0:00:02 > 0:00:05On the first weekend in June for the last 300 years
0:00:05 > 0:00:08horse traders from all over Europe have come to this town
0:00:08 > 0:00:10and washed their horses in this river
0:00:10 > 0:00:12before they start selling them.
0:00:12 > 0:00:13Find out where I am
0:00:13 > 0:00:16and what particular horse traders I'm talking about
0:00:16 > 0:00:17on Escape To The Country.
0:00:29 > 0:00:32On today's show we're hoping a couple exchange
0:00:32 > 0:00:35the Cambridgeshire suburbs for a glorious country life.
0:00:35 > 0:00:39I love it. I love it. I absolutely love it.
0:00:39 > 0:00:41But they can't believe the prices.
0:00:41 > 0:00:43- Good Lord. - Are you sure, Alistair?
0:00:43 > 0:00:44I'm sure. I don't make mistakes.
0:00:44 > 0:00:48'And the excitement doesn't stop there.'
0:00:48 > 0:00:50It was almost the time for high fives
0:00:50 > 0:00:52and jumping up and down around the house.
0:00:52 > 0:00:55'Does that mean they've found their dream property?
0:00:55 > 0:00:57'We'll find out later.'
0:00:59 > 0:01:02Today I'm in Cumbria in the town of Appleby
0:01:02 > 0:01:05which, since the time of James II, has hosted a horse fair
0:01:05 > 0:01:10which has been a Mecca for Romany folk who travel all over the UK
0:01:10 > 0:01:14and from Europe, gather here once a year to meet their family,
0:01:14 > 0:01:17do a little horse dealing and maybe a little courtship.
0:01:17 > 0:01:20So I'm hoping there's going to be a perfect partnership, too,
0:01:20 > 0:01:25between country lovers and their ideal property on the show today.
0:01:26 > 0:01:31It's impossible not to be drawn to this wild and dramatic landscape.
0:01:31 > 0:01:34Made up from the old counties of Cumberland, Westmoreland,
0:01:34 > 0:01:36parts of North Lancashire and North Yorkshire,
0:01:36 > 0:01:40Cumbria is England's second-largest county and is best known as the home
0:01:40 > 0:01:44of Britain's biggest National Park, The Lake District.
0:01:44 > 0:01:47Although it gained park status in 1951,
0:01:47 > 0:01:51tourists were hitting the Lakeland trails at least 100 years earlier,
0:01:51 > 0:01:54following the publication of a guide book
0:01:54 > 0:01:58penned by one of the region's most famous sons, William Wordsworth.
0:01:58 > 0:02:00Not only a poet but a forward-thinker,
0:02:00 > 0:02:06as he suggested it become a sort of national property as early as 1835.
0:02:06 > 0:02:10Today, 8.3 million visitors descend on the Lakes each year.
0:02:11 > 0:02:13But head east in Cumbria
0:02:13 > 0:02:18and you can swap crowds for cows as this largely rural region
0:02:18 > 0:02:21is home to countless farms, pretty stone villages and market towns.
0:02:25 > 0:02:27When it comes to property prices, Cumbria is split in two.
0:02:27 > 0:02:30While, of course, it's beautiful to live inside
0:02:30 > 0:02:34the Lake District National Park, it's also quite expensive
0:02:34 > 0:02:37cos across the country as a whole house prices are about £257,000,
0:02:37 > 0:02:39which is just a couple of thousand pounds
0:02:39 > 0:02:42more than the national average.
0:02:42 > 0:02:46But if you live inside the National Park, prices can jump up 15-25%.
0:02:46 > 0:02:49So a big spread of prices but some beautiful properties.
0:02:49 > 0:02:50Take a look.
0:02:50 > 0:02:53As horses are certainly a theme in Cumbria,
0:02:53 > 0:02:55this coach house in Casterton
0:02:55 > 0:02:58is the perfect place to hitch up your wagon.
0:02:58 > 0:03:01The regal exterior is complemented by the inviting
0:03:01 > 0:03:06formal reception room, modern kitchen and spacious dining area.
0:03:06 > 0:03:09A stroll in the woods behind the house can only be beaten
0:03:09 > 0:03:11by a long relax in your rather stately bathroom.
0:03:11 > 0:03:16This property will certainly break your stride at £1.15 million.
0:03:16 > 0:03:19Or how about something more modern?
0:03:19 > 0:03:22Sitting on a hill within beautiful landscaped gardens,
0:03:22 > 0:03:26this £750,000 property comes with a plush pond for your fish
0:03:26 > 0:03:29and your living quarters aren't too shabby either -
0:03:29 > 0:03:33a spacious kitchen and large contemporary living room.
0:03:33 > 0:03:35At a more modest £350,000,
0:03:35 > 0:03:40you could be enjoying the dramatic views of Keswick at The Joinery,
0:03:40 > 0:03:43a classic setting for this free-standing stone-built cottage
0:03:43 > 0:03:46with period features like original beams
0:03:46 > 0:03:49framing the open-plan living area and kitchen.
0:03:49 > 0:03:53Some of Cumbria's finest, inside and outside of the National Park.
0:03:53 > 0:03:57But we have another three tucked up our sleeve for today's house buyers.
0:03:57 > 0:03:59So let's meet them.
0:03:59 > 0:04:02Retirees Pat and Lyn have been happily married
0:04:02 > 0:04:04for an impressive 44 years
0:04:04 > 0:04:11and since 2002 have lived in their five-bedroom house on a development in Ely, Cambridgeshire.
0:04:11 > 0:04:15But having watched a certain TV programme, they're both now agreed
0:04:15 > 0:04:17it's time to make a break for the country.
0:04:18 > 0:04:23We'd like to go to Cumbria. We've seen...
0:04:23 > 0:04:26We watch Escape To The Country.
0:04:26 > 0:04:29We've seen some of the properties
0:04:29 > 0:04:35and we would hope that we could get a nice property up there
0:04:35 > 0:04:39which we may not be able to afford in this part of the world
0:04:39 > 0:04:42but up in Cumbria, hopefully we could.
0:04:42 > 0:04:45Neither Pat nor Lyn have ever visited Cumbria before
0:04:45 > 0:04:48so they're taking quite a gamble.
0:04:48 > 0:04:51But they're not complete novices to country life.
0:04:51 > 0:04:54I was born in Tipperary in Ireland
0:04:54 > 0:04:58and that's a very rural part of the world
0:04:58 > 0:05:00and we go back every year
0:05:00 > 0:05:03for our holidays in Tipperary.
0:05:03 > 0:05:06And I think that says it all.
0:05:06 > 0:05:10We like the peace and quiet of a rural area.
0:05:10 > 0:05:13Yes. This move is all about getting a bit of hush.
0:05:13 > 0:05:17This garden backs on to six other gardens
0:05:17 > 0:05:21and when we first moved in, there were no children.
0:05:21 > 0:05:25Now we have about eight and they're all very noisy
0:05:25 > 0:05:29and since then, four people have acquired dogs
0:05:29 > 0:05:31and they're very noisy.
0:05:31 > 0:05:33So we cannot sometimes sit out in the garden.
0:05:33 > 0:05:37So that's why I would really like to move to the peace and quiet.
0:05:37 > 0:05:42OK. So it's clear it's a quiet location we'll be looking for.
0:05:42 > 0:05:45What other criteria do they have in mind
0:05:45 > 0:05:48for their new peaceful country pad?
