Escape to River Cottage

Hugh arrives at River Cottage to begin his dream life away from the city sprawl and immediately sets to work preparing the land for his new vegetable garden and finding livestock. Hugh also attempts spearfishing and meets his new landlord.

Eager to secure fishing rights to the cottage's lake, Hugh makes a wager with his landlord Antony Hichens: If Hugh can prepare a meal of carp that satisfies Antony and his guests, then Hugh shall have fishing rights to the property's lake.

It is late May, and there is bad news all around regarding the livestock, but Hugh's spirits are raised when news of cuttlefish hit his ears. At the Shaftesbury Market, Hugh ends up in a bidding war for a calf and ends up paying too much.

Hugh discovers that mice are a formidable pest to contend with. Spurred on by this experience, he joins Jan Andrews on a hunt for deer. Hugh then strolls down memory lane with the Cheeseman family and creates a Japanese prawn tempura dish.

Hugh summons experts to help deal with his uncooperative livestock, and soon, he feels confident in entering his saddleback, Delia, into the Okehampton Agricultural Show. Hugh also grapples with a serious aphid problem in the polytunnel.

Hugh has lived in River Cottage for six months, and that means his pigs have a date with butcher Ray Smith. It also means it is time for a party. Hugh also learns a remarkable technique for catching razor clams down by the seashore.