Cumbria Escape to the Country


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I wandered lonely as a cloud that floats on high o'er vale and trees

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And all at once I saw a crowd, a host of golden properties.

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Find out where we are in just a moment.

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In today's show, I'll be helping a couple ditch their urban life and head for the hills.

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This is a really, really nice country kitchen, isn't it?

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We'll be sizing up a series of desirable homes... Look!

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-This is exactly what we asked you for.

-Yes.

-How did you find this?

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And there's a Mystery House, which will add a twist to the mix.

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Today, Escape To The Country is coming from the beautiful Lake District in Cumbria.

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Back in the late 18th century, Wordsworth and the Lake Poets made this area so famous.

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Wordsworth, alongside writing some very long and beautiful poems,

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wrote a guide book in which he said that the Lake District

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was a national treasure in which every man hath a right.

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Whether they have a right to buy

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is something we shall explore on the show today.

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Cumbria takes up position at England's most north-westerly edge,

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snug up against the Scottish border.

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The county is famously home to the Lake District National Park,

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which attracts 8.3 million visitors every year, who gather to walk

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on the rugged peaks or take in the striking scenery from the stunning lakes.

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This region has provided inspiration for generations of artists, poets

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and writers, such as William Wordsworth and Beatrix Potter,

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who have partly been responsible for making this area such a draw

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for tourists, netting Cumbria a £1 billion tourist industry.

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Tourism alone, however, doesn't bring in all the bucks.

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Farming is hugely important to the Cumbrian economy,

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where the pastures are predominantly given over to sheep and dairy farming.

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Away from the peaks and lakes, much of the region's beauty

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is characterised by the buildings, which take full advantage of the rich variety of local materials

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that provide this area with its distinctive identity.

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The Lake District is awash with second homes.

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In Keswick, a little town on Derwent Water, 11% of properties fall into that category.

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You'd think, in this time of economic crisis,

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that second-home owners would want to sell up and release a bit of liquidity,

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but that's not the case. Why?

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Because their second homes can be a nice little earner as a holiday let.

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According to the Tourist Board, the number of requests for accommodation

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has gone up 47%, so people are holding on and not selling.

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Which is bad news for us cos we're trying to find properties to buy,

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but we did manage to dig up a few beauties. Take a look.

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If you have a cool £2 million to spend, then how about this barn

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and coach-house conversion in Cockermouth?

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The five-bedroom property exudes character and

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it's easy to imagine those graceful carriages sweeping under the stone arches.

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But best of all is the spectacular view of the formal gardens

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and the Lakeland fells beyond.

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Or if your budget is hovering around £545,000,

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you could pick up this barn conversion in Rusland.

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It's been renovated to a high standard

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in a contemporary style, and shows off the stunning original oak beams.

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Or if you fancy two for the price of one,

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then this three-bedroom cottage with an attached two-bedroom annexe

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is on the market at Beanthwaite for £375,000.

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The 17th-century character shines through, and the view would have inspired any poet.

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You see, despite the scarcity, some real beauties, but will they please

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today's buyers who are, by all accounts, Lake District experts?

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They are neuro-psychiatrist William and clinical-trials manager Gail

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who live in Ponteland in Northumberland. They're lucky enough

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to be taking early retirement and can't wait to indulge in a new lifestyle.

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Here we are with our much-loved mountain bikes, but currently under-used,

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so I'm hoping, when we go to the Lake District, that we'll be able to use them much more.

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And I'm hoping to finally replace this bike

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for a brand-new one and break it on some of those gentle Cumbrian fells.

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This young-at-heart, outdoor-loving couple

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have made this three-bedroom property their family home

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for the last 22 years but, with the children all grown up

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and retirement looming, it's time for change.

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The ideal, if we can achieve this, is a slower pace than I'm doing now,

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a pace at which I can decide each day whether I do something or not,

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before I decide what it is that I'm going to do.

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I think that's a perfect description

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-of how we'd like to spend the next few years, isn't it?

-Yes.

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But after an 18-month house search and 12 viewings under their belt,

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they've not been successful in finding their Lakeland dream.

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I think maybe we are being a little bit too fussy.

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And I think the problem is that I want an £800,000 house

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for half the price!

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It's a wonderful dream, but what are William and Gail looking for?

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A really pretty Lakeland-style home

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with some Lakeland slate.

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I would ideally love to have something with a view of the fells,

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but I appreciate that that might be asking too much.

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What about inside?

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I would like a nice, community sort of feeling to it,

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a nice living area where everyone was together, cooking, watching TV,

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reading, planning our next day's walking or cycling.

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Although they're moving to the other side of the country,

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they're hoping their married children will make plenty of visits,

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so they're ideally looking for a three-bedroomed house.

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They're not looking for a large garden.

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A small, low-maintenance one will do just fine.

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My fantasy is to have a pub on the corner that I can walk to.

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I've never lived anywhere that I could walk to the pub and walk back,

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so that's the top of my list.

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But, in reality, what we're really thinking about is somewhere that's

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close enough that we can walk to the shop but rural enough that we can

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-go out from the door to run, cycle, to just be in the countryside.

-Yeah.

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William and Gail are in the luxurious position of not having

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to sell their current house to be able to afford their new home.

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If we found our dream house that was perfect in location and outlook,

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and it had everything we wanted, and it was next door to a pub,

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I think we would be prepared to pay £450,000.

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The budget may be sorted, but are they together with their thoughts?

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I think the only slight difference might be that I would prefer to be

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in a bigger area, perhaps in a town like Keswick itself,

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whereas you'd rather be in a smaller, rural area.

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-Yeah, I think that's true.

-But it's not a big issue.

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To make things clear, Gail and William seem to be looking for

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a three-bedroom house in the Lake District

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with a nice community around, maybe a pub.

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That's not too difficult but what slightly worries me

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is they've already looked at 12 properties here and not liked any of them.

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And Gail's sort of admitted that, although she only wants to spend

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£400,000, what she really wants the house to be worth is £800,000.

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Now, the only way out of that is to make a few compromises,

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so let's see if we can nudge them in that direction.

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William and Gail are keen to be in the Northern Lakes

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but well away from the tourist hot-spots,

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so we're targeting the area to the north of Keswick.

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I'll be taking them on a tour of three tantalising Cumbrian homes,

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but I'll be keeping them in the dark as to the prices until after the viewing.

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The last of the three will be the Mystery House

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which will challenge their perception of their Lakeland dream.

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I know you're biased, but this is probably one of the most beautiful places in Britain.

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-Oh, yes.

-We think so.

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-And you're going to live here.

-Well, we hope so.

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The pool of property here in the Lakes is very small.

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It's constricted largely by the fact that there are not that many properties.

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Also, a lot of them are taken as holiday lets and are not being sold.

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And also, there's local occupancy laws

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-which mean that local people are preferred here.

-Yes.

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-So we're taking you on a bit of a magical mystery tour.

-OK.

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-So we might be going to places you haven't thought of before.

-Right.

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And showing you properties you haven't probably considered before.

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-Good.

-Are you up for that?

-We're up for that.

-Definitely.

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-Shall we get looking?

-Yeah.

-That would be great, thanks. Let's find the car.

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William and Gail have £450,000 to spend and are ideally looking for

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a minimum of three bedrooms, an open-plan kitchen-diner

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for when the family gather, a small, easily-maintained garden

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and, top of William's wish list, a village pub.

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Stunning countryside. Are you excited to be actually moving here?

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I know you've been here lots and lots, but

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it's different, isn't it, when you decide to move somewhere?

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Oh, yes. I mean, we... One of the problems with coming over here is that you have to go home again,

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so...being here means that we can do what we like and stay here to live.

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Yeah, I think so too. Just having this great opportunity

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of having taken early retirement, and we're both fit and healthy,

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to come over here and have this life every day

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-is just what most people dream of.

