0:00:02 > 0:00:04We've heard the song You Take The High Road
0:00:04 > 0:00:06And I'll Take The Low Road, but where does it lead?
0:00:06 > 0:00:09Well, the answer is to this very stretch of water.
0:00:09 > 0:00:12But what's it called and where am I?
0:00:12 > 0:00:16Find out in a moment as we escape to the country.
0:00:28 > 0:00:30In today's show I'll be helping a couple
0:00:30 > 0:00:35find a country retreat to call home after 25 years on the move.
0:00:35 > 0:00:38But they're keeping their cards close to their chest.
0:00:38 > 0:00:42Interesting good, interest bad or interesting other?
0:00:42 > 0:00:44- Not sure. - Be honest.
0:00:44 > 0:00:46Interesting other.
0:00:46 > 0:00:49And the mystery house throws even more confusion into the mix.
0:00:49 > 0:00:54It's not what we were expecting, you know, really. You've thrown us.
0:00:57 > 0:01:00Today I'm in Scotland in the county of Argyll & Bute
0:01:00 > 0:01:02and, of course, I'm enjoying views
0:01:02 > 0:01:04of the bonny, bonny banks of Loch Lomond,
0:01:04 > 0:01:09where, according to the song, me and my true love will never meet again.
0:01:09 > 0:01:11As forlorn as I might be at such a prospect,
0:01:11 > 0:01:13I can see why it might be quite hard to find her,
0:01:13 > 0:01:15because at 24 miles in length,
0:01:15 > 0:01:18this is the longest stretch of inland water
0:01:18 > 0:01:20in the whole of Great Britain.
0:01:22 > 0:01:25Argyll & Bute is Scotland's second largest county,
0:01:25 > 0:01:27spread over 2,600 square miles,
0:01:27 > 0:01:30with some of the most wild and magnificent coastline
0:01:30 > 0:01:32found anywhere in the UK.
0:01:34 > 0:01:37Despite its size, the county has the third sparsest population
0:01:37 > 0:01:39of the 32 Scottish local authorities
0:01:39 > 0:01:42but still attracts around two million visitors a year,
0:01:42 > 0:01:45drawn to Loch Lomond, Trossachs National Park
0:01:45 > 0:01:48and lochside towns such as Inveraray and Rothesay.
0:01:50 > 0:01:52With over 95% of the county's population
0:01:52 > 0:01:54living within six miles of the coast,
0:01:54 > 0:01:57the county is awash with waterside properties,
0:01:57 > 0:02:01with imposing Victorian villas a running theme.
0:02:04 > 0:02:10The average price of a property here in Scotland is around £156,000.
0:02:10 > 0:02:13Here in Argyll, it's around £10,000 cheaper,
0:02:13 > 0:02:16meaning your budget should stretch just that little bit further,
0:02:16 > 0:02:19especially when you compare it to places like Perthshire,
0:02:19 > 0:02:23where the average house will set you back around £177,000.
0:02:23 > 0:02:26Here in Scotland, the way you way you buy and sell property
0:02:26 > 0:02:29is slightly different to the rest of the UK.
0:02:29 > 0:02:32Once you've found your dream Scottish home,
0:02:32 > 0:02:34it's not you that places the offer but the solicitor,
0:02:34 > 0:02:36and only once they're satisfied
0:02:36 > 0:02:38you've either got the money in the bank
0:02:38 > 0:02:40or have a mortgage offer in place.
0:02:40 > 0:02:43So if you're thinking of escaping to Scotland
0:02:43 > 0:02:46or, to be more precise, here to Argyll & Bute,
0:02:46 > 0:02:48here's an example of some fantastic properties
0:02:48 > 0:02:50currently on the market.
0:02:52 > 0:02:55On the market for just shy of £370,000,
0:02:55 > 0:02:59this handsome five-bedroom Victorian property in Garelochhead
0:02:59 > 0:03:01offers up some generous room sizes,
0:03:01 > 0:03:05with large windows also a theme upstairs in the bedrooms.
0:03:06 > 0:03:11Or what about this detached villa in Kilcreggan for just under £500,000?
0:03:11 > 0:03:13Its light, airy reception areas are complemented
0:03:13 > 0:03:15by a modern kitchen diner,
0:03:15 > 0:03:19and upstairs there are five good-sized bedrooms.
0:03:19 > 0:03:21£695,000 could get you
0:03:21 > 0:03:25this magnificent Edwardian turreted house by the shores of Loch Awe,
0:03:25 > 0:03:29with a distinctly baronial feel throughout its reception rooms.
0:03:29 > 0:03:35Along with four acres of grounds, the property enjoys some stunning views of Kilchurn Castle.
0:03:35 > 0:03:38Some great properties there in a stunning part of the UK,
0:03:38 > 0:03:41which is exactly why today's buyers want to move here.
0:03:41 > 0:03:43So let's meet them.
0:03:44 > 0:03:47Trisha, an interior designer, and Graham, an engineer,
0:03:47 > 0:03:49have been splitting their time between their two flats,
0:03:49 > 0:03:52one in Glasgow, which the couple are keeping,
0:03:52 > 0:03:55and the other in Dubai, which they've decided to sell.
0:03:55 > 0:03:57After 25 years of globetrotting for work,
0:03:57 > 0:04:02Graham's retirement means a permanent return home to their roots, and not before time.
0:04:02 > 0:04:06We've been travelling all over the world, living in different houses.
0:04:06 > 0:04:10We just want to settle down in one place and make it feel like home
0:04:10 > 0:04:12and enjoy our lives a wee bit together.
0:04:12 > 0:04:16There are elements of their lifestyle they want to bring back to enjoy in Argyll.
0:04:16 > 0:04:20One of the beauties of the Middle East, in some ways,
0:04:20 > 0:04:25is it's an outdoor life, and we like the outdoor life.
0:04:25 > 0:04:29We hope to pursue activities on the water,
0:04:29 > 0:04:31whether it be fishing, boating...
0:04:31 > 0:04:33- Kayaking. - Kayaking.
0:04:33 > 0:04:36Yeah, any of these, something active.
0:04:36 > 0:04:39So what's on the wish list for their perfect property?
0:04:39 > 0:04:42For me, the priorities would be
0:04:42 > 0:04:46a nice little workshop or something outside, an outbuilding that I could develop.
0:04:46 > 0:04:51I've always wanted to do something with an old car
0:04:51 > 0:04:56or an old tractor that I could do something, along those lines.
0:04:56 > 0:04:58So that would be one.
0:04:58 > 0:05:03- You would like some land. - Yeah, probably two, three acres.
0:05:03 > 0:05:05You know, nothing vast.
0:05:05 > 0:05:08I would certainly like it to be near the water
0:05:08 > 0:05:10or sitting on the coastline,
0:05:10 > 0:05:15so that I could have nice views out my windows, things like that.
0:05:15 > 0:05:16With an eye for interior design,
0:05:16 > 0:05:19Trisha has her sights set on a project.
0:05:19 > 0:05:22No less than three bedrooms.
0:05:22 > 0:05:24Preferably upstairs, downstairs.
0:05:24 > 0:05:27Large windows, hopefully, but, again,
0:05:27 > 0:05:29I could knock down walls and put some windows in.
0:05:29 > 0:05:32And that's as far as it goes for Graham.
