Devon Escape to the Country

Welcome to Escape To The Country.

300 years ago, the men that lived along this coastline were known as the kings of the smugglers -

bringing ashore their contraband and stashing it in many of the caves that litter the coastline.

Where am I? Well, stick around and I'll show you.

In today's show, I'll be helping a couple who have just returned from the Spanish Costas

to find a new pad in the glorious British countryside.

Morning coffee on the balcony.

That's absolutely gorgeous.

I'll be taking them on a tour of rural homes,

including a mystery house that may shatter their preconceptions.

-I think you're going to love it.

-OK, prove it then.

But will any of our choices get them signing on the dotted line?

Well, today I'm on the coast of Devon,

famous for its smugglers, pirates and good old-fashioned seafaring folk.

Up there is the gorgeous little village of Beer.

Back in 1750, the area was so rife with smugglers and pirates that the locals stationed troops

all along the coastline to try and keep them at bay.

The good news is the smugglers and soldiers have now gone

and everything down here is a lot more peaceful.

Devon, in the south-west of Britain, is the third largest English county.

Since the 12th century, it has prospered,

be it from the tin industry and the hundreds of mines that used to cover the moors,

to the ill-gotten gains of the smugglers.

Its coastal resorts are a huge hit, from the sandy beaches popular with families,

to the world famous Jurassic coast, which is historically and scientifically so important

that it was designated as England's first natural world heritage site in 2001.

Without doubt Devon is a beautiful county,

so it's perhaps not surprising that it was described as a paradise by Sir Harold Edwin Boulton,

the 19th century philanthropist and songwriter who wrote,

"When Adam and Eve were dispossess'd of the Garden hard by Heaven,

"They planted another one down in the West, 'twas Devon, glorious Devon."

Sand, sea and, on average, one and a half more hours of glorious sunshine

than anywhere else in the UK, makes Devon popular both with tourists

and with many who have also escaped to the country over the years.

So much so, that it's thought the population could increase by a whopping 27% over the next 25 years.

So, if you want to come, now is probably the time to do so,

but you will need some serious money in your pocket.

House prices here are a whopping 19% higher than the national average.

But, if you are keen to take the plunge, there is plenty on offer.

Take a look at these.

This £1.5 million home

is a stone's throw from the internationally renowned surfing beach in Croyde Bay.

The hefty price tag does, however, buy a terrific six-bedroom home,

where solid 1930s architecture meets modern contemporary family living.

Further south, in Pixton, a four-bedroom Grade II listed

thatched cottage is up for grabs for £650,000.

Beautifully restored by the current owners, it has been well thought through

with a Victorian-style bath, perfectly positioned for taking in the far-reaching view.

Or sitting just on the edge of the Dartmoor National Park

is this four-bedroom house in Great Mead.

At a shade under 400,000, it's a fabulous family house,

presented in show home condition that extends to the tidy garden.

At this price, it shouldn't stay on the market too long.

Things around here tend to get snapped up fairly quickly,

but that's just as well, because today's buyers can't wait to move here.

Today, we're smuggling retired policeman, Roger,

and social care consultant, Margaret, back into Britain.

They've decided to swap the Spanish sun, sea and sangria for some east Devon cream tea.

But, in the meantime, they are living in rented accommodation in Bracknell.

They emigrated to Spain two years ago and were enjoying the life

until Margaret was diagnosed with a serious illness that forced their return to the UK.

Now that she is on the road to recovery, their priorities have changed.

I think it's made us really focus on what matters to us.

How important our children and grandchildren are to us, and our being with them.

And also having some of our extended family around close by for support also.

We left behind a really lovely house in Spain.

We've had it built the way we want it.

We're very blessed and very fortunate.

In some ways, looking for a property here is going to be a challenge.

The house isn't the only thing they left behind.

Their beloved dogs, Molly and Tess, have stayed too.

Once there is a new home in Devon, they hope to be reunited.

Although the house they are renting in Bracknell is close to their daughters,

it simply isn't big enough.

The current garden we have, as you can see, is just too small.

What we're looking for is at least a minimum of one acre.

A place for the grandchildren to run around, a place for the dogs to have space to run around.

A place where we can grow our own food and hopefully keep a few chickens as well.

Getting settled in a new home is a top priority at the moment.

So what's on the checklist?

Spacious rooms, you know.

Lots of light and just to be able to feel that you can move around.

That's really important to us.

We'd like the house to be in a minimum of one acre

and situated outskirts of a village or semi rural.

The house itself, to have with it,

kitchen/breakfast-room, separate study, lounge and dining room.

Upstairs...

minimum four bedrooms.

We wouldn't mind if a property itself was necessarily small now,

as long as we could get the planning permission to build it up,

to put our own stamp on it.

Roger and Margaret are holding onto the Spanish villa they've poured their hearts into,

and as they don't have a property to sell in order to make this move,

they're in a strong buying position.

Budget-wise, what are we looking at?

If the property ticks all the boxes, our maximum budget is £500,000.

Well, there's no doubt that Margaret's recent illness has certainly put things in perspective.

They're looking to make the best of what the future has to offer.

They have got three daughters and four grandchildren.

They're all going to want to come and stay.

So they need a house with at least four bedrooms.

Roger would like at least an acre of land so he can lead something of the good life.

For half a million pounds, that is going to be something of a challenge, which is why, I think,

we might just hop over the border into Somerset,

where properties are a cool 14% lower.

So, who knows, we may just find a little more bang for our buck.

