chat more about this exciting move
06:48wow caroline steve what a day to start your house on here in cumbria isn't it amazing it's so beautiful
06:54it's always always like this in cumbria isn't it yeah well they say in our dreams
06:59now i mean a lot of people you know who say they love the great outdoors and they're great walkers
07:04and
07:04cyclists and all the rest of it but you too wow so how much stuff have you got steve oh
07:09we've got uh
07:10we've got plenty of outdoor kit they're taking the seven or so bikes out of the equation there's
07:16surfboards there's climbing kit there's swimming stuff it's it's a bit ridiculous really when we
07:23think about it yeah so you need somewhere to put all of that yes and how many properties have you
07:28sort
07:28of looked at over the last five months 15 have we 10 15 properties yeah maybe 15 to 20 yeah
07:36we've
07:36we're trying to pack them in we're trying hard but none of them have worked yet we've seen some beautiful
07:40houses but the location isn't quite right or we've seen houses that don't quite fit or they're massive
07:48in a perfect location well fingers crossed you know we can finally draw this house search of yours to
07:54a successful close over the next few days so shall we um get on our bikes bikes no bikes no
08:01bikes
08:06getting this cumbrian property quest into gear we're heading to the village of leavens right on
08:12the edge of the lake district national park and six and a half miles south from the town of kendall
08:18the village hall inviting pub and shop there's an active social calendar of events ensuring there
08:26are interests for all of the 1200 or so residents well guys here we are in leavens look at this
08:33slot
08:34just outside the village shop that looks really nice the hive of the community um so i'm told lots
08:40going on but i think this speaks to it look at this plants on the green so far in 2025
08:44we have raised 409
08:47pounds and 31 pence for local charities isn't that great look at that and in total
08:53ten four years ten grand yeah it does speak to the fact that actually there is clearly a really vibrant
09:00gardening community here as well somebody that knows more than i do well there's the thing that might be
09:05quite helpful because actually the property i'm about to show you has got a lovely garden that wraps around
09:09it okay so if you do think it's a bit overwhelming when you see it there's clearly advice and help
09:14to be had
09:15should you need it perfect right then should we have a look let's do it let's have a look
09:21just a few minutes walk away from the village shop sits the property in question
09:28so here we are then awesome what do we think looks good looking really interesting yeah yeah
09:34yeah the garden is inviting as you can see and it does sort of wrap around it as you'll
09:39understand a little bit later on um there is workshop space but i'm going to say right now i
09:45think it it could and should be bigger okay oh did you hear that yeah you see yeah can't be
09:51too big
09:52right i heard it i'm not necessarily listening well let's see what you think of it let's have a look
09:59built in 1947 this detached dormer bungalow has been lived in by the present owner for the past six
10:06years the front door opens into an entrance hall with a dining room on one side and the main reception
10:12on the other right so let's start then in uh in here great this is a nice space yeah i
10:21like this space
10:21it's just nice with the windows isn't it yeah it's really it's nice it's got four windows isn't it
10:26yeah it's got a nice really nice feel to it but you can see it would benefit i think from
10:31the
10:32opportunity for you to make it your own but some of the internal fittings have been done in more
10:35recent years i mean if i gave you the keys now yeah what would you do with it what would
10:39it look like
10:40if i came back in six months time oh maybe windows some some double doors here opening it up a
10:47bit more
10:47nice maybe yeah doors out onto the grounds that's a nice thought isn't it visionary visionary
10:55only you need somebody that can make some nice wooden doors
10:59right let's have a look at the kitchen
11:05so as you can see this has also benefited from a little bit of a
11:08yeah tweak yes in the last two or three years i think really and there's an enormous larder
11:14through that door there oh can i have a look yeah i do yeah yeah if you fancy a traditional
11:18larder
11:18that might just um it just creates space yeah that's good yeah but yeah so it feels like it's
11:26had a bit of a you know a reach into yeah more modern styling you know more recently but there's
11:32a
11:33little bit more to go but i think that's the joy of it and you could just move in and
11:36kind of get on
11:36with it and then yeah yeah fiddle around as you like one of the things steve will definitely want
