Yorkshire Dales Escape to the Country


Yorkshire Dales

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Does this market town of 400 inhabitants look familiar to you?

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You may know it better by its fictional name of Darrowby.

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If that doesn't ring any bells, stay tuned. All will be revealed on today's Escape To The Country.

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'On today's show, I'll be helping an intrepid couple put their best foot forward

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'to start a new life in the country and it looks like we're on the right track.'

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-That's perfect.

-Perfect.

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-Was that a tear you were wiping away?

-Yes.

-Really? Do you really like it that much?

-It's lovely.

-Aw!

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-Oh, I love it when... That's wonderful.

-Oh, don't!

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'But will the mystery house have them running for the hills?'

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Today, we're in North Yorkshire and this is Askrigg, made famous by the televised James Herriot novels,

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written by James Alfred Wight, Yorkshire's most famous vet.

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But in these parts, being a vet is not just a fictional business.

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In some parts of Yorkshire, in the rural uplands, 50% of the workforce are agricultural

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and that means the vet is a vital link for these rural communities.

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Spanning some 3,000 square miles, North Yorkshire is the largest county in England,

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40% of which is covered by its two national parks -

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the rugged North York Moors and the lush, green valleys of the Yorkshire Dales

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which, although predominantly a working landscape, attracts over eight million visitors a year.

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The county is home to wonderful architecture from the Ribblehead Viaduct,

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a triumph of Victorian engineering,

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to the medieval twin towers of Skipton Castle.

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And its robust Yorkstone buildings stand proud throughout its towns and villages

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with places like Skipton holding on to their strong sense of identity.

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So, whether you're seeking out rural solitude or want to be in the hub of a community,

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this magnificent county has it all.

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Take a look at that. Not a house to be seen for miles!

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In fact, 1,762 square miles of North Yorkshire is national park.

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As you can imagine, planning restrictions are pretty stringent - not too many new builds round here.

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And that brings us back to the old economic law of supply and demand.

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Everybody wants a beautiful, idyllic house framed by this countryside,

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but not many come up for sale and when they do, they're expensive.

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The average detached house here costs 7% above the national average,

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but when they do hit the market, wow, they're beautiful!

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For top-notch grandeur,

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this five-bedroom barn conversion in Mayfield Valley

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could be yours for £1.35 million.

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Its reception rooms offer up original features and light, contemporary spaces.

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Outside, the five acres of fields give way to beautiful countryside views.

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On the market at £700,000, this six-bedroom Georgian farmhouse in Roche Abbey

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has a raft of quirky reception areas to relax in from a below ground, vaulted cinema room

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to a beautiful conservatory which overlooks the extensive lawned gardens.

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If a rustic barn conversion is more your style,

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£450,000 gets you this three-bedroom property near Hood Green

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with an exposed stone wall offsetting the living room

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and a slate-tiled country kitchen with original beams, all set in three-quarters of an acre of garden.

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You see, when God's Own County comes up with property, it comes up trumps

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and we have a couple who, wisely, are hotfooting it up north to buy.

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Alan and Linda have lived in their four-bedroom, detached family home in Taunton, Somerset, for 27 years.

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Their grown-up children have flown the nest, so they want to downsize

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and head north to the Yorkshire Dales.

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We're both energetic, active people. We may be retired from our work, but we're still young

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and I hope we could get a good 10 to 15 years of good, active involvement

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in an area that we really love and feel passionate about.

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Here we are walking around a very large house which is really a family home

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and I think we'd both like something a bit more cosy and a little bit more rural than we have at the moment.

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They already know the Dales will allow them to indulge their passion for the outdoors.

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We fell in love with the Yorkshire Dales the first time we went there.

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It's the only place that we've had a holiday three years running.

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One of our favourite pastimes is walking, just enjoying the views and the countryside.

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We would like to be able to look out of the window

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and to be able to walk from home almost, but not be too remote.

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But also high on their agenda is contributing to community life.

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If we move to an area near a national park, for example,

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I know there are all sorts of opportunities for volunteering.

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It would be great to support a local community, so we don't want to be in the middle of nowhere.

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We want to be able to be part of that community.

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They've got a clear idea what their Yorkshire home must give them.

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I think the three must-haves for a new property in the country would be a large, square lounge,

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a large kitchen with a dining area

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and three bedrooms

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and my shower cubicle, please. That would be great.

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I love gardening and enjoy pruning the shrubs and landscaping it,

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but I don't really want a large garden in a new property. I don't want to be a slave to the garden.

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With the property search about to begin, Alan and Linda are keen to put their house on the market,

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so we've asked a local estate agent to value their current property.

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This house is in an ideal family location a mile from the town centre.

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Excellent condition from top to bottom

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and I would value the house for around £335,000.

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So how much have they set aside for the move?

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What we would like to actually spend in terms of our budget on a new property is around £350,000.