0:05:48 > 0:05:50I would like a very large kitchen.
0:05:50 > 0:05:54The kitchen that I've got at the moment is about 21 foot long
0:05:54 > 0:05:57but I would like a nice big, square kitchen.
0:05:57 > 0:06:01Also I would like five bedrooms, a utility room, two en-suites,
0:06:01 > 0:06:08a conservatory, a lounge and a separate dining room
0:06:08 > 0:06:10and a double garage.
0:06:12 > 0:06:18Gardening is graft but I find it therapeutic.
0:06:18 > 0:06:23I enjoy my rose garden and in the new property,
0:06:23 > 0:06:29hopefully I could have a rose garden there and hopefully with a bigger garden
0:06:29 > 0:06:32it would also be more peaceful and quiet.
0:06:32 > 0:06:36With their house already on the market for a healthy £350,000,
0:06:36 > 0:06:40these two are raring to make the move.
0:06:40 > 0:06:42But how much are they planning to spend?
0:06:42 > 0:06:48If we were lucky enough in Cumbria to find a property that ticks all our boxes,
0:06:48 > 0:06:52our budget would be £350,000,
0:06:52 > 0:06:57at a stretch going up to £400,000.
0:07:01 > 0:07:04We are looking for a property for Pat and Lyn
0:07:04 > 0:07:07in a county they've never actually been to.
0:07:07 > 0:07:10So not only do they have to love the property,
0:07:10 > 0:07:13but they've got to fall in love with Cumbria as well.
0:07:13 > 0:07:16Now, they have a handsome budget but they also have quite a wish list -
0:07:16 > 0:07:20four to five bedrooms, big kitchen and a big garden.
0:07:20 > 0:07:24So we're going to be looking outside of the National Park
0:07:24 > 0:07:27but as you can see, it's still very beautiful.
0:07:28 > 0:07:31We're focusing today's search in the countryside around Appleby
0:07:31 > 0:07:35in the Eden Valley, just east of the National Park and where we should find
0:07:35 > 0:07:39the perfect combination of peace and quiet and value for money.
0:07:39 > 0:07:43We've lined up some smashing houses to view over the next two days,
0:07:43 > 0:07:45including a mystery house,
0:07:45 > 0:07:49which is almost as green as the gorgeous landscape it sits in.
0:07:50 > 0:07:52- Hello. Morning.- Hello.
0:07:52 > 0:07:54- Welcome to Cumbria.- Thank you.
0:07:54 > 0:07:56- You've never been here before?- No.
0:07:56 > 0:07:58So what made you choose this area to buy in?
0:07:58 > 0:08:02- We saw this area on the show. - On Escape?
0:08:02 > 0:08:04And we decided we liked it so we'd give it a try.
0:08:04 > 0:08:05So it really works?
0:08:05 > 0:08:07- Yes, it does. - Was it one of my shows?
0:08:07 > 0:08:10- I do believe it was.- Very good.
0:08:10 > 0:08:12First impressions? I know we've not been here long.
0:08:12 > 0:08:15It's lovely and it's peaceful and it's lovely and green.
0:08:15 > 0:08:18Because peace and quiet is what you're looking for?
0:08:18 > 0:08:19Tranquillity, in a word.
0:08:19 > 0:08:22Have you done any looking on the internet?
0:08:22 > 0:08:24Have you looked at prices here?
0:08:24 > 0:08:26No, no, we're not on the internet.
0:08:26 > 0:08:29So we use local estate agents
0:08:29 > 0:08:31and we applied to come on the programme.
0:08:31 > 0:08:32- Old school.- Yes.
0:08:32 > 0:08:34And here we are today.
0:08:34 > 0:08:37The National Park does have a premium on it, I have to warn you.
0:08:37 > 0:08:40Inside the Lake District National Park it's quite expensive,
0:08:40 > 0:08:43but outside of the National Park there are bargains,
0:08:43 > 0:08:47or things to be bought in your budget, cos that's a healthy budget.
0:08:47 > 0:08:49Are you looking forward to this move?
0:08:49 > 0:08:52- Is it something you've been planning for a while?- Yeah.- Yes.
0:08:52 > 0:08:54Good, let's make it happen.
0:08:54 > 0:08:58- We'll to have to start by looking at houses. Come on. - That'd be good.
0:08:59 > 0:09:01OK, time for a recap.
0:09:01 > 0:09:04For a top budget of £400,000, Pat and Lyn
0:09:04 > 0:09:07would like a detached four to five bedroom house
0:09:07 > 0:09:11with a big kitchen, a lounge and a separate dining room.
0:09:11 > 0:09:14Used to a conservatory, they'd like another one
0:09:14 > 0:09:18and Pat is after a manageable garden that won't be too much hard graft.
0:09:18 > 0:09:20I have to say it all sounds very doable
0:09:20 > 0:09:22so let's hope we come up smelling of roses.
0:09:29 > 0:09:31For our first viewing, we're heading to Sandford.
0:09:31 > 0:09:34This Eden Valley village is not only pretty as a picture,
0:09:34 > 0:09:37it's peace and quiet personified.
0:09:37 > 0:09:39So it should be spot on, although there is one pub,
0:09:39 > 0:09:41if Lyn and Pat feel like a wild night out.
0:09:44 > 0:09:46So this is the house I want to show you.
0:09:46 > 0:09:49Well, it's a bungalow. First thoughts on bungalows?
0:09:49 > 0:09:50I don't mind a bungalow.
0:09:50 > 0:09:52Pat?
0:09:52 > 0:09:55No, I like the look of it. It's a lovely bungalow.
0:09:55 > 0:09:57I particularly like the stonework there,
0:09:57 > 0:10:00that's striking and it's a very quiet area, isn't it?
0:10:00 > 0:10:02It's very quiet.
0:10:02 > 0:10:04Sandford's a good spot because this road
0:10:04 > 0:10:06goes down to a farm so there's no through traffic.
0:10:06 > 0:10:09And on this close there are four bungalows
0:10:09 > 0:10:12and it's all sort of mature dwellers.
0:10:12 > 0:10:14There's no teenagers, no kids, no noise.
0:10:14 > 0:10:16- No ravers.- No ravers.
0:10:16 > 0:10:19Just what I'm looking for.
0:10:19 > 0:10:23That's music to my ears - very quiet music, obviously.
0:10:23 > 0:10:25I think they're going to love the interior too.
0:10:25 > 0:10:28Built in 1987, it's been extended a few times.
0:10:28 > 0:10:33So it's a lot bigger than its diminutive exterior might suggest.
0:10:37 > 0:10:39So come into the main sitting room.
0:10:39 > 0:10:41This is the sort of heart of the home.
0:10:41 > 0:10:44All the other rooms have come off this room.
0:10:44 > 0:10:46- It's a nice size.- It is a nice size.
0:10:46 > 0:10:49But essentially it's quite a sort of stately sitting room
0:10:49 > 0:10:52because it's all built around the hearth.
0:10:52 > 0:10:55- I like it.- I can see myself sitting here in the winter.
0:10:55 > 0:10:57- Really?- Really.
0:10:57 > 0:10:59So come across here - this is an extension that they
0:10:59 > 0:11:04put on in around 2005 to make the most of these incredible views.
0:11:04 > 0:11:06- Which are very nice. - Beautiful. Beautiful outlook.
0:11:06 > 0:11:09How does it make you feel, being here?
