0:00:02 > 0:00:06TRANSLATION:
0:00:06 > 0:00:08Yes, today I'm in somewhere very special -
0:00:08 > 0:00:11the only place in England that still has an indigenous language.
0:00:11 > 0:00:17It was almost wiped out in the 18th century, but there are 300 hardy speakers to date, and it's growing
0:00:17 > 0:00:21ever since it was recognised as a minority language in 2002.
0:00:21 > 0:00:23Find out where I am in just a moment.
0:00:36 > 0:00:41In today's show, I'll be carrying a newly married couple over the threshold of four B&Bs.
0:00:41 > 0:00:44There's some big news on the way.
0:00:44 > 0:00:49- I could live here. - Oh, I think let's rephrase that, we're going to live here.
0:00:49 > 0:00:55- And there's cause for celebration as we make Escape To The Country history.- Wow.
0:00:56 > 0:00:58Aw!
0:01:02 > 0:01:05Welcome to Cornwall, or Kernow, as they say in Cornish.
0:01:05 > 0:01:07Now, the Cornish language was widely spoken round here
0:01:07 > 0:01:11right until the Tudor period, when in 1549 the English tried to push through
0:01:11 > 0:01:17the Book of Common Prayer, and so outraged were the Cornishmen at having to speak a foreign language
0:01:17 > 0:01:21that they rose up against the English, only to be massacred in their thousands at Exeter.
0:01:21 > 0:01:26But nowadays the Cornish language is right at the centre of the Cornish renaissance, and people come
0:01:26 > 0:01:29from all round the world to live here in this most beautiful of counties.
0:01:29 > 0:01:33And not just because of the language.
0:01:33 > 0:01:37Hidden away from the rest of Britain on England's most south-westerly tip,
0:01:37 > 0:01:41Cornwall is framed by a rugged coastline and just one other county.
0:01:41 > 0:01:46No wonder Poet Laureate John Betjeman described this land with its own language
0:01:46 > 0:01:49as a country rather than a county.
0:01:49 > 0:01:56Five million tourists visit here every year to enjoy some of Europe's cleanest waters and excellent surf.
0:01:56 > 0:01:59To top it all off, the county regularly experiences
0:01:59 > 0:02:02temperatures higher than the rest of the mainland.
0:02:02 > 0:02:09Cornwall's towns and villages are many and varied, ranging from small, secluded and rustic hamlets inland
0:02:09 > 0:02:14to seaside resorts like Newquay and Penzance.
0:02:14 > 0:02:17But one thing's for sure. Wherever you choose to set up home,
0:02:17 > 0:02:21you'll never be more than 16 miles from its wild and spectacular coastline.
0:02:21 > 0:02:25Cornwall's fared pretty well in the credit crunch - there are properties
0:02:25 > 0:02:29along the coast near Falmouth and Padstow that have held their prices from 2007, and you'd think
0:02:29 > 0:02:34with the preponderance of second homes up here that things would have gone badly,
0:02:34 > 0:02:36but such is the quality of the location and the property
0:02:36 > 0:02:41that people still want to move here in their droves. Take a look why.
0:02:41 > 0:02:45If you have a spare one and a quarter million pounds burning a hole in your pocket,
0:02:45 > 0:02:50how about this stunning five-bedroom contemporary thatched cottage overlooking the River Fal?
0:02:50 > 0:02:52It's beautifully presented with many high-quality finishes,
0:02:52 > 0:02:57like the impressive combination of limestone and oak flooring.
0:02:57 > 0:03:01And there's even room to park your boat outside.
0:03:01 > 0:03:08Or if your budget is £525,000, there's this gorgeous two-bed Cornish cottage.
0:03:08 > 0:03:12With exposed beams and brickwork throughout, it overlooks three acres of land,
0:03:12 > 0:03:17which includes a paddock as well as a lake.
0:03:17 > 0:03:22And for £300,000, you can enter this heavenly chapel,
0:03:22 > 0:03:25converted into a four-bedroom home.
0:03:25 > 0:03:30Original features such as gothic arches and stained-glass windows abound,
0:03:30 > 0:03:33and there are Cornish countryside views to die for.
0:03:33 > 0:03:36You see, Cornish property is tasty as clotted cream,
0:03:36 > 0:03:41but will it whet the appetite of our buyers today? Let's meet them.
0:03:41 > 0:03:45Today's house hunters are newlyweds Nick and Marion.
0:03:45 > 0:03:50They live together in this two-bed maisonette in Brixton, South London.
0:03:50 > 0:03:53But having spent the last decade residing in the hectic capital,
0:03:53 > 0:03:57they feel the need to escape to the quieter surrounds of the country.
0:03:59 > 0:04:02We're both country people at heart, you know, and we want space.
0:04:02 > 0:04:07We want to be out of the maelstrom that is London, you know, the confusion, the pace, the people.
0:04:07 > 0:04:10We want to be somewhere where we can just be us, and grow together.
0:04:10 > 0:04:14Part of it is cos we've done quite a lot of travelling over the last couple of years
0:04:14 > 0:04:15to quiet and lovely places.
0:04:15 > 0:04:20We want to have that as where we live, rather than having to go on holiday for it.
0:04:20 > 0:04:23Just to be able to live in a way that is not determined
0:04:23 > 0:04:28by the sound of sirens, and these things that are a constant, the constant noise of the city.
0:04:28 > 0:04:33So why have they chosen Cornwall to begin the next chapter of their lives?
0:04:33 > 0:04:39- It's beautiful, it's got everything we want. It's got the space, the hills, the sea.- Mm.- And fresh air.
0:04:39 > 0:04:45It's almost a separate country, Cornwall, so if you want to get away from England, that's an easy way.
0:04:45 > 0:04:47So where exactly are they looking to move to?
0:04:47 > 0:04:49Lethal wife!
0:04:49 > 0:04:53Because we're wanting to start a B&B, we're looking for something that's a bit more rural.
0:04:53 > 0:04:58- Somewhere where people can come and feel like they're away from the world.- A retreat-style country house
0:04:58 > 0:05:03with some land in a place that just makes you feel divine.
0:05:03 > 0:05:07But it's not just Nick and Marion that are starting up this B&B.
0:05:07 > 0:05:12Marion's mum will be joining them too, so there are lots of requirements to consider.
0:05:12 > 0:05:18Our absolute must-haves are it's got to have at least six bedrooms, four of which we'd be wanting to let out.
0:05:18 > 0:05:20If we've got more bedrooms, that would be great.
0:05:20 > 0:05:23Land, up to two acres.
0:05:23 > 0:05:28Separate accommodation for us, preferably separate from the letting bedrooms, and obviously
0:05:28 > 0:05:33we're bearing in mind Julie, Marion's mother as well, ideally separate accommodation for her.
0:05:33 > 0:05:38We want a decent-sized kitchen, preferably a country-style kitchen. I do most of the cooking...
0:05:38 > 0:05:41- Which I appreciate a lot.- And I will be doing most of the breakfasts.
0:05:41 > 0:05:43And do they have any other desires?
0:05:43 > 0:05:47It would be great if we could find a character property, a period property.
0:05:47 > 0:05:48A range, some nice fireplaces...
0:05:48 > 0:05:50- Fireplaces would be great. - Maybe a window seat.
0:05:50 > 0:05:54- Yeah.- Some outbuildings there, we could either do those up
0:05:54 > 0:05:57and have them as letting, or I know you want to have a studio.
0:05:57 > 0:05:59A recording studio would be fantastic.
0:05:59 > 0:06:01That's quite the list!
0:06:01 > 0:06:04Before they make this life-changing move,
0:06:04 > 0:06:09Marion and Nick need to sell their maisonette, so we've arranged for it to be valued.
0:06:09 > 0:06:12This is a really well-proportioned two-bedroom split-level maisonette,
0:06:12 > 0:06:16benefits from a very lovely south-facing garden and off-street car parking.
0:06:16 > 0:06:20I would recommend to put the property on the market at £275,000.
0:06:22 > 0:06:27And with Marion's mum also selling her house to finance the move, what's in the pot?
0:06:27 > 0:06:32Our budget for this property is between £450,000 and £650,000.
0:06:32 > 0:06:36If it's the top end of that budget, it really needs to be an existing B&B
0:06:36 > 0:06:41- with a really good turnover of around £50,000 a year.- Yep.
0:06:42 > 0:06:44Phew! Let's sum up.
0:06:44 > 0:06:48Nick and Marion are looking for a healthy four-bedroom B&B business.
0:06:48 > 0:06:51They need space for Julie to live comfortably too. They want some land,
0:06:51 > 0:06:55and they want a fantastic location that's going to make them and their guests feel divine.
0:06:55 > 0:07:01So I'm having to please three people, but there are 500 registered B&B businesses in Cornwall,
0:07:01 > 0:07:07which means, one, there's a market for them, and, two, there might be something out there to fit the bill.
0:07:09 > 0:07:14Our search will focus on the east of Cornwall, between Newquay and the Devon border.
0:07:14 > 0:07:16Being close to the sea is important,
0:07:16 > 0:07:20so we'll be paying special attention to both coastlines.
0:07:20 > 0:07:23We've lined up some fantastic properties for them to see,
0:07:23 > 0:07:27but I won't be revealing the prices until they've had a good look round.
0:07:27 > 0:07:32And of course there's our mystery house, which is something completely different.
0:07:33 > 0:07:35So, welcome to Cornwall.
0:07:35 > 0:07:38- Thank you!- How are you feeling? - Good, thanks.- Yeah, excited!
0:07:38 > 0:07:41It's quite exciting, because you're coming to run a B&B,
0:07:41 > 0:07:43- and neither of you have ever done that.- Scary.
0:07:43 > 0:07:46Mm, no, we haven't done it before, no.
0:07:46 > 0:07:49- We've eaten a lot of breakfasts in B&Bs...- Well, that's very important.
0:07:49 > 0:07:53So you're newlyweds and you're moving in with your mother-in-law...