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Even though they're downsizing, I'm hoping that Alan and Linda can keep flexible

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because house prices in North Yorkshire are 5% higher than back home in Somerset for them,

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so I'm hoping that their £350,000 is going to get them what they need.

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Those houses aren't going to find themselves, so I've got my map, I've got my walking boots... Let's go.

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As Alan and Linda want to walk from their front door, we've got to get the geography right,

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so we'll focus our house search in the heart of Dales territory with Skipton to the south.

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I'll show them some prime properties in the area, but I won't reveal the price until they've had a guess.

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And let's hope our mystery house makes them feel on top of the world.

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-Oh, I found you!

-Hello.

-Hi.

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-Good morning.

-Good morning.

-Look at this - North Yorkshire laid out for your delectation.

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-Fantastic view.

-Absolutely stunning this morning.

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-You're both big hikers, aren't you?

-We do a lot of walking. That's our main hobby.

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-We love walking.

-It's a big move from Somerset up to Yorkshire.

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-How long did it take you to drive up?

-Five hours.

-You've got family still there.

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Yes, my parents live five minutes from where we live at the moment, so I'm reluctant to leave them.

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We've got a daughter in Taunton, but she's pushing us this way

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because she's looking forward to some nice holidays in this beautiful area.

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-Talk about budget because North Yorkshire is not cheap.

-No.

-Especially near the national park.

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What is your budget? You mentioned 350. Can you up that at all?

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-Slightly.

-350 would be ideal, but we could go up to £375,000.

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I'll take £375,000. We love a little bit more to play with.

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-All this natural beauty comes at a price, even if you are downsizing.

-It can make a difference.

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Rather unusually, but good for us because you're hikers and I've got my walking boots on,

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-we can walk to the first property.

-Brilliant.

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We've got a footpath that takes us right to our first house. Let's go.

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'We're setting off with their wish list firmly in mind.

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'For £375,000, Alan and Linda want to downsize

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'to a country home that will give them...'

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You say you do a lot of walking. How often do you go walking?

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When the weather's good, we'll try and go out two or three times a week.

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-So it's not just holiday walking?

-No, no.

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It's very much our favourite pastime.

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'We're gambolling across the open fields to our first house in Hardraw in Upper Wensleydale.

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'Sitting on the Pennine Way and with a good pint on tap at the local pub,

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'the village is renowned for its awesome waterfall - Hardraw Force,

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'which, cascading over 100 feet, is England's longest unbroken waterfall.

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'Back in the village, this cottage could be a great option for entry level downsizing.'

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This is the property I want to show you, this one in front of us.

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-It's a nice...

-Yeah, looks like a typical...

-Stone Dales cottage.

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-It was built in the '70s. '79, it was finished.

-Really?

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It makes such a difference when they build in local Yorkshire stone. It is compact.

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-OK.

-It's not a sprawling house, but you wanted to downsize.

-We wanted cosy.

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And as you say, it's deceptively old-looking.

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-I can't believe it's '70s.

-No.

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-It looks more modern inside. Shall we look?

-Yeah, OK.

-Lovely.

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'Our traditional stone cottage gets a warm reception which I hope continues inside.'

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Now, you wanted a cosy house, so it's not huge.

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-This is lovely.

-This is a good sized room.

-Yeah.

-Great. That's what I wanted to hear.

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Our worst nightmare would be a really narrow lounge where you can't do anything with the room.

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-It's got a lovely focal point as well.

-And the window and the view. Look at that. It's incredible.

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-Everything is about sitting down and going, "Oh!"

-Yeah.

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It's in two halves. You've got the downstairs sitting room, then...

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And the kitchen/dining area is here.

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This is nice. Lovely, modern kitchen in a nice sort of square format.

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-It's very nice.

-How much space do you need to create culinary delights?

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-I don't think we need a huge area.

-I think the kitchen area will be fine.

-Yeah.

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-If I look towards the dining room area, I'd probably say on the small side.

-Yes.

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OK for the two of us, but if we do have people staying, then it starts to get a little cramped.

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With a full house, how many people have you got?

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When the grandchildren come over from Mexico and other members of the family, it could be 10, 14.

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-If everyone came to stay.

-You'd be pushing your luck if I was going to show you a dining room that sat 14.

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-It's a house for two people.

-It is, yeah.

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I'm not saying we want a huge kitchen/diner, but something a bit bigger than that would be ideal.

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-Yeah. Let's take a look upstairs cos that's also quite snug.

-OK.

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'I'm pleased Alan and Linda are embracing its light, airy feel,

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'but they're mulling over the considerable downsize they'd be making with this cottage.

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'Let's see if the three bedrooms upstairs can help them cement their thoughts.'

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-Let's take a look at this. This is the largest bedroom.

-The largest, right.

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-There's no wardrobes in here.

-That'd be the first thing I would notice.

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-There's a really nice feel about the room.