0:11:09 > 0:11:10That I'd like to stay here.
0:11:10 > 0:11:13- That's a good sign.- Homely. - You too, Pat?
0:11:13 > 0:11:18Homely, yes I find it homely but that is the most beautiful view and to sit there
0:11:18 > 0:11:23and look out at it, at any of the four seasons, beautiful.
0:11:23 > 0:11:27Let's continue the tour. This takes us into the kitchen wing, because this is
0:11:27 > 0:11:32an extension that they put in, the first extension actually, 2001.
0:11:32 > 0:11:34So this is kind of extended again out
0:11:34 > 0:11:37because everything about the extensions is all about the view.
0:11:37 > 0:11:41The more views of the garden the better, from what I see.
0:11:41 > 0:11:44- Yeah, I like it.- So you can imagine retiring here?- Yes, I can.
0:11:44 > 0:11:46I've only shown you two rooms! Here's the kitchen.
0:11:46 > 0:11:51- Well this is your domain, isn't it, Lyn?- Yes, it is.
0:11:51 > 0:11:53What's nice is, it is a kitchen-diner.
0:11:53 > 0:11:56So there's this sort of dining space here.
0:11:56 > 0:11:58The kitchen-breakfast room I've got now
0:11:58 > 0:12:03is about 21 foot long and it is wider than this
0:12:03 > 0:12:06but you always have to consider everything.
0:12:06 > 0:12:08Indeed you do.
0:12:08 > 0:12:11Although this is a large kitchen Lyn seems to have her heart set
0:12:11 > 0:12:13on something more square in shape.
0:12:13 > 0:12:17But conveniently situated off this kitchen is the utility room
0:12:17 > 0:12:21and a good-sized bathroom, complementing the master bedroom.
0:12:22 > 0:12:26So, this is the master bedroom.
0:12:26 > 0:12:28This is lovely.
0:12:28 > 0:12:31What are you looking for in a bedroom?
0:12:31 > 0:12:33Storage and a lot of room.
0:12:33 > 0:12:37- So does this fit the bill in terms of room and space? - Yes.
0:12:37 > 0:12:39It's got a nice feel about it.
0:12:39 > 0:12:44- The whole bungalow has a very restful, peaceful feel about it.- It does.
0:12:44 > 0:12:47There are plenty more bedrooms on the other side of the house,
0:12:47 > 0:12:51three off the main hallway, including two good-size doubles
0:12:51 > 0:12:54and a further family bathroom.
0:12:54 > 0:12:59Now, this is, I think, a very nice bedroom.
0:12:59 > 0:13:02This is a nice size again, nice and light.
0:13:02 > 0:13:03It's a lovely room.
0:13:03 > 0:13:07You've also got the extension, if you follow me here.
0:13:07 > 0:13:12What's striking about this is that this extension belongs to this bedroom.
0:13:12 > 0:13:16This was again the last part of the extensions that they put on.
0:13:16 > 0:13:21It used to be a conservatory but they turned it into a beautiful winter garden.
0:13:21 > 0:13:23It's very nice.
0:13:23 > 0:13:26Yes, it's clever what they've one.
0:13:26 > 0:13:29Well, I think the interior is a success.
0:13:29 > 0:13:31Now let's see if the garden will be
0:13:31 > 0:13:36the oasis of tranquillity our retirees are so desperate for.
0:13:36 > 0:13:38So, Pat, this is your domain, the garden.
0:13:38 > 0:13:40- Yes. - What do you think?
0:13:40 > 0:13:43In a word, beautiful, it really is lovely.
0:13:43 > 0:13:46It's not overwhelming? You could manage this?
0:13:46 > 0:13:48I've got four grandchildren.
0:13:48 > 0:13:53- They'll have working holidays here. - Delegate.- That's guaranteed.
0:13:53 > 0:13:55There's potting sheds, a garage,
0:13:55 > 0:13:58- plenty of space to keep all the tools.- Handy.
0:13:58 > 0:14:00It's a good-size plot
0:14:00 > 0:14:05and a handsome bungalow - what do you think it costs?
0:14:05 > 0:14:08I would say probably around £350,000.
0:14:08 > 0:14:11OK, what about you, Pat?
0:14:11 > 0:14:15I'd go along with Lyn but if we're going to have a margin,
0:14:15 > 0:14:17then 350 to 375.
0:14:17 > 0:14:21It's a bit more expensive than that. It's on the market for 395.
0:14:21 > 0:14:24So, it's at the top of your budget.
0:14:24 > 0:14:27Walk inside have a look around and I'll meet you out the front.
0:14:27 > 0:14:30- Lovely, thank you. - Thank you, Alistair.
0:14:33 > 0:14:37They will get a lot of bungalow for £395,000.
0:14:44 > 0:14:47The kitchen isn't quite measuring up to size for Lyn
0:14:47 > 0:14:50but she seems very happy with the peace and quiet
0:14:50 > 0:14:53of the surroundings and the beautiful views.
0:14:53 > 0:14:56I think we're off to a great start.
0:14:56 > 0:15:00What I've seen of this bungalow and this area today,
0:15:00 > 0:15:05it offers us the peace and quiet that we're craving for.
0:15:05 > 0:15:08One thing that you have gone on about quite a bit
0:15:08 > 0:15:11is the separate dining room and you won't have it here.
0:15:11 > 0:15:13I do like a separate dining room.
0:15:13 > 0:15:18But maybe one of the extensions would make a nice dining room.
0:15:18 > 0:15:20I believe it would.
0:15:20 > 0:15:23To be looking out on those views,
0:15:23 > 0:15:27it'd be worth it to be in any of those rooms as a dining room.
0:15:27 > 0:15:31- I agree with you on that, Pat. - So it's not really the be-all and end-all.
0:15:31 > 0:15:35- No.- Not that essential when it comes down to it.- No.
0:15:35 > 0:15:39I think Pat and I would both be happy in this bungalow.
0:15:39 > 0:15:41We both like it so much.
0:15:41 > 0:15:43I have to drag you out of the bungalow
0:15:43 > 0:15:46cos we've got another property to look at.
0:15:56 > 0:16:00Whilst Cumbria is most famous for the Lakes,
0:16:00 > 0:16:03if aquatic or climbing pursuits aren't a priority,
0:16:03 > 0:16:05there's lots to explore outside the National Park.
0:16:05 > 0:16:10Well worth a visit is Kendal, often dubbed the southern gateway to the Lakes.
0:16:10 > 0:16:13It's best known for its very sweet mint cake,
0:16:13 > 0:16:16but this small town has a rich architectural heritage
0:16:16 > 0:16:19normally only to be found in much larger towns and cities,
0:16:19 > 0:16:23including not one but two Norman castles, a church,
0:16:23 > 0:16:26which is just a few feet narrower than the mighty York Minster,
0:16:26 > 0:16:31and a whole host of Elizabethan, Georgian and Victorian public buildings.
0:16:31 > 0:16:33As first-time visitors to Cumbria,
0:16:33 > 0:16:38Pat and Lyn were keen to get a taste of a traditional Cumbrian town.
0:16:38 > 0:16:41So earlier in the week, they trekked off to Kendal
0:16:41 > 0:16:45where local town guide Claire Feeney kindly offered to show them around.
0:16:45 > 0:16:47- Hello. - Hello, Claire, nice to meet you.
0:16:47 > 0:16:49Hello, Claire, very nice to meet you.
