Suffolk I Escaped to the Country


Suffolk

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Making the move from city to countryside is often a momentous step.

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Never in a million years I would imagine I'd be seeing a house like this.

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Never, ever.

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But for many years, Escape to the Country has been

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helping countless people on the hunt for their new home.

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What do we think of this?

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Chocolate box!

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We've travelled to the most picturesque pockets of Britain...

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Take a look at that killer view.

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That's amazing.

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..to showcase thousands of exquisite country properties...

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Oh! How pretty is that?

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..that our buyers just couldn't resist.

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Jules!

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Seriously. Get your cheque-book out now!

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Join us as we catch up with those who bought their dream home...

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Looking out over your horses.

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-Absolutely.

-Beautiful, isn't it?

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..to find out how the moves changed their lives when they

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escaped to the country.

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Today I've come back to the coastal county of Suffolk,

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land of pink washed cottages and countless picturesque settlements,

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one of which vanished under these waters centuries ago.

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Known as the lost city of England, Dunwich was once a major town and

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international port.

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But coastal erosion,

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and after several major storms in the 13th and 14th centuries,

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means that most of Dunwich now lies beneath these waves.

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And all that remains is a tiny village.

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Now it's always a pleasure to come to a county with such a fascinating history.

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But this visit will be particularly exciting, as I'll be reunited with a

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couple who've created their dream home here in Suffolk.

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And they've certainly been busy since I saw them last.

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Suffolk is a low-lying county which forms part of the region of

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East Anglia, and is highly regarded for its rolling rural scenery as

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well as its unspoiled coastline.

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Today, I'm revisiting Mick and Sue.

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They sold their suburban Essex home five years ago and were after more

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outside space for their much-loved horses.

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As for the house we found them,

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they've certainly been ringing the changes.

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This is universally different.

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I don't remember any of this.

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Sue and Mick met 20 years ago through their shared love of horses.

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They even tied the knot on horseback.

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Back in the spring of 2012, they were living in the Essex town of Harlow.

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But for the equestrian couple, their rural move was focused on having the

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horses on their own land.

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The horses are stabled in Epping Forest.

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It's 12 miles away. It's two motorways.

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And what we would like to do is have horses at home,

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and be able to ride nice bridleways nearby.

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And our dream is to be able to ride to the local pub.

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The whole idea of just being able to walk out of the front door and

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having the horses in stables nearby, it would make life so much easier.

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Life hasn't been easy for the couple.

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In 2008, Mick had suffered an accident at work,

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which left him as a double below the knee amputee.

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He does quite a lot, but some of the time Mick's in a wheelchair,

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so we have to take each day as it is.

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I guess when something like this happens, it concentrates your mind

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and you think about the things you do enjoy in life.

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Sue does a great deal for me. I wouldn't be here without Sue.

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She picks me up when I get down. She does most things for me,

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though I'm still capable of doing a few things on my own.

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But she's just the rock that I anchor myself to.

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The house needed to be practical,

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with a large downstairs open plan living space,

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a bedroom suite on the ground floor and at least a further two bedrooms

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for visiting family.

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Sue wanted a decent sized garden to expand her horticultural ambitions.

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And the keen riders wanted enough land for up to four horses.

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With a top budget of £575,000, they were ready to go.

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Our first house was located in the small village of Stanton in the

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north of the county, where we'd lined up an equestrian property

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hidden away down a private road.

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OK, so, property number one, we're going to be looking at a bungalow.

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But I know what you're like. Like any other horse-mad person,

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you want to look at the stables.

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You can't ignore them. They're fantastic, actually.

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-Yeah, very good.

-You do get some pretty good facilities here.

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These boxes are probably what, 20 years old?

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They're tidy, they're well put together.

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They've got hot water and even heat lamps in one of the boxes there

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-to dry the horses off.

-That could be useful.

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-Luxury.

-That's a plus point to start with.

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What about the bungalow, the house itself?

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-It's fine.

-It's a bungalow.

-It's a bungalow.

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It's not without character completely. It's quite a...

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Yeah, there's nothing wrong with that at all.

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-So all in all, happy?

-Yeah.

-So far, so good.

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-Great. Let's take a look inside.

-Yeah.

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The property also came with a number of outbuildings, but I wanted to

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show Mick and Sue the inside of the 1950s bungalow which

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had the open plan layout they were after.

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So, straight into the kitchen.

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What are your first impressions of this kitchen?

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It's very nice. It's lovely.

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A bit bigger than I thought it was going to be, actually.

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I thought that was a mirror when I first came.

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Yeah, I did a double-take there, actually.

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I did think it was a mirror, then being able to see right through.

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-Yeah.

-Are you happy with this kind of layout?

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-Does it work for you?

-It looks as if it's reasonably well laid out.

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You can get around it. It looks like there's scope to potentially knock

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through into the living area there if we wanted to make it larger.

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So, first impressions, yeah.

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And if I was in a wheelchair I could get around here easily.

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Back off the entrance hall, there was a good-sized utility and an

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office come tack room. We then explored the living area.

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Very much more open plan now.

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-Oh, it is, yeah.

-It's very nice.

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-It's a bit small.

-Here's the thing.

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As you've got room for a dining table in the kitchen,

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you could dispense with this and that short wall and make it one big

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living room.

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I think we would probably knock through here and make it into

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one big room.

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What I did like about it is the old parquet flooring,

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the solid fuel burner, there.

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It's... Even though, again, we keep going back to the fact it's a

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bungalow, but you do get elements of country living in it, don't you?

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Yeah. It's got some character.

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The windows looked at on the property's main asset, the land.

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So Sue and Mick could watch their horses from the comfort of their

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-living room.

-It has got everything we need, so far.

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There were four bedrooms in the bungalow,

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including two good-sized guest rooms and a bedroom that could be theirs.

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This is your master bedroom.

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-Yeah.

-Yeah.

-That's fine. I like the double windows.

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I like them either side.

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-It's not huge.

-This looks fine.

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OK, good, you're not high fivers?

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-No!

-The cogs are all working about what we can do to add

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-our own stamp to things...

-All right.

-..and make things easier.

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Yeah, everything is fine.

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Everything is good.

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Outside, as well as the five stables, this eight acre plot

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benefited from all-weather equestrian facilities and

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a large garden to keep keen gardener Sue occupied.

