Wales Escape to the Country

Buried deep beneath my feet is a material that's become popular with house owners the world over.

It was discovered here nearly two centuries ago and is still being mined today with high demand.

So where am I? Find out in a moment.

'In today's show, I help a retired couple escape to North Wales.

'I'm brimming with confidence about our first two properties.'

-You like it?

-Stunning.

-A good start! I haven't even got to it yet!

-A good early start, believe me.

'But will our mystery house push our buyers over the edge?'

I don't know if I can put any estate agent gloss over that!

I'm in the county of Gwynedd in North Wales,

an area famous for its slate.

Below me is the old Meirionydd vein.

When it was discovered in 1836, it transformed this region

into an important natural resource in the Victorian industrial age.

At its peak, North Wales produced four-fifths of all slate quarried in Britain.

But there's no doubt that today this part of the country has a lot more to offer than its geology.

With the Snowdonia National Park to the east and the Llyn Peninsula to the west,

Gwynedd is home to some of the most stunning landscapes in Britain.

The coastline offers up mud flats, secluded coves and rocky cliffs

reaching over 1,100 feet at points.

Head inland and this scenery gives way to the rugged peaks and valleys of its mountain ranges,

separating it from the rest of the UK. Traditional cottages and smallholdings,

built using local limestone and slate, dot the hillside.

With so much on offer, it's clear why this area is such an attractive proposition.

An average house in Gwynedd would set you back £140,000.

That's £23,000 less than the national average.

And there's even better news.

You can buy in the heart of the National Park without paying a premium for the privilege.

So let's look at what's currently on the market.

£275,000 will get you this newly-converted barn.

Each of its three bedrooms boasts vaulted ceilings and the sitting room gives the best of both worlds

as you take in the expansive rural setting from its modern and stylish interior.

Or there's this five-bedroom stone farmhouse situated in Rhyd-y-clafdy.

For £599,000 you could sit back in the huge living room and enjoy the breathtaking views.

And when the sun goes down, you can snuggle up in the beamed drawing room with its wood burner.

If budget's not an issue, then take a look at this elegant Grade 1-listed Georgian townhouse.

£785,000 will buy you six bedrooms, this majestic sitting room and a lavish dining room.

Some great properties there and three more coming up.

But will any of them tempt today's couple? Let's find out.

Meet our buyers, Jamal and Dee. For the last 15 years,

they've called this chalet bungalow in North London home. Keen artists and travellers,

both took early retirement from their careers in accountancy and psychology.

They're ready to leave the bright lights of London behind them in favour of more sedate surroundings

and it's not exotic climates that have stolen their hearts.

We've travelled the whole world over, but we like to see weather,

we like to see spring and autumn and having a tropical setting is not exactly what we have in mind.

We'd like to move to North Wales, preferably around Snowdonia National Park area

or the Llyn Peninsula, an area we know quite well.

After researching the move on the internet, their yearning to escape is stronger than ever.

I love photography. I'm just looking for some wider spaces and the open countryside.

But it's not just countryside that they're after.

I like old, ancient properties with interesting features, nooks and crannies,

old floors, panels. That kind of thing is what I like.

The wish list doesn't end there. There's plenty of other essentials they want to add.

I'd like to have at least three bedrooms.

We need two bathrooms because Jamal hates sharing a bathroom either with guests or me.

So a big reception room, preferably, because we love entertaining.

-And...

-Must have outbuildings so we can have our studios for our darkrooms and paint mixing

-and our sculpting. All of those things.

-'Two bathrooms and two studios is a tall order,

'plus Dee loves horse-riding, so ideally they'd like a stable or paddock as well.

'All of that won't be easy to find, so I'm wondering if they're against getting their hands dirty

-'to help make their dream come true.'

-The property we'd really like

should be one that doesn't need a lot of work. We've taken early retirement not to become builders

-but actually...

-And we're useless at DIY, frankly.

-Yes.

Well, you are. I don't do any, so we'll never find out how good or bad I am.

'OK, then. That means the financing for the move is all-important.'

I think our budget for this move will be £450,000.

'We're focusing today's house search in the county of Gwynedd,

'home to the picturesque Llyn Peninsula and the wilderness of the Snowdonia National Park.

'We've got some fantastic houses to show them, but as ever they'll have to guess the price of each property

'before I reveal it to them.

'Then, of course, there's our mystery house, which will provide our buyers with new possibilities.'