0:16:49 > 0:16:53- Shall I go and take you to see some of our yards? - Yes, please.
0:16:53 > 0:16:56Yes please, that'd be great.
0:16:56 > 0:16:58From the 14th to the 19th centuries,
0:16:58 > 0:17:02it wasn't mint cake that earned the townspeople a crust but wool.
0:17:02 > 0:17:06In fact, the town's motto is still, "Pannus mihi panis,"
0:17:06 > 0:17:08literally meaning, "Wool is my bread."
0:17:08 > 0:17:12The industry left an indelible mark on the vernacular of the town,
0:17:12 > 0:17:15which is characterised by a network of narrow lanes and streets
0:17:15 > 0:17:18called yards running off the main thoroughfare.
0:17:18 > 0:17:22Houses lined the yards providing accommodation for the wool workers,
0:17:22 > 0:17:26and at one time there were around 150 yards in Kendal.
0:17:26 > 0:17:31So this is Yard 83 or more locally known as Dr Manning's Yard.
0:17:31 > 0:17:33Dr Manning was a local physician in the area
0:17:33 > 0:17:38and the development behind would have been the cottages or the residential area.
0:17:38 > 0:17:41Earlier on than Dr Manning, they would have been formed as part of the dyers -
0:17:41 > 0:17:45the dyers would have worked here to dye the wool for the woollen industry.
0:17:45 > 0:17:50- Would the workers have had to have paid rent for the cottages?- Yes.
0:17:50 > 0:17:52This would have been a residential area,
0:17:52 > 0:17:55but the woollen trade was all done in cottage industry.
0:17:55 > 0:17:58So they would have had to have paid the normal sort of rents.
0:17:58 > 0:18:02However, it's not just the architecture that's well preserved here.
0:18:02 > 0:18:06A familiar sight in Kendal is this 1940s bus, the Kendal Klipper.
0:18:06 > 0:18:09It's a great way to take in the town's many delights
0:18:09 > 0:18:11whilst preserving your feet.
0:18:11 > 0:18:14For the past ten years, the town council has paid
0:18:14 > 0:18:18for the Klipper to run as a free service for nine weeks every summer.
0:18:18 > 0:18:21Knowing it's peace and quiet Pat and Lyn are after,
0:18:21 > 0:18:24we asked the driver to drop them off at Levens Hall,
0:18:24 > 0:18:28an Elizabethan mansion with a Grade I listed garden
0:18:28 > 0:18:31that boasts some of the oldest and most valuable topiary in the world.
0:18:32 > 0:18:35Where does topiary originate from?
0:18:35 > 0:18:37Well, it's a Latin name, really.
0:18:37 > 0:18:39It's probably the first form of gardening,
0:18:39 > 0:18:41shaping trees and shrubs into funny shapes.
0:18:41 > 0:18:43It was popular then thousands of years ago
0:18:43 > 0:18:46and it's sort of gone in and out of popularity.
0:18:46 > 0:18:50When this garden was laid out in the 1690s, it was THE fashion to have in your garden.
0:18:50 > 0:18:52So the new man at the big house here at Levens Hall
0:18:52 > 0:18:56brought in a French garden designer to lay out
0:18:56 > 0:18:59the latest in fashion in his garden and this is what remains.
0:18:59 > 0:19:03Fashions changed, everybody had Capability Brown lakes
0:19:03 > 0:19:07- and parks and trees put in, but Levens - it never got swept away. - Yes.
0:19:07 > 0:19:11Thank goodness the owners of Levens down the centuries weren't at the cutting edge -
0:19:11 > 0:19:14excuse the pun - of horticultural trends,
0:19:14 > 0:19:18otherwise this beautiful 300-year-old garden would have been lost for ever.
0:19:25 > 0:19:28Well, it's back to the business of finding a property.
0:19:28 > 0:19:31Next up we're off to Blencarn.
0:19:31 > 0:19:32Also situated in the Eden Valley,
0:19:32 > 0:19:36Cross Fell looms over this pretty village, giving many of the homes here
0:19:36 > 0:19:40Lake District views without the sky-high price tags.
0:19:40 > 0:19:46And there's some very attractive housing stock, with many properties dating from the 1800s.
0:19:46 > 0:19:48Come and take a look from the front.
0:19:50 > 0:19:52This could be your home.
0:19:52 > 0:19:55- Oh, yeah.- Yes. - Quite different, isn't it?
0:19:55 > 0:19:57- It's very different.- Yes, it is.
0:19:57 > 0:19:58Very nice.
0:19:58 > 0:20:01It's sandstone, which is the local building material,
0:20:01 > 0:20:03and this brick was built in about 1895,
0:20:03 > 0:20:05and at that time brick was a posh thing.
0:20:05 > 0:20:09So they put all the brick on the front. The rest of the house is actually stone.
0:20:09 > 0:20:11- It looks lovely. - Shall we look inside?
0:20:11 > 0:20:13- Yes, please.- OK.- Thank you.
0:20:15 > 0:20:18'Once again, Pat and Lyn are rather positive about the outside.
0:20:18 > 0:20:21'Let's hope that continues with the inside.'
0:20:22 > 0:20:24So here is your kitchen, Lyn.
0:20:24 > 0:20:28Slightly different from the last one.
0:20:28 > 0:20:31- It's certainly wider. - Yes. It's a lot wider.
0:20:31 > 0:20:34And as you can see, it was originally two rooms.
0:20:34 > 0:20:40This was a dividing wall and they've opened it up to make it one big sort of kitchen/diner space.
0:20:40 > 0:20:42Is it going to be big enough for you?
0:20:42 > 0:20:44Umm...
0:20:44 > 0:20:48- Maybe. I have to give it careful thought.- Right.
0:20:48 > 0:20:51- It'd be OK when there's just the two of us here.- Right.
0:20:51 > 0:20:55But I'm not sure when the family's here.
0:20:55 > 0:20:57What would be a problem, then?
0:20:57 > 0:21:00Well, for a start, not just for them,
0:21:00 > 0:21:02Pat doesn't like the table in the middle of the kitchen.
0:21:02 > 0:21:04You don't like the table in the kitchen?
0:21:04 > 0:21:09I prefer people to have access to be able to move around.
0:21:09 > 0:21:13- Right. So you could take that out, then, presumably, could you?- Yes.
0:21:13 > 0:21:17- That would give you more room. - I mean, it is designed as a kitchen-diner.
0:21:17 > 0:21:19Do you not like that idea?
0:21:19 > 0:21:22I think I'm going to have to get used to it.
0:21:22 > 0:21:25Or there is another room which you could co-opt as your dining room.
0:21:27 > 0:21:31This used to be, well, the main sitting room of the house before it was extended.
0:21:31 > 0:21:35You've got a lovely... The original fireplace. So that's your new surround
0:21:35 > 0:21:38but it's the original tiles from the Victorian property.
0:21:38 > 0:21:41And they've turned this into a through room,
0:21:41 > 0:21:44- but you could if you like make this the dining room.- Yeah.
0:21:44 > 0:21:47It would make a nice quiet room, a nice reading room.
0:21:47 > 0:21:52Difficult to know what to do with the rooms until you've seen them. This is a very impressive room.
0:21:52 > 0:21:56This is the new extension that they added just two years ago.
0:21:56 > 0:21:59- Another nice-size room. - It is a very nice size.- Yeah.
