If you’re looking to up sticks and move to the country, but you’re wondering what you’d do there — and you don’t fancy going down the farming route a la Jeremy Clarkson or Kelvin Fletcher — there’s a fascinating option on the market right now. It’s a 212-acre farm in Cumbria, not far from Cockermouth, and it’s for sale through Strutt & Parker at £1.5 million — which is the same price as this two-bedroom flat in Barnet.
There is a catch — there’s always a catch — in that the agents coyly note that the traditional Cumbrian longhouse that’s the actual accommodation here is ‘in need of refurbishment’. These are words that are not too worrying when accompanied by pictures… but when the property listing has no internal pictures at all, your mind can’t help but run riot. What lies within?
That said, the opportunity here is far more than just a pretty house on a stunningly beautiful hillside in the Lake District, because a bigger prize is at stake: planning permission has been granted to turn the string of farm buildings into tourist accommodation. And it’ll be tourist accommodation with spectacular views of the Solway Firth to the north and the Cumbrian mountains to the south. You can see more details about the new life that awaits at the property listing page on the Strutt & Parker website.
Quiz of the Day
1) How many bones in the human skull are movable?
2) What would you keep in a tantalus?
3) La Cucaracha is a song about which creature?
4) How many yards are there in a chain?
5) Which Royal residence is on the bank of the River Dee?
Steward's enquiry?
If you missed the news on Friday, Annabel Dixon did a deep-dive on the news that Woodbridge in Suffolk has been named the happiest town in Britain.
It was a surprise at first, since Woodbridge had been nowhere near the top five in previous editions of Righmove's survey. Did the good denizens of Woodbridge coordinate a bit of tactical voting? It must be noted that an extra 9,000 people took part in this year's survey, which is roughly the population of this little Suffolk town. Is skulduggery afoot?
But then you think about it, and it's not really a surprise at all since it's a town full of fun, independent shops, beautiful architecture, great food and scenery which makes you feel like you're living in a Constable painting.
Posh Jo Malone candles
If you like them, you have something in common with Mary Berry. She spoke to Hetty Lintell about these and more of her favourite things.
If you've ever wondered why Dracula was set in Whitby...
...this picture of the Abbey should convince you. Beauty, wintry elegance and a chill down your spine which is only partially down to the weekend temperatures...
There's only two Ollie Robinsons
Cricket fans are agog at the makeup of England's latest Test cricket team, since it features a wicketkeeper called Ollie Robinson, who shares his name with England fast bowler Ollie Robinson. The latter isn't in the line-up at the moment, but everyone in the world of sport is crossing their fingers for the potential joy that would be watching two identically-named cricketers playing at the same time for England. Surely the selectors can see that they shouldn't stand in the way of this happening?
What makes it even better is that they share a birthday (albeit five years apart). According to sporting email list The Upshot, the chances of two young cricket players sharing a name, and a birthday, and getting picked for England is one in 1.3 trillion.
That's it — we're back tomorrow
Quiz Answers
1) One (lower jaw or mandible)
2) Decanters/alcohol
3) A cockroach
4) 22
5) Balmoral Castle
-
Storrs Hall: A glimpse of what a trip to Lake Windermere ought to beLake Windermere — the largest stretch of water in the Lake District — is a tourist mecca that can often feel crowded, but head to places like Storrs Hall and you can still find the beauty and seclusion that first drew people here. Toby Keel takes a look.
-
How good of a bird watcher are you? Country Life Quiz of the Day, November 19, 2025Test your general knowledge in today's Country Life quiz.
-
A home where medieval, Georgian and modern come together in rare styleSet in a couple of acres in the leafy outskirts of Essex, Rochfords is a family house that blends old and new with charm and a sense of fun.
-
A private island in the Thames Estuary is up for sale at £50,000, complete with its own Victorian fortDarnet Fort is seeking a new owner — but it's going to need someone of great vision and spirit.
-
A 500-year-old house with Soho House-style interiors, Chelsea gold medallist gardens and a grass tennis courtHaslingfield Manor is an extraordinary mix of styles and ideas, from Tudor Britain to the cutting edge of modern design. Penny Churchill takes a look.
-
Utterly wonderful country homes for sale across Britain, from a 10-bedroom mansion to a Devon hideaway, as seen in Country LifeFrom an irresistibly charming house in Devon to a 400-year-old commutable home in Hertfordshire, here's our pick of some of the best homes to come to market via Country Life in the past week.
-
The London house where Rolls-Royce's co-founder Charles Rolls tinkered with his very first car is for sale at £17 millionCharles Rolls, the engineer and co-founder of Rolls-Royce, got his hands dirty when using the stables of this fine London home as a makeshift garage. Annabel Dixon reports.
-
A vineyard for sale on the slopes above 'the best beach in Britain' is for sale at just £650,000In the beautifully unspoilt Devon village of Bantham, an award-winning vineyard is for sale. Toby Keel takes a look.
-
The ultimate Black Friday sale? A £15 million castle reduced to £7.5 millionThe art and science of being an estate agent is never trickier than when dealing with homes that are being sold for the first time in centuries — and Ripley Castle in Yorkshire provides the perfect example. Lucy Denton explains more.
-
A simply perfect thatched cottage in Devon, with charm, walled gardens and all the space you need for family lifeThatched cottages are often pretty, but pretty small — but Julie Harding finds one brings which blends cottage charm with the space of a country manor.