-Yes.

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They certainly do, and I for one am very envious.

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The first house on our list

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is in the village of Wythop Mill, eight miles from Keswick,

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and tucked just inside the Lake District National Park.

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The fells in the Wythop Valley are the Lakeland's final outpost on its north-west edge.

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The landscape is more gentle than the rest of the dramatic Lake District.

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It's a lush patchwork of sheep pastures and peaceful villages.

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Our first house is the epitome of a Lakeland cottage

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and lies in an idyllic rural setting.

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We're looking at this house here.

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-This one on the left.

-Lovely.

-Pretty little cottage.

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Pretty little cottage. It's a mill cottage. That's the old mill.

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Yeah, you can hear the water going by.

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The mill race. So the lovely local brick that you wanted, the stone that you wanted.

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Yes, and the very traditional-looking Cumbrian cottage. Yeah, well done.

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Ten-minute walk to the pub. Can you manage that?

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Ten minutes there, twenty minutes back!

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THEY LAUGH

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You might need to get a bicycle.

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-Shall we look inside?

-I'd love to, yes.

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We'll go in the back door, as good country-style people do.

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In you come.

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Downstairs loo and utility room.

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This is the kitchen.

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-Lovely.

-This is lovely.

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This is a really, really nice country kitchen, isn't it? Nice eating area.

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And this is perfect for cooking while sitting and talking at the same time.

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-Do you spend a lot of time in the kitchen?

-That is our plan, very definitely.

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At the moment, we've got a separate living room and kitchen, and we find we're in separate rooms.

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The layout of this kitchen is traditional Lakeland.

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It looks like a nice cottagey kitchen.

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And picking up from your brief about wanting kind of open-plan living,

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this house has this because...it steps straight out into this.

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-Oh, my goodness!

-This is excellent.

-Oh, wow.

-A really good family room.

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It's not a massive property. This is the whole of the downstairs,

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but it does flow just as one big space from the kitchen.

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Yes, with lots of windows and lots of light.

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-There seems to be lots of light.

-Yeah, yeah.

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And sheep running on the hills outside!

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It's got the feel of a cottage which is really what we would like.

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There's no point in coming to the Lake District and living in glass and chrome, to be honest.

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Drat, must take those other three houses off the list!

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There are some nice features, including the wood-burner behind you.

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It gives off an enormous amount of heat, and this fireplace has got a very nice beam here, reclaimed.

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But also, this is Cumbrian red sandstone.

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That is very, very impressive, a log-burning fire, isn't it?

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-It is, yes.

-It's really, really good.

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And it will keep you incredibly warm.

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In those cold Cumbrian winters.

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After all that fell-walking.

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-Upstairs, you're looking for three bedrooms?

-Yes.

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-If at all possible.

-We've got that.

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This cottage with its cosy feel is deceptively large, and I think it's appealing to them.

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Heading upstairs, I'm going to start with the largest bedroom.

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Some of the bedrooms upstairs may be in need a bit of remodelling.

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-I think perhaps upstairs, the wood's a little bit dark.

-It is quite dark.

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If you lightened the wood up, it would make the room look bigger.

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You could live with this for a little while,

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but I think you'd want to stamp your own style onto this.

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It's a really nice size for a cottage.

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It will be you and your children, presumably, coming to stay.

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Yes, we've got two married daughters.

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We have a fantasy in our head of Christmas with the six of us here,

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in the snow, walking back from the pub.

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It's amazing how many people buy their houses on the basis of that one day a year.

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There are other bedrooms and, of course, the bathrooms, so let's check those out.

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I'm sure their family would be very happy with the second double bedroom next door.

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Time to size up the bathing quarters.

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It's a very good-sized bathroom.

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Mmm, yes.

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-Cos you've got a huge double shower, look.

-Yes.

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-Yeah.

-And a nice corner bath.

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-Yes.

-I'm not sure how they found enough room to put this bathroom in.

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It is strange, isn't it?

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I think because it's all one space downstairs, you think it's going to be tiny upstairs.

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-Yes, you do.

-It is really a very nicely sized bathroom.

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I don't think you'll be disappointed by the third bedroom either.

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-That's through there.

-Lead the way.

-Thank you.

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I think this the nicest room or the biggest room.

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It's a big difference from the other room, the lighter colour. It's really lifted the room.

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You haven't got built-in wardrobes

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and mirrors and things. It looks more cottagey with the pine.

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You've got a lovely little Victorian maid's fireplace.

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-That is pretty, isn't it?

-It's pretty.

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Now, I know outside space is not an important thing for you.

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Well, when there's all the Lake District to explore, why do you need a garden?

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We do have a garden. Let's have a look at it.

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This cottage certainly delivers ample room for their needs,

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and I think we have it spot on with the garden.

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-Lovely mill stream.

-Oh...

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The sound of running water. And it's a very small

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but very manageable garden.

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That's exactly what I want - a nice sitting area.

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It's a perfect little garden that just needs a bit of maintenance, but no lawns to mow.

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-A guilt-free garden.

-It's a guilt-free garden.

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It gets all the afternoon sun, which is really nice, so you can come out here with your G&T.

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-Yes.

-Sun-downers.

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-Yes.

-A little bit overlooked from this property here.

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-I don't think so too badly.

-Not too bad.

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I think it's a perfect little garden. Very pretty.

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-Yes, isn't it?

-What about the price?

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Obviously we are IN the Lake District National Park,

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-It's difficult to find properties in here.

-Yes.

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What do you think it's on the market for?

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The three double bedrooms is a good selling point for the house,

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but I think the one bathroom would be an issue

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if you had six people staying in the property,

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so I would think, or possibly hope, it would be about £360,000.

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I'd put it a little higher than that because I think it is

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done to a high quality, and with the big bedrooms.

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I probably think it would be going for about £390,000.

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Well, it's on the market for £430,000,

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which is maybe a hangover from the good old days when everything

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was absolutely sky high because it's been on the market for a while.

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So why don't you have a little snoop around without me,

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and then we'll meet out the front and then we'll power on.

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-OK. Thank you, Alistair.

-Pleasure.

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This lovely cottage is on the market for £430,000.

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It has the kitchen diner they were eager to have, a spacious lounge

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with character features, three bedrooms for when the family visit

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and a low maintenance garden which suits their needs.

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Properties in the National Park come at a premium.

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If this house was further inside, on the outskirts of Keswick,

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it could easily be marketed for £500,000.

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-I can see us spending a lot of time in the kitchen.

-Yeah.

-A lot.

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I like the way it just sort of flows through into the living room.

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-I think that's what we were looking for, wasn't it?

-Yep.

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I really like the house. I think it's a really pretty house.

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It's quaint and pretty from the outside, and you don't

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expect the rooms to be quite as big and open as they are.

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It's a pretty, nice house, the sort of house I would like to live in.

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A nice, quiet area.

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Inside, it's very well appointed and very well maintained.

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The only thing that I'm a little bit unsure about, whether it would work for us, is only one bathroom.

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With three double bedrooms, I could see that might cause a queue in the mornings.

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It's a little bit further out from the town than I would like,

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but that's a compromise I'd be prepared to take.

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On balance, it's the sort of place that we are looking for,

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and it would definitely be one of the properties that we'll look at.

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-Hello!

-Hi. How was it? It's good.

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-Oh, good.

-Yeah, it's a lovely little property.

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-Excellent, but there's more.

-Good.

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The lakes are waiting.

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The Lake District has been the favoured holiday destination of William and Gail for many a year.

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They aren't too familiar, however, with Keswick,

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so earlier in the week they set out to explore.

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And tourist officer, Linda Furniss, was on hand.

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-Hi.

-Hi, welcome to Keswick!

-Thank you.

-I'm sorry the weather's so bad.