11:42to fiddle with is the workshop potential in the garage so here we go kind of functional utility space
11:48they've sort of tied it together with the tiles coming through from the kitchen yep here we step into
11:53the kind of project end of it um the current owners have put this false wall in okay but you
11:59could
12:00remove that and make it bigger because it gets you into oh i see okay come here steve oh yeah
12:05it's
12:05got proper garage it's bigger than i thought it's going to be actually so i'm thinking with this
12:10potentially extend it that way with glazing yeah at one end and potentially even you could go this way
12:17further out into the garden i like your thinking you know obviously subject to planning yep
12:21mm yeah it's good it's good upstairs there are two double bedrooms each with a recently fitted ensuite
12:29shower gonna have to look in the cupboard oh my word come check this out is it massive yeah it's
12:37good storage you've disappeared oh wow that isn't what it goes full length that's cool that is amazing
12:43that's good yeah it's a nice room more cupboards
12:49oh oh it's an ensuite that's exciting i really hope they love what they find upstairs because it
12:56benefited from something of a makeover in more recent years but there is still more to be done
13:01this is great room great space isn't it nice and bright and more cupboards for me
13:07there's another ensuite oh my god yeah that's cool another heated tower lovely it has got loads of potential
13:15and of course there's one final piece of information steve and caroline need
13:22so so what do we think up there it's good it's all right isn't it yeah yeah yeah having the
13:27two
13:27en suites is interesting yeah clever use of the space i thought yep um but yeah you know probably
13:33all you need oh totally yeah it's got loads of potential and there's loads of storage up there
13:38which is great and the two en suites have not seen that before but actually it's a really good use
13:42of the
13:42the space so let's have a think about the price then four fifteen four hundred and fifteen thousand
13:49pounds yeah yeah steve i'm gonna go with a hope i hope it's 400. just to give you that little
13:55bit
13:55extra just a little yeah so wow on this occasion the gold medal goes to
14:04damn it i'm pleased and i'm sad yeah on the market yeah for four hundred and fifteen thousand
14:12pounds oh is it yeah okay yeah however yeah i do know they are very much open to offers okay
14:17that's
14:17good so maybe it'll be closer to your four hundred thousand pounds and that'd be amazing because that
14:23would just free up as a money to do what we'd like to exactly yeah this detached dormer bungalow has
14:31two receptions a modern kitchen and two ensuite double bedrooms on a large corner plot there's a
14:38garage with workshop potential and it's on the market with a guide price of four hundred and fifteen
14:43thousand pounds so i think in terms of the size of the house that's a perfect size for us
14:51it's very easy for me to see the the potential in the in the property and i think adding a
14:58porch on
14:58the front and maybe taking down a couple of walls maybe opening up this side of the house with uh
15:04some bifold doors to really give us access to this amazing garden there's there's definitely
15:10a lot a lot of potential yeah i like it i like the feel of it
15:13a lot of them
15:25now i'd say that lake windermere the lake district's largest body of water
15:30is pretty well known oh this is so beautiful what a day i know
15:36But perhaps lesser known is the town of Windermere
15:39and its neighbour, Bowness on Windermere,
15:42which sits on the eastern shore of the lake.
15:44They're only about 15 minutes apart from each other,
15:47but they're really closely connected towns,
15:50so a lot of people, when they visit Windermere,
15:53they do kind of make their way down to Bowness
15:55as the natural kind of way,
15:56but that's where you'd find the lake
15:58and a kind of more of an upbeat atmosphere
16:01because there's kind of more, like, bars and pubs
16:04and kind of, like, lots of more tourists down there as well.
16:09The little ice cream shop in Windermere
16:11is one of many independent businesses
16:13that keeps the estimated 7 million annual visitors fed and watered.
16:19Could I have some sprinkles? Sure.
16:22Rainbow sprinkles.
16:24That is a work of art.
16:25Gingerbread and licorice food.
16:27That was delicious.
16:29If my coach is watching this, you've got nothing to see here.
16:32Cheers.
16:35It's not just tourists who are well catered for.
16:38The two towns' 12,000 or so residents
16:40have everything they need on the busy high streets
16:43and good road and rail links
16:45make Manchester and Liverpool reachable in under two hours.
16:50This art shop in the centre of Windermere
16:52is run by Sarah and Don Mamet,
16:54who live in one of the outlying villages.
