North Yorkshire Escape to the Country

Today I'm in the northern county that's home to Castle Howard.

This resplendent baroque-style masterpiece was first designed back in 1699 by a playwright

with no previous experience of architecture. Now it's better known

from the TV and film adaptations of Evelyn Waugh's classic novel Brideshead Revisited.

So join me as I soak up the sumptuous decadence and we escape to the country.

'In today's show, I'll be helping a couple dreaming of the good life make their move to the country.'

This is just astounding.

-'I'll be showing them some stunning properties...'

-I just want to get my apron on!

'And there's the Mystery House, which might broaden their horizons.'

I'm in North Yorkshire, England's largest rural county,

and home to some of the finest stately homes in Britain. Where better to start than here?

Castle Howard.

Big certainly means beautiful in this part of the country.

North Yorkshire is the largest of the four counties that make up the entire Yorkshire region.

Much of the rugged landscape falls within the county's two National Parks.

With 680 square miles of dramatic scenery to enjoy,

it's no wonder the Dales attracts 9 million visitors a year.

'Besides tourism, the land is also home to a large and thriving farming community.

'Typically, the housing stock is built from Yorkshire stone, giving a rich architectural heritage.

'With such beautiful properties and landscape,

'it's easy to see why North Yorkshire is an attractive option.'

Detached properties in North Yorkshire cost 4% less than the national average at £226,000.

The area's commutable proximity to both York and Leeds makes it highly desirable.

I think perhaps because of both of these reasons, the property market is thriving.

Estate agents say they are selling up to 14 houses a week, since January.

That's pretty impressive in the current climate. We'll have to be quick off the mark today.

Before we get started on our search,

take a look at this selection of properties in North Yorkshire.

For £875,000, this Grade 2-listed, six-bedroomed country house in Normanby is bang up-to-date

with its large family kitchen and tasteful reception rooms.

From its hilltop location, you can survey its 15 acres.

This four-bedroomed house near Markington could be yours for £625,000.

As well as those late-1920s formal rooms, there's a modern kitchen with breakfast bar.

Outside, a stream runs through the mature gardens.

For a waterside retreat, this three-bedroomed house in Ripon could be a catch at £350,000.

Downstairs offers light, spacious reception rooms and modern kitchen.

Upstairs doesn't disappoint, with views overlooking the lock.

With such desirable homes on the market, the signs are good for today's house hunters.

So let's meet them.

Paula, a dog breeder, and Philip, an operations manager, live in Kings Langley in Hertfordshire.

Paula bought the house in the mid '90s for £130,000.

Having lived together for a year, they want a dramatic change.

We're in a three-bedroom, semi-detached property, large garden, smallish kitchen.

This house isn't ideal for us now. It doesn't meet our future needs.

What dreams are they looking to realise with a move to the country?

The lifestyle that we dream of is going to be completely different.

It's going to be living off the land, it's keeping livestock,

growing our own vegetables.

Paula's no stranger to keeping animals. Her six Afghan hounds are a major factor in her move.

One of my great passions is my dogs. I can't wait to love to the country and take them for big, long walks

through the countryside and hills. We're all going to benefit from it.

I just can't wait to do it.

Dogs will be a key part of this move and a moneyspinner if she can set up a kennel business.

But what's the appeal of Yorkshire?

Partly because I fell in love with the place years ago.

I'm talking about when I was 15 or 16. It would fulfil our dreams.

And they've got a definite idea of what they want.

-Key features are that real, cottagey, Olde Worlde-type property.

-Cosy, low ceilings...

-Beams.

-Inglenook fireplace.

-Yeah, absolutely.

-Nice views over rolling hillside.

The land, obviously, is most important. And we want a really nice big kitchen, don't we?

I love cooking, but we just need more space in the kitchen.

-A farmhouse-type kitchen.

-Log fires.

Goosepimply!

And Paula has her own room requirements.

One of the most important things to me is a nice, big utility room like we have here.