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It's a bit rainy and grey, but that's what makes the Lake District what it is,

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that's why we've got the lakes and that's why it's so green and beautiful for our visitors.

0:18:050:18:09

Shall we just walk up the town?

0:18:090:18:11

-I'll just tell you a little bit about the history, especially the Moot Hall.

-Thanks.

0:18:110:18:16

It was in the 18th century that tourists began to trickle into the area,

0:18:160:18:20

after writers and artists like Wordsworth and Constable

0:18:200:18:23

drew attention to the landscape in their work.

0:18:230:18:26

But its place in the history books began in the 13th century

0:18:260:18:29

when Keswick - which is said to mean cheese farm - started its life as a market town.

0:18:290:18:34

Moot Hall itself has got loads of history.

0:18:340:18:36

That started off as our market town.

0:18:360:18:38

On a Thursday and a Saturday we have really good markets with local produce,

0:18:380:18:42

but the Moot Hall was the original market,

0:18:420:18:45

then it moved to be a court house and a prison,

0:18:450:18:47

and it's now the tourist information centre.

0:18:470:18:49

It has a chequered history itself!

0:18:490:18:52

Today, Keswick is a major tourist destination,

0:18:520:18:54

attracting climbers and fell walkers,

0:18:540:18:57

and catering to their every need.

0:18:570:18:59

But, if it's a more gentle stroll you're looking for,

0:18:590:19:02

Hope Park offers a haven of tranquillity.

0:19:020:19:05

And just a ten minute walk from here,

0:19:050:19:07

the scenery changes dramatically

0:19:070:19:09

and opens up to deliver the jewel in this area's crown.

0:19:090:19:12

This is Keswick's lake, Lake Derwent Water,

0:19:120:19:15

which is classed as the queen of the lakes, really.

0:19:150:19:18

It's three miles long,

0:19:180:19:19

and we have a launch on here which has several times a day which is used as a bus.

0:19:190:19:24

Get on it, drop off, go for a walk, come back, catch it again. It's fabulous.

0:19:240:19:29

-Beautiful lake, isn't it?

-Yeah, it's absolutely stunning.

0:19:290:19:32

The hills in the background and the peacefulness of the lake.

0:19:320:19:36

-It's just so beautiful.

-Yeah, really, really lovely.

0:19:360:19:41

Can't wait to get here!

0:19:410:19:43

Our next house is at Raughton Head, a 30 minute drive from Keswick,

0:19:480:19:52

but just seven miles outside the national park.

0:19:520:19:55

Dalston, just a few miles north, is the focal point for the surrounding smaller villages.

0:19:550:20:00

It has a small selection of shops, housed in the fine array of Georgian buildings,

0:20:000:20:05

and the area is enveloped by the abundance of dairy farms,

0:20:050:20:08

which are vital to the economy.

0:20:080:20:10

-Look at that. Now, you wanted views.

-I did, yes.

-I give you views!

0:20:100:20:14

-You certainly have.

-This is a great view.

-Stunning.

0:20:140:20:17

Obviously this is not the Lake District.

0:20:170:20:19

I mean, it is the Lake District but we've come a lot further north.

0:20:190:20:23

But I wanted to bring you here because you get a lot more for your money.

0:20:230:20:26

-And I want to show you this property.

-It looks lovely.

0:20:260:20:30

Yes, this whole forecourt with the views is just beautiful.

0:20:300:20:35

William, what are your thoughts about the location?

0:20:350:20:38

It's a little bit further out than we wanted to be.

0:20:380:20:41

I appreciate what you're saying about getting more for your money

0:20:410:20:45

when you come out of the national park.

0:20:450:20:47

It depends on what the house is like inside and whether it's worth that compromise.

0:20:470:20:52

-Certainly does. Shall we have a look inside?

-I'd love to, yes.

-OK.

0:20:520:20:56

Come on in.

0:21:020:21:03

-First impressions?

-Lovely country kitchen. Lovely beams.

0:21:050:21:11

Everything has been redone, right from top to bottom.

0:21:110:21:14

-You've got these lovely quarry-tiled floors.

-Yes.

0:21:140:21:17

-Teak worktops here in the kitchen.

-It's a lovely kitchen, separate from the rest of the house.

0:21:170:21:22

It's a good working kitchen, I think is what it's best described as.

0:21:220:21:27

Couldn't really eat or do anything else in here.

0:21:270:21:31

-It's got a nice quality feel about it, hasn't it, the kitchen?

-Oh, yes.

0:21:310:21:35

Yeah, the whole house has, actually, if we look into the main room.

0:21:350:21:40

We're into the main body of what was the barn.

0:21:420:21:45

It's a really, really lovely room, isn't it?

0:21:450:21:48

-It's been well thought through and designed.

-Yes, very nice.

0:21:480:21:52

-I like the two windows either side, gives it a nice open feel about it.

-Yes.

0:21:520:21:57

These beautiful Georgian stripped-down double doors,

0:21:580:22:02

lead us into the living room, the drawing room.

0:22:020:22:06

-Yes.

-It's a really nice room.

0:22:060:22:08

-Lovely big fireplace.

-Yeah. More sandstone.

-More redstone, yes.

0:22:080:22:12

-A lovely log burner there.

-Yes, you've got the log burner.

0:22:120:22:15

-Keep you nice and warm.

-Great.

0:22:150:22:17

Well, you can see it's getting quite cosy in here at night time,

0:22:170:22:20

-closing these doors and getting the fire on.

-Yeah.

-After a long day off.

0:22:200:22:24

I think they've done a fantastic job on this house.

0:22:240:22:27

It's going to be hard to resist.

0:22:270:22:29

I get this impression that you're quite muted about it?

0:22:290:22:32

No, the house is wonderful.

0:22:320:22:33

I have nothing to say about that, except it is a wonderful house.

0:22:330:22:37

The thing that's concerning me is its location.

0:22:370:22:40

Again, this is going to be the compromise all the way through is,

0:22:400:22:44

how near do you have to be to the Lake District?

0:22:440:22:47

You're damping your enthusiasm because you know...

0:22:470:22:50

I'm trying to control my feelings for the house, because I think the house is just stunning.

0:22:500:22:55

But I agree with you, that the location is just outside where we thought we wanted to be.

0:22:550:23:00

That's always going to be where we'll have to compromise.

0:23:000:23:03

Either on the house, or on the location.

0:23:030:23:06

This is part of the reason that we wanted to bring you here,

0:23:060:23:10

because it's fascinating to see how much more quality you get for your money.

0:23:100:23:16

Yes, so you're wanting to see us tussle with this?

0:23:160:23:18

-I'm wanting to make you spin in anguish!

-Yes, right.

0:23:180:23:21

You're going, "No, it's so beautiful, but I can't have it, I can, I can't, I can!"

0:23:210:23:26

That sort of thing.

0:23:260:23:27

-I think we will be doing that with this house.

-OK, great.

0:23:270:23:30

Marvellous. Wait till you see upstairs.

0:23:300:23:32

It's clear that no expense has been spared on the renovation,

0:23:320:23:36

and even the staircase is made from the local red sandstone.

0:23:360:23:40

Upstairs there are three bedrooms, and the first one is quite special.

0:23:400:23:44

-This is a master bedroom!

-Oh! This is wonderful.

-Isn't it wonderful?

0:23:440:23:49

-Yes!

-It really is, yeah.

0:23:490:23:50

-Absolutely wonderful, just as you walk into it... knocked out by it.

-Yes.

0:23:500:23:55

A lot of character. Unlike some houses, where all the rooms are pretty much the same,

0:23:550:24:00

each one is like, "Wow! It's a great room."

0:24:000:24:03

They've really thought about keeping it light and fresh.

0:24:030:24:06

And they've made it look like a really country sort of home,

0:24:060:24:10

with the checked curtains and the bare wood floors, and the style of furniture.