With this in mind,

we are concentrating the hunt around the town of Axminster in east Devon,

but also across the border into Somerset.

In today's show I'll be taking Roger and Margaret to see

three great houses, but I won't reveal the prices until they've each had a guess.

And the last of the three will be our mystery house.

Morning, chaps!

-Hello.

-How are you? Very nice to see.

-And you.

Welcome to a glorious part of the world.

It is. It's really beautiful.

I know, Margaret, you have been in the wars recently,

-but the good news is you are well on the road to recovery.

-Absolutely!

So, the icing on the cake would be to find you a nice house to live in.

-Correct.

-Indeed.

We know how much you've got to spend - half a million or so.

What I want to know is what style of property you're really after?

Something traditional.

-You say that. You're going to end up with beams and low ceilings and all the rest of it.

-I don't want that.

I hate it. I can't bear all of that.

I think what I probably mean is something modern, traditional.

You see, this is where it comes unstuck, Roger.

Do you have this debate all the time?

All the time, all the time.

-What I think we've come down to, the bottom line is, something that is spacious.

-Yeah.

It could be new, but spacious.

-It could be old and spacious.

-Yes.

Well, there are a few to choose from, you'll be glad to know.

Before it does start raining, let's go and see what we can find. Excellent.

Let's hope the rain doesn't hamper our search for Roger and Margaret's new home.

The fact that Roger is happy to take on a project will give us more scope.

How much of Devon do you know?

We've been down to Devon quite a few times

and every time we come down here we think, "Yes, this is the area we want to live".

What is it about it that attracts you?

I think because it is a slower way of life,

but it's also for our children to be able to come down and visit us, and us to visit them as well.

Do they know what the lanes are like around here? Look at it!

Nothing's quick, you know.

Of course, that is part of the charm of this wonderful county.

We're heading to the hamlet of Colston Cross for our first house,

close to the eastern border of Devon

and sitting amongst the Blackdown Hills.

Chardstock, just two miles away, sits aside the River Kit.

It's a pleasant and typical Devon village,

where the pub, Post Office and church are where the locals meet.

If Roger and Margaret are looking to explore the area, there's the bonus of the village walking club.

In Colston Cross, bearing in mind Roger and Margaret don't mind a project,

this first house could be right up their street.

There we are.

-What do you think?

-I really like it. It looks really good.

It's a substantial looking house.

And looks like the type of property we'd go for.

-It's classic post-war, this.

-Yeah.

Early '50s. So everything's straight.

That's good.

The only downside, really,

-at the moment...

-The road.

-..is the road.

-But it does sit within quite an extensive plot, which I think will be interesting.

-Absolutely.

I think the key thing is to go through it with a sense of space.

Does it give us the sort of space we're after?

-We'll see what you think.

-OK.

-Come on then.

So house number one gets the thumbs up, so far. Let's hope it continues.

OK, in you come.

I must be honest...

Not sure about the stairs.

In terms of size and space...

Yeah, it's definitely spacious.

Open and light and I like that very much.

-The ceilings are quite high as well.

-There are beams but they aren't low.

No, they've obviously knocked through over the years to give you this open plan thing.

In terms of scope, do you think this is something you would be interested in tackling?

Well, I'd like, really, to see the rest of the house.

Come on then, let's have a look.

This is the kitchen, obviously.

Not a massive farmhouse spec kitchen, but you probably wouldn't expect one in a 1950s build.

But, again...

I'm looking at this property in terms of what would I do with it,

how will I knock it about to create that?

-My immediate thoughts about the kitchen is it needs to go out.

-Yeah.

-It needs to be bigger.

-Mm-hm.

I'm a little bit concerned about whatever goes through there.

Boiler room through there, something of a utility area.

Coats and boots and stuff.

What you've got through here, have a look.

In here, something of a boot room kind of thing. Come and have a look.

This is already an existing extension to the property, you can see the downpipe there

and that old external window.

When we get outside I'll explain a bit more about how this property can be extended.

-I think that's what it's all about.

-I think you're right.

That would really make an impressive impact.

-Come with me upstairs. Let's have a look.

-OK.

This is a place that Roger and Margaret could really put their own stamp on.

It's ripe for extension and I think they'd enjoy it.

For now, I'm keen to show them around upstairs.

Now, three bedrooms up here.

OK. Size-wise, this is about the average.

-OK.

-Right.

I don't think it's too bad really because the colour and that furniture just crowds it all in.

I think if you took that out and painted it a very light colour,

you'd have a very reasonable sized room.

I like positivity and Margaret's creative vision is all good stuff.

Next door is the second bedroom

and then there is also the modern and tidy family bathroom.

And finally, a room for them.

This is the master as currently configured.

Again, very similarly sized room to what we had next door,

but it is the master for a very good reason because it has this.

Have a look in there! This is quite useful. Have a look.

-Yes. Yeah. It's actually surprisingly big.

-Not a bad size, is it?

It's a good size, without a doubt.

-You've got it all.

-Surprising how big this is compared to the other bedrooms.

-And the room sizes, yeah.

At the moment, it is a three bedroom property.

I've alluded to this extension.

Let's go outside and I'll give you a real sense of how that would sit on this place,

because your current three bed could become a very comfortable five bed

with a couple of extra reception rooms, bigger kitchen, the whole thing.

-OK.

-Right, OK.

-Let's see your imaginations go into overdrive.

-OK.

-I look forward to it.

Roger clearly likes my proposition

and, with Margaret's vision, I reckon they could make a fantastic place for themselves here.