0:07:53 > 0:07:55She's not your typical mother-in-law, that's for sure.
0:07:55 > 0:08:00You want a B&B, you want guests, you want a place for you, you want a place for Julie.
0:08:00 > 0:08:01Are you looking for three properties?
0:08:01 > 0:08:07No. As long as we've got enough space or the potential to create that space, that's going to be fine.
0:08:07 > 0:08:10You've got a top budget of 650.
0:08:10 > 0:08:13What would you want for that, business-wise?
0:08:13 > 0:08:17We need at least four guest rooms, en-suite.
0:08:17 > 0:08:22That would be, I mean, an existing B&B for that price I think, at £650,000 -
0:08:22 > 0:08:27operating with some kind of repeat business coming in already that we can work on straightaway.
0:08:27 > 0:08:30I'm confident, and Cornwall's a great place to run a B&B.
0:08:30 > 0:08:31- Yeah.- So let's go and find it.
0:08:31 > 0:08:34Fantastic.
0:08:34 > 0:08:40For an absolute maximum of £650,000, Nick and Marion want a property
0:08:40 > 0:08:44with a minimum of six bedrooms, four of which are to be used as B&B.
0:08:44 > 0:08:48Ideally Marion's mum, Julie, will have separate accommodation.
0:08:48 > 0:08:51And on top of all that they want land and plenty of it. Why?
0:08:51 > 0:08:54Because they have something rather intriguing in mind.
0:08:57 > 0:09:01So tell me about yurts.
0:09:01 > 0:09:04Well, we're thinking, we kind of jokingly suggested we could also do
0:09:04 > 0:09:08- tent and breakfast, as well as bed and breakfast.- Tent and breakfast.
0:09:08 > 0:09:11We'd never heard anybody else doing it. And then from tents we kind
0:09:11 > 0:09:16of went to more up-market tents, which kind of turned into yurts.
0:09:16 > 0:09:20- Yurts are the big round Mongolian things.- The flatter ones, rather than the tepee types.
0:09:20 > 0:09:24They're so peaceful and beautiful, and there's something spiritual about them.
0:09:24 > 0:09:26So lots of candles, lanterns, things like that, very romantic.
0:09:26 > 0:09:28Cheap chic.
0:09:28 > 0:09:30- Cheap chic.- Cheap chic.
0:09:32 > 0:09:35The first property we're heading to is in the far east of the county,
0:09:35 > 0:09:40the quiet rural area of Menheniot, 18 miles west of Plymouth.
0:09:40 > 0:09:44Four miles away, in the village of St Germans,
0:09:44 > 0:09:48is an attraction for Marion and Nick's future guests, Port Eliot.
0:09:48 > 0:09:51Set in 6,000 acres, the house was built as a monastery
0:09:51 > 0:09:55for the adjoining church, once the cathedral for the whole of Cornwall.
0:09:55 > 0:10:00The house dates back 1,000 years, and has over 100 bedrooms,
0:10:00 > 0:10:04just a few more than the place I'm taking Nick and Marion to see.
0:10:04 > 0:10:09As you can see, I've brought you to a very bustling, a busy town - not!
0:10:09 > 0:10:12Extremely quiet...extremely rural.
0:10:12 > 0:10:15And the property I want to show you is actually two properties.
0:10:15 > 0:10:19It's this one and that one at the back.
0:10:19 > 0:10:21- Wow.- It's beautiful.- Yes.
0:10:21 > 0:10:23Really, really very pretty.
0:10:23 > 0:10:28Present owner bought it ten years ago and completely did it up, very, very sympathetically.
0:10:28 > 0:10:33Two properties are very interesting, two separate properties, and I'm looking forward to seeing inside.
0:10:33 > 0:10:36- And obviously location, what do you think?- It's beautiful.
0:10:36 > 0:10:40- Rolling hills...- You couldn't get much quieter than this.
0:10:40 > 0:10:43Although you have to realise there won't be any passing trade as such.
0:10:43 > 0:10:49It's not really a kind of a town centre where you get lots of people coming in from the street.
0:10:49 > 0:10:51We're looking to create a retreat, a really special place
0:10:51 > 0:10:55for people to come and kind of be themselves and be revitalised.
0:10:55 > 0:10:59I'm going to come now! You've made it sound so nice, and I know the property!
0:10:59 > 0:11:01- Let's take a look inside.- Great.
0:11:01 > 0:11:07Behind the cottage sits the main house, so we'll follow the drive round and begin our tour there.
0:11:08 > 0:11:10Come into the hall.
0:11:10 > 0:11:15Beautiful flagstone floor here. These are worth a fortune.
0:11:15 > 0:11:16- I like it a lot.- Nice and cosy.
0:11:16 > 0:11:19Let's go into the kitchen, cos it's the heart of the home.
0:11:19 > 0:11:23- Wow, look at this place!- Look at this.- See the bricks in the wall.
0:11:23 > 0:11:27He's left some nice exposed parts of the building so you can see through the plaster.
0:11:27 > 0:11:29- It's a beautiful kitchen. - Isn't it gorgeous?
0:11:29 > 0:11:34- Ah, and a window seat!- Lovely window seat, and your lovely cream range.
0:11:34 > 0:11:38- I was going to say, beautiful range. Lovely.- That's lovely, isn't it?
0:11:38 > 0:11:42- It's beautifully decorated.- Let's look through the other rooms, and I can explain the options.
0:11:42 > 0:11:47So you've got a little utility room here, which you could remodel.
0:11:47 > 0:11:49You've got a great wet room here.
0:11:49 > 0:11:52- Oh!- Oh, look at that, fantastic.
0:11:52 > 0:11:56Cos I'm thinking these bedrooms downstairs...
0:11:56 > 0:11:58- Bedrooms.- ..could be for your guests.
0:11:58 > 0:12:01- Oh, look at that.- Wow. - Downstairs bedrooms.- That's...
0:12:01 > 0:12:03That's lovely, isn't it, with that going out onto the terrace?
0:12:03 > 0:12:06I was thinking this is ours, though!
0:12:08 > 0:12:11Still downstairs but on the other side of the house
0:12:11 > 0:12:17is a second bedroom, next to which is a room that could be used as a small sitting room or snug.
0:12:17 > 0:12:22But we're heading to the first floor, where there's even more communal space.
0:12:22 > 0:12:26Upstairs is a living room.
0:12:26 > 0:12:28- Oh, wow.- Wow.- It's huge.
0:12:28 > 0:12:30- Uh-huh.- Look at that.
0:12:30 > 0:12:33- Good Lord, that's amazing. - It's beautiful.
0:12:33 > 0:12:36So this was the hayloft, this upstairs place, and the owners
0:12:36 > 0:12:38- put down these lovely oak floors throughout.- Yeah, really nice.
0:12:38 > 0:12:41- Very nice finish. Kept a lot of the beams, you can see.- Yeah.
0:12:41 > 0:12:44Replaced the ones that needed replacing.
0:12:44 > 0:12:46You could have this upstairs as your space.
0:12:46 > 0:12:51- And then your guests are downstairs, and then you've got the cottage as well, for more guests.- Right, right.
0:12:51 > 0:12:53I can see a way that we could work it the other way round as well.
0:12:53 > 0:12:57- But there's definitely...there are definitely possibilities here.- Yeah.
0:12:57 > 0:12:59Just off the living room are bedrooms three and four,
0:12:59 > 0:13:03with a staircase leading to the snug downstairs.
0:13:03 > 0:13:06And next door there's a family bathroom.
0:13:06 > 0:13:09- Oh, wow.- Excellent.- It's huge!
0:13:09 > 0:13:11- Look at that.- It's nice, isn't it?
0:13:11 > 0:13:12- It's a lovely bathroom.- It is.
0:13:12 > 0:13:15Lovely slipper bath, although kind of facing the wrong way.
0:13:15 > 0:13:18- You kind of want to look at the view, don't you?- You do.
0:13:18 > 0:13:23- I would.- It's difficult to make decisions about who goes where until we've seen the other property,
0:13:23 > 0:13:26- so shall we go and have a look at the cottage? - That's a good idea.
0:13:27 > 0:13:33So leaving the main house, we're heading out into the rain to check out that cottage.
0:13:34 > 0:13:36Oh, it's a bit wet out there.
0:13:36 > 0:13:41So this is effectively a holiday-let cottage.
0:13:41 > 0:13:44- Ah.- So it's totally self-contained,
0:13:44 > 0:13:46and you can see it's been done up to a nice standard.
0:13:46 > 0:13:49- It's lovely, isn't it?- Again upside down, so you've got the living room and the kitchen upstairs,
0:13:49 > 0:13:52- and the bedrooms underneath.- Ah. OK.
0:13:52 > 0:13:54It's beautiful and light up here.
0:13:54 > 0:13:57- It's lovely. How many bedrooms are there?- There's two. You could live here...
0:13:57 > 0:14:01- I was just thinking the same thing. - You could rent out those four rooms.
0:14:01 > 0:14:03That's probably going to make us more money.
0:14:03 > 0:14:05Let's have a look through the other end.
0:14:07 > 0:14:12- It's really quite spacious, it's a good-sized cottage, and very contemporary.- And it's got a bar!
0:14:12 > 0:14:15- It's got its own bar.- Now there's a surprise.- That's interesting.
0:14:15 > 0:14:18You might want to take that out if you're holiday renting.
0:14:18 > 0:14:20Yeah. However if we lived here...
0:14:20 > 0:14:23How much of a trust bar you could establish on that basis...
0:14:23 > 0:14:28- So you're talking probably about, you know, tops having eight people as your guests.- Yeah.
0:14:28 > 0:14:33- Every room as double.- Which is, you know, what we were thinking about, four to five, four to five rooms.
0:14:33 > 0:14:35- Yeah.- So that's certainly within what we were thinking.
0:14:35 > 0:14:39Downstairs are the bedrooms, one dual aspect, and one with
0:14:39 > 0:14:43French doors leading out into the front garden. And a shared bathroom.