-The whole house so far.

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I just think a fundamental of a bedroom is to have some wardrobe space and there isn't any in here.

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Yeah, space is an issue because it's a small house.

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-There is quite a lot of loft space for storage.

-Yeah.

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-But it's definitely snug.

-Mm-hm.

-Yeah.

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-Let's take a look at the bedroom with the view.

-OK.

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Wow, look at that view!

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This one has the view, so you might want to make this your main bedroom.

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-This also has storage.

-Oh, right, yes.

-It goes quite deep. It's double depth.

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It's small, but I think I'd rather sleep in here than the front room.

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-To see that every morning would be lovely.

-Yeah.

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-This is really why you're buying the house.

-Yes.

-To get to see that.

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-It's beautiful.

-It's glorious. It's what you've always wanted, isn't it?

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I just think to wake up and look at a view like that,

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-then to be able to walk out the house and just walk on to the Dales from here...

-The footpaths.

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-..is heaven, really.

-Hmm.

-Hmm.

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-Wherever you go, you've got a view, even from the bathroom.

-Right.

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'Opposite is the third bedroom, a small double with built-in storage

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'and next door, a small bathroom, which has no separate shower,

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'but offers beautiful views to soak up from the bath.

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'They seem to have given a thumbs-up to the ambience of this house,

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'but how much space do they need to accommodate visiting family?

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'Let's step into the sunshine and see if the garden and views can sway them.'

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Throw open the patio doors and this is what you get to see.

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-It's a fantastic view.

-It's lovely.

-This is where the view fell on the other side of the Dale.

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Is this part of the property, this garden here?

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-This is where it gets complicated. Step down and I'll show you.

-OK.

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-So, essentially, this is your garden.

-Right.

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-That is your neighbour's garden.

-Oh.

-Right.

-Hmm.

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-So it's very low maintenance, but also...

-I've got no problem with the size of the garden.

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-I may have an issue with somebody else being behind you.

-Yeah. Yes.

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-It's quite unusual.

-It is unusual.

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-OK, so what do you think it costs cos we haven't talked about budget?

-Oh, heavens...

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It's in a lovely, popular village.

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-It's got amazing views.

-It's very difficult.

-I'd say £345,000.

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-Right up at the top. What do you think, Linda?

-Well, 320 maybe?

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Well, the property is on the market for just a shade under 300,000.

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-Right.

-Right.

-And it's been on for about eight months, so they've just reduced it to that price.

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That is a good price for the type of property we want.

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Have a look round inside and collect your private thoughts, then we'll meet outside and press on.

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-OK.

-Thank you.

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Priced at just under £300,000,

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this stone-built cottage leaves them £75,000 for their retirement pot

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and would be a perfect, low-maintenance bolthole for an intrepid walking couple.

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It has the spoils of Wensleydale right on their doorstep.

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But is it a downsize too far?

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This property ticks a lot of the boxes that we had, really.

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It's beautiful outside.

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And the stone finish gives the appearance of being an older house.

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I never expected a newer house to look so good.

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I have some concerns about the upstairs being a little bit small.

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The garden is a big concern.

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You really do want this part to be part of your garden.

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It's such a shame to be sitting here,

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then having somebody else gardening in front of you before you actually look at the view as well.

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I really love this house. It feels so cosy.

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This room is lovely and light and airy.

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The kitchen is lovely.

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The dining room, I feel happy with it.

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Obviously, it would be a squeeze with friends and family staying,

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but I think overall, most of the time we'd be on our own and we always wanted this cosy cottage.

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It just feels really right.

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The location of the property is in a smaller village than I probably hoped for.

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I think, ideally, I would like to be able to walk to the local shops.

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-All done?

-Thank you.

-Brilliant.

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-I'm still looking at the view.

-Yes.

-Let's press on.

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Over the centuries, sheep farming has shaped the distinctive Dales landscape

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and been supported by important trading centres such as Masham in Lower Wensleydale

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which dates back to medieval times.

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Masham's prosperity is echoed in its architecture with over 60 Grade 2 listed buildings in the town,

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many of which lie in the market square, the largest in Yorkshire.

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Alan and Linda are meeting town guide Susan Cunliffe-Lister to find out more about its past.

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We're really lucky. We've got this lovely, big square which has never been developed over the years.

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We've still got the old houses. It's not turned into shop fronts.

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And Masham really owes its size to sheep.

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Every year in September, we still have a sheep fair in the town.

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All this square gets filled up with sheep and we have a great time.

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It dates back to the old days when they'd bring all the sheep down from the hills.

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They had up to 80,000 sheep in the square and up and down the streets.

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The farmers made a lot of money out of the sheep. The wool was very valuable, as well as the lambs.

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The farmers had to pay a tithe to the church, which was a tenth of the money they made on their farms,

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so Masham became a very rich church as well.