16:56They sell prints inspired by their passions,
16:59which include cycling.
17:03Well, we relocated to the Lake District about 11 years ago
17:07and we'd never had a shop before.
17:09We used to run a graphic design business,
17:12but we'd always thought about running a shop.
17:15And Windermere was a great place to base it.
17:19Obviously, lots of holidaymakers, beautiful scenery.
17:22And, yeah, so this shop became available and we snapped it up.
17:27So how do you get the inspiration for all of your amazing designs?
17:30There's inspiration all around you.
17:32I'm kind of, as a sort of formerly commercial designer,
17:35you're almost trained, really, to notice things.
17:38Yeah.
17:38You know, you can be watching the television about watching sport
17:43and have an idea for something for a cycling poster.
17:46Some work and some don't,
17:47and some take half an hour, some take a long time.
17:51Yeah.
17:52But it's my time.
17:53It's my time.
17:54Yeah, yeah, yeah.
17:55Must be a patient man.
17:56Yeah.
17:57Well, Sarah won't answer that question.
18:00Yeah, yeah.
18:01And do you enjoy working in the Windermere area?
18:03Yeah, I mean, we live about 20, 25 minutes away,
18:07so we drive up here when we're working in the shop.
18:09Yeah.
18:10It's a great village.
18:12It's busy all year round.
18:13There's never really a downtime.
18:15There's always visitors, always things going on.
18:18So I'd say it's quite a vibrant place to live.
18:21And, obviously, you're right in the heart of the Lake District,
18:24so all the outdoor stuff is there for you as well.
18:27So best of everything, really.
18:31After a taster of town life here, I'm reuniting with the couple,
18:35and I can think of no better place
18:37to soak up the last of the day's sunshine
18:39than here on the southern shores of Windermere.
18:45Well, what a way to finish up.
18:46Look at that, Windermere.
18:47Absolutely.
18:48In all its sunlit glory.
18:49I mean, that's what draws us all to the Lake District, is it not?
18:53It's not so much the water, it's what's beyond it, I think.
18:55Both.
18:56Well, I think...
18:57Both in my boat.
18:57Yeah, I was going to say, the water's probably a big draw for Carraway.
19:01But you two are no strangers to adventure.
19:04No.
19:04You know, it was the love of the great outdoors
19:06that brought you both together when you first met up in Scotland.
19:09Yeah.
19:09But since then, you know, life has thrown up some pretty big challenges,
19:15but you've managed to turn those challenges into opportunities,
19:18not least becoming an Olympic athlete.
19:21I mean, how did that come about?
19:22Yeah, I think through the diagnosis of my eyesight created a very, very tiny opportunity
19:30to race for the para squad, for the Great British cycling team
19:37and further down my career into Paralympics GB.
19:40So it's, yeah, it's amazing.
19:43It's hard to believe, you know, what we've achieved, really.
19:49It's, yeah, kind of mind-blowing.
19:51But you've had to support that journey.
19:53Yes.
19:53Caroline.
19:54Yeah.
19:54You've been there, you know, alongside Steve's career
19:57and all the ups and downs that there must have been.
20:00Certainly when Steve got his eye diagnosis in 2013,
20:05we'd got a kind of like a bit of a life plan in Scotland and in the outdoors
20:08and that was completely turned on its head.
20:11And they said he might go blind in four years.
20:13And so, you know, it took us a little while to adjust to that.
20:15But then after that, a couple of opportunities or potential opportunities came up.
20:20And we very much believe in seizing.
20:23You never know where life's going to take you.
20:24But if something comes up, go and give it a go.
20:27And then Rio happened and then Tokyo happened and Paris happened
20:31and now Cumbria's happening.
20:33But that same wish to embrace the future,
20:37regardless of what it holds or where it takes you,
20:40is what brought us here now, isn't it?
20:41Absolutely.
20:42To this gorgeous lakeside.
20:43But you're going back to a career that I'm fascinated by.
20:48What are you going to make?
20:49It's a very good question.
20:51And one Caroline asked me.
20:53Daily.
20:54Yeah.
20:54I'll make anything.
20:55I'll make furniture.
20:56I'll make anything.
20:57But that has been narrowed down in the last year
21:00I've been developing medal displays.
