0:00:02 > 0:00:04Making the move from city to countryside
0:00:04 > 0:00:06is often a momentous step.
0:00:06 > 0:00:09Never in a million years I would imagine I would be seeing a house
0:00:09 > 0:00:10like this, never ever.
0:00:12 > 0:00:13But for many years,
0:00:13 > 0:00:15Escape To The Country has been
0:00:15 > 0:00:18helping countless people find their new home.
0:00:18 > 0:00:20What do we think of this?
0:00:20 > 0:00:21Oh, my! Chocolate box!
0:00:23 > 0:00:26We've travelled to the most picturesque parts of Britain...
0:00:26 > 0:00:28Take a look at that killer view.
0:00:28 > 0:00:33- That's amazing.- ..to showcase thousands of exquisite country properties...
0:00:33 > 0:00:35How pretty is that?
0:00:35 > 0:00:37..that our buyers just couldn't resist.
0:00:40 > 0:00:43Seriously, get your cheque book out now!
0:00:43 > 0:00:47Join us as we catch up with those who bought their dream home...
0:00:49 > 0:00:50Ta-da!
0:00:50 > 0:00:53..to find out how the move changed their lives
0:00:53 > 0:00:55when they escaped to the country.
0:01:12 > 0:01:15Today I'm in Powys, in amongst the Berwyn Mountains,
0:01:15 > 0:01:17and this is Lake Vyrnwy.
0:01:17 > 0:01:18Back in the 1880s,
0:01:18 > 0:01:23a reservoir was created by damming a river to supply fresh water for the
0:01:23 > 0:01:24city of Liverpool.
0:01:24 > 0:01:28Now, it's a nature reserve full of wonderful species of birds but I'm
0:01:28 > 0:01:32not here to admire the wildlife, or the beautiful scenery,
0:01:32 > 0:01:36I've come to visit a couple who bought one of the houses I showed
0:01:36 > 0:01:37them on Escape To The Country,
0:01:37 > 0:01:41to find out how their life in the countryside is unfolding.
0:01:44 > 0:01:47Our original property search covered the mid-Welsh borders,
0:01:47 > 0:01:49including Powys and the English counties
0:01:49 > 0:01:51of Shropshire and Herefordshire.
0:01:52 > 0:01:54It's the rural beauty,
0:01:54 > 0:01:58space and value for money of the region that attracted today's couple,
0:01:58 > 0:02:00to relocate here from Hampshire.
0:02:00 > 0:02:03I'll be catching up with Carl and Nicky,
0:02:03 > 0:02:06who I first met in 2015 and who now own a generous slice
0:02:06 > 0:02:11of this beautiful border countryside, where they're enjoying the good life.
0:02:24 > 0:02:29Two years ago, HR manager Nicky and her security manager fiance Carl
0:02:29 > 0:02:31first contacted us for help.
0:02:31 > 0:02:32Back in the summer of 2015,
0:02:32 > 0:02:35they were living in the Hampshire town of Farnborough,
0:02:35 > 0:02:39and plans were afoot not just to buy a house together...
0:02:39 > 0:02:42We're going to get married in about four months' time.
0:02:42 > 0:02:46We made the decision to move, put the house on the market,
0:02:46 > 0:02:49and it sold so quickly. We were looking at wedding venues,
0:02:49 > 0:02:51found the perfect venue.
0:02:51 > 0:02:54Carl has been a bit kind of, "Oh, this is moving a bit too fast."
0:02:54 > 0:02:55I've been, "It'll be fine, it'll be fine."
0:02:55 > 0:02:58And I'm, like, "OK, OK, we're getting married now."
0:03:00 > 0:03:04But taking on two such big life decisions at the same time did not
0:03:04 > 0:03:06faze them.
0:03:06 > 0:03:10They had already set their sights on the ideal location to start their
0:03:10 > 0:03:12married life.
0:03:12 > 0:03:15We're looking to move close to Oswestry up in Shropshire.
0:03:15 > 0:03:18Just outside the Shropshire hills, very close to the Welsh border.
0:03:18 > 0:03:21We've gone up a couple of times, had a look around,
0:03:21 > 0:03:24it has really cemented in our minds that that is the area we want to go
0:03:24 > 0:03:27- and live in.- Once we started looking and realised how beautiful it is up
0:03:27 > 0:03:31there, it really did make our minds up, that's where we want to go.
0:03:31 > 0:03:34Carl's three grown-up children weren't making the move,
0:03:34 > 0:03:37but he and Nicky did have plans to share their house.
0:03:37 > 0:03:41I spent a lot of my earlier years living in the country.
0:03:41 > 0:03:42Very horsey.
0:03:42 > 0:03:44I want to get a horse again.
0:03:44 > 0:03:45So I'll be out riding.
0:03:45 > 0:03:48We've got a few chickens now, so we want to get a few more.
0:03:48 > 0:03:50And Carl wants to get some pigs.
0:03:51 > 0:03:53The outdoor space is really important.
0:03:53 > 0:03:56Five acres is kind of a minimum.
0:03:56 > 0:03:57Yeah.
0:03:57 > 0:04:01With land to fulfil their smallholding ambitions at the top of their wishlist,
0:04:01 > 0:04:03they also wanted a property
0:04:03 > 0:04:06with a large kitchen diner for keen cook Carl,
0:04:06 > 0:04:09three bedrooms and a study.
0:04:09 > 0:04:13They had a healthy budget of £475,000 and were happy to consider
0:04:13 > 0:04:16properties on either side of the border.
0:04:19 > 0:04:23For our first visit, we travelled to the village of Ellerdine Heath,
0:04:23 > 0:04:25in the north-east of Shropshire.
0:04:25 > 0:04:30It was a modern property that majored on rural seclusion and outside space.
0:04:30 > 0:04:31What do you think?
0:04:31 > 0:04:32It's a bungalow.
0:04:32 > 0:04:38It is a bungalow! Yes, built in the 1980s, in 1980, in fact,
0:04:38 > 0:04:41and then the present owner has been here 17 years,
0:04:41 > 0:04:45they have completely remodelled and added this huge outbuilding.
0:04:45 > 0:04:46There's also a lot of land.
0:04:47 > 0:04:49You did say you wanted land.
0:04:49 > 0:04:51Well, I don't mind the bungalow.
0:04:51 > 0:04:53It looks a bit small from the front.
0:04:53 > 0:04:56Have you got the extra buildings there because it is small inside?
0:04:56 > 0:04:58Let's have a look and see if we can win you over.
0:04:59 > 0:05:03It's fair to say their initial reactions were lukewarm.
0:05:03 > 0:05:08But I was hopeful once Nicky had put her bungalow bugbear to one side
0:05:08 > 0:05:11that they'd both like the internal space.
0:05:11 > 0:05:14If you pop yourself here, then you can see both
0:05:14 > 0:05:17sides, you've got the big sitting room, with the log burner,
0:05:17 > 0:05:20and then a big dining room with double doors out into the gardens.
0:05:20 > 0:05:23It's nice, it's very much our style.
0:05:23 > 0:05:25That's good. Because you were wrinkling your nose outside.
0:05:25 > 0:05:27I know. Bungalow!
0:05:27 > 0:05:29Pleasantly surprised.
0:05:29 > 0:05:30Excited to see more.
0:05:30 > 0:05:31Come through and look here.
0:05:34 > 0:05:35Carl, this is your domain.
0:05:35 > 0:05:36What do you think of the kitchen?
0:05:36 > 0:05:37It's very nice,
0:05:37 > 0:05:41little bit smaller than we were looking for but it's a very nice layout,
0:05:41 > 0:05:44it's got everything you need, plenty of space to work in.