This is where my dogs tend to live.

That helps me keep them a little bit separate from the house

with not so much housework as if they're running around!

This is quite an important aspect.

Are they ready for a huge challenge?

-We're halfway through our lives, essentially. If we don't do it now, we will never, ever do it.

-No.

Before they can move to the country, they need to find out how much money they have to play with.

-We've got Paula's house valued.

-It's a well-presented family home.

It's a very popular location. I value this at £395,000.

I was quite pleased with the estate agent's valuation.

With the current situation, I thought the house prices would have come down quite a bit.

So I was quite pleased with that.

And what's the budget for their next property?

Our budget is £550,000.

So our dog lovers are looking for a characterful, three-bedroom property with original features

and a large kitchen, but I think the key will be the outside space particularly how much they need.

They need at least 1-6 acres for this dream of self-sufficiency

and there's Paula's dogs to consider. They've got a good, healthy budget of £550,000,

but depending on how much land they need, they may have to compromise on that house.

Paula and Philip want to find a country home with land, so our search will radiate out from Ripon,

close to the Yorkshire Dales. I'll take them to three great properties.

I won't reveal the prices straight away. The last will be the Mystery House for some blue sky thinking.

-Hello, Phil and Paula.

-Hi.

-Welcome to scenic Yorkshire.

Beautifully sounding as well - sheep bleating and birds tweeting. Is this what it's all about for you?

Absolutely. The open space, it brings back childhood memories.

-So you've chosen North Yorkshire.

-Very much so.

-A childhood memory.

-Yeah.

-How important is it to you to have land?

-Very important.

I know it sounds a bit cliched, but we want to own our own livestock, live off the land,

-grow our own vegetables.

-That's a HUGE lifestyle change, going from 9 to 5.

-Absolutely.

-Ready for that?

-Yeah.

-And you work with dogs at the moment.

I've done that for about 30 years now. So to move here to have some space and set up a smallholding

and some boarding kennels.

So we need to find not just a property, but enough land for livestock and a kennel business.

-How much money do we have?

-The budget is £550,000.

That's not bad at all. Thank you.

North Yorkshire is pretty popular. It has wonderful scenery. I'm sure we'll find wonderful properties,

including the Mystery House, which will shake things up a bit.

-Lots to do, a lot of ground to cover. Shall we hit the road?

-Yeah.

With a budget of £550,000 Paula and Philip want a detached property that has:

This is a big change, really.

It's massive. No doubt about it.

You know, I think we're at that stage in our lives where if we don't do it now, we'll never do it.

So just embrace it is my motto.

How much do you know about having a smallholding, raising pigs...?

Nothing, pretty much.

-No, absolutely.

-Are you scared?

-Not really.

-It is... I find it quite scary.

Excitably scary.

'I'm not sure they know what they are letting themselves in for!'

We'll start in the quiet village of Galphay, five miles from Ripon.

If they're after local amenities, there's nearby Kirkby Malzeard, built from Yorkshire limestone.

It sits in an area of outstanding beauty, offering perfect dog-walking territory for our couple.

On the edge of the village, we find two limestone weavers' cottages knocked into one.

-This place is, I think, ideal for you.

-OK.

-Great village community.

There's a local village hall where they have quiz nights and you can get as involved as you want to.

But it's more important that you like the property. Come this way.

-And have a look at this.

-Wow.

-Lovely.

-Is this what you pictured?

-Looks good, really nice.

-Let's get in!

-Let's have a look.

-You like it that much?

-It's nice.

-Let's go.

'Well, it's a great first impression, which I'm sure will continue inside.'

Ohh!

-That is the reaction I thought I would get. Big smile.

-That's nice.

-First thoughts?

-This bit is lovely.

-This is just the entrance hallway!

-It's a generous size, isn't it?

-Isn't it just?

-It used to be the kitchen.

-Did it?

-It's got beams, character.

-Lovely. I want to see it all.