0:21:59 > 0:22:04And you've got this fantastic conservatory that backs onto it.
0:22:04 > 0:22:07- I know you love a conservatory. - I do like the conservatory.
0:22:07 > 0:22:10What are your thoughts about your house? You're being quite tight-lipped.
0:22:10 > 0:22:13Are you liking it or not liking it?
0:22:13 > 0:22:18I like the size of the rooms, the high ceilings, the walls.
0:22:18 > 0:22:22- I like that.- What do you think, Lyn?
0:22:22 > 0:22:24- I'm getting more used to it. - You weren't so impressed?
0:22:24 > 0:22:27- It's growing on me.- You weren't so impressed at the beginning?
0:22:27 > 0:22:32I don't think I imagined the table being in the kitchen like that before I came in.
0:22:32 > 0:22:34All right. So that threw you a bit.
0:22:34 > 0:22:37- It did, because we've never had a table in any of our kitchens. - All right.
0:22:37 > 0:22:39So it did throw me a bit.
0:22:39 > 0:22:44'I'm realising that a separate dining area is key to Lyn's dream layout,
0:22:44 > 0:22:46'which is certainly possible here.
0:22:46 > 0:22:49'Onwards and upwards to the bedrooms.'
0:22:49 > 0:22:54You've got four bedrooms upstairs. They all have these phenomenal views.
0:22:54 > 0:22:56Those views are absolutely stunning.
0:22:56 > 0:22:59I couldn't agree more, they are beautiful.
0:22:59 > 0:23:03Off the hallway is a vast family bathroom, a single bedroom
0:23:03 > 0:23:06and a good-size double.
0:23:06 > 0:23:10Actually before we go into the master bedroom,
0:23:10 > 0:23:15you can see this was an extra room, but they've taken down this wall to give themselves a study.
0:23:15 > 0:23:18Good idea, cos Pat likes a study.
0:23:18 > 0:23:20Yes, a nice size study as well.
0:23:20 > 0:23:25You could put a few shelves up there, a telephone in there as well.
0:23:25 > 0:23:26Telephone. Not mobile.
0:23:26 > 0:23:29- Not mobile, no.- No internet. - All mod cons(!)
0:23:29 > 0:23:32Just books. Let's look in here.
0:23:33 > 0:23:36Now this is really the master,
0:23:36 > 0:23:39I would say, cos it's got an en-suite and a walk-in wardrobe.
0:23:39 > 0:23:42Can you imagine using this as your master bedroom?
0:23:42 > 0:23:44- I can.- Yes.
0:23:44 > 0:23:48It's a beautiful double-aspect room and again views!
0:23:48 > 0:23:50- Yeah.- Views to wake up to. - Beautiful.
0:23:50 > 0:23:52The house has grown on me.
0:23:52 > 0:23:54The more I've seen inside the more I like it.
0:23:54 > 0:23:58'I think deservedly so because it's a lovely home.
0:23:58 > 0:24:01'Now let's see if the outside space will seal the deal.
0:24:01 > 0:24:06'Most of the garden is at the front but there's also a brick-built shed and a greenhouse.'
0:24:09 > 0:24:13Well, the garden really is, I think, a jewel because it's very private,
0:24:13 > 0:24:17but it's also quiet manageable. It's not enormously big.
0:24:17 > 0:24:22It's a nice garden and I like the way it's enclosed all the way round. Yeah, I like it.
0:24:22 > 0:24:23It's an L-shaped garden.
0:24:23 > 0:24:27This is where the main bulk of the lawn and flowers are,
0:24:27 > 0:24:30but down the side you've got a veggie garden with currants and rhubarb
0:24:30 > 0:24:33and space for lettuce and potatoes to the left.
0:24:33 > 0:24:34Yeah. Yeah, I could manage that.
0:24:34 > 0:24:38Now money. How much is this fine, handsome property worth?
0:24:40 > 0:24:44I think it must be on the market for at least £390,000.
0:24:44 > 0:24:46I'll say 395.
0:24:46 > 0:24:50Well, in that case you're going to be pleasantly surprised
0:24:50 > 0:24:52cos this is on the market for 375.
0:24:52 > 0:24:56So £20,000 under what you estimated.
0:24:56 > 0:24:58And a lot of house for the money as well.
0:24:58 > 0:25:02- A lot of house, yeah.- As we were saying when we were going round the house - it grows on you.
0:25:02 > 0:25:05- I'd better send you back in, then. - OK.- OK.
0:25:05 > 0:25:10At £375,000, this modernised Victorian house is 25,000
0:25:10 > 0:25:15under the maximum budget and needs nothing doing to it whatsoever.
0:25:24 > 0:25:26The pretty garden is entirely manageable
0:25:26 > 0:25:29but Pat could put his green fingers to use
0:25:29 > 0:25:31in the vegetable garden if he so desires.
0:25:31 > 0:25:34The Lakeland views are absolutely priceless.
0:25:34 > 0:25:38But will that kitchen table have scuppered our chances?
0:25:38 > 0:25:43This house grew on me. The more I went into every room the more I liked it.
0:25:43 > 0:25:47I think I was taken aback by the kitchen having the table in there.
0:25:47 > 0:25:49That threw me a bit.
0:25:49 > 0:25:53But then I thought, "Well, you can always take a table out of the kitchen."
0:25:53 > 0:25:57I actually think this is better than our conservatory at home.
0:25:57 > 0:25:59Yeah, I'd agree with that, yeah.
0:25:59 > 0:26:02This has been made much better, and I could sit in here for ages,
0:26:02 > 0:26:05and I'd read my books, then I would look up at the views,
0:26:05 > 0:26:11- then I'd let you go and make me a nice cup of coffee or a cold drink. - Yeah, or a gin and tonic.
0:26:11 > 0:26:12That's more like it.
0:26:12 > 0:26:16A lot of work has gone into this place and I liked what I saw.
0:26:16 > 0:26:19It'll be interesting to see what they think about this house.
0:26:19 > 0:26:23Either they're having their cards really close to their chest
0:26:23 > 0:26:26or they've been struck down by the wonder of it all.
0:26:26 > 0:26:30- Hello.- Hello. - I'm very intrigued to know what you think about this house,
0:26:30 > 0:26:33whether you like it more or less than the bungalow.
0:26:33 > 0:26:36But we can discuss it elsewhere. Come with me.
0:26:46 > 0:26:50As twilight turns to night over the two very different roofs of our Cumbrian properties,
0:26:50 > 0:26:52Pat and Lyn have plenty to weigh up.
0:26:54 > 0:26:58But coming up next is our mystery house,
0:26:58 > 0:27:02- a property that's pretty green. - An excellent idea. I love the ideas we're hearing.
0:27:02 > 0:27:06But will high-tech really impress our low-tech couple in the end?
0:27:06 > 0:27:08Only time will tell.
0:27:10 > 0:27:14Day two and it did seem that Pat and Lyn responded very positively
0:27:14 > 0:27:17to Cumbria and the two houses we showed them yesterday.
0:27:17 > 0:27:20In fact, so positively, I was a bit surprised, maybe a bit suspicious,
0:27:20 > 0:27:23whether they're keeping their cards to their chest
0:27:23 > 0:27:27because it seemed that they liked everything pretty much in equal measure.
0:27:27 > 0:27:32So it'll be interesting to see what they make of the mystery house, cos this is quite different.