0:05:32 > 0:05:37We don't necessarily want a shell where we have to start from scratch,
0:05:37 > 0:05:41and we don't necessarily want to park a caravan alongside
0:05:41 > 0:05:45and live in a caravan while the renovations are being carried out.
0:05:45 > 0:05:46I wouldn't mind.
0:05:46 > 0:05:50They've clearly got differing views on that front.
0:05:50 > 0:05:52But how much do they have to spend on the move?
0:05:52 > 0:05:56Our absolute top budget would be £500,000.
0:05:59 > 0:06:01This could be interesting.
0:06:01 > 0:06:03We've got Trish, who's after a project,
0:06:03 > 0:06:06something she can put her very own definitive stamp on,
0:06:06 > 0:06:08and Graham's after a house with land
0:06:08 > 0:06:11and, if he gets his own way, potentially animals.
0:06:11 > 0:06:14He's also after a maybe more easy retirement.
0:06:14 > 0:06:18He's no idea that he might be putting a house together brick by brick
0:06:18 > 0:06:20underneath Trish's watchful eye.
0:06:20 > 0:06:23Let's hope they can find some middle ground.
0:06:23 > 0:06:27Trisha and Graham want to be no more than a three-hour drive from Glasgow,
0:06:27 > 0:06:31so we'll turn our gaze to lochside locations within that radius.
0:06:31 > 0:06:34I'll be showing them three very different properties
0:06:34 > 0:06:37but will only reveal the price once they've had a guess first.
0:06:37 > 0:06:42And our mystery house comes with more than they could ever imagine.
0:06:43 > 0:06:46- Good morning, Graham and Trish. - Morning.- Morning, Jonnie.
0:06:46 > 0:06:50- What have you missed about Scotland? - This.- This.
0:06:50 > 0:06:53- Definitely.- Looking out your window and seeing that.- Yeah.
0:06:53 > 0:06:55Seeing water. That's what we want to see.
0:06:55 > 0:06:58I think you're in a great position at the moment for property.
0:06:58 > 0:07:02Traditionally, as you know, there's an "offers over" system for asking prices,
0:07:02 > 0:07:04or sometimes a fixed price.
0:07:04 > 0:07:09You'll find places settling for less than the offers over, or certainly around that.
0:07:09 > 0:07:11So if we see something that we like,
0:07:11 > 0:07:14you shouldn't have to pay much more than the asking price.
0:07:14 > 0:07:17I've noticed that, cos usually in Scotland it's always asking over
0:07:17 > 0:07:20and you can go sometimes 20, 30% over.
0:07:20 > 0:07:23- Yeah.- So it's great now. You see a lot more fixed prices.
0:07:23 > 0:07:25- It's supply and demand, essentially. - It is, yeah.
0:07:25 > 0:07:30But on the subject of price, we've got a fantastic budget, £500,000.
0:07:30 > 0:07:33It sounds like location is the first thing to get right.
0:07:33 > 0:07:36- I would think so.- We've got some cracking locations lined up.
0:07:36 > 0:07:39- Let's go and have a look at the first one, shall we?- Great.
0:07:40 > 0:07:42With their budget of half a million pounds,
0:07:42 > 0:07:45Graham and Trish are happy to remodel and redecorate,
0:07:45 > 0:07:48but their Argyll property needs to give them:
0:07:49 > 0:07:52..at least three bedrooms, two with en suite...
0:07:55 > 0:07:57..and, critically, it must have views over water
0:07:57 > 0:08:02and be located within a three-hour drive from Glasgow.
0:08:03 > 0:08:06So, Graham, this smallholding, is it a big desire of yours?
0:08:06 > 0:08:09It is, yeah. I'd quite like to have a bit of space.
0:08:09 > 0:08:12OK. And, Trish, what are you like with animals?
0:08:12 > 0:08:15- Are you thinking about a few cows, sheep?- No. Nope.
0:08:15 > 0:08:18Graham would want sheep, cows, pigs. Nope.
0:08:18 > 0:08:22He can have a few hens and that's it, for the eggs in the morning.
0:08:22 > 0:08:25- Nothing else.- That doesn't sound much of a smallholding, really.
0:08:25 > 0:08:28I quite like The Good Life idea.
0:08:28 > 0:08:30While they iron out their differences,
0:08:30 > 0:08:32we're making location our top priority
0:08:32 > 0:08:35in kicking off the house search in Lochgoilhead,
0:08:35 > 0:08:37just an hour and 20 minutes from Glasgow.
0:08:37 > 0:08:42Sitting on the shores of Loch Goil, with the stunning backdrop of the National Park,
0:08:42 > 0:08:44the village has a local shop and pub
0:08:44 > 0:08:47both within walking distance of our first property.
0:08:47 > 0:08:52- All right for you? Looks good? - Excellent. Absolutely amazing.
0:08:52 > 0:08:55Well, the whole house faces onto those views.
0:08:55 > 0:08:59- What do you think of the house? - All right, yeah.- Yeah, interesting.
0:08:59 > 0:09:03Interesting good, interest bad or interesting other?
0:09:03 > 0:09:06- Interesting other. - Other.
0:09:06 > 0:09:10- Very noncommittal.- Not sure.- What's going through your mind, Trish?
0:09:10 > 0:09:13- What's your reservation? I feel there is one.- Windows.- Windows.
0:09:13 > 0:09:17- Too small.- OK. Let's see if we can't put some of these reservations aside
0:09:17 > 0:09:19inside the house, yeah?
0:09:19 > 0:09:21Good, good.
0:09:21 > 0:09:24This property is totally in keeping with the local heritage,
0:09:24 > 0:09:30the main body of the house dating back to 1753 and extended in 1840.
0:09:30 > 0:09:34Let's hope it's not just the views that impress once we get inside.
0:09:34 > 0:09:37Okey-doke, so the first room, a reception room.
0:09:37 > 0:09:41- Yeah.- Look at that view there. - Yeah, that's good.
0:09:41 > 0:09:42That's amazing.
0:09:43 > 0:09:45Doesn't sound that amazing.
0:09:45 > 0:09:49- Or are you taken aback by it all? - Bit of both.
0:09:49 > 0:09:54- It's a bit small for me.- OK. - But, then, change of use.
0:09:54 > 0:09:59We could just make it a nice reading room and have these lovely views.
0:09:59 > 0:10:02Well, next door could open up options for Trisha.
0:10:02 > 0:10:05OK, so I reckon a pretty good size kitchen here.
0:10:05 > 0:10:08- That's excellent.- Very good. - Very good size.
0:10:08 > 0:10:12It is, you know, your farmhouse kitchen. It's what it was built for.
0:10:12 > 0:10:13You've got the range there.
0:10:13 > 0:10:16That takes care of your heating and hot water.
0:10:16 > 0:10:18What you've got here already is a good size room.
0:10:18 > 0:10:23Now, how do you feel about the room we've just seen?
0:10:23 > 0:10:26- If you were to knock through... - Yeah.- It's a big job.
0:10:26 > 0:10:29You'd have to comply with building regs.
0:10:29 > 0:10:31You would lose some cupboard space,
0:10:31 > 0:10:34but you might be able to put it elsewhere.
0:10:34 > 0:10:37A big, big room with those fantastic views.
0:10:37 > 0:10:39Yeah, that would be very good.
0:10:39 > 0:10:42Cos I want to try and bring the views into all my rooms.
0:10:42 > 0:10:46Got a window at the back there, windows along the side and front.