Right, out you come.

Come over here to start.

OK.

Right. I've talked a lot about this extension.

This is what I want to describe to you.

There is currently, albeit lapsed, but there is an existing full planning permission

for a huge two-storey extension coming out of the property this way.

OK. One corner of it is here, where this blue pot is. All right?

And the other corner is up here.

-There.

-That's amazing.

-It's a huge addition, isn't it?

-It is.

That would afford you an enormous addition

-to the footprint of the house as it currently stands.

-Definitely!

Well, that's given them food for thought.

This house does offer plenty of scope and it also comes with a couple of outbuildings

which would make the ideal home for the chickens they are looking to keep.

Let's talk about land, Roger.

I think that's really what's going to make this property work for you.

-Absolutely right.

-You wanted how much?

We're saying about an acre.

OK. How about just over three?

I can live with that.

I thought you might, yeah!

What you get is everything that's bounded by this lovely post and rail stock fence.

So, up there, right across to the hedgeline over there

and down there, in that far corner, you've got a little orchard as well.

-Oh, right!

-Fantastic.

How do you think your £500,000 or so stacks up against this lot? Who's going to go first?

I'll go first.

I'm not very good at this.

I will plump for the figure 430,000.

£430,000, says your husband.

Yes.

I was thinking about 425. That's very similar, but that was a number that was in my head.

You can agree.

-It's perfectly all right.

-Yeah, that's true.

So, 425, 430, you're pretty much in the same area.

The thing about this property which is very exciting,

is that it is on the market, not for 425 or for 430

-It is on for 399.

-Really?

-So you've got £100,000 left over.

-Something to think about.

-Without a doubt.

For the first house,

-actually I'm really pleased with what you've shown us.

-Good! Hurrah!

Go and have a look around. Think about it.

Think about what you would do, cos this is a design job as far as you're concerned.

-Go and have fun. Let your imaginations run wild.

-We will.

-I'll catch you later.

-Thank you.

I love delivering good news and the 399 price tag was just that.

The price also gives Roger and Margaret £100,000 change

to build the extension.

My first impressions are excellent. It's a substantial property.

With the potential of an extension, would make it a property that is more than liveable in.

It's a nice sized room and I do like that fireplace.

Yeah, so do I. It's really good.

I can certainly see the potential in the house to build an extension

and to do the things that we want to do and have the things that we want.

So, in terms of the house, it's great, actually.

Right, out you come. Seen enough?

-Yes.

-Definitely.

-Worth seeing?

-Absolutely.

-Yes.

-Good! I'm glad. Nice way to start the day.

-Let's see what else we can find you.

-OK.

-Excellent!

Roger and Margaret can't wait to be living close to the sea again,

so earlier this week, they took the opportunity to breathe in the fresh air of Sidmouth.

This small town began as a fishing village and developed into a regency-style seaside resort

with a mix of architecture to match.

Like every Devon fishing village,

Sidmouth was no stranger to smuggling, and there's rumoured to be

a tunnel connecting The Ship Inn with the local parish church.

There's so much history to soak up here,

but the number one attraction has to be the beach, sitting on the world-famous Jurassic Coast,

well-known for its 200 million-year-old fossils.

Geologist Ian Lennon is a local expert.

The Jurassic Coast is a marvellous environment for collecting fossils.

It's one of the best places in the world, certainly in the UK,

because at the time, the animals were all living,

they were all able to be preserved in these Jurassic rocks under the sea.

The rocks have now been raised up above sea level

and are being eroded by the winds and the coastline and the landslips.

They come out onto the beaches for us to collect.

-What type of fossils do you find here?

-The ammonites,

they are well-known from this area.

Everybody wants to find an ammonite from this coastline here.

I've got one here - a small Promicroceras,

that's a species of ammonite.

Lovely little curled shell.

And the really good ones, of course, are the Ichthyosaurs,

the famous marine reptiles that were fossilised here, that Mary Anning first discovered.

Here's one we just recently found.

There's a jaw of an Ichthyosaur, with the two rows of teeth in it.

Thanks very much indeed. That was very informative.

-Not at all.

-Thank you.

For our next property, we're hopping over the border

into Somerset, to Isle Abbotts.

This sleepy village is tucked away from major roads,

providing the peaceful atmosphere Roger and Margaret are looking for.

The focal point is the beautiful 13th century church

with its handsome tower that was added in 1510.

The property we've lined up started life as two 18th century cottages

that were later knocked into one.

Well finally the rain has caught up with us - I thought it might!

Hopefully it won't dampen your spirits too much

because that's what I want you to have a look at now.

OK, interesting.

From the outside it looks cottagey, but I'll wait till I get inside.

It is cottagey - it hasn't got...

Victorian high ceilings.

Obviously - it's a cottage. But, it does have lots of space,

Margaret.

-OK.

-You did say you wanted lots of roomy space.

-I did.

-And it is actually remarkably light, considering its age and what it is.

-OK.

-OK.

-Bear with me!

-We will!

-Look forward to going in and having a look.

-Come and have a look around.

Right, come on it.

-Oh, this is different, isn't it?

-It is, actually.

Is this what you were expecting?

-No.

-It goes back a lot further than what I thought it would.

Doesn't it?

-It's amazing.

-I know you were thinking very slick, contemporary...

This does, of course, have an original

inglenook fireplace with a beam.

Um, is that a problem or is that all right?

-It's not a problem.

-I think that's quite nice.

There's some nice bits of character in a property like this

but it does lend itself to a contemporary feel, in some regards.