0:27:34 > 0:27:37What do you think the mystery house might involve, Lyn?
0:27:37 > 0:27:41- Well, I'm hoping that maybe it will be a barn conversion...- Uh-huh.
0:27:41 > 0:27:44- ..or a new build.- Ah.
0:27:44 > 0:27:47Why those two? Are those things that you're looking for?
0:27:47 > 0:27:51- They are things that I'd be interested in.- Yeah.
0:27:51 > 0:27:56But part of the fun is trying to guess before you get there what the mystery house will look like.
0:27:56 > 0:27:59Well, I think it looks pretty good.
0:27:59 > 0:28:02We're heading to the East Cumbrian town of Cliburn.
0:28:02 > 0:28:06Most of the houses here date from the 18th and 19th century
0:28:06 > 0:28:10and historically the community has grown up around farming,
0:28:10 > 0:28:13though it's a landscape of green fields and hills.
0:28:13 > 0:28:15And the mystery house is almost as green.
0:28:15 > 0:28:20It's a low-energy sustainable house in a close of three similar properties.
0:28:20 > 0:28:23- Here's the mystery house.- Ah, yes.
0:28:23 > 0:28:25It's not a church, not a barn conversion.
0:28:25 > 0:28:30But you were right, Lyn. It is a new build, cos this is actually one year old.
0:28:30 > 0:28:32It's not quite a green house in terms of...
0:28:32 > 0:28:36It's not completely green, but it's as good as.
0:28:36 > 0:28:40It's an extremely environmentally energy-efficient dwelling.
0:28:40 > 0:28:44- I like the look of it.- Yeah.- Yeah. - Pat?- Interesting.
0:28:44 > 0:28:47Let's go out the back and I can show you some more features.
0:28:47 > 0:28:51'All the bricks, slate and timbers in this house are reclaimed.
0:28:51 > 0:28:57'But I think it's the energy and money-saving green aspects that Lyn and Pat will appreciate.'
0:28:57 > 0:28:59Look at these amazing views.
0:28:59 > 0:29:04- Again, we haven't short-changed you on views on this show, have we? - No.- You have not.
0:29:04 > 0:29:06What I want to point out are the things on the roof.
0:29:06 > 0:29:11This is a huge bank of solar panels which, when the sun is shining,
0:29:11 > 0:29:15they generate electricity. And the electricity that you don't use -
0:29:15 > 0:29:20for example, on a day like today - gets sold back to the National Grid.
0:29:20 > 0:29:23So you actually make money, the money comes off your bill.
0:29:23 > 0:29:27So overall in the whole year, your electricity bill
0:29:27 > 0:29:32- for the property is around £100 to £150.- That is excellent.- Really?
0:29:32 > 0:29:35- You see the silver panel up there? - Yes.
0:29:35 > 0:29:38That's what they call a photovoltaic cell
0:29:38 > 0:29:40and that does your hot water. So all your water is done
0:29:40 > 0:29:44when the sun's shining by that little chap up there.
0:29:44 > 0:29:46- Marvellous.- Let's look inside.
0:29:48 > 0:29:53'They seem to like the green credentials, but what will they make of the interior?'
0:29:53 > 0:29:56Let's come into the... This is the main space downstairs.
0:29:56 > 0:29:59You can see it's unfurnished, but that's good, right?
0:29:59 > 0:30:05- You can see your furniture here more easily?- Yes, I can. It's a lovely big room. I like the beam.
0:30:05 > 0:30:06I like the window sills.
0:30:06 > 0:30:11- That's actually an interesting point because you can see here how thick the walls are.- Yes.
0:30:11 > 0:30:15They're all about almost a foot thick, and they're stuffed
0:30:15 > 0:30:19with recycled newspaper, which is treated against fire and rodents.
0:30:19 > 0:30:22So the house is incredibly well insulated.
0:30:22 > 0:30:27The idea being that actually you don't need to heat houses if you've got all these windows.
0:30:27 > 0:30:32They're double glazed and they've got argon gas between the panes of glass which stops the heat
0:30:32 > 0:30:37escaping in the winter and stops the heat coming in in the summer.
0:30:37 > 0:30:40On a hot day like today it's lovely and cool in here.
0:30:40 > 0:30:44The reason for that is because we have what they call energy exchangers.
0:30:44 > 0:30:49See these little circular vents? This is what they call a heat exchange system.
0:30:49 > 0:30:54So it takes the stale hot air out and brings fresh cool air in
0:30:54 > 0:30:58if you need it to be cooler. But in the winter, for example,
0:30:58 > 0:31:03you don't want it to be too cold, so it takes the heat from the hot air
0:31:03 > 0:31:07- and warms up the cool air coming in. So you get fresh warm air. - That's a very good idea.
0:31:07 > 0:31:09I've not heard of that in a house before.
0:31:09 > 0:31:16These houses are obviously something of the future. Excellent idea. I love the ideas we're hearing.
0:31:16 > 0:31:19Good ideas. Let's look at the kitchen.
0:31:21 > 0:31:23Now this is the acid test for you, Lyn.
0:31:24 > 0:31:27Will this kitchen cut the mustard?
0:31:28 > 0:31:31- It's small.- Definitely. But I think it's very nice.
0:31:31 > 0:31:35Is it going to be big enough, though? You wanted a huge kitchen.
0:31:35 > 0:31:38- I know, but I quite like what I see here.- Oh, really?
0:31:38 > 0:31:41Cos of course you have all this space as well, which is the utility room.
0:31:41 > 0:31:45- But it is definitely downsizing. - I know, but I could put up with that.
0:31:45 > 0:31:49And you notice that we scrupulously removed the table.
0:31:49 > 0:31:51There was a table for eight here but we took it out.
0:31:54 > 0:31:55I jest, of course.
0:31:55 > 0:31:59But if Lyn did want to make a larger kitchen or a separate dining room,
0:31:59 > 0:32:03they could knock through into the integrated garage and replace the door with windows.
0:32:03 > 0:32:06But let's head upstairs. There are four bedrooms in all.
0:32:06 > 0:32:10On the first floor, there are two good-sized doubles
0:32:10 > 0:32:12and a family bathroom.
0:32:14 > 0:32:17Now, all the bedrooms upstairs are empty,
0:32:17 > 0:32:20but this is the master bedroom, cos it's got an en-suite.
0:32:21 > 0:32:24- That's good.- Right. - This view is nice.- Yeah.
0:32:24 > 0:32:28Even though you're looking over the roofs there, you can still see
0:32:28 > 0:32:32the scenery and further into the distance. It really is lovely.
0:32:32 > 0:32:37And then you've got another floor to explore, very excitingly.
0:32:42 > 0:32:45We're up in the eaves. This is, well, the fourth bedroom.
0:32:45 > 0:32:46It could be a study.
0:32:46 > 0:32:48It could be something for the grandchildren.
0:32:48 > 0:32:52I think this would be ideal for the grandchildren.
0:32:52 > 0:32:54And here, this is the nerve centre
0:32:54 > 0:32:58of your very green, energy-efficient house,
0:32:58 > 0:33:02because this is where the heat-conversion unit lives.
0:33:02 > 0:33:05This is the one, do you remember the one that takes out the stale hot air
0:33:05 > 0:33:10- and brings in the fresh cool air? - Yeah.- It's nicely tucked away.
0:33:10 > 0:33:13Well, that's it for the house.