0:14:43 > 0:14:48But it's time to brave the awful weather and see what the outside has to offer.
0:14:51 > 0:14:54So there's an acre of land.
0:14:54 > 0:15:00It's heaving with rain, so I won't show you all the details, but basically it's pretty much what
0:15:00 > 0:15:06- you can see, but also it flows very effortlessly into all this lovely farmland around you.- Yeah.
0:15:06 > 0:15:10- You've got a swimming pool. - Uh-huh, and a little hot tub. - And a little hot tub.
0:15:10 > 0:15:13- But it's not masses and masses of land.- No.
0:15:13 > 0:15:15Is that enough for what you want?
0:15:15 > 0:15:19Yeah, I think this is absolutely, given the nature of what's around here, this is enough land.
0:15:19 > 0:15:23- Yeah, I mean...- You sounded... you looked a little less impressed.
0:15:23 > 0:15:26I think it depends kind of how we use the environment, really.
0:15:26 > 0:15:30Cos if we're doing it more as kind of a retreat with the space for people to go and retreat to,
0:15:30 > 0:15:36then there's not quite so much space for that, or having mini music festivals, but it's your...
0:15:36 > 0:15:39You didn't mention mini music festivals, this is a new one!
0:15:39 > 0:15:42- I think it's micro music festivals... - They'd have to be micros here.
0:15:42 > 0:15:45- Micros. I think that's just you and your stereo.- We've got enough room for six or seven tents.
0:15:45 > 0:15:49OK, so the price, how much do you think this little plot of loveliness costs?
0:15:49 > 0:15:51- You first. - Yeah, I've been thinking about that.
0:15:51 > 0:15:57I think I'm probably being optimistic, but I'm going to say anyway 595. For less land.
0:15:57 > 0:16:00- No, I think slightly more than that, 625.- You're spot on.
0:16:00 > 0:16:03- Well, there you are.- 625, and it's been on the market for some time.
0:16:03 > 0:16:09- OK.- So it means that, you know, a sensible offer, you could probably get it for maybe a little less.
0:16:09 > 0:16:11It's heaving with rain, so why don't you go in,
0:16:11 > 0:16:15look downstairs at the rooms here, and I'll find shelter from the rain.
0:16:15 > 0:16:16- Ah, wise move!- See you soon.
0:16:16 > 0:16:18See you soon.
0:16:18 > 0:16:26These two properties come in at £625,000, £25,000 under their top budget.
0:16:26 > 0:16:29The farmhouse has the requisite four bedrooms for guests,
0:16:29 > 0:16:30and the cottage has two,
0:16:30 > 0:16:33and both properties have three bathrooms, all told.
0:16:33 > 0:16:37The farmhouse has a wonderful galleried landing, and outside,
0:16:37 > 0:16:42standing in an acre of land, is a swimming pool and hot tub.
0:16:42 > 0:16:45The idea of having two properties does work, because it means we've already got
0:16:45 > 0:16:49separate accommodation, should we want to pursue that route. And they're both beautiful.
0:16:49 > 0:16:51I mean, I'm very taken with it.
0:16:51 > 0:16:56You know, what is crucial is that we have the space to let, and this place has just enough space for us.
0:16:56 > 0:17:01- We've got room for four guests, eight guests altogether. - Yeah. And the kitchen downstairs...
0:17:01 > 0:17:04Not much you need to do, probably make two bathrooms, two mini en-suites.
0:17:04 > 0:17:09- Plenty to think about.- There is plenty to think about, absolutely. Lovely place.
0:17:09 > 0:17:12It's very, very pretty. Quite nice to have two separate buildings.
0:17:12 > 0:17:14It's certainly along the right lines.
0:17:14 > 0:17:18It would be trying to decide between living in this bit and renting out the other bit.
0:17:18 > 0:17:22The only way we could do it is us living in here in one room and your mum in the other.
0:17:22 > 0:17:27- Yeah. It's whether that gives us enough space away from each other. - Initially it'd have to...
0:17:27 > 0:17:30Even though you've got the rolling countryside, the views out there
0:17:30 > 0:17:36which are just stunning, there's not a great deal of actual land itself, so there'd be nowhere to put a yurt,
0:17:36 > 0:17:40for instance, and certainly the mini music festivals would be out. Maybe micro festivals.
0:17:40 > 0:17:45OK, let's get out of the rain, into the relative dry of the car.
0:17:47 > 0:17:50As Nick and Marion have their hearts set on running a B&B,
0:17:50 > 0:17:55they'll need some local knowledge of places to recommend to their guests.
0:17:55 > 0:18:00Top of the list would be Tintagel, the alleged birthplace of the legendary King Arthur
0:18:00 > 0:18:03and an inspiration to a host of 19th-century writers
0:18:03 > 0:18:07such as Charles Dickens, Thomas Hardy and, notably, Alfred, Lord Tennyson.
0:18:07 > 0:18:10They're meeting local guide Rob Tremain to find out more.
0:18:10 > 0:18:12Hi. Hello.
0:18:12 > 0:18:16In the 5th century, Tintagel was noted for its slate-quarrying industry.
0:18:16 > 0:18:18All the cliffs along the coast
0:18:18 > 0:18:20were quarried for the slate.
0:18:20 > 0:18:23In Victorian times, it really started to grow.
0:18:23 > 0:18:26The Victorians had heard the legends of King Arthur.
0:18:26 > 0:18:31A lot of the buildings in the village - King Arthur's Arms, King Arthur's Great Halls,
0:18:31 > 0:18:33all based on the Arthurian legend.
0:18:33 > 0:18:39Half a mile out of the village, right on the cliffs looking out over the Atlantic Ocean
0:18:39 > 0:18:41is where the story began.
0:18:41 > 0:18:45The castle ruins that we see today date back to the mid-13th century
0:18:45 > 0:18:50when Richard, Earl of Cornwall, hoping to catch some of the power and glory of Arthur's legacy,
0:18:50 > 0:18:52built his castle on this very spot.
0:18:52 > 0:18:57On the beach below is Merlin's cave, where, legend has it, on the night of his birth,
0:18:57 > 0:19:02Arthur was given to Merlin who carried him through the cave to safety
0:19:02 > 0:19:05until he was old enough to return to rule the kingdom.
0:19:06 > 0:19:10How the legend of King Arthur stayed alive all these years?
0:19:10 > 0:19:12They're wonderful stories in themselves.
0:19:12 > 0:19:15They would have been told around the firesides of hearth and home.
0:19:15 > 0:19:18All the families would have been telling the tales of King Arthur.
0:19:18 > 0:19:22Then moving forward to Victorian times,
0:19:22 > 0:19:25Tennyson wrote the Idylls Of The King,
0:19:25 > 0:19:31this series of poems with Arthur and Guinevere, the knights questing for the Holy Grail,
0:19:31 > 0:19:34right up to the 21st century, stories of Arthur still being written.
0:19:34 > 0:19:38If they make the move here, Nick and Marion will have plenty of local myths and legends
0:19:38 > 0:19:41to recount to their holiday guests.
0:19:41 > 0:19:45But we must get back to the real world and to our property search.
0:19:52 > 0:19:55We're heading to the small rural hamlet of Degembris,
0:19:55 > 0:19:57five miles south of Newquay.
0:19:57 > 0:20:00It's an isolated spot, but just down the road is St Newlyn East
0:20:00 > 0:20:04where Nick and Marion could pop in for amenities.
0:20:04 > 0:20:09The village is named after St Newlyn, patron saint of the church that dates back to Norman times.
0:20:09 > 0:20:13There even a inn, in which to seek shelter from the storm.
0:20:15 > 0:20:20- Come on in through your very own stone wall.- Wow.- Wow.
0:20:20 > 0:20:21Feast your eyes on this.
0:20:21 > 0:20:25- Wow. Look at that.- That's lovely. - Beautiful building.- Really nice.
0:20:25 > 0:20:29This offers you a lot in terms of B&B potential.
0:20:29 > 0:20:33It's not being used as a B&B at the moment, but it has been in the past.
0:20:33 > 0:20:38- It's a beautiful Victorian farmhouse built with granite. - It's quite red, isn't it?
0:20:38 > 0:20:40Yeah, it's got all sorts of hues in it,
0:20:40 > 0:20:44particularly in the sunlight - not that you'd notice today!
0:20:44 > 0:20:46It's lovely. I like the warmth of the stone.
0:20:46 > 0:20:48- Let's look inside.- Brilliant.
0:20:53 > 0:20:58- Come on in. Lovely big Victorian hall.- It's a nice, big hallway.
0:20:58 > 0:21:01Let's go straight in here. This is the sitting room.
0:21:01 > 0:21:04- It's a nice size.- We're talking about a different historical period,
0:21:04 > 0:21:10not a barn conversion. You have big, purpose-built, Victorian, strong rooms.
0:21:10 > 0:21:12- "Strong rooms".- Strong rooms.
0:21:12 > 0:21:15'Across the hall is the mirror image of the sitting room,
0:21:15 > 0:21:18'giving them options for a dining room for their guests.
0:21:18 > 0:21:23'I'm not sure if the layout of this Victorian house has sparked their imagination yet.'
0:21:25 > 0:21:28I get the feeling that you're less excited by this one.
0:21:28 > 0:21:31Hm. It's just first impressions, isn't it?
0:21:31 > 0:21:34I'm prepared for my mind to be changed.
0:21:34 > 0:21:38But at this stage it's a little less...
0:21:38 > 0:21:41It's got a little of the wow factor, put it that way.
0:21:41 > 0:21:43Yes, I think probably it has.
0:21:43 > 0:21:48Well, the kitchen is very important, it seems to win most people over, let's take a look.
0:21:48 > 0:21:53- This is a nice kitchen, I think. - Ooh, lovely size.
0:21:53 > 0:21:55- I like it.- Mm.
0:21:55 > 0:21:57You have beautiful Delabole slate on the floors,
0:21:57 > 0:22:01which would be worth an absolute fortune if you were putting it down new.