-Well, you need to see a bit more.

-If this isn't the kitchen, what is? Come this way.

-OK.

Come down here. Got some lovely beams. But this is what it's really all about.

Oh, look!

-Wow. That was a big, big sigh or deep intake of breath there.

-Yeah.

-That's impressive.

-Flagstones.

-And the range cooker.

-And that lovely view.

-Lovely.

-So what do you think?

-Fantastic.

-The size is perfect for us.

-No more complaining about not enough work surface.

-As if!

-Kitchen thumbs up?

-Definitely.

-10 out of 10.

-10 out of 10?!

-And we haven't shown you the other side yet. Let's get over and see the other cottage.

-After you.

'This property has all the character of a cottage, but is twice the size.

'We'll take a peek at the dining room.'

You have dining space in the kitchen and a dining room here.

-What do you think?

-Lovely.

-Lovely.

-It's really nice.

-It's so welcoming.

-Warm.

A great room for entertaining, but you've got another living room. Come through here.

We're in the other cottage now. Look at this.

-Oh, this is cosy.

-Isn't it cosy?

-Everything you expect from a cottage.

-Let's have a look at the upstairs.

-Sure.

-OK.

A fairly short staircase, but it comes up into...

..this area.

-Oh, isn't this cute?

-Isn't it lovely?

-Unexpected.

-It used to be a bathroom.

-Did it?

-Look at the window.

-We'll head in there in a second.

Down that corridor you've got three good-sized bedrooms.

'Upstairs is deceptively spacious.

'There are two good-sized, light rooms, one with extra loft space,

'ideal for storage or as a small office.

'Next to the single room is a small, but adequate bathroom. Now what could be their bedroom...'

-This is gorgeous.

-Oh.

-Isn't it?

-This could be your master bedroom.

-It's fantastic.

-Yeah.

-More big...

-I just don't know what to say!

-I think they're good.

-They are.

Oh, it's just...

-It's gorgeous.

-And those deep windows. They've created a window seat.

-I love that.

-Only one thing could make this room even better.

-A bathroom?

Mmm! Come this way.

-Oh, a dressing room!

-You didn't even notice there was no storage space!

I don't know if I'd keep this like this. Maybe we'd convert one of the other bedrooms.

-It all leads through to this.

-Astounding. Another fabulous room.

-It's pretty generous for an en-suite in a cottage.

-Yeah.

-Wonderful.

-And nothing to do.

-You could move straight in. We've still got to look at the outside space.

-Good point.

-I hope that all lives up to what the house has.

-Is it still very important? If the house was perfect, would you compromise on land?

-I don't think...

Only a certain amount to be able to do what we want to do.

There's no point in you doing this without being able to do both.

Then we need to have a look. We'll see how much you get and what you can do with it.

'Time to scope the outdoors. Fingers crossed there's enough space for the dogs.'

-Step back outside. It's such a gorgeous day.

-It is.

Come through... into this lovely lawned area.

-The current owners have planning permission to build a family room extension here.

-Right.

-OK.

-So perhaps that could be changed to a utility space.

-Yeah, perfect.

Down here...we have the rest of what could be your land.

-OK.

-Is that a stream?

-Yes! A little added extra for you.

-That's lovely. Where's the boundary?

-Well, see that fence there? And that chicken coop?

-You've got about an acre in total. Down to the fence there.

-OK.

-Space for chickens, a couple of pigs...

-Yeah.

-And I don't know - is it enough for your kennels?

Em... I hope so!

-You're going to find a way!

-Yeah!

-That all depends, of course, on whether you can afford it.

-Don't.

-Here we go.

-Give me a figure.

-Come on, Paula.

-I think you've really pushed the boat out here

and I think it must be really right on our budget. So I'd say about 550.

I'll go...520.

520?

This one goes to you, Phil. It's actually on the market for £525,000.

-Wow.

-One-nil!

-What do you think of that?

-What do you think?

-Good price.

-Good.