-Jamal and Diane, lovely to meet you both.

-Good to meet you, too.

Now you've both decided you want to make Wales your home. North Wales.

-Yeah.

-Wales is known for its beauty, but why this part so much?

It's just so beautiful. They've got fantastic wild coastlines

and mountains and although you get to see that around the world, it just draws me back all the time.

So this is your escape. Are you united in your vision of what you're looking for in a house?

I think for our dream home, we'll know exactly what it is as soon as we see it. We have no idea

-what it is going to be. But as soon as we see it, we'll know it.

-I'm loving the challenge!

-Shall we hit the road?

-Yes.

-Great.

'To finance their new home, Jamal and Dee have a healthy budget of £450,000.

'They're quite open-minded, but do know they want a property with plenty of character,

'two bathrooms, two art studios and room for a pony.

'We're taking Jamal and Dee directly to their dream destination.

'The Llyn Peninsula has it all - dramatic coastlines, tons of local farmland

'and views of the Snowdonia mountain range. It's hard to find a more striking landscape.

'Our first property is just under two miles away from the village of Llithfaen.

'With a tight-knit community, it has a small shop for essentials and at its heart a local pub.

'I hope this white-stone farmhouse with a barn and extra outbuildings sets us off

'on the right foot.'

And this is the set-up. We've got a barn here.

-OK.

-Behind us, we've got the pigsties and storage space,

-which we thought could make fantastic studio space for not one, but two.

-Yeah.

-Definite potential. The setting is just stunning.

-You like it?

-Stunning.

-What a good early start!

-It's a good early start!

-Believe me.

-This is the main farm.

-OK.

-A traditional Welsh farmstead.

-Yeah.

-Dates back to the 1730s, although it is a lot older than that.

-Ready to step inside?

-Definitely.

-Yes. Looking forward to it.

-Welcome to the farmstead.

-Wow. It's really amazing.

Isn't that gorgeous?

-Oooh!

-I like this.

This is really, really interesting.

-And that beautiful fireplace.

-I can see Jamal is taking it all in!

-Yes, I'm...

-Absorbing.

-Slowly absorbing.

-Keep absorbing. We'll take you to the kitchen now.

You really do have a proper country kitchen here.

-Yeah, definitely.

-A real country kitchen.

-It is.

-With the range.

-Yeah, it's a great kitchen. The windows...

Look how small that one is.

-They're so pretty. So cute.

-'So far, so good,

'but there's still plenty more to see.' Step through here...

-into, I think, a very cute sitting room.

-It is.

It's very sweet. You've got a wood fire burner there, very nice character windows.

-It's got a nice feel to it.

-It's characterful.

-Very.

You feel fascinated by it. You want to walk through it.

'On this level of the house there's also a family bathroom and a double bedroom.

'The stepladder in the library area leads to another good-size room currently used for guests.

'By the main entrance a second set of stairs takes you to the master bedroom with walk-in wardrobe.

'Back outside, I've got another surprise in store.'

Now...

-Step inside the barn.

-Oh, wow!

OK.

This is really nice. Really nice.

-And what a surprise.

-Yes, this could be the big dining area.

-Absolutely.

-It depends on what else there is.

-If you've got guests.

We were just thinking it's fine for us, but when we've got friends and family coming,

-where do we sit down and eat?

-A really good point.

-Which could be here.

-Through there you've got the family bathroom. It's actually a shower room.

-OK.

-So a shower room for the barn. A double bedroom through there.

-Right.

-And on the other side of the kitchen, in this direction, well, let me show you.

-Now this sitting room is the opposite of the other house.

-Yeah, it's surprising.

-And it's got a lot of character as well.

-It's a nice, big room.

-It's got a lot of space.

-And its own wood burner.

-Yeah. Very interesting.

-And the mystery staircase.

-It takes you to one other bedroom.

-Ah, I see.

-It's a twin at the moment, but could easily take a double bed.

Through there is another bedroom, so you've got three in total, two here and one at the very end.

And that's a surprise. The property just goes on.

-It just keeps giving and giving.

-It does!

'Jamal and Dee's responses are all very positive.

'Surrounding the house is 1.5 acres of land, which includes a paddock,

'perfect for Dee's aspirations to own a horse. Topping it all off, these glorious views.'

Is this what you both had in mind?

-Yes, it's glorious. The setting is really nice.

-It really is, actually, more than I was imagining.