0:05:44 > 0:05:47Behind us, there is a double garage.
0:05:47 > 0:05:51So you could eventually knock through that and make this one huge
0:05:51 > 0:05:54kitchen dining room, breakfast room.
0:05:54 > 0:05:56Yeah, definitely an idea.
0:05:56 > 0:06:00Really good solution to get that large space for entertaining.
0:06:01 > 0:06:04Across the hall were four good-sized bedrooms,
0:06:04 > 0:06:07with one of them being used as a study,
0:06:07 > 0:06:10along with a spacious master suite.
0:06:10 > 0:06:14It's interesting because the house is much bigger inside than you think.
0:06:14 > 0:06:15- It's a good size.- Yeah.
0:06:17 > 0:06:19And lots of cupboards.
0:06:19 > 0:06:21Lots of cupboards and a little en-suite shower room here.
0:06:21 > 0:06:22Fantastic.
0:06:24 > 0:06:26- I'm really surprised.- It's very nice.
0:06:26 > 0:06:29- Really good size.- Is it growing on you?
0:06:29 > 0:06:31It is, very much.
0:06:31 > 0:06:34Don't take the quiet as not liking,
0:06:34 > 0:06:37it's the surprise, more than anything.
0:06:37 > 0:06:41With Nicky and Carl warming to the idea of one-level living,
0:06:41 > 0:06:44we went outside to explore the all-important land,
0:06:44 > 0:06:48which included a huge front lawn and at the back a great garden with
0:06:48 > 0:06:51numerous outbuildings and fields behind,
0:06:51 > 0:06:53amounting to five acres in total.
0:06:56 > 0:06:59It's a lot. It's good, though.
0:06:59 > 0:07:02- Enough?- Yeah, good land.
0:07:02 > 0:07:04- I'm liking it.- I'm liking it.
0:07:04 > 0:07:07The only missing part of the puzzle is the price,
0:07:07 > 0:07:09so what do you think this is on the market for?
0:07:09 > 0:07:13Over budget, definitely over budget, because of the outbuildings.
0:07:13 > 0:07:16I'm going to say, it's on at 485,000.
0:07:17 > 0:07:21I'm going to go a little bit lower than that but say right at the
0:07:21 > 0:07:23top of our budget, 475.
0:07:23 > 0:07:25Hopefully.
0:07:25 > 0:07:29Well, in this instance, Nicky is uncannily correct,
0:07:29 > 0:07:32it's actually on the market for £485,000.
0:07:33 > 0:07:36But it has been on the market for a while,
0:07:36 > 0:07:37they did reduce it to that price.
0:07:37 > 0:07:40So there could be leeway to get it down to your budget.
0:07:42 > 0:07:45£10,000 over budget, the first property had delivered
0:07:45 > 0:07:48just about everything they'd asked for.
0:07:48 > 0:07:49Wasn't what I was expecting.
0:07:49 > 0:07:52I saw the outbuildings as I walked in and thought, they're great,
0:07:52 > 0:07:53but the property,
0:07:53 > 0:07:56bit worried because it is a bungalow,
0:07:56 > 0:07:58but once we walked inside I could see
0:07:58 > 0:08:02the way, the layout of the place, really good space.
0:08:02 > 0:08:05Really alleviated any fears I might have had.
0:08:05 > 0:08:08The land is perfect, really, it's a good-sized plot.
0:08:08 > 0:08:12The garden is just a blank canvas, we can do so much here,
0:08:12 > 0:08:14put in a veggie plot.
0:08:15 > 0:08:17It's exciting. It's making me...
0:08:18 > 0:08:19Yes.
0:08:22 > 0:08:24- Hello.- Hello.- Good, OK, well, that is house number one,
0:08:24 > 0:08:28so don't be too excited/disheartened because of the price.
0:08:28 > 0:08:31- We've got another one to show you. - OK.- Excellent.
0:08:33 > 0:08:38For our second stop, we hopped over the border into Wales, to Meifod,
0:08:38 > 0:08:42a pretty village of stone properties, in a rural setting.
0:08:42 > 0:08:46The property I showed Nicky and Carl enjoyed a prime spot.
0:08:47 > 0:08:49Take a look at that killer view.
0:08:49 > 0:08:52- That is lovely.- Certainly is.
0:08:52 > 0:08:55And all of this is yours. Those fields with the horses,
0:08:55 > 0:08:58two more fields that go down, all the way down to the road,
0:08:58 > 0:09:00this beautiful garden.
0:09:00 > 0:09:01The vegetable garden.
0:09:01 > 0:09:03We've got it all going on outside.
0:09:03 > 0:09:06Certainly has. It's nice that it's broken up as well.
0:09:08 > 0:09:10It kind of works that way.
0:09:10 > 0:09:12They clearly like the land on offer,
0:09:12 > 0:09:15but what do they make of the house itself?
0:09:15 > 0:09:17Feast your eyes on this.
0:09:17 > 0:09:18A very different offering.
0:09:18 > 0:09:22- It's very different.- The thing about this property is the house I think will need
0:09:22 > 0:09:25a bit of work. What are your first thoughts from the outside?
0:09:25 > 0:09:28Coming up the drive, seeing the side of the house, thinking,
0:09:28 > 0:09:30it's going to be a small cottage.
0:09:30 > 0:09:31Actually, you can see...
0:09:31 > 0:09:34It's extended out...
0:09:34 > 0:09:35You see the full scope of it.
0:09:35 > 0:09:37I'm surprised once you get round here.
0:09:37 > 0:09:40The house had originally started life as
0:09:40 > 0:09:41a two-up two-down late Georgian
0:09:41 > 0:09:44cottage but had been extended over the years.
0:09:46 > 0:09:51Right. OK, so this is the oldest part of the house,
0:09:51 > 0:09:53where you are standing, behind you,
0:09:53 > 0:09:56is the original full extent of the cottage.
0:09:56 > 0:09:58This would have been the back wall.
0:09:58 > 0:10:00Down there where we came in that would have been the staircases,
0:10:00 > 0:10:02that is now a boot room, and on the other side,
0:10:02 > 0:10:04there's a great big walk-in larder.
0:10:04 > 0:10:08So you can see it's a bit higgledy-piggledy and it needs a bit of love.
0:10:08 > 0:10:11Yes, but it's still a good size, the rooms aren't too small.
0:10:11 > 0:10:14Sometimes you get with the old buildings,
0:10:14 > 0:10:16the rooms sometimes feel a bit claustrophobic.
0:10:16 > 0:10:19But you don't get that in here, which is good.
0:10:19 > 0:10:21We then moved from the old to the new.
0:10:21 > 0:10:25It's a change of pace when you come into this part of the house.
0:10:25 > 0:10:30You can see that it's not the same building, if that makes sense.
0:10:30 > 0:10:33It's a good-sized room, though.
0:10:33 > 0:10:34And it's really bright.
0:10:34 > 0:10:37It's difficult, coming from the bungalow, because it was so nicely done
0:10:37 > 0:10:39and this is a little bit dated.
0:10:39 > 0:10:41But in some ways, that's nice,
0:10:41 > 0:10:43because you'll be able to put your own stamp on it.
0:10:43 > 0:10:44If it's in the budget.
0:10:44 > 0:10:47- Yes...- Well, you worry me now you said that.
0:10:47 > 0:10:50Don't want to jump the gun. Come through back here and you can get
0:10:50 > 0:10:53an idea of the rest of the layout.
0:10:53 > 0:10:56I just want to stop here because this will give us a bit of bearings.
0:10:56 > 0:11:01There's this fantastically light and bright room here, huge volume.
0:11:01 > 0:11:04My initial thought was, that would make a lovely kitchen.