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This has got so much scope and potential that it's not an issue at

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-all, this sort of size.

-You've got all the facilities you asked for.

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Bearing that in mind, I want you to guess the price.

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How much is this place on the market for?

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I'm going to try and be optimistic.

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-I'm going to say 560.

-OK.

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I think it's higher than that. I think you've really got to the top

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of our budget.

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I will say 575, hoping it's not too much more than that.

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Well, you were right when you said I'm pushing the budget here,

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because you've got everything.

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-This place is on the market for offers around £600,000.

-OK.

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-Yeah.

-We were being optimistic.

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Yes, you are. And we've spoken to the owners,

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-and they are prepared to negotiate closer to your budget.

-Right.

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£25,000 more than they'd hoped to spend,

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nevertheless, it seemed we'd got off to a good start with this first property.

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And Mick and Sue seemed particularly pleased with the grounds.

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I'm pleasantly surprised by the amount of space

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both within the house and certainly the outside.

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It's actually a good size, really, Sue.

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It's not a bad living space, is it?

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I think we'll have to fill that in, though.

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Yeah, not too keen on the hole in the wall.

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I can imagine you and I shouting at each other through there.

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I think we'll have to fill it in or open it all up completely.

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It's got everything we need, really.

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It suits us.

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There are some changes we would have to make for accessibility.

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But not that many.

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I then took them across the county border into Norfolk,

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to the rural village of Starston.

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Although the weather had taken a turn for the worst,

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I was hoping they'd appreciate the character of our next offering,

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located down a quiet country lane.

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OK, then. For the second property, you buy one, you get one free.

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-We did wonder.

-Yeah.

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Now that is no ordinary annexe. But we'll discuss that later.

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-What do you think of the property, here?

-It looks good.

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It's a nice little country house.

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It looks perfectly good from the outside.

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The grade two listed farmhouse had great period features but there was

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a question mark on the layout.

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Now then. First impressions, as you come to your potential new house?

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It looks like more bitty little bits to it.

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-What do you think?

-I think it's lovely.

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I really do love it.

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And it's the sort of place, if I still had legs,

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this would've been perfect.

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-I'm not sure about the...

-Accessibility?

-..accessibility.

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Well, yes, and believe it or not,

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that is at the forefront of my mind as well.

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There are a few steps here.

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But I want us to have a look around because I'm wondering whether or not

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we could make this practical for you guys in the future.

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The kitchen also had a traditional feel and layout.

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-It's not a bad size.

-It's very nice.

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This part of the building is 450-years-old.

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-Yeah.

-You see it, don't you?

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-Yeah.

-I can believe it.

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It's got loads of character, hasn't it?

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Yeah, loads of character. The beams in here look great. Really good.

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This is the first time I've really seen you smile when you're looking

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-around a house.

-Well, yeah.

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I've still got my doubts about the practicalities.

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The narrow doorways, the steps and so on.

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There are other options because there is another side to this

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property, quite literally, that should help you out a bit.

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Although they were worried about practicalities,

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there was a welcome solution on the other side of the kitchen.

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-Wow!

-Wow! There's a bit of space in here, isn't there?

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That's a bit different.

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-Yeah.

-All one level, big open plan kitchen.

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Right? Into a big dining room.

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Going through to the rear hallway/reception room.

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And the owners of this house have disabled friends,

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and they can bring the car right to the back door.

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-Right. Yeah.

-Come with me, through to the dedicated living room.

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That's quite a good size as well.

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This is really nice.

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I love all the windows.

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-Windows everywhere. Brilliant.

-On all sides, really, aren't they?

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Look at the outlook. It's just rural everywhere, isn't it?

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It's a lovely country cottage.

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Well, it's a cottage but it's quite a big cottage.

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-Yeah.

-So far?

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-Very good.

-Good.

-Very good.

-Excellent.

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Mick was clearly excited and Sue was also jumping on board.

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Upstairs, there were four guest bedrooms, all with rustic charm.

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And there was a ground floor sleeping option, too.

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As it stands, obviously, not yet a bedroom.

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Oh, wow! Yeah.

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Again, it's full of surprises, this house, it really is.

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-Through there, an office, which I was thinking dressing room.

-Yeah.

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-A bathroom.

-You've already got a bathroom.

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It needs new fittings, but the plumbing is here.

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Yeah. This is...

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-It's big enough.

-It's big enough.

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Outside, the grounds featured a one bedroom self-contained annexe we

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caught a glimpse of at the start.

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Somewhere for the family to stay, or a potential income stream.

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The horses could enjoy three paddocks

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spread over six acres of land,

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but Mick and Sue would have to build some stables.

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There are so many positives to this place.

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I really do like it.

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So, try pricing it.

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I think you're pushing our budget.

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You've got that annexe there adding to it,

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and quite a lot of land as well.

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So I hope it's not as much, but 610?

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OK, 610, Sue.

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-What about you, Mick?

-I would say about 580, 590.

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Good guess, mate. £585,000 is the asking price for this.

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-That's quite good.

-Yeah.

-I thought you were going to be pushing it, so...

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-You are pushing it but maybe not quite as much.

-No.

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Priced at £10,000 above budget,

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they'd clearly been charmed by the character and potential of our

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second property.

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It surpassed my expectations, really.

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There's obviously difficulties with it, too.

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But I think we'd be willing to take on this amount of work

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if we could afford it.

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It has more potential in some aspects,

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but of course it's at the top end of our budget.

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We don't have the equestrian facilities already here,

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but we do have a potential income from something else.

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So it doesn't tick everything but it does do different things as well.

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Well, it seemed like I'd given Mick and Sue plenty to think about with

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our first two properties

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and left them with something of a heart versus head dilemma.

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But I wasn't done yet.

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There was still one road left to travel

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and it led to our mystery house.

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Some people in your position almost get a bit nervous.

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There's always a bit of trepidation when we're on the way to the mystery house.

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What would you hope it isn't going to be?

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Over budget.

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Yeah. I bet.

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Or the house is just absolutely wonderful but it doesn't have any land.

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So maybe that's the other thing.

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If it doesn't have any land associated?

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Maybe that's where the compromise is.

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Shall I turn the car around?

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Take us home!

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Our final property was in Framsden, back over the border in Suffolk.