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Still dominating the town today, Masham's Norman church fell on hard times during the Reformation

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when Henry VIII seized the revenues from Masham Church

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to finance his building of Trinity College, Cambridge, whose legacy resides in the name - College Lane.

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Just over a mile's walk from Masham, Alan and Linda can put their walking boots to use in Hackfall Woods,

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which, as well as being mentioned in William Wordsworth's tourist guide,

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was an inspiration for Turner who sketched and painted here.

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Now it's a Grade 1 listed garden.

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If you live in Masham, you can walk along the River Ure. The river runs through the bottom there.

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You can walk down here, then walk around the gardens, then walk back up to Masham.

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Along with beautiful landscapes, Alan and Linda's move will mean

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that they have thriving Dales towns like Masham right on their doorstep.

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And they could find themselves living in the heart of one

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if they go for our second property in the market town of Settle on the border of the Dales National Park.

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It's already familiar holiday territory for them

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and has tremendous appeal with its 17th century market square and listed buildings.

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Upper Settle has a quieter, more villagey feel

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and just a short walk from the green is where we find our next property.

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There are several houses for sale around the village green. Which one am I going to show you?

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-It's this one.

-This looks nice.

-That looks lovely.

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-I like the colour of the stone.

-It's a really interesting property.

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Unlike the one that I showed you which looked old, but was actually from the '70s, this is old.

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The main body of the building is from the 1840s. Do you like the house?

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From the outside, it looks really nice. It's in a lovely position.

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-It's a solid-looking building.

-It won't fall down any time soon.

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-I think you'll love the inside.

-OK.

-Let's hope so.

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'Confident words indeed, but as we go inside, let's see if I'm right.'

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Come on in.

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-Oh, wow!

-What do you think about this?

-It's a fantastic kitchen. I absolutely love it.

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-And the dining area...

-Yeah.

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-It's a nice size.

-It's so light.

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-It's a much more upmarket version of what we saw this morning.

-Right.

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There's a lot more space. It's finished to a much higher quality. You've got lovely kitchen units.

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-Yes.

-And it's light and bright and been beautifully done up.

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-I love it.

-Really nice.

-You're speechless, Linda.

-I am.

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-And... Was that a tear you were wiping away?

-Yes.

-Really?

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-Do you really like it that much?

-It's lovely.

-Aw! Aw!

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-Oh, I love it when... That's wonderful.

-Oh, don't!

0:21:090:21:13

'Great. Linda looks like she's smitten already.

0:21:130:21:17

'Just off the kitchen, there's a utility room to store those white goods and walking boots.

0:21:170:21:22

'On the other side of the kitchen is a very inviting living room.'

0:21:220:21:27

-This is the older half of the house.

-Cosy.

-Mm-hm.

-Cosy feel.

0:21:270:21:30

This was the external wall of the old part and it goes out into the newer, Victorian part.

0:21:300:21:36

-What do you think?

-Very nice.

0:21:360:21:38

-It's a lovely cosy feel.

-A nice size room for two.

0:21:380:21:42

-This is the totality of your downstairs space.

-I could live with that.

-Yeah.

0:21:420:21:48

-Not crying in this room.

-No, no. I'll contain myself.

0:21:480:21:52

-The combination of the two rooms is ideal.

-What we wanted.

0:21:520:21:56

A light and airy modern space and a cosy, older style feel in the lounge.

0:21:560:22:02

-Upstairs?

-Yeah.

-Looking forward to it.

0:22:020:22:06

'All smiles so far, and a few tears,

0:22:060:22:09

'so hopefully the three bedrooms and bathroom will measure up.'

0:22:090:22:14

-Just take a little stop off at the bathroom.

-This is lovely.

0:22:140:22:19

-You've got your...

-Shower cubicle!

-..shower cubicle.

-Wow.

0:22:190:22:23

-This is a really good use of space.

-It is. It's lovely.

0:22:230:22:27

-Brilliant.

-That's perfect.

-Perfect.

0:22:270:22:30

We've had perfect, we've had tear. It's very good.

0:22:300:22:34

-This is the master bedroom.

-We've got the wardrobes as well.

0:22:380:22:44

-It's really made a good use of the space.

-And the view.

0:22:440:22:48

The beginning of the Dales.

0:22:480:22:51

-It's lovely.

-A really nice size. We don't want a massive bedroom.

0:22:510:22:56

-You want room for a bed and some wardrobes.

-Yeah. It's got everything we'd want.

0:22:560:23:02

'Next door is another bright double bedroom.

0:23:020:23:06

'And then a single bedroom with light streaming in, but I want to see what they make of the garden.'

0:23:060:23:13

Come on in.

0:23:130:23:15

-So it's not massive.

-No.

-No.

-It's not massive at all.

0:23:180:23:22

-But look at this open aspect.

-And it is all yours.

0:23:240:23:29

-That's a bargain for this bit!

-You don't have to negotiate.

