0:00:02 > 0:00:04Today, I'm in a county famous for a landscape
0:00:04 > 0:00:07bursting with reminders of its prehistoric past.
0:00:07 > 0:00:12These mysterious stone circles date back over 4,500 years.
0:00:12 > 0:00:15Where am I? Find out in just a moment
0:00:15 > 0:00:17as we escape to the country.
0:00:45 > 0:00:47On today's show, I'll be helping a couple
0:00:47 > 0:00:50fulfil a dream they've had for 30 years
0:00:50 > 0:00:52of retiring to the country.
0:00:52 > 0:00:53It's just the right size.
0:00:53 > 0:00:56- It's warming, isn't it? It's nice.- It is.
0:00:56 > 0:01:00But the more challenges we chuck at them, the more excited they become.
0:01:00 > 0:01:03This is a potential nightmare. You like the look of this?
0:01:03 > 0:01:06Absolutely, yeah. I'm really up for this.
0:01:06 > 0:01:09- Why?- It's just got everything we've been looking for
0:01:09 > 0:01:12but we haven't been able to find. You've done it.
0:01:13 > 0:01:16Today I'm in Cornwall, on the edge of Bodmin Moor,
0:01:16 > 0:01:19an area rich in early prehistoric sites.
0:01:19 > 0:01:23Now, there are over 15,000 of these dotted across the county
0:01:23 > 0:01:26but this one behind me here is one of the largest.
0:01:26 > 0:01:27Known as the Hurlers,
0:01:27 > 0:01:30it's thought that these stones were once local men
0:01:30 > 0:01:34that were turned to stone for playing hurling on the Sabbath.
0:01:34 > 0:01:36But ancient history isn't the only thing
0:01:36 > 0:01:39this wonderful county has going for it.
0:01:41 > 0:01:45With 300 miles of coastline wrapped around the country,
0:01:45 > 0:01:48Cornwall's 165 beaches are in a league of their own
0:01:48 > 0:01:51with Bedruthan Steps and its volcanic pillars
0:01:51 > 0:01:52a spectacular sight.
0:01:52 > 0:01:57Of Cornwall's 12 designated areas of outstanding natural beauty,
0:01:57 > 0:02:00Bodmin Moor is the only one completely inland.
0:02:00 > 0:02:03The granite that underlies this wild and rugged terrain
0:02:03 > 0:02:06is a defining feature of the buildings
0:02:06 > 0:02:09found in its moorland towns and villages.
0:02:09 > 0:02:12This region offers up the perfect package of coast and countryside
0:02:12 > 0:02:16so understandably house buyers are keen to put down roots here.
0:02:22 > 0:02:25Coastal properties here in Cornwall sell for a premium
0:02:25 > 0:02:29and can fetch anything between 10-15% more than those found inland,
0:02:29 > 0:02:32due in no small part to the huge amount of people
0:02:32 > 0:02:35looking to buy second homes, holiday rentals
0:02:35 > 0:02:38or who may simply just wish to retire to the seaside.
0:02:38 > 0:02:42So the smart move could be to look for property inland
0:02:42 > 0:02:44especially when you bear in mind,
0:02:44 > 0:02:48the average cost of a detached house in Cornwall is £275,000.
0:02:48 > 0:02:51That's 6% above the national average.
0:02:51 > 0:02:55So with that in mind, take a look at a great selection of properties
0:02:55 > 0:02:57we've found currently on the market here.
0:02:57 > 0:03:03£235,000 will buy you this pretty two-bedroom cottage near St Dominic.
0:03:03 > 0:03:08Its living areas are packed to the rafters with character features
0:03:08 > 0:03:10and high-quality modern fittings.
0:03:10 > 0:03:15Outside, the landscape garden looks out over the Tamar Valley.
0:03:15 > 0:03:18Or for just shy of £600,000,
0:03:18 > 0:03:20what about this six-bedroom Georgian property
0:03:20 > 0:03:22on the outskirts of Penzance?
0:03:22 > 0:03:26Its generous reception rooms are offset by magnificent sash windows.
0:03:26 > 0:03:30What's more, it offers the luxury of a swimming pool in the basement
0:03:30 > 0:03:33and sea views towards St Michael's Mount.
0:03:35 > 0:03:38If your budget can stretch to £625,000
0:03:38 > 0:03:42this four-bedroom grade 2 listed property near Whitsand Bay
0:03:42 > 0:03:43might be worth a look.
0:03:43 > 0:03:45Formerly two gamekeepers' cottages,
0:03:45 > 0:03:48it's packed with original features
0:03:48 > 0:03:51from exposed beams to stone fireplaces.
0:03:51 > 0:03:53And outside, the lawned garden
0:03:53 > 0:03:56comes with its very own stream.
0:03:56 > 0:03:58A great selection of Cornish properties there.
0:03:58 > 0:04:00Time to meet today's buyers
0:04:00 > 0:04:03who are hoping to make this countryside their home.
0:04:05 > 0:04:08David and June may now have retired but they keep busy
0:04:08 > 0:04:10by looking after the grandchildren
0:04:10 > 0:04:14at their daughter's house on the outskirts of Fareham in Hampshire.
0:04:14 > 0:04:16We are a really close family
0:04:16 > 0:04:19and we spend holidays abroad together.
0:04:19 > 0:04:21Every Christmas,
0:04:21 > 0:04:25- they all congregate in our house. - They descend on us, don't they?
0:04:25 > 0:04:26Easter time.
0:04:26 > 0:04:32'They still like jelly and ice cream for their birthdays
0:04:32 > 0:04:33'and they're 37 and 40.'
0:04:33 > 0:04:36We've just got a wonderful relationship
0:04:36 > 0:04:39'with our two daughters and our grandchildren.'
0:04:39 > 0:04:41I have said to our daughter,
0:04:41 > 0:04:44if she'd like to sign the adoption papers, we'll take them on.
0:04:44 > 0:04:47- We have them that often, but we love them to bits.- Yes.
0:04:47 > 0:04:52Although they have spent much of their lives in and around Fareham
0:04:52 > 0:04:54and have strong family ties there,
0:04:54 > 0:04:57they now want to act on an idea they hatched 30 years ago
0:04:57 > 0:04:59and move down to Cornwall.
0:04:59 > 0:05:02They have opted to look in the Launceston area
0:05:02 > 0:05:06and have a clear picture of what their Cornish property must deliver.
