0:00:02 > 0:00:06Welcome to Escape To The Country. Today I'm in one of Britain's oldest forests, established way back
0:00:06 > 0:00:12by the Normans, and much of it is governed today by laws laid down by William the Conqueror himself.
0:00:12 > 0:00:15But the best way to get a real taste of it isn't from down here.
0:00:15 > 0:00:16It's from up there.
0:00:29 > 0:00:33In today's show, I'll be helping a couple escape the urban sprawl
0:00:33 > 0:00:36and grow their business in the country.
0:00:36 > 0:00:38But will they get stuck in a time warp?
0:00:38 > 0:00:42- Let's get creative.- We need to!
0:00:42 > 0:00:46Or can we cook up some 21st-century solutions?
0:00:46 > 0:00:48- Wow!- Wow!
0:00:48 > 0:00:50Yeah?
0:00:50 > 0:00:56- Fantastic.- And there's the mystery house which offers a step back in time with a few extra surprises.
0:01:02 > 0:01:06Well, today I'm in Hampshire, here in the New Forest at the New Forest Outdoor Centre,
0:01:06 > 0:01:12and it really is a fantastic way to get a bird's-eye view of what this place has to offer.
0:01:12 > 0:01:14Even if you are hanging on for dear life.
0:01:14 > 0:01:17Now, the forest was created as the then New Forest back
0:01:17 > 0:01:19in 1079 by royal charter by William the Conqueror.
0:01:19 > 0:01:23Now, back in the day, they cleared out all the locals, knocked down
0:01:23 > 0:01:2736 churches to provide the king with somewhere to relax and to hunt in.
0:01:27 > 0:01:29Well, the good news is that today
0:01:29 > 0:01:34everybody's moved back, the hunting has gone, but it's still a fantastic playground.
0:01:35 > 0:01:39The New Forest occupies 200 square miles of the county of Hampshire,
0:01:39 > 0:01:41right on the southern tip of England.
0:01:41 > 0:01:45These days, this ancient woodland is most famous for its wild ponies
0:01:45 > 0:01:50which roam free over its extensive forest, heath and grassland.
0:01:50 > 0:01:53But they're not the only creatures that enjoy the right of way here.
0:01:53 > 0:01:59The New Forest is one of the few places in the UK where the cow, not the car, is king of the road.
0:01:59 > 0:02:02Even so, man has managed to make his mark.
0:02:02 > 0:02:09The forest is the most inhabited of all the national parks, with 34,000 people making their home here.
0:02:09 > 0:02:13Although building in the New Forest has been restricted since King William II's time,
0:02:13 > 0:02:16planning permission is still possible. However, houses
0:02:16 > 0:02:20that do come on the market tend to be snapped up very quickly.
0:02:20 > 0:02:24But with national park status and a combined block on building
0:02:24 > 0:02:29and development, we do end up with something of a double-edged picture here.
0:02:29 > 0:02:33On the one hand, you're unlikely to have a supermarket or a petrol station built on your doorstep.
0:02:33 > 0:02:37But on the other, it does mean that pricing of local housing stock is going to remain high.
0:02:37 > 0:02:40Difficult if you're a buyer, but perhaps in the long run,
0:02:40 > 0:02:44if you're looking to invest, maybe it's not such a bad thing after all.
0:02:44 > 0:02:48So, if all that hasn't put you off and you still think that the New Forest is for you, here's a taste
0:02:48 > 0:02:50of what's on the market right now.
0:02:50 > 0:02:57For £1.5 million, this three-bedroom farmhouse in the village of Tiptoe is a perfect horse-lover's retreat.
0:02:57 > 0:03:00You could curl up in front of the sitting room's log-burner
0:03:00 > 0:03:03or play a game of billiards or hopscotch in the games room.
0:03:03 > 0:03:09Its 10 acres include stabling and paddocks, with open riding in the New Forest on your doorstep.
0:03:09 > 0:03:15£565,000 will get you this three-bedroom Grade 2 listed cottage in Rockbourne,
0:03:15 > 0:03:20with beams throughout its characterful reception rooms and upstairs bedrooms.
0:03:20 > 0:03:26Outside, there's a stable-yard for the ponies and over seven acres of paddocks and pastureland.
0:03:26 > 0:03:32This two-bedroomed Arts and Crafts cottage in Hillhead is on the market at £395,000.
0:03:32 > 0:03:36Inside needs a bit of modernising, but all the period features are there,
0:03:36 > 0:03:40with high ceilings, cornices and original panelling.
0:03:40 > 0:03:43Outside, there's an attractive south-facing garden.
0:03:44 > 0:03:48So, as you can see, some lovely properties in a lovely area
0:03:48 > 0:03:53with some fantastic neighbours, which is precisely why today's buyers want to move here.
0:03:53 > 0:03:57They are Nick and Tracy from Bournemouth, who currently live
0:03:57 > 0:04:02in a three-bedroom 1930s house with their son and twin daughters.
0:04:02 > 0:04:06They also run a thriving Spanish food import business from here, which they want to expand.
0:04:06 > 0:04:10But that means they need more space.
0:04:10 > 0:04:15So now it's time to say "hasta la vista" to town living and "si, senor" to the countryside.
0:04:15 > 0:04:18We'd like to move to the country because we'd like to open a farm shop.
0:04:18 > 0:04:20We're Spanish-food importers.
0:04:20 > 0:04:25We supply restaurants, delicatessens and we retail ourselves.
0:04:25 > 0:04:28So want to very much work from home.
0:04:28 > 0:04:34So, whether it's in an outbuilding or within the house, we need an office,
0:04:34 > 0:04:38some storage and, ideally, somewhere to put a farm shop.
0:04:38 > 0:04:42But it's not just a business premises that they're looking for.
0:04:42 > 0:04:44It's got to operate as a family home
0:04:44 > 0:04:47as well as what we're doing with the business.
0:04:47 > 0:04:54So it's really about giving us the space for the whole family to do what they need to do.
0:04:54 > 0:04:57After nine happy years in this house, they're now ready to move on.
0:04:57 > 0:05:00So what are they looking for in their new home?
0:05:00 > 0:05:03This move to the country is all about family and the business.
0:05:03 > 0:05:06If he could find a property that had the farm shop, that would be great.
0:05:06 > 0:05:10- Or we could actually build one ourselves. - I'm passionate about food.
0:05:10 > 0:05:16Food's our business and this kitchen just doesn't allow me to do what I need to do.
0:05:16 > 0:05:19And I want a kitchen with a big range, one we can develop
0:05:19 > 0:05:23our Spanish foods and bring in our Spanish friends to enjoy them with us.
0:05:28 > 0:05:30Nick has his food and wine.
0:05:30 > 0:05:34I have my music. What would be great moving to the country
0:05:34 > 0:05:38is to have a music room for my son and I and I can play as loud as I want.
0:05:39 > 0:05:44- So what sort of location would suit them?- We want to be close to or in a village.
0:05:44 > 0:05:48We have to have a community close-by that we can get involved with.
0:05:48 > 0:05:51Schools are really important.
0:05:51 > 0:05:57I think we'd like to be in a village, if we could, that's got a local pub, that would be great.
0:05:57 > 0:06:03Before we can seriously start our house hunt, we need to see how much they've got to spend.
0:06:03 > 0:06:06So, we've arranged for an estate agent to come and give them an evaluation.
0:06:06 > 0:06:10This is an exceptionally well-presented four-bedroom family home,
0:06:10 > 0:06:14situated within one of the most prestigious roads within the Talbot Woods area of Bournemouth.
0:06:14 > 0:06:20The price guide on this property should be in the region of £750,000.
0:06:20 > 0:06:23We're very happy with the valuation.
0:06:23 > 0:06:27- It's really what we expected it to be.- So how much are they prepared to spend?
0:06:27 > 0:06:32Our budget for this move is £650,000.
0:06:32 > 0:06:38Despite keeping 100,000 back towards the business, both Nick and Tracy still have a healthy budget.
0:06:38 > 0:06:40But who's going to have the final say?
0:06:40 > 0:06:46I think I'd be right in saying I'll probably make the decision on the house.
0:06:46 > 0:06:50I think if it's on the financial side, it's probably my husband.
0:06:50 > 0:06:55I'd agree with that. There is no way we'd buy a house if Tracy didn't like it.
0:06:59 > 0:07:03Now, I think I am going to have to break it to them gently that the whole idea of a farm shop
0:07:03 > 0:07:07attached to a domestic property isn't really going to happen.
0:07:07 > 0:07:12£650,000 sounds like an awful lot of money, but to be honest, here in the New Forest,
0:07:12 > 0:07:13it isn't going to go that far.
0:07:13 > 0:07:18And we've still got to accommodate quite a big family. They also want some office space.
0:07:18 > 0:07:22I think that is doable. But we've also got to fit in a drum kit.
0:07:22 > 0:07:25Let's just hope it doesn't upset the residents.
0:07:27 > 0:07:31As Nick and Tracy's move to the New Forest has to accommodate their business and a family home,
0:07:31 > 0:07:33they don't want to be too isolated.
0:07:33 > 0:07:36Being in a village or near a town would be ideal.
