The popular TV presenter gives his tips on moving to the country
BY BEN WEST
The pandemic triggered an unprecedented number of people to decide to up sticks and move to the country. But is it all it’s cracked up to be? For every delighted countryfied ex-townie, there’s another who can’t wait to get back to the big smoke.
Who could be better to ask for tips on a move to the country than Jules Hudson, who, as presenter of the BBC’s Escape to the Country since 2007 and numerous other shows, has met many people from all walks of life who have done just that, for better or for worse.
His latest book, The Escape to the Country Handbook, has also recently been published, containing page after page of valuable advice on the subject as well as pinpointing many of the best places in the UK to go, both well-known destinations as well as others that are far less obvious. It’s also packed with plenty of gorgeous ‘property porn’ photos.
“On the programme we get a lot of people coming from London to a huge range of areas around the country,” he says when we meet in Woodbridge, the very pleasant Suffolk town. “There’s very little to compare life in, say, Dulwich with life in Cornwall, but I’ve always been impressed by the way buyers have, of their own volition, sought that change and embraced it. We now do a series called I Escaped to the Country, where we follow up on those buyers that we’ve helped move and its great to see how country life is treating them. They have often made it exactly as they wanted but never as they quite envisaged. I think that’s like a lot of big moves in our lives: you have an idea of what it will be like but with a bit of hard work and commitment it delivers far more than you could hope for.”
As well as chapters on planning your great escape and choosing a property, and advice on such subjects as listed buildings, thatch, rural businesses and holiday lets, the book has sections on different areas of the British Isles: the West Country, the Welsh Borders, Wales, the Lake District, Scotland, the North East, Yorkshire, The Cotswolds, East Anglia and the South East. He highlights lesser-known areas in these destinations, too.
“I’m keen to reveal to people who aren’t as familiar with those other parts of the UK the benefits of regions that can offer you not just fantastic value for money but also beautiful landscapes and wonderful property to go with them. So it really is a kind of starter for ten in every aspect I suppose.”
He fully understands the enduring wish people have to move to the country.
“We’ve got fresh air, open spaces, interesting buildings and a genuine sense of accessible community. The countryside is what you make of it. You can be as involved as you want, you can be a recluse if you want. Nobody’s going to judge you, it’s a very accepting place, very liberal place – which some people may find surprising, but I’ve always found it thus. I spent 20 years of my life living in a Welsh-speaking mountain village, but I always felt as welcome there as I would in East Anglia or indeed anywhere else.
“The main mistake people make is choosing a place to live after the holiday romance. If you only know an area because you have been on holiday there, it’s not the same as living there, particularly those areas which may be very different on and off season. Do go in the depths of winter, and rent somewhere for a week or two to get a feel of what it’s like when the sun has gone.
“I think also don’t buy more than you can cope with. It’s very tempting to end up with lots of acres and a huge rambling property if you’ve got the money, but be aware these are historic properties that need a lot of upkeep. You need a genuine interest in renovation and architecture and building. If you’re not into DIY and don’t want a project, don’t feel you have to take one on, there’s no harm in buying a new build in the right position if it gives you the country life you’re after.
“That said, there is a lot to taking on a property that needs a bit of work and in doing so you can make it have the space you want in the format that you want it, whether it’s adding something, taking something away or embellishing something.
“Falling in love with a property is one thing but it’s also really important to have a genuine attachment to the area where you’re looking as well. I’ve met buyers who have plumped for a property in an area where they’ve never been in before. While some have said they’ve absolutely made the right decision, others have said it’s not what they thought it was. It’s important to understand an area, its story, its culture, its landscapes – and just try and start that conversation with the region. Embark upon that love affair to want to be there, and then look for that property.
“Perfection is in the eye of the beholder. My definition of the perfect house is you wanting to embrace its many imperfections, like the perfect partner. None of us are perfect, but if you’re prepared to put up with the warts and all, that’s the one for you. I will sell properties to people, famously our mystery houses, and they were not what they were looking for but with a bit of intuition we’ve put it forward into the mix, and it hasn’t had all the bedrooms, it hasn’t had the style of architecture they were looking for, it hasn’t had all the land they were after, but it was the right property.
“Go at it with an open mind, be prepared to be disappointed, be prepared to be thrilled, and give every property its due. And go through the door of as many as you can. It can be difficult to define what you want. Visiting lots of properties is the way to do it and then start to think what it is you really want.
“You don’t have to live in the middle of nowhere, but if you want access to the great outdoors, and if you are of an age where you have kids where you have to get them to school, and you need a job, a market town is great. If you’re the other end of the scale, long in retirement, do you honestly want to be an hour away from a pint of milk, or a doctor? Probably not. A vibrant market town can offer the best of both worlds to lots of buyers.
“I often meet buyers in their late 60s and early 70s wanting something quite remote and by the end of the search they say it was a nice idea but the market town is what they’d now consider, because they’ve looked at the practicalities. Long term, being tied to a car doesn’t work for them. It’s worth future-proofing your move, especially if you’re looking for a forever home, if you are going to sink your money into something that will see you out or last you at least 20 years. It’s worth mapping out those essential services so you know you can function, come what may.”
I ask him whether he likes cities too.
“Certainly. I’m not shy of a bit of cafe society, for example being able to walk to a great restaurant. I know south London, I know Greenwich, I like it. London interests me because of its history. I thrive in the more historic bits: not least you’ve got the area around Parliament Square and so forth. Greenwich, cropping up in Shakespeare; Blackheath, famous for the plague, and the rest of it. Areas with some history are fascinating.
“Like my favourite bits of landscape, the towns with real history and a sense of identity are the ones that stick in my mind. Kelso was one I had not visited until recently. Located on the Scottish borders, you could be forgiven for thinking it is in Northern Italy. When we drove in, I felt ‘this is incredible’. Bath is a gorgeous city, Cirencester too. There’s a chapter in the book about market towns.
“In Suffolk, Woodbridge is an example, and Lavenham, and Bury St Edmunds, where you get beautiful architecture, great amenities, and ready access to the countryside. Shaftesbury in Dorset would be another one. Totnes in Devon…the list goes on. If you can identify a vibrant and interesting market town, there’s a lot to be said for it.”
Further information
The Escape to the Country Handbook is published by National Trust Books, £16.99
To apply to appear on Escape to the Country, visit bbc.co.uk/beonashow
Visit Jules Hudson’s website, juleshudson.com, to order signed copies of his books
Note: this article was published in 2021