-It's under budget.

-A bit of money to play with to build kennels.

-Yeah.

Hmm?

-It just gets better and better.

-It does. I think you need to go and have a little exploration.

-Have a look around, see if it could work for you and I'll find you both later.

-Lovely, OK.

-Back that way.

-OK.

A great start! 525. That is under their budget.

They could certainly afford it, but how much land do they really need?

There's potentially enough to accommodate their lifestyle change. There's space for the kennels,

which Paula could set up in a residential area, providing she gets planning consent.

There's room for Phil to kick-start his dream of self-sufficiency with a few chickens and a pig or two.

So, at £525,000, these two cottages knocked into one

make a lovely, spacious, character property offering.

-This is lovely, this kitchen. It's your dream kitchen.

-It is. It's my favourite room by far.

-This is one of my favourite rooms.

-Yeah, it's probably your favourite.

I just love the ceiling.

This house has been absolutely beautiful. I've fallen in love with it.

Every room has been a surprise and is full of character.

The house in itself is absolutely fantastic and ticks every single box for Paula and I.

The only reservation I have is the land,

inasmuch as is it enough land really to have kennels and livestock?

-Hello!

-Hiya.

-I've just been making myself very comfortable in what could be your new home.

-So much to think about.

-I know.

-And there's so much more to see.

Don't get too comfortable. Let's keep going.

Over the years, we've seen some houses that need a little work,

but imagine the upkeep involved in looking after this.

castle Howard in North Yorkshire is one of the most spectacular stately homes in England.

It was built at the end of the 17th century by Sir John Vanbrugh,

the playwright and architect for the 3rd Earl of Carlisle.

'Castle Howard is open to the public and attracts over 200,000 visitors a year.

'The current owner, the Honourable Simon Howard, has agreed to give us a private tour of the residence,

'the place that he calls home.

'Looking after a building like this is a lifetime's work.

'Restoration is something the Howard family take very seriously.

'Back in the 1940s, a catastrophic fire swept through the building

'and they're even now dealing with the consequences, although the Main Hall is a breathtaking spectacle.'

Wow.

We say wow a lot on this show about rooms, but I've never seen something so splendid. Magnificent.

It is wonderful. Vanbrugh's great masterpiece. He was a playwright, and a stage designer,

-and that's what this is.

-It really is pure theatre. The drama in this room, and detail.

-And it was ravaged by fire.

-The fire started over in that wing and ripped through these rooms.

It took the dome out. It crashed in and you can still see on the floor where some of the damage occurred.

There's still smoke damage in here on the frescos. All of them need restoration at some stage.

That's a job I'd love to do to really bring this room alive.

It's a project I hope I can do before I keel over!

'Restoring Baroque masterpieces is a costly business, but much has been paid for by film companies

'keen to take advantage of such an exquisite location.

'It has twice played host to Brideshead Revisited.

'The latest film version left some architectural heritage of its one,

-'although not in materials Vanbrugh would be familiar with.'

-Perspex. MDF.

But it's a film set. That's what this room is.

You do question should we keep it, should we get rid of it?

-It makes sense to keep it as a Brideshead set.

-Can we have a look at a room that's been restored?

Yes, let's go.

This then is Lady Cawdor's room. It's been totally redone. It was derelict in here.

A new fireplace, the mirror I bought in an antique shop in London with the two candelabras.

So you really are involved in the details. You haven't handed it over.

This is very much my wife and myself.

This is really my wife's choice of fabric and wallpaper.

Do you actually use this as a bedroom?

Very much so. It's one of our main guest bedrooms and occasionally it is open for groups to see.

-Crikey!

-But not to the general public?

-Not generally. Partly because of the carpet!

How do you feel about future generations looking after this?

I hope they'll be able to. That is the biggest problem we face.

It's whether families will be able to continue to live in these houses.

What I'm so thrilled about is that during my lifetime I've seen this house resurrected from the dead.