0:10:46 > 0:10:51- It would be such a real heart of the home, wouldn't it?- It would, yeah.
0:10:51 > 0:10:53Off the hallway, there's also a useful porch,
0:10:53 > 0:10:55currently put to good use as a library,
0:10:55 > 0:10:58which leads through to a downstairs bathroom.
0:10:58 > 0:11:01But what do they think of the other reception rooms?
0:11:01 > 0:11:03You can already see a door through there
0:11:03 > 0:11:05with an equally sized reception room.
0:11:05 > 0:11:09- Yeah.- OK.- Currently an office. It's not huge open-plan living here.
0:11:09 > 0:11:12You've got two definite reception rooms, if you like.
0:11:12 > 0:11:15But if you've already made those changes in the kitchen,
0:11:15 > 0:11:19- could you cope with maybe just a sitting room?- A sitting room, yeah.
0:11:19 > 0:11:24- Yeah. - Can you put in, like, French doors?
0:11:24 > 0:11:28Everything you try and do, certainly to the exterior of this property,
0:11:28 > 0:11:33you have to run past the local authority and whoever controls the National Park.
0:11:33 > 0:11:35If you were to change the appearance of this,
0:11:35 > 0:11:38I would suggest you need some consent.
0:11:38 > 0:11:42French doors essentially are still windows going out to the front of a property,
0:11:42 > 0:11:46so if you do it within character, you never know, there are things you can do.
0:11:46 > 0:11:49I want to be able to bring in the outside. I know I keep saying this.
0:11:49 > 0:11:51If I was in here, I want to be able to walk out to it.
0:11:51 > 0:11:54I don't want to have to go out to front doors, back doors.
0:11:54 > 0:11:59- I think you're right, Trish. You've got flawless views.- Yeah.
0:11:59 > 0:12:02Why wouldn't you want to bring them in to this lovely home?
0:12:02 > 0:12:06That's something to think about and research we'd have to take on.
0:12:06 > 0:12:09- Sure.- Yeah, definitely. - So if you could make those changes,
0:12:09 > 0:12:13- would that make you feel different about this room?- Yeah, definitely.
0:12:13 > 0:12:16After the modern, open-plan living they're used to in Dubai,
0:12:16 > 0:12:20they seem to be finding it tricky to adjust to traditional rooms.
0:12:20 > 0:12:23As we'll see upstairs, there is plenty of space on offer
0:12:23 > 0:12:24in the four bedrooms.
0:12:24 > 0:12:29Now, then, clearly a double bedroom. At the moment, a guest bedroom.
0:12:29 > 0:12:33That's great. Good size, actually. Excellent size for a guest bedroom.
0:12:33 > 0:12:38Behind here is a shower room. But a bedroom with some stunning views.
0:12:38 > 0:12:42- You wouldn't get rid of your guests. - No, it's great.- That ticks the boxes.
0:12:42 > 0:12:48The other three bedrooms include a smaller double and a long single room with built-in cupboards.
0:12:48 > 0:12:51But let's see what they make of where they would sleep.
0:12:51 > 0:12:53This is the master bedroom.
0:12:53 > 0:12:55Another good size room. Excellent size room.
0:12:55 > 0:13:01This isn't en suite, so you need to start thinking about is it suitable?
0:13:01 > 0:13:06The bedrooms I'm not as worried about, if you know what I mean.
0:13:06 > 0:13:10- The living area is more important to me.- You spend more time there.
0:13:10 > 0:13:14Yeah, although en suite is one of the key factors in the bedrooms.
0:13:14 > 0:13:16- Mm-hm.- Well, for us. I don't care about the...
0:13:16 > 0:13:19- Stuff them. Yes, OK. - Just us.
0:13:20 > 0:13:24They're starting to see how they could remodel aspects of this house
0:13:24 > 0:13:27and I'm sensing more positive vibes.
0:13:27 > 0:13:32Outside in the courtyard are some attractive outbuildings, complete with a wood store and workshop.
0:13:32 > 0:13:35Although a public footpath to the pub runs past the front of the property,
0:13:35 > 0:13:38the side is very secluded.
0:13:38 > 0:13:42Trish will be pleased to hear there's no room for animals in the landscaped gardens,
0:13:42 > 0:13:44but there is space for Graham to grow vegetables
0:13:44 > 0:13:48and maybe keep some chickens, so he gets a bit of The Good Life,
0:13:48 > 0:13:50but at what cost?
0:13:50 > 0:13:53How much do you think this is on the market for?
0:13:53 > 0:13:58I'm not overly familiar with the property market because I've been away so long,
0:13:58 > 0:14:03but I would suspect around 480 to 500.
0:14:03 > 0:14:05I'd say 425.
0:14:05 > 0:14:10It's on the market for offers in excess of £450,000.
0:14:10 > 0:14:11You were closer.
0:14:11 > 0:14:15Go and have a look at the outbuildings. Have a look at the opportunities there.
0:14:15 > 0:14:18You might see the fact that you could potentially let them out.
0:14:18 > 0:14:22Have another look round the whole of the house. I'll catch you in a bit.
0:14:22 > 0:14:24Thanks.
0:14:25 > 0:14:28Comfortably under budget,
0:14:28 > 0:14:31this traditional property gives Trisha scope
0:14:31 > 0:14:33to put her interior design skills to good use
0:14:33 > 0:14:35and offers them:
0:14:38 > 0:14:40...two large enough to add en suites...
0:14:48 > 0:14:50It's also close enough to Glasgow
0:14:50 > 0:14:52for trips to see the family.
0:14:52 > 0:14:57What I liked about the house when I first came in was that it wasn't as small as I thought it was.
0:14:57 > 0:15:00Sizewise definitely, up the stairs, four bedrooms,
0:15:00 > 0:15:02all very good sizes.
0:15:02 > 0:15:06I was surprised how enclosed it was.
0:15:06 > 0:15:09A lot of different houses, neighbours,
0:15:09 > 0:15:12a bit closer than we'd anticipated.
0:15:12 > 0:15:17But the gardens, everything, are quite stunning in some ways.
0:15:17 > 0:15:21The views are spectacular. We couldn't ask for anything better.
0:15:21 > 0:15:26But there would be quite a bit of work involved to get it exactly how we would like it.
0:15:27 > 0:15:31- So did you see enough to get your interior design juices going? - Definitely.
0:15:31 > 0:15:34- OK?- Yeah.- Yeah. - Onto the next one.- OK.- OK.
0:15:46 > 0:15:50Argyll has some of the most breathtaking scenery Scotland has to offer
0:15:50 > 0:15:52and is also home to 25 inhabited islands,
0:15:52 > 0:15:56more than any other Scottish local authority.
0:15:56 > 0:16:00The Isle of Bute is just a five-minute ferry ride from the mainland
0:16:00 > 0:16:02where its principal town of Rothesay
0:16:02 > 0:16:05became a popular coastal resort during the Victorian era,
0:16:05 > 0:16:08on account of its proximity to Glasgow.
0:16:08 > 0:16:09Set back from the promenade,
0:16:09 > 0:16:12the ruins of Rothesay's 800-year-old castle
0:16:12 > 0:16:15have withstood centuries of conflict.
0:16:15 > 0:16:19Earlier in the week, we arranged for Graham and Trisha to meet Councillor Len Scoullar
0:16:19 > 0:16:22to find out more about this historic gem,
0:16:22 > 0:16:25now a scheduled ancient monument.