0:33:13 > 0:33:16Let's turn our attention outside. What you see is what you get.
0:33:16 > 0:33:18The garden is all at the front of the house.
0:33:18 > 0:33:22However, it does come with a pre-dug veggie patch.
0:33:22 > 0:33:25So, self-sufficiency thrown in, too.
0:33:25 > 0:33:27But how much will this eco lifestyle set them back?
0:33:27 > 0:33:29Oh, Alistair, I'm frightened to guess.
0:33:29 > 0:33:36I think it's way, way over budget. I think it would be at least 425,000.
0:33:36 > 0:33:37What do you think, Pat?
0:33:37 > 0:33:41I'm going to hope it's 400, and a lot less.
0:33:41 > 0:33:43- 400 and a lot less?- Yeah.
0:33:43 > 0:33:47Well, erm, yes, you're right, it is a lot less than 400.
0:33:47 > 0:33:49This is on the market for 325.
0:33:49 > 0:33:52- Good Lord.- Are your sure, Alistair?
0:33:52 > 0:33:53I'm sure. I don't make mistakes.
0:33:53 > 0:33:58£325,000 will get you this very energy-efficient house.
0:33:58 > 0:34:00I can't believe the price of the house.
0:34:00 > 0:34:03I love it when people say that when I tell them the price. I'm happy.
0:34:03 > 0:34:06Why don't you go in and have a look round,
0:34:06 > 0:34:10- and then we'll meet out the front? - OK.- Lovely.
0:34:10 > 0:34:12Our eco mystery house seems to be a huge hit.
0:34:12 > 0:34:17On the market for £325,000, it's £75,000 under budget,
0:34:17 > 0:34:21and although the smallest of our properties, it still has
0:34:21 > 0:34:26a large open living/dining area, a modern kitchen and four bedrooms.
0:34:26 > 0:34:28It's also incredibly energy efficient,
0:34:28 > 0:34:30and Pat can even put his gardening skills to work
0:34:30 > 0:34:32in the attached veggie patch.
0:34:32 > 0:34:35They love our futuristic energy house,
0:34:35 > 0:34:37but will it be part of their future?
0:34:39 > 0:34:42The mystery house has really been a mystery,
0:34:42 > 0:34:47and I must admit, I really do like it, and I know Pat likes it as well.
0:34:47 > 0:34:51I love it. I love it. I absolutely love it.
0:34:53 > 0:34:59And the lounge here, what a lovely... Yeah, what a lovely size.
0:34:59 > 0:35:02When Alistair mentioned the figure of 325,
0:35:02 > 0:35:05it was almost the time for high fives
0:35:05 > 0:35:07and jumping up and down around the house.
0:35:08 > 0:35:12I'll have to drag them out. Pat, Lyn? It's a very good sign.
0:35:13 > 0:35:16Nice to have to drag you out of the mystery house.
0:35:16 > 0:35:18That's fine. We've had a good look round.
0:35:18 > 0:35:20- Good look round.- Like what we see.
0:35:20 > 0:35:23- You do, yes?- Oh, yes. - Lyn, you seem very struck by it.
0:35:23 > 0:35:25I'm impressed with the kitchen as well.
0:35:25 > 0:35:28I said I would not have a smaller kitchen than what I've got,
0:35:28 > 0:35:30but I'm taken with the kitchen in there.
0:35:30 > 0:35:32- I've won you over? - You have. Definitely.
0:35:32 > 0:35:35Well, you don't have to make any decisions right now,
0:35:35 > 0:35:37cos we're going to go and cool down a bit,
0:35:37 > 0:35:40and then we can discuss all properties in order.
0:35:52 > 0:35:55Think of Cumbria and most of us will picture lakes and fells
0:35:55 > 0:35:59or tourists and cake shops. Few of us will think about gypsies.
0:36:00 > 0:36:03However, for one week of every year for well over 300 years,
0:36:03 > 0:36:07one small town on the banks of the River Eden has played host
0:36:07 > 0:36:10to the most important annual event of the Romany calendar -
0:36:10 > 0:36:14the Appleby Horse Fair. Historically, gypsies have bred high-quality workhorses
0:36:14 > 0:36:18known as coloured or cob horses to pull caravans
0:36:18 > 0:36:21and to trade with farmers for centuries.
0:36:21 > 0:36:24And to encourage this, in 1685 King James II granted
0:36:24 > 0:36:29Britain's Romany gypsies a charter, licensing a yearly fair
0:36:29 > 0:36:34in the small town of Appleby, where they could trade horses. They've been doing that ever since.
0:36:34 > 0:36:36According to official figures,
0:36:36 > 0:36:40there are 100,000 Romany gypsies in the UK, and each summer,
0:36:40 > 0:36:44this is where they congregate, for both business and pleasure.
0:36:44 > 0:36:48I've never had the chance to experience gypsy culture up close,
0:36:48 > 0:36:49and was intrigued to find out more.
0:36:49 > 0:36:52So, during the week, I headed to Appleby to meet up
0:36:52 > 0:36:56with one of the most senior Romany men, Billy Welch.
0:36:57 > 0:36:59- Morning.- Thank you for taking time out,
0:36:59 > 0:37:02cos I know this is your busiest time of the year.
0:37:02 > 0:37:06- Not a problem. - Now you're the shura'rom?
0:37:06 > 0:37:07- Shura'rom, yeah.- What's that?
0:37:07 > 0:37:09Head gypsy. Shura is head, rom is gypsy.
0:37:09 > 0:37:13In every single area, there's a spokesman or a representative
0:37:13 > 0:37:17or the head of the family, and the word for it is shura'rom.
0:37:17 > 0:37:20- I'm the shura'rom on Appleby Fair. - So, you're the boss here?
0:37:20 > 0:37:23- I'm the boss.- What does Appleby mean for the Romany people?
0:37:23 > 0:37:26This place is absolutely sacred to us. It is literally our Mecca.
0:37:26 > 0:37:29It's unique on Planet Earth, is Appleby Fair,
0:37:29 > 0:37:33and it's the only place where the gypsies can come
0:37:33 > 0:37:36and practice their culture, their way of life, traditions
0:37:36 > 0:37:40and meet up with family and friends what they haven't seen probably from
0:37:40 > 0:37:43the Appleby Fair before that. It's, like, instinctive.
0:37:43 > 0:37:47It gets to that time of the year, you don't ask if anybody is going -
0:37:47 > 0:37:51everybody turns up. It's where young people do their courting.
0:37:51 > 0:37:54I notice also that the courtship basically seems to take the form
0:37:54 > 0:37:57of all the lads sort of on their horses with their shirts off,
0:37:57 > 0:38:00and all the girls sort of like...
0:38:00 > 0:38:03"Look at me, I've got the best horse and I'm the best rider."
0:38:03 > 0:38:06And the young girls all dressed up, parading up and down
0:38:06 > 0:38:08like a fashion parade. Yeah, like they're on a catwalk.
0:38:08 > 0:38:11It's a delicate balance, isn't it, what you do here,
0:38:11 > 0:38:14trying to make the fair work, keep your people happy,
0:38:14 > 0:38:17keep the locals happy - how does that all work?
0:38:17 > 0:38:20Well, to be truthful with you, Alistair, the meetings I go to -
0:38:20 > 0:38:21and I go to quite a lot of meetings -
0:38:21 > 0:38:2480% of it is about the settled community,
0:38:24 > 0:38:27trying to make them happy. We've gone a long way
0:38:27 > 0:38:29to improving relationships
0:38:29 > 0:38:31between the settled community and our people.
