Devon Escape to the Country

Summertime in Britain means one thing. Cream teas.

So, I'm in luck. I'm at a county show where, yesterday,

the team behind me made the largest scone in the world.

So, you're probably guessing one of two counties.

But have you got the right one?

You'll find out in a minute.

In today's show, I'll be helping a dynamic couple who are keen

to earn their keep from their move to the country.

We get off to a bumpy start.

I don't know why. It just, it doesn't blow me away.

Then, things look more hopeful.

Yes!

And, finally, our mystery house puts them completely in a spin.

And breathe, dear. And breathe. I'm worrying how to look after all that.

Did you plump for the right one?

Well, today, I'm in Devon in the West Country.

Now, the eagle-eyed amongst you will have spotted that

because the jam is on the cream. Whereas in Cornwall, the cream is on the jam.

Now, both counties are fiercely proud of their cream tea tradition

and it was here, at the County Show in 2010,

that the Devonians launched a campaign to claim the cream tea

as their very own by protecting it under EU rules,

a bit like champagne.

So, it's a good thing that the landscape around here

offers you plenty of opportunity to work off the calories.

I can't resist it, I've got to have one more bite.

Set in the south-west of England,

Devon is bordered by Dorset

and Somerset to the east and Cornwall to the west.

From seaside towns such as Paignton and the Georgian harbour of Dartmouth,

through to the inland splendour of its two national parks,

this county is blessed with epic landscapes.

With 450 miles of footpaths and bridleways,

Dartmoor serves up excellent walking terrain.

But it's also home to the infamous Dartmoor ponies,

which, although roam free,

are actually owned by local farmers

who have grazing rights to the moorland.

And with more Blue Flag beaches than any other county in England,

it's no surprise that Devon is the second most popular

tourist destination outside London.

But what exactly are today's house-hunters looking for?

Let's meet them, shall we?

Peter and Lyn have lived in this four-bed chalet-bungalow

in Winchester in Hampshire for 16 years.

With Peter just taking redundancy from his job at the council

and Lyn ready to give up her post as a clerical assistant,

now seems the perfect time to follow their dream of moving

to the countryside to start a new business venture.

When we move to the country, we're really hoping to run

a holiday let business, if possible, to generate an income for us.

They've agreed on a move to Devon, but whether it's a village location

or somewhere more isolated is up for debate.

Pete is more interested in being closer to a village.

But I don't mind being slightly more remote if that gives us

the opportunity to have some land.

I'm quite interested in having some alpacas.

Although Peter's not quite so keen.

Peter may not share Lyn's alpaca dream, but they do agree

on the requirements for inside the property.

We'd like to have a cosy lounge to relax in.

It would be nice to have a study as well, wouldn't it?

And also, the kitchen doesn't have to be massive, as long as

we've got a reasonable-sized kitchen.

And we'd like, preferably, three bedrooms upstairs,

so that we can have visitors to come and stay.

But we'd really like something characterful, even quirky.

And with the wish list all set out,

they've got a clear idea on how much they've got to spend.

Our budget for this move is ?650,000.

We've unearthed some top-notch properties to show our buyers.

And, as usual, they'll have to guess what they're on the market for

before I reveal it to them.

The final property is our mystery house, which has royal connections.

But will it prove more than they can handle?

Peter, Lyn, welcome to Devon, in the West Country.

South Devon, to be precise.

And welcome to what could be a new life for you. How exciting. Yes.

It is, definitely. You're both smiling, which is a good start.

A new business venture, holiday lets. How do you feel about this?

Have you ever done it before? We've not, no.

We're going for a lifestyle change. Something completely different.

That's what we're really looking forward to.

Let's talk budgets. Are you flexible?

We are, we've got a budget of ?650,000, or thereabouts.

OK. It is a lovely county.

We've got two houses for you to see

and the mystery property, of course. Very exciting. I love your smile.

Let's hope you're smiling at the end of it.

With their ?650,000 budget,

Peter and Lyn are looking for a character home

which gives them comfortable living areas, three bedrooms,

and crucially, they want to earn

an income of at least ?12,000

from running a holiday let.

However, the question of whether

they want to be in a village or

remote is still open to discussion.

To kick-start our property search,

we're heading to the popular village

of Doddiscombsleigh,

just outside Dartmoor National Park.

Doddiscombsleigh is an ancient village set in a conservation area

on the ridge in the Haldon Hills.

It's home to a 16th-century pub,

a church dating back to the 15th century

and a number of medieval buildings, many of which have thatched roofs.

I'm confident that the location of our first house is spot-on,

as it's one the edge of the village, with stunning views

across the Teign Valley.

