Escape to the Country Season 15, Episode 26: Country Durham

1

Somerset

Nicki Chapman helps a couple of equestrian enthusiasts swap suburban life in Farnborough, Hampshire, for a new rural existence in Somerset. Their budget of £600,000 needs to secure not only a country home but also land for their horses. In the country, Nicki wades through mud as she encounters an age old fishing technique.

45 min

2

Surrey

Alistair Appleton is on a rural property hunt with a couple of American expats who have a generous budget of one million pounds to spend on a country, family home in the Surrey countryside. Away from the house search, Alistair learns about Surrey's motor racing history and takes to the track in a 1929 Bentley.

45 min

3

Snowdonia

Jules Hudson is house-hunting with a couple from Essex with £450,000 to spend, who are seeking a rural home with business potential in North Wales. While in the area, Jules visits one of Snowdonia's hidden treasures that has been opened up to the public for the first time in 140 years.

45 min

4

Suffolk

Jonnie Irwin helps a couple of busy Londoners find a home, business and slower pace of life in the Suffolk countryside with a generous £850,000 budget. Away from the house hunt, Jonnie steps back in time to the Stone Age and learns the art of flint napping.

45 min

5

Oxfordshire

Nicki Chapman is hoping to find a young family their first home together, so they can move from rented accommodation near Gatwick Airport to the peace of the Oxfordshire countryside with a budget of £500,000. While in the region, Nicki visits Blenheim Palace to learn the role played by the estate in the First World War.

45 min

6

South Cambridgeshire

Alistair Appleton helps a couple of newlyweds escape London and find their first home together in rural Cambridgeshire with a budget of £325,000. While in the county, Alistair meets a farmer who's diversifying into the most unusual of livestock.

45 min

7

Wiltshire

Jules Hudson goes property shopping with a couple who want to move to be nearer to their son in the Wiltshire countryside. With a budget of £400,000 to spend, they're up for a project. Away from the house hunt, Jules meets a farmer who's reviving a prehistoric tradition in his Wiltshire field.

45 min

8

Scottish Borders

Jonnie Irwin helps a couple of new parents to find their dream family home in the Scottish Borders. With a generous budget of £650,000 to spend, they're hoping the house will offer business potential too. While in the area, Jonnie visits a pioneering marine research station.

45 min

9

North Yorkshire

Nicki Chapman has a challenge on her hands as she tries to find a couple of history lovers a home and business in North Yorkshire that will also accommodate their nine children. Away from the property hunt, Nicki meets a new generation of national park rangers.

45 min

10

Cotswolds

Jonnie Irwin helps a couple of golf fanatics to find a slice of rural heaven in the Cotswolds. With a budget of £500,000, are they ready to leave the urban bustle of London? Away from the house hunt, Jonnie meets the bovine lawnmowers restoring a precious Cotswold habitat.

45 min

11

Norfolk

Jonnie Irwin house hunts with a couple who want to escape urban life and find a rural home in Norfolk for their family and horses on a budget of £500,000. While in the county, Jonnie takes control of some seriously heavy machinery at the UK's largest privately owned military collection.

45 min

12

East Sussex

Nicki Chapman is house hunting with a young family who are looking for a new home and a new life in the East Sussex countryside on a healthy £750,000 budget. While in the county, Nicki samples historic Rye's most celebrated seafood.

45 min

13

Devon

Jonnie Irwin takes on the challenging task of finding a home in rural Devon for three generations of one family. They have a generous budget of £910,000 to fund the move, but there's an extensive shopping list too. While in the county, Jonnie visits the last castle built in Britain to learn about their extensive restoration project.

45 min

14

Cornwall

Jules Hudson helps a recently retired couple relocate to the Cornwall countryside in order to be closer to their daughter and family. Away from the house hunt, Jules visits one of the oldest seal sanctuaries in the country.

45 min

15

Wiltshire

Alistair Appleton helps a green-fingered homebuyer escape London to find the perfect garden paradise in the Wiltshire countryside. While in the region, Alistair visits a working 19th-century pumping station built to supply the Kennet and Avon Canal with water.

45 min

16

Devon

Nicki Chapman helps a buyer to find a rural home in Devon where she can escape London life and nourish her creative spirit. While in the county, Nicki drops in on a one-of-a-kind business where she learns about the ancient craft of leather tanning.

45 min

17

West Sussex

Alistair Appleton goes property hunting with a couple of returning expats. With a generous budget of £950,000 to spend, our buyers want to rediscover rural life in West Sussex. Away from the house hunt, Alistair explores the largest conservation project of its kind deep underground in the South Downs.

45 min

18

Dorset

Jonnie Irwin helps a property-hunting young family bid farewell to the city to begin a new life in the Dorset countryside. Away from the house hunt, Jonnie dons a hat and apron to become a sausage maker for the day.