0:05:06 > 0:05:09On approach, I'd like to see granite stonework,
0:05:09 > 0:05:11I'd like to see a nice slate roof, if possible
0:05:11 > 0:05:15and going through the front door, if it's got a beautiful entrance
0:05:15 > 0:05:17so when people come, we can welcome them
0:05:17 > 0:05:20and then we move on into the lounge -
0:05:20 > 0:05:23nice size, because we always have the family with us.
0:05:23 > 0:05:27They're often visiting. Christmas, we've had as many as 18 people.
0:05:27 > 0:05:29June loves to entertain.
0:05:29 > 0:05:33Three bedrooms. One bathroom's sufficient.
0:05:33 > 0:05:37If a bedroom has an en suite, superb.
0:05:37 > 0:05:40But the kitchen, if it could accommodate our table and chairs
0:05:40 > 0:05:41that would be nice.
0:05:41 > 0:05:47'I would like perhaps a feature fireplace.'
0:05:47 > 0:05:49Inside, quirkier the better.
0:05:49 > 0:05:51And we'd like a garden which is wrap-around
0:05:51 > 0:05:55so that any time of the day, we could sit in the sun if we wanted.
0:05:55 > 0:05:58June and David have renovated many properties together
0:05:58 > 0:06:01and are clearly quite a formidable team.
0:06:01 > 0:06:04We've been going out since June was 15 and I was 17.
0:06:04 > 0:06:08We've now been married for 44 years this year.
0:06:08 > 0:06:10We read each other's minds.
0:06:10 > 0:06:15We'll know exactly what we want together.
0:06:15 > 0:06:18- It's...- It's...- We just know what we want, don't we?
0:06:18 > 0:06:21- We complement each other. - We do, yeah. Yeah.
0:06:21 > 0:06:23It will be perfect.
0:06:23 > 0:06:26- I've got the brains, you've got the brawn.- Yeah.
0:06:27 > 0:06:31So far, their househunting efforts in Cornwall have come up short
0:06:31 > 0:06:34but the money's already in the bank from the sale of their house
0:06:34 > 0:06:37and they've set their sights on how much they're ready to spend.
0:06:37 > 0:06:39Our budget is £300,000.
0:06:41 > 0:06:44Well, let's hope we can find a fantastic property
0:06:44 > 0:06:47that matches June's brain with David's brawn.
0:06:47 > 0:06:49For their budget of £300,000,
0:06:49 > 0:06:52they're after a detached property with at least three beds,
0:06:52 > 0:06:54maybe a renovation project
0:06:54 > 0:06:58and the house itself needs to be on the edge of or close to a village
0:06:58 > 0:07:00with a good-sized garden or maybe even land.
0:07:00 > 0:07:02With these strict requirements,
0:07:02 > 0:07:05David and June have already come to Cornwall in the past
0:07:05 > 0:07:07in search of their perfect property.
0:07:07 > 0:07:09But they've gone home empty-handed.
0:07:09 > 0:07:11Let's hope this time, we can do a bit better.
0:07:14 > 0:07:17David and June want to focus their search inland
0:07:17 > 0:07:19in the hope they'll get a bit more for their money.
0:07:19 > 0:07:22At their request, we'll base our house search
0:07:22 > 0:07:24around the market town of Launceston.
0:07:24 > 0:07:27We've picked three very different properties to show our couple
0:07:27 > 0:07:31but I won't reveal the price of each until they've had a guess first.
0:07:31 > 0:07:33And there's always an outside chance
0:07:33 > 0:07:37that our mystery house could be the answer to their prayers.
0:07:37 > 0:07:39Well, David and June, welcome to Cornwall.
0:07:39 > 0:07:42- Beautiful day, isn't it? - It is.- Yes, superb.
0:07:42 > 0:07:44You've hand-picked the day for us.
0:07:44 > 0:07:46Well, I try to sort everything out, to be honest.
0:07:46 > 0:07:49- Exciting time, isn't it? - It is, very.
0:07:49 > 0:07:52- A complete move to a new part of the world for you guys.- Yep.
0:07:52 > 0:07:55Why Launceston area of Cornwall?
0:07:55 > 0:07:58Well, it's mainly down to budget.
0:07:58 > 0:08:00You get more for your money inland.
0:08:00 > 0:08:06- Yep.- And, you know, we've gone past the beachy stage of our lives
0:08:06 > 0:08:10and it's only a half an hour, 45-minute drive anyway.
0:08:10 > 0:08:12And I don't surf. I don't sail.
0:08:12 > 0:08:14THEY ALL LAUGH
0:08:14 > 0:08:17- Have you thought about compromises? - This has to be the right property.
0:08:17 > 0:08:19We don't want to find somewhere,
0:08:19 > 0:08:22sort of live there for a couple of years
0:08:22 > 0:08:24- and think, "This isn't really for us."- No.
0:08:24 > 0:08:28- It's going to be our last move, we think.- That's why we're being fussy.
0:08:28 > 0:08:32Let's not waste any more time. Let's get on with the first property.
0:08:36 > 0:08:38For their budget of £300,000,
0:08:38 > 0:08:41June and David want a detached period property
0:08:41 > 0:08:44and would relish the idea of a renovation project.
0:08:44 > 0:08:47However, it must give them a large family living room
0:08:47 > 0:08:49with a feature fireplace,
0:08:49 > 0:08:52a kitchen, along with space for a family sit-down meal,
0:08:52 > 0:08:53three bedrooms
0:08:53 > 0:08:56and a wrap-around garden in the region of half an acre -
0:08:56 > 0:08:59all lying within easy reach of a village.
0:09:03 > 0:09:06We're kicking off our property search in the hamlet of Trekenner,
0:09:06 > 0:09:10just five miles from all the amenities of Launceston
0:09:10 > 0:09:14but with a good pub only 15 minutes' walk away in nearby Treburley.
0:09:14 > 0:09:15Back in the heart of the hamlet,
0:09:15 > 0:09:17we find our first property,
0:09:17 > 0:09:20which comes complete with its own garage.
0:09:20 > 0:09:23Now, the house, this rendered detached number,
0:09:23 > 0:09:24what are your thoughts?
0:09:24 > 0:09:27- I like it. - Yeah, I like it.- I really do.
0:09:27 > 0:09:29I like the slate roof.
0:09:29 > 0:09:32I can see there's a nice chimney, wide chimney going up.