0:22:01 > 0:22:06And with a bit of remodelling, this would be a fantastic country kitchen.
0:22:06 > 0:22:11I'm even considering that there's enough room in here to feed guests.
0:22:11 > 0:22:12And...
0:22:15 > 0:22:16..the back staircase.
0:22:16 > 0:22:18Ooh, I like that.
0:22:19 > 0:22:23'Off the kitchen is a bathroom and downstairs lies a cellar,
0:22:23 > 0:22:26'offering two big rooms ripe for conversion.
0:22:26 > 0:22:32'But we're checking out the upstairs where there's a very healthy six bedrooms.'
0:22:32 > 0:22:34These ones at the front are nice, good-sized,
0:22:34 > 0:22:38not really full size Victorian rooms cos they have been cut up.
0:22:38 > 0:22:42You could easily put in an en-suite there, there isn't one at the moment.
0:22:42 > 0:22:45- OK, interesting.- That's just a dressing room, is it?- Yes.
0:22:45 > 0:22:51There is plumbing there. The problem here is that none of the rooms have en-suites.
0:22:51 > 0:22:54- Ah.- So this is what you'll have to get you head round.
0:22:54 > 0:22:59- You have six rooms but you may have to sacrifice one and parcel it up into en-suites.- Right.
0:22:59 > 0:23:02'Bedrooms two and three are also at the front of the house,
0:23:02 > 0:23:05'along with the family bathroom.
0:23:05 > 0:23:07'Bedrooms four and five are at the back.
0:23:07 > 0:23:10'Stacks of room for guests and the mother-in-law.
0:23:10 > 0:23:13'So let's go find bedroom six.'
0:23:14 > 0:23:16Ah-ha, back down the back stairs.
0:23:16 > 0:23:19- There's a secret little room. - Ah!- Ooh.
0:23:19 > 0:23:21- Oh, it's cute, isn't it? - It's a cute one.
0:23:21 > 0:23:24You could, at a very extreme pinch, make this your bedroom,
0:23:24 > 0:23:27and then you'd have five letting rooms.
0:23:27 > 0:23:29- Initially, this could be ours. - Yeah.
0:23:29 > 0:23:32The cellar, obviously, upon conversion would change that.
0:23:32 > 0:23:34And are you leaving someone out?
0:23:34 > 0:23:38Yes, well, if we went downstairs into the cellar,
0:23:38 > 0:23:41then it would mean that Mum could have this one.
0:23:41 > 0:23:45I feel for Julie...and I feel that reasonably happy is not good enough.
0:23:45 > 0:23:48- Right.- So, I've got something else up my sleeve.
0:23:48 > 0:23:49Ooh!
0:23:49 > 0:23:53'I'm beginning to sense a turn in the tide here,
0:23:53 > 0:23:56'so we'll head back downstairs and out into the rain,
0:23:56 > 0:23:59'where there are still more options waiting.'
0:23:59 > 0:24:02Looky here, what have we hidden at the back of the house?
0:24:02 > 0:24:04- Ah-ha-ha!- Good Lord.
0:24:04 > 0:24:07- Extra little places tucked away. - It's quite big.
0:24:07 > 0:24:10- Good Lord.- It's a whole annexe,
0:24:10 > 0:24:14stuck at the back of the property, perfect, I thought, for Julie.
0:24:14 > 0:24:15Brilliant.
0:24:18 > 0:24:22So this is recently converted from an outhouse.
0:24:22 > 0:24:25It was probably a shed or a barn.
0:24:25 > 0:24:26- It's beautiful.- It's really nice.
0:24:26 > 0:24:29And there's a very, very nice bedroom and bathroom.
0:24:29 > 0:24:32So it's a totally self-contained, little unit.
0:24:32 > 0:24:36So with this added into the mix, what do you think about the house now?
0:24:36 > 0:24:38Cos you were a bit off-key at the start.
0:24:38 > 0:24:40Yeah, I've warmed up, definitely.
0:24:40 > 0:24:46Definitely, I think it's got quite a lot of different bits of space that we could use in different ways.
0:24:46 > 0:24:48It's a case of thinking about the best permutations of those.
0:24:48 > 0:24:51And we haven't seen all of the grounds.
0:24:51 > 0:24:53- Right.- Keeping them a secret!
0:24:57 > 0:24:59Now, this really excites me for you guys,
0:24:59 > 0:25:03because this property has two acres of land.
0:25:03 > 0:25:05- Wow.- Wow, that really does change things.
0:25:05 > 0:25:08And this has innumerable possibilities.
0:25:08 > 0:25:10- I'm sure you could think of a few?- Mmm.
0:25:10 > 0:25:14- A little festival...- Yeah... - ..could be happening here.
0:25:14 > 0:25:17Plus there's a little bit of a development happening there -
0:25:17 > 0:25:21there's a caravan and a big outhouse, which you could also work with.
0:25:21 > 0:25:25OK. Yeah, you could make it into a shower block if you were going to have yurts...
0:25:25 > 0:25:28Exactly, good thinking. Yurt thinking!
0:25:28 > 0:25:29How much do you think it's worth?
0:25:29 > 0:25:31I've revised my initial estimate -
0:25:31 > 0:25:35I was thinking when I first came in about 500 upwards,
0:25:35 > 0:25:37but now...
0:25:37 > 0:25:38550?
0:25:38 > 0:25:41Yeah, I was going to say 550, actually.
0:25:41 > 0:25:43Um, so I'll say 575.
0:25:43 > 0:25:47You're right on the money this time, that is great.
0:25:47 > 0:25:52- Sadly true!- It's on at 575, cos remember you've got two acres of land here.- Yes, that changes things.
0:25:52 > 0:25:54You're five miles from Newquay,
0:25:54 > 0:25:57this is a great area to have a B&B.
0:25:57 > 0:26:00Why don't you go and have a wander round, cos it is a head-scratching property,
0:26:00 > 0:26:02like, what are we going to do here?
0:26:02 > 0:26:04And I'll see you back at the ranch.
0:26:04 > 0:26:06- Actually at the front of the ranch. - Excellent!
0:26:08 > 0:26:12This former B&B comes in at £575,000.
0:26:12 > 0:26:13There are six bedrooms,
0:26:13 > 0:26:16a large kitchen big enough to feed the guests in,
0:26:16 > 0:26:20an annexe - ideal accommodation for Marion's mum -
0:26:20 > 0:26:21and it all stands
0:26:21 > 0:26:23within two acres of land.
0:26:24 > 0:26:26So, what do you think of the basement?
0:26:26 > 0:26:29- I think it could be quite versatile. - It's a lot of space,
0:26:29 > 0:26:33- and I can see an office, potentially a recording studio...- Yeah.
0:26:33 > 0:26:37I think the impressions of this one were not as good as the first one.
0:26:37 > 0:26:41It doesn't have that wow factor, it's not as pretty.
0:26:41 > 0:26:42It's a kind of grower.
0:26:42 > 0:26:45As you move through the house and you see what else it has to offer,
0:26:45 > 0:26:48by the end of it, you end up quite taken with it.
0:26:48 > 0:26:51I do have a quandary about whether we live in there or your mother.
0:26:51 > 0:26:54Frankly, it's the nicest part of the house I've seen so far.
0:26:54 > 0:26:58I mean it does have everything in terms of size and space we need,
0:26:58 > 0:27:01- given a fair amount of work. - Yeah, it's the work.
0:27:02 > 0:27:05The thing about this house, it's like a Russian doll or something.
0:27:05 > 0:27:08Bit by bit, you begin to think, there is in fact real potential here.
0:27:10 > 0:27:13These... No longer necessary.
0:27:13 > 0:27:16It's a sign!
0:27:16 > 0:27:18You'll have to buy the property now!
0:27:25 > 0:27:32Constant appetite for fresh seafood is threatening the stocks of many of our native species in the UK.
0:27:32 > 0:27:35These Cornish waters are famous for example for lobster,
0:27:35 > 0:27:39especially here in Padstow, Cornwall's culinary capital.
0:27:39 > 0:27:45However, lobster numbers started to dwindle 20 years ago, so I'm meeting Dominic Boothroyd,
0:27:45 > 0:27:51from the National Lobster Hatchery, to find out how they're trying to keep numbers up.
0:27:51 > 0:27:54The fishermen here, how much lobster fishing do they do?
0:27:54 > 0:27:57There's a lot of boats fishing from Padstow.
0:27:57 > 0:28:01Around Cornwall as a whole, the lobster fisheries are probably worth about £2 million.
0:28:01 > 0:28:05- Oh, right.- At first sale, so it's a very important part of our economy.
0:28:05 > 0:28:07Do we eat those, or do they go abroad? Where do they go?
0:28:07 > 0:28:11Probably about 80% of those go abroad, to France, Spain, Italy.
0:28:11 > 0:28:17Cor, that's amazing. So we're doing preventative work, we're sewing up the net before it gets too torn.
0:28:17 > 0:28:22The idea is that we operate a stock enhancement programme, so we're adding stock into the fishery.
0:28:22 > 0:28:25How does the restocking work? What's the first stage?
0:28:25 > 0:28:30Basically, what we do is we get a female lobster from the fisherman which has got eggs on it.
0:28:30 > 0:28:32We then take that into the hatchery.
0:28:32 > 0:28:36When the eggs hatch, we then raise the larvae through their larval stages,
0:28:36 > 0:28:39which is their most vulnerable stage in the wild...
0:28:39 > 0:28:44- And that's at the hatchery.- That's in the hatchery.- Can we see that? - Yeah, come this way.- Great.
0:28:44 > 0:28:49This hatchery aims to see the lobster larvae through their first fragile three months.
0:28:49 > 0:28:52And it all starts here with egg-laden females,
0:28:52 > 0:28:56which for nine months can carry as many as 12,000 eggs.
0:28:56 > 0:28:59So this is quite a young female.
0:28:59 > 0:29:01Just open her up, and, see, those are the eggs.
0:29:01 > 0:29:04- Ah, those, like berries. - They're very close to hatching.