I'm hoping that the first thing that hits you as we approach the house

is...how quiet is it?

Very quiet. Very. Very quiet. Lovely.

And what about the house itself?

Well, it looks as though it's got potential. Looks good.

But I'd really like to look inside to give my full opinion.

OK, I'm getting the impression that you want to get inside.

Do you want to get inside? OK, let's get inside.

Originally built in the 1970s,

this house isn't chocolate box from the outside, but it has been

extensively renovated and its interior has a very welcoming feel.

It's got a nice stable door, here. Oh, yes.

We'll explore that part of the house later.

That's the annexe. A cloakroom, there.

They often say that the kitchen is the heart of the house, don't they?

Yes. They do. Come on through. Just check that view out. Wow.

That's some view. That is a lovely view. Yes.

It's also got a walk-in larder. It's just got better, hasn't it?

Yeah, that's good. And also, a utility room through there as well.

The layout of the kitchen is not quite how I'd have the layout.

I like clean lines and space, normally,

and I do find it a little bit cluttered.

Well, there's plenty more to see,

so I think we should carry on with our tour, shall we?

So, come on through to the lounge, reception room.

What do you think? Yeah, looks nice. Is it big enough?

The first thing I have to ask you. Yes, it's certainly big. Yeah.

I like the way it's got a double aspect.

A completely different view in that direction from this direction.

Even in this room,

I'm getting a sense of slight disappointment with you.

The house isn't blowing me away yet.

And also, it's a bit more modern than I would have liked.

I wanted something, when we moved,

I wanted something with a bit more character to it.

Well, I think this property has lots to offer,

but, so far, none of my enthusiasm for it has rubbed off on Lyn.

What will she make of upstairs?

The current owners added this entire first floor to create

two good-sized double bedrooms, a family bathroom

and a very generous master bedroom with en-suite shower.

That's a lovely room. Yeah. Nice and light. Isn't it just? Yes.

It's a lot better headroom than our place. Current house, yes.

And it's nice to have the ensuite. It's a lovely room. Definitely.

Oh, you've gone from quite nice to lovely.

Well, it is, it is, it's growing on me.

Thankfully, Lyn's warming to this house, and I hope we can build

on that, as we head downstairs to explore the holiday let annexe.

So, welcome to your annexe.

Interesting. And what does Positive Peter think about this?

Well, so far so good.

I would have preferred the accommodation for guests

to be in a separate building,

rather than to be quite so close to our living area.

Although the set-up may not be exactly to Peter

and Lyn's liking, this annexe with its lounge, one double bedroom

and bathroom has a proven track record as a holiday let.

They've had long-term lets in. Usually about ?500 a month.

At peak season, a weekly let here would be about 400 quid. Good.

That sounds good. That's encouraging. Encouraging in what way?

I think the fact that the business has been turning over

and it's reliable is a good sign.

And it's a business which they could, potentially, expand.

Because at the back of the property, there's a garage

and a further four outbuildings that could, with the relevant

planning permission, be turned into holiday lets.

The current owners have already created a self-contained annexe here,

which includes a reception room with an open-plan kitchen

and a double bedroom with an en-suite shower.

It certainly gives Peter and Lyn a good idea

of what might be achievable here.

What's more, the four acres of land outside gives Lyn

double the amount she asked for.

And she should be pleased with the new neighbours,

who'll shortly be moving in to the adjoining fields.

The current owners are going to keep two of the fields, there.

And you'll never guess what they're going to put on there. Go on.

Alpacas. Alpacas. No.

So, your alpacas could bond with their alpacas

and maybe make other alpacas.

It's a flourishing business. Fantastic, yes.

Anyway, you've liked some aspects of it

and you haven't liked other aspects, it's fair to say.

And I think we should talk money, don't you?

So, what do you reckon it's currently on the market for?

I would say ?599,000. OK. How about you, Lyn?

I'm going to say a little bit more. I think about 610,000.

?610,000.

I can tell you that it's currently on the market for ?625,000. Right.

Certainly, as we said before, potential. Food for thought.

Peter and Lyn may not have entirely warmed to this property

but, as a whole, it answers many of

the demands on their wish list.

Under budget at ?625,000,

it has a large, bright kitchen

and a generously-sized living room.

Along with three double bedrooms.

There's an existing one-bedroom holiday let,

which achieves ?400 a week in peak season.

Along with various outbuildings, which they could develop.

Finally, there's four acres of land,

with stunning views over the Teign Valley.

Country shows are important events for showcasing

the very best of what rural life has to offer.

And the annual Devon County Show represents

one of the biggest highlights in the South West's agricultural calendar.