0:16:26 > 0:16:30The castle has, in its history, been invaded by many people,
0:16:30 > 0:16:33Norwegians, the English army.
0:16:33 > 0:16:36The Cromwellians, in fact, took up residence here.
0:16:36 > 0:16:41And the castle actually was allowed to fall into ruin
0:16:41 > 0:16:43after the civil wars
0:16:43 > 0:16:46for a period of about 200 years.
0:16:46 > 0:16:48The third Marquess of Bute,
0:16:48 > 0:16:51who was a very enthusiastic man about architecture,
0:16:51 > 0:16:53decided he would restore it.
0:16:53 > 0:16:56And with 70 men he employed,
0:16:56 > 0:16:59a great deal of restoration work was done in the building.
0:16:59 > 0:17:06And by 1900, he had restored all of the entrance that we came in,
0:17:06 > 0:17:09the entrance gateway, and part of the castle up here
0:17:09 > 0:17:11which you can see has been done in red stone
0:17:11 > 0:17:15to differentiate it from the original castle.
0:17:16 > 0:17:20For such a small island, its landscape is hugely diverse.
0:17:20 > 0:17:24On the western shore, Scalpsie Bay is a wildlife haven,
0:17:24 > 0:17:29home to a protected colony of around 200 grey and common seals.
0:17:29 > 0:17:33Local ranger Billy Shields knows all about why they choose to bask
0:17:33 > 0:17:35in this spectacular setting.
0:17:35 > 0:17:38The seals come down to Scalpsie for two or three reasons.
0:17:38 > 0:17:41One is it's a good feeding area for them.
0:17:41 > 0:17:44They've got plenty of fish out in the sea,
0:17:44 > 0:17:46crustaceans round about the rocks.
0:17:46 > 0:17:50Also they're pretty well protected in here.
0:17:50 > 0:17:52They can get onto the great big rocks.
0:17:52 > 0:17:55They just enjoy it and they're left alone.
0:17:55 > 0:17:59There's no fishermen or anglers that come down to fish this area,
0:17:59 > 0:18:03so they're pretty well left and not disturbed that way.
0:18:03 > 0:18:06- Are they territorial? Are seals territorial?- Yes, they do.
0:18:06 > 0:18:10It's the same ones that will come back and stay round about this area.
0:18:10 > 0:18:13And I suppose if there's any incomers,
0:18:13 > 0:18:18maybe coming over from Ireland or something like that, then they will see them off.
0:18:18 > 0:18:21- All right, OK. Invaders. - Aye.
0:18:23 > 0:18:25At only 15 miles long by four miles across,
0:18:25 > 0:18:29the Isle of Bute certainly has a rich natural and historic heritage
0:18:29 > 0:18:32that goes far beyond its modest size.
0:18:38 > 0:18:41We continue our house search near the village of Rosneath,
0:18:41 > 0:18:43just over an hour's drive from Glasgow.
0:18:43 > 0:18:45Set on the shores of the Gare Loch
0:18:45 > 0:18:47and looking out towards the Firth of Clyde,
0:18:47 > 0:18:51it's a small community of under a thousand people, with a local church
0:18:51 > 0:18:56and the nearby romantic ruins of its 18th-century predecessor.
0:18:56 > 0:18:59A five-minute drive away is our second property,
0:18:59 > 0:19:03where I hope the mix of modern style and remote lochside setting
0:19:03 > 0:19:05will hit the mark.
0:19:05 > 0:19:09- You wanted waterside views. Gare Loch, just there.- Yeah.
0:19:09 > 0:19:12- It's tidal, apparently. - Absolutely beautiful.
0:19:12 > 0:19:15Now, you've got loads of land. You've got so much land.
0:19:15 > 0:19:18- You've got 2.3 acres. - My goodness.- Right.
0:19:18 > 0:19:21Now, who here wants to have a tractor?
0:19:22 > 0:19:25- Me? - You do, yeah.
0:19:25 > 0:19:28- There's not just one barn. There's three barns there.- Oh, right.
0:19:28 > 0:19:33Those barns also have something very, very special, which is outline planning consent
0:19:33 > 0:19:35to build your own dwelling there.
0:19:35 > 0:19:39- Right.- A separate dwelling to this house.- That's amazing.
0:19:39 > 0:19:44- Something I've always wanted to do. - We can focus on that part, I think.
0:19:44 > 0:19:46- That's my dream. - Is it?
0:19:46 > 0:19:50Well, whilst you're waiting for one dream to be built,
0:19:50 > 0:19:53I'm hoping this will be pretty close to your existing dream.
0:19:53 > 0:19:57- OK.- What do we think? - Beautiful. Very well maintained.
0:19:57 > 0:20:00- Excellent. Immaculate. - Looking good.
0:20:00 > 0:20:03Well, the promise of so much outside has gone down well,
0:20:03 > 0:20:08and I don't think Trisha will be disappointed by the views from these windows.
0:20:08 > 0:20:12You wanted floor-to-ceiling windows. You've got wall-to-wall windows.
0:20:12 > 0:20:13A brilliant window. Fantastic.
0:20:13 > 0:20:18There's a reason why that window is here and it's this reason.
0:20:19 > 0:20:22- Look at that. - Oh, my goodness. That is fantastic.
0:20:22 > 0:20:26- It's a picture, isn't it? - Oh, yeah.- It is.- Beautiful.
0:20:26 > 0:20:30So that's this room, but next door we've got a few options, actually.
0:20:30 > 0:20:33- Yeah.- A good size room, isn't it, for a dining room?
0:20:33 > 0:20:35- No, it is, yeah, very good size. - Yeah.
0:20:35 > 0:20:38You've got a kitchen the other side of that wall.
0:20:38 > 0:20:40That window used to be a doorway.
0:20:40 > 0:20:43You seem to like contemporary living and open plan.
0:20:43 > 0:20:45So you could open that back up to be a doorway
0:20:45 > 0:20:49or make it slightly wider and have a big kitchen
0:20:49 > 0:20:51into a dining room into a big living room.
0:20:51 > 0:20:54I think that's what I would do. I'd take the wall away.
0:20:54 > 0:20:56Definitely open that up.
0:20:56 > 0:21:00'Let's check out what they would be knocking through into.'
0:21:01 > 0:21:05So this kitchen is about four years old, according to the owner.
0:21:05 > 0:21:07- Yeah, good size. - Now, that's the doorway.- Yeah.
0:21:07 > 0:21:11- Maybe opened up a little bit more. - Yeah.
0:21:11 > 0:21:14Just seeing what I could do with the wall.
0:21:14 > 0:21:17Well, look, if you're going to have open plan here,
0:21:17 > 0:21:20maybe you stick these cupboards on that side of the kitchen.
0:21:20 > 0:21:22Got a store cupboard there as well.
0:21:22 > 0:21:25But just through that doorway, you've got a conservatory.
0:21:25 > 0:21:29So an extra room as well, maybe a reading room.
0:21:29 > 0:21:33At the moment, you could move straight in here and be pretty happy.
0:21:33 > 0:21:37- 100%. - More than functional.
0:21:37 > 0:21:39Well, it doesn't end there, guys.