0:07:36 > 0:07:39I'll be showing them a great choice of properties,
0:07:39 > 0:07:42but I won't reveal the prices until after they've had a good guess.
0:07:42 > 0:07:47Last but not least is the mystery house, which could put the cat amongst the pigeons.
0:07:51 > 0:07:54Hi, guys. All set?
0:07:54 > 0:07:59- Certainly are.- Welcome to the New Forest. I say welcome. we're sort of on your patch in a way, aren't we?
0:07:59 > 0:08:04- Bournemouth, very close.- So you must know this area fairly well?- We do.
0:08:04 > 0:08:10- But you still want get out of the smoke and into the countryside? - Certainly.- Now, your budget. 650.
0:08:10 > 0:08:15Not a bad figure, to be honest, but in trying to incorporate everything that you're after,
0:08:15 > 0:08:19this is the kind of challenge that we are used to.
0:08:19 > 0:08:21But the big issue, I think,
0:08:21 > 0:08:23is the farm shop.
0:08:23 > 0:08:27Yeah, we thought that might be a challenge for you, in the New Forest especially.
0:08:27 > 0:08:31Especially in the New Forest. Yeah. What if we didn't find a shop?
0:08:31 > 0:08:33We can live with that.
0:08:33 > 0:08:36The key thing is that we find a lovely home, I think,
0:08:36 > 0:08:38for you and your family.
0:08:38 > 0:08:42We can always look for a shop in one of the villages later on. So that would work very well.
0:08:42 > 0:08:47OK. We have got a number of quite interesting properties for you to look at today.
0:08:47 > 0:08:50So it has just stopped raining. It might hold off.
0:08:50 > 0:08:53- Let's go and see what we can find you.- Fantastic.
0:08:53 > 0:08:58So, for £650,000, Nick and Tracy want a house full of character
0:08:58 > 0:09:00and three reception rooms.
0:09:00 > 0:09:03They want at least four bedrooms and a large working kitchen.
0:09:03 > 0:09:08Finding a property with a farm shop is unlikely, but they're set on having an office
0:09:08 > 0:09:11from which to run the business.
0:09:14 > 0:09:16Our first property is in the village
0:09:16 > 0:09:19of Hale, set in the north-western corner of the New Forest National Park.
0:09:19 > 0:09:25Hale's thatched cottages and more modern houses sit happily around the village green and playing fields.
0:09:25 > 0:09:29There's a well-regarded primary school, perfect for their twin girls,
0:09:29 > 0:09:32as well as a village hall where the family can get to know the neighbours.
0:09:32 > 0:09:37The house I'm taking them to see is this extended chalet bungalow on the outskirts of the village.
0:09:40 > 0:09:42Right. Let's start with this one.
0:09:42 > 0:09:44There. That's what I want you to have a look at.
0:09:44 > 0:09:46Yeah, it looks good. Looks good.
0:09:46 > 0:09:49Quite different.
0:09:49 > 0:09:53The windows, the upstairs. Bungalow originally.
0:09:53 > 0:09:54Exactly.
0:09:54 > 0:09:56Much extended.
0:09:56 > 0:09:57So lots of space, well laid-out.
0:09:57 > 0:10:00It's great. Love it so far. Really nice.
0:10:00 > 0:10:03Is this the sort of thing you'd a mind in terms of lush country life?
0:10:03 > 0:10:07- Yes. Definitely.- Well, let's see what you make of the inside.- Great.
0:10:11 > 0:10:16OK. In we come. Through something of a sort of boot room.
0:10:16 > 0:10:17OK.
0:10:17 > 0:10:20Let's start in here. Because you've got to pay for this great adventure.
0:10:20 > 0:10:23Yeah. This is a good office.
0:10:23 > 0:10:26I think as offices go, this is quite good actually.
0:10:26 > 0:10:28- This is good.- Fantastic. Excellent.
0:10:28 > 0:10:32So, you've had a hard morning on the phones, taking lots of orders, cashing lot of cheques.
0:10:32 > 0:10:34- Hopefully! - Now, let's go and make a cup of tea.
0:10:34 > 0:10:36Follow me through to the kitchen.
0:10:38 > 0:10:41Right. What about this?
0:10:41 > 0:10:45My goodness. This is a nice large kitchen.
0:10:45 > 0:10:49Is this the sort of space that would work for you?
0:10:49 > 0:10:52It would work. As long as you can get your cooker in.
0:10:52 > 0:10:55Ah. Yes, we haven't seen that far yet.
0:10:55 > 0:10:58Right, well, have a look. You tell me. Will it fit in there?
0:11:01 > 0:11:04- Yeah.- I think we could do something with that space.
0:11:04 > 0:11:06What kind of cooker have you got?
0:11:06 > 0:11:10- I've got a very big range.- OK. Well, you said you'd fit in there.
0:11:10 > 0:11:13You'd fit in there. That's a good space.
0:11:13 > 0:11:15And the diner element has a nice one, too.
0:11:15 > 0:11:18- With the kids as well, it's really good.- Very good.
0:11:18 > 0:11:25Good. OK. Well, let's see if we can find you some reception rooms. Come and have a look through here.
0:11:25 > 0:11:29Now, leading off of the kitchen, this little sort of vestibule, if you like.
0:11:29 > 0:11:33It's something of a kind of snug, I suppose.
0:11:33 > 0:11:35Nice bay window overlooking the front garden.
0:11:35 > 0:11:38It could be a kids' area. That's possible.
0:11:38 > 0:11:41Somewhere for them to watch telly.
0:11:41 > 0:11:44Maybe more their kind of space. It should mean that you guys
0:11:44 > 0:11:47would be in here - a really interesting family area.
0:11:47 > 0:11:49- This is good. - Nice open fireplace here.
0:11:49 > 0:11:52And I do love this. I think the window-seat really works.
0:11:52 > 0:11:55- It makes the best of the garden. - Feels very spacious.
0:11:55 > 0:11:58- So you would all fit in here. That's the key thing.- We would.
0:11:58 > 0:12:01Right. Good. Great. And next door, there's a dining room with direct
0:12:01 > 0:12:05access to the kitchen which would be ideal for their dinner-parties.
0:12:05 > 0:12:08Still on the ground floor, there's also a good-sized family bathroom
0:12:08 > 0:12:13and three bedrooms, including a generous double, a single
0:12:13 > 0:12:17and one which could be perfect for them.
0:12:17 > 0:12:21So. How about this as your master bedroom?
0:12:21 > 0:12:23What a lovely size.
0:12:23 > 0:12:26- It's huge, isn't it? You look quite surprised, Tracy.- I am.
0:12:26 > 0:12:29- I wasn't expecting quite so big. - It's great. It's lovely.
0:12:29 > 0:12:33Again, the bay windows are a real feature of this property.
0:12:33 > 0:12:35I think that's what makes it really nice.
0:12:35 > 0:12:40Well, have a look in there because you've got a very nice en suite, too. Check it out. Off you go.
0:12:42 > 0:12:46At least it's not avocado.
0:12:46 > 0:12:49- It's nice.- Lovely tiles. - Yeah. Very Spanish, aren't they?
0:12:49 > 0:12:52Very Spanish. Thought that might appeal.
0:12:52 > 0:12:54Good size for an en suite with shower. Very good.
0:12:54 > 0:12:58Good. Right. Let's see what else we can find you.
0:13:04 > 0:13:07Well, let's start exploring the upstairs conversion here.
0:13:07 > 0:13:11This is 2002. You have got two further bedrooms up here.
0:13:11 > 0:13:18I think the question is whether you configure these for your son or for the girls.
0:13:18 > 0:13:21I think we'd have this room.
0:13:21 > 0:13:26Or for you. It's a great big double. It's got some really, really lovely features in it.
0:13:26 > 0:13:29Go and have a look through there. Go on. There's some double doors, Tracy.
0:13:29 > 0:13:31Go and open those up.
0:13:31 > 0:13:33Wow! This is really good.
0:13:33 > 0:13:36Look at that. It's fabulous.
0:13:36 > 0:13:38What a good view of the garden.
0:13:38 > 0:13:42Can you imagine coming out of your slumber with a cup of coffee in the morning?
0:13:42 > 0:13:45- Definitely.- Definitely. Very nice.
0:13:45 > 0:13:48So you think this would become your master?
0:13:48 > 0:13:50- I think it would.- Yeah, I don't think we'd argue about that one, would we?
0:13:50 > 0:13:54- So who would get the one downstairs? - We'd have to think about that one.
0:13:54 > 0:13:59It looks like they're really starting to see themselves in this house.
0:13:59 > 0:14:03On the same level, there's another bathroom and a further single bedroom tucked under the eaves.
0:14:03 > 0:14:07But now it's time to go back out and give them a closer look at that wonderful garden.
0:14:07 > 0:14:09I love this place.
0:14:09 > 0:14:11It's like a rain forest.
0:14:11 > 0:14:13It's great.
0:14:13 > 0:14:15How about this, then?
0:14:15 > 0:14:17Lovely.
0:14:17 > 0:14:20The rest of it goes on through here.
0:14:20 > 0:14:22Come and have a look at this.
0:14:22 > 0:14:26So, all in all, about a third of an acre.