0:11:04 > 0:11:08- Yes.- It's big.- You could have an island in the middle.
0:11:08 > 0:11:10Oh, yeah! I like your thinking there.
0:11:10 > 0:11:13And then you've got this massive sort of hallway with a huge landing.
0:11:13 > 0:11:16- Wow.- Wow, indeed.
0:11:17 > 0:11:20Upstairs there were three bedrooms, in the older part of the house,
0:11:20 > 0:11:23including a master suite with views out over the valley.
0:11:23 > 0:11:26It does have a little shower room en suite.
0:11:26 > 0:11:27- OK.- OK.- Good space, again.
0:11:27 > 0:11:29Looks all right, yeah.
0:11:29 > 0:11:31- Again, definitely...- Needs updating.
0:11:31 > 0:11:33Yeah, definitely potential again.
0:11:33 > 0:11:35The reason we bought you here was not because of the house,
0:11:35 > 0:11:38although I think the house has amazing potential, it was because of the land.
0:11:38 > 0:11:42Although the property required some creative thinking,
0:11:42 > 0:11:46the land was the real selling point and we ventured outside to discuss
0:11:46 > 0:11:47the finances.
0:11:47 > 0:11:51What do you think this property with the view and the land is
0:11:51 > 0:11:54- worth?- You can go first this time.
0:11:55 > 0:11:57It's a difficult one, this.
0:11:57 > 0:12:04I'm going to go for £440,000.
0:12:04 > 0:12:11I think it will be £430,000.
0:12:11 > 0:12:14Well, in this instance, you're both pretty close,
0:12:14 > 0:12:16but if you split the difference, you would be spot on,
0:12:16 > 0:12:18it's on at £435,000.
0:12:18 > 0:12:20- That is a good price.- It is a good price.
0:12:20 > 0:12:22£40,000 below budget,
0:12:22 > 0:12:27the second property had come up trumps on land but it was clear
0:12:27 > 0:12:30the house needed some money spent on it to bring it up-to-date.
0:12:30 > 0:12:35It's a fantastic house but it's going to take some work to get it to
0:12:35 > 0:12:38what we would want it to be but it's definitely got the potential there.
0:12:38 > 0:12:43This house has thrown me a little bit because it's so much different
0:12:43 > 0:12:47to the bungalow. It needs a bit of TLC, some modernising.
0:12:48 > 0:12:51I think I may have found your G&T spot.
0:12:51 > 0:12:52This is lovely.
0:12:54 > 0:12:57The only thing is, you have to buy this house.
0:12:57 > 0:13:00- That may be an option.- May be an option.
0:13:00 > 0:13:04I know it's difficult, but don't worry because we've got the mystery house tomorrow
0:13:04 > 0:13:06- to confuse you even more. - Just what I need!
0:13:06 > 0:13:08Come with me.
0:13:13 > 0:13:16Nicky and Carl seemed quite overwhelmed by those two properties
0:13:16 > 0:13:20even though the second one in particular requires quite a lot of love.
0:13:20 > 0:13:25But I still haven't shown them the mystery house and this was going to
0:13:25 > 0:13:28really throw the cat among the pigeons, particularly for Carl.
0:13:31 > 0:13:33So what are your thoughts about the mystery house,
0:13:33 > 0:13:36what do you think we might serve to you next?
0:13:36 > 0:13:37I think this might be...
0:13:39 > 0:13:42..a really nice house but maybe not so much land.
0:13:43 > 0:13:47We are sat here, we can't work out between us what it's going to be.
0:13:48 > 0:13:50Good job it's a mystery, then.
0:13:53 > 0:13:55Our last property was back over the border in Shropshire,
0:13:55 > 0:13:57in the hamlet of Ash.
0:13:58 > 0:14:01Carl and Nicky were spot on with their predictions because the
0:14:01 > 0:14:05mystery house was going to test whether they would give up their dream of land for
0:14:05 > 0:14:07a really beautiful property.
0:14:11 > 0:14:12This is a good mystery house.
0:14:12 > 0:14:14Wow. I wasn't expecting that.
0:14:17 > 0:14:19It's not the whole house.
0:14:19 > 0:14:21- Ah.- Ah.
0:14:21 > 0:14:25But, it is this whole front portion, and all of this is yours.
0:14:25 > 0:14:29So the mystery about it is one, that it's attached,
0:14:29 > 0:14:33it is a big old 1850s house, split into three,
0:14:33 > 0:14:37there is two houses at the back, but it's completely private.
0:14:37 > 0:14:40The other part of the mystery is, you were right,
0:14:40 > 0:14:42- you don't get as much land. - Right, OK.
0:14:42 > 0:14:44So it's all about the house here.
0:14:44 > 0:14:46- Looks amazing.- It's a special house.
0:14:46 > 0:14:48- It is.- It is, yes.
0:14:48 > 0:14:50Can't wait to see inside, actually.
0:14:50 > 0:14:52Well, it's all about the house, so let's get inside.
0:14:52 > 0:14:58This mid-19th-century mystery property had been impeccably refurbished.
0:14:59 > 0:15:02Carl, this might be your...
0:15:02 > 0:15:03Ooh.
0:15:03 > 0:15:05..big kitchen diner.
0:15:07 > 0:15:08OK, sold!
0:15:09 > 0:15:12It's fantastic. This is exactly what I had in mind.
0:15:12 > 0:15:13Amazing views.
0:15:13 > 0:15:15I feel all choked up, actually!
0:15:18 > 0:15:19- Do you?- Yeah.
0:15:19 > 0:15:21Not going to be able to afford it.
0:15:22 > 0:15:25We've only seen one room. We can compromise on the land.
0:15:25 > 0:15:27We've only seen the hallway and the kitchen.
0:15:27 > 0:15:28Already blown away.
0:15:30 > 0:15:33Just off the kitchen was a conservatory for summer dining,
0:15:33 > 0:15:37and the rest of the ground floor had a stately feel to it.
0:15:39 > 0:15:41This is the living room.
0:15:44 > 0:15:45Too small!
0:15:45 > 0:15:46THEY LAUGH
0:15:46 > 0:15:48That view, it's amazing.
0:15:48 > 0:15:50It's all about the views, this house.
0:15:51 > 0:15:52We've moved in!
0:15:52 > 0:15:56- I don't know what to say.- That's the third house you've moved into.
0:15:56 > 0:15:58I know, you've done a bit too well!
0:15:58 > 0:16:01What's lovely about it, all these original features, the deep windows,
0:16:01 > 0:16:05all the walls are about 18 inches thick, and through there you can see the arch
0:16:05 > 0:16:08that takes you into a similarly sized dining room,
0:16:08 > 0:16:10with similarly fantastic views.
0:16:11 > 0:16:15- We could get married here.- Yeah, cancel the venue.
0:16:15 > 0:16:19Upstairs, there were four bedrooms, which were all a good size.
0:16:20 > 0:16:23Here we are, in the master bedroom.
0:16:26 > 0:16:28Wow. It really is a master bedroom.
0:16:28 > 0:16:29It's huge.
0:16:29 > 0:16:30And a great view.
0:16:32 > 0:16:34So the house is top marks?
0:16:34 > 0:16:38- Yes.- Oh, top marks.- So let's see what we can do with the compromise about the land.
0:16:41 > 0:16:45The grounds included a well-maintained lawn and a paddock.
0:16:46 > 0:16:49Although it was not the five acres of land they were after,
0:16:49 > 0:16:50it was nonetheless impressive.
0:16:53 > 0:16:54That is such a great view.
0:16:58 > 0:16:59What do you think of the outside?
0:16:59 > 0:17:01Is it a deal-breaker?
