Escape to the Country

Flexiblefriend I like watching it for just that reason .... seeing inside the expensive houses I can never afford.

I find Jules a bit annoying, he reminds me of a labrador,
Bounding about wagging it’s tail and loving everybody.
I like Alistair Appleton, he’s more like a cat, a bit aloof and mysterious, and really a bit uninterested in proceedings.
Escape is a very relaxing programme, and I often make a note of towns for future visits.
But the people on it!
Those who want pigs, alpacas horses etc and several acres, even though they are about 75 already and have never kept anything more demanding than a hamster.
The huge kitchens demanded for ‘ me doing the cooking and guests circulating with a glass of wine’
The husbands who say they do all the cooking.
The husbands who demand a man cave.
The husbands who keep several classic cars.
The perfectly good kitchens that they say they would ‘rip
out’
I could go on!

"Its essential to us that the property is detached, standing in its own grounds".

"Its nice, but I'm afraid its too isolated for us".

I have watched occasionally resting up with a sprained ankle but the couples began to get on my nerves. They never did the proper things and inspect the central heating, and say what a lovely wood burning stove as if this could heat the huge sitting room on a windy evening.
Lots have mentioned the views but a view without any sign of human inhabitation wouldn't suit me at all.

When people are shown barn conversions with really high ceilings I always think that the place looks amazing but how are they going to heat it in the winter?
Or houses miles from any shops - I would never live any where that didn't have a shop where I could buy milk, bread or a newspaper.
But I do love looking at other people's houses - the dearer the better!

I would be terrible at deciding on a property.
All of them: chocolate box cottages, barn conversions, have me thinking "That's my ideal home".

It gives me a really feel good experience.
My house isn’t as beautiful or as fabulously appointed or well equipped as most of the homes on there but:
It’s detached (= no issue with shared drives, noisy televisions etc.) and we have lovely neighbours .
It’s a bungalow with room for family to stay.( unlike those house hunters we don’t often have to put up more than 4guests)
It’s round the corner from a bus stop.
Our garden isn’t big enough for more than 2 small goats and certainly wouldn’t accommodate an alpaca or llama.
It’s in a village but near a market town.
My husband doesn’t hit his head on the ceilings (been there, done that)
The plaster doesn’t fall off when you try to take the paper off and the walls are straight.
That programme makes me count my blessings.
I do watch it and then bask in happiness??

Yeah it makes me appreciate what I have too.

Did I mention that I have a Belfast sink in the utility room.
Nirvana. Actually it is terrific for the oven shelves.

Dannirae............just further to your worry of high ceilings in barn conversions for fear of those cold winters?
Can I please correct this......we have what in "Escape to the Country " terms would be a "Cathedral ceiling" one of the features that we have previousely had and loved but yes we feared for those winters despite oil CH (2 radiotors) and a bottled gas stove in the obligatory "Inglenook"
This is the warmest sitting room .....or as Nikki Chapman would say......Drrrrrrawung Rooooom....that we have ever had.Even during this last Beast fron the East cold spell the fire alone made that room deliciously toasty.
Mind you our bungalow is exceptionally well insulated so that might well be the secret ingredient

Oops yes...............we have a belfast sink actually in our kitchen
PamelaJ.............!!!

DanniRae
"When people are shown barn conversions with really high ceilings I always think that the place looks amazing but how are they going to heat it in the winter?"

..... or dust it??

I love these programmes..Place in the country..Place in the Sun..Home or Away etc. Enjoyable relaxing viewing. . I love my little house with south facing garden but its little. I would like somewhere where family could stay comfortably. However its not thatimportant. But what gets me, really annoys me is how picky some people can be when looking at beautiful large houses and gardens. ie"half an acre isn't enough for the dogs and a vegetable plot". Don't they realise how fortunate they are. Have they not seen conditions that some families are forced to live in? homeless people? Honestly!!

I love grand designs too.
Just the music sends me into a blissful state, then watching the homes take shape..

Sparklyfizz........high ceilings as mentioned by DanniRae and myself a few posts ago...........dusting?????
No problem..........don`t bother ..........you can`t see that far up!!!

Annep you mention what some poor people do not have and I remember seeing a woman who lived in flat and was so sad without a garden she managed to rent an allotment and that was her garden. We who have gardens however small should be grateful

Sparklefizz Jules next door- good enough reason to buy ?.
Alastair Appleton has a retreat centre. I think its in Wales. Cant remember details. I'm sure you could google it. But I prefer Jules.

Not forgetting that dreadful "road noise" they are all obsessed about. The nearest road is a mile away but if I stand just here and cup my hand around my ear I think I might've heard a car go past in the next county.

Overthehill very true! We have a small south facing garden. We can watch the going down over the hills every evening. How priceless is that.

Quite frankly, when we listen to the "speel" describing these "desirable residences",were we to use those those same descriptions to various areas of our own homes I think many of us would be pleasantly surprised to find that our own home becomes far more desirable.!!!!

We tend to forget that and moan about the few areas where it does not exactly "pass muster"............but with a little more time thinking about those better points, why on earth would we want to move?

Unless of course, the genuine reasons we have............health poor and deteriorating plus ever advancing years!!

Panache you're right. I remember a friend who said he didn't know he had a "Wine cellar" until he read the estate agent's details when he was selling the house. He thought it was just a cupboard under the stairs

This programme has featured the area where my brother lives (Dorset - kits a wonder there is any room left down there). I rang him and said excitedly 'your favourite pub is up for sale'. 'No it isnt' he replied. ' The programme makers went in and said could they put it on the programme as the couple they were featuring said they might want a pub but its not for sale'.

annep
*Sparklefizz Jules next door- good enough reason to buy ?.
Alastair Appleton has a retreat centre. I think its in Wales. Cant remember details. I'm sure you could google it. But I prefer Jules.*

Love it!
Alastair used to be a monk if I remember rightly, so it makes sense that he has a retreat.

I didn't know Alastair used to be a monk! I remember him ages ago as a very young presenter with Ann Maurice (pronounced Mor-eeesss, in American accent), who was "The House Doctor".

Presenters I don't like are Ginny Buckley (patronising) and Sonali Shah (mega-patronising). I liked Denise Nurse with her lovely dimply smile, but Aled Jones was deeply disappointing in this role, I thought.

Must say my man has taken a dislike to Denise Nurse because in the earlier days her dress sense was simply a mess and she was forever raptoriously giggling ..........it got on his nerves!
Don`t mention Aled Jones though, another pet hate,he simply cannot stand the man!.......Welsh or not!!

My favourite presenter is Jules,and then Alistair,Johnie and Nicky come in about level...............whilst the very best and outstanding at that time was the very first presenter Catherine Gee,and although she had and has a very "posh" accent she is not patronising just warm and kind.

Most of all I just love the programme,rigged or not, it suits me ........and duly presses many of my buttons!