0:09:32 > 0:09:35It's got a bit of a wobble to it as well, which...
0:09:35 > 0:09:37Yeah, but perhaps there's a nice fireplace within.
0:09:37 > 0:09:42Well, fingers crossed! There's a lot of history attached to this.
0:09:42 > 0:09:44Now, 1650 was when it was built.
0:09:44 > 0:09:47Initially it was a two-up two-down cob house. In more recent times,
0:09:47 > 0:09:51it's been a dairy, I think in the 1960s it was even a post office.
0:09:51 > 0:09:53You can still see hints of its past there.
0:09:53 > 0:09:55- Not too far to take the letters. - Not far at all, no!
0:09:55 > 0:09:57As a walk-up, you see this house,
0:09:57 > 0:10:01does this house say David and June?
0:10:01 > 0:10:02- Yeah, I think so.- Yes.
0:10:02 > 0:10:04- I think so.- It's nice.
0:10:04 > 0:10:08But I'll give you my decision when I've seen inside.
0:10:08 > 0:10:10OK, let's not halt that decision any longer.
0:10:10 > 0:10:12- Right, let's go.- Thank you.
0:10:14 > 0:10:16I'm happy with that as a first reaction.
0:10:16 > 0:10:18Inside, David won't find a project
0:10:18 > 0:10:22but there are lots of character features I hope they like.
0:10:22 > 0:10:27Right now, you'll instantly notice some 1650 proportions.
0:10:27 > 0:10:29- Yes!- Thankfully,
0:10:29 > 0:10:34the kitchen is 1960s and you've got a bit more room in here.
0:10:34 > 0:10:36Come right in, David.
0:10:36 > 0:10:38- Oh, it's...- Yeah.
0:10:38 > 0:10:39It's just the right size.
0:10:39 > 0:10:42- It's warming, isn't it? It's nice.- It is.
0:10:42 > 0:10:43Oh! There's...
0:10:43 > 0:10:45- Our table would fit there.- Yeah.
0:10:45 > 0:10:48- You've pointed at something. What's that?- That's the range.
0:10:48 > 0:10:52Now, quite a treat. A lot of city people might think, "Gas, big deal."
0:10:52 > 0:10:55Everything in this house is mains. Mains drainage, mains gas.
0:10:55 > 0:10:58Now, what do you think of the style of this kitchen?
0:10:58 > 0:11:02- This is tastefully done.- It is. - Well, so far, so good.
0:11:02 > 0:11:05At the back, there's a useful cloakroom
0:11:05 > 0:11:08but will they settle for the unusual layout next door?
0:11:08 > 0:11:11Now, what do you think of this bathroom?
0:11:11 > 0:11:14- Oh, right.- OK.
0:11:14 > 0:11:16- You got a separate shower.- Yes.
0:11:16 > 0:11:21I mean, here you see some of the owner's expert handiwork.
0:11:21 > 0:11:23- This is really nice, isn't it, with the dark?- I like it.
0:11:23 > 0:11:25Is there one upstairs?
0:11:25 > 0:11:28- Ah.- Now, there's a potential hiccup.
0:11:28 > 0:11:29- There isn't?- No.- OK.
0:11:29 > 0:11:31Well, what do you think about having
0:11:31 > 0:11:34- just a downstairs-only bathroom? - I could live with that.
0:11:34 > 0:11:35I could live with that.
0:11:35 > 0:11:39It's great that they're being open-minded about the quirks
0:11:39 > 0:11:41which inevitably crop up in an older property.
0:11:41 > 0:11:43Time to head to the front of the house
0:11:43 > 0:11:46and check out those character features.
0:11:46 > 0:11:47Now then, this is where I think
0:11:47 > 0:11:50the real history of the building comes out
0:11:50 > 0:11:52and it's illustrated here.
0:11:52 > 0:11:54Now, what was one of the key features?
0:11:54 > 0:11:56- Fireplace.- Fireplace.- That's lovely.
0:11:56 > 0:11:59- It really bangs out some heat, doesn't it?- Lovely, yes.
0:11:59 > 0:12:03I read this would have been quite a small house. They've opened it up
0:12:03 > 0:12:05and you get a good-sized living space.
0:12:05 > 0:12:08- It's a good size for us.- Yes. - This is a nice size.
0:12:08 > 0:12:10- It is a lovely size.- Yeah.- Good.
0:12:10 > 0:12:12- Wow.- So downstairs...
0:12:12 > 0:12:15- Good.- Thumbs up? - Oh, yes, definitely.- Definitely.
0:12:15 > 0:12:19Brilliant. Upstairs, let's see, shall we? OK.
0:12:19 > 0:12:22'It looks like family Christmases around the fire are sorted
0:12:22 > 0:12:24'so let's see if they think there's enough space
0:12:24 > 0:12:26'in the three bedrooms upstairs.'
0:12:26 > 0:12:28- Children's bedroom.- It is, yes.
0:12:28 > 0:12:30Now one of three, I thought,
0:12:30 > 0:12:33and this is the smallest, I think, or thereabouts.
0:12:33 > 0:12:36- It's not a bad size for a cottage. - No, it's good.
0:12:36 > 0:12:39You could even put a double bed in there, couldn't you?
0:12:39 > 0:12:43- You could.- Or bunk beds if it's children staying here?
0:12:43 > 0:12:45- It's up to you.- We've got a double bed at the moment.
0:12:45 > 0:12:47- OK, there you go, then.- Yeah.
0:12:47 > 0:12:50- All right?- Yeah, good. - It's lovely, yes.
0:12:50 > 0:12:52Cool. Now then, bedroom number one.
0:12:52 > 0:12:55- I'll walk you past two and we'll go into three.- Three, yes.
0:12:55 > 0:12:57Now, mind your head, mind the step.
0:13:00 > 0:13:04Bedroom two through there. I think that's definitely a children's room.
0:13:04 > 0:13:06This is your master bedroom.
0:13:06 > 0:13:10- Yes. Oh, beautiful floorboards. - Yeah. Nice size.
0:13:10 > 0:13:14And upstairs, big enough for you guys with guests staying?
0:13:14 > 0:13:17- Yeah.- Internally, it sounds like
0:13:17 > 0:13:19this house is doing it for you guys
0:13:19 > 0:13:23- but outside was a big thing for you. - It was.- Nice big garden.- Yeah.