0:17:02 > 0:17:04For me, it isn't, I love it.
0:17:04 > 0:17:08That was always going to be a point of compromise, land versus house.
0:17:08 > 0:17:11I'm really battling with this one.
0:17:11 > 0:17:13I guess we need to know how much it costs,
0:17:13 > 0:17:15what do you think this is on the market for?
0:17:15 > 0:17:19I think it's on budget, I think it's 475,000.
0:17:21 > 0:17:25I think it might be over budget, I think about 490,000.
0:17:25 > 0:17:26OK, brace yourself,
0:17:26 > 0:17:30the house has only been on the market for two or three weeks.
0:17:30 > 0:17:34And it is marketed at £500,000.
0:17:34 > 0:17:35OK.
0:17:35 > 0:17:38But, the vendor has said he will sell it to you
0:17:38 > 0:17:40for your top budget of 475.
0:17:41 > 0:17:44Oh! So that's three houses now...
0:17:44 > 0:17:46- How do you choose? - Lots to think about.
0:17:48 > 0:17:51The stunning mystery house had certainly charmed
0:17:51 > 0:17:53one half of our couple.
0:17:53 > 0:17:55When we walked round the corner and saw the house,
0:17:55 > 0:17:59I couldn't believe that this was the mystery house,
0:17:59 > 0:18:00the whole grandeur of the place,
0:18:00 > 0:18:03I didn't think it would be anywhere close to our budget.
0:18:03 > 0:18:05Carl is so in love with this house,
0:18:05 > 0:18:09it's going to be a really difficult decision.
0:18:13 > 0:18:17I feel that you're going to be discussing this for quite some time.
0:18:17 > 0:18:19It's going to be an interesting car journey.
0:18:20 > 0:18:24At the end of our house hunt, when we discussed their next step,
0:18:24 > 0:18:27it seemed there was a division in the camp.
0:18:27 > 0:18:29Nice spot you've found.
0:18:29 > 0:18:31- Yes.- Lovely.- Very nice.
0:18:32 > 0:18:34OK. Usually at this point, it's very obvious to me
0:18:34 > 0:18:35which house you are going
0:18:35 > 0:18:39to go for. But I'm sort of in the dark because you've kind of loved
0:18:39 > 0:18:41- them all.- You've got a definite favourite, haven't you?
0:18:41 > 0:18:44I have now, after the mystery house.
0:18:44 > 0:18:46That's my favourite, it really is.
0:18:46 > 0:18:48Am I smelling a little bit of division here?
0:18:48 > 0:18:52I think there's going to be a really big, long argument coming up.
0:18:52 > 0:18:55- Discussion.- Discussion, we're going to have a discussion.
0:18:55 > 0:18:57Tell me about the Welsh house.
0:18:57 > 0:19:00That's my favourite, that's got so much potential.
0:19:00 > 0:19:03The location was fantastic, the views are amazing.
0:19:03 > 0:19:05It has got the acreage we were looking for,
0:19:05 > 0:19:07it's got the outbuildings,
0:19:07 > 0:19:09and the garden's amazing.
0:19:09 > 0:19:12Carl, what about the mystery house?
0:19:12 > 0:19:14I still can't believe it's within our budget,
0:19:14 > 0:19:18it's such a grand house and the space within the house is amazing.
0:19:18 > 0:19:21You look terribly troubled!
0:19:23 > 0:19:24It's good troubled.
0:19:24 > 0:19:27You know, you've definitely opened our eyes.
0:19:27 > 0:19:29I think the wedding might be off!
0:19:29 > 0:19:31Don't say that, that's the last thing we want to happen!
0:19:33 > 0:19:35Although they appreciated some aspects of property one,
0:19:35 > 0:19:40I left Nicky and Carl at loggerheads debating the virtues of property two
0:19:40 > 0:19:43in Powys, with all that potential and land,
0:19:43 > 0:19:48versus the mystery manor house in Shropshire, a perfect wedding venue,
0:19:48 > 0:19:52with a beautiful garden but alas no space for their smallholding.
0:19:53 > 0:19:55It was a fine dilemma for them to be in,
0:19:55 > 0:20:00but which of these two very different offerings would ultimately capture
0:20:00 > 0:20:02both their hearts and win through?
0:20:08 > 0:20:09For a moment there,
0:20:09 > 0:20:13I thought that their wedding might be called off because Carl was so
0:20:13 > 0:20:16in love with the partitioned manor house
0:20:16 > 0:20:20and Nicky had her heart set on the Welsh smallholding,
0:20:20 > 0:20:25but I am very glad to say they did get married and they did buy house
0:20:25 > 0:20:28number two. So here I am in Powys,
0:20:28 > 0:20:31to see how wedded bliss is working out for them.
0:20:33 > 0:20:39Carl and Nicky moved into the Welsh smallholding in 2015 and two years
0:20:39 > 0:20:41on, I'm keen to see how they've rung the changes,
0:20:41 > 0:20:45including how many newcomers have been added to the fold.
0:20:45 > 0:20:50- Hey.- Hi, how're you? - So nice to see you.
0:20:50 > 0:20:51Carl, how're you doing?
0:20:51 > 0:20:53Oh, who are these girls?
0:20:53 > 0:20:56- That's Mia and Widget. - Mia and Widget.
0:20:56 > 0:20:58- They're new and new, right? - Yes, they are, yes.
0:20:58 > 0:21:00- Yeah.- How's it going?
0:21:00 > 0:21:03- It's fantastic, thank you. - How's countryside living?
0:21:03 > 0:21:04- Oh, it's brilliant.- Is it? - It is, yeah.
0:21:04 > 0:21:08- Hard work!- This view, I remember this view, it's so beautiful.
0:21:08 > 0:21:12I'm so intrigued at what you've done with the house, because it's what,
0:21:12 > 0:21:13- two years since we?- Yeah, two years.
0:21:13 > 0:21:16- Nearly, nearly, yeah.- Show me around, show me around.
0:21:16 > 0:21:17- Come on in.- Come on, girls.
0:21:18 > 0:21:22The exterior of the property has been re-rendered and the windows
0:21:22 > 0:21:26replaced, but it's the interior that has really benefited from
0:21:26 > 0:21:28some home improvement.
0:21:29 > 0:21:30Back in 2015,
0:21:30 > 0:21:33the ground floor of the house had a galley kitchen
0:21:33 > 0:21:36and a large family room off the dining hall,
0:21:36 > 0:21:40which we talked about turning into a large kitchen diner.
0:21:40 > 0:21:44Two years on, this room looks very different.
0:21:44 > 0:21:49- Ah...- Ta-da.- Ta-da!- A bit different.
0:21:49 > 0:21:54- You took my advice!- I know. - Oh, my God, it's amazing.
0:21:54 > 0:21:57- And we're very pleased we did take that advice.- Yeah.
0:21:57 > 0:22:00Yeah, it's a lovely place to spend time in.
0:22:00 > 0:22:03- It is.- So, how soon after you moved in, did you get this done?
0:22:03 > 0:22:05It was a year, a year later.
0:22:05 > 0:22:08It was a year later we started knocking holes in the walls.
0:22:08 > 0:22:10- Oh, really, you waited a year? - Yeah.
0:22:10 > 0:22:13It's just a great space, though, isn't it?
0:22:13 > 0:22:15- It is.- It's a real party room now, isn't it?
0:22:15 > 0:22:16- Yeah.- When people come up, so.
0:22:16 > 0:22:18Because there was this really lovely space and it was like...
0:22:18 > 0:22:20It's just really a through room.
0:22:20 > 0:22:25- Yeah.- It was a waste, this was just sort of a wasted space, really.
0:22:25 > 0:22:29You have a huge island, gosh, I could play ping-pong on that!
