Yahoo News Escape to the Country host Jules Hudson floored by most 'extreme' demand in the BBC show's history
Escape to the Country saw one family wanting to up sticks from Herefordshire and move to a very remote and isolated area, in what host Jules Hudson called an "extreme" escape. At the beginning of Tuesday's episode of the BBC One show (April 23), Jules said: "So, let's now meet today's buyers, who are hoping to make their very own Scottish escape.
"And when I said 'escape', think of that in bold, underlined twice. Because, quite frankly, short of buying their own island, they are undertaking one of the most extreme escapes I think I've ever seen."
House hunters Sam and James, from Bromyard in Herefordshire, loved the Scottish countryside and longed to move there for a more rural life and place to raise their two boys. "We want to be more self-sufficient, more friendly to the environment, so the kids have got more space to play and enjoy life", James said.
"We want to spend more time with them as a family. Life is so short and I just feel that we just need to make that move now," Sam added. Sam and James were armed with a budget of £270,000 with hopes of buying a three-bedroom detached house within a 30 minute drive to school for their sons. They also wanted to land to home livestock including chickens and pigs in a remote area.
The couple were undaunted by the prospect of remote rural living but taking to the Highlands, Jules introduced the couple to a very secluded area. "Splendid isolation, James, doesn't really begin to cover it. What an adventure you're embarking on", Jules excitedly told the house hunters.
The couple and Jules then visited the first property in Smerral, Caithness, that was on sale for offers over £270,000 and had three-bedrooms and opportunities to rent land. But Sam and James were then bowed over by a three-bedroom detached bungalow in Near Thurso, Caithness, on the market for offer over £218,000.
Jules then showed the couple around a mystery house in Occumster, Caithness, that had panoramic views of the countryside, and two acres of land. It was surprisingly on sale for offers over £215,000 leaving them shocked as Jules said if they wanted to move "any further north you'd be in the sea!". They later put an offer on the stunning remote property and were finalising details at the time of filming.
Escape to the Country airs weekdays at 3pm on BBC One
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