0:13:23 > 0:13:24Let's see what do you think of that.
0:13:25 > 0:13:29There's no denying that this cottage is impeccably presented
0:13:29 > 0:13:32which means David doesn't get his grand project.
0:13:32 > 0:13:36Outside delivers the wrap-around garden they asked for, and all told,
0:13:36 > 0:13:38amounts to about a quarter of an acre
0:13:38 > 0:13:40with plenty of scope for landscaping.
0:13:40 > 0:13:44There's a separate zone which David could develop for the grandchildren.
0:13:44 > 0:13:46Now what about the price?
0:13:46 > 0:13:49So now you've seen the house, inside and out,
0:13:49 > 0:13:52how much do you think it's on the market for?
0:13:52 > 0:13:54- Who wants to go first? - June.- I'll go first.
0:13:54 > 0:13:56- You're good at this.- Yes. Um...
0:13:56 > 0:13:57295.
0:13:57 > 0:13:58OK, June. 295.
0:13:58 > 0:14:02Well, as the majority of the work's been done,
0:14:02 > 0:14:03310.
0:14:03 > 0:14:05310?
0:14:05 > 0:14:07Good guesses, both of you.
0:14:07 > 0:14:10June, you are good. It's on the market for £295,000. So well done.
0:14:10 > 0:14:14Why don't you go back in? Have a look at the rest of the garden,
0:14:14 > 0:14:18- look inside the house.- Yes, thank you.- Thank you.- Catch you later.
0:14:19 > 0:14:22Under budget at £295,000,
0:14:22 > 0:14:25this charming cottage is a great retirement option
0:14:25 > 0:14:27as there's no work needed.
0:14:27 > 0:14:31It's in great decorative order and gives them a spacious kitchen,
0:14:31 > 0:14:34a large living room with traditional features,
0:14:34 > 0:14:35three bedrooms
0:14:35 > 0:14:38and that quarter-acre wrap-around garden
0:14:38 > 0:14:42with far-reaching views over Dartmoor.
0:14:42 > 0:14:46The outside is pleasing to the eye.
0:14:46 > 0:14:49The inside is beautifully done.
0:14:49 > 0:14:53The bedrooms are more than adequate for size.
0:14:53 > 0:14:57The lounge is cosy, the kitchen is just the right size.
0:14:57 > 0:14:59The garden is the right size.
0:14:59 > 0:15:01I can do a lot with that.
0:15:01 > 0:15:04The proximity of the neighbours might be an issue with us.
0:15:04 > 0:15:06They're just too close.
0:15:14 > 0:15:17Against the backdrop
0:15:17 > 0:15:20of Bodmin and Dartmoor's remote hills,
0:15:20 > 0:15:23lie villages and small towns with a rich heritage of their own.
0:15:23 > 0:15:26Launceston today may have a population of around 7,000,
0:15:26 > 0:15:31but traces of its history stretch back 1,000 years.
0:15:31 > 0:15:35Besides the Royal Mint being located here during Saxon times,
0:15:35 > 0:15:39the 13th century castle remains still dominate the town,
0:15:39 > 0:15:40standing testament to it being
0:15:40 > 0:15:44a stronghold for the Earl of Cornwall during the Middle Ages.
0:15:45 > 0:15:49By the 17th century, Launceston was established as the centre for
0:15:49 > 0:15:53the Cornish wool industry, which, although is in decline nowadays,
0:15:53 > 0:15:57still boasts the only organic production wool mill in the county.
0:15:57 > 0:16:00It's the enterprise of Sue Blacker, who, 15 years ago,
0:16:00 > 0:16:04gave up her city job and returned to her Cornish roots,
0:16:04 > 0:16:07intent on keeping the art of traditional wool production alive.
0:16:07 > 0:16:09Earlier in the week,
0:16:09 > 0:16:11we sent June and David to meet her,
0:16:11 > 0:16:14to find out more about how her spinning business
0:16:14 > 0:16:17offers a lifeline to small-scale sheep farmers far afield.
0:16:19 > 0:16:21There are over 60 breeds of sheep in the UK
0:16:21 > 0:16:26and some 10 of them are really rare and endangered.
0:16:26 > 0:16:30They're the ones that we're particularly keen on
0:16:30 > 0:16:34and try to support, to enable them to continue.
0:16:34 > 0:16:36Although we're based here,
0:16:36 > 0:16:39our customers are from everywhere in the UK.
0:16:39 > 0:16:42The factory processes fleece into yarn
0:16:42 > 0:16:46for more than 1,000 smallholders across Britain,
0:16:46 > 0:16:50with breeds ranging from Shetland to Bluefaced Leicester.
0:16:50 > 0:16:53The process starts here in the sorting room, where the
0:16:53 > 0:16:56raw fleeces such as this one from a Jacob sheep, are brought.
0:16:58 > 0:17:01- A whole fleece. - Here we have a whole fleece.
0:17:01 > 0:17:05We pull out the white and put it at one end.
0:17:08 > 0:17:11Very time-consuming, isn't it?
0:17:11 > 0:17:15It takes me about twice as long to colour sort a fleece,
0:17:15 > 0:17:18as to sort a plain fleece.
0:17:18 > 0:17:21Did you to design this apparatus for it all to fall through?
0:17:21 > 0:17:22Effectively, yeah.
0:17:22 > 0:17:25And then we take the dark and put it at this end,
0:17:25 > 0:17:29and anything that's really sort of halfway...
0:17:29 > 0:17:32I think we could get a job, June. Definitely get a job.
0:17:32 > 0:17:34..we just leave in the middle as grey.
0:17:34 > 0:17:36Very dark Jacob sheep.
0:17:36 > 0:17:39If you feel it, it's fine.
0:17:39 > 0:17:43It's quite a nice fleece. The handle is lovely,
0:17:43 > 0:17:45but it's quite messy to sort.
0:17:46 > 0:17:49The fleece is sorted to remove poor quality fibres,
0:17:49 > 0:17:51as well as for colour.
0:17:51 > 0:17:53Perhaps you'd like to put the grey in the grey bag?
0:17:57 > 0:17:59That's the other thing.
0:17:59 > 0:18:02It looks brown and white but it'll actually spin to grey.
0:18:02 > 0:18:05Sue has established a viable rural business, and is also
0:18:05 > 0:18:06playing her part to ensure
0:18:06 > 0:18:10small farms have a marketable product,
0:18:10 > 0:18:13that ensures traditional countryside crafts are not a dying breed.