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With Mick loving the historic character of the second property,

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it remains to be seen how far that could be pushed with the mystery house.

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Here she is.

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First impression, it's a thatched cottage!

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-Yeah.

-We didn't really want a thatched cottage.

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-Didn't you?

-Not really. No.

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What do you think of the appearance of it all?

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It's lovely. It is a beautiful little cottage.

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It looks nice. It's like your chocolate box look.

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I wondered how long it would take you to get chocolate box out because

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that's exactly what it is.

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-It is, yeah.

-Let's take a look inside.

-OK.

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This 18th-century thatch originally started life as two farm workers'

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cottages and, for some, would epitomise the country dream.

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In we come.

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Now tell me your first impressions and then I'll explain everything.

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-It's lovely.

-It really is nice.

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-It's cottagey.

-It's cottagey!

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It's narrow. It's what I think of being a cottage.

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Yeah. Obviously it's all about ground-floor living.

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Just through there, you've got a ground floor bathroom. OK?

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And on the same level, I was thinking, maybe we could

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convert this sitting room into a bedroom.

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-Let me show you.

-OK.

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So, big enough for a bedroom?

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-Yes.

-I would say it is, yeah.

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It would actually make quite a nice bedroom. It's quite a good size.

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There was a further reception room downstairs,

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but Mick and Sue would have to combine living and dining areas.

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That really, really is small.

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We wouldn't get any of our furniture in whatsoever.

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Yeah, no, virtually nothing would fit.

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It's certainly smaller than I had in mind.

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-Yeah.

-Right.

-But I really, really appreciate it.

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-It is lovely.

-OK.

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Let's take a look into the kitchen.

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Mind your heads.

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The rustic charm of this place continues in the kitchen.

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It's a rustic kitchen and it's small!

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-Yeah, it is small, isn't it?

-Yeah. It all goes with the theme, doesn't it?

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-It's lovely again.

-Beautiful, but...

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The more I see of it, I think less and less.

0:16:120:16:15

-I would never get a wheelchair through there.

-No.

0:16:150:16:18

Although they were quite rightly concerned about access,

0:16:180:16:20

downstairs some of the beams were purely decorative and could've been

0:16:200:16:24

removed to open up the space.

0:16:240:16:26

Upstairs, there were three immaculately presented bedrooms,

0:16:260:16:29

and outside there was a well tended garden with Monet-inspired bridge.

0:16:290:16:34

But not the acres of land Mick and Sue were after for the horses.

0:16:340:16:37

And I was beginning to feel the mystery house was perhaps

0:16:370:16:41

a bridge too far.

0:16:410:16:42

Now whilst there's no land with this cottage,

0:16:420:16:46

there is a livery yard nearby where you can keep, well,

0:16:460:16:49

pretty much as many horses as you'd want there.

0:16:490:16:51

But it almost seems a moot point now, because the house isn't suitable.

0:16:510:16:55

Albeit maybe not for you, but clearly it's going to be for

0:16:550:16:59

-someone, isn't it?

-Definitely, yeah.

0:16:590:17:01

So from what you've seen,

0:17:010:17:02

have a guess to how much this place is on the market for?

0:17:020:17:05

Well, without any land at all, I think 450.

0:17:070:17:10

-425.

-It's on the market for 375.

-Yeah.

0:17:110:17:16

Significantly below budget, the thatched mystery house certainly

0:17:160:17:20

had character and charm, and there was money left over to make

0:17:200:17:23

alterations to suit their lifestyle,

0:17:230:17:25

but for Mick and Sue, there were too many compromises.

0:17:250:17:29

The outside is nice, it's cottagey. It's a nice little garden.

0:17:290:17:32

But a bit bitty for me and probably not big enough and I guess the

0:17:320:17:37

overall surprise to us was that it hasn't actually got any land

0:17:370:17:40

attached to it at the moment.

0:17:400:17:41

I was hoping at least there would be some land that we could

0:17:410:17:44

explore, opportunities for the horses.

0:17:440:17:47

Although I would say it is a beautiful house and it's done to a

0:17:470:17:50

perfectly good standard, a very good standard,

0:17:500:17:54

but I don't think it's for us.

0:17:540:17:56

It's just very difficult to get around.

0:17:560:17:58

-All done inside?

-Yeah, all done.

0:18:020:18:04

-It's a very pretty house, isn't it?

-It's a lovely house.

0:18:040:18:07

-OK, well, that's all three, let's go.

-OK.

0:18:070:18:12

So with the Mystery House not really working for them,

0:18:140:18:16

Sue and Mick were left with two options to consider,

0:18:160:18:19

the modern practical first property with those amazing equestrian

0:18:190:18:23

facilities and the second,

0:18:230:18:25

the characterful farmhouse with he annexe and lots of potential.

0:18:250:18:29

But which one would win through in the end?

0:18:290:18:32

It probably comes as no surprise that they chose practicalities over

0:18:340:18:38

potential and bought our first property in the Suffolk village of Stanton.

0:18:380:18:42

Now, you could be forgiven for thinking, well,

0:18:460:18:49

this looks nothing like any of the properties I showed Mick and Sue,

0:18:490:18:52

but what they've done is they've turned a fairly modest three to

0:18:520:18:55

four-bedroom bungalow into, well, something that's resembling a ranch.

0:18:550:19:00

They have been busy, haven't they? Let's catch up with them.

0:19:000:19:03

Back in 2012, when I was last here,

0:19:090:19:11

the property was a modest 1950s bungalow,

0:19:110:19:14

but now it's fair to say it's been somewhat supersized.

0:19:140:19:17

Now then, how are you?

0:19:200:19:21

-Hello, Jonnie, nice to see you.

-Nice to see you, Sue.

0:19:210:19:23

-Mick.

-Good to see you, Jonnie.

-Great to see you both.

0:19:230:19:25

Although I thought I was getting lost when I came up the drive.

0:19:250:19:28

I thought, this doesn't look very familiar.

0:19:280:19:30

-It looks a bit different now.

-It looks a lot different.

0:19:300:19:32

Did you nick someone else's house and put it on the land?

0:19:320:19:34

-Yeah, a bit like that.

-But also, look at this, who's the gardener?

0:19:340:19:37

-That's me.

-Honestly, this is a credit, this is amazing.