0:14:26 > 0:14:27But it feels a lot bigger.
0:14:27 > 0:14:30- A lot bigger.- It does. - Very beautiful garden.
0:14:30 > 0:14:35So, very pretty house in the heart of the New Forest.
0:14:35 > 0:14:37How much is it worth, then?
0:14:37 > 0:14:39590.
0:14:39 > 0:14:41590, OK?
0:14:41 > 0:14:44I'm going to go 610 because of the area.
0:14:44 > 0:14:47Well, you were a little bit more realistic there, Tracy.
0:14:47 > 0:14:52To be perfectly honest. This is on the market at 625,000 quid.
0:14:52 > 0:14:55- That's good.- Not too shocked?
0:14:55 > 0:14:58- No, not too shocked.- Well, there's plenty of it go and explore.
0:14:58 > 0:15:02Go and soak up the atmosphere and I'll catch up with you a little bit later.
0:15:02 > 0:15:05Thank you.
0:15:05 > 0:15:12So, well under budget at 625,000, this former bungalow is in fact a rather large house.
0:15:12 > 0:15:16Although it doesn't have that pipe-dream farm shop, it is in a desirable village location
0:15:16 > 0:15:19and it has many of the features on Nick and Tracy's wish-list.
0:15:19 > 0:15:22Including three spacious living areas,
0:15:22 > 0:15:28four bedrooms and three bathrooms, a large kitchen/diner and a huge office to run their business from.
0:15:28 > 0:15:31But what do they think about it all?
0:15:31 > 0:15:33- I love this room.- It's a good room.
0:15:33 > 0:15:35Nice open fireplace.
0:15:35 > 0:15:39This window in particular, looking over that fabulous garden.
0:15:39 > 0:15:43It's got a nice feeling of space. I think this house could work with us.
0:15:43 > 0:15:48We'd obviously have to spend some money on it, but it does have some nice features.
0:15:48 > 0:15:52I think the kitchen's a good size, but whether it's big enough.
0:15:52 > 0:15:53Whether you'd get your big range in.
0:15:53 > 0:15:59Yeah, because I really want a large range cooker and it's a good size, but I know it'll frustrate me.
0:15:59 > 0:16:01I think, on the whole, the property has everything we're looking for.
0:16:01 > 0:16:05The office in particular is a really good space.
0:16:05 > 0:16:13And I guess a little bit of issue with the layout of some bedrooms upstairs and downstairs,
0:16:13 > 0:16:15but that needs a little more thinking about.
0:16:15 > 0:16:17Overall, though, what a great start.
0:16:19 > 0:16:22Look!
0:16:22 > 0:16:24It's started raining.
0:16:24 > 0:16:26What have you done, you two? Have you seen enough?
0:16:26 > 0:16:28Great first property. Good start, then.
0:16:28 > 0:16:30- Plenty more to come.- OK.
0:16:36 > 0:16:40The lively market town of Lyndhurst is at the heart of the New Forest.
0:16:40 > 0:16:42Nick and Tracy are no strangers to the town,
0:16:42 > 0:16:45but they're here to find out a bit about its heritage,
0:16:45 > 0:16:49so they've come to meet local expert Peter Roberts.
0:16:49 > 0:16:53First stop is the awe-inspiring St Michael and All Angels church,
0:16:53 > 0:16:57which stands imposingly over the town centre.
0:16:57 > 0:17:00Although it was built in the Victorian Gothic style,
0:17:00 > 0:17:03its multicoloured bricks show it belonged to the then
0:17:03 > 0:17:07cutting-edge design movement known as Arts and Crafts.
0:17:07 > 0:17:10Right, we're in the height of Lyndhurst, if you like.
0:17:10 > 0:17:15I say height because we've got a spire attached to this church, which is 160 feet high.
0:17:15 > 0:17:20Gothic in style but actually built in the 1860s by the Arts and Crafts movement,
0:17:20 > 0:17:23and it was funded entirely from people within the parish,
0:17:23 > 0:17:28which says something about their affluence in the 1850s and '60s.
0:17:28 > 0:17:33- So quite a place, all in all. - Very beautiful.- Yes, it is.
0:17:33 > 0:17:36Inside, there are some beautiful examples of craftsmanship
0:17:36 > 0:17:38by celebrated artists of the time.
0:17:38 > 0:17:41With a biblical fresco by Lord Leighton,
0:17:41 > 0:17:45and stained-glass windows created by the Arts and Crafts artists,
0:17:45 > 0:17:48Edward Burne-Jones and William Morris.
0:17:48 > 0:17:51Outside, there are also literary legacies from the Victorian era.
0:17:51 > 0:17:54The churchyard marks the resting place of Alice Liddell,
0:17:54 > 0:17:57who inspired Lewis Carroll's Alice In Wonderland.
0:17:57 > 0:18:00Just next door is the Verderers' Hall,
0:18:00 > 0:18:03seat of the Verderers' Court, which has presided over the area
0:18:03 > 0:18:06and its people for the past 1,000 years,
0:18:06 > 0:18:08dealing with all matters of forest law.
0:18:08 > 0:18:10The Verderers' Court goes back to Norman times,
0:18:10 > 0:18:12with the introduction of forest law.
0:18:12 > 0:18:15Forest law was invented by William the Conqueror
0:18:15 > 0:18:17to protect his hunting - to look after the deer.
0:18:17 > 0:18:20The idea was that there was a need to look after the deer,
0:18:20 > 0:18:23ensure they weren't taken by the locals
0:18:23 > 0:18:26and ensure their habitat had somewhere safe for them to go to.
0:18:26 > 0:18:31The Verderers are still a powerful force in the New Forest
0:18:31 > 0:18:33and have the final say on all kinds of forest business,
0:18:33 > 0:18:36like animal welfare and planned developments.
0:18:36 > 0:18:39It's no wonder Nick and Tracy want to move here
0:18:39 > 0:18:43and enjoy the riches of the New Forest's town and country life.
0:18:45 > 0:18:47Our next property is in the village of Pilley,
0:18:47 > 0:18:51of one of the most sought-after areas in the New Forest.
0:18:51 > 0:18:54Pilley has a village store and a post office, useful for
0:18:54 > 0:18:57Tracy and Nick's online business food deliveries.
0:18:57 > 0:19:00A resident herd of cows make themselves at home amongst
0:19:00 > 0:19:03the Victorian red-brick cottages and barn conversions.
0:19:03 > 0:19:06The house I'm taking our couple to see is a little less easy to date.
0:19:06 > 0:19:09- Right.- Wow.- Come on up to the gate.
0:19:12 > 0:19:18- What do you think of that? - That looks good.- Fantastic.- It's a very big, substantial house, this.
0:19:18 > 0:19:23- What kind of date do you think it was built?- Ooh.- Early 20th century.
0:19:23 > 0:19:28- You would think so. But, actually, this is 1970.- My goodness.
0:19:28 > 0:19:31- Probably not a lot has changed since 1970.- OK.
0:19:31 > 0:19:34The other thing to point out is that in terms of schools,
0:19:34 > 0:19:37this is a really good area.
0:19:37 > 0:19:41- The bus stop for the local schools is at the end of the lane. - Fantastic.
0:19:41 > 0:19:44- Right.- Let's take a step back in time, shall we? To the 1970s.
0:19:44 > 0:19:46It's like Life On Mars.
0:19:54 > 0:19:57Right then, in you come, Nick.
0:19:57 > 0:19:59As I say, we are in something of a time warp here,
0:19:59 > 0:20:01as you can probably tell.
0:20:01 > 0:20:05- Yes!- Behind you, a little downstairs cloakroom on the way in.
0:20:05 > 0:20:07Quite a small study there.
0:20:07 > 0:20:11- I'm not sure that's enough for what you need to work in.- No.
0:20:11 > 0:20:16In your previous property searches, you've looked at at least one property that needed renovation.
0:20:16 > 0:20:19- Yep.- And you weren't put off. - Not put off by that.
0:20:19 > 0:20:23- Something that really needs it.- You know where you are. Warts and all.
0:20:23 > 0:20:27- Absolutely.- I'm glad you said that! Come with me.
0:20:29 > 0:20:32- I did say this place had a lot of space.- This is a nice room.- Wow.
0:20:32 > 0:20:35- What a nice room.- I like this. - Yeah?- Yeah.- It's a good room.
0:20:35 > 0:20:38- I think this is actually quite generous.- It's a nice room.
0:20:38 > 0:20:40- Love the windows.- Yep.
0:20:40 > 0:20:44I'm describing it as a bit of a project, and it is in some respects.
0:20:44 > 0:20:50It's not as major as it might be, but it does give you the scope to really go to town with this.
0:20:50 > 0:20:54OK. Let's continue through here.
0:20:56 > 0:20:59- Let's get creative.- We need to!
0:20:59 > 0:21:01THEY LAUGH
0:21:01 > 0:21:07As you can see, it's going to be much too small. But through here...
0:21:07 > 0:21:09- The kitchen.- ..is the kitchen.
0:21:09 > 0:21:16If this wall were to disappear, you'd end up with a very, very big kitchen.
0:21:16 > 0:21:20- Is that the sort of project you would consider?- We would. - Absolutely.
