The Escape to the Country Handbook

‘I have been searching for two years for a home in the country and the site is the most beautiful and charming I have ever seen.’

WINSTON CHURCHILL

This was how Churchill described Chartwell, his own Escape to the Country, when he acquired the property back in the early 1920s. Whether we can afford a country estate or a terraced cottage, or want to settle in glorious isolation or enjoy the delights of a village community, the range of what the countryside can offer is unrivalled. But while the lure of fresh air and open spaces is tangible, is there something more intuitive in our relationship with the countryside that continues to attract, beguile and inspire us?

Throughout a lifetime both living and working in the country, it’s a question I have often pondered. My suspicion is that it’s a fundamental product of the unique history we all share as Britons. Up until the eighteenth century, when the Industrial Revolution resulted in the rapid expansion and development of our urban centres, most people would have lived in the countryside. Across a relatively underpopulated landscape dotted with small towns, villages, hamlets and farmsteads it afforded us space, land on which to produce food and rear livestock, and offered plenty of raw materials such as timber and stone with which to build a home. In short, as creatures that evolved in the natural world there is undoubtedly something within us that feels at home in the great outdoors, even if just for a few hours. The countryside was, and in many ways remains, the great provider, and there are still some things that even the ardent city dweller can’t ignore. The warmth of an open fire taps into something primeval; I challenge anyone not to be transfixed by the sight of dancing flames or soothed by the sweet and timeless smell of wood smoke, while a stunning view can demand a welcome pause for reflection that even the most hectic schedule can’t deny.

Chartwell, overlooking the Kentish Weald, was Winston Churchill’s lifetime project.

The growth of towns and cities has meant that many of us need to go back many generations to find our rural roots, but rest assured, we will all have them. My experience of working on Escape to the Country has provided a fascinating insight into aspirations to ‘live the dream’. I have met myriad people in a wealth of places up and down the UK, but while each combination of buyers and properties is unique, there are nonetheless certain common themes that unite them. Understanding these themes may help you too find your ideal Escape to the Country.

CHAPTER 1

Planning your great escape

Selling up and getting ready to move

Once you have decided to move, getting your current home on the market and ready to sell can be one of the most stressful aspects of moving. Achieving the asking price or close to it will have a huge effect on your future budget, so it’s worth taking a ruthless approach to what you are selling and how it will appeal to the market. While not everyone will be in a position to update furniture and fittings, excess clutter both inside and out will always detract, and any efforts you can make to freshen up the décor will pay dividends. Outside, tired garden pots full of dead or dying plants, scruffy borders, faded lawns and sheds crammed with junk will all put potential buyers off. Don’t forget you are also going to be a buyer, so take every step to market the home you are leaving with a clear determination and sense of pride to ensure that you get as much out of it as you can.

The hunt

There is no such thing as the perfect buyer on Escape to the Country. Throughout hundreds of house hunts I can honestly say no two sets of buyers have ever been the same, but they have fallen broadly into two distinct camps. The first are those for whom the chance to live a greener life is paramount; if not quite off-grid they are determined to forge a future with an altogether lighter environmental footprint than ever before, making the best use of the space they have, to live as sustainably as possible.

The second group are in the majority, and it is those for whom the countryside often offers a markedly different type of property than they’ve had before. Character, kerb appeal, call it what you will, but most will have their heart set on something that is a contrast to what they are moving from. Some will also look to take on a project and we offer some tips on how to go about doing this on here.

Where to go, and what to buy?

We are fortunate to live in a country that has a tantalising array of options when it comes to choosing where we might want to live. From the fertile flatlands of East Anglia to the rolling downs of the South East, the open moorland of North Yorkshire, Cumbria or Wales to the mountainous Highlands or the rugged West Coast, we have it all. From picturesque cottages and rambling farmhouses to elegant manors, the wealth of architecture on offer and the rich social and economic history it represents is what makes exploring the countryside such a privilege. The story of our nation is there to read among the pretty lanes and beautiful homes whose architecture characterises the most distinct regions of Britain.