-It's not a private garden.

0:23:290:23:36

-But it is in a way because this open view seems like part of the garden to me.

-Yes.

0:23:360:23:43

-It's a property with character.

-Certainly is.

-It is.

0:23:430:23:48

-It's got history, charm and been beautifully restored.

-Modernised. It's got everything.

0:23:480:23:53

-You don't feel you're in an enclosed dark cottage in there.

-No.

0:23:530:23:58

-But can you afford it?

-I hope so!

0:23:580:24:01

Yes.

0:24:010:24:02

I vastly overestimated the last property, which was in a nice location. This is a lovely location.

0:24:020:24:09

Perhaps if I pitch this one at the value I had the last one - £340,000.

0:24:090:24:14

-I'm inclined to say about 340 as well.

-You're both being very optimistic. It's on the market

0:24:140:24:22

-for £365,000.

-Mm.

-Right.

-But have a look round.

-Yeah, OK.

0:24:220:24:27

-Do you want a hankie?

-No, I'm all right now.

0:24:270:24:31

-I'll meet you out front.

-OK.

0:24:310:24:33

Judging from their overwhelming reaction, this Yorkshire stone house could be a real contender.

0:24:340:24:40

Under budget at £365,000, it would give them a cosy living room with character features,

0:24:400:24:46

a large, convivial kitchen/diner, three bedrooms

0:24:460:24:50

and a garden set in the quieter reaches of lively Settle

0:24:500:24:54

with a strong community and the Dales National Park on their doorstep.

0:24:540:24:59

We both love this house, don't we? It just feels right. This is what downsizing is about.

0:24:590:25:05

This is a really lovely property.

0:25:050:25:08

It's in a wonderful location. We do know Settle and this is the best bit of it,

0:25:080:25:14

on the upper village green.

0:25:140:25:16

The garden, I suppose, is unusual. It's almost like it's been stuck on and is part of the village green.

0:25:160:25:23

But I don't think it's a problem.

0:25:230:25:26

We've got the village green next to us, all the Dales next to us.

0:25:260:25:31

It's just an extension of the lovely environment in which we find ourselves.

0:25:310:25:36

I think this property is perfect for both of us. I feel so comfortable it's like it's home already.

0:25:360:25:44

The kitchen is beautiful, so modern and clean and airy.

0:25:440:25:49

And the views out of the windows are spectacular. And the bathroom was just perfect.

0:25:490:25:56

I've got my shower cubicle and a bath. It's just all we want.

0:25:560:26:00

I can smell an offer in the air!

0:26:000:26:03

So?

0:26:030:26:05

-This is fantastic.

-Really?

-Yeah, we've moved in.

-You look like it!

0:26:050:26:11

-You have to come this side. You haven't bought it yet.

-Lovely.

-You like it?

-It's perfect.

0:26:110:26:17

-Are you talking to the agents?

-I think we will be.

-I think so.

0:26:170:26:21

-Don't rush, though. We've still got the mystery house.

-OK.

0:26:210:26:25

-Everything could change. Let's go and relax.

-Right.

0:26:250:26:30

As the day draws to a close over the Yorkshire Dales,

0:26:330:26:37

it marks the end of the first day of our house search.

0:26:370:26:41

Alan and Linda want to shrug off life down south and make the Yorkshire Dales their new home.

0:26:480:26:56

They've been bowled over by one of the two properties.

0:26:560:27:00

-It's lovely.

-A bit emotional?

0:27:000:27:03

And our mystery house will certainly expand their horizons.

0:27:030:27:06

-It's quite remarkable.

-It is a remarkable mystery house.

0:27:060:27:11

I can really understand wanting to wake up to this every morning.

0:27:140:27:19

And it looks like the house yesterday really fit the bill.

0:27:190:27:24

They seemed completely in love. It's really hard to improve.

0:27:240:27:29

But one thing they might not like is being quite so overlooked, though they didn't seem to mind.

0:27:290:27:36

But the mystery house, one thing the mystery house is is not overlooked.

0:27:360:27:42

Our mystery property takes them into near solitude

0:27:420:27:46

as we head into the hills to the small hamlet of Chapel le Dale.

0:27:460:27:49

Close by, the Ribble Head Viaduct stretches across this glorious landscape

0:27:490:27:55

with the quiet pubs of Ingleton 7 miles away.

0:27:550:27:59

With no real community close by, the emphasis is on the fabulous entertaining space

0:27:590:28:05

for their visiting family.

0:28:050:28:07

This is the house. Not all of it. Just this front end, the big bit.

0:28:070:28:13

It's from about 1820.

0:28:130:28:16

It's a farmhouse. There are three dwellings. One of them could be yours.

0:28:160:28:21

-What do you think of the location? I know you weren't keen on being so isolated.

-It's very remote.

0:28:210:28:28

-Beautiful on a day like this. It actually feels quite warm.