Hmm, certainly spacious.

-Lots of room.

-You're smiling, which is a good sign!

Definitely! I mean, this is about 1700 this bit.

-Right.

-OK, so that bit is 1750,

OK? And the kitchen is 20th century you'll be pleased to know!

Come and have a look at this!

-Oh, right.

-It's a good size.

-Certainly is.

-Without a doubt.

-That's an understatement, Roger...

-Yes!

-..To be honest with you.

It's a really, really good size. Great for family.

-Really good for family.

-Lots of room to move around.

Come and have a look up here because this space,

I think really is wasted at the moment,

but that would lend itself to an enormous dining table.

-A farmhouse-style kitchen table.

-Yes it would.

-Yeah.

-Definitely.

-Yeah.

I really like the floor, actually.

-I do like that.

-Good for the dogs.

Great for the dogs, yeah.

This huge kitchen diner is ready-made for those family meals

Roger and Margaret are looking forward to.

Back off the hall is a generous utility room and a cloakroom,

and of course the lounge.

I think this works for the size of family you have to acomodate.

Yep, it is a good size.

-Yeah, again.

-Surprising, isn't it?

Yes, it is.

The nice thing about it is that all the rooms in this house

go the full width of the property.

-Through that door you've got a new addition which is a study.

-OK.

-Useful.

You could both use it - it's big enough for you both to share.

Let's go upstairs because you wanted, ideally, four bedrooms.

-Yes.

-Yeah.

-You're gonna need all of those if...

-If they all stay, yeah.

So five would be brilliant?

-It would, yeah.

-Five you've got. Come and have a look.

I think that is more than they expected,

and it'll give them plenty of flexibility when the family come to stay.

Let's start in here. As I say, one of five that you've got.

Try and get a sense of size and space that the property offers you.

-Surprisingly big again.

-It is.

-And light.

Bonus points there then! Next up is a double for family visits

and then there are two single rooms the grandchildren could use.

The family bathroom is modern, with the bonus of two basins

and then finally, the master suite.

There we are.

Come on in. Again, think of it in terms or size and space.

-It's a good size.

-It's certainly a lot larger

than what I expected to see in this type of building.

Also, yet again, these ceilings are more the height that I would expect.

You do have this nice little balcony with double doors out over the garden,

but it also has something of a open, en suite arrangement.

Go and have a look...

In you go.

Poke your heads in.

-I mean, you might want a door.

-I think we would, most definitely.

New suite in there, all plumbed,

you know, you could make that quite nice.

Now, I'm getting the impression the decor isn't exactly to their taste

but its only cosmetic and wouldn't take much to change.

Outside, there's plenty more on offer.

Just at the back there's a large gravelled area where I think

they could have fantastic BBQs and there is no end of green turf.

Now, Roger, how much ground do you think you've got,

cos what you see is what you get.

I would guesstimate at about two acres.

Pretty much spot on. Just under. 1.9, so who's arguing?

-Two acres, that's not a bad spread.

-It's enough.

-It's more than enough,

exactly, cos you won't have to cut it, mate!

THEY LAUGH

The nice thing is you can have all your vegetables and mucky stuff at one end of the garden,

and your grandchildren are going to have a great time here.

-They would, actually.

-They'd love it.

They would love it, it seems really safe.

Well the hedge running round it is fantastic, it's mature...

Dog-proof as well so they're not going anywhere.

It's not a bad spot at all.

-No, it's good.

-OK.

Well, let's have a think about the money then, shall we?

We are over the border in Somerset, from Devon.

So you do get a bit more for your money here

but let's have a think about your £500,000

and how far it's going to go.

Go on, Margaret.

OK, I was sort of thinking...

Probably completely wild guess here, but £450?

-£450.

-I actually had that in my head as well

because the house is virtually done,

there's no building work to do on it and it has the grounds as well.

OK. It's actually £485.

-Right.

-Right.

-OK.

So, 15 under.

-Under budget.

-Under budget, but it is all done, pretty much,

few tweaks here and there.

Very charming house, great aspect outside

and you get all of that to play with.

-I think that's more than enough for you.

-It's more than enough ground, without a doubt.

Well go inside and see if it is your house

-and I'll catch up with you later.

-OK, thanks very much.

See if you can find me an umbrella.

At £485,000, this house shows how much more you get for your money

over the border in Somerset.

It has a 25-ft long family-style kitchen/diner.

A study, five bedrooms which will be great when the family visit,

and two acres of land for growing vegetables, keeping chickens

and letting the dogs run off steam.

When we approached the property I thought it'd be very small inside,

but it's like a Tardis.

It is really big inside, on the ground floor.

The outside, the garden, absolutely perfect.

So what do you think - this as a dining room?

Yeah, it could be, actually.

Could be, it links to the kitchen, it's a good size,

you've got the lounge through here...

Separate room. Yeah, I think that would be good.

I really liked the kitchen, I could really see being there,

it felt very comfortable and spacious,

and I imagined the children being there - a place for them to play

and us all being together.

I think for me the downside is the ceiling's being a little bit low.

Um, and that sort of puts me off a little bit,

but I'm not writing the properly off.

At long last you've appeared with the umbrellas!

-Here you go!

-Thanks, but it's sunny now!

-Which is good.

-Come on, let's enjoy the sunshine.

It's a fantastic sight to see a piece of 19th century engineering brought back to life.

What a great way to explore Devon's countryside!

As a boy, I loved old steam engines.