It's a bit like the phoenix coming out of the ashes.

And what I think we've achieved is tremendous.

It's really exciting that it's vibrant and living.

'Castle Howard is an inspiring example of the passion and dedication that's needed

'to keep wonderful buildings like this alive and accessible for generations to come.

'As the sun sets over the Yorkshire Dales, the first day of our property hunt is at an end.

'Paula and Philip want to up sticks from Kings Langley in Hertfordshire

'and start a completely new life in North Yorkshire.

'With a budget of £550,000, they want a country cottage with land for Paula's kennel business

'or to realise Phil's dream of a smallholding.

'So far, they've seen one house, but coming up, it's time to pause for thought.'

I can see some chin-stroking going on here. The man is thinking.

'In the mystery house, we serve up a kitchen for Philip that could be a ready-made way to earn a crust.'

I can't wait to see the rest of it.

It's the start of another gorgeous day here in idyllic North Yorkshire,

but if Paula and Phil are going to enjoy this lovely countryside, they need to find a way to pay for it.

'Our next property takes us 20 miles from Ripon to Leyburn in the heart of Wensleydale.

'It's a thriving market town with some impressive architecture

'and is well-served by its range of good, independent shops.

'There are spectacular views from The Shawl, a natural limestone outcrop just above the town.

'Our next house is built from the local limestone

'and could accommodate the kennel business and the smallholding.'

-We are looking at a barn conversion.

-Oh, right.

-Ah!

-Wow!

-What does that say to you?

-It looks good, actually. It looks really nice.

-You see a cattle barn.

-First impressions?

-Good.

-Let's get in there.

-Yeah.

-Now!

Let's go.

'It's all smiles so far, which I hope will continue as we take a closer look.'

Right, step inside.

-Oh, look!

-This is nice, isn't it?

-This is the original cattle barn.

-Right.

-It's a big, spacious room.

-It is very large.

-But has it got enough character for you?

-With a little bit of work, certainly, yeah.

Fantastic. Come this way. Let's see how you feel about the next room.

-This is all right.

-I thought it might be to your liking.

-Yeah.

-You are the chef.

-Apparently so.

-What do you think of this layout?

-It's good.

It'll probably need a bit of updating, but that's just our taste.

-Yeah, just change it to your taste.

-Yeah.

-Good.

-So, so far, the downstairs of this house is doing well?

-It is.

-Yeah.

-But there's more. Come this way.

'On the far side of the kitchen there's a small bathroom with walk-in shower,

'a handy utility room, a further light, bright bathroom and a single bedroom with office space.

'Now let's head upstairs.'

-Up here, you have a toilet, so you don't have to run downstairs in the middle of the night.

-That's handy.

-Second bedroom...

-OK.

-And, of course, the master.

-Wow!

-Wow! And look at those views!

-Great, huh?

-Isn't it fab?

-Crikey!

-Looking out over the whole of Yorkshire, it feels like.

-Waking up to that every morning!

With a view like that, the rest of it pales into insignificance. Nice, comfy bed.

Enough room for storage. Another room that seems to work for you.

-Inside of the house, we've done well.

-Looking good.

But we need to address the land. Let's get outside and have a look.

'Overall, they seem to like the house, so I hope the land outside will clinch it.

'Let's take a tour of the garden.

'There's the sun trap of a patio area, a small vegetable garden,

'and at the far end, there's even more space for growing your own with a second greenhouse.'

-They've divided it up quite nicely - your own space to grow vegetables, be self-sufficient.

-Yeah.

-This is ideal.

-This bit's sorted. The house is sorted.

-Yeah.

What about the land? I'll put you out of your misery. How does 4.5 acres sound to you?

-That'd be excellent.

-That is ample.

That could be yours because the land stretches right the way from behind there

-all the way around to the other side of the house.

-Blimey!

-God!

"Blimey" indeed! It's quite a lot for you to look at. Let's have a closer look.