0:21:39 > 0:21:43A large downstairs bathroom services the three bedrooms on this floor,
0:21:43 > 0:21:45the smallest of which is set up as a study,
0:21:45 > 0:21:47along with two lovely light double rooms
0:21:47 > 0:21:51which both take in those fantastic views.
0:21:51 > 0:21:55With five bedrooms in total, the larger two are upstairs.
0:21:56 > 0:21:59- It's a nice, bright landing area here.- Yeah, lovely. Nice and big.
0:22:00 > 0:22:03Behind that door is a shower room with a loo,
0:22:03 > 0:22:05easily big enough to have a bath in there as well,
0:22:05 > 0:22:08which would serve this as maybe your master bedroom.
0:22:08 > 0:22:12- Yeah, definitely. Yeah. - Good size.
0:22:12 > 0:22:16- Nice and bright. Good views. - Yeah, excellent views.
0:22:16 > 0:22:19Twin aspect, so views on both sides here.
0:22:19 > 0:22:22Behind this here, you've got a walk-in wardrobe.
0:22:22 > 0:22:26My idea would be to potentially put a door in that side of the walk-in wardrobe
0:22:26 > 0:22:29to go straight into the bathroom and then seal that door off.
0:22:29 > 0:22:32Great. Yeah, I like that idea.
0:22:32 > 0:22:35- This is then totally your suite. - Yeah.
0:22:35 > 0:22:37They're making the right noises so far.
0:22:37 > 0:22:41Let's see if the next room fires up their imagination.
0:22:41 > 0:22:43So just a little bit of an add-on room here.
0:22:43 > 0:22:46Wow! My goodness.
0:22:46 > 0:22:47That's fantastic.
0:22:47 > 0:22:50Can I just check it for my pool table?
0:22:50 > 0:22:53- This is a good boys' room, this. - This is a good gym for me.
0:22:53 > 0:22:56- Nice little bar, a few friends round.- No, good gym for me.
0:22:56 > 0:22:57Yeah, yeah.
0:22:57 > 0:23:02- I'll let you have the wee snooker table in that corner.- You're so kind.
0:23:02 > 0:23:04It's great that they're really trying to see
0:23:04 > 0:23:06how this house could work for them.
0:23:06 > 0:23:09And outside, as well as the barns, over two acres of land
0:23:09 > 0:23:13would give Graham ample space to keep a few animals.
0:23:13 > 0:23:17'Let's survey all that could be theirs and have a think about the price tag.'
0:23:17 > 0:23:22What a fantastic spot to see all of your land, and look at that view.
0:23:22 > 0:23:26- Yeah, absolutely.- My goodness. - Yeah, fantastic.
0:23:26 > 0:23:27What's your ideas on value,
0:23:27 > 0:23:30or how much do you think it's on the market for?
0:23:30 > 0:23:35I'm going to go for 510.
0:23:35 > 0:23:41I would suspect 460, 470.
0:23:41 > 0:23:46This house was originally on the market for offers above 495.
0:23:46 > 0:23:50The vendor now says they're looking for offers in the region of 475.
0:23:50 > 0:23:52- Yeah.- OK. - What do you think now?
0:23:52 > 0:23:53Well, yeah.
0:23:53 > 0:23:56I'd like to investigate the options for the barns.
0:23:56 > 0:23:58- That's obviously very important. - Definitely.
0:23:58 > 0:24:00Go and have a look at the barns.
0:24:00 > 0:24:03There's lots to see but even more to think about.
0:24:03 > 0:24:06- Definitely.- That's for sure, yeah. - I'll catch you in a bit.
0:24:06 > 0:24:08- OK, thanks. - Good. Thank you.
0:24:11 > 0:24:14Under budget,
0:24:14 > 0:24:17this modern property not only gives Trisha her large windows
0:24:17 > 0:24:20but also delivers on so many other levels.
0:24:20 > 0:24:23This gives them:
0:24:27 > 0:24:30And bags of potential outside, with three purpose-built sheds
0:24:30 > 0:24:34and outline planning consent to build a property from scratch.
0:24:34 > 0:24:37Wrapped up in over two acres for Graham's smallholding.
0:24:37 > 0:24:41And lest we forget, a gorgeous rural lochside setting
0:24:41 > 0:24:44within easy reach of Glasgow.
0:24:44 > 0:24:48My first impressions were sort of "Wow".
0:24:48 > 0:24:53I liked it, and the location is just near-perfect.
0:24:53 > 0:24:57The thing I like most about the house is when I walked into this one,
0:24:57 > 0:25:00there was definitely a feeling of space.
0:25:00 > 0:25:04It just opened up to you, and living room into dining room
0:25:04 > 0:25:06and then, as we were talking earlier,
0:25:06 > 0:25:09potentially developing into the kitchen,
0:25:09 > 0:25:11opening that up with the rest.
0:25:11 > 0:25:14More modern, more contemporary, like what I like.
0:25:14 > 0:25:17You could move in, you could move in tomorrow,
0:25:17 > 0:25:20and we could work on a plan here.
0:25:20 > 0:25:24- It's incredible to have something like this.- It is. It's just...
0:25:24 > 0:25:27There's going to be big opportunity here, I think, that we can...
0:25:27 > 0:25:32- We could get a couple of houses in this one. Keep us busy.- Uh-huh.
0:25:32 > 0:25:33- Good project. - Aye, good project.
0:25:33 > 0:25:36- Big project. - Yeah, very much so.
0:25:36 > 0:25:39- Lots to think about, isn't there? - Yeah, definitely.- 100%, yeah.
0:25:39 > 0:25:41- Come on, then. - OK.- Yeah.
0:25:56 > 0:25:59As the sun sets over the Scottish countryside,
0:25:59 > 0:26:02it marks the end of the first day of our property search.
0:26:09 > 0:26:11Armed with a budget of £500,000,
0:26:11 > 0:26:14Trish and Graham want to give up on apartment living in Dubai
0:26:14 > 0:26:17and, with a permanent move back to Scottish soil,
0:26:17 > 0:26:20enjoy the spoils of the Argyll countryside.
0:26:20 > 0:26:23They seem to like the modern style and potential of our second property.
0:26:23 > 0:26:28But coming up, our mystery house is an enormous proposition.
0:26:28 > 0:26:32Oh! It's not fair.
0:26:32 > 0:26:36And I dip into one of the area's cooler outdoor sports.
0:26:36 > 0:26:39So yesterday I showed Trish and Graham two properties
0:26:39 > 0:26:43which were, I think it's fair to say, pretty much poles apart.
0:26:43 > 0:26:46The first house gave them the character they're after,
0:26:46 > 0:26:48but the second house, the modern house,
0:26:48 > 0:26:50was much more their thing, I think.
0:26:50 > 0:26:53They liked the big windows allowing all that light
0:26:53 > 0:26:54into those quite spacious rooms.
0:26:54 > 0:26:58In my opinion, I think that just heads the race at the moment.
0:26:58 > 0:27:02But today, another glorious day, it's time to see the mystery house.
0:27:02 > 0:27:05And with this property, we're delivering a project for Trish
0:27:05 > 0:27:08which may also make a farmer out of Graham.
0:27:08 > 0:27:11It's close to Crinan, where a 200-year-old canal
0:27:11 > 0:27:14provides a stunning nine-mile shortcut through from Loch Fyne
0:27:14 > 0:27:17for well over 2,000 boats a year.
0:27:17 > 0:27:21Our mystery house sits on a prime spot overlooking the canal and the marina.