0:29:04 > 0:29:09So you come down in the morning, and the place is swimming with little baby lobsters.
0:29:09 > 0:29:12There'll be up to two or three thousand larvae in here in the morning.
0:29:12 > 0:29:19Dom and his team them transfer them into the larval rearing room, rather like a lobster nursery, next door.
0:29:19 > 0:29:21So here's some you prepared earlier.
0:29:21 > 0:29:24Yeah, these are larvae which have hatched this morning.
0:29:24 > 0:29:27What's with the kind of dishwasher effect? Why are they being spun round?
0:29:27 > 0:29:32Well, we're trying to recreate an ocean environment in a small volume of water.
0:29:32 > 0:29:36So we've got 80 litres of water in here and we're trying to create
0:29:36 > 0:29:39a planktonic environment, so huge volumes that you'd find in the sea.
0:29:39 > 0:29:44- I see.- It's to keep them separated out as well, cos they're very, very cannibalistic.- Oh!
0:29:44 > 0:29:47- So...- So they'd eat each other. - They would.
0:29:47 > 0:29:50Once they're at this stage in the sea, the lobsters would dig a home
0:29:50 > 0:29:55in the seabed, but in the hatchery, they're given their own little cell.
0:29:55 > 0:29:58- Can we get one out?- Yeah, sure.- So these are, how old are these ones?
0:29:58 > 0:30:01- This is about nine months old. - Nine months! It's tiny!
0:30:01 > 0:30:04They've got a very slow growth rate.
0:30:04 > 0:30:07Wow. Do they bite?
0:30:07 > 0:30:09- Um...- They jiggle.
0:30:09 > 0:30:12- We'll find out, shall we? - Can we release some of these?
0:30:12 > 0:30:14Let's take some of these to the beach, then.
0:30:14 > 0:30:17I suppose it's very satisfying, so you must love your job.
0:30:17 > 0:30:19Can I ask, do you eat lobster?
0:30:19 > 0:30:20Yes, I do.
0:30:22 > 0:30:24So the time has come to say goodbye
0:30:24 > 0:30:29to 70 of the 12,000 little lobsters the hatchery has reared this year.
0:30:29 > 0:30:33In the wild, only around five in every thousand lobsters would make it to adulthood,
0:30:33 > 0:30:37but the hatchery gives them up to an 80% better chance of survival.
0:30:37 > 0:30:41We're releasing them in a sheltered rocky bay near Padstow.
0:30:41 > 0:30:43So at nine months, it's eldest first.
0:30:43 > 0:30:47I feel quite, quite trepidatious, cos that's a whole new life for him.
0:30:47 > 0:30:52Shall we go? Lenny the lobster, swim!
0:30:54 > 0:30:57- Ah, beautiful!- Do you want to release the rest of them?
0:30:57 > 0:31:00- These are all about a month old. - Right.
0:31:00 > 0:31:03Oh, that was successful.
0:31:03 > 0:31:0770 lobsters, free for... for the future!
0:31:07 > 0:31:09- It's fantastic, isn't it? - Six years later, you could eat it.
0:31:09 > 0:31:15- Possibly.- Theoretically. Thank you so much, it's been really fascinating. And what a lovely place to end.
0:31:15 > 0:31:17Better go and find some houses now.
0:31:26 > 0:31:27As the sun sets,
0:31:27 > 0:31:31Marion and Nick reflect on the houses they've seen so far.
0:31:32 > 0:31:34So, what did you think of today?
0:31:34 > 0:31:37Ah! It's been an interesting - if windswept and wet - day.
0:31:37 > 0:31:38And very tiring day!
0:31:38 > 0:31:41Converted barns, what did you think?
0:31:41 > 0:31:42Beautiful from the outside.
0:31:42 > 0:31:46Absolutely, I was really hoping they were going to hit the mark
0:31:46 > 0:31:48and in pretty much every way, they did.
0:31:48 > 0:31:52It's the lifestyle place which we actually really want.
0:31:52 > 0:31:54Just not quite big enough.
0:31:54 > 0:31:58- It's one or two rooms short. - And although they've done really nice things with the land,
0:31:58 > 0:32:01there's not quite enough of it for the kinds of things we want.
0:32:01 > 0:32:04So, the Grade II listed, what do you think of that one?
0:32:04 > 0:32:05Full of surprises.
0:32:05 > 0:32:06When we first went there,
0:32:06 > 0:32:09I was thinking very, very standard, Victorian box,
0:32:09 > 0:32:12but really they had a few things up their sleeves for us, didn't they?
0:32:12 > 0:32:15- They did.- That really did show us a lot more than we expected.
0:32:15 > 0:32:17- Beautiful location.- The annexe, that was the key -
0:32:17 > 0:32:20- without that, there wouldn't be a chance.- It was beautiful.
0:32:20 > 0:32:23The rest of the house, if it was done up at that level, which we would do,
0:32:23 > 0:32:26- I think would be tremendous. - Definitely.
0:32:26 > 0:32:27Possibilities, I think.
0:32:27 > 0:32:32- So, tomorrow.- You know what's going to be different about tomorrow morning, don't you?- What's that?
0:32:32 > 0:32:34Sunshine!
0:32:34 > 0:32:36- Fingers crossed!- Fingers crossed.
0:32:36 > 0:32:39I've really enjoyed today, but I've got a feeling
0:32:39 > 0:32:42they're going to spring a couple of big surprises on us tomorrow.
0:32:42 > 0:32:45I think they will. Hmm, very exciting.
0:32:51 > 0:32:56Newlyweds Nick and Marion are kissing goodbye to the busy streets of Brixton
0:32:56 > 0:32:58for their dream of running a B&B in Cornwall.
0:32:58 > 0:33:01But with a budget that must not break £650,000,
0:33:01 > 0:33:06and a mother-in-law to accommodate too, they've set us a real challenge.
0:33:06 > 0:33:13So far they've seen two rain-soaked properties, but coming up, the sun begins to shine.
0:33:13 > 0:33:16It seems absolutely right!
0:33:16 > 0:33:19And a warm glow fills our house-hunters.
0:33:19 > 0:33:22You are kidding. You're kidding!
0:33:22 > 0:33:24You're making us very, very happy today.
0:33:24 > 0:33:28I have to say I was pretty pleased with the way the property search went yesterday.
0:33:28 > 0:33:33The properties I showed Marion and Nick did require them to think outside the box,
0:33:33 > 0:33:37and they came up trumps - they were very imaginative about what they could do with the space -
0:33:37 > 0:33:42and so I'm hoping that today, with the addition of beautiful Cornish weather,
0:33:42 > 0:33:45things are going to go swimmingly well.
0:33:46 > 0:33:48For our first property of the day,
0:33:48 > 0:33:51we're heading to the small hamlet of St Martin.
0:33:51 > 0:33:53It's in a lovely rural spot,
0:33:53 > 0:33:56with far-reaching views of the Cornish countryside.
0:33:56 > 0:33:59Just four miles away, Nick and Marion's guests could take a trip
0:33:59 > 0:34:02to visit the beautiful fishing village of Looe.
0:34:02 > 0:34:08Lying on Cornwall's south coast, a seven-arched bridge connects east and west Looe.
0:34:08 > 0:34:11Fishing boats bob around its pretty harbour, and a large sandy beach,
0:34:11 > 0:34:15popular with families, stretches along the sea front.
0:34:18 > 0:34:20Take a look at this.
0:34:20 > 0:34:22- Cor!- Oh, wow.
0:34:22 > 0:34:26- Now, in the pouring rain, you were very brave yesterday, but I think you're going to...- Wow.
0:34:26 > 0:34:29Your head's going to fall off with excitement at this one.
0:34:29 > 0:34:34- It is absolutely stunning, isn't it? - I was going to say exactly the same thing. It's fantastic, isn't it?
0:34:34 > 0:34:38- So it's a great location for a B&B and it is a B&B.- Excellent.
0:34:38 > 0:34:40- Wow.- This is a fully functional B&B.
0:34:40 > 0:34:44You could move in on Saturday and be serving guests breakfast on Monday.
0:34:44 > 0:34:46- Brilliant.- Brilliant, that's the kind of thing we're looking for.
0:34:46 > 0:34:48Now, they raise alpacas...
0:34:48 > 0:34:51- We've seen them, they're so beautiful.- You've seen them in your field.- Oh, wow.
0:34:51 > 0:34:54- Oh!- Cos these two acres... - Down and then up again.
0:34:54 > 0:34:57- Two paddocks and a bit of... a bit of woodland.- Wow.
0:34:57 > 0:34:59Always wanted a bit of woodland.
0:34:59 > 0:35:04- But it's just perfect for what you want, I think. So let's have a look. - Wow.- Yeah.
0:35:04 > 0:35:09Not only is the sun smiling today but so are our buyers,
0:35:09 > 0:35:13and I've got a feeling their smiles are going to grow when they see inside.
0:35:13 > 0:35:17Now, this is what B&B's all about.
0:35:17 > 0:35:20- Oh, my word, look at that. - Isn't that great? So welcoming.
0:35:20 > 0:35:22- It's beautiful. - Oh, wow. That flooring.
0:35:22 > 0:35:27All your little leaflets. Let me show you the first guest room, to show you the quality of this B&B.
0:35:27 > 0:35:29- Oh, wow, look at that!- Oh!
0:35:31 > 0:35:36There's four letting rooms which sleeps altogether ten people, so here, for example you've got
0:35:36 > 0:35:41- a double and a single, but each room is sort of themed, so this is the seaside room.- Yeah.
0:35:41 > 0:35:45- Aha.- But just look at the quality, look how deep the walls are.
0:35:45 > 0:35:47- Wow, they are... - These beautiful sills.
0:35:47 > 0:35:49Really warm.
0:35:49 > 0:35:51And every room has an en-suite.
0:35:51 > 0:35:55- Fantastic.- And everything in the B&B rooms comes in the price.
0:35:55 > 0:36:00- Wow, brilliant.- Oh, good Lord, that's interesting.- So you literally could start having people in...