'As we walk up to the main field, there's a chance to take in the stunning views of the Dales.'

But all of this could be yours.

-And all of that.

-Wow, look at that!

-And all of that.

-Blimey!

-This plot represents your dream coming to life.

-It's getting quite exciting.

-Yeah.

But the big question is, as ever,

how much would you be willing to pay to get this to make your dream come true?

The house itself is not hugely large.

The land, there's a fair bit of it.

I think we're still perhaps slightly under budget on 525?

-OK.

-I think that's over the top, actually.

-475.

-475... I'm afraid this one goes to Phil. Good guess.

This is on the market at a delightful £468,000.

-Blimey!

-Wow!

That gives you a fair chunk to do quite a lot with.

I can see some chin-stroking going on here. The man is thinking.

We're gonna need to do some maths in terms of what it's gonna cost to build the kennels.

There's clearly lots that's going round your head and lots of land for you to investigate.

-So have a wander round.

-Will do.

-And start to pull it all together.

-We'll catch up later on.

-OK.

-Off you go.

-Cheers.

468? Two, four, six, eight! It's brilliant!

It's a great price. It's a cracking property.

This allows them to make their dream and it's making them a bit nervous. Let's see what they come up with.

So, at £468,000, this barn conversion could be the answer to the house/land conundrum.

Plenty of space for a smallholding and the kennels.

This property is a definite contender.

I say that because it's got so much potential,

it brings together all of the elements that we were originally looking at -

the large kitchen, the cottage style.

OK, it's not quite there, but the fact that it's under budget

just allows us that little bit more financial manoeuvring to actually realise our dream.

The things I would change would be easily done.

The amount of land is just absolutely fantastic and would give us plenty

to be able to do all that we wanted to do,

so we would definitely think about this very, very seriously. Yeah.

'Phil and Paula have no experience of raising livestock,

'so we'll give them a wake-up call for running a smallholding.

'They're here to meet Terence Laheney who escaped to the Yorkshire Dales 12 years ago.

'He juggles his job as a teacher with running a smallholding

'where he rears all creatures great and small.

'Phil and Paula love the idea of raising rare-breed pigs,

'so Terence takes them to look at his Gloucester Old Spot sow and piglets.

'It all looks perfect, but being self-sufficient means facing up to raising animals for meat.'

How did you feel about your first pigs going to slaughter?

If you don't feel anything, you shouldn't be doing it. You've got to look after your animal.

There's nothing wrong with loving it, then you take it to slaughter.

How do you fit it all in in a day, working full-time and doing this?

You've got to have an early start. You finish when everything's done.

But it's a good way to de-stress.

'Definitely some food for thought there, but before Phil and Paula can bring home the bacon,

'they need some land to rear them.

'Let's hope our house search will serve up their perfect property.'

It's mystery house time. Up until now, Phil and Paula have been hung up on the idea of a kennel business,

so why don't we show them something which might just test Phil's culinary skills instead?

So, finally, the mystery property. I know everything is a little bit mysterious for you,

but this is designed to really make you think outside the box a little bit.

-OK.

-Are you nervous?

Yeah, kind of. I just really don't know what to expect.

How much work are you willing to do?

-If it feels right...

-Good question, Paula.

I'm getting to think that I'm going to be doing a lot of it.

I don't think that bothers us.

'Let's see if they're game for some entrepreneurial thinking.

'Our mystery property is tucked away near the village of Gayles.

'It's a pretty village made up of characteristic stone cottages

'and the surrounding countryside would offer some of the best walking territory in North Yorkshire.

'Our mystery house is in a secluded spot outside Gayles

'with a different business proposition for our couple.'

-This is just something else, isn't it?

-It's a stunning house, but it's more than that.

We thought for our mystery house we would show you an alternative way of living. How about a B&B?

This would keep you very busy, cooking up some wonderful meals.

-We were talking about that this morning.

-Ah!

-You wrote it down, didn't you?

-Yeah.

-Oddly.