0:27:21 > 0:27:25It'll be interesting to see what they think of it, as it's a far cry from modern.
0:27:25 > 0:27:30Mystery house is here, the left-hand side of the old schoolhouse.
0:27:30 > 0:27:33Its 200 years old. It's Grade B listed.
0:27:34 > 0:27:36What do you think of it?
0:27:36 > 0:27:39- Interesting. - What are you giggling at?
0:27:39 > 0:27:41- Not sure. - Not sure.
0:27:41 > 0:27:44- I don't think it's what we expected. - Well, no.
0:27:44 > 0:27:48That's being honest. I think it's way different.
0:27:48 > 0:27:54The house is way different. Location, probably the best yet.
0:27:55 > 0:27:57Along with a thumbs up for the setting,
0:27:57 > 0:28:00Graham will be pleased with the barn they get,
0:28:00 > 0:28:04which is ripe for development and the perfect home for the tractor that he wants.
0:28:04 > 0:28:07But let's tackle the main house, which is laid out over four floors.
0:28:07 > 0:28:12This lower level consists of a cellar store and a huge utility room space,
0:28:12 > 0:28:14with an adjoining pantry.
0:28:14 > 0:28:15As our mystery property is listed,
0:28:15 > 0:28:19they're not able to knock down walls or open up windows,
0:28:19 > 0:28:21so here's hoping the living areas up on the next level
0:28:21 > 0:28:24measure up to their expectations.
0:28:25 > 0:28:28Now, then, this is kind of the ground floor,
0:28:28 > 0:28:30kind of raised ground floor,
0:28:30 > 0:28:33because we've come up the stairs from the front door,
0:28:33 > 0:28:36yet you walk straight out onto the back garden.
0:28:36 > 0:28:38- OK. - What do you think of this kitchen?
0:28:38 > 0:28:40- Great size. - Looks good, yeah.
0:28:40 > 0:28:42I'm not going to let you off the hook here this easy.
0:28:42 > 0:28:45You've both gone very quiet.
0:28:45 > 0:28:48Are you saying all the positives but not mentioning the negatives?
0:28:48 > 0:28:54Be honest. This a mystery house. It's always going to be hit or miss.
0:28:54 > 0:28:58I don't see that there's that many negatives,
0:28:58 > 0:29:00from what we've seen so far.
0:29:00 > 0:29:05- Good.- Need to see the rest of the place to sort of make my mind up.
0:29:05 > 0:29:06OK.
0:29:06 > 0:29:08'Perhaps Trisha will open up a bit more
0:29:08 > 0:29:11'when she sees the main living area.'
0:29:11 > 0:29:14- Not a bad size room. - No, it's good.- Good size room.
0:29:14 > 0:29:18Double-aspect window makes a difference to the light.
0:29:18 > 0:29:21Trish, what's going through your mind? What's holding you back?
0:29:21 > 0:29:24Nothing's holding me back. I like old houses.
0:29:24 > 0:29:27We've had Victorian houses before that we've done up ourselves.
0:29:27 > 0:29:29So I like all styles of houses.
0:29:29 > 0:29:33I just have to get my head round what this one is, really.
0:29:33 > 0:29:36- Getting a feel for it.- Get the whole thing together.- Surprised.
0:29:36 > 0:29:39This is a good size room, there's no doubt about it.
0:29:39 > 0:29:42- You'd put your own touch into it anyway.- Yeah.- Yeah.
0:29:42 > 0:29:45On this level there's also a family bathroom.
0:29:45 > 0:29:48And upstairs on the third floor there's decorative work
0:29:48 > 0:29:51for Trish to get stuck into in the four spacious double rooms,
0:29:51 > 0:29:56one currently fitted out as a twin, with another set up as a study.
0:29:56 > 0:29:58There's also a good size shower room.
0:29:58 > 0:30:01But I'm going for a change of use on the current master.
0:30:01 > 0:30:04Now, I'm thinking as a guest bedroom...
0:30:04 > 0:30:06- Yeah, it's fine. - It's pretty good.
0:30:06 > 0:30:11- Wake up in that bed, first thing you see is that amazing view.- Yeah.
0:30:11 > 0:30:12- So... - Everything good.
0:30:12 > 0:30:17I still think we need a bigger bedroom, and thankfully this house gives you one.
0:30:17 > 0:30:20- We go up one more floor. - All right.- OK, great.
0:30:22 > 0:30:26'Hopefully, my master plan will whet Trisha's creative appetite.'
0:30:31 > 0:30:35- This is big, isn't it?- It is, yeah. This is big.- Definitely.
0:30:35 > 0:30:37This used to be three rooms.
0:30:37 > 0:30:41- The bathroom is there. - There, uh-huh, yeah.
0:30:41 > 0:30:42That's where your plumbing is.
0:30:42 > 0:30:49My thoughts are stick a bathroom this far end, en suite.
0:30:49 > 0:30:52All of that is a huge master bedroom.
0:30:52 > 0:30:54That's a great size room.
0:30:54 > 0:30:58Does this change your perceptions of the house so far?
0:30:58 > 0:31:00Yeah, it gives it more potential.
0:31:00 > 0:31:02Uh-huh. There's...
0:31:03 > 0:31:06There's a lot to take in, that's what it is. It's slightly overwhelming.
0:31:06 > 0:31:09We don't wish to appear negative.
0:31:09 > 0:31:11It's just there is a lot
0:31:11 > 0:31:15and it's not what we were expecting, really.
0:31:15 > 0:31:16You've thrown us.
0:31:16 > 0:31:21Initially, I was worried that you were thinking not great thoughts.
0:31:21 > 0:31:24But now I look at you, I know there's a lot going on in there.
0:31:24 > 0:31:29You're trying to work things out, how you would have the rooms and what you would change.
0:31:29 > 0:31:32There's definitely things to think about.
0:31:33 > 0:31:37Trying to get round their head around the house is just the tip of the iceberg.
0:31:37 > 0:31:39Wait until I throw them the mystery curve ball
0:31:39 > 0:31:43that lies beyond the immediate terraced gardens.
0:31:43 > 0:31:48So, outside, just up from the house, you can see the garden.
0:31:48 > 0:31:51- Yeah.- Yeah. - What do you think of the garden?
0:31:51 > 0:31:55- Two acres you're after?- It's smaller than what we'd imagined.
0:31:55 > 0:32:00- Well, imagine having 38 acres. - Oh, right.
0:32:00 > 0:32:02- 'Cos that's what this place comes with.- Oh, wow.
0:32:02 > 0:32:05All right? Now, I'll explain to you what we've got.
0:32:05 > 0:32:07- We've got the land going up at the back.- Yeah.
0:32:07 > 0:32:11- All the way up this road. This road's yours, this track.- Right.
0:32:11 > 0:32:13- See those conifers? - For goodness' sake.
0:32:13 > 0:32:16The foot of those conifers is your boundary.
0:32:16 > 0:32:20All the way across there, down.
0:32:20 > 0:32:23Now, it's not just woodland. There's some rough grazing there.
0:32:23 > 0:32:25At the moment, on this land,
0:32:25 > 0:32:28there are ten highland cattle and 20 sheep.
0:32:28 > 0:32:31Right.
0:32:31 > 0:32:33- They don't come with the property. - Good.
0:32:33 > 0:32:39- But it goes to show that there is the ability to have animals...- OK.