45 min

19

Wiltshire

A pair of property hunters have left their wives at home as they go in search of a new rural property to accommodate their extended family in the Wiltshire countryside. Away from the house hunt, Nicki Chapman visits Salisbury Cathedral to learn about its 32-year-old restoration project.

45 min

20

Devon

Jonnie Irwin helps a couple of childhood sweethearts relive their youth while property hunting in the Devon countryside with a generous £900,000 budget. While in the county, Jonnie visits a historic wool mill that was saved by the local community.

45 min

21

Cotswolds

Jules Hudson is in the Cotswolds helping a house hunter who is hoping to find a home with B&B potential on a budget of £500,000. While in the region, Jules learns how the fertile soil of the Vale of Evesham is responsible for one of the country's most celebrated vegetables.

45 min

22

Shropshire

Alistair Appleton is property shopping in Shropshire with a couple of recent retirees who are seeking a new house in the country. Away from the house hunt, Alistair visits the oldest surviving purpose-built tile factory in the world.

45 min

23

Cornwall

Nicki Chapman is in Cornwall with a young couple looking for a complete life change and who have a very generous budget of £1.3 million to spend on a new rural home. While in the county, Nicki learns how a simple switch in our eating habits could not only help the marine environment but also save us money.

45 min

24

Somerset

Jonnie Irwin is property shopping with a retired couple who are planning to return to a more rural life in the Somerset/Dorset borders on a budget of £460,000. While in the area, Jonnie meets a farmer who has discovered a unique way of preserving a crop more closely associated with France.

45 min

25

Herefordshire

Sonali Shah is house hunting with an airline pilot who is looking for a new home in the Herefordshire countryside with a budget of £450,000 to spend. Will his fiancée approve of his choice? While in the county, Sonali is shown an extraordinary ancient manuscript at Hereford Cathedral.

45 min

26

Country Durham

Alistair Appleton helps a father-in-law and daughter-in-law duo who are looking for a sizeable home in rural County Durham. With a substantial budget of £700,000 to fund the property purchase, will they manage to find a home to suit three generations? Away from the house hunt, Alistair gets to taste the local tipple.

45 min

27

Gloucestershire

Nicki Chapman has a challenge on her hands helping to uncover a new rural home in the Cotswolds for a couple with very exacting requirements. While in the region, Nicki rubs shoulders with three Olympic heroes.

45 min

28

Scottish Highlands

Jules Hudson is property shopping with a couple of nature lovers who yearn for great views and open spaces, and they're willing to move 500 miles to the Scottish Highlands to find them. With a budget of £325,000, can Jules find them their dream home? Away from the house hunt, Jules samples a Scottish brew of a rather different kind.

45 min

29

Norfolk

Jonnie Irwin is house-hunting with a couple who plan to escape the busy Bedfordshire town of Luton for the peace and quiet of the Norfolk countryside, on a budget of £450,000. While in the county, Jonnie samples a tasty local delicacy.

45 min

30

North Wales

Sonali Shah helps a couple with a budget of £550,000 ditch their busy lives beside the English seaside and embark on a quieter life in rural north Wales. While in the area, Sonali learns how a pretty plant is threatening the local landscape.

45 min

31

Devon

Jules Hudson is house hunting with two sisters who dream of escaping their urban homes and moving to the Devon countryside on a budget of £490,000. Away from the property search, Jules tries his hand at one of the county's oldest trades.

45 min

32

Lincolnshire

Nicki Chapman helps a couple leave the busy town of Hull to find a home in rural Lincolnshire with bed and breakfast potential on a budget of £300,000. While in the county, Nicki gets a taste of the latest superfood.

45 min

33

West Wales

Jonnie Irwin is in Wales property shopping with a couple looking for a home and business in the Carmarthenshire countryside. They have a generous budget of £600,000 to spend on their rural dream. Away from the house hunt, Jonnie visits a community-run business making the country's national instrument.

45 min

34

Wiltshire

Jules Hudson is house hunting with a couple looking for a new rural home in the Wiltshire countryside. They have a generous budget of £600,000 to spend on their dream country property. While in the region, Jules visits a fitting memorial to the troops who passed through the county on their way to the Western Front.

45 min

35

North Devon

Nicki Chapman is helping a couple find their first rural property together in Devon. The buyers have a budget of £400,000 to spend on their long-dreamed-of country home. Away from the house hunt, Nicki encounters the prehistoric fish behind the world's most luxurious food.

45 min

36

Dorset

Alistair Appleton is in the county of Dorset with a couple who have a very generous budget of £1.2 million to spend on a rural home. Alistair also visits the RNLI training centre and finds himself treading water.