0:19:370:19:39

There wasn't a single flowering plant here when I got here, it's all new.

0:19:390:19:42

It's a profusion of colour now.

0:19:420:19:44

I'm dying to see more about what's gone on at the back of this

0:19:440:19:47

property, can we have a look? Lead the way.

0:19:470:19:49

-Follow us through.

-I won't start nagging you for tea yet!

0:19:490:19:52

Once they bought the bungalow five years ago, they set about converting

0:19:530:19:57

and extending the property to make it easier for Mick to navigate in a wheelchair.

0:19:570:20:02

Right. Well, I was expecting a new kitchen, these all look very new.

0:20:020:20:07

-All the units are new.

-All the kitchen is new.

0:20:070:20:09

We did away with the hole-in-the-wall.

0:20:090:20:13

-Yeah.

-We did away with that.

0:20:130:20:14

We decided we hated the hole-in-the-wall.

0:20:140:20:16

Did we not discuss at the time it was nice to see through there,

0:20:170:20:20

but you didn't really get room for a kitchen then, did you?

0:20:200:20:24

No. We thought about opening it up and having the whole room in with

0:20:240:20:27

the living area, but it didn't work for us,

0:20:270:20:30

so we've gone for a traditional kitchen.

0:20:300:20:32

Exactly the same, new units, no everything.

0:20:320:20:34

So in doing away with that hole, you've got wall space and the

0:20:340:20:37

ability to have a proper sized kitchen now, haven't you?

0:20:370:20:40

It's made a tremendous amount of difference.

0:20:400:20:42

We've got lots of storage now, where we had very little before

0:20:420:20:46

because it was very one sided.

0:20:460:20:47

This suits us better, the breakfast bar.

0:20:470:20:49

We can still get a wheelchair through if we need to, as well.

0:20:490:20:52

Well, practicality is a big thing here, isn't it?

0:20:520:20:54

Even walking up here, there's pathways here.

0:20:540:20:56

You came through the nice big wide doorways, there's width here.

0:20:560:21:00

Everything is disabled friendly.

0:21:000:21:01

You can get a wheelchair around the whole house.

0:21:010:21:03

Perfect. You've immediately tackled semi structural stuff.

0:21:030:21:08

But I saw some big sort of cable ends going out that the way.

0:21:080:21:11

-We've done a lot more.

-Let's have a look.

0:21:110:21:13

-Lead the way.

-Come through.

0:21:130:21:15

The work to the house was completed over a two year period,

0:21:160:21:19

with parts of the original building almost unrecognisable now.

0:21:190:21:22

I'm not going to pretend I can remember everything,

0:21:240:21:26

it's a few years ago now, but I don't remember pretty much any of this?

0:21:260:21:31

No, this room it's not dramatically changed.

0:21:310:21:35

-Apart from that!

-Well, yes. I guess it has.

0:21:360:21:39

There used to be a little bedroom here which was only five foot wide.

0:21:390:21:44

That's what made this a three/four-bedroom place, wasn't it?

0:21:440:21:48

Basically, they used it as an office but it could've been a

0:21:480:21:51

nursery, that's about all.

0:21:510:21:52

So we knocked that wall down.

0:21:520:21:54

Also there was a half wall through here,

0:21:540:21:56

which divided the two rooms as well.

0:21:560:21:58

You can tell you've obviously been busy here because you're telling me,

0:21:580:22:02

"Oh, we've not really done much here."

0:22:020:22:04

-This is universally different.

-Yes, opened up.

0:22:040:22:08

That made a beautiful sun room, there.

0:22:080:22:10

I mean, to sit-in there with those bifolds looking out over the...

0:22:100:22:13

-That was my idea.

-Was it?

-It was.

-Great idea.

0:22:130:22:16

It was her idea, yeah.

0:22:160:22:17

I get a sense of it kind of like a ranch-style home.

0:22:170:22:22

-Is that what you went for?

-I guess lots of people have said that.

0:22:220:22:25

-Have they?

-It wasn't what we were aiming for.

0:22:250:22:28

No, we didn't set out for that.

0:22:280:22:29

We didn't, but in America anything that's single storey is a ranch.

0:22:290:22:33

Of course, there were the horses, yes.

0:22:330:22:35

Obviously, you love your western riding anyway, don't you?

0:22:350:22:38

I know you do. You spend a lot of time in the States, and what have you.

0:22:380:22:40

-Yes.

-You're surrounded by your own horses,

0:22:400:22:42

so you can forgive people for going that way.

0:22:420:22:46

But this house perhaps is because this house embraces all that you

0:22:460:22:51

have outside. It brings it in.

0:22:510:22:52

It would be a waste to ignore the fact that you're surrounded by your

0:22:520:22:56

-own land.

-Yep.

-So far I can see that you've made huge improvements

0:22:560:23:00

because that's exactly what you've done here,

0:23:000:23:02

but you've built on and you've certainly built on that way.

0:23:020:23:05

-Can we have a look?

-Yeah, of course.

-A new wing.

0:23:050:23:07

A new wing, get you!

0:23:070:23:09

Did you ever think you'd say that?

0:23:090:23:12

As well as adding a new wing down stairs, there's also now an upstairs.

0:23:120:23:16

The new storey includes a room for Sue to do her artwork and an extra bedroom.

0:23:170:23:23

Downstairs, two of the bedrooms have been designed with wheelchair

0:23:230:23:27

accessibility in mind. One of which is the master suite.

0:23:270:23:31

-Is it big enough?

-Just about.

-Yeah.

0:23:310:23:34

I've done it so if I'm in a wheelchair, I can get around everywhere.

0:23:340:23:37

When you're building new, though, you can do just that, can't you?

0:23:370:23:40

-Yeah.

-I have noticed one thing though, Sue.

0:23:400:23:42

-What's that?

-You've managed to build yourselves an entire wall

0:23:420:23:45

-of walk in wardrobes.

-Oh, I don't have that many clothes!

0:23:450:23:47

Yeah, yeah, but you still need another one.

0:23:470:23:50

-That's me.

-So that's yours and this is all Sue's, is it?

0:23:500:23:52

-Absolutely.

-Go on, girl.

0:23:520:23:54

Go on! So, inside, you guys have been amazingly busy.

0:23:540:23:58

You've pretty much built another house on to here.