0:21:20 > 0:21:24Let's have a look in the kitchen itself. It'll start to make more sense. This way.
0:21:27 > 0:21:32- OK, Nick.- This has great potential. - I think it has.
0:21:32 > 0:21:36- I think definitely take that wall out.- And what about your big range?
0:21:36 > 0:21:40- Where would we put that?- Well, I think we're probably somewhere...
0:21:40 > 0:21:45- There, I'd say.- ..along that wall. - Yep, that would work.
0:21:45 > 0:21:46We have enough space.
0:21:48 > 0:21:49I'm glad this gamble's paid off.
0:21:49 > 0:21:52They seem to be taking the whole renovation idea in their stride.
0:21:52 > 0:21:56Next door to the kitchen, there's a handy little utility room,
0:21:56 > 0:22:00but we're going to go upstairs to check out the four bedrooms.
0:22:00 > 0:22:03Look at that - mirrors on the ceiling!
0:22:05 > 0:22:10- Let's start in here. This is one of the biggest bedrooms. - It's a good size.- Great size.
0:22:10 > 0:22:14- Absolutely enormous, isn't it? This really could be two.- Certainly.
0:22:14 > 0:22:18- Could be.- One would have dual aspect, one would have single.
0:22:18 > 0:22:22- How about that for the girls? - That would work really well. - That would really work.
0:22:22 > 0:22:26Despite the slightly dated feel, all the rooms are of a good size,
0:22:26 > 0:22:29including the family bathroom and the fourth bedroom.
0:22:31 > 0:22:34- Don't look down!- Ooh!- Look up!
0:22:34 > 0:22:37It's the size of the room which I think really is special.
0:22:37 > 0:22:42- Yeah, it's a good size.- Great size. - Plus you get your own en suite.- OK.
0:22:42 > 0:22:47- Oh, right. Wow. That's a good size.- Fantastic.
0:22:47 > 0:22:53- There is, curiously, one omission. - Yes. There's no toilet.- No toilet.
0:22:53 > 0:22:57There is one next door, off the landing, which is also a wet room.
0:22:57 > 0:23:02- So the plumbing is up here.- So you could put one in.- You could quite easily renew that.
0:23:02 > 0:23:07- How are we doing on this one? - Quite well. I like the area.- Not bad.
0:23:07 > 0:23:11- I like the house. I think it's got some potential. - Growing on you, Tracy?- Yes.
0:23:11 > 0:23:14- Upstairs is ticking more boxes than downstairs.- Interesting.
0:23:14 > 0:23:17It's normally the other way around. There we are.
0:23:17 > 0:23:21- Could be a first! Let's go and look at the garden.- OK.
0:23:29 > 0:23:32In terms of the garden, what you see is what you've got.
0:23:32 > 0:23:36You've got that area up there and this area here,
0:23:36 > 0:23:38going down to this sort of point.
0:23:38 > 0:23:43And you've got the great big garage which I want you to explore later.
0:23:43 > 0:23:48- So, what do you think? - It's good, yeah.- I think it's...
0:23:48 > 0:23:51I'm really surprised how much accommodation there is inside.
0:23:51 > 0:23:54Especially upstairs. Lovely house.
0:23:54 > 0:23:59The nice thing is, you've got plenty of room here for the twins to run around and kick a football about.
0:23:59 > 0:24:03- Yeah.- Cause trouble. - Absolutely.- And a gate, which keeps them off the road.
0:24:03 > 0:24:05- Yes, that's nice. - It's pretty secure.
0:24:05 > 0:24:10We can hear the road, it's not a main, main road but that means your clients can come and see you.
0:24:10 > 0:24:14- It does.- Absolutely. We don't want to be SO remote they can't get to us. - Exactly!
0:24:14 > 0:24:18OK, let's have a think about the money.
0:24:18 > 0:24:24- Mm. This is a hard one.- OK. - It's a hard one.
0:24:24 > 0:24:27It needs quite a lot of money spent on it to modernise it.
0:24:27 > 0:24:31But it is quite substantial and in an area quite sought-after.
0:24:31 > 0:24:35- Yes, we're very close to Lymington. It's a real hot spot.- Mm.
0:24:35 > 0:24:40- Go on, then, Nick. - 610.- 610. Yeah. Tracy?
0:24:40 > 0:24:42I'm going to go nearer 640.
0:24:42 > 0:24:45640. Interesting.
0:24:45 > 0:24:48It's on the market
0:24:48 > 0:24:52- for 620. - BOTH: OK.
0:24:52 > 0:24:54- It's a good price. - That's a good price.
0:24:54 > 0:24:57I think that gives us some room to manoeuvre a little
0:24:57 > 0:25:00and to do a lot of work inside.
0:25:00 > 0:25:03Good! Go manoeuvre a little more around this property.
0:25:03 > 0:25:06Check out the garage, tell me what you think of that as office space.
0:25:06 > 0:25:09- I'll catch up with you later. - Fantastic.- Great.- Thank you.
0:25:11 > 0:25:16For £620,000, with money left over for renovation work, they get...
0:25:31 > 0:25:36- This is a good size.- This would make a... I'm thinking of two things here.
0:25:36 > 0:25:41- Music room. Sound-proof it. - Office or music room.
0:25:41 > 0:25:48Lovely house. Wonderful location. Downstairs, not so sure about. Upstairs is great.
0:25:48 > 0:25:52Three bathrooms, which ticks all the boxes.
0:25:52 > 0:25:55Lots of scope to split one bedroom into two, so, yeah, really nice.
0:25:55 > 0:26:00Obviously needs a lot of work to bring it up to modern standards
0:26:00 > 0:26:06- but I'm sure that can be worked on. - Price, I think, is probably a bit higher than we'd like
0:26:06 > 0:26:11because of the money you'd have to spend on the bathrooms and the kitchen.
0:26:11 > 0:26:14But then the location - I think you're paying for the location.
0:26:14 > 0:26:18I think it's a very interesting house and one we should definitely consider.
0:26:18 > 0:26:22If that was a glazed front, that'd make a fantastic office space.
0:26:22 > 0:26:25- An office, I hear what you're saying.- Flowers in front.
0:26:25 > 0:26:28- Absolutely fantastic. - Sounds like a plan with some vision!
0:26:28 > 0:26:31- I think it is!- Definitely. - So it could be a contender?- Yes.
0:26:31 > 0:26:34- Yep.- Brilliant. Come on. Let's see what else we can find you.
0:26:34 > 0:26:37- But one on the list - it's all good.- Thank you.
0:26:42 > 0:26:44Tracy and Nick are not alone in their love of the New Forest.
0:26:44 > 0:26:49Around 13 million people a year come and enjoy this protected area.
0:26:49 > 0:26:54Besides the ponies and cattle that graze here, it's a truly special habitat,
0:26:54 > 0:26:58home to a host of different birds, deer and snakes.
0:26:58 > 0:27:02So it's crucial that the people looking after the forest know what they're doing.
0:27:02 > 0:27:05The men in charge of that are known as Agisters.
0:27:05 > 0:27:11They're employed by the Verderers and form a vital part of the ancient governing system of the forest.
0:27:11 > 0:27:15Brian Ingram is a retired Head Agister and he's going to show me what the job is all about.
0:27:15 > 0:27:19- Hi, Brian. How are you? - All right, thank you.
0:27:19 > 0:27:21Nice place to be, I should think, in the heart of the New Forest.
0:27:21 > 0:27:25- Yeah, really nice place. - Born and bred?- Yeah.
0:27:25 > 0:27:31Man and boy. It must be a real thrill, living and working amongst all the wildlife that's here?
0:27:31 > 0:27:33Well, it is because, you know,
0:27:33 > 0:27:37where else can you find a place like the New Forest, really?
0:27:37 > 0:27:43You ride your horse out, you can see all the wildlife go on, you can see the deer, you can see the foxes.
0:27:43 > 0:27:48Well, we haven't got any ponies with us today that we can ride, but we have got your pick-up.
0:27:48 > 0:27:50- Shall we go for a ride? - We'll go and have a look round.
0:27:50 > 0:27:52Brilliant.
0:28:00 > 0:28:05Regular inspections on horseback or by car mean that the Agisters know every inch of their patch of forest.
0:28:05 > 0:28:10Of the 7,000 animals that roam over the New Forest, 4,000 of these are the famous ponies.
0:28:10 > 0:28:14Although they're wild by nature, they're all owned by commoners.
0:28:14 > 0:28:18That's people who have the right to graze their animals on open land.
0:28:18 > 0:28:22A good Agister will know exactly which ponies belong to a particular commoner.
0:28:22 > 0:28:27There's no formal training needed to be an Agister, it's the local inside
0:28:27 > 0:28:31knowledge of the land and the animals on it that counts.
0:28:32 > 0:28:35There. Look at that. I love it. The foal, the mare.
0:28:35 > 0:28:39- They just look very, very happy here.- Yeah, they do.
0:28:39 > 0:28:43And what happens to them all? New Forest is famous for its ponies.
0:28:43 > 0:28:48- What becomes of them?- We sell them through for breeding, for riding.
0:28:48 > 0:28:53Well, I have to say, it's absolutely lovely having the chance to see them in their truly natural environment.