It's just so beautiful. It's a little homestead.

Now you've showed us the extra accommodation, it's just fallen into place, really.

This is all going swimmingly! It's the big question mark now.

Guess the price.

-How much is this property currently on the market for?

-I'm going to say 450,000

-because I can't imagine it being really any less than that.

-OK.

-4...30.

-The current asking price

-is £435,000.

-For me, that's a good price.

-£15,000 is quite a few pennies in your pocket.

-Yeah.

-Go and have another wander.

-Take your time. I'll catch up with you later.

-Brilliant. Thanks.

On the market for £435,000, this 16th-century property certainly has much to offer.

The homestead is bursting at the seams with character features Jamal and Dee both love.

The converted barn boasts a magnificent double height ceiling.

There's plenty of room for guests with six bedrooms in all.

And there's two required bathrooms, which should keep Jamal happy.

There's also outbuildings and land.

Potentially, this property could be my dream home. It's in a lovely rural setting,

you've got fantastic scenery.

It's got a lovely feel to it. I could probably be quite happy here.

Generally, the feel of the property has bee very encouraging. I'm looking forward to the second!

I don't actually want to leave. I'm quite happy sitting there.

-Have you seen enough?

-Yep. Very enthusiastic about this.

-He's fighting the smile! Great start.

We do have another property today, so we have to hit the road.

It's easy to see why Jamal and Dee have fallen in love with this area.

The Llyn Peninsula boasts some of the most incredible natural heritage coastlines in Wales.

Pwllheli is the unofficial capital of the peninsula

and gets its name from the Welsh phrase "salt water basin".

The Llyn coastal path runs for 84 miles so there's enough to keep Jamal busy beachcombing

-for years to come.

-Look!

That can be my next canvas. It can be all landscape-y.

-Yeah.

-That's really good.

That's really good.

Perfect, perfect.

Much of Pwllheli town was developed by Solomon Andrews,

a businessman from Cardiff, in the 1890s.

His vision of coastal living made this a must-see destination for Victorian holidaymakers,

a trend which has carried through to the present day.

A few minutes away is Llanbedrog. This area has always been popular with art lovers,

so earlier in the week we arranged for Jamal and Dee to visit Oriel Plas Glyn-y-Weddw,

the oldest art gallery in Wales. Resident expert Dilwyn Williams showed them around.

Oriel Plas Glyn-y-Weddw. Here we are at Plas Glyn-y-Weddw Art Gallery.

Originally, this Gothic-style house was built for Lady Love Jones Parry to exhibit her art collection.

Names like Love Jones Parry are unique to this area of Wales,

following the 16th century fashion of adding the word Love to surnames to illustrate Christian faith.

Glyn-y-Weddw, of course, literally translates as valley of the widow.

Built in 1857, so let's go and have a look inside.

Excellent.

The architect Henry Kennedy specialised in building churches

and it's easy to see the ecclesiastical influences here.

Well, here we are inside the main hall. I'm sure you agree it lends itself well to being a gallery,

which is its present use.

Originally a private home, it's now open to the public.

There are 10 exhibiting rooms and one of the most popular shows works by Gareth Parry.

His wild Welsh landscapes are very much in keeping with Jamal and Dee's own style.

-I can see all that rain coming down. It's always raining in Wales!

-Not like today. We do get sunny weather!

-One day, Jamal, you might be exhibiting in this gallery.

-Yes. That's one of our ambitions,

to be able to live in Wales and exhibit in this gallery.

You'd be hard pushed to find anywhere better to exhibit.

No question, this is the perfect location for our artists,

but for now let's get back to finding them the perfect home to be creative in.

Our property search has brought us a little further south from the Llyn Peninsula,

just a short drive from Llanbedr.

It boasts a friendly family butcher and other independently-run shops,

plus there's a church and local pub.

There are plenty of opportunities lining the streets here.

With property number one, it was love at first sight for Dee. Jamal played it closer to his chest.

Time to see how our next offering goes down.

-Before I explain our second property, what do you think?

-It sits very cosily on top of this hill.

-I love the setting and the fact that it's sitting in a little hollow.

-It nestles.

Nestles is the word. I wish I had said that.

Because at the very beginning you both said to me that you knew straight away if you'd like a house.

There's always a little trepidation as we walk to a property.

-This is a traditional Grade 2 Snowdonian house.

-Right.

-Built in 1585.

-Wow.