0:18:17 > 0:18:19We're continuing our house search
0:18:19 > 0:18:21just half an hour's drive from Launceston,
0:18:21 > 0:18:24near the historic market town of Bodmin.
0:18:24 > 0:18:27Its grand civic buildings made of local granite stone,
0:18:27 > 0:18:31serve as a reminder that this was formerly Cornwall's county town.
0:18:31 > 0:18:33A couple of miles away,
0:18:33 > 0:18:37in a fantastically rural spot, is our second property -
0:18:37 > 0:18:40and historic tin mine engine house, which really throws
0:18:40 > 0:18:43down the gauntlet to David in terms of a renovation project.
0:18:43 > 0:18:46Into this sleepy hollow
0:18:46 > 0:18:49- we find a quirky house. - Oh, my goodness me!
0:18:49 > 0:18:51Oh, my goodness.
0:18:51 > 0:18:55- That is quirky.- Couldn't wish for more granite stone, could you?
0:18:55 > 0:18:58When you said you liked granite stone, I thought, "I know a place."
0:18:58 > 0:19:01- Lovely slate roof.- Yes. - That is incredible.
0:19:01 > 0:19:03Look at the size of the slates on that roof.
0:19:03 > 0:19:06- And also the roof looks... - In good condition, doesn't it?
0:19:06 > 0:19:10- It looks in decent shape.- It does, yes.- Looks can be deceiving.
0:19:10 > 0:19:13There is a lot of work to be done to this place,
0:19:13 > 0:19:15but first of all, let me explain what we've got here.
0:19:15 > 0:19:18- Yes.- You've got a home,
0:19:18 > 0:19:20potential business,
0:19:20 > 0:19:23and a huge, huge project.
0:19:23 > 0:19:25Residential accommodation is the first half,
0:19:25 > 0:19:28just beyond those French windows.
0:19:28 > 0:19:30According to planning consent,
0:19:30 > 0:19:33the next part of the building
0:19:33 > 0:19:36is for letting accommodation - holiday lets, if you like.
0:19:36 > 0:19:39It's been there for such a long time,
0:19:39 > 0:19:42the owners have spoken to the local planning authority
0:19:42 > 0:19:45and they say they're happy for it to be turned back into complete
0:19:45 > 0:19:49residential accommodation, but only if the new owners want it that way.
0:19:49 > 0:19:51Apparently, getting that consent changed,
0:19:51 > 0:19:54is going to cost you about £170. Beyond that,
0:19:54 > 0:19:56that is your major, major project.
0:19:56 > 0:19:58It's up to you what you do with it.
0:19:58 > 0:20:02Could be a project to end of projects, couldn't it?
0:20:02 > 0:20:03- Or a giant barbecue!- Yes!
0:20:03 > 0:20:07Imagine the size of the steaks on that! So what do you think?
0:20:07 > 0:20:09- It's beautiful.- It's lovely. - Absolutely beautiful.
0:20:09 > 0:20:13- It's ticking boxes.- Good.
0:20:13 > 0:20:15David really means business,
0:20:15 > 0:20:19but it's no mean feat to transform this into a comfortable home.
0:20:21 > 0:20:22Right then.
0:20:22 > 0:20:24Tell me what you think now.
0:20:24 > 0:20:26- Oh my goodness.- Oh my goodness.
0:20:26 > 0:20:29This is just what we're looking for.
0:20:29 > 0:20:33Not overdone with beams, still a bit of height.
0:20:33 > 0:20:35Incredible! Lovely size.
0:20:35 > 0:20:38- Suit our family down to the ground. - It's amazing.
0:20:38 > 0:20:41To a lot of people, this is a potential nightmare.
0:20:41 > 0:20:44- You like the look of this? - Absolutely, yeah.
0:20:44 > 0:20:46- I'm really up for this.- Why?
0:20:46 > 0:20:49It's just got everything we've been looking for,
0:20:49 > 0:20:51but we've not been able to find.
0:20:51 > 0:20:53- You've done it.- Brilliant. - At this stage.
0:20:53 > 0:20:58- Let's see more, shall we? - Yes, please.- Follow me.
0:20:58 > 0:21:00OK. Here's a good place to start
0:21:00 > 0:21:02to get an idea of the geography of this place.
0:21:02 > 0:21:06You've got a downstairs loo, bathroom and shower,
0:21:06 > 0:21:08and, now it's up to you,
0:21:08 > 0:21:11maybe a spare bedroom or an office,
0:21:11 > 0:21:13whatever you want to use it for.
0:21:13 > 0:21:16- A study? Yes.- You don't have to walk straight into the kitchen.
0:21:16 > 0:21:18- You've got this lovely entrance hall.- That's nice.
0:21:18 > 0:21:22- This is a lovely laid out hallway. - Yes.- Yes, it's nice, isn't it?
0:21:22 > 0:21:24How would you have this arranged?
0:21:24 > 0:21:27The grandfather clock's going there.
0:21:27 > 0:21:29- Is it?- Absolutely going there, yes. I can see it as I come in.
0:21:29 > 0:21:33- Wow! Yeah, it would suit it, wouldn't it?- Yes, it would.
0:21:33 > 0:21:37And an armchair or small sofa, there.
0:21:37 > 0:21:39I was about to say, June, sounds like David's moving here,
0:21:39 > 0:21:42- but you're both on the same page, aren't you?- Yeah.
0:21:42 > 0:21:45In addition to the single bedroom downstairs,
0:21:45 > 0:21:48there are two good-sized bedrooms upstairs, one with its own
0:21:48 > 0:21:52en suite. It all needs a bit of a cosmetic overhaul,
0:21:52 > 0:21:55but let's see if we can keep up the positive momentum in the next room.
0:21:56 > 0:21:59I don't think size is an issue with this place.
0:21:59 > 0:22:04- My goodness, that's a good size.- It is. Can you see the furniture here?
0:22:04 > 0:22:06- Oh, look! A wood burner. - That's good, yeah.
0:22:06 > 0:22:07Look, this has been done up.
0:22:07 > 0:22:10You can see it's been done up, post-'60s.
0:22:10 > 0:22:12There's quirkiness to it.
0:22:12 > 0:22:16You look at that upright there, it's a railway sleeper,
0:22:16 > 0:22:19but I don't think every piece of wood here has to stay.