0:28:53 > 0:28:58Now, if there is one thought that you could leave me with, for anybody coming here to the New Forest,
0:28:58 > 0:29:01as somebody who's had to look after it and manage it, what would it be?
0:29:01 > 0:29:04One of our biggest problems is people that feed the animals.
0:29:04 > 0:29:10It is something that we have tried to stop for a number of years because people get injured.
0:29:10 > 0:29:16They get kicked and then, you know, it's a problem that that animal's got to be moved.
0:29:16 > 0:29:19But it hasn't been the animal's fault. It's been the people that have come here and feed them.
0:29:19 > 0:29:24I think the key thing to remember is that it isn't a tourist attraction,
0:29:24 > 0:29:30- it's a genuine working landscape. - This is a working forest and this is what we'd like it to continue as.
0:29:30 > 0:29:35If you come to the New Forest, enjoy it, celebrate it, make the best of it, just don't feed the animals.
0:29:41 > 0:29:44With our day's house hunting over,
0:29:44 > 0:29:48Nick and Tracy take a chance to mull over the properties they've seen so far.
0:29:48 > 0:29:54- What did you think of the bungalow? - It's a good conversion. The office.
0:29:54 > 0:29:57- Brilliant.- Perfect for what we need. - The kitchen?- Mm.
0:29:57 > 0:30:01It didn't really have that much space, did it?
0:30:01 > 0:30:06It had space, but not the way we want space. Living rooms, great.
0:30:06 > 0:30:10- Nice open fireplace. Garden was fantastic.- Thought that was great.
0:30:10 > 0:30:16- But is it big enough for us? Not sure.- How about the 1970s house?
0:30:16 > 0:30:20I love the look of the outside. The location is perfect.
0:30:20 > 0:30:25Really good, but it needs a lot of money spending on it to update it.
0:30:25 > 0:30:29The kitchen and the dining room have to become one room.
0:30:29 > 0:30:34- I guess the biggest surprise in the house is upstairs.- Yeah.
0:30:34 > 0:30:37Those rooms were amazingly big. Especially the thought of knocking
0:30:37 > 0:30:41- one into two for the girls would be perfect.- Good idea.
0:30:41 > 0:30:44Your drums could go into the garage, perhaps,
0:30:44 > 0:30:48if we could extend beyond the garage for the office outside.
0:30:48 > 0:30:52- There's a few options. I wonder what tomorrow will bring.- Who knows?
0:30:59 > 0:31:02Nick and Tracy from Bournemouth dream of swapping their house
0:31:02 > 0:31:06in town for a character family home in the New Forest.
0:31:06 > 0:31:10With a budget of £650,000, they also want an office space
0:31:10 > 0:31:15and ideally a shop from where they can run their Spanish food business.
0:31:15 > 0:31:21So far, they've seen two properties but coming up, I get an idea of what Nick's cooking up in the kitchen.
0:31:21 > 0:31:23I want to cook suckling pigs.
0:31:23 > 0:31:26You know, I need an oven that's big enough to get them in.
0:31:26 > 0:31:28- Is he serious?- He is!
0:31:28 > 0:31:33And there's the mystery house with a potential business bolthole just around the corner.
0:31:36 > 0:31:41Well, we've got just one more day here in the New Forest to find Tracy and Nick the house of their dreams.
0:31:41 > 0:31:45Now, it wouldn't be Escape To The Country if our buyers didn't want
0:31:45 > 0:31:49a nice big kitchen, but these two are real foodies.
0:31:49 > 0:31:55I think they want an exceptional kitchen and they also have a thing about properties that are thatched.
0:31:55 > 0:31:58So just as well we've got two more to come, including, of course, the mystery house.
0:32:00 > 0:32:02Our next property is in the dramatically named village
0:32:02 > 0:32:06of Nomansland, slap bang on the Hampshire and Wiltshire border.
0:32:06 > 0:32:12It was named in the 17th century when no-one could decide whether or not it fell within the New Forest.
0:32:12 > 0:32:19As well as a popular primary school for their girls, Nomansland is foodie heaven for our gastronomes.
0:32:19 > 0:32:21Boasting a fine pub and a French restaurant in the village.
0:32:21 > 0:32:23But what will they make of the property itself?
0:32:26 > 0:32:28Right. Out you come.
0:32:30 > 0:32:34Now, it's not every day we get to go to Nomansland on this show.
0:32:34 > 0:32:36Although we are often in the middle of nowhere, to be fair!
0:32:36 > 0:32:39But, you know this part of the world quite well.
0:32:39 > 0:32:41We've been here before.
0:32:41 > 0:32:43- So, in terms of location?- Fantastic.
0:32:43 > 0:32:46Excellent. Good. Well, that's what I want you to look at.
0:32:47 > 0:32:49Wow! Love it.
0:32:49 > 0:32:55Now, it's described as a cottage. But it has had an awful lot of work done to it over the years
0:32:55 > 0:32:57and it has just been newly refurbished.
0:32:57 > 0:33:00Let's see what you make of it. Come and have a look.
0:33:02 > 0:33:06And through the gateway into Wiltshire we go.
0:33:06 > 0:33:09In you come. Grab the door, Nick.
0:33:12 > 0:33:14Now then, Tracy.
0:33:14 > 0:33:18This looks really good. I love it. It's the floor.
0:33:18 > 0:33:20It's clean, it's fresh.
0:33:20 > 0:33:23It looks really open.
0:33:23 > 0:33:27My goodness, it's like a tunnel going down into somewhere else.
0:33:27 > 0:33:30- It's fantastic. - You wanted a kitchen, my friend.
0:33:30 > 0:33:35- I did.- Oh yes. Come with me. This you will like,
0:33:35 > 0:33:38Mr Nick. Utility room in there.
0:33:38 > 0:33:44- All very handy. But this I think you'll enjoy.- Wow!
0:33:44 > 0:33:46Wow!
0:33:46 > 0:33:47Fantastic.
0:33:47 > 0:33:51- Love it. - What a space. What a room. Wonderful.
0:33:51 > 0:33:55It's quite interesting. I mean, there's quite a high-spec here. Have a look at this.
0:33:55 > 0:34:00If you're into your cooking, you've got a whole range of ovens here. And everything's nicely built in.
0:34:00 > 0:34:05- It's a cook's kitchen, this. - It is, which is why I thought you would like this.
0:34:05 > 0:34:11And it's also a kitchen where you've got everybody around you, which is what I love as well.
0:34:11 > 0:34:13Well, you know, you've got bags of space for them.
0:34:13 > 0:34:15Open-plan is clearly what this is all about.
0:34:15 > 0:34:19Whether you keep it as open-plan as it is, I don't know.
0:34:19 > 0:34:22You could divide this with a glass partition if you wanted to.
0:34:22 > 0:34:26I don't think so. I love it open-plan.
0:34:26 > 0:34:29I mean, in fairness, this is really one of your principal reception rooms.
0:34:29 > 0:34:34- Yes.- But what you do get is quite special.- Definitely.
0:34:34 > 0:34:40So far, so good. You haven't smiled so much all week. This is great.
0:34:40 > 0:34:44This house may only have one reception room, but I've got a few surprises up my sleeve.
0:34:44 > 0:34:47Downstairs, there's one of this property's five bedrooms, which
0:34:47 > 0:34:50could be a perfect music room for Tracy and there's a small cellar.
0:34:53 > 0:34:57Back up to the entrance hall, there's a good-sized double with a large en-suite.
0:34:57 > 0:35:04But now to the top floor, complete with a spacious family bathroom and the three remaining bedrooms.
0:35:06 > 0:35:10Now, of the three bedrooms up here, there are two which are pretty much identical.
0:35:10 > 0:35:13This one and the one next door. So you tell me.
0:35:13 > 0:35:17Girls. Fantastic. No arguing.
0:35:17 > 0:35:21- Straightforward.- Identical!
0:35:21 > 0:35:23I would think this would be perfect.
0:35:23 > 0:35:26I can see the little dressing tables here.
0:35:26 > 0:35:28All right, well, let's see
0:35:28 > 0:35:34if we can find you a master bedroom. Follow me through here.
0:35:34 > 0:35:38- So, here you are. This can be your own little playroom.- OK.
0:35:38 > 0:35:40What a lovely room.
0:35:40 > 0:35:44The little old Victorian fireplace is quite sweet.
0:35:44 > 0:35:49And there's a mixture of stripped doors and new doors.
0:35:49 > 0:35:51That one there going into your little shower room. Have a look in there.
0:35:51 > 0:35:54It's quite a big shower, though.
0:35:54 > 0:36:02- Practical. Perfect. - And, of course next door you've got the bathroom in any case.
0:36:02 > 0:36:06- Look, there are your neighbours. Ponies.- My goodness! Look at that.
0:36:06 > 0:36:08That's why you've got a gate!
0:36:08 > 0:36:12Well, um, I think this is going quite well,
0:36:12 > 0:36:15in terms of its finish, and so forth, so let's go and look
0:36:15 > 0:36:20at the garden because there are some interesting options there. It really does set this place off a treat.
0:36:26 > 0:36:30I know you have been itching to come out and explore this bit.