-But it was extended around 1650 by Colonel John Jones.

-Quite recently, then(!)

-Yes!

-Now he went on to marry Catherine, who was Oliver Cromwell's sister.

-Oh, gosh.

So this property has a pedigree. It was built really as a gentleman's house.

-Looks good from the outside.

-We have to see if we deserve to live in it!

-Let's start the tour.

-So quite a narrow corridor.

-Right.

-But it does lead...

-Oh, lovely.

-..into this spectacular room.

-Isn't it marvellous? It's really lovely.

-Very nice.

It's amazing, isn't it? It's a really ancient room.

-You've got the exposed beams.

-Yep.

-Huge inglenook fireplace.

-Yes.

-If you look to the left,

-that ornate bread oven.

-Wonderful.

-So for your needs, would this work?

-Yes. For a living area it's enough for us.

-Yeah.

-It's what we need.

It's very charming. Definitely.

'Let's hope they're equally charmed by the other rooms I show them.'

So up these steps...

leads through

-to a very spacious kitchen.

-Right. Well, I wasn't expecting this.

-This is rather lovely.

-How does this work for you for entertaining space?

-It works perfectly.

-Yeah, it does.

It's beautifully put together. It's a really good space.

There are two doors in the corner. The one on the right leads to the dairy. They've kept it basic.

It works beautifully as a utility room, a cold store.

-Then further down they use it as a tack room.

-A-ha?

-So loads of space.

But we're going to go through the other door. Upstairs.

So up these stairs - fabulous slate flagstones, centuries old -

-it's actually a study through there.

-OK.

-But we're going to continue up here.

-So up this staircase is the master bedroom.

-Lovely.

-Wow.

Yep, this is very nice. Very nice.

I always like it when you walk into a room and you go, "Wow!"

-It's got a good space, it's very light.

-Look at those wonderful views

-It's got fantastic views.

There's nothing around but beauty.

-Yes.

-It's beginning to feel like a gentleman's home and I'm beginning to feel I deserve living here.

'As befitting any gentleman, this room also has an en-suite bathroom.

'Next door, there's another spacious double

'and a short hop across the hall finds a third and fourth bedroom with more of those fabulous beams,

'but if that's not enough to win their hearts,

'I've got something special that might just steal the show.'

There is one further room I want to show you two because this could be the most fantastic studio.

Now, it's not very lady-like. The things I do to sell a house!

-Jamal, you might get a good view from where you are, but Diane, follow me through.

-I'm through.

-So what do you think?

-Wow, my own train set!

It would be a travesty to take this out. However, if you did, this could make the most amazing space.

-It certainly could.

-This'll do me as a studio. What about Dee?

-Ah!

-We'll find something for Dee. I haven't worked it out yet, but we'll find something.

We'll head back downstairs. Jamal, you lead the way. After you, Diane.

I think this is where we don't film any longer. You can't film our bottoms. Time to say, "Cut!"

'So Jamal's pinched the attic for his art studio,

'but this outbuilding could be a great space for Dee.

'Round the back of the house are stables

'and next door there's a paddock which the current owners rent from a local farmer,

'perfect for Dee's dream of owning a horse.

'Plus, there's a well-tended garden.'

-So, hopefully, we've covered everything for you with that wish list.

-Yeah, you have.

-Yes.

Now the question is - how much is it all worth?

I think we're getting there,

so I think it's going to be £449,999.

I'm going to go a little bit higher than our budget. I'll say 460,000.

Jamal is close once again.

-Oh, dear(!)

-The asking price is £445,000.

I would say for this property it's a very good price.

A very good price. It's a beautiful location.

And this property has presence.

Have another look around on your own. There's plenty to explore.

-I'll catch up with you in a little while.

-Fantastic.

-Thank you.

At £445,000, this property is towards the top end of Jamal and Dee's budget.

The reception hall and drawing room both have open beam ceilings, as do the four bedrooms.

The master bedroom has an en-suite, giving us the two bathrooms,

which is high on Jamal's wish list.

There's also potential for art studios and the opportunity to rent the paddock next door.

We've had a good look at the property.

There were lots of surprises in the property, as well as in the grounds.

So all in all, I really do like this property.

It's a property I could grow into. It's a very charming property.

There are a few little issues regarding space,

but generally, um...I think it is a lovely, lovely house.

-Hello.

-That's got you both thinking, hasn't it?

-Absolutely.

-It certainly has.

-Two very impressive properties.