21:03Because it's something I realize as athletes.
21:05You often win medals.
21:07But unless you're competing at games level,
21:09those medals don't come with displays.
21:12So I think there is a tiny niche that I can hopefully carve out
21:16with creating bespoke medal displays for athletes
21:19to display their achievements.
21:21I'm so excited to kind of be riding shotgun
21:24at the start of your new future together.
21:28What a team you are.
21:29Here's to tomorrow.
21:30Absolutely.
21:31Out there.
21:31Absolutely.
22:07Well, what a stunning start to our final day of house hunting.
22:11This view across Windermere really, I think, showing what defines this part of the world,
22:15water and mountains.
22:17It's full of adventure beyond that horizon.
22:20And that's what's attracted Steve and Caroline to want to move here.
22:23But today we're going to shake things up a bit.
22:25We've got two more properties to come, but we're not looking around here.
22:28We're heading further west to an area they haven't really explored before.
22:32Fingers crossed it'll find us a little bit more value for money and, of course, a mystery
22:37house that I hope will really do the trick.
22:42But first to Wigton in the north-west of the county.
22:46Perfectly positioned between the lakes and the Solway coast, both are a 20-minute drive
22:50away, this Georgian market town has all the everyday essentials covered, including a train
22:56station with regular services to Carlisle and Barrow-in-Furnace.
23:03And just under two miles from the centre of town, we've selected this.
23:07So, here we are then.
23:09Barn conversion.
23:10Awesome.
23:11That's stunning.
23:12Yeah.
23:13Yeah?
23:13That is very impressive.
23:15That's like, certainly on the outside, that's like the dream for me.
23:18Oh, it's beautiful.
23:20You're like, where's the workshop?
23:22No, we've looked at a couple of properties that have this red sandstone brick and stuff,
23:29and it's lovely.
23:29And I said the other day, we're looking at a house like this green, these green doors
23:34just really set things off.
23:37Yeah, it's stunning.
23:38We're a long way north from where I think your sort of search has previously focused.
23:44Yeah.
23:44But, you know, I just think it demonstrates, you know, what might be achievable, you know,
23:48within the budget to give you something which visually feels very much at home in this landscape.
23:54Yeah.
23:55It's stunning.
23:56Lovely.
23:56Lovely.
23:56Want to see?
23:57Yeah.
23:57Absolutely.
23:58Go on.
23:58Let's go.
23:59Let's go.
24:00Now, I don't want to call it too early, but this property might have podium potential.
24:06The original barn, built from Cumbria's signature red sandstone, dates back to the 1800s.
24:11It was converted into a home in the early 2000s with all mod cons, including underfloor heating
24:17throughout.
24:21Okay.
24:22There we go.
24:24Is this the sort of feel?
24:26Yeah.
24:27Cozy.
24:27Yeah.
24:28Really nice.
24:29Ooh.
24:30Very cosy, isn't it?
24:31And squeaky floorboards.
24:33And accompanying squeaky floorboards.
24:36Really like the patio doors out.
24:38Yes.
24:38It is very bright for something with substantial wall thickness.
24:43Yeah.
24:43They've managed to get the light in there really well.
24:45And I love these sills, these stone sills.
24:48Yeah.
24:48They've got here throughout, which is a nice touch, isn't it?
24:50Fantastic.
24:51Yeah.
24:52Yeah.
24:52Have you seen many barn conversion?
24:54Have you been into many?
24:55No.
24:56No, I've seen them online, but I just love the look and the feel and the style of them.
25:03Good.
25:03Well, I hope you like what you see now, because this is super.
25:06Come and have a look through here.
25:10There we go.
25:14Ooh.
25:15It's a good size.
25:16Like, we don't need a massive kitchen, but it's nice that it would fit a dining table.
25:21Yeah.
25:21Yeah.
25:21We discovered that we really like these sort of, like, stable doors as well.
25:26We said, one day we'll have a house with this.
25:28You know, like, we can just, like, just lean out and go, you know.
25:30Yeah.
25:31Yeah.
25:31Well, that stable door leads out onto a rear terrace.
25:35We'll explore more of this a little bit later, but come and have a look in this.
25:39The vendor, a tattoo artist, turned the detached garage into a studio, which could be just the thing for Steve's
25:46new workshop.