0:36:30 > 0:36:33It's somewhat sort of Mediterranean, I think, in a way.
0:36:33 > 0:36:35We could be on a ship.
0:36:35 > 0:36:38Yeah, a game of shuffleboard, or quoits, or something?
0:36:38 > 0:36:43The only thing we haven't got you is a pool. I think it's rather nice.
0:36:43 > 0:36:47- Well, I can see us eating out here. - Definitely. - Many evenings during the summer.
0:36:47 > 0:36:51Good. And of course you've got that bit down there.
0:36:51 > 0:36:53Some grass, and a good size, by the look of it.
0:36:53 > 0:36:56- Something for you to mow, Nick. - I do the mowing!
0:36:56 > 0:37:00The terrace has gone down a treat. I want to impress them with the bigger picture.
0:37:00 > 0:37:03There we are.
0:37:03 > 0:37:06Quite handsome, I think, actually, perched up there.
0:37:06 > 0:37:08Looks lovely up there.
0:37:08 > 0:37:11You get a real sense of how much extra the extension that includes
0:37:11 > 0:37:15- the kitchen, it's a vast area, isn't it?- Yeah.
0:37:15 > 0:37:17The garden is pretty much
0:37:17 > 0:37:19what you see.
0:37:19 > 0:37:26- Office space, I'm thinking, Nick... - Ah. We were thinking about offices. Where we might put those.
0:37:26 > 0:37:27Well, maybe there, what do you think?
0:37:27 > 0:37:29Purpose built, for the job, fantastic.
0:37:29 > 0:37:32You know, something that will really complement the garden.
0:37:32 > 0:37:34You're going to have to run it through the relevant authorities.
0:37:34 > 0:37:37But you wouldn't be overlooked, there.
0:37:37 > 0:37:39- I wouldn't have thought. It's tucked away.- That would work very well.
0:37:39 > 0:37:41Well, are you going to move here?
0:37:41 > 0:37:45I wonder. Let's have a think about how much it's going to set you back.
0:37:45 > 0:37:49- Go on, Tracy. - Well, location's fantastic.
0:37:49 > 0:37:56The reception rooms, there's not as many as I'd like and the bedrooms might be an issue.
0:37:56 > 0:38:01But the finish is fantastic, so I'm going to say it's near the top end of our budget.
0:38:01 > 0:38:03- Probably 650.- Yep.
0:38:03 > 0:38:06I think you jumped a little bit over.
0:38:06 > 0:38:09- 660.- 660?
0:38:09 > 0:38:11Well done, you.
0:38:11 > 0:38:16Yeah, for the sake of a few quid, it's just under £650,000.
0:38:16 > 0:38:18All right?
0:38:18 > 0:38:23That's pretty good. Because we haven't got too much to spend other than the office.
0:38:23 > 0:38:25- It's only the office space. The rest of it's done.- Fantastic.
0:38:25 > 0:38:29Go and have a look round and I'll catch up with you later.
0:38:31 > 0:38:34Well, the stunning kitchen layout and garden office idea have wiped
0:38:34 > 0:38:37the three reception rooms from their wish-list.
0:38:37 > 0:38:43For just under £650,000, it offers a state-of-the-art open-plan kitchen for Nick.
0:38:43 > 0:38:46Five bedrooms with two en suite.
0:38:46 > 0:38:48A south-facing terrace overlooking the garden.
0:38:48 > 0:38:51And it's just a stroll across the road to the New Forest.
0:38:51 > 0:38:56- Absolutely love the house.- I think this house is fantastic.
0:38:56 > 0:39:00- What do you reckon to the kitchen? - I love the kitchen. It's modern, but I love it.
0:39:00 > 0:39:02Very, very well designed.
0:39:02 > 0:39:07Big fridge, no range cooker, though.
0:39:07 > 0:39:11Ah! You're going to make me compromise on that one, I think. Maybe.
0:39:11 > 0:39:13- But the equipment's beautiful. - I love this island.
0:39:13 > 0:39:16I could see the children having breakfast here in the morning.
0:39:16 > 0:39:19I can see ME having my breakfast here in the morning!
0:39:19 > 0:39:21- Yes!- Well, I think there's so much potential.
0:39:21 > 0:39:25What would be great is if you could put a conservatory off from the top
0:39:25 > 0:39:30level there at the back here with a spiral staircase coming down.
0:39:30 > 0:39:33That would give us another reception room.
0:39:33 > 0:39:35Flat in the chalet office down there.
0:39:35 > 0:39:39That would just make it a workable...
0:39:39 > 0:39:41Garden's a really nice size.
0:39:41 > 0:39:45Should be good. The location of this house is fantastic.
0:39:45 > 0:39:47Ponies coming up to the door.
0:39:47 > 0:39:49It's beautiful.
0:39:49 > 0:39:51There's a fantastic pub up the road, so just what we want.
0:39:51 > 0:39:54Right, guys, out you come.
0:39:54 > 0:39:56Come back to Hampshire.
0:39:56 > 0:39:58But a nice foray into Wiltshire, I think.
0:39:58 > 0:40:01- Yes. Great foray into Wiltshire. Brilliant.- Plenty more to see.
0:40:01 > 0:40:05Go on. Off you go. Let's move on.
0:40:09 > 0:40:12Nick and Tracy aren't only food distributors,
0:40:12 > 0:40:14they are food connoisseurs.
0:40:14 > 0:40:18So they couldn't resist a visit to a nearby farm which claims
0:40:18 > 0:40:23to be the only British producer of a version of one of Italy's finest cheeses - buffalo mozzarella.
0:40:23 > 0:40:26They're meeting former racing driver-turned-organic farmer
0:40:26 > 0:40:29Jody Scheckter, who's going to show them how it's done.
0:40:29 > 0:40:32I'll show you to the dairy where we make the mozzarella.
0:40:32 > 0:40:36- There's a guy that's going to make some by hand. - That would be fantastic. Thank you.
0:40:36 > 0:40:39Jody's herd of East Indian water buffalo have been on the farm
0:40:39 > 0:40:41for about five years
0:40:41 > 0:40:45and they certainly look very at home in the heart of Hampshire.
0:40:45 > 0:40:48Although they only produce half the milk of a dairy cow,
0:40:48 > 0:40:50it's much richer in calcium and protein,
0:40:50 > 0:40:54which gives the mozzarella its distinctive flavour.
0:40:54 > 0:40:59Welcome. This is Tom. He's going to give us a demonstration on how you do it by hand.
0:40:59 > 0:41:02The traditional method is to soak the cheese curds
0:41:02 > 0:41:06in almost-boiling water to soften them and then stretch them out
0:41:06 > 0:41:08over a wooden board, which creates the stringy,
0:41:08 > 0:41:12layered consistency that characterises the very best mozzarella.
0:41:12 > 0:41:16In a good mozzarella, you'll see the layers when you open it up. It's quite firm.
0:41:16 > 0:41:19When's going soft, it's starting to go past its good date.
0:41:19 > 0:41:23The advantage we've got is it's fresh.
0:41:23 > 0:41:27You can't get mozzarella like this unless you go to the south of Italy.
0:41:27 > 0:41:30Traditional Italian mozzarella, di Bufala Campana, is a protected brand
0:41:30 > 0:41:36from the Campana region, much like champagne is in France.
0:41:36 > 0:41:43This is as we'll deliver it. Take one out and open it up like this.
0:41:45 > 0:41:49- Ah, mozzarella. - It's a little cold now.
0:41:49 > 0:41:52You want to eat it always at room temperature.
0:41:52 > 0:41:55- You want to take a bite?- I'd love to.- That's the way you eat it.
0:41:59 > 0:42:01Fantastic! Beautiful!
0:42:02 > 0:42:05- Shall I just go for the same one? - Yeah, go for it.
0:42:06 > 0:42:09You know how we tell we're doing good?
0:42:09 > 0:42:11You show it to an Italian from the south of Italy
0:42:11 > 0:42:13and you see the face go like that.
0:42:13 > 0:42:15I know it's not Spanish,
0:42:15 > 0:42:19but maybe it'll be out with the manchego cheese and in with
0:42:19 > 0:42:22the mozzarella if our couple make their move to the New Forest.
0:42:22 > 0:42:26At long last it's time to reveal the mystery house to Nick and Tracy.
0:42:26 > 0:42:29Back in its heyday, the New Forest would have been full
0:42:29 > 0:42:33of thatched buildings and indeed, a good many are still left.
0:42:33 > 0:42:36It's something Tracy has said she might be interested in,
0:42:36 > 0:42:40and if thatched is what she wants, then thatched is what she'll get.
0:42:43 > 0:42:47Our final property is nearly upon us. And that is which one?
0:42:47 > 0:42:49- The mystery house. - The mystery house.
0:42:49 > 0:42:51What do you think we've got in mind?
0:42:51 > 0:42:56I don't know. Probably something you haven't shown us yet.
0:42:56 > 0:43:01- Isn't Jules famous for converted chapels?- Ha-ha-ha!
0:43:01 > 0:43:07The aspect of the shop combined with the property is something that we have had difficulty in achieving.
0:43:07 > 0:43:09Are you missing that element?