0:22:29 > 0:22:31We do, we've actually got a little table tennis set.
0:22:31 > 0:22:34A sucker net and you just play over the top.
0:22:34 > 0:22:36The dogs chase the ball!
0:22:38 > 0:22:41It's good, people come over, I'm cooking,
0:22:41 > 0:22:45they sit round and we can all drink some wine while cooking.
0:22:45 > 0:22:47It's a great family space, isn't it?
0:22:47 > 0:22:48- Yeah.- It really works well.
0:22:48 > 0:22:53- It is.- Carl wanted an ideal space for cooking and the new kitchen is
0:22:53 > 0:22:55now the focal point of the home,
0:22:55 > 0:22:58with enough space for two huge sofas as well.
0:22:58 > 0:23:01They've also put their own stamp on the living room.
0:23:02 > 0:23:03This is beautiful.
0:23:03 > 0:23:06Yeah, so this was orange.
0:23:06 > 0:23:08That's right, it was weird, wasn't it?
0:23:08 > 0:23:11- Yeah.- But we could already see that it was all about these views.
0:23:11 > 0:23:12It was, yeah.
0:23:12 > 0:23:14That's why when we got the windows done,
0:23:14 > 0:23:16we made sure we kept a nice big picture window over there.
0:23:16 > 0:23:18- Yeah, yeah.- Didn't spoil it with frame.
0:23:18 > 0:23:20And new floor?
0:23:20 > 0:23:22- New floor.- Yes, yeah.
0:23:22 > 0:23:24- Carl's fair hand.- Yes.
0:23:24 > 0:23:26- And ceiling.- Woodburner?
0:23:26 > 0:23:28- That was here before.- Yeah.
0:23:28 > 0:23:31Yeah, but we needed a room
0:23:31 > 0:23:33- done.- We did it sort of ready for the first winter,
0:23:33 > 0:23:36so we could have the logburner on and sit somewhere cosy,
0:23:36 > 0:23:39so we wanted to sit somewhere that was, you know, to our taste as well,
0:23:39 > 0:23:40while we relaxed.
0:23:41 > 0:23:44With so much space here for the two of them,
0:23:44 > 0:23:47the older part of the house hasn't dramatically altered since they've
0:23:47 > 0:23:48moved in.
0:23:50 > 0:23:54- You've still got the old kitchen. - Still got the old kitchen!
0:23:54 > 0:23:56Anything we can cook that might be a bit smelly or messy,
0:23:56 > 0:23:59we can still do out here and not ruin the new one.
0:23:59 > 0:24:01There was another big room at the end, wasn't there?
0:24:01 > 0:24:02Yes, that's our office now.
0:24:02 > 0:24:03Ah, OK.
0:24:05 > 0:24:08Having taken on my thoughts with the kitchen renovation,
0:24:08 > 0:24:11I can see how they could make use of this room.
0:24:11 > 0:24:14I think you should take all this out, sell the range,
0:24:14 > 0:24:16get good money for that. Take all this out,
0:24:16 > 0:24:20keep the tiles and then just keep this whole area as a sort of really
0:24:20 > 0:24:24nice boot room, with bench and some storage for your clothes.
0:24:24 > 0:24:28- Because you've got all your white goods here, have this as a bit of a utility room.- Yeah.
0:24:28 > 0:24:30For washing the dogs and the dog stuff.
0:24:30 > 0:24:33- That's a good idea.- It is a good idea, because we could bring,
0:24:33 > 0:24:36- we've got a freezer in the...- Then you can sort of reinstate the front
0:24:36 > 0:24:40door so people come in and they've got a proper kind of grand hall.
0:24:40 > 0:24:44Another good idea. I'll come back in five years' time,
0:24:44 > 0:24:48if you could just carry that one out for me, that would be great.
0:24:48 > 0:24:51It's clear they've already made a lot of changes to the property in
0:24:51 > 0:24:52the two years they've been here,
0:24:52 > 0:24:56and there are plans to continue those home improvements.
0:24:56 > 0:25:01Outside, I'm intrigued to find out how they resolved their differences
0:25:01 > 0:25:03on the house choice.
0:25:03 > 0:25:06Such a lovely spot and such a great view!
0:25:06 > 0:25:07- I know.- It is fabulous.
0:25:07 > 0:25:10We bought the house for that more than the house, I think.
0:25:10 > 0:25:12Well, I remember you weren't sure about which house to buy,
0:25:12 > 0:25:14you wanted the mystery house, didn't you?
0:25:14 > 0:25:17- I did.- How did you resolve that? - It was an interesting conversation.
0:25:17 > 0:25:20I think you'd almost, we'd convinced each other to go the other way,
0:25:20 > 0:25:22- hadn't we?- Yeah.
0:25:22 > 0:25:25You'd persuaded yourself for this one and I'd persuaded
0:25:25 > 0:25:26myself on the mystery house, I think,
0:25:26 > 0:25:28by the time we'd got back to Farnborough.
0:25:28 > 0:25:31Yes, on the drive back, a lot of discussion.
0:25:31 > 0:25:34He said if we could get it under budget then we'd have
0:25:34 > 0:25:38- this one.- Yeah.- And what did you pay in the end, can I ask?
0:25:38 > 0:25:40What did we pay in the end?
0:25:40 > 0:25:42It was 450...?
0:25:42 > 0:25:43- No.- No?
0:25:43 > 0:25:45- 430.- 430.- 430.
0:25:45 > 0:25:47- Getting mixed up!- So a bit under the asking price?
0:25:47 > 0:25:49- It was.- Yes.- A little bit.- Yeah.
0:25:49 > 0:25:53It was accepted pretty quickly, it was June.
0:25:53 > 0:25:55We moved at the end of August.
0:25:55 > 0:25:58We got married on the 20th and moved on the 25th.
0:25:58 > 0:26:01That's right, you were right up against the marriage date, wasn't it?
0:26:01 > 0:26:04- Yes.- So you got married back near Farnborough?
0:26:04 > 0:26:05- Yeah.- Yep.- How was it?
0:26:05 > 0:26:07It was fantastic, it was a lovely day.
0:26:07 > 0:26:10Lovely. We're still waiting for our honeymoon, but...
0:26:10 > 0:26:12This is your honeymoon!
0:26:12 > 0:26:14This is the honeymoon, that's what I keep saying!
0:26:14 > 0:26:17I thought honeymoons were supposed to be relaxing!
0:26:17 > 0:26:18Living the dream.
0:26:18 > 0:26:20They clearly like a challenge.
0:26:20 > 0:26:24It's amazing to think they moved down here just five days
0:26:24 > 0:26:25after their wedding.
0:26:25 > 0:26:29Carl has also continued to travel around the country for his work as
0:26:29 > 0:26:32a security operations manager.
0:26:32 > 0:26:34How is it with the commuting, the travelling?
0:26:34 > 0:26:38Erm, yeah, it does add up, 36,000 miles I think, roughly, a year,
0:26:38 > 0:26:40that's personal and business.
0:26:40 > 0:26:44So, you know... Obviously still go and see friends and family down south,
0:26:44 > 0:26:46and it's 400 miles every time you do that.
0:26:47 > 0:26:49Yeah, but,
0:26:49 > 0:26:51you get used to it, I think.
0:26:51 > 0:26:53And are you thinking, "Ooh, I want to pack it in...?"
0:26:53 > 0:26:59Oh, I mean I'm sure most people who are still working when they move somewhere like this,
0:26:59 > 0:27:04it's kind of a dream to be able to give up work and do something
0:27:04 > 0:27:08here. But, you know, we're both realistic.
0:27:08 > 0:27:10To do what we want to do here, we need to earn the money.