0:22:19 > 0:22:21A lot of this is faux, tacked to the ceiling.
0:22:21 > 0:22:23So you can make it whatever you want it to be.
0:22:23 > 0:22:26I can see amazing Christmases.
0:22:26 > 0:22:31Just imagine, you can keep the wood stove there,
0:22:31 > 0:22:35or you put a big inglenook style fireplace there,
0:22:35 > 0:22:39and you can either have a huge dining table or Christmas here,
0:22:39 > 0:22:42all the grandchildren around, playing with their toys.
0:22:42 > 0:22:46It's just a really good, adaptable space, isn't it?
0:22:46 > 0:22:50I'm delighted that they're embracing this project with such
0:22:50 > 0:22:55enthusiasm, but will they be as inspired by the annex,
0:22:55 > 0:22:57which has its own little kitchen area and bathroom,
0:22:57 > 0:23:00along with two bedrooms upstairs, one single,
0:23:00 > 0:23:02the other a potential double?
0:23:02 > 0:23:06It would be difficult to get consent for a house to be
0:23:06 > 0:23:08turned into holiday lets.
0:23:08 > 0:23:09You've already got that here.
0:23:09 > 0:23:12And if members of the family wanted to stay,
0:23:12 > 0:23:14they could stay and be self-contained.
0:23:14 > 0:23:17- Absolutely, yes.- You got the best of both worlds.- Yes.
0:23:17 > 0:23:21June and David seem to be grabbing this amazing development
0:23:21 > 0:23:23opportunity by the horns, so here's hoping they're not
0:23:23 > 0:23:27fazed by the space and work needed outside.
0:23:27 > 0:23:30- You can see a lot of land here, can't you?- You can, yes.
0:23:30 > 0:23:33Tell you just how much. Pretty much as far as you can see
0:23:33 > 0:23:35on that fence line, there.
0:23:35 > 0:23:37The other side of that lovely old oak,
0:23:37 > 0:23:39all the way around,
0:23:39 > 0:23:41just over 1.3 acres.
0:23:41 > 0:23:46It's very hard to value this place, because it's fairly unique.
0:23:46 > 0:23:48You've got a piece of Cornish history,
0:23:48 > 0:23:52but you can live in it, but you get all this land as well.
0:23:52 > 0:23:56- How much do you think it's on the market for? - I think this is going to be cruel,
0:23:56 > 0:23:59and I think it's way over our budget.
0:23:59 > 0:24:01I'm going for 330.
0:24:01 > 0:24:03OK. 330, David.
0:24:03 > 0:24:06I'm going to be a real skinflint
0:24:06 > 0:24:09and say 275.
0:24:09 > 0:24:11Right, OK.
0:24:11 > 0:24:15Well, when this first came on the market, it was 330.
0:24:15 > 0:24:19It's now on the market for 309,950.
0:24:19 > 0:24:22That's not a bad price, is it?
0:24:22 > 0:24:24In your eyes, I'll give you that.
0:24:24 > 0:24:27This is a huge undertaking for anybody,
0:24:27 > 0:24:30so why don't you go and have a look around the land?
0:24:30 > 0:24:32I'm sure you're dying to get into that barn, as well.
0:24:32 > 0:24:36Help yourself. You've got a short amount of daylight left.
0:24:36 > 0:24:38Use it. And I'll catch you later.
0:24:38 > 0:24:40- Thank you very much. - Thank you very much indeed.
0:24:45 > 0:24:48Although this converted engine house is over their budget
0:24:48 > 0:24:52by nearly £10,000, it could provide them with an income
0:24:52 > 0:24:55from the holiday let possibility and is a one-off opportunity to
0:24:55 > 0:25:00create a fantastic home, from a local piece of Cornish history.
0:25:00 > 0:25:03As it stands, it gives them a huge kitchen-diner,
0:25:03 > 0:25:07an enormous living room, perfect for those family gatherings,
0:25:07 > 0:25:10a potential earner from the holiday let annexe
0:25:10 > 0:25:13and one and a third acres of land,
0:25:13 > 0:25:16all set in a spectacular rural location,
0:25:16 > 0:25:18but with Bodmin just a couple of miles down the road.
0:25:18 > 0:25:22This house has really given me food for thought.
0:25:22 > 0:25:25There's a lot to take in but I do love it.
0:25:25 > 0:25:28I absolutely love this property.
0:25:28 > 0:25:30I particularly want to do something up.
0:25:30 > 0:25:35The potential is there and there's a possible income from some of it.
0:25:35 > 0:25:37- All done?- Yes. Very impressed.
0:25:37 > 0:25:39- Not moving in yet, are you?- No. No.
0:25:39 > 0:25:42- I'd like to! - I know you would!
0:25:47 > 0:25:50As evening falls over the Cornish skyline,
0:25:50 > 0:25:53the first day of our property search draws to a close.
0:25:57 > 0:26:00Armed with their £300,000 budget,
0:26:00 > 0:26:02June and David are poised to make
0:26:02 > 0:26:06the leap from the busy outskirts of Fareham to inland Cornwall.
0:26:06 > 0:26:07Retirement it may be,
0:26:07 > 0:26:10but out of the two properties we've shown them so far,
0:26:10 > 0:26:13David leapt at the chance of completely renovating
0:26:13 > 0:26:15the engine house.
0:26:15 > 0:26:17Coming up, our mystery house leaves them awestruck.
0:26:18 > 0:26:20The buzz word here is space.
0:26:20 > 0:26:22This is huge, isn't it?
0:26:22 > 0:26:24'And I meet some of the resident wildlife
0:26:24 > 0:26:26'receiving sanctuary in the area.'
0:26:26 > 0:26:28It's amazing!
0:26:31 > 0:26:33Well, a good day yesterday, wasn't it?
0:26:33 > 0:26:36We had wonderful weather and we had great properties.
0:26:36 > 0:26:38Two very different properties, mind you.
0:26:38 > 0:26:40But great reactions in both of them, nonetheless.
0:26:40 > 0:26:44Although, having now slept on it, I've started to get the impression
0:26:44 > 0:26:46that maybe David was more keen on that big project
0:26:46 > 0:26:49that the second house gave them than June.
0:26:49 > 0:26:52But another wonderful start to the day today
0:26:52 > 0:26:54and we've got the mystery house to look at.