25:48It's a really cool space, isn't it?
25:50It's funky, yeah.
25:51I mean, it seems a shame to kind of put woodworking tools in it, really, but that's probably what I'd
25:55do.
25:56Yeah, yeah, yeah.
25:57And you've got how many? Two surfboards, canoes, bikes.
26:02Skis.
26:02Snowboards.
26:03The list is endless.
26:06Ground floor accommodations sorted, Steve and Caroline are exploring upstairs on their own.
26:12Oh, this is a nice one.
26:16Loving the view out there.
26:17Oh, wow.
26:17Look at that.
26:18Big green.
26:20Yeah.
26:20This is super cool.
26:22Yeah, it is very cool.
26:23It's got my beams, my dream beams.
26:25Yeah, got your beams.
26:26Got some fairy lights.
26:27Really, really nice.
26:29Yeah, and the view as well.
26:31This could work.
26:32This could definitely work, yeah.
26:34Beautiful.
26:35So, well done.
26:36There's a spacious family bathroom.
26:38That's nice.
26:40With a second bedroom next door.
26:42That's a perfect size for an office.
26:45At the end of the corridor is the third and final bedroom.
26:48Another double in use as a gym.
26:53More bees.
26:55Oh, this is lovely as well.
26:56Oh, run off some squats.
26:59It's fab, isn't it?
27:00It's a lovely guest room.
27:01Yeah.
27:02Just how bright.
27:04With these windows.
27:05You're liking it, aren't you?
27:05Yeah.
27:06Good.
27:06Good for the eyes.
27:08And quite possibly their hearts.
27:11Oh, this is a tough one.
27:13Can you just get under that?
27:13This is a tough one.
27:14Yeah.
27:14Yeah.
27:15Yeah.
27:15Just skim them.
27:18Outside, the south-facing rear garden, just like the house, packs a lot in.
27:23As well as the terrace, there's an elevated seating area, a strip of lawn and some raised beds.
27:32Just imagine when that lot ripens into golden wheat.
27:35It's so peaceful and beautiful, isn't it?
27:38I think the lovely thing about this as well is we've got a very small manageable garden.
27:42Yeah.
27:43But actually, what you're looking onto...
27:44Yeah, it feels like you've got...
27:45Yeah, it feels like you've got fields, you know, and you have.
27:48Well, it's that famous borrowed view, isn't it?
27:50Absolutely.
27:50This bit you buy, that bit's for free.
27:51Yeah.
27:52As it were.
27:53Yeah.
27:53Well, let's get on then with what we think this is going to be on the market for.
27:58I think this is going to be at the top end of our budget.
28:02I'm going to say 425.
28:03I'm going to go 410.
28:04Both of your estimates north of 400,000.
28:08Yeah.
28:09Here's the rub.
28:11This could be yours for £345,000.
28:17What?
28:18Really?
28:19How?
28:21Oh, my word.
28:22That's a surprise.
28:23Yeah.
28:24That is...
28:25That's a good surprise.
28:25That's a good surprise.
28:26Yeah, yeah, yeah.
28:27I would say so.
28:28Go and have a look around.
28:29I'm sure you want to see a bit more of it.
28:31Yeah.
28:31Yeah, absolutely.
28:32That's a big surprise, that.
28:34Cheers, thank you.
28:36Off you go.
28:37There we go.
28:38Well, there's nothing quite so nice as a nice surprise.
28:43This barn conversion offers a living room, a modern kitchen diner, three bedrooms and a
28:48separate workshop-cum-studio.
28:50The manageable garden and terrace has uninterrupted countryside views and the whole package is
28:55on the market for £345,000.
28:59This is probably like my dream house.
29:02Just from the outside, it looked like everything I kind of had in my head about the dream living
29:07space.
29:08It's definitely a contender, I think.
29:10I think the only challenge is potentially the location.
29:14I mean, the house is amazing, phenomenal.
29:17We could imagine ourselves living here.
29:19I think the caveat to that is just how far away from those amenities and stuff.
29:25It's just sort of navigating and orientating ourselves into this area and seeing if it
29:29would work for us.
29:39If you dream of escaping to the Cumbrian countryside, here's what you need to know about property
29:45prices.