Could be an omen.

-What do you think of the property from the outside?

-Absolutely beautiful.

-It's a barn conversion.

-Made from local limestone. Fits in really, doesn't it?

-It does.

-In the character of the landscape.

-Let's go and have a look inside.

-Yeah.

'They seem ready to toy with the B&B idea as a way to earn a living.

'Hopefully, they'll be convinced by the inside.'

This is it.

-Wow!

-Blimey!

-It's a great space, isn't it?

-It is staggering.

-For cooking and entertaining.

It'll be up to you how you arrange this house and how you use it, but it's set up as a B&B.

-I can't wait to see the rest of it.

-It's a good start.

-Brilliant.

-Shall we keep moving?

-Yeah.

'They seem smitten by the kitchen. Down the far end of the hallway we find the other living areas.'

-So this is the dining room?

-Well, yes, potentially.

At the moment, the current owners have set it all up to be a B&B.

They've just got four-star rating.

They've got bookings, but they haven't taken any customers yet.

Money-wise, they estimate making about £45,000 to £50,000 a year,

-so it's not a small business necessarily.

-No.

-Quite a lot to consider.

-Yes, sure.

-Shall we have a look at this room, then we'll check out where you'll put your guests?

-OK.

'I can see this house is winning them over, so through to the sitting room.'

-Oh, this is superb!

-Come in.

That's gorgeous, isn't it?

-Big feature fireplace.

-Hmm.

-It's done very well.

-I think it'll be very easy for you to move in and slot in your own furnishings.

-Easily.

-Let's check out the guests' accommodation.

-OK.

-Hmm.

'They seem to see the B&B business potential, so let's find out why it's got a four-star rating.'

This property has five bedrooms, four of which are big doubles with en-suite.

-You've got two out here. Let's take a look at one of them.

-Crikey!

"Crikey" is your word, isn't it?

These are fantastic.

And this is an example of what they all look like pretty much.

-They're all like this?

-They're all like this.

-I can't believe it. It's out of this world.

-They are beautiful.

-Superb, isn't it?

-Hmm.

-Good space. Wonderful if you were coming to stay.

-You wouldn't want to go home.

That's the idea.

'The other two guest rooms on this floor are similar in style,

'one an equally high spec double with en-suite, and a bright, modern single room.

'Upstairs, there's the fourth comfortable guest room with en-suite and what would be their bedroom.'

Here is what could be your master

with a big bathroom there.

-And all of this space.

-Beautiful.

-It is pretty beautiful.

-Really nice.

-And there's a door.

Yes, there's a door going straight outside, so if you wanted to not see your guests,

you could come straight up to your own room. How do you feel about this house in general?

We're sort of coming to a career change from boarding kennels to looking after people, basically.

-But it just feels... It does feel good.

-Hmm.

-And the only consideration possibly is the land?

-Hmm.

-Let's go and have a look.

-You know what's coming next!

-Yeah.

-Let's go have a look. Come on.

'I think they're giving the house and B&B business some serious thought,

'but it's the land that will swing it, especially for Paula, so, fingers crossed.'

Oh, it is gorgeous out here.

-This courtyard, I think, is fantastic.

-Yeah.

-It is lovely.

Your guests, should you choose to have any, would get the benefit of this and all of that.

-That is stunning.

-Gorgeous views.

-Absolutely stunning.

So you've got the courtyard and you've also got an acre and a third of land.

-OK.

-And it all comes at a price. Now, I'm going to start with you.

Give me a number.

It's over our budget.

-580.

-OK.

Paula?

I'm gonna say 6...

-Go for it.

-..20.

-620.

-Ooh!

-How much would that upset you?

-620?

-Hmm.

-A lot.

Well, if it's any consolation,

it's on the market, you're right, it is over your budget, at £575,000.

-So it's not as bad as you thought.

-Blimey!

-It's not hugely.

-No.

But if there's a workable business here, even at that price, this could be a possibility.