0:36:00 > 0:36:02Turnkey operation. Loving it!
0:36:02 > 0:36:05It's going to be a very short house tour - you're just going to go,
0:36:05 > 0:36:07- "I love it, I love it, I love it."- Feet on the ground.
0:36:07 > 0:36:10- Feet on the ground, OK. - As I say, it's all set up,
0:36:10 > 0:36:13so we go into the kitchenette, so people can make tea.
0:36:13 > 0:36:18- Ah, brilliant.- Brilliantly useful. - Feel at home.- Look at the view! I'd be making tea all the time!
0:36:18 > 0:36:23And then you come here into the guest dining room.
0:36:23 > 0:36:26- Oh!- Oh, cute!- How sweet is this!
0:36:26 > 0:36:30- And this goes through into another suite, so you've got another bedroom with another en-suite, double.- OK.
0:36:30 > 0:36:35- Wow.- How old is this place, actually? Look at these beams. - So, yes, a lot of this is restored.
0:36:35 > 0:36:39- This would probably have been put in place during the renovation, actually.- Oh, OK.
0:36:39 > 0:36:45As would have all the flooring, but the property's probably largely Victorian.
0:36:45 > 0:36:52Although, when they were renovating it, the remains of a 13th-century mill.
0:36:52 > 0:36:58- Oh, OK. At this stage, I mean it seems absolutely right. - Yeah, it's stunningly beautiful.
0:37:00 > 0:37:05The B&B side of the property's scoring on all fronts, and the luxurious guest rooms continue
0:37:05 > 0:37:12in the adjoining former hayloft and the detached ex-piggery, complete with boar-themed bathroom.
0:37:12 > 0:37:16So with the guests happily catered for,
0:37:16 > 0:37:20it's time to head upstairs to see Nick, Marion and Julie's living quarters.
0:37:20 > 0:37:25Because the house is on a slope, the first floor can be accessed from ground level in the back garden.
0:37:25 > 0:37:27Now, the kitchen.
0:37:27 > 0:37:29- Wow.- Oh, wow.
0:37:29 > 0:37:33- Oh, a double wow, that's good! - Look at this!- Nice.
0:37:33 > 0:37:37So it's a sweet little, it's not huge, but it's got lots of lovely features,
0:37:37 > 0:37:41easy-wipe surfaces, nice hand-painted units, an island...
0:37:41 > 0:37:43Yeah, absolutely, I love islands.
0:37:43 > 0:37:47They've got everything, and then you've got a laundry room and everything, so all very compact.
0:37:47 > 0:37:49- Mm.- Is this adequate for your needs, then?
0:37:49 > 0:37:54- Yeah. Yeah, absolutely. I can cook in this one.- Yeah, definitely.- Loving it.- Beautiful.
0:37:54 > 0:37:59But what I really want to show you, get ready for this, is your living space.
0:37:59 > 0:38:03Hold onto your hats, I think you're going to like this.
0:38:03 > 0:38:07- Oh, wow.- Look at this place!
0:38:07 > 0:38:09- It is stunningly beautiful, isn't it?- Absolutely marvellous.
0:38:09 > 0:38:13An impressive living space, isn't it? It is stunningly beautiful.
0:38:13 > 0:38:17- You've got this wonderful floor, which is warm underfoot. - Wow.- Beautiful.
0:38:17 > 0:38:22And all the original beams, but light coming in from every corner through these big thick walls.
0:38:22 > 0:38:25Oh, and the exposed walls, look at that.
0:38:25 > 0:38:29And the exposed details of the stonework underneath.
0:38:29 > 0:38:34And the thing is that you can go down this staircase straight into your B&B.
0:38:34 > 0:38:38- So that's the door.- Aha, I saw the door at the bottom. Brilliant, that's where it comes out.
0:38:38 > 0:38:41Just off the living room are two bedrooms, both en-suite,
0:38:41 > 0:38:43the smallest of which, I think, would be perfect for Julie.
0:38:43 > 0:38:49But I'm taking them to the second and larger bedroom on the other side of the living room.
0:38:51 > 0:38:54- And this could be your room. - It's just beautiful, isn't it? Wow.
0:38:54 > 0:38:56- Look at this. - Look at that, it's so light.
0:38:56 > 0:39:02- Look at those wardrobes.- You've got lots and lots of storage, and a lovely en-suite, a shower room.- Wow.
0:39:02 > 0:39:04It's a beautiful room.
0:39:04 > 0:39:09- I get the impression you hate it... - Absolutely loathe it, I'm not going back for love or money.
0:39:09 > 0:39:13- I don't ever want to leave.- It's pretty good. When we saw this, it was wow, they're going to love this.
0:39:13 > 0:39:16- Yeah.- You've done well. - You'd be right.
0:39:16 > 0:39:22- Well, there's a little bit more to see, cos we haven't seen everything outside, so let's do that.- Great.
0:39:22 > 0:39:24After you.
0:39:24 > 0:39:27Fantastic stuff, they're loving this property.
0:39:27 > 0:39:31Let's hope that the outside space will seal the deal.
0:39:31 > 0:39:32Right, more land.
0:39:32 > 0:39:34- More land. Wow.- Look at this.
0:39:34 > 0:39:38- So this is open to the guests at the moment, and then that's your private bit down there.- Yeah.
0:39:38 > 0:39:42You've also got a nice shed, which could work as your office.
0:39:42 > 0:39:44A studio as well.
0:39:44 > 0:39:47Or a studio.
0:39:47 > 0:39:50- Or both.- Now I would like to point out the hot tub.- Wa-hey!
0:39:50 > 0:39:53Oh, I was thinking, look at that!
0:39:53 > 0:39:56- With the amazing views! - A hot tub with a view.
0:39:56 > 0:39:59- A hot tub with a view, that's what you want.- Good God.- That's not all.
0:39:59 > 0:40:00Oh, my God, what?
0:40:00 > 0:40:05- Because as well as this land here, you own two more acres...- What?
0:40:05 > 0:40:07- Of pasture, up there.- Oh, my God.
0:40:07 > 0:40:11- Wow.- So it could be your tent and breakfast.
0:40:11 > 0:40:16- Fantastic.- Or indeed yurt and breakfast wonderland. - That is unexpected.- Oh!
0:40:16 > 0:40:19- So this property comes with five acres.- Five acres.
0:40:19 > 0:40:22- Five acres!- Of land.
0:40:22 > 0:40:25- Oh. That's more than we wanted, but I'll take it!- I'll take that!
0:40:25 > 0:40:28What do you think it costs?
0:40:28 > 0:40:30Ooh, now you're asking.
0:40:30 > 0:40:34- Considering what else we've seen, 625, 630.- Yeah.
0:40:34 > 0:40:36Something like that.
0:40:36 > 0:40:38- Yeah, something like that.- At least.
0:40:38 > 0:40:40- 610 maybe?- 610?
0:40:40 > 0:40:42I think you're being extremely...
0:40:42 > 0:40:45- I'm being kind. - Being optimistic.- There you go.
0:40:45 > 0:40:50- This property is on the market for 595.- You are kidding.
0:40:50 > 0:40:51- Really?- You're kidding!
0:40:51 > 0:40:54You're making us very, very happy today!
0:40:54 > 0:40:56- That is ridiculous.- 595.
0:40:56 > 0:40:57I'm not going to ask why.
0:40:57 > 0:41:01- That is amazing.- Brilliant. - It is amazing, actually.- It is.
0:41:01 > 0:41:03It's an amazing price for what you're looking for.
0:41:03 > 0:41:06- That's just ridiculous.- It's a fully functioning B&B business.
0:41:06 > 0:41:10- Yeah.- Land... - Five acres!- And a beautiful view.
0:41:10 > 0:41:13- And a hot tub!- Amazing view. - Have a stroll around,
0:41:13 > 0:41:15- and I'll see you at the front. - See you there.
0:41:17 > 0:41:21Wow, this B&B hits the mark in every way, shape and form.
0:41:21 > 0:41:25At £595,000, it's under budget and fully operational.
0:41:25 > 0:41:29There are four luxurious bed and breakfast rooms, and all are en-suite.
0:41:29 > 0:41:35And there's a further two bedrooms on either side of an incredibly high-spec living/dining room.
0:41:35 > 0:41:40Outside, there are five acres of land, with phenomenal rural views.
0:41:40 > 0:41:43It couldn't be a better fit.
0:41:43 > 0:41:47- Look at this.- Wow.- This is amazing. - Perfect yurt land.
0:41:47 > 0:41:51Perfect yurt land and, you know, have a little festival on there perhaps.
0:41:51 > 0:41:54- Yeah! What an amazing, amazing, amazing place.- Absolutely stunning.
0:41:54 > 0:41:57First impressions? Bowled over.
0:41:57 > 0:41:59Bowled over, absolutely.
0:41:59 > 0:42:01Properly speechless actually, and I still am.
0:42:01 > 0:42:05It's the most amazing house I think I've ever seen.
0:42:05 > 0:42:08It's so beautiful.
0:42:08 > 0:42:10There's just nothing about it that I haven't fallen in love with.
0:42:10 > 0:42:15To find it available at £595,000 is beyond my expectations, I mean hugely.
0:42:15 > 0:42:18I just, I am blown away, actually.
0:42:18 > 0:42:20I know, it's just so peaceful and beautiful.
0:42:20 > 0:42:24It's one of the most beautiful barn conversions I've ever seen.
0:42:24 > 0:42:29- I could live here. - Oh, I think let's rephrase that - we're going to live here.
0:42:29 > 0:42:33I think something might be afoot, dear viewer, because they've been gone absolutely hours,
0:42:33 > 0:42:39- and the owners have come back, and they've gone into a sort of huddle, and now here they are!- Hello.
0:42:39 > 0:42:42- Hi.- What's happened? You've been gone hours and you're grinning like lunatics.
0:42:42 > 0:42:45Um, something unexpected sort of happened really, didn't it?