0:23:580:24:01

Let's have a sit down and talk about how your lives have changed.

0:24:010:24:04

You escaped to the country for a reason, for a new lifestyle.

0:24:040:24:06

-We certainly did.

-It looks like you've got that,

0:24:060:24:09

-which is my link to get the kettle on someone, yeah.

-OK.

0:24:090:24:12

-Who's the tea maker?

-Right, let's go get the kettle on.

-After you.

0:24:120:24:16

I look forward to learning more about their new life outdoors later,

0:24:160:24:19

but first some great highlights from two of my other house-hunting journeys.

0:24:190:24:24

Over the years, our rural property searches with our house hunters have

0:24:270:24:30

covered the length and breadth of the UK.

0:24:300:24:33

They've all been armed with different budgets and a desire to

0:24:330:24:36

improve their quality of life with a move to the country.

0:24:360:24:39

It's such a satisfying outcome when they make that all-important offer

0:24:390:24:43

on a house that we've shown them.

0:24:430:24:45

Six years ago, I was in Somerset with another hopeful couple.

0:24:470:24:50

In the summer of 2011, Beverley and Gerry wanted to move back to the UK

0:24:520:24:56

from Switzerland and were looking for a characterful

0:24:560:24:59

four-bedroom property with period features

0:24:590:25:01

along with a separate annexe and a great view of open countryside.

0:25:010:25:06

They had £650,000 to spend.

0:25:060:25:09

The Mystery House was over the border in Devon,

0:25:100:25:12

but there were lots of things to recommend it.

0:25:120:25:15

Now, as it's the Mystery House,

0:25:160:25:17

I wanted to do things slightly different way round.

0:25:170:25:20

I want to start from the outside.

0:25:200:25:22

-Right.

-And I think...

0:25:220:25:24

Well, I know what you don't want, but one thing you told me that you

0:25:240:25:27

did want was a view and I'm hoping this here is said view.

0:25:270:25:32

-Right. Really lovely.

-You've also got quite a bit of land.

0:25:320:25:37

You've got over five acres here.

0:25:370:25:39

Wow.

0:25:390:25:41

With the outside delivering on views and land,

0:25:410:25:43

we explored the interior of the 18th century period property.

0:25:430:25:48

-Very rustic.

-Yeah, it is very rustic,

0:25:480:25:50

but that's sort of what we were hoping for.

0:25:500:25:52

-It's not a square room.

-No, far from it.

0:25:520:25:55

There's lots you could potentially do with this in terms of furniture and decor. Yeah.

0:25:550:26:00

With both Beverley and Gerry starting to picture themselves

0:26:000:26:04

living here, we looked at another living area.

0:26:040:26:07

-Ah.

-So reception room number two has...

-Oh, right.

0:26:070:26:10

-..plenty of natural light.

-Yes.

-This is a modern extension.

0:26:100:26:14

-Right.

-These are Cornish slate, these massive flag stones.

-Wow.

0:26:140:26:19

It's really nice because it's totally in keeping with the rest of

0:26:190:26:22

the house although it's modern.

0:26:220:26:24

You've got views either side, you've got views out there,

0:26:240:26:26

you could actually see the horse in the top paddock as well.

0:26:260:26:29

At the moment, you really sound like you're coming on board on this

0:26:290:26:32

-property?

-We are. It's lovely.

0:26:320:26:33

-I think so far, so good.

-Good.

-I really like it.

0:26:330:26:36

The kitchen was on the cosy side,

0:26:360:26:38

but that didn't seem to bother our buyers.

0:26:380:26:41

So you don't have the massive kitchen.

0:26:410:26:43

No. I mean, it's a reasonable side but maybe not all of it is

0:26:430:26:47

utilised as well as it could be.

0:26:470:26:48

I mean, you could actually put in units all the way round to make it

0:26:480:26:53

-more workable.

-Yeah, I mean, I think that's what we'd do.

0:26:530:26:56

The one thing that this allows is for you to adapt it again.

0:26:560:26:59

Upstairs there were five spacious double bedrooms,

0:27:000:27:03

some with original feature fireplaces,

0:27:030:27:05

including a very grand main bedroom.

0:27:050:27:08

The master suite starts here.

0:27:080:27:11

-OK.

-So Beverley, you've got a dressing room, there.

0:27:110:27:15

-Then you have a shower room and a loo, there.

-OK.

0:27:150:27:20

-That's nice.

-But I thought this bedroom was something else.

0:27:210:27:24

Very nice.

0:27:260:27:27

Yeah, it's lovely, isn't it?

0:27:270:27:29

It's big enough to fit whatever you want in here.

0:27:290:27:32

Waking up here in the morning and hearing nothing other than the local

0:27:320:27:35

wildlife and seeing the view out there,

0:27:350:27:38

-it would give you a good start to the day.

-Yeah.

0:27:380:27:41

With the mystery house working its magic, all that was left was to

0:27:410:27:44

find out how much change they'd get, if any, from their £650,000 budget.

0:27:440:27:50

How much do you think this place is on the market for?

0:27:500:27:53

I would think it's 650.

0:27:530:27:55

Yeah, I'd agree with 650.

0:27:550:27:57

OK. Well, it's on the market for offers around £625,000.

0:27:570:28:05

-A good guess, but, you know, a bit cheaper.

-Yes.

0:28:050:28:08

BIRD SQUAWKS

0:28:080:28:10

Hear that. The sound of nature.

0:28:100:28:12

Beverley and Gerry clearly loved the Mystery House and followed through

0:28:120:28:17

by making an offer.

0:28:170:28:18

Winding forward to 2015, I was house-hunting with Steve and Rebecca

0:28:220:28:26

from Lincolnshire.

0:28:260:28:27

They were looking for wide open spaces and an eco-friendly house

0:28:270:28:31

close to the coast and they hoped to find it in Argyll and Bute in

0:28:310:28:34

Scotland with their budget of £350,000.

0:28:340:28:38

Our first house, on the Cowal peninsula, had all the right credentials.

0:28:390:28:43

-Fantastic looking property.

-It is, isn't it? Very modern.

0:28:450:28:48

Yeah, how old do you think it is?

0:28:480:28:50

Well, I know how old it is, thankfully.

0:28:500:28:53

This large part was built initially around 1849 to 1850...