For most of us, the romantic image of an old locomotive conjures up a feeling of nostalgia.

So I couldn't resist an opportunity to learn about the maintenance of these magnificent machines

that are a constant reminder of Britain's industrial past.

I'm visiting the South Devon Railway,

the only company in Devon and one of just two places in England,

that replace the steel tyres.

The engineering manager is Rob Le Chevalier.

Rob, nice to see you.

What a gorgeous locomotive.

There are thousands of components that you need to repair and replace

to keep these things running. What is it with tyres?

-I thought only cars and lorries had tyres.

-No, no. Locos and diesels have tyres as well.

There's an example. That piece is the wheel centre or the spokes.

That piece is the tyre, and then we have a Gibson ring

which is like a giant circlip that holds it all in.

Essentially it would sit like that?

Yes, essentially, and the rail is under here.

So this is a separate steel band?

Absolutely. It's just a disc of metal that is shrunk on to the wheel centre.

Clearly that is the bit that's going to wear out and that's the bit that holds everything on the rails.

-Glides you in the right direction.

-Show me what you do.

-Head this way.

This is no while-you-wait job.

It takes a day to take the wheels off and about a week to replace them.

The steel tyres arrive in various sizes,

but they have to be bored out to the exact measurements of the wheel

and then heated to provide the perfect fit.

The lathe is the workhorse of the process.

How many of these do you think you do a year?

We do about 60 tyres a year, 30 axles.

They're about £1,000 a tyre and they cost about £1,000 each to fit.

How long is one of these going to last for before the locomotive has to come back and have them redone?

They should last, easily, 100,000 miles.

-In a heritage context...

-It would be a lifetime.

Fascinating having a look around.

But my visit would not be complete without a ride, would it?

-Certainly not.

-I'm going to find a train with some steam in it.

Very good.

I can't wait to experience the ride from the footplate and my driver today is Dave Noling.

-Have we got steam up?

-Yeah, we've got steam up.

Full pressure, ready to go.

-Would you like to do it?

-I'd love to have a go.

-Step here then.

-OK. The driver's position!

-This one here?

-Yeah.

-Just up to there?

-Upright position.

-Yeah.

Blow the whistle now.

WHISTLE BLOWS

-How far up do I go?

-A bit more.

-We're off.

-Oh, my God!

Wow!

Wonderful. Absolutely wonderful. I'm driving a steam train.

This really is a boyhood dream come true.

And it's a wonderful way to catch another glimpse of Devon.

As the end of the afternoon looms, it's a chance to mull over the properties so far.

It's been an interesting day, what did you think of the 1950s house?

I liked the property from the outside. For land,

it's absolutely fantastic - far more than what we could actually get.

And with the potential of putting an extension on the property,

we can actually put our own stamp on it.

I liked that, I liked the idea of making it how we wanted it to be.

The price was surprising.

It was. I honestly thought it would be a bit higher than that.

I did too. That was a pleasant surprise actually.

What did you think of the cottage in Somerset?

I think it was a big spacious house,

I was surprised there was five bedrooms.

The garden was perfect for the grandchildren and growing vegetables and all those sorts of things.

I wasn't keen on the lower ceilings. I'm a bit torn about the style.

Lots of really good things, but I wasn't 100%.

-But anyway, we've got more to see tomorrow, so...

-Can't wait.

-Looking forward to it.

-Definitely.

Roger and Margaret have recently returned from Spain

and are looking for a new home in the West Country.

They have a budget of £500,000 and are looking for a home large enough to accommodate visits

from their grown-up daughters and their family.

Our tour so far has taken them to one house and, coming up,

a property that takes them by surprise.

-Look at this!

-That is absolutely gorgeous.

We're halfway through our house search and I think our story

is turning into one of changing perceptions.

There's no doubt that both Roger and Margaret would have

dismissed properties on paper,

when in fact a visit was worthwhile.

We're going to push on with that theme today, two more to come,

including of course the mystery house and who knows, fingers crossed, we might get lucky.

For our first house this morning,

we're kicking off in the hamlet of Raymond's Hill,

snug up against the Dorset border

and just two miles north of the popular resort of Lyme Regis.

Charmouth, a couple of miles away, is one of the great gateways to the Jurassic coast.

The thriving village dates back to medieval times,

and it's believed Catherine of Aragon stayed here in 1501

on her way to marry Prince Arthur, the elder brother of the future Henry VIII.

Our next house is an interesting proposition.

Let's see what they make of it.

Our final day.

-We've got it all to play for, haven't we, really?

-We do. Yes.

What do you think of that?

I like the front garden.

I'm a bit concerned on the width of the house.

-I'd like to think it goes back a way to give us a bit of room.

-It does.

Or the opportunity to build on that.

-What we've got is a 1960s build.

-OK.

Very straight lines and so on and so forth but, the garden,

I can promise you, you will not forget. Let's get on with it.

Lovely!

Right, in you come.

-Grab the door, Roger.

-Thank you.

We don't normally feature entrance halls, but I think this is worth looking at.

Everything runs off of here.

My first impressions... I like it.

-Do you?

-I do.

-Good!

-I like the fact it's got a big hallway.

I really like that.

OK. All right. Well, running off here, a number of rooms.

Let's start with the living room.

OK.

OK.

It's a good sized room.

Silence from Roger.

There is. I was just looking at the window there.

It seems a little out of place, but I'd like to explore that further.

That just portrays the fact that what's beyond it is a later extension. OK.

You've got a little garden room there, backing on to a very useful utility room.