-Very impressive. Beautiful.

-Have you enjoyed today?

-Loved it.

-Good.

-Very good.

-You can relax now and think about what you've seen. Time to head home.

-Excellent.

'As the sun begins to cast its shadow on the Llyn Peninsula,

'the end of our first day's property search draws to a close.

'Keen artists Jamal and Dee are desperate to find their dream country home,

'so they can retire to Gwynedd in North Wales,

'but have vowed their £450,000 must buy them the perfect property that doesn't need any DIY.

'Coming up, it looks like our mystery house might have pushed them too far.'

-And a capital W for "work".

-Yes.

-'And Dee gets more than she bargained for.'

-I've put my foot in it now, haven't I?

Yesterday was certainly an interesting day -

two properties and two very positive reactions,

but I don't think we found something to suit them both.

Now, Diane, she lost her heart to the first house. With Jamal, it was the second.

So will our mystery house today be the house that they both fall in love with?

Now, if it's a slice of the Welsh countryside they're after,

then the mystery property is my trump card,

but as ever, things are never quite that straightforward.

'Dee was very taken with property number one

'and Jamal felt he'd fit nicely into number two - a gentleman's house.

'But our mystery property could change all that.

'Situated just inside the boundaries of the Snowdonia National Park

'is the popular town of Tremadog with a thriving community full of history and heritage.

'However, it's also the surrounding countryside that makes our next property extra-special.

'Secluded in the Cwm Pennant Valley,

'the dramatic views should get Jamal and Dee's paintbrushes twitching.'

Well, normally, we would start off with a house tour,

but how often do you stand in the middle of the Snowdonia National Park with this view?

It is amazing. We've got the only house in the valley. You could sit here for ever and just look.

-Yes, you've got the river there.

-You're quite taken with this location?

-I love it.

-We haven't seen the inside of the house yet, but...

-That'll come. In good time.

-I don't think you could do too much better than the outside of the house.

-Yes.

-Yes.

Fabulous, fabulous.

We can see the house from here. To the left of it you'll notice the barn.

-It would make the most fantastic artist's studio.

-It would make a brilliant studio.

I've seen the plans and it's got huge skylights, so plenty of natural light.

-It's got a lot of potential.

-I could see those as studios quite easily.

'Before we look at the house, I want to show them the glorious back garden.'

-Would you like to know how much land comes with this property?

-Comes WITH it?

-Yeah.

-Yes.

-OK. So you've got Gyfyng Rock that we saw when we first arrived.

-OK.

-The whole of the rock to the other side...

Keep following it down, so it goes back down into the valley.

-Yeah.

-There's about three acres of woodland down the bottom.

That's all yours, so we're still going.

Keep travelling around, follow the stream and then all the way back.

-The border is the stream, is it?

-The border is the stream.

-That all belongs to the house?

-All 28 acres.

-Wow!

Oh, my goodness! That is unbelievable.

We'll have to buy a lot of sheep.

-At the moment...

-That is crazy.

-..the land is tenanted by the local farmer.

-Yeah.

-If you continued that - revenue to be had.

-Right.

I don't think it could fail to appeal to anybody. It's just absolutely glorious.

There'll be somewhere for your horse in the 28 acres. We'll find a paddock somewhere.

-I think there would be.

-Jamal, I haven't shown you the house yet, but what do you think so far?

-There's a lot to take in.

-I think you're going to let me down somewhere.

-That's why you've kept the house till the end.

-Would I ever let you down?

-You haven't so far.

But I'm expecting you to.

'We'll have to wait and see.

'I just hope this anti-DIY couple can see past all the renovating

'and recognise the immense potential this house has.'

-Come into the mystery house.

-OK.

This is a house with fantastic potential, but it's also a project with a capital P.

Yes, and a capital W for "work".

Yes, definitely. How would you both feel about that?

You would have to do it. What do you think?

-When you say, "YOU have to do it..."

-Personally, you wouldn't...

-I want to make it clear...

-You can't even change a light bulb.

So ONE would need to get something done.

'And this is just the start.

'Either side of the hallway there are two reception rooms

'and ahead lies the kitchen.'

-So this is the oldest part of the house.

-OK, there is a little bit of potential here.

-A bit of an overhaul.

-A bit of an overhaul and quite a lot of work.

-Next door, there's the bathroom. Just have a little peek.

-All right, let's have a look.

OK, it's spacious.