0:24:100:24:15

A lovely bonus in this room...

0:24:150:24:18

-is quite the most special en-suite I've ever seen.

-Really?

0:24:180:24:22

GAIL LAUGHS

0:24:250:24:28

Oh, I love it!

0:24:280:24:30

Isn't it great?

0:24:300:24:31

I never thought we'd find a sunken bath in here.

0:24:310:24:34

-Isn't it extraordinary? Very wacky.

-It is lovely.

-It is incredible.

0:24:340:24:38

-Which is lovely. You've got a double shower, just very stylish.

-It's very lovely.

0:24:380:24:42

Then there's another two bedrooms.

0:24:420:24:44

They're much smaller, these ones, but that's fine, I think,

0:24:470:24:50

to have a big master bedroom and then smaller...

0:24:500:24:52

Yeah, it's still a double bedroom.

0:24:520:24:54

-Features again, like the slip windows.

-Beautiful.

-It's lovely. Really lovely.

0:24:540:24:59

As if that en-suite wasn't enough, there's a very nice family bathroom, too.

0:24:590:25:04

Here's your second sunken bath!

0:25:070:25:09

-Look at this! Fantastic, another one.

-Good, isn't it?

-Yes!

0:25:090:25:13

-I wasn't expecting...

-A pair.

-A second.

0:25:130:25:16

Is this going to answer your wish about having two bathrooms?

0:25:160:25:20

You've got the en-suite and then this one.

0:25:200:25:22

-Yes.

-I think you've slightly bettered the property this morning.

0:25:220:25:26

-That's right, this is lovely.

-And added two sunken baths into the deal as well.

0:25:260:25:30

-Yeah, was that on your list? I don't think so.

-No, but we'll deal with it!

0:25:300:25:33

A third bedroom was, however, on the list and I think you could squeeze in a double bed in this room.

0:25:330:25:40

This tasteful house, with its superb views, is providing a conundrum for William and Gail.

0:25:400:25:45

And I'm not done yet!

0:25:450:25:47

When I said that it's just this property,

0:25:470:25:49

I wasn't quite telling the truth.

0:25:490:25:51

It's not that property, but it's this property and that property.

0:25:510:25:56

-The whole building?

-The whole building is yours.

-Wow.

0:25:570:26:01

You've got a car port, a very, very posh garage,

0:26:010:26:04

and then, you can see they've converted the whole upstairs of that building into a rumpus room.

0:26:040:26:09

-With a little log burner.

-We need to go and look at that.

-Let's go!

0:26:120:26:16

You can explore that later. But that's a lot of stuff extra.

0:26:160:26:20

-Yeah.

-It's a lot of extra.

0:26:200:26:22

In terms of garden, you've got this little space here,

0:26:220:26:25

-and a little bit behind the house, which is not too much to tend.

-Right.

-OK.

0:26:250:26:30

How much do you think it is?

0:26:300:26:31

I'm struggling with that, a little bit.

0:26:310:26:33

Partly because it's such a wonderful property, real quality features and fixtures,

0:26:330:26:39

but it's slightly outside the national park,

0:26:390:26:42

so I think I'm going to go for about 425.

0:26:420:26:44

Yeah, I think that, because it's outside the national park,

0:26:440:26:48

then you'd expect the price to be lower, but given the quality of the place and the build in it,

0:26:480:26:54

then I'd agree that around 420,000.

0:26:540:26:57

You're both spot on the money, it's on at 425.

0:26:570:27:00

That's, uh...you've set us a real dilemma now.

0:27:010:27:04

I like doing that! I like doing that.

0:27:040:27:06

Ha, go inside and have a scrap. Yes, you can use the rumpus room.

0:27:060:27:11

At £425,000, this stunning barn conversion is £25,000 under budget.

0:27:110:27:16

It's been renovated to a high standard, it has a large lounge,

0:27:160:27:20

ideal for those family Christmases. Three bedrooms, with master en-suite,

0:27:200:27:26

and it takes in superb views of the Cumbrian countryside.

0:27:260:27:30

It might not be the location they had in mind, but if this property

0:27:300:27:35

was on the outskirts of Keswick, with a view of the Fells,

0:27:350:27:38

it could be on the market for a whopping £600,000.

0:27:380:27:41

Well, you've set us a real problem. Set ME a real problem.

0:27:410:27:45

This is a fantastic house. I could live here.

0:27:450:27:47

-It would answer everything I wanted.

-It's absolutely bowled me over.

0:27:470:27:51

It's a beautiful property, with a lovely outlook,

0:27:510:27:54

and everything inside the house is perfect.

0:27:540:27:56

There is nothing in the house that I don't like,

0:27:560:27:59

and I could very well see myself living here.

0:27:590:28:02

The big disadvantage is it's not where I want it to be.

0:28:020:28:05

It's too far out from the Lake District. I could manage that,

0:28:050:28:09

I could drive in to do the walking, but there's nothing else around, it's too isolated.

0:28:090:28:14

So this is what a rumpus room is!

0:28:170:28:21

Yeah, right!

0:28:210:28:22

-This could be anything, couldn't it?

-It could actually, yeah.

0:28:220:28:25

-Be a perfect music room.

-It would, wouldn't it?

-Separate from the house.

0:28:250:28:29

-Yeah.

-Make as much noise as I wanted to.

-Yeah.

-It's excellent.

-Yeah.

0:28:290:28:33

It's to be considered,

0:28:330:28:35

but it's got to be thought about very carefully, in my view.

0:28:350:28:39

-Going to have to drag you away.

-OK, right.

0:28:400:28:43

The Lake District is home to the beautiful raw material of natural slate,

0:28:510:28:56

which is used throughout the region

0:28:560:28:58

and helps give it its trademark look.

0:28:580:29:00

William and Gail are keen to buy a property that incorporates this beautiful product,

0:29:000:29:05

so we're visiting the last working slate mine in England to discover more.

0:29:050:29:10

The 400-million-year-old green slate

0:29:100:29:12

is the product of compacted volcanic ash

0:29:120:29:15

and has been extracted from this mine for 300 years.

0:29:150:29:19

Behind the dramatic entrance lies eleven miles of tunnels

0:29:190:29:24

of this strong and durable material.

0:29:240:29:26

John Taylor, who's been mining for over 40 years,

0:29:260:29:29

tells us about his love affair with the mines.

0:29:290:29:32

How old were you when you started working here?

0:29:320:29:35

-Er, 15.

-15?

-Yeah.

0:29:350:29:37

Did you enjoy being underground?

0:29:370:29:39

-Oh, I love it.

-Really?

-Yes, aye.

0:29:390:29:41

You're in a different world altogether, you know.

0:29:410:29:44

John, how do you get the rock out of the face? Do you use dynamite?

0:29:440:29:48

Gunpowder for good rock,

0:29:480:29:50

and any rock we don't want, we dynamite it.

0:29:500:29:54

How long do you have to wait for the dust to settle after the explosion?

0:29:540:29:58

Well, old rock hands fire at night so that she can settle all the fumes

0:29:580:30:03

and then, when we come in next morning, we can put our ladders up

0:30:030:30:08

to test our roof with iron poles to make sure she rings.

0:30:080:30:13

If it doesn't ring, it means we've got a problem.

0:30:130:30:17

It means we've got to stick another stick of dynamite in to get it down.

0:30:170:30:20

-You know, so...

-So it's a slow process?

0:30:200:30:23

It is a slow process, yes, aye.

0:30:230:30:25

-OK, so we're going to take some slate out and split it?

-Right.

0:30:250:30:28

Once the slate is at the surface, machines are used to cut it

0:30:300:30:34

into more manageable-sized pieces, but even today,

0:30:340:30:37

the final stage is in human hands.

0:30:370:30:41

-So, John, this is where we split?