You could just open that up completely.

That's what I was thinking actually.

In terms of size of space, you get a glimpse of the garden through there.

That's lovely.

This house is designed to really celebrate the outside.

Loads of space, big sliding doors.

-Lots of scope.

-Yes.

-Without a doubt.

-Definitely.

Good. All right. Let's have a look at the kitchen.

-OK.

-OK.

Actually, that's quite a good size.

It's a great size. Very well fitted at the moment.

Again, you could just walk in and move in.

That's the point to make about it.

In time, if you want to tweak it here and there, you can do.

It's absolutely usable now, isn't it?

Very much so.

Although Margaret is happy with this room,

they could knock through to the dining room beyond,

making a huge kitchen with a superb view of the garden.

Back off the hall, there's a beautifully fitted out shower room and a cloakroom opposite.

For the quirky aspect of this house, two of the four bedrooms are downstairs.

One of which is being used as a study.

And, of course, they might like to do the same.

The two remaining bedrooms are upstairs.

OK. In you go.

-OK.

-OK, yeah.

-Good size.

-Certainly makes use of the roof space.

Is there an en suite?

Not here.

Always with houses with sloping roofs, there's an issue about wardrobe space.

There is. The good news is that this isn't your master.

Good.

-Thank you very much indeed.

-The master does have loads of storage space and a very nice en suite.

-Come and have a look at this.

-OK.

-Great.

They didn't expect that.

There we are. Lots of storage, in what is essentially a master wing.

-In here is your en suite.

-OK.

-Bath, shower, all the stuff.

-A good size.

Let's find you somewhere to sleep. Through here.

I think this is more like it as a master.

-Yes, yeah.

-A very good size.

-A good size, yeah.

Beams, but painted, which I think has a nice contemporary feel.

Actually that does... Looks better.

How about coffee out there?

I saw the balcony out there. I must go and have a look.

There we are. How about that? Morning coffee on the balcony.

-That's absolutely gorgeous.

-Yeah.

-How lovely!

-That's just a bit of the garden.

-Really?

That's not all of it.

It's very quiet, look at it!

-Peaceful. Pretty.

-It's lovely.

Come on, let's get down and start exploring.

That's what I like to see.

To be honest, they aren't giving much away

so it's difficult to know what they really think about this place.

But outside, nobody could fail to be impressed by the beautiful garden.

You're going to love this.

It sets the house off a treat

and is bursting with mature shrubs, trees and plants.

-So, what do you think?

-It's really beautiful.

-Isn't it!

-It is.

-As gardens go, this is absolutely immaculate.

-Absolutely beautiful.

You got a nice greenhouse down there.

Lots of specimen trees in here as well.

We've this lovely area of wild flowers. Orchids in there.

But... What you see is not what you get.

It goes on. Come and have a look.

-OK.

-Right.

-This is a garden to enjoy all year round.

-Yeah.

Lots of evergreen here, so the structure will remain through the winter.

-Oh, my goodness!

-It goes on, doesn't it?

-This is part of it as well?

-This is all yours, too.

-Up to that hedge at the back.

-That's amazing!

-How big do you think it is?

-The whole plot, including the front garden?

-Yeah.

-Just under two acres.

Yeah, that's pretty much it. The main bulk of the garden

is about an acre and a half. With the house and front, you're there.

In terms of vegetables and stuff, you've got bags of room to play with.

-Yes.

-You could go for some really lovely structural beds that would again complement the garden.

This here lends itself to being a vegetable plot.

-The working bit really.

-Exactly.

What are we thinking about the money, I wonder?

Can you afford it, do you think?

-I don't know really.

-Go on then.

-Actually, I think around about 500.

-500, yeah. That would be fair.

I'm hoping it's on for a bit less than that.

I'd say it's on for about 450.

A bit less? 50 grand less!

Ever the optimist. Well, it's good news and bad news really.

It's not £500,000, Margaret, but nor is it £450,000, Roger.

It is slap bang in the middle.

This could be yours for £475,000.

Go and have a look back at the property, now that you see what you get for 475

and see if it is, indeed, something that you want to work for you.

-Have good look round.

-Off you go.

-Thanks very much indeed.

Don't get lost!

At £475,000, this house is again well within budget.

The appearance of this house is deceptive.

Coming up the front drive, I felt it was narrow and probably small.

Coming inside though, it is absolutely massive downstairs.

The downside of this property, I wonder about the two bedrooms upstairs.

I think I'm more traditional and like more bedrooms upstairs.

We felt there was a lot of potential to do things.

The garden is stunning, absolutely stunning.

I'd be a bit nervous about maintaining something like that.

A beautiful summer house there. Ideal for the grandchildren.

Absolutely great for them.

This would be great for the vegetables and chickens and things like that. Away from the house.

-Yeah.

-I thought you'd got lost out here!

-We nearly did!

-I didn't.

-It's a long way down there.

-It's a lot to play with.

But well worth you seeing.

Yes, absolutely.

Quite stunning, the garden.

I wonder what you're really thinking. Plenty more to see.

OK.

As part of their new lifestyle, Roger and Margaret are keen

to embrace a holistic approach to life which includes growing their own vegetables.

With this in mind, they're visiting Pat Beaucock, an ecologist

who has created a garden based on perma-culture.

Or put simply, using environmentally sustainable solutions

to cater for our needs.

Welcome, welcome to organic's perma-culture garden.

How do we start our own perma-culture garden?