-It's functional.

-It's spacious.

-It's big.

-Functional.

-I don't know about functional.

-I don't think I can put any "estate agent" gloss on that, even me!

-It gives you an idea of what would need to be done.

-Sure, sure.

-However, just standing here, you know what's through that door.

-Yeah.

-That spectacular view.

-If you set the house straight,

you wouldn't want to live anywhere else, basically. It's got fantastic potential.

-Hmm.

-Jamal's very quiet.

-He's always very quiet. It's all this...

-Pondering.

-Pondering.

-I can practically hear the cogs going round.

-It's the worry, I think.

Yes, I'm getting into the project, but I don't think I'm being pulled in very hard right now.

'But as soon as I'm out of earshot, Dee and Jamal start hatching plans.'

You see, I was thinking that this could be something like...

-Having the second bathroom in here?

-Yeah, exactly, having a bathroom.

It's big enough for a bathroom, it's light, you could walk from that main bedroom into here.

Again you're talking a lot of money, aren't you?

-And you're giving up a very nice room for a bathroom.

-Yeah, yeah.

'They don't have to sacrifice this room

'because down the hall there's a toilet that could be transformed into an en-suite for Jamal,

'plus there are three more light and airy double bedrooms for when guests come to stay,

'making four bedrooms in total.'

Ah, happy, smiling faces! Is this a good sign?

You've seen everything there is to see, so I think time for "guess the price".

-How much do you think all this is worth?

-I think 420.

I think it's more, but I'm going to say 400,000 because I'm almost hopin it's going to be something like that

Would you be happy

if I told you the asking price...

..is £395,000?

THEY CHUCKLE

There, I've put my foot in it now, haven't I?

You were so close because you were HOPING it was going to be about that.

Because there's a lot of work to be doing to the house

-and that's something to think about very seriously indeed.

-Mm-hm.

-Before I leave you with that thought, there's a second option with this property.

-Is there?

-You could buy the house...

-Yes.

-..two and a half acres of land...

-Yes.

-..plus the barn for a different price.

-Ah!

You'd still have the stream running through.

They are looking at £250,000 for that.

Oh, crikey! Are they?

-Well, I mean, you know, that's...

-Is that good news? That's all I need to know now.

-It's extraordinary news.

-Yes.

-It's made your mystery house into our mystery house.

-Yes.

-Well done.

-Thank you.

Let's go somewhere quiet where you can gather your thoughts. It's a lot to go through.

At £395,000, the mystery house fits easily in budget.

The main house needs work, but there are some lovely original features.

Upstairs, there's room for guests with four bedrooms, plus a toilet,

providing opportunity for an en-suite,

meeting that all-important two bathroom requirement.

Finally, there's a massive 28 acres

of awe-inspiring Welsh countryside,

but if all that land has them running for the hills, there is a second option.

£250,000 will buy the house, barn and a more manageable 2.5 acres.

It needs a lot of work, a lot of work,

but every time I look out of one of the windows,

I see the view and I see the river and I can hear the river sometimes

and I think, "No, there must be a reason why they've brought us here.

"There must be something that makes this within our reach."

So I haven't completely lost faith, although I'm not going to tell Nicki that.

This is an amazing location, but when we walked into the house, I was initially really disappointed

because we've never done a project before and I wouldn't know where to start, frankly,

but now knowing the price, we are in such a dilemma

because it's a fantastic price and we know that we could do the renovation work.

It's just a question of putting our heads together and doing it.

'I'm taking the opportunity

'to discover more about the rich history of Gwynedd and one of the biggest Welsh exports,

'so I've come to Llechwedd Slate Caverns to meet historical guide Michael Hughes.'

-What exactly is slate?

-Its main ingredients

are mud and clay that's been compressed for 500 million years and the mud and clay turns to slate.

How long has the mine actually been here?

The actual mine started in 1846.

-So when it was discovered here, it must have transformed this part of Wales?

-It did.

It's thanks to the actual slate mine that we've got Blaenau today.

Without a doubt, it's because of the slate we've got the town here.

'The surrounding slate is hundreds of years' worth of waste, dating back to the 18th century.

'These days, we're more eco-minded, so now it's used for making house foundations.'

-So underneath my feet is the mine?

-Yes.

-Are we able to go down there?

-We're going down there now, yes.

-Well, I will follow you.

-OK then.

-Right, off we go.

-Off we go.

Oh, Mick, this is quite a drop!