-Yes.

0:30:410:30:46

So this has to be done by hand. You can't do this with machines?

0:30:460:30:49

No, no, you can't!

0:30:490:30:51

It takes a skilled craftsman with many years' experience

0:30:510:30:56

to identify where the slate can be split,

0:30:560:30:58

and it will take one minute to split a slab like this.

0:30:580:31:01

Ohh!

0:31:040:31:06

Look at that!

0:31:080:31:11

-It just splits like that.

-I know, it's amazing.

0:31:110:31:14

So these have been together for millions of years.

0:31:140:31:17

-For millions of years, aye!

-Wow.

0:31:170:31:18

And they've just seen the light of day.

0:31:180:31:21

Wow. Can we have a go?

0:31:220:31:24

-Oh, most certainly, yes.

-Gail, do you want to have a go?

-I'd love to.

0:31:240:31:28

John is clearly a dab hand at this,

0:31:280:31:30

but I wonder if it'll be so clear cut for a novice.

0:31:300:31:34

So, John,

0:31:340:31:35

from your 60 years of experience, give me a couple of quick hints.

0:31:350:31:39

Just keep it dead centre all the time and quite a nice hit.

0:31:390:31:45

-A nice sharp tap.

-Yes, that's right.

0:31:450:31:47

You've done it!

0:31:530:31:55

THEY CHEER

0:31:550:31:57

Woo-hoo! Look. 40 million years...

0:31:580:32:01

Some fresh air, thanks to you.

0:32:010:32:04

John, thank you so much. That's amazing.

0:32:040:32:06

Who would have thought that slate was so fascinating?

0:32:060:32:10

As the last of the afternoon light fades,

0:32:150:32:18

William and Gail head back to the hotel to collect their thoughts.

0:32:180:32:22

What did you think about the house with the mill stream?

0:32:220:32:26

-I thought it was a lovely little house and it was deceptively spacious.

-Yeah.

0:32:260:32:30

It looked quite small on the outside, but when you got inside...

0:32:300:32:33

-What I really liked about it was where it was.

-Yeah.

-The location of it.

0:32:330:32:37

I thought it was a lovely house.

0:32:370:32:39

Little bit small with the one bathroom, but you could live with that.

0:32:390:32:43

-And that lovely sort of flow of the downstairs.

-Yeah.

0:32:430:32:46

-It really was a good start to the day, wasn't it?

-I think so, yeah.

0:32:460:32:50

So, what are your thoughts on the barn conversion?

0:32:500:32:53

Well, I thought it was a beautiful house.

0:32:530:32:56

Fantastic, had everything we wanted, as far as I was concerned,

0:32:560:32:59

except for one very important thing, and it's not in the Lakes.

0:32:590:33:03

It was isolated, it wasn't part of the community.

0:33:030:33:06

-I'd feel a bit lonely there, I think.

-Yeah.

0:33:060:33:08

I think I have to agree with that.

0:33:080:33:10

I was absolutely blown away by the house itself, it was just a bit remote.

0:33:100:33:14

-Put that house two miles from Keswick, it would be perfect.

-Yeah.

0:33:140:33:18

-Except we wouldn't be able to afford it!

-No, that's a shame.

0:33:180:33:21

-It is.

-We've had a really interesting day, haven't we?

0:33:210:33:24

-Oh, yes.

-Seen two great houses in two very different locations.

-Yeah.

0:33:240:33:28

-So, it's going to be interesting to see what tomorrow brings.

-Yes.

0:33:280:33:31

-Hope they can come up with something just as good!

-Yeah, hope so!

0:33:310:33:34

William and Gail are looking forward to early retirement

0:33:430:33:46

and a new lifestyle in the Lake District.

0:33:460:33:49

They have £450,000 to spend, but are chasing a three-bedroomed house with room for the family to stay.

0:33:490:33:56

So far, they've seen one house and, coming up...

0:33:560:33:59

That's just like the cherry on top of a very big cake. Wonderful.

0:33:590:34:04

And there's a Mystery House,

0:34:040:34:06

our risk-taking choice that could swing either way.

0:34:060:34:09

I think I might have got to the bottom of our couples buying technique,

0:34:140:34:18

because Gail is very, very strong about what she wants inside the house -

0:34:180:34:22

that's very important, of course -

0:34:220:34:24

but William is digging his heels in on two things.

0:34:240:34:27

One, it's got to be inside the Lake District National Park,

0:34:270:34:30

and, two, it's got to be near a pub.

0:34:300:34:32

And who can blame him, because if you want a happy retirement

0:34:320:34:36

with lots of walking, those are very important.

0:34:360:34:39

So, today I'm going to show them a beautiful property in a village in the Lakelands.

0:34:390:34:43

William and Gail will be delighted to know

0:34:430:34:46

that we're heading back inside the national park,

0:34:460:34:49

to Caldbeck, for our first house today.

0:34:490:34:51

This quiet area is not as well known as the other parts

0:34:510:34:54

of the Lake District but still boasts stunning scenery.

0:34:540:34:58

The village has achieved conservation status,

0:34:580:35:00

but the best thing of all for William is the pub

0:35:000:35:02

which is just a stone's throw away.

0:35:020:35:05

And the house I want to show you is...

0:35:070:35:09

-this one!

-This one.

0:35:090:35:11

-Lovely.

-It is.

0:35:110:35:12

-Lovely Cumbrian-looking house.

-Absolutely.

0:35:120:35:15

It was the gatehouse to the mill. There's a mill complex behind the mill house to the right,

0:35:150:35:21

and this is where the workers would come to get their pay, for example.

0:35:210:35:25

Right. It's full of Lakeland character.

0:35:250:35:27

It's exactly the sort of thing that you want to walk up to and open the front door of.

0:35:270:35:32

Well done for finding this. We're really interested to go inside.

0:35:320:35:36

We can't go inside, I'm afraid.

0:35:360:35:37

Just from the outside, do you want to buy it or not? Just teasing.

0:35:370:35:41

Come on in.

0:35:450:35:46

-Thank you.

-Proper hallway.

0:35:460:35:48

Yeah, with a beam running down the middle.

0:35:480:35:50

Yeah. We're going left.

0:35:500:35:52

-OK.

-After you.

0:35:520:35:55

There's a little plaque on the door, cos this house has history.

0:35:550:35:58

This is where the composer of D'ye Ken John Peel lived.

0:35:580:36:02

-John Woodcock Graves lived here for all his life.

-Wow.

0:36:020:36:05

-And he's buried in the local churchyard.

-Uh-huh.

0:36:050:36:08

-It's a historic house.

-Yes.

0:36:080:36:09

-We shall sing that in close harmony before we leave.

-Perhaps not.

0:36:090:36:14

Now, I'm quite interested to know how you feel about the feeling of this house.

0:36:140:36:18

-It feels cosy, it feels welcoming, it feels at one, really.

-Yeah.

0:36:180:36:23

I was a bit concerned from the outside, with having small windows,

0:36:230:36:27

that it might be quite dark inside, but this room certainly isn't dark.

0:36:270:36:31

It's well decorated.

0:36:310:36:33

It's quite symmetrical, so you have this room

0:36:330:36:35

and then you have almost exactly the same on the other side.

0:36:350:36:39

-Another lovely room.

-Yeah.

-A lovely view.

-Yes, straight into the village green.

0:36:420:36:47

This one's got a lovely little window seat.

0:36:470:36:49

-Nice little cupboards underneath.

-Yeah.

0:36:490:36:52

Yes, you can imagine settling down here on a cold, wet evening

0:36:520:36:55

with the fire blazing and being very, very comfortable indeed.

0:36:550:36:59

-Yeah.

-So do you like it so far?

-I do. I love it.

0:36:590:37:01

Well, wait till you see the kitchen!

0:37:010:37:03

Ah.