0:26:54 > 0:26:58As ever, it's here to challenge the expectations of our house hunters.
0:26:58 > 0:26:59But one thing's for sure,
0:26:59 > 0:27:02June and David should be getting their fair share of quirky.
0:27:09 > 0:27:13What are you expecting now from the mystery house?
0:27:13 > 0:27:14I don't really know.
0:27:14 > 0:27:17- What would you like it to be? - OK. I'll compromise.
0:27:17 > 0:27:20I don't necessarily need a moat and portcullis.
0:27:20 > 0:27:24- I can safely tell you that it's not a castle.- OK.
0:27:24 > 0:27:26But that's all I'm going to tell you.
0:27:26 > 0:27:28There's history attached to this property.
0:27:28 > 0:27:32One thing beginning with Q that this property has
0:27:32 > 0:27:34and that is something you've asked for is quirky.
0:27:34 > 0:27:36- So we're sticking with that theme. - That's brilliant.
0:27:36 > 0:27:39Everything else is off piste.
0:27:42 > 0:27:44For our mystery property,
0:27:44 > 0:27:48we're doing a complete U-turn on giving David his renovation project.
0:27:48 > 0:27:50We are, however, heading closer to Launceston,
0:27:50 > 0:27:52around eight miles from the attractive moorland village
0:27:52 > 0:27:55of Altarnun with amenities that include
0:27:55 > 0:27:57a pub, a post office
0:27:57 > 0:27:59and a village shop.
0:27:59 > 0:28:00Its 15th-century parish church
0:28:00 > 0:28:02is known as the Cathedral on the Moor,
0:28:02 > 0:28:06and this granite stone is a defining feature of the local architecture,
0:28:06 > 0:28:11as we find with this Wesleyan chapel conversion dating back to 1875
0:28:11 > 0:28:14where the hard work's already been done.
0:28:14 > 0:28:16Ever thought about living in a church?
0:28:16 > 0:28:19Didn't have it down as an option but, yeah, OK.
0:28:19 > 0:28:21I'll need to get a swear box.
0:28:21 > 0:28:23THEY LAUGH
0:28:23 > 0:28:25You might be losing a bit of loose change in there.
0:28:25 > 0:28:27But let's talk about the area.
0:28:27 > 0:28:29First of all, what can you hear?
0:28:29 > 0:28:30Birds.
0:28:30 > 0:28:34This is your local main road and look, this is rush hour.
0:28:34 > 0:28:38A couple of little bits and bobs which make this the mystery house.
0:28:38 > 0:28:41Obviously, it's a converted church. It's very, very different inside.
0:28:41 > 0:28:46- But also, your garden is split. You have a garden to the back.- Yes.
0:28:46 > 0:28:48You've also got a vegetable patch raised up there as well.
0:28:48 > 0:28:50- That's novel.- It is novel, isn't it?
0:28:50 > 0:28:52Yes. Let's get in there then.
0:28:52 > 0:28:55Shall we? All right, come on then.
0:28:56 > 0:28:59'They may not have thought of hosting family gatherings
0:28:59 > 0:29:04'in a chapel, but as they'll see, inside, it's surprisingly homely.'
0:29:04 > 0:29:06The buzz word here is space.
0:29:06 > 0:29:08This is huge, isn't it?
0:29:08 > 0:29:11- Hasn't it been nicely done? - It has.- I really think it has.
0:29:11 > 0:29:13- Very tastefully done, yes. - I really do.
0:29:13 > 0:29:17- The decor in here is how we would want to live.- Is it?!
0:29:17 > 0:29:20- Exactly.- Yes.- Yes.- Well, take the furniture out
0:29:20 > 0:29:23and you do have what a lot of agents would call a blank canvas.
0:29:23 > 0:29:28- But what they've kept here, I think, has been pretty clever.- Yes.
0:29:28 > 0:29:30- Obviously, you've got the pew. - That's nice.
0:29:30 > 0:29:34- But even the shelving is a pew with a top on it.- Right!
0:29:34 > 0:29:36Wow.
0:29:36 > 0:29:38I think there's a new altar in town.
0:29:38 > 0:29:42- There's a wonderful wood burner. - That's large enough, isn't it?- Yeah.
0:29:42 > 0:29:45'I know downstairs space is really important to them,
0:29:45 > 0:29:50'so let's see if the proportions of the kitchen measure up.'
0:29:51 > 0:29:56- Now then, another good-sized room, I think you'll agree.- This is nice.
0:29:56 > 0:29:59- Isn't it light?- Yes, really light.
0:29:59 > 0:30:03- Deceiving too, isn't it? Cos it's a good size.- Yeah.
0:30:03 > 0:30:07This to me feels like a day room. You'd spend a lot of time in here
0:30:07 > 0:30:10because it's so big. You've got a lovely, brand new range there.
0:30:10 > 0:30:11Right.
0:30:11 > 0:30:14I'm glad you like the style of this
0:30:14 > 0:30:16- because if you didn't, it would be an awful waste.- Yes.
0:30:16 > 0:30:20- So two rooms down, still smiling? - Yes, definitely.- Yes.
0:30:20 > 0:30:22'They've definitely warmed to the large,
0:30:22 > 0:30:24'convivial living spaces downstairs,
0:30:24 > 0:30:27'so let's head up the impressive wooden staircase
0:30:27 > 0:30:29'and take a look at the two bedrooms.'
0:30:31 > 0:30:33Now, the architect has had to box fairly clever
0:30:33 > 0:30:36with this conversion because it's always difficult
0:30:36 > 0:30:39to get a wonderful, large living space downstairs
0:30:39 > 0:30:43but still get bedrooms above when you've got windows like that.
0:30:43 > 0:30:45One of the reasons they've managed to get
0:30:45 > 0:30:47this lovely, galleried landing
0:30:47 > 0:30:49- is you've got windows on the other side of the building.- Right.
0:30:49 > 0:30:52And that's where the bedrooms get their natural light.
0:30:55 > 0:30:58- Are they too small?- Very deceiving.
0:30:58 > 0:31:01- No. And it's not just a box, is it?- No.
0:31:01 > 0:31:04It's quirky. Definitely quirky.
0:31:04 > 0:31:06Well, that is your new middle name.
0:31:06 > 0:31:09- It is.- The other bedroom is a similar size, OK?
0:31:09 > 0:31:13So you've got two bedrooms on this level. Can you live with this?