0:28:530:28:59

Oh, wow. Right.

0:28:590:29:01

..with a slightly more modern extension.

0:29:010:29:03

Now positioning, it's just like Lincolnshire, isn't it?

0:29:030:29:06

Wow, yes, beautiful location.

0:29:080:29:11

-Yes.

-Without a doubt, fabulous.

0:29:110:29:13

Excellent. Let's get inside.

0:29:130:29:14

The property had been renovated and the interior was stylishly presented.

0:29:180:29:22

-First impressions?

-Beautiful.

0:29:230:29:25

-Beautiful.

-Yeah.

-Wow, very sharp.

0:29:250:29:28

The size, the height of the ceilings, the openness, beautiful.

0:29:280:29:33

-Now coming round to the kitchen area, is this your taste?

-Yes.

0:29:330:29:36

Pretty much our layout, isn't it?

0:29:360:29:38

Yes, I wouldn't need to change it at all.

0:29:380:29:40

Yeah, I like it very much.

0:29:400:29:42

This is the hub of the home, though, isn't it?

0:29:420:29:44

Yeah, I love the light flooding through the windows.

0:29:440:29:47

Let's go and have a look at the living room.

0:29:470:29:49

The living space also appealed to their tastes.

0:29:510:29:53

-Wow.

-What I love about this house...

0:29:540:29:57

It's lovely.

0:29:570:29:58

..what you see is what you get. This is the main part of the barn.

0:29:580:30:02

-Fantastic.

-It's lovely, isn't it?

0:30:020:30:04

Oh, absolutely gorgeous, isn't it?

0:30:040:30:06

Perfect little layout, isn't it?

0:30:060:30:07

Got the log burner.

0:30:070:30:10

I don't think we can get better than this. This is fantastic for us.

0:30:100:30:13

Upstairs, there were three double bedrooms all in the eves

0:30:140:30:18

including a master with en suite.

0:30:180:30:21

Wow, yes, good size.

0:30:210:30:23

-Excellent.

-I've always had a bit of an issue with vaulted ceilings,

0:30:230:30:26

though. But I've got to say, I think they've done it really well.

0:30:260:30:29

Because it doesn't impose on the main living area, does it, too badly?

0:30:300:30:34

No, there's plenty of room there for us.

0:30:340:30:36

-Yeah.

-But imagine lying in that bed...

0:30:360:30:38

-Looking at those views.

-Amazing, wouldn't it?

-Yeah.

0:30:380:30:41

Outside, the land wrapped itself around the cottage and was framed by

0:30:420:30:46

a stunning Scottish backdrop.

0:30:460:30:49

But how much would this slice of Caledonian countryside cost them?

0:30:490:30:52

Who wants to go first?

0:30:540:30:55

-Shall I make a stab?

-Go on, then.

0:30:550:30:57

-It is a guess. I'm going to go £300,000.

-£300,000?

-Yeah.

0:30:570:31:01

I'm going to go slightly over.

0:31:010:31:04

I shall go for £315,000.

0:31:040:31:07

Well done. This house is on the market for offers around £315,000.

0:31:090:31:15

-Right, that's good.

-Outstanding.

0:31:150:31:17

Rebecca and Steve wasted no time in making an offer, which was accepted.

0:31:180:31:22

So they have successfully made their move to the Scottish countryside.

0:31:230:31:27

Now, it's time to head back to one of England's classic coastal counties.

0:31:290:31:33

The east Anglian county of Suffolk has around 50 miles of coastline

0:31:370:31:41

ripe for exploring, much of which form part of designated areas of

0:31:410:31:46

outstanding natural beauty.

0:31:460:31:47

The county also has over 60 nature reserves and around 10,000 public

0:31:470:31:52

rights of way with some fantastic footpaths and beautiful

0:31:520:31:56

bridleways to discover on horse back.

0:31:560:31:59

All of this equates to an enticing prospect for anybody looking to

0:31:590:32:03

escape the smoke for a more rural, tranquil lifestyle.

0:32:030:32:06

The Suffolk coastline is also steeped in history,

0:32:080:32:11

but the clues to its past aren't always visible from land.

0:32:110:32:14

Today, the village of Dunwich is a tiny settlement, but in the

0:32:160:32:19

13th century, this was a major town and international port until

0:32:190:32:23

a series of cataclysmic events sealed its fate.

0:32:230:32:28

The clearest evidence of the size and wealth of the town that once

0:32:280:32:31

stood here are the ruins of the Greyfriars monastery,

0:32:310:32:34

now under the care of Jeff Able from the Greyfriars Trust.

0:32:340:32:37

-Jeff, hello, thanks for meeting me today.

-Welcome to Greyfriars.

0:32:370:32:41

Thank you very much, lovely to be here.

0:32:410:32:43

I understand we're stood amongst what was once a very important part

0:32:430:32:47

of, not just Suffolk, maybe not even the region, but the country as a whole?

0:32:470:32:50

Back in the mid 1200s, Dunwich was one of the ten largest towns in

0:32:500:32:55

England and after London it was the most important port.

0:32:550:32:58

We currently have a population of 70.

0:32:580:33:00

Back then, the population was about 5,000 people.

0:33:000:33:03

It was the port that brought them all here working and trading?

0:33:030:33:06

Yes, mainly working on the wool trade from East Anglia.

0:33:060:33:08

So what happened?

0:33:080:33:10

There was a massive storm on New Year's Eve in 1286 and

0:33:100:33:15

the harbour was utterly destroyed in that storm.

0:33:150:33:19

The town lost its livelihood more or less overnight.

0:33:190:33:23

With the harbour gone, the 5,000 people diminished to a few hundred.

0:33:240:33:29

Another storm in the 1330s finished the town off completely.

0:33:290:33:33

The Greyfriars stayed on but moved their monastery further inland to

0:33:330:33:37

try and beat the sea.

0:33:370:33:39

All of East Anglia is built on what essentially is a

0:33:390:33:41

very large sandcastle.

0:33:410:33:43

-Yeah.

-And what happens to sand castles when the sea hits it?

0:33:430:33:47

Well, they undermine and they wash away and the same has been happening

0:33:470:33:52

throughout this coastline ever since the end of the last Ice Age.

0:33:520:33:57

After the big storms of the 13th and 14th centuries, the coastline

0:33:580:34:02

gradually retreated.