45 min

37

Monmouthshire

Jules Hudson helps a couple who dream of returning to the Welsh countryside. They have a budget of £500,000 to spend on a Monmouthshire retreat. Away from the house hunt, Jules meets some residents from an eco community in the Brecon Beacons National Park.

45 min

38

Yorkshire

Nicki Chapman is in the North Yorkshire countryside helping a father and daughter team search for a new rural home. With a budget of £550,000 to spend they need a property to house the whole family. Away from the property hunt, Nicki tries her hand at restoring a historic stained-glass window.

45 min

39

Northumberland

Alistair Appleton is house hunting with a couple looking to buy their first home together in the Northumberland countryside on a budget of £300,000. While in the county, Alistair discovers how a house in rural Northumberland was at the forefront of technological progress in the nineteenth century.

45 min

40

North Yorkshire

Jules Hudson helps a mother-and-daughter team escape from suburban Surrey to begin a new life in rural North Yorkshire. Away from the house hunt, Jules visits Richmond Castle and discover its wartime secrets.

45 min

41

West Somerset

Jonnie Irwin helps a couple trade in the bright lights of Bristol for the rolling hills of West Somerset, with a healthy budget of £475,000 to fund the rural relocation. While in the area, Jonnie gets bogged down on Exmoor as he inspects a moorland conservation project.

45 min

42

Cornwall

Nicki Chapman is in Cornwall helping a couple swap their urban lives in Hertfordshire for a more peaceful life in the countryside. They have £350,000 to spend on their rural retreat. While in the region, Nicki strikes gold with the county's historic export.

45 min

43

Cambridgeshire

Jonnie Irwin helps a couple of music lovers who are planning a rural relocation. They are looking to ditch their urban lifestyles to live in harmony in the Cambridgeshire countryside with a budget of £500,000. While there, Jonnie pays a visit to one of the largest Bronze Age sites in Britain.

45 min

44

Herefordshire

Jules Hudson helps a multilingual couple seek a translation to a more rural setting in the Herefordshire countryside. They have £500,000 to spend on their country relocation. Away from the property shopping, Jules visits the eco-friendly energy project that's hotting up in the county's woodland

45 min

45

Somerset

Denise Nurse helps a couple of returning expats find a new home in the Somerset countryside with a budget of £400,000 to spend. While in the region, Denise discovers how the Victorians turned a pile of putty into a work of art.

45 min

46

Dorset

Nicki Chapman is hoping to find a rural Dorset home for a couple from London who have a healthy budget of £875,000 to spend. While in the county, Nicki tries her hand at traditional green woodworking.

45 min

47

Worcestershire

Jules Hudson is house hunting with a couple who plan to swap suburban Essex for a more peaceful life in rural Worcestershire. They have £350,000 to fund their rural dream. While in the county, Jules is shown the art of foraging for food in the Cotswolds.

45 min

48

North Yorkshire

Jonnie Irwin is property shopping with a couple of university sweethearts buying their first home together in the countryside. The North Yorkshire property hunt has a healthy budget of £650,000. While in the area, Jonnie visits the widest home in the country.

45 min

49

North Wales

Nicki Chapman is house hunting in north Wales with a couple that wants to turn holiday memories into a retirement dream on a budget of £430,000. While in the area, Nicki tests her head for heights with a spectacular piece of engineering.

45 min

50

Derbyshire

Alistair Appleton is property shopping with a couple of recently retired teachers who are seeking a rural home in Derbyshire. Away from the house hunt, Alistair goes underground to unearth a unique county gem.

45 min

51

Somerset

Jules Hudson helps a couple to leave London and find a dream home in the Somerset countryside. They have a very healthy budget of £1 million with which to do it. While in the county, Jules visits Weston-super-Mare, where some impressive sand sculpture is on display.

45 min

52

Somerset

Jonnie Irwin helps a couple swap urban London life for rural Somerset. They are seeking a home with holiday business potential and have a healthy budget of £650,000 to fund the move. While in the area, Jonnie visits the world's largest balloon factory to learn what keeps them aloft.

45 min

53

Wiltshire

Nicki Chapman helps a couple to kick off their retirement in the Wiltshire countryside with a healthy budget of £600,000 to spend on their rural relocation. While in the county, Nicki visits a Wiltshire British factory with a sporting pedigree.

45 min

54

Isle of Wight

Alistair Appleton helps a couple swap city living for island life as they property shop on the Isle of Wight with a budget of £350,000. While on the island, Alistair visits an artisan globe maker.

45 min

55

Hertfordshire

Jules Hudson house hunts with a newlywed couple who plan to escape London life for the more rural surrounds of Hertfordshire. They have a healthy budget of £750,000 to fund their country dream. While in the county, Jules visits a conservation project which aims to protect the UK butterfly population.

45 min

56

Cornwall

Alistair Appleton helps a London couple find a new home with holiday let potential in the Cornish countryside, with £500,000 to spend. While in the county, Alistair gets a taste of the sea.