Moving to the country: my top 10 thoughts

1 The countryside is cheaper Not always! Yes, you will often find greater value for money, but the idea that everything is going for a song simply isn’t the case. Negotiate sensibly and respectfully. It may be a buyers’ market in some areas, but don’t think turning up with a pocket full of cash will make you something special. Vendors enjoy selling to people they like; if you want a sensible answer, make a sensible offer. It will go a long way to easing any later negotiations on fixtures and fittings.

2 Beware the holiday romance! I’ve met plenty of people who’ve fallen into the trap of wanting to move to a favoured holiday destination, only to find that they can’t recapture the fun of a break in the longer term. Holidaying is a great way to get to know an area, but take time to find your way around the practicalities: where is the doctor, the mechanic and the plumber? Where will you buy your food? Does the area have the right amenities such as schools and public transport? If you are planning on working, or running a business, do your research before you commit.

3 Be flexible For obvious reasons, increasing budgets is rarely an option if you can’t find what you are looking for. But you can widen the search area. Don’t get too hung up on keeping your search within an hour’s drive of this or that. An extra 20–30 minutes on a journey isn’t the end of the world if it gets you the kind of home you have longed for. If you can be very flexible, you may want to consider a completely different, and more affordable, area – there are some hidden gems in the UK so keep an open mind.

4 Leave room to improve Odds are, you are going to want to spend some money on your new home. Don’t allow your maximum budget to monopolise your search. Keep some funds in reserve to allow for improvements, and search at a lower level, allowing you room to invest in your new rural retreat.

5 Outbuildings I find that these are a factor of many house searches that often take up more time and effort than they deserve. Many of us want outbuildings for workshops, stables, studios or storage, but only viewing properties that already have them can limit your search unnecessarily. Remember, so long as you have space and can obtain the relevant consents, building a suitable outbuilding from scratch may well be a better option in the long run because you will get exactly what you want and, importantly, where you want it in relation to your home.

6 Land Many of us aspire to it, but how many of us really know what to do with it? To the smallholder it’s obvious, but for the average family home if you don’t need it, don’t buy it. With prices around the country for grazing and paddocks ranging from £5,000–15,000 an acre, those few acres on the particulars will chew up a good chunk of your budget. Ask the vendor if there is room to negotiate on price and the amount of land included. It could save you a lot.

7 The Good Life Our increased awareness of food provenance is one of the great draws for anyone moving out of the city. The chance to be self-sufficient is an increasingly popular aim, but it takes time, effort and space to really make it work. If you don’t have the money to buy a smallholding, don’t despair. Finding land to rent is a realistic way of giving you space without a huge capital investment, and if you find it doesn’t work or your situation changes, you can walk away.

8 Transport Getting around is an important consideration; are you ready to get in the car to buy a pint of milk? Village properties with land that are within walking distance of local shops and pubs are particularly hard to find. If you are a drive away from local amenities the trick is to plan ahead, especially during the winter. A good freezer will help! Look into public transport options too – they may not be plentiful but they will disappear altogether if we don’t use them.

9 Fuel Running a country home often presents challenges that you are unlikely to encounter in most urban properties. The chances are you won’t be on mains gas, although liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) in storage tanks is now widely available, while many rural homes rely on oil for heating and hot water. I’m a huge fan of fuel diversity. At home we run on a range of oil (cooking and heating), wood burners (cooking and heating) and gas (hob), all independent of one another. There is also the opportunity to explore alternative fuel sources (see here).

10 ‘Life in the country is easier!’ The countryside has its advantages, but ease isn’t always one of them, particularly if you really do want to live in the middle of nowhere. You need to plan and be organised in terms of your key supplies, be prepared for the weather and you need to be resourceful. Getting things done in a hurry isn’t always possible unless you are prepared to, quite literally, do it yourself. In remote spots, grasping basic building and plumbing skills will prove invaluable and can be great fun, adding value and a huge sense of connection to your new home.

Understanding what the many and varied regions of the UK have to offer in terms of their history, culture, architecture and feel is vital when deciding where you want to live. Some decisions are led by a childhood memory of holidays by the sea or up in the hills, while others will see it as the chance to realise a long-held ambition. I also meet many buyers for whom Escape to the Country is an opportunity to return to the place where they were born after many years of living and working away.