-It is. We're going down about 400 feet.

-What's the gradient?

-It's on an angle of about one in nine.

-I'm holding you!

-That's all right.

It's the steepest passenger narrow-gauge railway in Britain.

'Years ago, the journey into the mine would have been a long, hard walk,

'but today, it takes just a few minutes.'

-Are we here now?

-Yeah.

-You can hear the water.

-Yeah.

'There's around 25 miles of underground passageways and chambers down here.

'And this main chamber is about 50 feet high.

'Every inch has been chiselled out by hand.'

-This is amazing.

-Yeah.

We always hear about how hard life was,

-but I presume these men were under severe pressure.

-It was a hard life, yes.

-Your average age to start down here is 12 years old.

-That young? When would they finish?

Depending how lucky they were or how unlucky they were, they carried on till about 34, 35.

Then these men would start getting that horrible disease, silicosis, which is dust going on the lungs.

They didn't last long once they had the silicosis, so that was quite grim.

-Yeah.

-What a hard, hard life!

'Thankfully, working conditions have improved,

'but it still takes a lot of hard graft to bring this precious slate to the surface.

'The story doesn't end here.

'The slate still needs to be trimmed and shaped - something tile splitter Glyn Daniels knows all about.

'Glyn makes on average 1,000 tiles a day, all by hand.

'I'm not about to compete with that, but I am itching to test my skills.'

-About there?

-In the middle.

That's it... And again. That's it.

OK...

You know when you take a cake out of a tin

and you're waiting in anticipation to see what it looks like? It feels like that for me.

Gosh, you're strong!

That's not too bad.

'All that's left now are the finishing touches.'

LOUD CRACK

And that gives it the most amazing edge.

Gosh, just think, in a few months' time, that could be someone's roof tile.

'It's great to know I've played a small part in creating someone's perfect home.

'Let's hope I've helped Jamal and Dee too. I can't wait to find out what they really thought

'about the three properties I've shown them on this journey.'

Well, Jamal and Diane, what have you thought of the last couple of days?

Just fantastic. You've given us more than we actually were expecting, to be honest.

So the first property that we saw was the cottage with the converted barn right next door.

Diane, you were taken with it straight away.

I was. It had a lovely feel to it, just the way the buildings were sort of situated.

I think when you first took us into the stone cottage, it was really interesting and very pretty.

What a lovely conversion!

The second property we showed you was very different from the first.

We started off with the cottage, then we moved slightly up-scale to the gentleman's house.

I think Jamal was more struck with i in terms of it being a little bit more imposing.

On the whole, the garden, the stream, the hollow in which that property was situated,

I fell in love with, I really liked that place.

-It was a lovely house.

-It was very attractive.

Grade 2 listed and in the centre of the Snowdonia National Park,

which brings us on to our mystery house.

-You did want a little bit of land, you said, when we started this house hunt.

-Yes.

We managed to find you a property with 28 acres.

-But it didn't seem to faze you too much.

-Well, it did, I suppose.

It was quite overwhelming, but it's irresistible in its location.

But then it's a renovation job.

The bonus for us was the price you gave us, the two options,

and the lower price option is a very good option because if the sums add up,

then there is a possibility that we may go for it. I don't know.

You see, we had promised ourselves when we started on this tour that you've kindly led us on

-that we would never get involved with a building project.

-That's true.

-Here we are...

-Discussing it.

-..doing the sums.

So what is the next step going to be for the two of you?

I think there's sort of a tension between properties one and three.

That's something we...certainly I would like to take forward.

I think it's only property three.

-Have you bought this house already?

-In my mind, I have.

I feel we're getting close. There's plenty of opportunities with this mystery house.

There are lots of opportunities, but it has given us a dilemma.

We'll take it forward and see what we can come up with and how it works out.

Whatever happens, because I know you'll be moving very soon, please keep in touch.

-I'm glad we've helped get you closer to your dream.

-Thank you.

-Thank you very much.

That's it, the end of our search here in North Wales.

Now, we've certainly given Jamal and Diane plenty to mull over.

And I've got a feeling it won't be too long before Diane comes round to Jamal's way of thinking

and the mystery house is turned into the perfect artists' retreat.

I certainly hope so.

See you next time.

After revisiting the mystery house,

Jamal and Dee decided that it was too much of a project for them after all,

but they have found a perfect home in North Wales

and plan to be living their country dream very soon.

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