0:42:45 > 0:42:49- Yeah, yeah.- What, what? - Mum hot-footed it down here, loved it as well,
0:42:49 > 0:42:52we just spoke to the owners, and...
0:42:52 > 0:42:54- And put in an offer.- Put in an offer?
0:42:54 > 0:42:57- Yeah.- And it's been accepted! - It's been accepted.- Oh, my God!
0:42:57 > 0:42:58We are meant to live here!
0:42:58 > 0:43:01That's weird! That's never happened on this show -
0:43:01 > 0:43:04you've actually bought the house, and we haven't even left it yet.
0:43:04 > 0:43:07Aw, congratulations. Well done, you.
0:43:07 > 0:43:08Thank you very much, thank you.
0:43:08 > 0:43:10Bravo! Aw. Aw.
0:43:14 > 0:43:16Top marks for grasping the nettle, that's fantastic.
0:43:16 > 0:43:18Yeah, when things are meant to be, you've got to make them happen.
0:43:18 > 0:43:21Yeah, absolutely. This place was meant to be.
0:43:21 > 0:43:22I think that's a first on the show.
0:43:22 > 0:43:25We've never actually sold one on air. That's amazing.
0:43:25 > 0:43:27Well, I don't quite know what to do.
0:43:27 > 0:43:31We should, we've got other houses to show you, but...
0:43:31 > 0:43:32- Well, we could buy two.- Yeah.
0:43:32 > 0:43:34Ah, no, we can't, we won't want to!
0:43:34 > 0:43:38Let's go for a stroll, shall we, let's clear the head.
0:43:38 > 0:43:42Well, I may be strolling, but Nick and Marion are positively skipping with excitement.
0:43:42 > 0:43:45After all, they've made Escape To The Country history
0:43:45 > 0:43:48and put an offer on the house of their dreams on the spot.
0:43:53 > 0:43:56Now they've found their picture-perfect B&B,
0:43:56 > 0:43:59they still have those five acres to fill.
0:43:59 > 0:44:01Not difficult when part of your dream
0:44:01 > 0:44:04is to run a yurt and breakfast too.
0:44:04 > 0:44:08These sturdy structures have housed nomads throughout central Asia
0:44:08 > 0:44:09since the 12th century
0:44:09 > 0:44:13and were designed to be dismantled quickly to allow them to flee
0:44:13 > 0:44:15from raiders like Ghengis Khan.
0:44:15 > 0:44:19But they're now increasingly to be found dotted around the English countryside.
0:44:19 > 0:44:22Marion and Nick are meeting Tim Hutton,
0:44:22 > 0:44:26who runs a yurt campsite to find out more.
0:44:26 > 0:44:29I understand you're interested in seeing how a yurt is put together.
0:44:29 > 0:44:30Yeah.
0:44:30 > 0:44:33- Good.- We know nothing about it, so...- Good, excellent.
0:44:33 > 0:44:39Everything hinges on the door which the wooden frame of the yurt is then stretched around and tied to.
0:44:39 > 0:44:43Traditional Mongolian yurts are usually made from larch and willow,
0:44:43 > 0:44:46but in this country, ash is a great sustainable option.
0:44:46 > 0:44:49Great, so that's the basic structure.
0:44:49 > 0:44:52A tent band is then wrapped around the outside of the frame,
0:44:52 > 0:44:55which holds the wall in place.
0:44:55 > 0:44:57Next up, it's time to raise the roof.
0:44:57 > 0:45:02The central wheel acts as a vent for the fire smoke to escape through.
0:45:02 > 0:45:05Once all the poles have been fixed and tied off...
0:45:05 > 0:45:08- So, you finished with that one? - Yeah.- Ideal.- Great, we done?- Yep.
0:45:08 > 0:45:12The next stage is to insulate and cover the yurt.
0:45:12 > 0:45:17Traditionally covered with up to five layers of felt, we're using heavy cotton canvas.
0:45:17 > 0:45:20It only takes around an hour to erect the yurt,
0:45:20 > 0:45:24and now it's time to step inside and learn the house rules.
0:45:24 > 0:45:28There's a certain etiquette and certain positionings when it comes to the layout of the yurt
0:45:28 > 0:45:30and the way that people behave.
0:45:30 > 0:45:34Traditionally, the door would always be facing south, and you'd walk into the yurt...
0:45:34 > 0:45:38generally move in a clockwise position around the stove, which would be in the centre.
0:45:38 > 0:45:44Perhaps the yurt and breakfast idea could give Nick and Marion's holiday retreat an appealing edge.
0:45:44 > 0:45:49Even if their offer on the last B&B we saw has been accepted.
0:45:49 > 0:45:51We need to at least show them the mystery property.
0:45:51 > 0:45:55After all, in an ever-changing market, anything could happen.
0:45:55 > 0:45:58So we're off to see the mystery house - what do you think that might involve, then?
0:45:58 > 0:46:03Well, we were talking about this last night and we, you know, really have absolutely no idea.
0:46:03 > 0:46:07- No.- One of the things that we considered that it might be a lot less expensive,
0:46:07 > 0:46:10that it might be a real project that we could stamp our own character on.
0:46:10 > 0:46:12Mm, and something that would be cheap enough
0:46:12 > 0:46:15- that we wouldn't necessarily need an income straightaway from the B&B.- Yeah.
0:46:15 > 0:46:18And how do you feel about a big project?
0:46:18 > 0:46:21Depend how big, probably.
0:46:21 > 0:46:23I think we're open to any possibilities, right?
0:46:23 > 0:46:25We have to stay open to any possibility.
0:46:25 > 0:46:26Yeah. Absolutely.
0:46:28 > 0:46:34The mystery house is hidden away in the countryside of St Clether, five miles from Cornwall's north coast.
0:46:34 > 0:46:38This is a very rural landscape, ideal for the ultra-rustic retreat
0:46:38 > 0:46:41that Nick and Marion are seeking to create.
0:46:41 > 0:46:44And that means plenty of space for those yurts, too.
0:46:44 > 0:46:48It's time for the mystery house!
0:46:48 > 0:46:52- Wow.- As you can see, maybe a little bit of work needed here.
0:46:52 > 0:46:54- A slight bit!- Just a smidgen.
0:46:54 > 0:46:56What we've got is three barns.
0:46:56 > 0:46:58- These are like gold dust, really.- Yeah.
0:46:58 > 0:47:00It sits in a hundred acres of land.
0:47:00 > 0:47:04- Wow.- From which you can cherry pick whatever you want.- Oh, really?
0:47:04 > 0:47:10- Wow.- We'll talk about all that a bit later, but it's essentially these three buildings, barn number one...
0:47:10 > 0:47:14- The big one. - Barn number two...- Yeah.
0:47:14 > 0:47:17- And barn number three. - Right.- Wow.- I can see that, yeah.
0:47:17 > 0:47:23All of them have got fully OK'd residential planning permission.
0:47:23 > 0:47:27- Oh, right. - Which is also very unusual for agricultural buildings round here.
0:47:27 > 0:47:32So, essentially, you could turn all of them into residences.
0:47:32 > 0:47:34- Ah.- I can see where we could go with this.
0:47:34 > 0:47:39- Beautiful.- I can see enough room, I can see enough space and I can see a glorious location.
0:47:39 > 0:47:42I think it has huge amounts of potential, although we might be
0:47:42 > 0:47:46living in a caravan for some time if we chose this one.
0:47:46 > 0:47:48Could be one of the little delights of this.
0:47:48 > 0:47:52Let's take a look at them one by one.
0:47:52 > 0:47:57I really hope that they have the imagination to see the potential of the wonderful spaces on offer here.
0:47:57 > 0:48:00First up is the smallest of the three barns.
0:48:00 > 0:48:03This one could be turned into a single-storey one-bed with an en-suite.
0:48:03 > 0:48:10Now, this used to be the garage, well, still was - all these were used up to last year.
0:48:10 > 0:48:13I've got the plans here, so I'll put them down here, you can refer to them as I point.
0:48:13 > 0:48:18- This end will have a living room, a kitchen, and they're going to build out the bathroom here.- Right.
0:48:18 > 0:48:22- OK.- And also a little porch, so you'll have a front door.
0:48:22 > 0:48:26- It's actually quite a sizeable space.- Mm.- It is.- I was thinking it might be a nice place for Julie.
0:48:26 > 0:48:29- Absolutely.- Mm.
0:48:29 > 0:48:31Queen of all she surveys.
0:48:31 > 0:48:35So that's Julie catered for. What about Nick and Marion?
0:48:35 > 0:48:39- Right, now this is a much more exciting proposition.- Mm.
0:48:39 > 0:48:43Can I just point out these magnificent granite pillars?
0:48:43 > 0:48:47- They're amazing, aren't they? - I've never seen that on an agricultural building.
0:48:47 > 0:48:49This breaks up into two parts.
0:48:49 > 0:48:54There's this big old what was the carriage shed and that's going to be the kitchen and living room here.
0:48:54 > 0:48:57- Right.- And all of this is going to be glass behind these pillars.
0:48:57 > 0:49:00With a little imagination and the right architect,
0:49:00 > 0:49:06this derelict shed could be turned into a monument of contemporary living, with a spectacular glazed
0:49:06 > 0:49:09open-planned living space, complete with all the mod cons.
0:49:09 > 0:49:12This could be a dream home for Marion and Nick.
0:49:12 > 0:49:15- So effectively it would be a two-bedroom house.- Wow.
0:49:15 > 0:49:18So the idea is that Julie lives up here and you live down here.
0:49:18 > 0:49:20- Mm.- That works.- That would work.
0:49:20 > 0:49:25There's a lot for Marion and Nick to get their heads around here, but before they made any decisions,
0:49:25 > 0:49:29there are guests to think of and there's plenty of space for them.
0:49:29 > 0:49:33And this is the grand idea, this is the really chunky conversion,
0:49:33 > 0:49:36cos this has got plans for four bedrooms. Ta-da!
0:49:36 > 0:49:38Wow, it's huge.