0:34:020:34:04

Today, the North Sea is almost lapping at the door of the ruined monastery.

0:34:040:34:09

Well, you're just a few yards outside the wall of the monastery.

0:34:090:34:12

-Yeah.

-Half a mile that way, that way...

0:34:120:34:16

-Yeah.

-..is the old town. Stretching from here for half a mile out there

0:34:160:34:20

is the old town of Dunwich.

0:34:200:34:21

Apart from the major storm which destroyed the harbour,

0:34:210:34:25

there were a number of major storms over time,

0:34:250:34:27

but they take relatively small amounts of land.

0:34:270:34:30

But it's the continuous action of the sea against the cliffs.

0:34:300:34:35

The waves against the sandcastle effect.

0:34:350:34:37

-Yeah.

-It takes the cliffs yard by yard, on average, a meter a year.

0:34:370:34:43

There's some stories underneath those waves, aren't there?

0:34:430:34:45

There's an amazing amount of history just there.

0:34:450:34:49

One of the legends about Dunwich is of coming up here and listening for

0:34:490:34:55

the bells of the old churches.

0:34:550:34:57

There were eight or ten churches out there and apparently you can hear the bells.

0:34:570:35:03

My only experience of that is after a very long night in the pub and

0:35:030:35:08

then your ears start to ring a bit!

0:35:080:35:10

My ears ring if I've had a very long night in the pub and I haven't got

0:35:110:35:14

home in time. That's when mine ring!

0:35:140:35:16

It's been fascinating to discover some of the county's hidden past,

0:35:170:35:20

but now it's time to return to the present.

0:35:200:35:23

I'm revisiting Mick and Sue who moved into their Suffolk home five

0:35:300:35:34

years ago.

0:35:340:35:36

I've seen how they've radically redesigned the property,

0:35:360:35:39

so now time to take in the grounds,

0:35:390:35:41

which have been beautifully landscaped by gardening enthusiast, Sue.

0:35:410:35:44

I'm not going to ask you how it's been since moving out here because

0:35:470:35:50

I can see it's been busy.

0:35:500:35:51

-Extremely busy.

-Not just the house, but I'm looking at this house,

0:35:510:35:54

looking at the garden, for one thing.

0:35:540:35:56

-I mean there's a lot here, isn't there?

-Yep. I've done a lot.

0:35:560:35:58

There was absolutely no flowers here.

0:35:580:36:00

There was obviously some grass,

0:36:000:36:02

but there were no flowers at all here when we got here,

0:36:020:36:04

and at the last count, we've had down 265 trees.

0:36:040:36:09

-That to me sounds...

-I know, it's amazing.

0:36:090:36:11

It doesn't sound like there would be much left,

0:36:110:36:13

but you've got some beautiful deciduous trees around here as well.

0:36:130:36:16

I've got all of the good trees that we could possibly keep.

0:36:160:36:19

The ones we've had down have been mainly Leylandii, 60 foot tall

0:36:190:36:22

Leylandii all the way around the property making things very

0:36:220:36:25

dark, not just for us, but for our neighbours as well.

0:36:250:36:27

But I also know you have a degree in garden design.

0:36:270:36:30

I do have a degree in garden design, yes.

0:36:300:36:32

So you've been able to flex your muscles here, Sue?

0:36:320:36:34

I can actually use my hobby.

0:36:340:36:37

I'm pretty well full-time just looking after the garden

0:36:370:36:40

-I think now.

-Let's talk about the situation here.

0:36:400:36:43

You wanted almost the impossible - land suitable for horses,

0:36:430:36:50

with stabling, on the edge of a...

0:36:500:36:53

-Of a village.

-Not just a village.

0:36:530:36:54

-On the edge of a good village with facilities.

-Yep.

0:36:540:36:58

-That's what everybody wants.

-Yeah, we managed to click that one.

0:36:580:37:00

We've managed to do that. This has been the best move we've ever made.

0:37:000:37:04

We're very happy here on the actual property,

0:37:040:37:06

but also the village is great.

0:37:060:37:08

We get on very well with everybody.

0:37:080:37:10

It's a friendly village and it's got all the facilities that we really need.

0:37:100:37:13

We've got a pub within two minutes, we've got a post office,

0:37:130:37:16

shop and a DIY store.

0:37:160:37:19

It feels like an entertaining house, an entertaining destination.

0:37:190:37:22

I imagine you've had a few occasions here, have you, Sue?

0:37:220:37:24

-Yeah, we've had a few parties here.

-I bet, I hope so.

0:37:240:37:28

My daughter had her wedding reception here,

0:37:280:37:31

which was over in the back paddock over there.

0:37:310:37:33

-Amazing.

-We had a big marquee.

0:37:330:37:36

So this sounds like it's become more than a home with your horses as well.

0:37:360:37:40

-This is something else.

-It's our lifestyle.

0:37:400:37:42

It's our lifestyle. It is a lifestyle and that's what we always

0:37:420:37:44

wanted because I'd retired.

0:37:440:37:46

So I had time to do things here,

0:37:460:37:49

and Sue wanted to really pursue her gardening and her artwork as well.

0:37:490:37:55

-So this is the perfect place for it.

-Yeah.

0:37:550:37:58

Whilst Sue has been immersed in the garden,

0:37:580:38:01

Mick's been able to enjoy another one of his passions.

0:38:010:38:04

It still involves riding, but this one has a little more horsepower.

0:38:040:38:08

Well, she's a beauty, Mick,

0:38:080:38:10

I can see why you needed special access for her.

0:38:100:38:13

-Yeah.

-She's pride of place in your home, surely?

0:38:130:38:15

-I wish I'd have cleaned it?

-She looks all right to me.

0:38:150:38:18

Is this the same bike that you had when we were looking for houses?

0:38:180:38:21

It is. Yes, it is. It is.

0:38:210:38:23

A little bit worse for wear now, but it's the same one.

0:38:230:38:25

-Done a few more miles since, has it?

-Yes, a few.

0:38:250:38:27

So tell me, this has been adapted for you to ride it, then?

0:38:270:38:30

Yeah. Of course I can't use my back brakes, so this is my front brake,

0:38:300:38:34

-the top lever.

-Right.

-And the bottom lever is my rear brake.