0:27:10 > 0:27:12Everything just takes so long.
0:27:12 > 0:27:14Yeah, it is just...
0:27:14 > 0:27:16That's the thing you get used to as well.
0:27:16 > 0:27:20When we used to live in a normal house on a street,
0:27:20 > 0:27:23if we were doing something in the garden and you need tools for it and
0:27:23 > 0:27:25you forget to take something, the shed's just there.
0:27:25 > 0:27:28So we're down in the field and I've forgotten something and you've got
0:27:28 > 0:27:31to walk all the way back up here, that's ten minutes gone straightaway.
0:27:31 > 0:27:33We've got walkie-talkie radios.
0:27:33 > 0:27:36- Have you?- For outside, we can talk to each other.
0:27:36 > 0:27:39- Do you go over and out?- Rubber ducky and all that.- Oh, yeah!
0:27:40 > 0:27:43Later on, I might need those walkie-talkies,
0:27:43 > 0:27:47as I explore Carl and Nicky's six-acre smallholding
0:27:47 > 0:27:49and help with feeding time.
0:27:49 > 0:27:51Get off my trousers, you big porker!
0:27:53 > 0:27:57But first, here's a reminder of some other house-hunting highlights.
0:28:04 > 0:28:08Over the years, we've combed the length and breadth of the UK with
0:28:08 > 0:28:12our house-buyers. They've all been armed with different budgets and a desire
0:28:12 > 0:28:17to improve the quality of their life by a move to the country.
0:28:17 > 0:28:21It's such a satisfying outcome when they go on and make that all-important
0:28:21 > 0:28:24offer on a house we've shown them.
0:28:25 > 0:28:28That was certainly the case in spring 2014,
0:28:28 > 0:28:32when Jules Hudson was in Scotland with wildlife enthusiast Dave and
0:28:32 > 0:28:33his wife, Kathleen.
0:28:34 > 0:28:38They wanted to escape to the peaceful surroundings of the Highlands.
0:28:39 > 0:28:41With their Bristol home already sold,
0:28:41 > 0:28:46they were living in a caravan and hoped their £325,000 budget would
0:28:46 > 0:28:49buy them a traditional three-bedroom property
0:28:49 > 0:28:51set in a quarter of an acre of land.
0:28:53 > 0:28:57The quirky mystery house was the most modern of our line-up and provided
0:28:57 > 0:28:59Dave with his own bird hide.
0:29:01 > 0:29:03There you go. What do you reckon?
0:29:03 > 0:29:05Well, unusual shape.
0:29:05 > 0:29:08From the air, it's effectively an octagon,
0:29:08 > 0:29:12but they've removed this central section to create a more sort of formal entrance way.
0:29:12 > 0:29:13But because it's an octagon,
0:29:13 > 0:29:16it has these huge picture windows on most sides of it,
0:29:16 > 0:29:18designed to take in everything you can see.
0:29:18 > 0:29:23- Lovely.- The list of species here was so long, I had to write it down.
0:29:23 > 0:29:25This is to whet your appetite, mate. You ready?
0:29:25 > 0:29:30- Yeah.- Merlin, red kites, oystercatchers, curlews, lapwings, plovers,
0:29:30 > 0:29:36salmon dancing around in the water, sandpipers, housemartins, owls.
0:29:36 > 0:29:38They have occasionally seen an otter.
0:29:38 > 0:29:40Roe deer and, of course, red squirrels.
0:29:40 > 0:29:41Wow!
0:29:43 > 0:29:46Excellent, well we got the reaction I was hoping for.
0:29:46 > 0:29:47And wait till you get inside,
0:29:47 > 0:29:50I think there'll be one or two more wows as well.
0:29:50 > 0:29:54- Uh-huh. Oh, my gosh.- So think of it as a house that's a hide.
0:29:54 > 0:29:57- Yeah.- Come on, let's have a look inside.
0:29:57 > 0:30:01Because of its shape, the room proportions were quite unconventional.
0:30:04 > 0:30:07Look at this, you've got this sort of galleried hallway.
0:30:07 > 0:30:14- Gosh.- And then, in here we've got you a sort of dining entrance way.
0:30:14 > 0:30:15- That's interesting.- Isn't it?
0:30:15 > 0:30:17Interesting shape, isn't it?
0:30:17 > 0:30:19- Goodness me.- All the rooms are that shape,
0:30:19 > 0:30:22which means you get these enormous windows,
0:30:22 > 0:30:23letting the light and the view in.
0:30:23 > 0:30:25Oh, what a view!
0:30:25 > 0:30:28Although the house only dated to the 1970s,
0:30:28 > 0:30:32there were hints to the architectural heritage of the area.
0:30:32 > 0:30:36A certain sort of almost baronial feel to it because they've incorporated a nice
0:30:36 > 0:30:38bit of stonework there.
0:30:38 > 0:30:40It's lovely, really lovely.
0:30:42 > 0:30:46I get the feeling this is a house that you genuinely could see yourselves
0:30:46 > 0:30:47- enjoying?- I think I could.
0:30:49 > 0:30:51There was also a kitchen with a range,
0:30:51 > 0:30:54and upstairs gave them five bedrooms,
0:30:54 > 0:30:57all with great views of the surrounding countryside.
0:30:58 > 0:31:01And this is your room, we're thinking,
0:31:01 > 0:31:04because it has a lovely little en suite in there.
0:31:04 > 0:31:05- Lovely.- And again...
0:31:05 > 0:31:06Oh, gosh.
0:31:06 > 0:31:08- ..views for the wildlife. - Breathtaking!
0:31:10 > 0:31:11- Stunning.- It's incredible.
0:31:12 > 0:31:14Nobody's interested in the en suite, are they?
0:31:14 > 0:31:17It's that that's really captured your imagination.
0:31:17 > 0:31:22Dave and Kathleen were clearly captivated by the mystery octohouse which
0:31:22 > 0:31:26was set in a third of an acre of land, but how much change, if any,
0:31:26 > 0:31:30would they get from their £325,000 budget?
0:31:30 > 0:31:36I think it must be pretty close to our max, so I would say 320.
0:31:37 > 0:31:40I'd say we might even have to add a little bit to it,
0:31:40 > 0:31:45so I'd say top-of-the-range, 325 plus 5-10, maybe.
0:31:45 > 0:31:47OK, so over budget?
0:31:47 > 0:31:53- Just about, yes.- So, it's offers over 290,000.
0:31:53 > 0:31:54Good heavens!
0:31:54 > 0:31:57- How about that?- Goodness!
0:31:57 > 0:31:59- Yes.- That's amazing.
0:31:59 > 0:32:01And all this on the doorstep, too?
0:32:01 > 0:32:03It's wonderful.
0:32:03 > 0:32:06- That's incredible.- I'm going to go off camera.
0:32:06 > 0:32:09Oh, Kathleen, come back, come back!
0:32:09 > 0:32:12You can have a cry with me, that's all right, Come on, come here!
0:32:12 > 0:32:14With emotions running high,
0:32:14 > 0:32:17Dave and Kathleen forged ahead and put an offer in
0:32:17 > 0:32:18on the mystery house.
0:32:18 > 0:32:23It was certainly a memorable moment in our Scottish property hunt portfolio.
0:32:23 > 0:32:27Two years later, Nicky Chapman was helping a Croydon couple,
0:32:27 > 0:32:31Paul and Sue, who were after a characterful home with room for
0:32:31 > 0:32:37holiday guests in Devon. They had £750,000 to spend and, again,
0:32:37 > 0:32:39it was the mystery house that really hit the mark.
0:32:40 > 0:32:42You can look up now, and welcome...