-It's always like this here. Always.

0:28:280:28:34

-Every single day, 365 days a year.

-I can rely on you for that.

-We'll hold you to that!

0:28:340:28:40

-If you hear anything that contradicts that, don't believe it. Let's have a look inside.

-Lovely.

0:28:400:28:47

'We're taking them out of their comfort zone,

0:28:470:28:51

'but as we'll see, it's the largest of the houses we're showing them.'

0:28:510:28:56

-Here's your living room.

-Wow. Look at that cosy fire.

-This is the old part.

0:29:000:29:06

It's the 1820s part. Incredibly thick walls.

0:29:060:29:10

-You can see they're a foot thick with window seats.

-Lovely.

0:29:100:29:14

-And the hallway is the back wall of the house. The original stone.

-Beautiful.

0:29:140:29:20

-It's got real character, hasn't it?

-Yeah.

-And yet it feels reasonably modern.

-Lovely flooring.

0:29:200:29:26

-it's very nice.

-Nice room.

0:29:260:29:29

Let's look at the kitchen. I think you'll really like that.

0:29:290:29:33

Oh, wow. Look at this.

0:29:380:29:41

A nice area for the table. And a fantastic view.

0:29:410:29:45

-Perfect size, isn't it?

-It is. It's a really good size.

0:29:450:29:50

-Of all the kitchen/diners, this is the most generous.

-Yes!

0:29:500:29:55

-And it's got these amazingly beautiful Victorian floorboards. It's nice and bright and sunny.

-Yes.

0:29:550:30:01

-You're not shedding a tear.

-I'm not, but I'm really surprised

0:30:010:30:06

-at how lovely it is.

-So this is your downstairs.

0:30:060:30:10

There is a fantastic cellar so there's a lot of storage.

0:30:100:30:14

With an entrance in and out through the garden

0:30:140:30:19

-so you can put bikes in.

-That's useful.

-Upstairs we have not one, two, three, but four bedrooms.

0:30:190:30:26

-Four, wow!

-On two levels.

-OK.

0:30:260:30:30

'They seem quite surprised by the space the farmhouse offers,

0:30:300:30:35

'but upstairs things get curiouser and curiouser.'

0:30:350:30:39

So coming up here is a little bit Alice In Wonderland.

0:30:390:30:43

Oh! the ceilings are quite low!

0:30:440:30:48

-Did you manage?

-Yes, I can just about fit under there.

-I can just about graze my head.

0:30:480:30:54

-So this is one of the three bedrooms on this floor.

-Quite a fantastic view.

0:30:540:31:01

-Yeah, it's all about this view.

-For an old property, again, it's very light.

0:31:010:31:07

We've got three good-size bedrooms on this floor and a bathroom.

0:31:070:31:11

-Here they did something clever. They took out the attic space to give you some headroom.

-Wow.

0:31:160:31:22

-It's a fantastic bathroom.

-You'd spend all your time in the bath!

-Exactly.

-To get the view.

0:31:220:31:28

-It's beautiful, isn't it?

-It's all you could want for a bathroom.

0:31:280:31:33

It hasn't got a separate shower, but it's integrated.

0:31:330:31:36

No separate shower, but... maybe somewhere else does have one?

0:31:360:31:41

'Of the other two bedrooms, one is large enough to be a a double

0:31:430:31:47

'and the other is currently a study, complete with window seat.

0:31:470:31:52

'But let's go up again and seek out Linda's shower.'

0:31:520:31:56

From the very small...

0:31:560:31:58

Ah, look at this.

0:32:000:32:02

Not a bedroom as such.

0:32:020:32:05

Wow!

0:32:050:32:07

-See? It goes from the very small to the very big.

-That's amazing.

0:32:070:32:12

It's an amazing house. Very light and airy, isn't it?

0:32:120:32:18

-This would be the place to sleep.

-Oh, yes.

-And...

0:32:180:32:22

-Ta-ra!

-A shower!

-Your shower.

0:32:240:32:27

-Oh, look.

-An en-suite.

0:32:270:32:29

-That would definitely make this our room.

-Our space, yes. The bedroom with en-suite shower.

0:32:290:32:35

-A real good use of space.

-It is. Lovely.

0:32:350:32:38

You were talking about your grandchildren coming from Mexico for a week or two.

0:32:380:32:45

I thought that second floor, which is low-ceilinged, could be the children's floor

0:32:450:32:51

-and you could retreat...

-Up here. They've done a really good job.

0:32:510:32:56

For an old house, it has a really nice feel about it.

0:32:560:33:01

-It's quite remarkable.

-It is a remarkable mystery house.

0:33:010:33:06

-And the views are best from the garden.

-Right.

-That's been a sticking point on some properties.

0:33:060:33:12

'The mystery house does seem to have impressed them.