0:38:340:38:38

So although you've got some fantastic roads around here,

0:38:380:38:40

I mean you travel, again, with this?

0:38:400:38:42

Oh, yes. Yeah, I've been over to Normandy on it and over to the Isle of Man.

0:38:420:38:46

To help Mick get in and out with the bike,

0:38:460:38:48

they've built a concrete path along the gravel drive.

0:38:480:38:52

She certainly looks the part, but I'm keen to hear her purr.

0:38:520:38:57

Oh, she sounds beautiful, doesn't she?

0:39:000:39:02

Oh, do you ever get Sue on the back of this?

0:39:050:39:07

-Oh, yeah, she's often on the back.

-Really?

0:39:070:39:09

I have to change the seat, she won't go on the back of that one.

0:39:090:39:11

She has what they call a passenger seat.

0:39:110:39:13

-Well, keep it as is then!

-Yeah.

-So if I come here in a few years' time,

0:39:130:39:17

-am I going to see more bikes and less horses?

-No.

0:39:170:39:21

You'll probably see one bike and the same amount of horses.

0:39:210:39:24

Thanks very much. I'll go and see Sue. See you in a mo.

0:39:240:39:27

See you later, mate.

0:39:270:39:29

As regards their equine family, Mick and Sue now have four horses in

0:39:290:39:32

the paddocks surrounding their property.

0:39:320:39:35

This is Cassie.

0:39:350:39:38

Cassie is a quarter horse. She's an American breed.

0:39:380:39:40

She came over from Wisconsin originally.

0:39:400:39:43

-Right.

-And they're called quarter horses because they used to be very

0:39:430:39:46

fast over a quarter of a mile.

0:39:460:39:47

Oh, right, she's a sprinter.

0:39:470:39:50

She's a sprinter over a short distance,

0:39:500:39:52

but she doesn't have the stamina.

0:39:520:39:54

She's stocky, sturdy, versatile.

0:39:540:39:57

We call her Barbie's horse, but she's basically a cowboy horse.

0:39:570:40:00

Which is your bent, isn't it, really?

0:40:000:40:03

-That's right.

-You and Mick love the western style.

0:40:030:40:06

The whole western scene. This is your archetypal cowboy horse.

0:40:060:40:09

So, how often are you getting out riding, then?

0:40:090:40:11

I mean, you've got all weather facilities here, haven't you?

0:40:110:40:14

Absolutely. We probably hack out two or three times a week, maybe ride in

0:40:140:40:17

the menage as well. We don't need to ride them all the time,

0:40:170:40:19

they're perfectly happy out in the fields.

0:40:190:40:21

-They've got plenty of space, haven't they?

-They do.

0:40:210:40:24

So what's the riding like around here, the hacking out?

0:40:240:40:26

The riding is surprisingly good.

0:40:260:40:27

We do have some bridleways at the beginning and the end of our

0:40:270:40:32

property and we can get out on to those without going on the

0:40:320:40:35

roads most of the year.

0:40:350:40:37

We have the Stanton Rides here from the village,

0:40:370:40:40

miles and miles of track that we can actually ride on.

0:40:400:40:43

-So we're quite fortunate.

-Quite fortunate?

0:40:430:40:46

-I mean this is an equine dream, isn't it?

-It is, indeed.

0:40:460:40:49

What a life you've got here. A very, very busy one.

0:40:490:40:52

It's a busy life, but we're living the dream.

0:40:520:40:54

We've got all the things here that we've always wanted.

0:40:540:40:57

Sue and Mick are now happily reaping the rewards of their vision and

0:40:580:41:01

determination to make this property their perfect home.

0:41:010:41:05

It's clear they've created their equine paradise

0:41:050:41:08

here in the Suffolk countryside.

0:41:080:41:11

It's too easy, isn't it? You've got your house there, your

0:41:140:41:17

stables there and your paddocks here.

0:41:170:41:19

This is what everybody I speak to with horses, this is what they want?

0:41:190:41:22

-It's horse heaven here.

-It really is, isn't it?

0:41:220:41:24

-And they're happy, look at them?

-Oh, yeah.

0:41:240:41:26

Surely having a small holding like this, having projects,

0:41:260:41:29

that's part and parcel of it, that's half the fun, isn't it?

0:41:290:41:32

Absolutely, it's always evolving.

0:41:320:41:33

There's always something else to do and there's loads of maintenance.

0:41:330:41:36

Yeah. For sure.

0:41:360:41:38

Apart from maintenance and a lot of creosoting of posts and fences,

0:41:380:41:42

what's next? What's the next project?

0:41:420:41:44

-What have you got planned?

-Not much at all, really.

0:41:440:41:47

-Mick would like to make the veranda bigger.

-Oh, yeah.

0:41:470:41:50

-I forgot that.

-That's next.

0:41:500:41:52

Look, let's face, you like western style riding,

0:41:530:41:56

you've got American horses,

0:41:560:41:58

you've got a house that's almost in the ranch style.

0:41:580:42:01

-Yeah.

-You need a veranda and a rocking chair, don't you?

0:42:010:42:05

-Yes.

-Maybe a harmonica and then that scene is complete, isn't it?

0:42:050:42:11

Well, look, you both seem so happy and settled.

0:42:110:42:13

I feel like I should be getting on to my steed and riding

0:42:130:42:16

off successfully into the sunset.

0:42:160:42:18

-You should do it.

-Which one do you want?

0:42:180:42:20

I've got a car, it's fine. Keep in touch.

0:42:200:42:23

-I wish you all the very best.

-Thank you very much.

-See you soon.

0:42:230:42:25

-Take care.

-Bye-bye.

0:42:250:42:27

Well, it's been great catching up with Mick and Sue and I must say,

0:42:320:42:35

what they've done to the property and its gardens is an absolute

0:42:350:42:38

credit to them both. It's funny, when I first showed them this place

0:42:380:42:42

I had a feeling that it would be a great fit for them,

0:42:420:42:45

so I'm so pleased to see them here enjoying their new life together in

0:42:450:42:49

Suffolk. See you next time.

0:42:490:42:51

If you also dream of escaping to the country in England, Wales,

0:42:530:42:56

Scotland or Northern Ireland and would like our help,

0:42:560:42:59

why not apply [email protected]/beonashow.

0:42:590:43:04

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