0:32:39 > 0:32:44- The works, if you so desire.- Yeah. - 38 acres.- My goodness.
0:32:44 > 0:32:48If that's daunting to you, local farmers and land-holders
0:32:48 > 0:32:51would snap your hands off to farm that land on your behalf,
0:32:51 > 0:32:53- or at least some of it.- Yeah.
0:32:53 > 0:32:57Armed with that knowledge, how much do you think it's worth?
0:32:57 > 0:33:00I would pitch in... The land, you threw me.
0:33:00 > 0:33:02- I had a price in mind. - So did I.
0:33:02 > 0:33:05But probably, I don't know,
0:33:05 > 0:33:10about 430, 430...
0:33:10 > 0:33:15- Stick with that.- It was a long answer, wasn't it?- It was. Sorry.
0:33:15 > 0:33:17OK, all right. Trish?
0:33:17 > 0:33:19- You haven't had mine yet. - Go on.
0:33:20 > 0:33:23- Have I got to answer? - Go on.
0:33:24 > 0:33:27Oh! It's not fair.
0:33:28 > 0:33:31- If anything, just try and give a shorter answer.- I would go...
0:33:31 > 0:33:34- That's easy. - I'd go for 450.
0:33:34 > 0:33:37450. Well, Trish, well done. You're closer.
0:33:37 > 0:33:43The asking price is offers above £499,000.
0:33:43 > 0:33:46On speaking to the vendor, they're expecting to settle
0:33:46 > 0:33:49- around the £500,000 mark. - OK.- Right.
0:33:49 > 0:33:51So, go back inside the house, have a look around,
0:33:51 > 0:33:53and have a look at the land as well.
0:33:53 > 0:33:57- Sounds good.- I'll catch you in a bit.- OK. Thanks a lot.
0:34:02 > 0:34:07On budget, the potential of our historic mystery house
0:34:07 > 0:34:10really seems to have got under their skin.
0:34:10 > 0:34:12It offers them:
0:34:12 > 0:34:15Four bedrooms with the scope for a top-floor master,
0:34:15 > 0:34:17a barn ripe for renovating,
0:34:17 > 0:34:19and close to 40 acres of land,
0:34:19 > 0:34:21which could be let out to a local farmer,
0:34:21 > 0:34:24or Graham could have it as the smallholding
0:34:24 > 0:34:26beyond his wildest dreams.
0:34:26 > 0:34:29All of this set by the spectacular Loch Crinan,
0:34:29 > 0:34:32just over a two-hour drive from Glasgow.
0:34:32 > 0:34:37The mystery house I found amazing.
0:34:37 > 0:34:40It was quite interesting to see it for the first time.
0:34:40 > 0:34:42Not at all what I expected.
0:34:42 > 0:34:46There's a lot of space available to modify.
0:34:46 > 0:34:48It just didn't appear to be that small.
0:34:48 > 0:34:51I kept going on about my house must have big, huge windows,
0:34:51 > 0:34:54with the view outside that must come in.
0:34:54 > 0:34:59And I thought why am I not wanting that more in this house?
0:34:59 > 0:35:01Why is this house...? I don't know.
0:35:01 > 0:35:04I can't even answer that, why that didn't bother me.
0:35:04 > 0:35:06There was definitely something about the house.
0:35:06 > 0:35:10And as you went through it, it started to grow on you.
0:35:10 > 0:35:15When the land was thrown in
0:35:15 > 0:35:17as the surprise element at the end,
0:35:17 > 0:35:19the real surprise element,
0:35:19 > 0:35:23it just sort of knocked me back a bit, to be honest.
0:35:23 > 0:35:25It's just incredible.
0:35:25 > 0:35:29It puts a completely different picture on things, really.
0:35:29 > 0:35:31- It does. - A lot more to think about.
0:35:31 > 0:35:34You've always wanted something like this. You'd love this.
0:35:34 > 0:35:37- It would be ideal, yeah, yeah. - Very surprised.
0:35:37 > 0:35:41- We could have our own little estate here.- Exactly, yeah.- Yeah.
0:35:41 > 0:35:43- Lairds. - Yeah.
0:35:45 > 0:35:48- I thought you'd got lost up in that land.- Yeah, we did.
0:35:48 > 0:35:50- Lots to think about. - Definitely.
0:35:50 > 0:35:56We'll find somewhere quiet for you to get your heads together and have a chat after that.
0:36:07 > 0:36:11The Argyll landscape is awash with the most stunning lochs and rivers,
0:36:11 > 0:36:15so you're never far away from a chance to take to the water.
0:36:15 > 0:36:18'I've donned a wetsuit to try out one particular sport
0:36:18 > 0:36:21'that's making a comeback, open water swimming,
0:36:21 > 0:36:24'or, to give it its cooler name, wild swimming.
0:36:24 > 0:36:27'I'm meeting outdoor swimming enthusiast Lorna MacGregor,
0:36:27 > 0:36:29'by the shores of Loch Leathen,
0:36:29 > 0:36:31'who's going to help me take the plunge.'
0:36:31 > 0:36:35I woke up this morning, Lorna, and it was a beautiful day.
0:36:35 > 0:36:38Then I thought about wild swimming and it suddenly looked very cold.
0:36:38 > 0:36:41So how long has it been more organised, would you say?
0:36:41 > 0:36:45I think in the last three or four years, really. it's just taken off,
0:36:45 > 0:36:50I think perhaps driven by the triathlon sort of sport, people got into it through that,
0:36:50 > 0:36:55and the development of wetsuits which make it a lot more accessible to most people.
0:36:55 > 0:36:58Now, where will we be swimming to and from?
0:36:58 > 0:37:03We're gonna swim from the shore, just over there, out towards that island, which is a crannog.
0:37:03 > 0:37:07That's a long way. Are we swimming alone or have we got friends along?
0:37:07 > 0:37:09- There's a good crowd of us here today.- Is there?- Yeah.
0:37:09 > 0:37:13- Any lifesavers among you?- Yes. - I heard you're a doctor, aren't you?
0:37:13 > 0:37:16- Yeah, that's right.- Do you know CPR, all that stuff?- We'll manage.- Good.
0:37:16 > 0:37:19- Lead the way. - OK.
0:37:22 > 0:37:25'When open water swimming, it's best to wear a wetsuit
0:37:25 > 0:37:27'to avoid hypothermia.
0:37:27 > 0:37:30'Always swim with others in an area you know it's legal to do so,
0:37:30 > 0:37:33'and watch out for strong currents.'
0:37:33 > 0:37:36How does this water compare heatwise to how it normally is?
0:37:36 > 0:37:39It's colder. This has been literally where you could put your feet down
0:37:39 > 0:37:42and it would warm, almost like a bath.
0:37:42 > 0:37:44- I don't believe you. - ALL LAUGH
0:37:44 > 0:37:47- It can be amazing. - What's the coldest it can get?
0:37:47 > 0:37:52- Oh, probably about four. - Four?- It can freeze over.
0:37:52 > 0:37:54What's the coldest you've swum in, Iona?
0:37:54 > 0:37:57Coldest I've swum in would be four degrees
0:37:57 > 0:37:59down in London at Tooting Bec Lido.
0:37:59 > 0:38:01ALL LAUGH
0:38:01 > 0:38:04Beautiful lochs, surrounded by amazing countryside,
0:38:04 > 0:38:07we're talking about Tooting Bec Lido. Amazing!