With a history stretching back to 1872,

it now attracts over 90,000 visitors,

including a large number of competitors

who come to exhibit their prized animals.

And it's all under the watchful eye of Chief Steward

and livestock farmer Edward Darke.

Edward, morning, how are you?

I'm fine, how are you? Good. How long have you been involved with the show?

Me, I've been actually stewarding, what, 45 years. Whoa.

And I've been chief steward for over 20 years.

How much livestock is there in the show, then? We've got 1,450 sheep.

About 550 cattle. And 200 pigs. Whoa.

Yeah. And so what is going on behind us, today?

We're judging the Wool on the Hoof. The Wool on the Hoof.

That's right, yes.

With around 60 native breeds of sheep in the UK,

these Wool on the Hoof competitions draw together sheep breeders

from across the country.

The finest wool is always found down the front shoulders of the animal.

We're then looking for the quality to be transmitted

right down the back of the sheep.

Right down to the tops of the hind legs. OK.

These are all class winners. What I'm trying to do now is pick the best from the best.

I'm glad you're doing it!

At last, the moment is upon us.

And this is what they're all after. The winning rosette.

Wonder who's going to win it? The tension is mounting.

And the overall wool champion is...

Congratulations. Thank you very much. Well done. Thank you.

Well done, you. You weren't expecting that, were you?

No, I wasn't.

So this feels good? It does, indeed. Congratulations. Have a great day. Well done.

To get an idea of what recognition in the competitive arena

means for farmers, I'm meeting Ollie Allen, the show's Secretary.

How important is this for the farmers? Very important.

It's their shop window. An animal can be brought here

and a rosette which will cost me about ?1.50

can make hundreds of pounds of difference

to the value of that animal. It's that important? Yes. Oh, yeah.

140 years after its first show,

it's great to see Devon's rich cultural heritage

is still thriving and so passionately celebrated.

But for now we are returning back to our house hunt.

For our second property, we're heading towards the coast,

to the popular village of Newton Ferrers,

situated on the estuary of the River Yealm.

The village offers a wide range of amenities, including a post office,

three pubs and a butcher's shop.

In the centre of the village is our second property,

whose character will hopefully be more up their street.

There's a lot to take in here. OK.

Right. This is what we thought would be your property.

It's a converted barn. What do you think? Yeah, looks nice.

I've quite fancied having a barn, actually.

Yes! I didn't even know that! No!

It's amazing what you find out on this show, you know.

First impression's good? Yes. This is good.

It's got a lot of character, hasn't it? Yes. Certainly.

That's a converted coach house.

And the top floor of that is a studio apartment,

that would be your rental opportunity. Oh, right.

Down below is a garage.

And you're living in an area where everyone wants to live.

Can't be bad. No. Sounds good.

All we've got to do now is go in and see if you like it.

Come on in. Don't be shy. Oh, you're smiling.

That's more my sort of kitchen.

Very impressive.

Is it too modern for you? I don't know. I think I could live with it.

Do you like the whole, the open-plan aspect of it?

Some aspects of it, I do. How about you, Peter? Yeah, I do, I do.

I like it.

You came in all smiles, thinking this is brilliant,

and now you're picking away at it.

You're making me analyse it more now.

Oh, yeah, I shouldn't do that, should I? That's my problem.

We should just go with,

"It's fabulous. Right, how much do you think it's worth?" No.

Could you imagine yourself living in this space?

Yes. It's quite intriguing.

I want you to tell me how you feel. I like it.

I've just got to think about it a bit more.

While Lyn's gathering her thoughts,

we'll explore the remaining rooms, all of which are on one level.

There's a double bedroom,

a twin room and a shower room.

Finally, at the end of the corridor,

there's the master bedroom, which has its own ensuite.

Yeah, nice bedroom. Lovely bedroom. Very nice.

Tiny bit small.

I'm not sure how we're going to get all of our stuff,

belongings, into this property.

That's what's beginning to worry me.

Have you got a lot of stuff? Well, we have.

I've got just, just the place for you to have a look at. Oh. Yeah.

I'm hoping that the sunroom,

which can be also accessed through the house, will fit the bill.

Lovely suntrap, this, isn't it?

Looks nice. Absolutely. The view's nice.

So, you wanted some storage space for your books.

I think this would make a lovely reading room, summer room, office.

It is very nice. It is nice. This is really spacious.

Very private as well. Yes, yes.

There's a door, there, where you can just go... Secret door!

Secret door, yeah. Wow. That's fantastic.

We've thought of everything.

Well, at least, I hope we have.

Time to see what they make of the holiday let.

So, you've got a very private courtyard here, for your guests.