Perma-culture is everywhere,

anywhere. You can start it on any scale -

large farm or small back garden,

or even a window box, so its almost anywhere.

There are many loops here, one of them is bees. Bees can pollinate the flowers which attract the insects,

and then the insects eat the aphids and anything else I don't want,

and so we have a lovely cycle that works.

I don't use any chemicals at all, I use plants to take care of other

plants and that's how I get round keeping a healthy garden.

Healthy soil and healthy plants make a really good garden.

Perma-culture, of course, isn't new, it's just that traditional

methods of growing have been lost over the centuries.

However Roger and Margaret are keen to find out where to start

with their own vegetable patch.

Healthy soil is absolutely essential.

I do all my own composting here,

so I will layer up any organic matter - weeds that I don't need,

with hay, straw, grass cuttings,

nettles, comfrey, almost anything I've got and organic animal manure

when I can get it, and then let the whole process settle down.

How long would that take to go down.

It can take about a year but with clever composting

I can compost down in six months.

Does it really make the vegetables taste that much better?

It certainly does, let's go and harvest some and have some for lunch and you can see.

On the menu today is rocket, spinach and broad beans.

The vegetables are grown together with flowers which help to attract

the insects away from the vegetables.

One of these flowers is the nasturtium whose peppery taste

makes it a favourite at the table.

I'm going to have to try them.

I've never eaten a flower before, or at least not knowingly!

-Pat, this is absolutely gorgeous.

-Good to have you here!

-Thank you.

It's time now to spill the beans and reveal

our mystery house is in Monkton, amongst the Blackdown hills.

The market town of Honiton is just two miles away.

It has long had an association with pottery making.

Although the craft is much scaled down,

there are still specialist shops serving the market.

In Monkton, our mystery house is something I suspect they might not have viewed,

but I do think it could be close to what they're looking for.

-There we are - the mystery house.

-The mystery house.

-What do you think?

It looks pretty amazing actually.

It's pretty impressive. I know you said you didn't want a semi.

-But this is no ordinary semi.

-OK.

-Right.

-It is, as you can tell, a converted barn.

-Right.

But I do know you want everything new and slick, which this is.

I've never been in a barn conversion before.

-Always written those off in the past.

-Why?

I've always had this feeling that they had vaulted ceilings and you'd get a lot of heat loss.

I felt they weren't me, but I'm looking forward to having a look inside.

I think you're going to love it.

-OK. Go and prove it then.

-Come and have a look.

-OK. At last, we're inside the mystery house.

-Yes.

You've got something of a boot room cum utility area that greets you.

-I love the floors.

-They are stunning.

-It's beautiful.

I know "traditional" is a word that you've shied away from

in some of the properties you've looked at...on paper.

Go with it on this one, because there's a fantastic mix of traditional and contemporary.

The finishing is fantastic.

-OK, right.

-Wait till you see the rest of it!

Through there we've got a games room.

It could easily be a study if you want it to be.

-Downstairs cloakroom, but I want you to look at the kitchen. Check this out!

-OK.

-Look at this!

-That is absolutely gorgeous.

-Isn't it?

-It really is. It's gorgeous.

-Roger...?

Well, actually taken aback, to be honest.

I wasn't expecting to see a kitchen like this.

It's all oak.

Everything is oak, bar the cooker.

I think you'd be very happy cooking here.

I would. I like this kitchen.

As I say, the level of conversion this building has undergone is fantastic.

This is just the start.

Come through here.

In you come.

What about it?! I love it.

-It's stunning.

-Roger...?

-No vaulted ceilings.

-No vaulted ceilings, albeit in a barn.

You're right next to the kitchen, so big family events in here.

-I can see it.

-Yeah.

-Roger, you look a bit lost for words!

-As I say...

I've never been in a barn conversion before and it's turned on its head my view of them.

Come and have a look through here. This is very, very cosy as well.

This looks like it's been here for hundreds of years.

The building originally is about 1850. This is brand new, too.

Nice bit of reclaimed oak.

This multi-fuel stove is lovely.

So, coal and wood in there, whatever you want to do. Keep you nice and cosy.

This is not a barn conversion that I had in my mind.

-Proves you've got to go and look.

-That's true.

Shall we look upstairs? There's more. Come and have a look.

I think this beautiful contemporary barn conversion has surprised them both,

and, of course, that quality finish continues upstairs, starting off in the family bathroom.

-This is gorgeous, absolutely gorgeous.

-Not bad, eh?

It's big, isn't it? That's the bath?

That's amazing.

All the toys in here.

Double whirlpool bath.

Walk-in shower.

-Pretty funky.

-It's very good.

-Beautiful.

-I don't think you need to renew this.

No, we'll leave this one as it is.

That's the beauty with this place.

There's not a single job to be done.

Come on in. This is the master.

-How about this?

-That's beautiful.

-Yeah?

-It is actually beautiful.

I'm surprised about the beams.

I keep looking at them thinking,

-actually, I like them.

-Loads of space as well.

Behind you, there's some storage.

In here, this is nice. Look at that!

-Shower room.

-That's nice. Really nice.

But you will have guests, of course.

Let's go and find them somewhere.

Another high-spec en suite gets the vote.

The remaining three bedrooms are down the landing.

The first is laid out as a single,

but I think you could squeeze in a double for family visits.

Next door there are two single rooms for the grandchildren

and, from the second one, there is access to an annexe.

Just open that door. Big walk-in wardrobe in there.

-I said walk-in wardrobe. It's more of a walk-in annexe really.

-It is.

-It is.