0:38:07 > 0:38:10Wild swimming was championed by the literary figures
0:38:10 > 0:38:12Wordsworth and Coleridge.
0:38:12 > 0:38:14Defying the prudery of the day,
0:38:14 > 0:38:17bathing outdoors was a common Victorian pursuit.
0:38:17 > 0:38:21This translated into the open-air lidos popular in the 1930s
0:38:21 > 0:38:25and the precursor to the modern-day swimming pool.
0:38:25 > 0:38:27However, in the 1990s, environmentalist Roger Deakin
0:38:27 > 0:38:31kicked back against the indoor chlorinated waters in his book Waterlog,
0:38:31 > 0:38:34which spawned a whole host of recently published books,
0:38:34 > 0:38:38so that now there are over 50 organised groups just like this
0:38:38 > 0:38:40around the UK.
0:38:41 > 0:38:46Well, I've got to say, I'm pretty sold on the idea of wild swimming.
0:38:46 > 0:38:48It combines two of my favourite things,
0:38:48 > 0:38:51exercise and the great outdoors,
0:38:51 > 0:38:54and getting closer to what's beautiful around us,
0:38:54 > 0:38:56like this stunning countryside.
0:39:08 > 0:39:10Our house hunt is now at an end.
0:39:10 > 0:39:13Although our properties have served up lots of different options,
0:39:13 > 0:39:17can Graham and Trisha agree on which house suits them both?
0:39:20 > 0:39:24- Looks like you've found yourselves a nice spot.- Definitely. Beautiful.
0:39:24 > 0:39:27- Had a good chinwag? - We have, yes.- Yeah, long time.
0:39:27 > 0:39:31- Lots to talk about. - So let's start at the beginning.
0:39:31 > 0:39:34Property number one, period. How do you feel about it now?
0:39:34 > 0:39:37- I think we've kind of scored that one off.- Yeah.- Have you?
0:39:37 > 0:39:40- We've sort of taken that one off the list.- For what reasons?
0:39:40 > 0:39:45- It wasn't isolated enough, really, for what we had in mind.- OK.
0:39:45 > 0:39:49- But nice house. - The view and the lochside was great.
0:39:49 > 0:39:52- It was a pretty good start, wasn't it?- Yeah, very good.
0:39:52 > 0:39:55Definitely, it was a good start. Made you think when you saw it.
0:39:55 > 0:40:00That's when I first got an idea of what your style might be like.
0:40:00 > 0:40:01When you went inside that house,
0:40:01 > 0:40:05you exhibited what you would like the house to be like once inside,
0:40:05 > 0:40:09knocking walls through, and out of that came the real desire
0:40:09 > 0:40:12to have light, open, airy rooms,
0:40:12 > 0:40:16which were delivered in the form of property number two.
0:40:16 > 0:40:19- Yeah, definitely.- Definitely. - That was definitely a wow.
0:40:19 > 0:40:22I think it was just so immaculate and beautifully looked after
0:40:22 > 0:40:25that you just couldn't help but like it, actually.
0:40:25 > 0:40:27Nice grounds, nice setting.
0:40:27 > 0:40:31You could see yourself living there in some ways.
0:40:31 > 0:40:35- You know what you haven't mentioned. - We're leaving that.- Your barn.
0:40:35 > 0:40:41Yeah. Again, the barn was... It's an exciting prospect.
0:40:41 > 0:40:44There's something that could be done there.
0:40:44 > 0:40:47We'd view that if we were to go ahead
0:40:47 > 0:40:51as more a sort of short, medium-term project,
0:40:51 > 0:40:53finish it and move on type thing.
0:40:53 > 0:40:57- Right.- And we're not sure again if that's what we want to do.
0:40:57 > 0:41:00We want to have a more settled lifestyle
0:41:00 > 0:41:03after being a bit nomadic for the last few years.
0:41:03 > 0:41:05- All right, then, the mystery house, today.- Yeah.
0:41:05 > 0:41:08You didn't fall in love with it from the start,
0:41:08 > 0:41:10but it seemed to grow on you.
0:41:10 > 0:41:12It definitely did grow on us.
0:41:12 > 0:41:15I think our reaction was just a surprised reaction.
0:41:15 > 0:41:18I wouldn't read too much into that.
0:41:18 > 0:41:23Some people might give you the sort of wow and the high fives,
0:41:23 > 0:41:27but a silence from us is probably we're thinking,
0:41:27 > 0:41:29there's something going on here.
0:41:29 > 0:41:33And I think that's what happened. That came out as we went through.
0:41:33 > 0:41:36It delivered. It delivered these things, yeah.
0:41:36 > 0:41:39Have you got a favourite out of any of the three?
0:41:39 > 0:41:42- Surprisingly enough, I would say number three.- Really?
0:41:42 > 0:41:45- The mystery house, yeah. - Why three?
0:41:45 > 0:41:48I felt that I could go out and enjoy the outside.
0:41:48 > 0:41:51I was getting my views outside.
0:41:51 > 0:41:55I know I always say I want a view in the window and I want this and that,
0:41:55 > 0:41:57but I just felt I could get outside.
0:41:57 > 0:42:01I just had a feeling of going outside all the time. I did, anyway.
0:42:01 > 0:42:04For me, the outdoor part was always important.
0:42:04 > 0:42:06There's lots to do with that amount of ground
0:42:06 > 0:42:10and, you know, the canal and everything in front of it.
0:42:10 > 0:42:14We could see ourselves living there quite easy.
0:42:14 > 0:42:16- Could you? - With lots of things to do.
0:42:16 > 0:42:18Keeping ourselves occupied.
0:42:18 > 0:42:21- Hopefully something will come of that.- It's exciting.
0:42:21 > 0:42:23This is just down the road.
0:42:23 > 0:42:27- This could be one of your local walking spots.- Definitely.- Could be.
0:42:27 > 0:42:29- Could see you with a boat on this bit.- Definitely.
0:42:29 > 0:42:32- Great news. Good luck. - Excellent. Thanks for everything.
0:42:32 > 0:42:34Thanks for your help.
0:42:38 > 0:42:41Well, I was fairly taken aback when Graham and Trish told me
0:42:41 > 0:42:44their favourite was the mystery property,
0:42:44 > 0:42:48especially when you bear in mind their wonderful reactions to the second house I showed them.
0:42:48 > 0:42:51But, then, if you compare the mystery house
0:42:51 > 0:42:52with what they asked for,
0:42:52 > 0:42:55it gave them loads of land, 38 acres.
0:42:55 > 0:42:59They asked for a minimum of three bedrooms. I think it gave them five in total.
0:42:59 > 0:43:02They wanted a project, and they had the barn next door.
0:43:02 > 0:43:05And it gave them some wonderful waterside views.
0:43:05 > 0:43:07Now, like any property of that period,
0:43:07 > 0:43:09they need to do some serious homework,
0:43:09 > 0:43:13probably need a survey not only on the land but on the building itself.
0:43:13 > 0:43:17And like me, I'm sure you'll be wishing them the very best of luck.
0:43:17 > 0:43:19See you next time.
0:43:19 > 0:43:22If you'd like to escape to the country in Scotland, Wales,
0:43:22 > 0:43:25Northern Ireland or England and need our help,
0:43:25 > 0:43:28please apply online at:
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