29:46Cumbria is split into two regions.
29:48In Cumberland, to the west, the average cost of a detached home is just under £279,000,
29:55while to the east, in Westmoreland and Furness, prices are nearly a third higher due to the
30:01premium for properties inside the Lake District National Park.
30:05However, when you consider that the UK average is just over £438,000, Cumbria still offers
30:13considerable value for money.
30:17Here's a selection of what else is currently on the market.
30:22Built from traditional Cumbrian slate, this pretty terrace cottage offers a lounge, a modern
30:28kitchen, two bedrooms served by a contemporary family bathroom, and at the rear, a low-maintenance
30:34courtyard overlooking a stream.
30:36It's priced at £265,000.
30:42This imposing detached Victorian property boasts three receptions, three bedrooms and a large
30:49wraparound garden.
30:51It's available to buy for £349,950.
30:57Or for a short break, this Cumbrian cottage, just a 15-minute walk from Lake Windermere, sleeps
31:03up to four people in the two plush double bedrooms.
31:06Prices start from £125 per night in low season.
31:21It's Mystery House time, and the final stop on our canter around Cumbria is the village of Outerside.
31:27It's just a couple of miles west from the town of Espatria, which has a handful of shops and
31:33a train station on the line to Carlisle, with onward connections to Scotland and the south.
31:40It's also just a ten-minute drive from the coast, so while Steve and Caroline take a seaside stroll,
31:46I'm giving you a sneak peek at the Mystery House.
31:50Well, all this week we've been trying to accommodate the two key things on Steve and Caroline's wish list.
31:56A home on the one hand, and a viable and productive workshop for Steve on the other.
32:01Now we have one final roll of the dice, and we're going to try and draw it all together with
32:05this, our Mystery House.
32:06Look at that. Isn't it pretty?
32:08I'm hopeful Caroline will love the obvious symmetry of it and the cavernous interior that it provides.
32:14And as for Steve, I don't think he's going to be disappointed either.
32:20But pretty isn't the reason why it's our Mystery House. No, no, no.
32:24The workshop options we've presented to Steve this week have leaned more toward hobby spaces
32:29rather than those suitable for running a serious furniture-making business.
32:34But with this property, we might just have found what he's looking for.
32:38Because our Mystery House comes with this. Not some tiny garden shed, but a cavernous workshop
32:43in which Steve, I think, could really get his business going.
32:46Fingers crossed, combined, they will absolutely love what we've chosen for them. I hope.
32:55One final thing. This property's most flattering angle is actually the rear.
32:59But we'll start with the front of the house and focus on that workshop.
33:05Well, you two. The waiting's over. Here we are.
33:09Here we are. Here, then, is our Mystery House. Or, to be more precise, the back of it.
33:14OK. OK.
33:16The front is more sunlit, as you can probably tell today.
33:19The front is the back. The front is the back, exactly.
33:21So this one, really substantial old farmhouse, going back to about 1790.
33:27Ooh.
33:28But really substantial rooms.
33:31OK.
33:31Very high ceilings.
33:33Ooh, that's a bonus.
33:35And a lovely enclosed garden.
33:37So that's the house. We're going to deal with that in a moment, because we're going to start with a
33:42workshop first.
33:43Oh, I see. You've got a pinless one on me, are you?
33:45Absolutely. Absolutely.
33:47Come on, let's have a look.
33:47Let's have a look.
33:49Needs a bit of work, but, you know, nothing you can't tackle.
33:55Well, I say that. I mean, it's not me that's got to do it, is it?
34:01Right. Let's start with here.
34:03Here we go.
34:05Come on in.
34:06This is a big space already, isn't it?
34:08Yeah, this is amazing.
34:11Well, I'm also mindful of all your stuff that you've got to store as well.
34:14Yeah, so you might not have it all.
34:18The workshop space comprises two partly converted barns and a garage, which have previously housed an upholstery business.
34:27It's massive.
34:28More than I could ask for.
34:29It's the biggest, most sort of relevant space we could find within your criteria.
34:35For sure.
34:36On the market at the moment.
34:37Yep.
34:38You know, realistically, there's enough space for storage as well as a workshop, isn't it?
34:41Oh, I'm not sure about that.
34:42No?