0:37:110:37:13

Come in.

0:37:130:37:15

Now, this is exactly right.

0:37:150:37:17

-Oh, this is lovely.

-Yeah.

0:37:170:37:20

-Yeah.

-Look!

0:37:200:37:21

This is exactly what we asked you for. How did you find this?

0:37:210:37:25

If I could've drawn what you were asking for,

0:37:250:37:27

-this is what I would've drawn.

-Yes. Perfect.

0:37:270:37:30

A lovely big working kitchen at this side, and the dining area,

0:37:300:37:33

-so you could use this room as a family room.

-Yeah.

0:37:330:37:36

You've got the big range which has a system where it clicks in for

0:37:360:37:40

-three minutes and clicks off, so it doesn't waste oil.

-Yes.

0:37:400:37:43

Lovely features in this kitchen.

0:37:430:37:45

Yeah, really tastefully done and thoughtfully done.

0:37:450:37:48

-Yeah, it's a really lovely kitchen.

-All in keeping with the cottages.

0:37:480:37:52

It just makes you smile when you're in here.

0:37:520:37:54

-Doesn't it? The minute you come in here, you're like, "Ohh, yes, I want to have a cup of tea!"

-So homely.

0:37:540:38:00

Excellent. It's top marks for this kitchen,

0:38:000:38:02

and there's the bonus of a porch area for the coats and muddy boots, just next door to a cloakroom.

0:38:020:38:08

I'm hoping the upstairs impresses them just as much.

0:38:080:38:12

Let's take a look at the bathroom first, cos it's beautiful!

0:38:120:38:16

Oh, it is nice.

0:38:160:38:18

-Yes.

-Isn't it sweet?

-Yeah.

-Yes, lovely bath.

0:38:180:38:22

It does feel nice, doesn't it? Makes me want to have a bath.

0:38:220:38:25

If you just want to look round, I'll just run a...

0:38:250:38:28

Let's look at some of the bedrooms. If you turn right...

0:38:280:38:31

This is a nice big room, isn't it?

0:38:330:38:35

-It is. Isn't that lovely?

-You keep finding space in this cottage.

-Absolutely. Nice, isn't it?

0:38:350:38:40

And the beams add a lot of character, and also the lovely stone casements around the window.

0:38:400:38:45

Yes, it's really nice when people leave them unpainted like that. It really makes a property lovely.

0:38:450:38:50

There are four bedrooms in total, all of which are a good size,

0:38:500:38:53

providing plenty of space for when the family visit.

0:38:530:38:56

This is the master bedroom.

0:38:560:39:00

-Oh, wow!

-It's huge.

-Yeah.

0:39:000:39:03

-And you've got two window seats looking out into the village.

-Yes.

0:39:030:39:06

-And a very nice en-suite with a shower.

-Perfect. Fulfils requirements.

0:39:060:39:11

-Very pretty again.

-Oh, a lovely, lovely room.

0:39:110:39:14

So, does it feel somewhere you could imagine living in?

0:39:140:39:17

This seems such a lovely village, in an area that we're not

0:39:170:39:21

that familiar with at the Lakes, but I'm sure we'd enjoy exploring.

0:39:210:39:24

So, yeah, it's got a lot of positives.

0:39:240:39:27

This is great news, and there's still more to come outside.

0:39:270:39:32

It's a postage stamp of a garden, which is perfect for you.

0:39:360:39:39

-Exactly.

-Yeah, well done.

0:39:390:39:41

Usually, that's the kiss of death when I show a property but, for you, that's just perfect.

0:39:410:39:45

It's a little patch of lawn and lots of beautiful slate wherever you look.

0:39:450:39:51

This would be perfect for us - low-maintenance.

0:39:510:39:54

It's surrounded but not enclosed because it's raised. The sun will come over the top of the buildings.

0:39:540:40:01

-It feels like a little, enclosed, secret garden.

-Yeah.

-Yeah.

0:40:010:40:04

Now, obviously we are inside the Lake District and we're in a very popular village.

0:40:040:40:08

How much do you think it costs?

0:40:080:40:11

-I'm finding this one quite hard to judge...

-Good.

0:40:110:40:14

..because you've given us more than we asked for,

0:40:140:40:17

as well as everything that we did.

0:40:170:40:19

I'm going to go slightly higher,

0:40:190:40:21

and think about £450,000 for this one.

0:40:210:40:24

I think I'd go even higher than that. I think 560.

0:40:240:40:29

-460.

-460.

0:40:290:40:31

-It's on at...380.

-No! Really?

0:40:320:40:35

-My goodness.

-Then that's incredible.

0:40:350:40:38

You have exceeded yourself.

0:40:380:40:41

-That's just unbelievable. I can't believe that.

-It's good news, isn't it?

-Yes.

0:40:410:40:46

-It really is, yes.

-That's just like the cherry on top of a very big cake.

0:40:460:40:50

-Yeah.

-Wonderful.

0:40:500:40:52

-It's a find, it's a real find.

-It is. Well done.

-So you probably want to look around.

0:40:520:40:56

-Yes, I think so.

-Yeah, I think so.

0:40:560:40:59

-Thank you.

-Thank you.

0:40:590:41:00

So pleasing when that happens,

0:41:000:41:02

when they guess way over the estimated price and then I can tell them

0:41:020:41:06

that it's £60,000, £70,000 less!

0:41:060:41:08

And I think this is a fantastic bargain.

0:41:080:41:10

It's got four bedrooms, fantastic location, lovely feel to the house.

0:41:100:41:14

Where's the cheque book?

0:41:140:41:16

The £380,000 price tag for this handsome property was a superb surprise for William and Gail.

0:41:160:41:23

At £70,000 under budget and just a stone's throw from the pub,

0:41:320:41:36

it's a property that could fit them like a glove.

0:41:360:41:39

This is a pretty living room, sitting room.

0:41:390:41:43

-Yes, it's a really nice...

-Log fire.

0:41:430:41:45

Really nice snug little square room.

0:41:450:41:48

-More sandstone.

-I'm getting used to the sandstone idea.

0:41:480:41:51

Yeah, it really feels in keeping with the area and fits very nicely.

0:41:510:41:56

Well, walking up to the house and from outside, I thought, "This is the perfect place."

0:41:560:42:01

It just looked so right. And coming inside the house didn't alter that at all.

0:42:010:42:05

It's warm, it's a family house. I could really live here.

0:42:050:42:09

I think the property is absolutely lovely.

0:42:090:42:13

You've fulfilled everything that we asked you to find in a property - in a village,

0:42:130:42:19

all the bedrooms, all the bathrooms.

0:42:190:42:22

I was happily surprised at the price and I think that this is definitely top of my list.

0:42:220:42:28

The fact that it's a Grade 2 listed building and all its historical associations

0:42:280:42:32

just makes me feel very privileged that we're in a position to consider buying this house.

0:42:320:42:37

And perhaps most importantly, I can see the pub from the window.

0:42:370:42:41

It's a contender. Tell me it's a contender.

0:42:420:42:44

Alistair, at the moment, this one has to be high on the list.

0:42:440:42:48

The dramatic landscape of Borrowdale lends itself superbly

0:42:540:42:58

to one of this region's top sporting activities - fell running.

0:42:580:43:02

William and Gail are already keen road runners, running up to four times a week

0:43:020:43:07

and having completed over 34 half-marathons between them.

0:43:070:43:11

They're always eager to try something new,

0:43:110:43:13

-'so we've arranged to meet competitive fell runner Roger Atkinson...'

-Good morning.

0:43:130:43:17

..who runs a local club which meets regularly at its beautifully placed club house.

0:43:170:43:22

-Welcome to High House.

-What is this place? It's very grand.

0:43:220:43:25

High House is the K Fell Farers' club hut in Borrowdale,

0:43:250:43:29

-one of the oldest huts in the Lake District, actually.