Of course, often your choice of area is determined by factors such as where you work, proximity to schools and hospitals or other family issues, but I often meet couples who are free of such constraints. If you are lucky enough to enjoy complete freedom of choice as to where you want to live, you could have the pick of the countryside, allowing you to aim for exactly the kind of home you are after.

For most of us it’s a happy compromise between enjoying a home the like of which we may never have experienced before, and doing so in an inspiring part of the country, and improving the quality of our lives and our impact on the world around us.

Timber and thatch are an irresistible mix, as seen here in Wiltshire.

The ‘property horizon’

Inevitably, budget is usually the most influential factor in determining what you can buy in your chosen area. Different regions have different entry points when it comes to buying a classic Escape to the Country-type of property. Taking for example the basic idea of an historic and characterful three-bedroom cottage with a manageable garden in a pretty location, it is possible in the very broadest terms to identify a range of ‘property horizons’ across the country as a whole.

For example, it means such a cottage in Kent might set you back around £500,000, while the same thing in West Wales or the Scottish Borders may well come in at around half that figure. It is easy to see how areas that have historically been popular with escapees come with the highest price tags, particularly in those counties and regions that have proximity to our largest urban centres such as London, Birmingham and Manchester. Taking London as an example, the surrounding counties of Hertfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Surrey, Sussex, Kent and Essex come with a hefty premium because of their geographic location and popularity with commuters.

The same is also true in those counties that make up the South West such as Wiltshire, Somerset, Dorset and Devon, while the coastal highlights of Cornwall and the longstanding draw of the Cotswolds will also adversely affect how much bang you get for your hard-earned bucks, as will hunting for properties within our National Parks, such as the Lake District. Throughout Part II ‘Exploring the British Isles’ we offer some alternatives.

Market towns

Many buyers I’ve met over the years have stumbled because the properties they have seen have, after careful thought, been found to be too far from essential amenities. Regardless of your age, access to doctors, hospitals and even a pint of milk can be of vital importance and with good reason. The older we get the more necessary it is to have these services nearby, while younger buyers will want the chance to access good schools and the local jobs market. All these factors can be eased if you turn your attention to life in a vibrant market town.

Gold Hill, in the heart of Shaftesbury in Dorset has, for many of us, come to embody a timeless vision of country life, ever since it shot to fame as the backdrop for the Hovis bread advert in the 1970s.

As a taster, Cirencester (Gloucestershire), Buxton (Derbyshire), Shaftesbury (Dorset) or Bury St Edmunds (Suffolk), to name but a very few, provide an idea of what is on offer and what the advantages might be in choosing one of the hundreds of rural towns across the country. My own definition of what makes a good market town includes appealing architecture, a real sense of history with a bustling community that’s served with decent transport links to the rest of the country and, of course, easy access to those important facilities, amenities and enticing local countryside. You’ll often find that the surrounding area is also packed with other attractions that will serve to both entertain and inspire you and your guests, and which will help to generate a real affinity for your new region and home. When imagining an Escape to the Country you may initially picture splendid isolation, but in truth a large percentage of the buyers I’ve known would have been well served with a beautiful home in a beautiful town, where the great outdoors is just a short stroll away.

Wherever you decide to go, the fact remains that your choice of location is crucial in determining what kind of country home you are likely to find. If you love oak-framed and thatched properties, don’t set your heart on North Wales because they simply don’t exist there, but many stunning alternatives do. What’s more, falling in love with a particular house is all very well, but it is as important to have a deep affinity with the region or county you are moving to. Identifying with the area that will ultimately have to sustain your new life should be given equal thought from the outset; spending time exploring it before or during your house hunt will never be time wasted, and will almost certainly throw up new perspectives and options, even in those parts of the country you may have thought you knew inside out.

CHAPTER 2

Choosing your country property

Once you have decided where you might want to move to, understanding the kind of home you wish to buy is without doubt one of the most important questions that any buyer must confront. Yet despite the best efforts of many people I meet, accurately describing and defining the kind of house that might suit you can be frustratingly difficult.

Homes with ‘character’ that are ‘light and airy’ and which offer ‘peace and quiet’ are descriptions often used on Escape to the Country, but such broad headings can be interpreted