0:32:42 > 0:32:45- Oh, wow.- ..to your mystery house. - Oh, wow.- Wow!
0:32:46 > 0:32:47That is gorgeous.
0:32:47 > 0:32:50It is absolutely gob-smacking nice.
0:32:51 > 0:32:53- Wow.- I really like that.
0:32:53 > 0:32:57Parts of this grade II-listed thatch dated back 400 years.
0:32:57 > 0:32:59Come on in to your kitchen.
0:32:59 > 0:33:00Oh, wow.
0:33:00 > 0:33:02- Yeah.- It's amazing, yeah.
0:33:02 > 0:33:07- It is perfect.- So a beautifully fitted kitchen, lots of space,
0:33:07 > 0:33:08and then as you've probably spied,
0:33:08 > 0:33:10you've got a garden room/conservatory.
0:33:10 > 0:33:14- Wow.- It is just too much to believe.
0:33:14 > 0:33:16It's just perfect.
0:33:16 > 0:33:19The sitting room had a wealth of character features.
0:33:19 > 0:33:23Lots of little nooks and crannies, even the window, yeah, beautiful.
0:33:24 > 0:33:26And upstairs had four good-sized bedrooms,
0:33:26 > 0:33:29one of them had separate access to the garden,
0:33:29 > 0:33:32so ideal for potential holiday guests.
0:33:32 > 0:33:33You could rent this out,
0:33:33 > 0:33:36they don't need to come into the rest of the house unless you wanted
0:33:36 > 0:33:39them to and they can come and go as they please.
0:33:39 > 0:33:43- Beautiful.- Outside, there was an attractive cottage garden,
0:33:43 > 0:33:45but would they be able to afford it?
0:33:45 > 0:33:48So we've now got to look at the finances, haven't we,
0:33:48 > 0:33:50for our mystery property?
0:33:51 > 0:33:54Well, I think it's probably over our budget.
0:33:54 > 0:33:55I'll go for 760.
0:33:57 > 0:34:01- Fair enough.- OK, and more out of hope, I'm going to go 750.
0:34:02 > 0:34:07The asking price is offers in the region of £750,000.
0:34:07 > 0:34:09- There you go.- Wow.
0:34:09 > 0:34:11- It's attainable.- Yeah.
0:34:11 > 0:34:12Yeah.
0:34:12 > 0:34:15Paul and Sue were so enamoured with the mystery house,
0:34:15 > 0:34:17they put in an offer.
0:34:17 > 0:34:21But now it's time to return to Powys in Wales,
0:34:21 > 0:34:23where Carl and Nicky have set up home.
0:34:25 > 0:34:28Powys is a surprisingly large county.
0:34:28 > 0:34:30It's about a quarter the size of Wales,
0:34:30 > 0:34:35and within its boundaries there are 2,000 square miles of territory
0:34:35 > 0:34:38stretching from the Snowdonia National Park in the north,
0:34:38 > 0:34:40all the way down to the Brecon Beacons.
0:34:40 > 0:34:45And within that rural landscape there are some real property gems,
0:34:45 > 0:34:49and literally acres of potential for living the good life.
0:34:50 > 0:34:55There's also a unique way to appreciate the landscape in all its glory.
0:34:55 > 0:34:59Whilst in the county, I'm taking the opportunity to visit the Welshpool
0:34:59 > 0:35:01and Llanfair Light Railway,
0:35:01 > 0:35:04not far from Carl and Nicky's new home in Powys.
0:35:04 > 0:35:09It was built in 1902 to link the small farming communities in the area to
0:35:09 > 0:35:11the nearby market town of Welshpool.
0:35:11 > 0:35:16The narrow gauge track was chosen specifically to handle tight curves
0:35:16 > 0:35:18and steep gradients.
0:35:18 > 0:35:20To help me understand what this region has to offer,
0:35:20 > 0:35:25I'm taking a scenic trip along the line with stationmaster Callum Johnstone.
0:35:25 > 0:35:27Good morning, Callum.
0:35:27 > 0:35:29- Good morning, Alistair. - What a beautiful beast.
0:35:29 > 0:35:31Ah, great.
0:35:31 > 0:35:33So, we're about to go?
0:35:33 > 0:35:36We've got about three minutes before we go.
0:35:36 > 0:35:37Let's get on board.
0:35:39 > 0:35:43Still powered by a century-old locomotive that operated on the route when
0:35:43 > 0:35:47it first opened, the eight-mile journey takes in river valleys,
0:35:47 > 0:35:51viaducts and negotiates the steep Golfa Bank
0:35:51 > 0:35:54as the track climbs its way through the Welsh landscape.
0:35:55 > 0:35:57It's beautiful countryside.
0:35:57 > 0:35:59We've been admiring the countryside all week.
0:35:59 > 0:36:00Yeah.
0:36:00 > 0:36:03The nice thing about this countryside is that it's not too,
0:36:03 > 0:36:06not too rugged. It's undulating and interesting,
0:36:06 > 0:36:10but it doesn't quite have the harshness if you go a bit further west.
0:36:10 > 0:36:13Montgomeryshire's very well-known for its dome-shaped hills.
0:36:14 > 0:36:16As we're curving across here,
0:36:16 > 0:36:19we're going to move to the other side of the River Banwy.
0:36:19 > 0:36:23This is one of our major structures, the Banwy Bridge.
0:36:23 > 0:36:26And when the line was reopened, preservation,
0:36:26 > 0:36:29it was one of the first almost disasters for the railway,
0:36:29 > 0:36:32because this river comes up and down and it can be very fast flowing,
0:36:32 > 0:36:37although not today - part of the pier was washed away.
0:36:37 > 0:36:41Had it not been for the Army, who volunteered to do it as an exercise,
0:36:41 > 0:36:44the line might probably not have continued to run.
0:36:45 > 0:36:49Small railways like this transformed the rural economy in the late
0:36:49 > 0:36:5119th century, by getting supplies
0:36:51 > 0:36:54into remote communities and agricultural
0:36:54 > 0:36:56produce out to the market.
0:36:57 > 0:37:01Today, this heritage line is run by a committed group of volunteers like
0:37:01 > 0:37:05Callum, who now divides his time working on the railway and running
0:37:05 > 0:37:08his own gardening nursery business.
0:37:08 > 0:37:10Have you always been here or did you also move into...?
0:37:10 > 0:37:12We came here in '88.
0:37:12 > 0:37:13I moved from Leicester.
0:37:13 > 0:37:15I worked for Leicester City Parks,
0:37:15 > 0:37:17and always wanted to set up a nursery, so.
0:37:17 > 0:37:19So you escaped to the country?
0:37:19 > 0:37:24Yes, indeed. We made a conscious decision to be self-employed,
0:37:24 > 0:37:26to create our own opportunities.
0:37:26 > 0:37:32If you come here and are looking for work, then you have to commute,
0:37:32 > 0:37:35mostly, which to me,
0:37:35 > 0:37:39that's a difficulty for me because part of living here is the lifestyle,
0:37:39 > 0:37:43the pace and all that sort of thing, and if you're
0:37:43 > 0:37:46having to commute to be able to enjoy it,
0:37:46 > 0:37:49you're not getting the full benefit, are you?
0:37:49 > 0:37:51Yeah, and also, I mean, you kind of want...
0:37:51 > 0:37:54If you move here, you kind of want to spend as much time here as possible.
0:37:54 > 0:37:56Yeah, absolutely.
0:37:57 > 0:38:01Callum has found a way to earn an income and enjoy the countryside at
0:38:01 > 0:38:05the same time, which is an ambition of Carl's in the future.
0:38:05 > 0:38:09With that in mind, I'm returning to catch up with him and Nicky to find
0:38:09 > 0:38:10out about their plans ahead.