-And we're at the head of a beautiful valley...

0:43:290:43:35

-The head of the Borrowdale Valley, the last building in the valley.

-Right.

0:43:350:43:38

And the little hamlet, Seathwaite, is the wettest inhabited place in England!

0:43:380:43:43

But not today.

0:43:430:43:45

No, you've caught us on a good day.

0:43:450:43:47

Roger is unfortunately out with an injury at present, so he has enlisted the help

0:43:470:43:53

of two of his club members to give William and Gail a taster session.

0:43:530:43:57

Richard and Cheryl have been running these fells for over 20 years,

0:43:570:44:01

and know the terrain like the back of their hands.

0:44:010:44:04

Lakeland weather is extremely changeable, so it's important

0:44:040:44:08

runners have suitable clothing, sturdy footwear, and know how to navigate with a map or a GPS.

0:44:080:44:14

There are no rules or regulations, but common sense and a good level of general fitness are a must.

0:44:140:44:20

The sport has long been popular, with races and championships being held throughout the year,

0:44:200:44:25

and Borrowdale hosts what is considered to be one of the toughest races in the fell-running calendar.

0:44:250:44:30

The 70-mile race covering some of the roughest ground in England

0:44:300:44:34

takes in 6,500 feet of ascent and is strictly reserved for experienced fell runners.

0:44:340:44:41

William and Gail, however, are just finding their feet

0:44:410:44:45

so, after a steady climb, it's time to head down.

0:44:450:44:48

Well!

0:44:480:44:50

Welcome back. Cup of tea ready for you all.

0:44:500:44:53

Thank you very much.

0:44:530:44:55

-Wonderful.

-And how was that?

0:44:550:44:57

-Did you enjoy it?

-Certainly did.

0:44:570:44:59

It was brilliant. Very invigorating.

0:44:590:45:01

Bit tough but, with a bit of practice, when we join your club, we should do great.

0:45:010:45:06

And with this wonderful scenery on the doorstep, who wouldn't want to hot-foot it into the fells?

0:45:080:45:13

Personally, I think that last house will be hard to beat

0:45:150:45:18

but for our wild card Mystery House, we're bringing our couple to Cockermouth.

0:45:180:45:22

Cockermouth is the biggest town in the Western Lakes,

0:45:220:45:24

and the Western Lakes are a secret bit of the Lake District

0:45:240:45:28

that is often overlooked but very, very beautiful.

0:45:280:45:31

Cockermouth is a busy Victorian and often very beautiful town,

0:45:310:45:35

but it's a town nonetheless, and not always as tranquil as this part of it.

0:45:350:45:39

So our final stop is Cockermouth,

0:45:410:45:44

just outside the National Park.

0:45:440:45:46

The town is best known for being the birthplace

0:45:460:45:49

of poet William Wordsworth, yet hasn't attracted the tourist crowds.

0:45:490:45:52

With its proximity to the peaceful lakes and fells, it's a good option for William and Gail,

0:45:520:45:57

and will provide them with fantastic value for money.

0:45:570:46:00

William has expressed an interest in living in a town, and as Keswick

0:46:000:46:05

is extremely pricey, we thought Cockermouth would be an alternative option worthy of consideration.

0:46:050:46:11

How do you feel about town houses?

0:46:110:46:13

-Not exactly what we were looking for.

-No.

-No?

-No.

0:46:130:46:17

Definitely not?

0:46:170:46:19

I'll give it a chance inside.

0:46:190:46:21

-It's something a bit different.

-We are willing to have a look at it.

-It's the brief of the Mystery House.

0:46:210:46:26

It is. We were expecting something different,

0:46:260:46:30

so let's give it a shot.

0:46:300:46:31

This may be a town house, but I'm keen to show them how much they can get for their money

0:46:310:46:36

and challenge their town house preconceptions to boot.

0:46:360:46:41

Come on in.

0:46:420:46:44

-So a classic Victorian vestibule.

-Yes.

0:46:450:46:48

Coloured glass. High ceilings.

0:46:480:46:51

-It looks like a very typical town house.

-It is a town house.

-Yes.

0:46:510:46:56

-It's not a cottage. This is the Mystery House. It's something different.

-Yeah.

-OK.

0:46:560:47:00

A face like thunder! It's only a house!

0:47:000:47:03

-We'll go and have a look round.

-Yep.

-I won't force you to buy it at the end.

0:47:030:47:07

-It's beautifully done up.

-It's a nice house. Don't get us wrong.

0:47:110:47:14

It's a pretty house. It's a well thought through and decorated room.

0:47:140:47:18

It's a nice sitting room. We can sit in here and watch the world go by.

0:47:180:47:23

The view across the field is really quite nice.

0:47:230:47:26

Well, let's have a look at the kitchen cos that's obviously a possibility.

0:47:260:47:30

Here's the kitchen!

0:47:350:47:37

-It's very modern.

-Mmm.

0:47:370:47:39

-Yes, it is.

-Not really to our taste, I think.

-Speaking for both of you?

0:47:390:47:43

-Absolutely, yeah.

-Everything I show you is like a nail in the coffin.

0:47:430:47:47

-Yeah.

-Breaking my heart.

0:47:470:47:49

-Sorry, Alistair.

-No, it's fine. A lot of people would love this sort of style but it's not your style.

0:47:490:47:55

I think it's a very good example of a Victorian terraced house, you know,

0:47:550:47:59

-and it's very nicely done but, for me, it doesn't appeal at all.

-Right.

0:47:590:48:04

Oh, dear. After the last house, the mood has definitely sunk.

0:48:040:48:08

Nevertheless, I'm going to hold strong and continue to the dining room.

0:48:080:48:13

-So you're probably familiar with this layout,

-Yes.

0:48:130:48:16

-Yes.

-The Victorian town house goes back.

0:48:160:48:18

This probably would've been the scullery and then the kitchen at the back.

0:48:180:48:22

-Yes.

-And they swapped it around. That was the dining room, they turned that into the kitchen.

0:48:220:48:26

-This is now the dining room, and then you've got a boot room toilet at the back.

-Yes.

0:48:260:48:31

The owners have certainly made best use of the space and the decoration is first class.

0:48:310:48:36

-Now, on a purely academic level, you've got to like this.

-This is a lovely bathroom.

0:48:390:48:44

-It really is, yes.

-Thank the Lord!

0:48:440:48:48

They've done a really nice job in this bathroom. It's really lovely.

0:48:480:48:52

-This is possibly the nicest shower I've seen in a long while.

-Yes.

-Quite unusual, isn't it?

0:48:520:48:57

That's a work of art. Mmm.

0:48:570:48:59

It really is a lovely room.

0:48:590:49:01

Yeah, lovely colours that they've used.

0:49:010:49:04

It's immaculately done, as are the three bedrooms in this house.

0:49:040:49:08

This first one is a small double, and up in the eaves

0:49:080:49:10

is a large twin room that would easily take a double bed.

0:49:100:49:14

Last for us, is the master.

0:49:140:49:16

-What a big bedroom.

-It's a lovely big bedroom.

0:49:190:49:22

It's a very charming little property for a young family.

0:49:220:49:25

They've got two kids.

0:49:250:49:27

Yeah. Nicely proportioned rooms and two lovely big windows with the sashes still intact.

0:49:270:49:34

-It's a shame the road's quite busy. It's the main road into Cockermouth.

-Yeah.

0:49:340:49:38

-But, as often happens, the most beautiful houses were built on the thoroughfares...

-Yes.

0:49:380:49:43

..which was just a few carriages. Now it's a main arterial road.

0:49:430:49:46

Well, that's it for the inside. All that's left for us is the outside space.

0:49:480:49:53

Now, I know you don't like gardens.