34:43You can have all your surfboards and stuff in it.
34:46That's what I mean, yeah.
34:47Yeah, yeah, absolutely.
34:49It's a massive space.
34:50Yeah, it's a great space.
34:51Yeah.
34:51Caroline has borne our exploration of the workshop with great patience, so we'll turn our attention to the house now.
34:59It's fitted with solar panels that store electricity and a large battery for the owner to use when needed.
35:04They reckon the panels reduce their bill by around a third.
35:08So we come back through the porch that you saw from out there into now the newly fitted kitchen.
35:16Nice.
35:17Really nicely done.
35:18We haven't already talked about this, actually.
35:19Who is the cook?
35:20Is it a joint letter?
35:22I'm more of a Gordon Ramsay in the kitchen, but that's probably the language.
35:25Less than the actual, less than the skill set.
35:29Yeah.
35:29Yeah, fine.
35:30Okay.
35:31You've been baking for us as well.
35:34How thoughtful.
35:35You shouldn't have.
35:35Well spotted.
35:36This is a very kind gift from the owner.
35:38Awesome.
35:38Oh, wow.
35:39Who thought we might need some refreshments.
35:41You're a fan of cupcakes, aren't you?
35:43We might get into those later.
35:44So, leading off the kitchen, dining room.
35:48Yep.
35:48And then across a very traditional sort of hallway into this, which I suspect has been knocked through.
35:54Oh, this is nice.
35:55Ooh.
35:56It's cosy, isn't it?
35:57Yeah, that's lovely.
35:57Yeah, the dual aspect here really does work, actually.
35:59And if you look at the window there, you've got, you know, some of the original detailing.
36:03Yeah.
36:04Yeah, yeah.
36:05The old sash.
36:06Yeah.
36:07We'll find upstairs again.
36:08Very sort of easy layout.
36:10Want to have a look?
36:11Yeah.
36:11I'll have a look.
36:12Go on.
36:13Go and check it out and I'll find you out in the garden.
36:15Okay.
36:16Perfect.
36:16In the sunshine.
36:17If I'm not munching a cake.
36:19Now then.
36:21Interesting reaction to this one.
36:22Not quite as exciting as I would have thought.
36:25But maybe it's just going to take a little time to grow.
36:29On the first floor, looking over the front of the house, there's a family bathroom with
36:33a clawfoot bath and separate shower plus a single bedroom.
36:38Overlooking the pretty rear garden are two further bedrooms, both generous doubles.
36:44Oh, nice.
36:45Oh, wooden floor.
36:47It's lovely.
36:47I like a wooden floor.
36:48It's a big room with a lovely view.
36:50Yeah, this is cool.
36:51Into the garden.
36:52It's got beautiful fireplace as well.
36:53No shortage of fireplaces in this place, is it?
36:56Yeah.
36:56Be nice and warm.
36:57It's like fireplace central.
36:58Super cozy.
36:59I'm really curious to know what it is about this house that seems to be holding them back
37:03a bit.
37:04I thought there'd be a bit more enthusiasm.
37:07I thought Caroline would love this.
37:10Maybe she will.
37:12Maybe she won't.
37:13But maybe seeing it from this angle, with the sun on it, maybe that'll help.
37:19Oh.
37:20This room looks good.
37:21Yeah.
37:22Look at the light.
37:24Those windows.
37:25What a view.
37:26This is really nice, actually.
37:27This is lovely.
37:28Really good space.
37:30Lots of storage.
37:31Almost like little window seats there, aren't they, that you can perch on and peruse.
37:35I like a window seat.
37:39Outside, the garden features a central lawn surrounded by shaped flower borders and a
37:44wooden pergola, all bounded by matured trees and shrubs.
37:49Okay, shall we have a think then about what this might set you back?
37:55I'm going to go £350,000.
38:01Ooh.
38:02Ooh, no.
38:03Ooh.
38:03Ooh, cheeky.
38:04Old.
38:05You ain't getting on the podium.
38:07I feel quite optimistic.
38:09395.
38:10Okay.
38:10Well, you've kind of straddled it.
38:12Okay.
38:13It's on the market for £380,000.
38:16Okay.
38:17So that leaves you £45,000 that you don't have to worry about, which you could invest into
38:25the workshop and any other adjustments you want to make.