-There's a lot more here than seems from the outside.

It's deceiving.

The annexe also has its own kitchen/living area, bathroom and entrance.

There are still more surprises to come.

Now then, Roger. Let's have a think about some land, shall we?

In the back of my mind is the thought that you wanted an acre.

-Correct.

-How much is here?

I'm going to hazard a guess, four maybe five.

Five. Can you see those posts there?

Down to that big mature hedge over there, across the hedge by the road

-and everything surrounding the drive.

-Quite a lot.

Quite a lot.

More than I'm sure you know what to do with, but that's what it comes with.

Let's have a think about our final guesstimate of the price.

Go on, Roger, you go first.

I'm going to hazard a guess at about 450.

-Crikey, O'Reilly!

-550.

You are much more realistic than your husband.

-I'm trying to get a discount.

-Yeah, well...

It's on the market at £530,000.

Open to offers. Sensible offers.

-Yeah.

-I think if it begins with a five...

you would probably be all right. There's a lot to take in with this property. Go and explore it.

Work it out in your own minds.

Who knows? See if it's for you.

-OK.

-I'll catch you later.

Off you go!

I knew Roger and Margaret would love this barn conversion at £530,000.

The mystery house was a surprise.

I didn't expect it to be semi-detached.

I didn't expect it to be a barn conversion.

I didn't expect to like it at all. However...

-as soon as you walked in here, it was good.

-What do you think of this?

It's open-plan and we had said we wanted a separate dining room.

We did, but in here it seems to work.

It does actually. It does.

-I do think it is do-able.

-I think you're right.

When I came into the house, I was stunned, actually.

It was beautiful. Beautifully finished.

The style was very much the sort of thing that I like.

It was completely opposite to what I'd imagined.

So I've really learnt something about barn conversions and about me.

I've learned that you should never look at a property

on a piece of paper and write it off immediately.

You must actually go in and have a look at it.

Right, guys, that's it. Mystery house is done.

-That means all of our house tours are now over.

-Right.

Are you feeling confused?

-Yes.

-A little.

-Tired?

-Yes.

-Want to sit down?

-Like to sit down and chat about all the houses.

-Brilliant.

-Let's get you somewhere you can do that.

-Excellent.

There have been more than a few surprises along the way,

but now it's time to pause for thought.

At long last, it's decision time for Margaret and Roger.

I have to confess that, having thought about all the properties we've shown them

and heard what they've had to say about them,

I am absolutely none the wiser as to how this is going to go.

Of course, there is one way to find out and that's to ask them.

-Are we feeling a bit more rested?

-We are.

-Definitely.

-Have you had a think?

-Yes.

-We have.

-It all started with that 1950s white house, near the road.

What did you think of that one?

I thought that the possibility of putting an extension on that property

would actually give us the opportunity to put our stamp on it.

The land was fantastic. Flat and you certainly could do something with that.

The only issue I would have with that property would be the noise from the road.

We then took you to something that really was a bit more traditional -

that 18th century cottage with an 18th century extension.

Well that was a surprise for me. I saw the outside and was thinking,

"Cottage, going to be small, no!"

And went inside and was really, really pleasantly surprised

about the size, the space and the light.

-The kitchen was beautiful.

-When we saw it,

certainly I didn't like it too much.

And then upstairs I just felt it was cottagey -

a little bit smaller upstairs.

We then all had a good sleep on it and our final day arrived

and we started with something that I felt you could really give

a very slick, contemporary look to.

That extraordinary garden with a property attached, I should say.

Walk-in... Great.

Hallway, stairs looked good.

Downstairs, plenty of rooms. You could do tons of stuff downstairs.

The disappointment with that house was when you went upstairs there was just two bedrooms.

-But, Margaret, what about the garden?

-The garden was absolutely stunning.

It was so beautiful, so well looked after,

and the great thing was, it had the potential because it sort of went down and around.

It was a lot bigger than one realised.

I have to say, one of the finest gardens we've seen on this programme for a long time.

It was really beautiful.

-A beautiful garden without a doubt.

-All right.

Well, it wasn't over just yet.

There was one more to come, the mystery house.

Something very, very traditional in some respects,

but I have to say, I think you'll agree, fitted out with real panache.

The barn conversion was really surprising in terms of what was in there. It was absolutely stunning.

The kitchen was beautiful. I was surprised,

there were beams around and I actually liked the whole style of it.

I was really surprised.

There was potential there, particularly with the add on - the annexe part of it.

The road was actually quite heavy and the noise from it was quite a lot.

-Inside, you couldn't hear it when the windows were closed.

-You couldn't.

I have to say, I would love to be able to predict

what's going to happen next, but I don't think I can.

You tell me.

Well, I think I would like to go back to the white 1950s house and have another look.

I think the idea of having the extension built

and putting our own stamp on it appeals to me a bit.

We wait to hear what you eventually do.

Guys, thank you very much for coming on Escape To The Country.

I'm glad it has been useful. Here's to you. Well done.

Thank you very much. Thank you, Jules.

You know, no house search is, of course, ever the same.

This one is no exception.

I have to confess, I think it's been less about finding the perfect property

and more about helping Margaret and Roger find out

what exactly it is they want in their new home.

We've given them plenty to choose from.

When they started, they were after something contemporary and not traditional.

As it's turned out, I think, they want a little of both.

Like so many before them, they've learnt that crucial lesson

when it comes to successful house hunting -

never judge a property by the paper upon which it is printed.

If in doubt, go and check it out.

I'll see you next time.

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