Nice, isn't it? Very nice.

Gets the sun at the end of the day, apparently. Come on through.

Downstairs, there's an entrance hall with a shower room,

but we're heading to the top floor, which has the main accommodation.

Capital P for potential.

Got a functional kitchen. On the top of the stairs.

And then, yet again, open-plan living space. That's very nice.

Yes, I like that. This is a very nice room. I do like the room.

Guess how much, on average, you get for this room, as it is now.

?500? More or less, between ?400 and ?600.

Peak season, you're looking closer to the 600.

You're looking at about 16 grand a year,

if you rent this out for 40 weeks.

Really? Right. That's very good. That is good.

So, this property would easily make the ?12,000 a year

they're hoping for.

But if they were to renovate the garage,

they could increase that figure even more.

There's one area of the property that we haven't touched on yet,

and that's the land.

So, you've seen the property.

I can't believe you went round the whole thing without saying,

"Where's the land?"

This is the land. This is the land. Is that an issue?

I would have liked a bit more land, really. To be honest.

Two acres, I felt, was rather a lot.

This is on the other end of the scale. Rather a little.

So, what do you reckon this whole plot is on the market for?

I think it's going to be nearer the top end of our budget

because of the location and the style.

So, I think at least 650,000. OK. 650,000.

I was thinking just a shade below that at 635,000.

It is a quality property

and it's currently on the market for ?625,000.

I'm surprised at that. So, it gives you some money to play around with.

Yes, yes, it does. I'm pleasantly surprised at the price. I am, too.

Set in one of the most desirable villages in the area,

this barn conversion comes in under budget at ?625,000.

It has a fantastic open-plan reception room

and a large, airy garden room.

Along with three bedrooms.

And the separate holiday let currently brings in

a healthy annual income of around ?16,000.

I think we should take stock, have a relax

and we'll start again tomorrow.

How's that? Sounds good. Great idea.

As evening falls over the Devon countryside,

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

Ah, the sun is out, the skies are blue,

there's nothing more for me to do

than to find Peter and Lyn their dream property here in South Devon.

And do you know what? I think it's going to be easier said than done.

Because after yesterday, for me personally, confusion reigns.

So, along comes the mystery property to solve all our problems.

Well, hopefully. It's got bags of character.

Lyn was after character, wasn't she?

It's also a fantastic business opportunity. That's a good thing.

It's also got land for the dear alpacas.

It's actually got more land

than I think we've ever shown on the programme.

And it's remote. It's probably one of the remotest houses in England.

Ah, let's go for it.

The nearest village to our mystery property is Moretonhampstead,

some six-and-a-half miles away.

Set in the heart of the Dartmoor National Park, the property's

closest neighbour is a pub, which is situated just over a mile away.

Our Grade II listed house comes with not one, but two holiday cottages.

It's also got a royal connection, but more about that later.

First, let's see what they make of it.

Come on, you two.

Look at this! That's something special, isn't it? One of a kind.

It is so different from anything we could even have thought about.

So, first impression's good? Very good. First impressions, excellent.

Excellent! Oh, I like that. As you see, you've got little stables as well.

Yes, yes. And quite a bit of land.

About 18 acres to graze in. And then 575 acres to play around in.

Wow. That's monstrous!

And breathe, dear. And breathe.

I'm just worrying about how to look after all that. You don't have to.

The animals look after it. They'd eat the grass.

You're saying all the right things. We want to look inside.

The land is held under a very special leasehold arrangement.

But that's all I'm saying for the moment.

Back to the property, which has been extensively refurbished in a style

that I'm hoping is to Peter and Lyn's taste.

First thing that hits you is this original stone floor.

It's mad, isn't it? Lovely. Yeah.

So, here, you've got a toilet, there.

And a very useful utility room.

Wow. That really has got a lot of character.

You wanted cosy, if I remember rightly? Yes. Yes. Really nice.

Again, the stone floor everywhere. It's fantastic, isn't it?

And beams that have got good headroom as well.

Exactly. Even for you. Yeah, even for me.

There's a wood burner, there.

Also a little bread oven.

It's got an original 15th-century window, there, as well. Love it.

Smashing. Bags full of character.

Yes. It really has.

That unique character-feel continues next door, in the kitchen.

Come on through. Very bright kitchen. Lovely. Lovely and light.

Very nice. Not the largest, it's fair to say. No.

But practical. And even though it's clean lines,

it's still got character with those windows.

Hasn't it just? And the stonework. You like it? I love it.

Very well done. Oh, excellent.

Downstairs seems to have hit the mark.

So, we'll head upstairs, where the accommodation flows off

a corridor and comprises of a family bathroom and two double bedrooms.