0:49:540:49:56

And, really, this is it.

0:49:570:49:59

-That's a plus.

-Yes, it's a plus, you see. That's reason enough to buy it.

0:49:590:50:03

You wouldn't have to do any gardening at all.

0:50:030:50:05

So just for academic interest, really,

0:50:050:50:08

how much do you think a house like this costs in Cockermouth?

0:50:080:50:12

Um...it's hard for us to make an estimate on this.

0:50:120:50:15

It's not what we've been looking at, so we're not familiar with prices.

0:50:150:50:19

It's nice, and if you wanted to live in Cockermouth,

0:50:190:50:21

it's the sort of house you would be looking for, so I think it would be sought after.

0:50:210:50:26

I'd guess, and it would be a guess, a price of around £360,000.

0:50:260:50:31

I'm going to go for about 345.

0:50:310:50:34

Right, that's very interesting because, actually, this house is on the market for £240,000.

0:50:340:50:40

-Ah.

-We were hoping that, if you fell in love with it,

0:50:400:50:44

-you could spend all that extra money on something delightful.

-Yeah.

0:50:440:50:48

-But it wasn't to be.

-No.

-Interesting, though.

0:50:480:50:50

It's a very good price for it,

0:50:500:50:52

and I think with the other properties, we've certainly got some food for thought.

0:50:520:50:56

And talking of thinking time, that's what we've got coming up.

0:50:560:51:00

At £240,000, this house would offer William and Gail the space they're seeking

0:51:030:51:08

for a whopping £210,000 less than their budget.

0:51:080:51:12

Well, it's quite a nice, light bedroom, isn't it?

0:51:240:51:26

-Used as a child's room at the moment but you could turn this into a really nice double bedroom.

-Yes.

0:51:260:51:32

With the light coming from the back.

0:51:320:51:34

Yeah, it's a nice L-shaped room.

0:51:340:51:36

It's a very fine example of a Cumbrian Lakeland terraced town house. It's really nicely presented.

0:51:360:51:43

It's got some lovely features inside,

0:51:430:51:45

but it doesn't have the extra bathroom that we were looking for, and it doesn't have the flow of

0:51:450:51:50

the rooms downstairs, with the big sort of family kitchen and things.

0:51:500:51:54

Well, I have to be honest. It's not for me. It's not the house that I want.

0:51:540:51:58

It's a nice house and, if I wanted to live in a town, it's the sort of house that I'd be looking at,

0:51:580:52:03

but I want to be in a village or

0:52:030:52:06

further away in a rural area.

0:52:060:52:09

Ah, this is a nice sitting room at the front of the house.

0:52:100:52:13

Yeah, it is. The fire's lovely.

0:52:130:52:16

Yeah, I like the fireplace.

0:52:160:52:18

It hasn't got the log-burning stove that we were hoping to find, has it?

0:52:180:52:21

-No, but it is pretty.

-It's got space for one, though.

-Mmm.

0:52:210:52:25

For me, in spite of the fact that the property is well under budget,

0:52:250:52:28

it's not really the house that I was looking for.

0:52:280:52:31

I know what you're going to say. Don't say it.

0:52:320:52:35

You've changed your mind and you want to put an offer in.

0:52:350:52:39

I'm afraid not, Alistair.

0:52:390:52:40

William and Gail's property search has had its ups and downs, and there's plenty to consider.

0:52:460:52:52

I'll wager a bar of Kendal mint cake which property they're NOT going to buy,

0:52:580:53:02

but I have been known to be wrong in the past, so let's find out.

0:53:020:53:05

-All over now.

-Yes.

-Good.

0:53:110:53:13

No more town houses to show you.

0:53:130:53:15

Let's look at the houses, cos we've seen quite a few, and I know it can be exhausting and a bit dizzying,

0:53:170:53:22

but can you cast your mind back to the mill property that I showed you?

0:53:220:53:26

-What do you think about that property now, in retrospect?

-I really liked that.

0:53:260:53:30

I said that at the time. It's the first one we saw, but I really liked the location of it.

0:53:300:53:36

It was smaller than we ideally would want,

0:53:360:53:39

but I think that that was liveable with, and particularly for where it was - closer to the fells.

0:53:390:53:46

For me, the lack of a second bathroom would be a downside to it, but apart from that, it was a lovely property.

0:53:460:53:52

Stylistically, that was quite different from the next house I showed you,

0:53:520:53:55

which was a fair bit outside of the Lake District National Park,

0:53:550:53:58

but was pretty impressive, the barn conversion.

0:53:580:54:01

Absolutely stunning property. For me, the location was not really

0:54:010:54:06

where we wanted to be, but it was an absolutely gorgeous property, yeah.

0:54:060:54:12

Yeah, lovely property.

0:54:120:54:13

Huge, really, particularly with the extra building and the rumpus room,

0:54:130:54:18

which could be used for all sorts of different things.

0:54:180:54:22

But it was in the wrong place for me.

0:54:220:54:24

-How about the "D'ye Ken John Peel" house?

-That was a superb property.

0:54:240:54:29

There are two things that you look at in a house.

0:54:290:54:32

One is the actual house itself, and the other is the location, and that had both going for it.

0:54:320:54:38

The location was a village with a pub and shops. It was perfect.

0:54:380:54:43

The house itself had everything, and more besides, that we asked you

0:54:430:54:47

to find for us, so your really get top marks for that property.

0:54:470:54:51

-We try.

-Well, I felt myself... It was the house that I felt myself living in.

0:54:510:54:55

As soon as I walked in, it felt very comfortable.

0:54:550:54:58

I could see myself there without any alteration to it.

0:54:580:55:02

I agree that the location was beautiful, the village...

0:55:020:55:06

You know, I could feel myself integrating into the village life.

0:55:060:55:10

A little bit further from the fells, but that's easily dealt with

0:55:100:55:14

-for the village life that I really would crave.

-Mmm.

0:55:140:55:17

So that's top of my list without any doubt.

0:55:170:55:19

Sure the house in Cockermouth hasn't grown on you?

0:55:190:55:23

No, it hasn't, I'm afraid. It was a good Lakeland terraced house

0:55:230:55:30

but, for me, it was the wrong layout and it was in the wrong location.

0:55:300:55:34

Yeah, it was in the town. A nice house if you want to live in a town. I don't want to,

0:55:350:55:39

-so that was it.

-All right, already! I get the fact that you don't want to live in a town!

0:55:390:55:43

Are you going to proceed on the house in the village?

0:55:430:55:46

I think we're going to have a second viewing

0:55:460:55:49

and seriously consider putting an offer in for that property.

0:55:490:55:53

Great. Well, I'm delighted, I think it's a wonderful opportunity.

0:55:530:55:56

And I hope that you move to the Lake District very soon.

0:55:560:56:00

Thank you, and it's been a great experience looking at the houses with you.

0:56:000:56:04

-Yeah, thank you, Alistair.

-Our pleasure.

0:56:040:56:06

Looking at this beautiful landscape, you can understand why Gail and William

0:56:090:56:13

really want to live smack-bang in the middle of the Lake District.

0:56:130:56:18

Part of me wants them to continue looking until they find

0:56:180:56:21

their dream property, right on the edge of Derwent Water,

0:56:210:56:24

but the other part of me wants them to go and put an offer on that house

0:56:240:56:27

in Caldbeck as soon as possible, cos it was a beautiful opportunity.

0:56:270:56:31

If you've enjoyed our jaunt in the Lake District,

0:56:310:56:34

do join us again for another edition of Escape To The Country,

0:56:340:56:37

cos we will be somewhere equally beautiful.

0:56:370:56:39

If you'd like to escape to the country

0:56:400:56:42

and would like our help, please contact us through our website at:

0:56:420:56:46

Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd

0:56:560:56:59

E-mail [email protected]

0:56:590:57:03

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