0:33:120:33:16

'The garden seating areas are well-placed to soak up the scenery,

0:33:160:33:21

'but despite the generous size, would they contemplate such splendid isolation?'

0:33:210:33:27

I think in terms of garden, we've come up trumps here.

0:33:310:33:35

By far the largest of them all we have to show you.

0:33:350:33:39

-A definite boundary.

-THIS is a private garden.

-Not overlooked.

0:33:390:33:44

-Only by the sheep.

-So obviously the mystery is

0:33:460:33:50

would you buy a house that is this remote? To know that, you need to know how much it costs.

0:33:500:33:57

-Which is also a mystery.

-That's difficult.

0:33:570:34:00

We are inside the National Park.

0:34:000:34:03

Ah.

0:34:030:34:05

340?

0:34:050:34:08

I was going to say £350,000.

0:34:080:34:11

£350,000.

0:34:110:34:13

Again, you're slightly optimistic.

0:34:130:34:15

-It's at just under £370,000.

-Is it?

-Oh, wow.

-Right.

0:34:150:34:20

If nothing else, it might focus your mind on how much you like the one that's not in a remote location.

0:34:200:34:27

This house in another location would be an even higher price.

0:34:270:34:31

I suppose a lot of people will pay because of where it is.

0:34:310:34:35

-They want to be isolate.

-It's unique.

-Have a wander inside.

0:34:350:34:40

-OK.

-And share your private thoughts to one another and we'll meet at the front.

-Right.

0:34:400:34:47

Sneaking in under budget at just shy of £370,000,

0:34:480:34:52

our mystery farmhouse could be a wonderful rural retreat for large family gatherings,

0:34:520:34:58

offering a beautiful large living room, an enormous light-filled kitchen/diner,

0:34:580:35:03

four bedrooms with a master en-suite and a generous garden with panoramic views over the Dales.

0:35:030:35:10

I think this is my favourite room in this house.

0:35:100:35:14

-It's just what we wanted in terms of size.

-It is. A real square.

0:35:140:35:19

Lovely view. A central focal point with a fire. If you combine this lounge with the kitchen/diner,

0:35:190:35:26

-it exactly fits what we want.

-It is, yes.

0:35:260:35:30

This is a really imposing house. In terms of meeting what we wanted from a property,

0:35:300:35:36

it does tick a lot of the boxes.

0:35:360:35:39

And it's got a nice private garden, probably the best one we have seen.

0:35:390:35:44

You could do a little bit with it.

0:35:440:35:46

This house has been quite an eye-opener for me.

0:35:460:35:50

The location, it's very remote,

0:35:500:35:54

but on the other hand the actual house is very spacious inside and quite modern.

0:35:540:36:00

On we go.

0:36:000:36:02

The great majority of the farms here are cattle or sheep. Some are pretty remote here in the Dales.

0:36:160:36:22

One of the key figures in keeping them all together and up-to-date with what's going on in the world

0:36:220:36:28

is the local vet, so I'm going to meet one of these modern-day James Herriots.

0:36:280:36:34

'Neil Roberts has lived in this area his entire life and devotes most of his working day to giving farmers

0:36:380:36:44

'up-to-date advice on disease prevention and administering vaccines. I met him on a TB check.'

0:36:440:36:52

Fortunately, this part of the world is still relatively clear of TB.

0:36:520:36:56

That is a very big plus point.

0:36:560:36:59

-The farms are on routine four-yearly testing and we get very few breakdowns.

-Right.

0:36:590:37:06

The breakdowns we do have are invariably cattle brought from outside the area.

0:37:060:37:12

'But the life of a vet is never straightforward and, mid-job, a more urgent call comes in.

0:37:120:37:18

'Elsewhere on the farm, an injured pregnant cow is in distress.'

0:37:180:37:22

-How did you get to be a vet? Just because your dad was?

-That was a big factor.

0:37:220:37:28

My father was a vet and I would go round with him quite a lot.

0:37:280:37:32

This particular part of the countryside, the land is suitable for livestock farming.

0:37:320:37:39

It isn't suitable for arable.

0:37:390:37:41

So the land will hopefully always be farmed.

0:37:410:37:46

As long as the land is farmed, there will be a need for vets.

0:37:460:37:50

'Neil's practice looks after about 400 sheep farms and 100 dairy farms,

0:37:500:37:55

'which adds up to 100,000 ewes and over 10,000 dairy cows.

0:37:550:38:01

'This 11-year-old cow has a back injury, which for an animal of this age has serious implications.

0:38:010:38:07

'She may not make it.

0:38:070:38:09

'The problem has been compounded by the weight of her unborn calf,

0:38:090:38:13

'so Neil will have to carry out an emergency Caesarean.'

0:38:130:38:17

-Just keep going with the calf.

-Wow!

0:38:210:38:24

It's amazing. It just came out so fast.

0:38:300:38:34

A big burst of calf! Extraordinary.

0:38:370:38:40

That's pretty intense.