0:38:31 > 0:38:33Each year, it's getting better.
0:38:33 > 0:38:37And they're enjoying it more, and we're enjoying it more.
0:38:37 > 0:38:40As it is a horse fair, it's fair to assume horses play a big part
0:38:40 > 0:38:42in the festivities. Gypsies know how to keep
0:38:42 > 0:38:46their four-legged friends looking their best,
0:38:46 > 0:38:48from presenting the horses in their finest riding gear
0:38:48 > 0:38:51to washing them in the local River Eden.
0:38:51 > 0:38:54What goes on at the river is one of the most striking things
0:38:54 > 0:38:58about the fair. So Billy and I went to have a closer look.
0:38:58 > 0:39:01Billy, this is possibly one of the most magical things I've ever seen.
0:39:01 > 0:39:03Before they take them onto the corner to sell them,
0:39:03 > 0:39:06they bring them down here and they wash them
0:39:06 > 0:39:09in the river, wash them down, lather them up with soap powder
0:39:09 > 0:39:12and shampoo, and get them all lathered up,
0:39:12 > 0:39:16and then they ride them into the deep water and swill them down.
0:39:16 > 0:39:20- It just looks so primal, and I've never seen anything like it. - We've been doing this
0:39:20 > 0:39:23ever since we arrived in this country, 500 years ago.
0:39:23 > 0:39:26We've been bringing the horses here to wash them.
0:39:26 > 0:39:30Once the horses are looking their best, they're shown off on the streets,
0:39:30 > 0:39:31and one place that's a favourite
0:39:31 > 0:39:35with the locals and the gypsies alike is known as the Flashing Lane.
0:39:35 > 0:39:39If you want to buy a speed horse, or sell one, this is where you come to buy and sell them.
0:39:39 > 0:39:40How fast do they go?
0:39:40 > 0:39:43They go up to 40 miles an hour, some of these speed horses.
0:39:43 > 0:39:47- So it's like taking it for a test spin?- Taking it for a test drive.
0:39:47 > 0:39:50Not sure I'm ready to take a test drive on the back of a horse
0:39:50 > 0:39:54at 40 miles an hour, but the fair itself is truly remarkable.
0:40:01 > 0:40:05Pat and Lyn have also been looking to make a deal
0:40:05 > 0:40:07after trotting around three properties.
0:40:07 > 0:40:10They've experienced Cumbria in all its glory,
0:40:10 > 0:40:13but have any of the houses impressed them enough to saddle up
0:40:13 > 0:40:17and make that all-important move to the country?
0:40:18 > 0:40:21Well, a surprise barrel of enthusiasm for the mystery house
0:40:21 > 0:40:25means that it looks like maybe that will take the Cumbrian biscuit.
0:40:25 > 0:40:27Let's find out which one they choose.
0:40:33 > 0:40:36Here you are, and you've picked a typically beautiful spot,
0:40:36 > 0:40:39because Cumbria's really come up trumps
0:40:39 > 0:40:42on the quiet countryside front, hasn't it?
0:40:42 > 0:40:45It definitely has. I could sit and listen to the birds singing all day.
0:40:45 > 0:40:47The birds are almost deafening here.
0:40:47 > 0:40:50But it's a good spot to kind of collect our thoughts.
0:40:50 > 0:40:53It's easier if we go through the houses one by one,
0:40:53 > 0:40:56and then we can talk about those in turn.
0:40:56 > 0:40:59The first one I showed you was the bungalow.
0:40:59 > 0:41:01Originally, I fell in love with the bungalow.
0:41:01 > 0:41:05I saw us living there, but not now.
0:41:05 > 0:41:08Ah, things have changed!
0:41:08 > 0:41:13I liked the bungalow. I liked the way it had been set out,
0:41:13 > 0:41:16the extensions that they'd done, which overlooked the rear garden.
0:41:16 > 0:41:19So, the second house was a big property.
0:41:19 > 0:41:23It was a very big property. But I just don't think it was right for us.
0:41:23 > 0:41:27I liked the size of the rooms. A lot of work done on that house,
0:41:27 > 0:41:30and it grew on me. As you went to the staircase and went up,
0:41:30 > 0:41:33the house grew on me, but...
0:41:33 > 0:41:37You didn't like the table in the kitchen? That was almost a deal breaker for you?
0:41:37 > 0:41:41It was, cos I know Pat won't have a table in the kitchen.
0:41:41 > 0:41:43So it all went wrong with the table in the kitchen.
0:41:43 > 0:41:48What about the mystery house, though? Because that seemed to really enchant you both.
0:41:48 > 0:41:51When I saw the mystery house, I liked the look from the outside,
0:41:51 > 0:41:54but when we went inside, I just fell in love with it.
0:41:54 > 0:41:56It was beautiful inside.
0:41:56 > 0:41:58Looking back, can you pinpoint what it is
0:41:58 > 0:42:00that you love about it so much?
0:42:00 > 0:42:03Well, strangely enough, I loved the kitchen.
0:42:03 > 0:42:06I always said I would not have a kitchen smaller than I've got.
0:42:06 > 0:42:08But I just feel that one is right for me.
0:42:08 > 0:42:13I like the mystery house very much, top to bottom.
0:42:13 > 0:42:15So, I've kind of got a good guess
0:42:15 > 0:42:18which you might say is your favourite,
0:42:18 > 0:42:20but which one was your favourite?
0:42:20 > 0:42:23- Definitely the mystery house. - Said without a hesitation!
0:42:23 > 0:42:26- Pat, do you agree? - I do agree, by a distance.
0:42:26 > 0:42:29What might happen next? I know that you're waiting to sell your house.
0:42:29 > 0:42:32I mean, are you so convinced by the beauties of Cumbria
0:42:32 > 0:42:34that you'd move up here?
0:42:34 > 0:42:38I really hope to move up to Cumbria, and into that mystery house.
0:42:38 > 0:42:40And it's so green and peaceful.
0:42:40 > 0:42:43What more could you want than listen to the birds singing?
0:42:43 > 0:42:45Well, I hope it all happens.
0:42:45 > 0:42:47I hope your house sells lickety-split
0:42:47 > 0:42:50and that you come up to this beautiful countryside
0:42:50 > 0:42:52and can indeed enjoy the birdsong.
0:42:52 > 0:42:53Thank you, Alistair.
0:42:58 > 0:43:01That was one of the most extraordinary house hunts
0:43:01 > 0:43:04I've ever been involved with here in Escape.
0:43:04 > 0:43:06Pat and Lyn, never been to Cumbria before,
0:43:06 > 0:43:09only seen it on the telly, suddenly converted,
0:43:09 > 0:43:11as if the scales had dropped from their eyes,
0:43:11 > 0:43:13when they saw the mystery house.
0:43:13 > 0:43:15That's the sort of result we like on the show.
0:43:15 > 0:43:19So, make sure you join us next time for more Escape To The Country.
0:43:22 > 0:43:24If you'd like to escape to the country in Scotland,
0:43:24 > 0:43:28Northern Ireland, Wales or England and would like our help,
0:43:28 > 0:43:33please apply online at bbc.co.uk/beonashow.
0:43:33 > 0:43:35Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd
0:43:35 > 0:43:37E-mail subtitling@bbc.co.uk