38:27Just the workshop, I think.
38:32This late Georgian detached farmhouse has two receptions, a newly fitted kitchen diner and
38:38three bedrooms.
38:39Outside, there's a gorgeous garden and a large separate workshop.
38:43It's on the market with a guide price of £380,000.
38:49I think in terms of the combination of what we're asking for in terms of house and workshop, workshop
38:54and house, I think this does deliver everything.
38:59The, you know, the hesitation that I've got is how far west it is.
39:04It's just so far further than we have been looking.
39:07We know we're going to have to make a compromise in something on the wish list.
39:12So it's just a case of going away and thinking about whether or not what this amazing house offers
39:17with the incredible workshop space is worth the compromise of the location it's at.
39:22So that's it.
39:23House tours are done.
39:25Yes.
39:27Head full, head full of things to talk about.
39:29It's a lot to take in.
39:30It's a bit like that, isn't it?
39:31Yeah.
39:32But, well, we've done our best.
39:34Brilliant.
39:35You've got to make some decisions now, haven't you?
39:36We do.
39:37Come on, let's go.
39:39Well, we couldn't get any further across Cumbria.
39:46If we tried this week.
39:48That there is the Irish Sea.
39:51And over there, Steve and Caroline trying to make sense of everything we've shown them.
39:56Well, let's go and see how they're getting on.
40:01How are we?
40:02Good.
40:03Very well, my friend.
40:04So, I mean, you've had a bit of time now to make sense of our selection.
40:10Yes.
40:10Yes.
40:11What do you think?
40:12Where we're at at the moment is the Levens House offers most of what we're looking for.
40:19How interesting.
40:20Yes.
40:21Mmm.
40:22That was not the answer I was thinking I would hear.
40:25I must admit, I thought Caroline would edge towards the barn conversion.
40:28That's what I thought.
40:30Yeah.
40:31But I think the location of the Levens House is a really good location.
40:36Would you then seriously consider looking for a workshop off-site, say?
40:41And that was certainly something that can, you know, cross my mind was maybe we're asking
40:48for too much for our budget.
40:50And actually, maybe a better option might be looking for taking my work off-site.
40:55So, it's a great point you've raised.
40:57That is the sort of nagging hunch that's been going in my mind ever since we started this.
41:02Yeah.
41:03In terms of the Levens House, there is a workshop there or a workshop space.
41:06It's not as big as Steve would like, but it's there so he can get started.
41:12And, you know, the house, the stuff we would do to it.
41:15And if, I think, I think it very much, that would very much boil down to whether we could negotiate
41:21on the price.
41:22Yeah.
41:22Because if we could negotiate on the price, we'd have some money to make the changes.
41:25And I think that would really work for us.
41:28We still need to talk it through a little bit, but the brief conversation that we've had is that,
41:34that would work for us.
41:36All we ask is that, if you do it, can we come back and see how you're getting on?
41:39Absolutely.
41:40Maybe we could go for a ride.
41:42Without a doubt.
41:43After we've been in the workshop.
41:44After we've been in the workshop.
41:46For sure, for sure.
41:48Oh, guys, well, bless you.
41:49It's been really, really good fun.
41:50And a real privilege to meet you both.
41:52And, yeah, I wish you all the best and hopefully see you soon.
41:55Yeah, thanks so much.
41:56Same again next week?
41:57Yeah, right.
42:04Well, what a lovely spot to wind up our week here in Cumbria on its dramatic west coast.
42:10And you know what?
42:10In a few hours' time, the sun will set over that horizon.
42:13But tomorrow morning, it will rise again, heralding, I hope, the start of a brand new chapter
42:18and a brand new adventure for Steve and for Caroline.
42:22And let's face it, if any couple I've met are up for an adventure, it's them.
42:27I'll see you next time.
42:31I'm thrilled to tell you that Caroline and Steve returned to the house in Levens
42:35and made an offer that was accepted.
42:37They hope to be in their new home in the next two months
42:40and we're sure you'll join us in wishing them every happiness there.
42:45If you would like to escape to the country in England, Northern Ireland, Scotland or Wales
42:49and need our help, why not apply online at bbc.co.uk forward slash take part.
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