0:43:09 > 0:43:15I think it's become so clear that it's virtually impossible to have a shop
0:43:15 > 0:43:18with a property in the Forest, that
0:43:18 > 0:43:22we are happy to find a shop may be in a village somewhere,
0:43:22 > 0:43:28- so that would be the compromise that would work very well. - Brilliant.
0:43:28 > 0:43:30I was hoping they would say that.
0:43:30 > 0:43:35Before we go to the mystery house, we are going to stop off in the village of Burley, where
0:43:35 > 0:43:40there's an interesting premises which might help them launch their Spanish food retail business.
0:43:40 > 0:43:43This little gift shop, the lease is up for renewal.
0:43:43 > 0:43:47There's a premium to pay, which effectively gives you access to the lease.
0:43:47 > 0:43:50OK. That's about 15 grand.
0:43:50 > 0:43:54There on in, combined rent and rates is about 12,000 a year.
0:43:56 > 0:43:59To give you a presence on the high street.
0:43:59 > 0:44:01- Certainly something to think about. - Good.
0:44:01 > 0:44:05Because the other point is that the mystery house is less than a mile from here. Ha-ha!
0:44:05 > 0:44:07You see! It's beginning to make sense! Come on. Let's have a look.
0:44:07 > 0:44:09Let's find your house.
0:44:11 > 0:44:16Burley's a great village, and, along with a reputable primary school for their girls, it gets
0:44:16 > 0:44:22plenty of passing trade, so Nick and Tracy should be heartened by the other thriving independent shops.
0:44:22 > 0:44:25But there's still a distinctly rural feel with
0:44:25 > 0:44:31cows roaming free on forest land and manor houses and little thatched cottages tucked away.
0:44:31 > 0:44:33Ha-ha! The mystery house.
0:44:33 > 0:44:35Come on in. Now then.
0:44:35 > 0:44:38- Ooh! Tracy.- Cute.
0:44:38 > 0:44:41- Looks lovely.- Quite different.
0:44:41 > 0:44:43Very different to what we've seen. So far.
0:44:43 > 0:44:46Admittedly, we are on the road.
0:44:46 > 0:44:49That's the only downside. I think.
0:44:49 > 0:44:53Because it's a wonderful period property, this.
0:44:53 > 0:44:55- It looks massive.- It does look big.
0:44:55 > 0:44:57Come and have a look inside. Let's see what you think.
0:45:02 > 0:45:03Let's start in here.
0:45:03 > 0:45:06Come in, Tracy. Come in, Nick.
0:45:06 > 0:45:09- My goodness.- This is sweet. Yeah? Isn't it? It's quite elegant.
0:45:09 > 0:45:11- It's a nice room, isn't it? - Cosy little room.
0:45:11 > 0:45:15Is this the sort of period charm you were thinking of?
0:45:15 > 0:45:16It's got a lot of character.
0:45:16 > 0:45:18Good. Right. Excellent.
0:45:18 > 0:45:20Come on through here.
0:45:22 > 0:45:26- There we are. Is that what you pictured?- Great fireplace.
0:45:26 > 0:45:28- Beautiful.- Yes?
0:45:28 > 0:45:29I like that.
0:45:29 > 0:45:31Can you chop wood?
0:45:31 > 0:45:33I'd have to be chopping wood,
0:45:33 > 0:45:37- for sure.- Come and have a look through here. It's sort of divided by the furniture.
0:45:37 > 0:45:42But you could potentially have another little dining area here, if you wanted to.
0:45:42 > 0:45:44You've certainly got bags of room.
0:45:44 > 0:45:47It's lovely. It's got a nice feel about it. I love the beams.
0:45:47 > 0:45:49There's not too many beams.
0:45:49 > 0:45:50It's just cosy.
0:45:50 > 0:45:53I can see us in here.
0:45:53 > 0:45:57This room has definitely grabbed Tracy, but will the kitchen be suitable for Nick?
0:46:00 > 0:46:04- Cosy!- Yeah, really cosy, isn't it?
0:46:04 > 0:46:09- This is sweet.- Now, Nick, you pride yourself on being the chef in this relationship.- I do.
0:46:09 > 0:46:12Would you be happy doing your thing in here?
0:46:12 > 0:46:16I'm struggling a little bit on the size at the moment.
0:46:16 > 0:46:21It would need a complete redesign. So I would need a moment, I think, to think how it would be done.
0:46:21 > 0:46:24Tell me, how much room do you need?
0:46:24 > 0:46:26What actually are you going to do in this kitchen?
0:46:26 > 0:46:29Ooh, I want to cook suckling pigs.
0:46:29 > 0:46:32I need an oven that is big enough to get them in.
0:46:32 > 0:46:35- Is he serious?- He is!
0:46:35 > 0:46:37You could still fit a range in there.
0:46:37 > 0:46:39I still think you could.
0:46:39 > 0:46:43You got a lot more space through you, too. The utility area.
0:46:43 > 0:46:46The downstairs loos. So, loads of space. Should you need it.
0:46:46 > 0:46:47I think you rather like it as it is.
0:46:47 > 0:46:49Yeah, I do. It's cute.
0:46:49 > 0:46:52Suckling pigs!
0:46:52 > 0:46:54Let's go upstairs.
0:46:54 > 0:46:59Well, I hadn't thought that Nick would be roasting whole animals.
0:46:59 > 0:47:03You see? Old houses, old stairs.
0:47:03 > 0:47:07Upstairs there are four bedrooms with a good-sized double, currently used as an office.
0:47:07 > 0:47:09And down the landing, a single room.
0:47:09 > 0:47:12But we're going to explore options for Nick and Tracy.
0:47:12 > 0:47:15Watch your head. It's great, this, isn't it? You're loving it, aren't you, Tracy?
0:47:15 > 0:47:18Yes. This is a great room.
0:47:18 > 0:47:20Come on in. How about all this?
0:47:20 > 0:47:22Yes. Fantastic.
0:47:22 > 0:47:25Look how those beams go. Brilliant.
0:47:25 > 0:47:29This room also has a very useful en suite in there.
0:47:29 > 0:47:31- Look at that.- Oh, that's nice.
0:47:31 > 0:47:33- Kind of a large en-suite as well. - Yes. Really large.
0:47:33 > 0:47:36Now, this could be the master.
0:47:36 > 0:47:40Because there is a choice. Let me show you the master, then you can decide.
0:47:44 > 0:47:47Now then. In here, that is technically the family bathroom.
0:47:47 > 0:47:51- That's nice. Without a bath. - Just with a big shower.
0:47:51 > 0:47:56- A large shower.- But it is next door to this room which is currently
0:47:56 > 0:47:58on the spec as the master.
0:47:58 > 0:48:01But it's not en suite.
0:48:01 > 0:48:07Hence, why I am suggesting that the other one, if you wanted an en suite, would be the master.
0:48:07 > 0:48:09Fantastic. Really pretty.
0:48:09 > 0:48:12Very, very pretty.
0:48:12 > 0:48:15So how are we doing on this property so far then?
0:48:15 > 0:48:18- It's a question whether it's big enough.- Mm-hm.
0:48:18 > 0:48:20Drums, office...
0:48:20 > 0:48:22Haven't worked that one out yet.
0:48:22 > 0:48:24- I have.- Ah.- Mmm.
0:48:24 > 0:48:28Drums and office, purpose-built solutions in the garden.
0:48:28 > 0:48:33Come this way to office and drums, this is all good.
0:48:33 > 0:48:38Well, this house does give them the three reception rooms they want, just not under the same roof.
0:48:38 > 0:48:41OK, grab the door, Nick.
0:48:41 > 0:48:43There's a lot of garden to explore here.
0:48:43 > 0:48:48- Come through here, this is what I want to feast your eyes on.- Ah, yes.
0:48:48 > 0:48:50Now I see where you're coming from.
0:48:50 > 0:48:53- My goodness.- Yes.
0:48:53 > 0:48:57- You see, I think at this point, you want this place.- I do!
0:48:57 > 0:49:01We've got to find a very good reason to persuade him to want it too.
0:49:01 > 0:49:05I've got a feeling that this might just do it.
0:49:05 > 0:49:07- Yes, definitely. - Come and have a look inside.
0:49:10 > 0:49:13- There we are! How about that? - My goodness.- That's good.
0:49:13 > 0:49:15- What a great space. - It's a great space, isn't it?
0:49:15 > 0:49:17Perfect. Jules, I think we're getting there.
0:49:17 > 0:49:19Hurrah!
0:49:19 > 0:49:22- It's absolutely wonderful.- Excellent!
0:49:22 > 0:49:23Let's find you a drum kit.
0:49:27 > 0:49:34Now then, don't say you've been left out of the thinking here, Tracy.
0:49:34 > 0:49:35- My own hideaway.- Yes.
0:49:35 > 0:49:40I think it's got music room written all over it and there's more.
0:49:40 > 0:49:47So if all that isn't enough, you also get this as well, which I think is really, really charming.
0:49:47 > 0:49:49It's very private, it's very secluded.
0:49:49 > 0:49:52- Good for the girls to run around in. - The girls would love it, wouldn't they?- Yeah.
0:49:52 > 0:49:54- They would. Absolutely love it.- OK.