45 min

57

Shropshire

Nicki Chapman helps a music composer realise her dream of escaping suburbia for the Shropshire countryside, on a budget of £450,000. Away from the house hunt, Nicki visits a stately home which is raising the roof.

45 min

58

Oxfordshire

Nicki Chapman helps a music composer realise her dream of escaping suburbia for the Shropshire countryside, on a budget of £450,000. Away from the house hunt, Nicki visits a stately home which is raising the roof.

45 min

59

Somerset

Nicki Chapman goes house hunting with a couple of childhood sweethearts who are seeking a rural retreat in Somerset after living in urban Croydon all their lives. They have a generous budget of £800,000 to fund their country relocation. While in the area, Nicki visits a local business which has an association with some famous names.

45 min

60

North Yorkshire

Jules Hudson helps a couple to find a home with business potential. They have a budget of £450,000 to spend on a rural Yorkshire property. While in the county, Jules learns about the art of ploughing from a six nations champion.

45 min

61

East Midlands

Nicki Chapman house hunts with a newly married couple who want to escape London life and move closer to family. The hunting ground is the rural East Midlands, and there's a £400,000 budget to fund their country relocation. While in the area, Nicki takes a fancy to some award-winning feathered friends.

45 min

62

North Dorset

Jules Hudson helps a couple of retirees find a cosy and characterful property in the Dorset countryside. They have a healthy budget of £700,000 to fund their rural dream. While in the county, Jules learns the country art of thatching.

45 min

63

Worcestershire

Nicki Chapman helps a budding writer and her husband escape urban life for a quieter one in the Worcestershire countryside with a budget of £375,000. While in the area, Nicki meets a local craftsman who is preserving an equine tradition.

45 min

64

Devon

Jules Hudson is property-shopping in Devon with a couple who plan to return to the county where they first met and fell in love. There's a budget of £425,000 to spend on their rural relocation. Away from the house hunt, Jules discovers the art of charcoal making.

45 min

65

Gloucestershire

Nicki Chapman helps a couple relocate to the Gloucestershire countryside with a healthy budget of £550,000 to spend. While in the region, Nicki explores the extraordinary collection of an English eccentric.

45 min

66

Devon

Sonali Shah goes house hunting in Devon with a couple of childhood sweethearts who have spent the last 20 years living in France. While in the county, Sonali gets wet exploring one of Devon's most celebrated rivers in a unique way.

45 min

67

Somerset

Jules Hudson helps a couple from the commuter belt realise their dream of moving to rural Somerset, with a budget of £450,000 to spend. Away from the house hunt, Jules witnesses the destruction caused by flooding.

45 min

68

Cornwall

Nicki Chapman goes property shopping with a couple who are finally able to leave the county they've called home all their lives. With £460,000 to spend, they are planning to relocate to the Cornish countryside. Away from the house hunt, Nicki gets a bird's-eye view of Britain's largest rainforest.

45 min

69

North Devon

Sonali Shah joins a couple with an exceptional budget who are planning a rural relocation in Devon while also seeking out a substantial business opportunity in the countryside. Besides the house hunting, Sonali dons her climbing boots as she scales a dramatic Devonian landmark.

45 min

70

North Wales

Jules Hudson is in North Wales helping a couple to find their first home together. Their dream Welsh rural property needs to come with a price tag of £300,000. Jules gets to experience the dramatic local landscape first-hand as he tries white-water rafting.

45 min

71

Cornwall

Jonnie Irwin helps a couple of property hunters who believe they were born to live in the country. With £550,000 to spend, the buyers are seeking their first rural home together in Cornwall. Away from the house hunt, Jonnie is tempted by a career change as he experiences life on the Helford River.

45 min

72

Dorset

Sonali Shah is challenged to help a couple who are planning to wave goodbye to town living and embrace a new life in the countryside. With £450,000 to spend, the buyers are seeking an enchanting rural retreat in Dorset.

45 min

73

Surrey

Jonnie Irwin has an especially challenging task on his hands as he tries to find a family home in rural Surrey for three generations. Their property hunt is helped by an exceptional budget, but will he manage to satisfy the needs of all family members?

45 min

74

Cornwall

Sonali Shah travels to Cornwall to help in the house hunt of a couple of retirees who are seeking a new life in the country. They have a substantial budget of £500,000 to fund their proposed rural move. Sonali also visits a Falmouth enterprise which is working to keep Cornwall's boat-building heritage alive.

45 min

75

Shropshire

Jonnie Irwin helps a house-hunting couple who met while travelling the world as airline cabin crew. They plan to find their feet in rural Shropshire and have a healthy £550,000 with which to purchase their new country home. While in the county, Jonnie helps bring in a crop which gives beer its bitter flavour.

45 min