Many of us dream of moving to the countryside. It's a seductive fantasy. We'll leave the noisy, overcrowded city , with its unfriendly people and aggressive attitudes, for a clean-living, slower-paced life in a quiet rural backwater. We'll buy a postcard pretty cottage, grow sweet peas in the garden and know the locals in the village pub.

This dream becomes a reality for some 115,000 people each year, who migrate from Britain's urban centers to rural districts, joining the 14 million who already live there. They leave for a multitude of reasons, but most have in common the quest for a better quality of life. Less pollution and stress, lower crime rates, a more gentle pace: these are the things that country life can offer. Then there are its unique attractions. Homes with real character and a garden. A safer environment for children, friendly neighbours and a sense of community. There is access to open spaces and with it a reconnection with the natural world and the seasons.

This chapter introduces the countryside to the urban dweller. There's information about what life in a rural environment is really like, from the highs of summer walks in the fields, to the lows of being cut off by snow in winter. There's the lowdown on what a rural property can offer - how running and living in a home in the country may be quite different from a property in the city. And there are case studies from individuals who have made the move and never regretted it, and from those who found that country living wasn't for them. It's all here to help make the transition from the big smoke to a quiet village as easy as possible. Do it right and you'll never look back.

ENDS