0:49:54 > 0:50:01So it's the final time that I'm going to press you to guess the price...
0:50:01 > 0:50:03- before it rains!- Before it rains.
0:50:03 > 0:50:07So, very quickly, Nick.
0:50:07 > 0:50:09- 620.- 620.
0:50:09 > 0:50:11I'm going to say 645.
0:50:11 > 0:50:14645 would be a very good price.
0:50:14 > 0:50:18620 would be a very fair price.
0:50:18 > 0:50:22- 595 is a brilliant price.- Oh!
0:50:22 > 0:50:24- That's good.- That is interesting.
0:50:24 > 0:50:26That is really interesting.
0:50:26 > 0:50:29You like challenging us, Jules.
0:50:29 > 0:50:33Well, that's the general idea, hopefully in a good way, though.
0:50:33 > 0:50:36- Right, you've got some arm-twisting to do.- Yes, I have.
0:50:36 > 0:50:39OK, off you go, twist away and I'll catch you later.
0:50:39 > 0:50:42- OK.- Enjoy.
0:50:42 > 0:50:44Well, that was our final offering.
0:50:44 > 0:50:50The mystery house, £595,000 of character, charm and fun.
0:50:50 > 0:50:55It is very comfortably under budget but it is also a fantastic fit
0:50:55 > 0:50:58for this extraordinary family. Is it for them?
0:50:58 > 0:51:01It jolly well should be.
0:51:01 > 0:51:04Our mystery house has been a real success.
0:51:04 > 0:51:07For £595,000 - £55,000 under budget -
0:51:07 > 0:51:12it gives them all the period character they could wish for, a large family sitting room,
0:51:12 > 0:51:16four bedrooms with a master en suite, separate buildings to use
0:51:16 > 0:51:19as an office, and a music room for Tracy.
0:51:19 > 0:51:23And the option of using some leftover cash to lease a shop,
0:51:23 > 0:51:26less than a mile up the road, on Burley High Street.
0:51:26 > 0:51:30Tracy loves it, but will the kitchen be an insurmountable problem for Nick?
0:51:30 > 0:51:34This has been quite a challenging property for me
0:51:34 > 0:51:37but I'm warming to it quite a lot.
0:51:37 > 0:51:40This house is fantastic, this room especially.
0:51:40 > 0:51:44I think this would be my favourite room, the fireplace is gorgeous.
0:51:44 > 0:51:52The beams, everything I would want in a house, whether it's what Nick wants, I really don't know.
0:51:52 > 0:51:55- So what about the kitchen?- I love it.
0:51:55 > 0:51:57You're not sure about the size.
0:51:57 > 0:51:59I'm a little bit worried about the size.
0:51:59 > 0:52:05- You could put your range there though.- I think we would maybe need to take a wall out.
0:52:05 > 0:52:07We could always enquire.
0:52:07 > 0:52:09It's got lots of character. I love it.
0:52:09 > 0:52:11Lots of character.
0:52:11 > 0:52:13I think it would work.
0:52:13 > 0:52:16Oh, well, we need to work on this.
0:52:16 > 0:52:21OK. The road, a little bit noisy but the walls are thick.
0:52:21 > 0:52:28- It's not perhaps so bad.- Another positive is the office outside and somewhere for me to play my drums.
0:52:28 > 0:52:30It's got all the reception space that we really want.
0:52:30 > 0:52:36Right, guys, I'm afraid that's it. Are you feeling suitably challenged?
0:52:36 > 0:52:40- Totally challenged, Jules.- Good! That's the general idea, if you're challenged it's a good thing.
0:52:40 > 0:52:45OK, let's get you somewhere where you can mull it all over and we'll see if you've reached a decision.
0:52:45 > 0:52:47- After you.- Thank you.
0:52:54 > 0:52:59Well this house hunt has been a real journey for Nick and Tracy but we've reached our destination.
0:53:02 > 0:53:05Well, at long last, decision time is upon us.
0:53:05 > 0:53:11Now, to be honest, it can be a fairly fraught process for my buyers, often they are left feeling
0:53:11 > 0:53:16a little bit confused, but Nick certainly is feeling challenged and maybe Tracy too.
0:53:16 > 0:53:18So maybe this'll help.
0:53:18 > 0:53:21- There we are, chaps. - This looks good, Jules.
0:53:21 > 0:53:25- Just what the doctor ordered. - Absolutely.
0:53:25 > 0:53:27Brilliant! Right, well, cheers!
0:53:27 > 0:53:29Cheers.
0:53:29 > 0:53:35Well, let's revisit the little tour that we've taken, shall we? Tell me about the bungalow.
0:53:35 > 0:53:37It was a bungalow with a difference.
0:53:37 > 0:53:40- Absolutely! - And it was a very good conversion.
0:53:40 > 0:53:43- That got us challenged. - What did you think of it, Tracy?
0:53:43 > 0:53:46I thought the bungalow was really nice, the garden was fantastic,
0:53:46 > 0:53:49the lounge was great, the fireplace was great.
0:53:49 > 0:53:52I've got a slight problem with the bedroom layout.
0:53:52 > 0:53:55I'm not sure with the girls whether it's quite right for us.
0:53:55 > 0:54:01- OK. Let's have a think about the red brick 1970s build.- Great area.
0:54:01 > 0:54:05Loved where it was. Inside...beams and more beams.
0:54:05 > 0:54:10But as we were going through that, I thought you were coming round to the idea that this was
0:54:10 > 0:54:13something you might want to tackle and take on, but you, Tracy,
0:54:13 > 0:54:17- were a bit more reticent. - I think, on reflection,
0:54:17 > 0:54:21the position of the house, with roads on either side...
0:54:21 > 0:54:23The plot wasn't huge,
0:54:23 > 0:54:28- not sure we really want to start converting garages. - Wow factor, not quite there.
0:54:28 > 0:54:33OK, well, it wasn't over just yet, we had one more day to come.
0:54:33 > 0:54:36It started with that very charming white cottage.
0:54:36 > 0:54:41- It looks beautiful.- I mean, you do walk out of your front door literally onto the New Forest.
0:54:41 > 0:54:44- Mm-hm.- Beautiful, we loved the area, I know we do.- Yeah, the area's great.
0:54:44 > 0:54:47- The kitchen was a "wow."- My goodness that was a beautiful kitchen.
0:54:47 > 0:54:50Modern kitchen mind, but really "wow."
0:54:50 > 0:54:52Open plan, love it.
0:54:52 > 0:54:55- Loved it.- I think if we could add a conservatory onto the end of the
0:54:55 > 0:55:00house and create a further reception room, that would be fantastic.
0:55:00 > 0:55:03And you'd definitely need the office outside.
0:55:03 > 0:55:10OK, last but not least, it was time to take you to the mystery house, to a thatch, Tracy.
0:55:10 > 0:55:13Yes, you completely blew me away with that one.
0:55:13 > 0:55:18The lounge was fantastic, the little snug room,
0:55:18 > 0:55:22the kitchen was a little bit small but I felt it was workable.
0:55:22 > 0:55:26- Loads of charm and character...- He wanted to roast pigs in the kitchen! - Yes! For sure.
0:55:26 > 0:55:30You could even get the range in there, I think.
0:55:30 > 0:55:33Then to go outside and find that wonderful outbuilding,
0:55:33 > 0:55:37for the office and an outbuilding for my music room-cum-drums, you know, it was just...
0:55:37 > 0:55:39Well, it ticked all the boxes.
0:55:39 > 0:55:42OK, so what happens next?
0:55:42 > 0:55:45We're going to revisit two properties.
0:55:45 > 0:55:48We're going to Nomansland, and we're going to Burley.
0:55:48 > 0:55:52I think we've got to spend a little time in both places...
0:55:52 > 0:55:56I think we want to drive around Burley and just get a feel for the area.
0:55:56 > 0:55:58It's a bit of a tourist spot.
0:55:58 > 0:56:04I think Nomansland only works if we can get the permissions, so we need to work on that.
0:56:04 > 0:56:09Brilliant. Thank you very much for coming on Escape To The Country, it's been great showing you around.
0:56:09 > 0:56:10- I do hope it has been useful. - It has.
0:56:10 > 0:56:16It's been more than useful and I wouldn't be at all surprised if we didn't buy one of those two houses.
0:56:16 > 0:56:20Brilliant, I can't wait for the phone call. Guys, congratulations.
0:56:20 > 0:56:22- Cheers.- Cheers. Thank you, Jules.
0:56:27 > 0:56:30You know, when we started this house search, whilst we knew
0:56:30 > 0:56:38their requirements, I wasn't sure what style of property we eventually find for Nick and Tracy.
0:56:38 > 0:56:41As it is we've given them a very clear choice between a very slick
0:56:41 > 0:56:46renovation and a beautiful and very old thatched cottage.
0:56:46 > 0:56:49My hunch is, when the debate is finally over, and an ultimate
0:56:49 > 0:56:54decision is finally reached, they could end up in "Nomansland".
0:56:54 > 0:56:56I'll see you next time.
0:57:10 > 0:57:13Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd
0:57:13 > 0:57:16E-mail subtitling@bbc.co.uk