0:49:38 > 0:49:43So you can see here, you'd go in, and there'd be a utility room and a kitchen/diner at the back.
0:49:43 > 0:49:48- And upstairs, your master suite. - Wow, that'd be spectacular, wouldn't it?
0:49:48 > 0:49:52- Very good. And they'd keep these lovely steps up.- Yeah. - Which is just fabulous.
0:49:52 > 0:49:56- Do you want to look inside and see what the state it's in?- Sure.
0:49:56 > 0:49:59- Mind the mice.- Careful, Marion.
0:50:03 > 0:50:06- It's quite nice to look inside, actually.- Mm.
0:50:06 > 0:50:09I think that barns are pretty atmospheric, even when they're not done up.
0:50:09 > 0:50:12- Yeah.- They are. Good party places when they're still barns.- Yeah.
0:50:12 > 0:50:16You might want to clean them a little bit.
0:50:16 > 0:50:20This project is a developer's dream and has so much potential.
0:50:20 > 0:50:24We're in the kitchen, next to what would be the grand atrium forming the living area,
0:50:24 > 0:50:29and at the back of the downstairs, there's space for the study, which could also be a fourth bedroom.
0:50:29 > 0:50:33Upstairs, there are plans for three bedrooms, all en-suite.
0:50:36 > 0:50:39Mm. I'm glad you're seeing it in this light as well, cos it's absolutely fantastic.
0:50:39 > 0:50:43- Spectacular.- It's a beautiful day.
0:50:43 > 0:50:47This is the back of your... of your huge barn conversion.
0:50:47 > 0:50:50- Oh!- It was the bull house, rather excitingly.- Ah.
0:50:50 > 0:50:54And this would all be one living room, right up to, to the trusses.
0:50:54 > 0:50:57- Wow.- And this would all be terraced.
0:50:57 > 0:51:04Because that's west, and that's south, so this would just be a golden bowl of light all day long.
0:51:04 > 0:51:05- Mm.- I'm selling it to you, aren't I?
0:51:05 > 0:51:10- You are.- I can see, I'm hypnotising you like a mongoose.
0:51:10 > 0:51:13I know you've found the house of your dreams, but this is interesting.
0:51:13 > 0:51:16How much is this all going to cost to do?
0:51:16 > 0:51:22Let's start first with the plot of land and the ruins, the barns as they are now.
0:51:22 > 0:51:28No extra land, no price of conversion, just what you would pay the vendor now.
0:51:30 > 0:51:34Somewhere between 100 and £150,000.
0:51:34 > 0:51:36I think a lot more than that, actually.
0:51:36 > 0:51:40- I think you're looking at 250 to 290. - Really?- Yeah.
0:51:40 > 0:51:43Yeah, as I said, I have no concept of how much this would go for.
0:51:43 > 0:51:46- Can I just say something?- Mm. - You're right, it is
0:51:46 > 0:51:49- quite a bit more than both of you thought.- Wow, really?
0:51:49 > 0:51:53For the first two, you've been very good, but this is a very strange kind of set-up.
0:51:53 > 0:51:54Yes, that's why I've got no sort of concept.
0:51:54 > 0:52:01So this, these three barns and just the land they're on is on the market for £430,000.
0:52:01 > 0:52:03- What?- Cor. Wow.
0:52:03 > 0:52:06- And then extra land...- Yeah.
0:52:06 > 0:52:10Land round here goes about £5,000 an acre, so to get your two acres,
0:52:10 > 0:52:15you'd have to say another £10,000, so that brings us up to 440.
0:52:15 > 0:52:18- And...- And then there's renovating. - Any idea of those costs?
0:52:18 > 0:52:20- You don't need to renovate! - You could live here like this!
0:52:20 > 0:52:22So, yes, the renovation costs are also quite substantial.
0:52:22 > 0:52:26You could renovate it bit by bit, £40,000 for the small one, £100,000
0:52:26 > 0:52:33for the middle one, and £220,000, so the total build all told
0:52:33 > 0:52:37- would be about £800,000.- Wowee. - That's an extraordinary amount of money.- It is.
0:52:37 > 0:52:42The mystery house is always there to kind of pull focus for you to think, "Ooh, gosh, shake things up a bit."
0:52:42 > 0:52:46And if nothing else, it's proved to you what a good deal
0:52:46 > 0:52:49- the up-and-running B&B barn conversion was.- Yes.
0:52:49 > 0:52:52- Absolutely.- Absolutely. And now even more how happy we are with it.- Yeah.
0:52:52 > 0:52:57Well, it was worth a shot, but clearly this project is not for them.
0:52:57 > 0:53:02The barns come in at £430,000, and with two acres of extra land
0:53:02 > 0:53:07and renovation costs taking it up to £800,000, it's a pretty penny or two.
0:53:07 > 0:53:10But that's the price you pay for such a unique opportunity.
0:53:10 > 0:53:15There's planning consent to create a one-bed, a two-bed and a four-bed property.
0:53:15 > 0:53:20And there are large amounts of pasture land available to purchase separately.
0:53:22 > 0:53:25It'd be interesting to tackle a project from start to finish,
0:53:25 > 0:53:31blank canvas, but much as I would love to take something like this on, it's not the right time yet.
0:53:31 > 0:53:34It does one thing here that none of the others
0:53:34 > 0:53:39actually did, which was provide totally separate space for us, the guests and my mum.
0:53:39 > 0:53:41So I can see why you brought us here, and it's
0:53:41 > 0:53:45just really reconfirmed just how amazing the other place was for us.
0:53:45 > 0:53:49- Just too much of a project, and we've already found our dream home, haven't we?- Yes.
0:53:56 > 0:54:02Rarely has there been less suspense at the decision at the end of the show,
0:54:02 > 0:54:07because I don't recall ever one of the houses being bought by...
0:54:07 > 0:54:11the couple on the show. So you have broken new ground. Congratulations.
0:54:11 > 0:54:13- Thank you very much. - Yes.- Nonetheless,
0:54:13 > 0:54:19I would be very interested to hear about the process that we went through to get where we got to.
0:54:19 > 0:54:23Very first property I showed you was two properties, in fact.
0:54:23 > 0:54:25What are your thoughts about that conversion?
0:54:25 > 0:54:30Initially, I think we both looked at it and thought "Great." It was, it looked beautiful.
0:54:30 > 0:54:33Yeah, it was pretty as a picture from the outside.
0:54:33 > 0:54:35It appeared to have enough space.
0:54:35 > 0:54:38On reflection, as we were walking around we were thinking there was
0:54:38 > 0:54:42going to be a lot to be done to kind of make it fit our purposes.
0:54:42 > 0:54:46- And I think the land wasn't really what we were looking for, really, was it?- No.
0:54:46 > 0:54:49How about the Victorian house near Newquay?
0:54:49 > 0:54:52We started that one less enthusiastic,
0:54:52 > 0:54:54probably would be fair to say.
0:54:54 > 0:54:57Yes, it was the reverse of the first one. Initially you walk in,
0:54:57 > 0:55:00and there's a couple of square rooms and you think, hmm,
0:55:00 > 0:55:04there's not much here to excite me, but it did reveal itself bit by bit
0:55:04 > 0:55:06to be greater than the sum of its parts.
0:55:06 > 0:55:10And it still wasn't a natural fit, but it could have been adapted.
0:55:10 > 0:55:12It definitely had potential for adaptation with the cellar,
0:55:12 > 0:55:14and the annexe would have been perfect for Julie.
0:55:14 > 0:55:16Tell me about the guest house.
0:55:16 > 0:55:18Where do we start?
0:55:18 > 0:55:22It was before we even walked round and saw it, it just felt like home.
0:55:22 > 0:55:25- The guest rooms are presented so well.- It was perfect for our purposes
0:55:25 > 0:55:30without us having to do anything in order to make it fit us -
0:55:30 > 0:55:33it just felt like we kind of belonged there.
0:55:33 > 0:55:35So many selling points to it, so many USPs.
0:55:35 > 0:55:41Well, before we come back to, to enjoying that more, let us cast a little thought on the mystery house.
0:55:41 > 0:55:43It was an interesting property in all sorts of ways.
0:55:43 > 0:55:47It was interesting - it's kind of like the entirely opposite, really.
0:55:47 > 0:55:49Great for someone who's got the time, the energy,
0:55:49 > 0:55:52the patience and the know-how to do a project like that.
0:55:52 > 0:55:54Maybe not just now, I think we realised when we saw it -
0:55:54 > 0:55:58the amount of the work that would have to be done and the energy that would have to be invested in it.
0:55:58 > 0:56:03I'm delighted that I was showing you round the properties and that you found the one that you
0:56:03 > 0:56:09- want so profoundly and acted on it, because you know, those two things don't often come together.- Mm.
0:56:09 > 0:56:12We're absolutely delighted as well,
0:56:12 > 0:56:15and thanks to everyone involved, really - it's been wonderful.
0:56:15 > 0:56:18It has, it's been a brilliant experience, and then to find
0:56:18 > 0:56:20the house of our dreams and it all work out like that is just perfect.
0:56:20 > 0:56:22You're all very welcome at our party.
0:56:22 > 0:56:31- Well, we'll turn up, because you are unique and original on our show, so here's to that.- Cheers.- Cheers.
0:56:35 > 0:56:39I don't mean to crow, but we sold a house right there and then
0:56:39 > 0:56:44on the spot, and I don't think we've ever done that before on the show, it's quite extraordinary,
0:56:44 > 0:56:48so we're quite pleased at the way our adventures in Cornwall turned out.
0:56:48 > 0:56:53And if you've been inspired by Marion and Nick's amazing house-buying fun,
0:56:53 > 0:56:57then do tune in next time for more Escape To The Country.
0:56:57 > 0:57:00If you want to escape to the country in Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland
0:57:00 > 0:57:04or England and need our help, please apply online...
0:57:16 > 0:57:20Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd
0:57:20 > 0:57:22E-mail subtitling@bbc.co.uk