If there is that income, it will allow us to increase our mortgage.

Maybe when people come to a place like this, it's so beautiful, you want to go for walks with your dogs.

You don't want them in kennels miles away from where you are.

Maybe we could do a small kennels where people with dogs could come, leave their dogs in the kennels,

so they're not actually staying in their rooms. Maybe we can fit the kennels in in that line.

-A B&B for dog lovers?

-Yeah.

-I love this about the mystery house.

It's just opened up a whole new train of thought for you, hasn't it?

-Yeah.

-Fantastic. Go and have a meander around. Decide how much you're gonna charge your guests.

-Let me know later.

-All right.

Fantastic. This is what I love about the mystery house.

They've opened their minds to a new possibility, but is it the property for them?

At £575,000, the mystery house is over budget,

but with the B&B business ready to go, it could be within their grasp.

We can do with less land if we're not gonna do the kennels on such a large scale.

There's enough for the livestock.

And there's an established business that's bringing in the income.

-This is just such a lovely room.

-It's lovely, isn't it?

It would be a lovely place to come and stay if you were looking for a B&B in the country, wouldn't it?

One reservation for me is how we could divide the property

separate from our living quarters to the B&B guests, really.

But I think we would be really quite interested.

The kitchen is out of this world. There is enough land to keep livestock.

We've still got the kennel option, so it ticks all the other boxes.

-Hello.

-It's so peaceful out here. I could sit here for ever, but we haven't got the time to do that.

-You need to find somewhere to sit down and mull all of this over.

-OK.

'So our tour is at an end and I think it's given our house-hunters plenty to think about.'

Paula and Phil have both long held dreams of moving to the countryside

and have reached that point in their lives where they can make it a reality, but what do they want?

Is it a cosy country cottage? Do they want to run a kennel business?

Or self-sufficiency? Or even run a B&B?

And have we helped them at all to move closer to that dream? Well, it's time to find out.

I've got to say, after this roller-coaster journey of a property search,

I am none the wiser as to which way you're gonna go, so let's go through all the properties.

We started with the weavers' cottages, two into one, down in Galphay. What were your thoughts?

-You were wowed by the kitchen.

-The kitchen was just fabulous.

No doubt about that. I could see myself in there immediately, but not just in the kitchen.

-As soon as I walked in the door, it just felt right.

-It would be perfect, all bar that one factor.

It was too near houses for dog kennels.

I would go and buy it tomorrow if I could do that, yeah.

Let's talk about the next property, the barn conversion. Now, we saw that in Leyburn.

That, I think, could work very well for us.

Let's face it, it had the land,

the views.

It had the carcass almost for the kitchen,

which I'd love to stamp my mark on it and say, "Yeah, this is what we've done."

And it came in way below budget.

The opportunities for the kennels which is obviously something that we'd have to do first.

Yeah, it ticked all the right boxes.

Let's talk about the mystery house.

We'd been going down this track of looking for a place to run kennels

and suddenly, there was the option of a B&B.

A complete career change.

That was very, very, um...

surprising, wasn't it?

The property was phenomenal. It was breathtaking.

The fact that they have gone that far down the route

of the four-star rating for a B&B and they've already got bookings is encouraging.

The word that I hear is "options". You have so many and not just with that mystery house.

-Have you come to any decisions?

-The options are the barn conversion or the B&B.

So there are two properties you are seriously interested in. Hopefully, this journey has been another step.

-It has.

-Most definitely. It has been so informative and helpful.

And as I say, it has really stamped on to us that we are going to do it.

Great. Well, I hope to see you do it very soon.

-Best of luck. Let us know how you get on.

-Will do.

-Thanks a lot.

-Pleasure.

I think that Phil and Paula have got a lot of courage.

They're moving home, they're moving county and they're setting up a whole new lifestyle together.

We may not have found them the ideal business, but I think at the end of this journey,

they're a step closer to realising their dream of escaping to the country. See you next time.

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