I'm liking it. I'm liking you today! Honestly, I really am.

There's nothing wrong with the size of this.

When you think of the space around it. Absolutely. In the other rooms.

Well, I think we should go

and have a look at the business end of the equation, don't you? Yes.

Come on then, let's go.

Like the house,

both holiday cottages have been completely renovated.

The first provides a generous dining-kitchen, a family bathroom

and a good-sized double bedroom, with a large reception room upstairs.

But we'll take a look at the second cottage,

which has a good income attached to it.

Let me take you to the two-bedroom, though.

This has been established, if you like.

It takes about 14 grand a year.

Does it? Yeah. So, 14 grand a year for that, one without this one.

Yes, yes. Very good. It's pretty impressive, isn't it?

Very attractive. Again, beautifully done.

Shall we go in? Let's have a look. Come on.

We're going upstairs to the main living room,

with its impressive vaulted roof.

That's another lovely room. This is a lovely room, isn't it?

And it's so thoughtfully been put together. Yes.

All the remaining rooms are set out on the ground floor

and consist of two bedrooms.

One a nice-sized twin and the other a double, with its own ensuite.

There's also a bright, modern kitchen and a shower room.

Our mystery house presents them with a real one-off proposition.

But at what price?

Let's talk money.

What do you think it's on the market for?

Well, I think it's definitely over our budget. OK.

And I'll guess at ?675,000. OK.

Yes, so I'll say 685,000. OK, interesting.

It's on the market for ?675,000, well done. Really? Oh.

And the reason it's not on the market for, you know,

1.5 million or whatever is, actually, it's leasehold.

It's a leasehold property. You know who the freeholder is? Go on.

The Duchy of Cornwall. Prince Charles. Oh, yes. Oh, my goodness.

So, has that changed things for you?

I'm a great fan of Prince Charles. So, I don't see a problem with that.

I like Prince Charles as well. They could visit.

This property is currently held

on a 39-year lease from the Duchy of Cornwall.

There is often no automatic right of lease renewal.

However, the Duchy regularly grants replacement agreements,

subject to agreeing terms.

Granted, our mystery property is over budget at ?675,000,

but that can be offset by the larger income potential

from the two holiday lets.

It gives Peter and Lyn a character home with a large living room

and kitchen that retain their original features,

along with two bedrooms.

The two holiday cottages would earn them

approximately ?24,000 a year.

Set in just over 590 acres of remote moorland,

the dilemma has to be whether they could consider living here

under a leasehold which is

held by the Duchy of Cornwall.

Peter's enthusiasm and infectious smile has been there throughout.

But it's been a little bit more difficult to please our Lyn.

The question is,

have we shown them something that completely hits the mark?

Let's find out.

Let's talk about the properties. First one, with the four acres of land.

You rounded that corner with all the right intentions

and I'd say halfway through the search, you lost your mojo a bit.

Yeah, yeah. I think that's fair,

because the house didn't have all the capacity

to accommodate our interests. Right. There was one living room there.

The view was amazing, though. The view was stunning.

I loved the view and I loved the land.

The holiday let, it was quite small.

OK, well, let's move to the second property.

And this one in the heart of the community.

The letting opportunity there was good and could be extended.

But, again, it was really feeling trapped into that living space,

with the combined kitchen and sitting room as one room.

And there was nowhere to get away from Lyn.

That's nice, isn't it? Charming. No escape from the wife.

Let's talk about the mystery property.

I find myself on the road to Damascus, being completely changed

from wanting to be in the centre of a community

with lots of space within the house

to finding that wonderful property out on the moors

with no neighbour in sight. Lyn?

Not so sure?

I would need to think about it a bit more.

I think it is really remote.

But you were the one that was quite for being remote. I know.

And I didn't want so much land. Agh!

Honestly, you have SO confused me over the last two days.

We've confused ourselves! I think you have!

I hope that you do find your dream property, here, in Devon.

It's been fabulous being with you, it really has.

Cheers. And let's hope our paths cross again. Cheers.

Cheers. All the best to you. Thank you.

Peter and Lyn's Devon adventure has come to an end.

I think it's fair to say that we did finish on something of a high.

But, boy, has it been confusing?

Cos I'm not really convinced

that they actually knew what they wanted.

The proof being that they went off the original wish list

pretty early on.

Sometimes, you think you've got a clear idea of what you want

and then, wham, your heart rules your head.

And that's exactly what happened with Peter.

I think it will take him quite a while, though,

to convince our Lyn.

But I hope he does, cos I think they'll both be happy

in this beautiful county.

Until next time, bye-bye.

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