0:38:400:38:43

It's amazing. I've never seen an animal be born before.

0:38:430:38:47

'Unfortunately, even without the weight of the calf, Neil felt the mother wouldn't stand again

0:38:480:38:54

'and it was the kindest option to put her to sleep.

0:38:540:38:58

'But the calf has been saved and although he's a bit premature, Neil is pleased.'

0:38:580:39:04

It's an excellent sign for the calf to hold its own head up.

0:39:040:39:08

And if he blinks when you just touch onto the corner of the eye,

0:39:080:39:12

that is also a very good sign.

0:39:120:39:15

And some sort of suck reflex if you put the finger in the mouth is also a good thing.

0:39:150:39:21

-Has he got that?

-He has.

0:39:210:39:24

That shows it isn't brain-damaged and hasn't been starved of oxygen.

0:39:240:39:29

It's healthy.

0:39:290:39:31

It's trying to get up.

0:39:310:39:33

-All in a day's work for you.

-All in a day's work.

-Covered with blood. It's a proper job.

0:39:330:39:41

Well done!

0:39:410:39:43

'Farming life is fraught with harsh realities and although, sadly, the mother couldn't be saved,

0:39:450:39:51

'the calf will go on to be bottle-fed and soon become a fully-fledged member of the herd.'

0:39:510:39:57

Not sure our mystery house really persuaded Linda and Alan to the solitary life on a fell,

0:39:590:40:05

but as far as I was concerned it was all settled in Settle.

0:40:050:40:09

When Linda saw that kitchen and started crying, it was all sewn up,

0:40:090:40:13

although I have been wrong before. Let's find out what their final decision is.

0:40:130:40:19

Ah, good. Genning up on the details. And you've made me my cream tea.

0:40:190:40:25

-It's a home from home.

-Certainly is.

0:40:250:40:28

So spin back to the very first property we saw yesterday morning,

0:40:280:40:32

-which was the modern house.

-Yes, that was a real surprise.

0:40:320:40:37

-I'd never have believed it was modern.

-That first house made us realise we could downsize.

-Yeah.

0:40:370:40:45

We felt quite cosy. There were a few issues about storage,

0:40:450:40:49

and it might have been a little small in retrospect.

0:40:490:40:54

The biggest letdown... It had this wonderful view, then you took us out to the garden

0:40:540:41:00

and we realised it was a back garden inside somebody else's garden!

0:41:000:41:04

-How did the house on the green feel?

-Oh!

-Hot flash, hot flash!

-Yes.

0:41:040:41:08

It was just unbelievable. The position on the green was lovely.

0:41:080:41:13

When we walked inside, the downstairs...

0:41:130:41:17

-You saw Linda's reaction.

-It was perfect. I don't know how you managed to conjure it up.

0:41:170:41:24

-It was obviously waiting for you.

-It was.

-It had been really well renovated, hadn't it?

-Yes.

0:41:240:41:30

They'd made the best of the space, a nice mixture of old and new.

0:41:300:41:35

Let's talk about the mystery house. This was a wild card.

0:41:350:41:39

-A beautiful house, but in a very remote location.

-Quite a surprise!

0:41:390:41:45

-It's a really imposing building.

-It was lovely and so spacious.

0:41:450:41:49

-The most spacious out of the three.

-And for the third property running,

0:41:490:41:54

it showed that a cottage could be light.

0:41:540:41:59

It's a different style of cottage up here to the south west,

0:41:590:42:03

which tend to be much more small, cosy, but very dark. But the location was a step too far.

0:42:030:42:10

-A long way to the shops.

-Yeah.

0:42:100:42:15

-What happens next? Are you going to revisit the house on the green?

-Definitely.

-Definitely.

0:42:150:42:21

-And put an offer in?

-Definitely!

0:42:210:42:24

Ah! I like that. "Definitely".

0:42:240:42:26

It's been wonderful. You really knew what you wanted,

0:42:260:42:31

-you were very amenable to getting what you wanted, even though it is a massive change for you.

-It is.

0:42:310:42:37

-And you clearly love this area. Everything points to you moving soon.

-I hope you'll come and visit!

0:42:370:42:44

I certainly will. I'm sure we'll be here again. Now let's get down to tea.

0:42:440:42:50

I have a sneaking feeling that Alan and Linda will be firmly ensconced, or should I say settled,

0:42:530:43:01

in North Yorkshire very soon.

0:43:010:43:03

If you've enjoyed the show and would like to see more,

0:43:030:43:08

tune in next time for more Escape To The Country.

0:43:080:43:12

After going back to view the house in Settle for a second time, Alan and Linda's offer was accepted.

0:43:120:43:19

So they should be moving in very soon. If you'd like to escape to the country and need our help,

0:43:190:43:26

please apply online:

0:43:260:43:29

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0:43:430:43:47

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0:43:480:43:50

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