0:38:16 > 0:38:19Having seen the changes they've made to the house,
0:38:19 > 0:38:21I'm keen to see what they've done with the land that came with the
0:38:21 > 0:38:25property. The main motive for moving to the country was to establish a
0:38:25 > 0:38:28smallholding, and two years on,
0:38:28 > 0:38:33they're tending a whole menagerie of animals, including sheep, a pony,
0:38:33 > 0:38:35six chickens and four pigs.
0:38:35 > 0:38:37- Come on, little pigs.- Come on.
0:38:37 > 0:38:38Come on, little pigs.
0:38:38 > 0:38:40It's feeding time.
0:38:43 > 0:38:44Ooph!
0:38:44 > 0:38:45They're hungry!
0:38:48 > 0:38:50What kind of pigs are these?
0:38:50 > 0:38:52They're British Lop. So quite a rare breed.
0:38:52 > 0:38:54So do they end up on the table, can I ask?
0:38:54 > 0:38:56They do, yes.
0:38:56 > 0:38:58- Very tasty.- Yes, the last ones were very tasty.
0:38:58 > 0:39:02- Really?- So they've got something to live up to, these guys.
0:39:02 > 0:39:04Have you got plans to extend it, are you going to get more?
0:39:04 > 0:39:09Yeah, I mean I'd like to start breeding eventually, I think.
0:39:09 > 0:39:11But it's then the logistics,
0:39:11 > 0:39:14of making sure we have a nice inside area for when the sows are ready.
0:39:14 > 0:39:17So are you planning to kind of sell the meat?
0:39:17 > 0:39:20That is the long-term plan for these girls, I think.
0:39:20 > 0:39:23- Yeah.- Yeah, if we can try and find a market, as well.
0:39:23 > 0:39:25Because this is all the land as well, isn't it?
0:39:25 > 0:39:29- It is.- Is the idea that you're going to have a pig empire?
0:39:29 > 0:39:31If we do the breeding, then, yes.
0:39:31 > 0:39:32What about your lovely garden,
0:39:32 > 0:39:35because I remember being really wowed by the potential there,
0:39:35 > 0:39:38- have you got much done there? - Erm, it's keeping on top of it.
0:39:38 > 0:39:40We don't really know where to start,
0:39:40 > 0:39:44so we've sort of been clearing out the nettles and the brambles and
0:39:44 > 0:39:45managing those.
0:39:45 > 0:39:47Extended the veg plot a little bit.
0:39:47 > 0:39:48- Yeah.- Already, so.
0:39:48 > 0:39:52Get off me trousers, get off my trousers, you big porker!
0:39:53 > 0:39:57Deriving an income from their pigs is part of a long-term plan to live off their land,
0:39:57 > 0:40:01but maintaining a six-acre plot is hard work.
0:40:02 > 0:40:07We've arranged for them to visit a local nursery for inspirational tips
0:40:07 > 0:40:10on how to cultivate their garden from manager Jill Rock.
0:40:12 > 0:40:14- Lovely to meet you.- You too.
0:40:14 > 0:40:15- This is Nicky and Carl.- Hi.
0:40:15 > 0:40:17- Hello.- They moved into the area a couple of years ago.
0:40:17 > 0:40:21Jill is going to solve all your gardening problems.
0:40:21 > 0:40:22Maybe not all at once!
0:40:23 > 0:40:26But fire away, she is a mine of information.
0:40:26 > 0:40:30- Try to be!- So what sort of plants grow well in this sort of environment?
0:40:30 > 0:40:32Lots of things grow round here.
0:40:32 > 0:40:34We get quite high rainfall but we get quite a lot of sun, as well.
0:40:34 > 0:40:36- Yeah.- So, you know,
0:40:36 > 0:40:39you can make like micro climates in your garden as well,
0:40:39 > 0:40:42by putting in some structure to start with.
0:40:42 > 0:40:46So I think I'd start with working out what trees perhaps you want to get rid of.
0:40:46 > 0:40:47Yeah.
0:40:47 > 0:40:49You know, if you've got old trees in the garden.
0:40:49 > 0:40:51We've got some conifers that are quite big.
0:40:51 > 0:40:55- Yeah, well, to be honest...- They're taking all the moisture out, as well,
0:40:55 > 0:40:57- from the ground.- They will do. And then you won't be able to plant
0:40:57 > 0:40:59- underneath them either, probably. - Yeah.
0:40:59 > 0:41:02So I think I'd pinpoint what you really don't like first,
0:41:02 > 0:41:04- and get rid of it.- Conifers done.
0:41:04 > 0:41:07- Conifers.- Got to be ruthless, I think, is the message I'm getting.
0:41:07 > 0:41:11I think you've got to be really ruthless, and then put in some trees that you really do like.
0:41:11 > 0:41:14Once they've stripped out what they don't want and
0:41:14 > 0:41:15planted some new trees,
0:41:15 > 0:41:20I've got my own ideas on what they could do to add some colour to their garden.
0:41:20 > 0:41:22Look, this is beautiful, I've got this in my garden.
0:41:22 > 0:41:27It's a Sambucus, it's like a black elderflower and it gets really big.
0:41:27 > 0:41:30It's a lovely colour. I like the foliage.
0:41:30 > 0:41:33But this one I've never seen before, it's amazing.
0:41:33 > 0:41:35Love the dainty flowers.
0:41:35 > 0:41:39Yeah, apparently Jill was saying it grows out in sort of layers.
0:41:39 > 0:41:41We want to get you this, this will be yours.
0:41:41 > 0:41:44When I come back in four years, I can say this is the Escape plant.
0:41:44 > 0:41:47- Layered up... Yes.- As you come up the drive, you'll look to the left,
0:41:47 > 0:41:51- you'll see it growing up.- It's already in the diary, Nicky!
0:41:51 > 0:41:54It is amazing to see what the two of them have already achieved in just
0:41:54 > 0:41:55two years.
0:41:56 > 0:41:58The two of you look incredibly healthy.
0:41:58 > 0:42:01I mean, you were obviously a bit stressed with the wedding and everything
0:42:01 > 0:42:03last time we met, but it really suits you, countryside life.
0:42:03 > 0:42:07Yeah, feel healthy, perhaps a little too healthy at times, but you know,
0:42:07 > 0:42:09- it's...- Country covering.
0:42:09 > 0:42:13It is, it's the bounty of the pork and the veg.
0:42:13 > 0:42:14Growing our own.
0:42:14 > 0:42:18Nicky and Carl have clearly adjusted to country life.
0:42:18 > 0:42:22Their positive attitude and willingness to embrace new challenges bodes
0:42:22 > 0:42:25well for their future in this beautiful part of Wales.
0:42:29 > 0:42:34It's so lovely to be back in Powys in the fresh air and the mountains
0:42:34 > 0:42:37and to see what Nicky and Carl have done with that property,
0:42:37 > 0:42:40because I have to say, I did have my doubts about that house and how
0:42:40 > 0:42:43they'd make it work. But they took my advice and they converted the
0:42:43 > 0:42:47kitchen so beautifully, and yet there's so much more to do there...
0:42:47 > 0:42:53The animal husbandry, the work on the old kitchen and the boot room,
0:42:53 > 0:42:54and then that fantastic garden.
0:42:54 > 0:42:59So I wish them all the best and I hope that you join us next time for
0:42:59 > 0:43:00more I Escaped To The Country.
0:43:03 > 0:43:06And if you dream of escaping to the country in Wales, Scotland,
0:43:06 > 0:43:09England or Northern Ireland, and would also like our help,
0:43:09 > 0:43:10why not apply online at...