0:31:13 > 0:31:16- Oh, yes!- Most of the time, it's just going to be the two of us.
0:31:16 > 0:31:19- Fine. Good. Well, I'm happy if you are.- Yes.
0:31:20 > 0:31:24Next door, there's a bathroom project in the making,
0:31:24 > 0:31:27just ready for David if he wants to put his own mark on it.
0:31:27 > 0:31:31And back downstairs to the rear of the kitchen is a utility area
0:31:31 > 0:31:34and a small office which they could convert
0:31:34 > 0:31:36into a very workable third bedroom.
0:31:38 > 0:31:43Do they think they could transform outside into their Garden of Eden?
0:31:43 > 0:31:45It's not the biggest garden in the world, I know.
0:31:45 > 0:31:49But the bonus for you is, it needs some work, David.
0:31:49 > 0:31:51Oh, yeah. I can do this, yeah. I can already see the plants,
0:31:51 > 0:31:53where they're going to go.
0:31:53 > 0:31:57OK. Well, run me through your landscape architecture, David.
0:31:57 > 0:32:02Right. I'd do that all out with nice shrubs, all through there.
0:32:02 > 0:32:04And if the fence there is the boundary...
0:32:04 > 0:32:07- Yes.- ..I would have four foot shrubbery through there,
0:32:07 > 0:32:11but because of the views there, you'd have to keep it quite low.
0:32:11 > 0:32:13I think so. They are wonderful views.
0:32:13 > 0:32:17- That's Dartmoor you can see right over there in the distance.- Right.
0:32:17 > 0:32:20OK. Well...
0:32:20 > 0:32:23- It's done its job, I think, as a mystery house.- Yes.- Definitely.
0:32:23 > 0:32:25It's different, it's quirky,
0:32:25 > 0:32:28but the big question is, how much is it on the market for?
0:32:28 > 0:32:31Oh, cripes. I'd forgotten about that.
0:32:31 > 0:32:34Well, keeping you on your toes.
0:32:34 > 0:32:35290.
0:32:35 > 0:32:37290 from June.
0:32:37 > 0:32:40It's not large, is it? So I'm going to go 395.
0:32:40 > 0:32:43£310,000.
0:32:43 > 0:32:48- Bit of a surprise? - Well, for the lack of garden...
0:32:48 > 0:32:50I know the area is lovely.
0:32:50 > 0:32:52What's the most important thing when we value property?
0:32:52 > 0:32:54- It's the location. - It is, yes.
0:32:54 > 0:32:56We're back towards Launceston again.
0:32:56 > 0:32:59- Let's not forget, you've got that vegetable patch over the road.- Yes.
0:32:59 > 0:33:03Go back inside, get to know it a little bit better. All right?
0:33:03 > 0:33:04- OK then.- See you later.- Yes.
0:33:05 > 0:33:10Priced at the £310,000, a our mystery chapel conversion
0:33:10 > 0:33:11may come in a surprise form,
0:33:11 > 0:33:15but it does provide a huge living room with that a wood burner,
0:33:15 > 0:33:18a great focal point for family get-togethers,
0:33:18 > 0:33:20a sociable kitchen-dining room,
0:33:20 > 0:33:23the potential for three bedrooms
0:33:23 > 0:33:26and a garden with amazing views towards Dartmoor
0:33:26 > 0:33:28and all of this falling within their search area,
0:33:28 > 0:33:31just eight miles from Launceston.
0:33:32 > 0:33:33This is a nice room, isn't it?
0:33:33 > 0:33:38- It is. I think this is my favourite room out of all of it.- Yes.
0:33:38 > 0:33:43- Love the beams and the openness of it all.- Yeah.
0:33:43 > 0:33:45But it's still cosy.
0:33:45 > 0:33:49This house totally surprised us.
0:33:49 > 0:33:54From the outside, you wouldn't expect so much inside.
0:33:54 > 0:33:58I think we would consider a chapel conversion,
0:33:58 > 0:34:02but then normally they would be out of our price range.
0:34:02 > 0:34:05I could quite happily live in here and I think June could too.
0:34:05 > 0:34:09This is actually, believe it or not, a contender.
0:34:09 > 0:34:12- Here's the happy couple leaving the chapel!- We are, yes.
0:34:12 > 0:34:15- And we're married!- Well done.
0:34:15 > 0:34:17- Now, decision time looms.- Yes.
0:34:28 > 0:34:31Cornwall's moorlands and wet woodlands are fed
0:34:31 > 0:34:33by a rich network of streams and rivers,
0:34:33 > 0:34:37a natural stronghold for our indigenous British river otter.
0:34:37 > 0:34:41However, 40 years ago, they were a critically endangered species
0:34:41 > 0:34:44nationwide as their habitats were destroyed by farming
0:34:44 > 0:34:47and polluted waterways. In the mid-'80s,
0:34:47 > 0:34:50the Otter Trust opened this site near Launceston,
0:34:50 > 0:34:54playing a vital part in breeding and releasing otters back into the wild.
0:34:54 > 0:34:57Happily, numbers are once again in their thousands,
0:34:57 > 0:35:01and back in 2006, Mandy Allen took over running this centre,
0:35:01 > 0:35:03which although is now open to visitors,
0:35:03 > 0:35:06still focuses on rescuing and releasing orphaned otters.
0:35:06 > 0:35:10I'm joining Mandy at feeding time to find out more.
0:35:12 > 0:35:15Now, obviously, it's a wet afternoon.
0:35:15 > 0:35:17- I take it they probably love this.- They do.
0:35:17 > 0:35:20The British otters don't mind cold, wet weather.
0:35:20 > 0:35:22They don't like warm sunshine.
0:35:22 > 0:35:24So, who've we got here?
0:35:24 > 0:35:25What have we got here?
0:35:25 > 0:35:30OK. We've got two males in here, Troy and Tor, and a female, Libby.
0:35:30 > 0:35:32What's your job here then?
0:35:32 > 0:35:38Are you here to rehabilitate the otters or do you keep them for life?
0:35:38 > 0:35:41If we can, we would rehabilitate the otter
0:35:41 > 0:35:43and put it back out into the wild.
0:35:43 > 0:35:46That's where it's come from.
0:35:46 > 0:35:48- Really, there's no need for us to keep them here.- OK.
0:35:48 > 0:35:51Can I have a go at feeding them, please?
0:35:51 > 0:35:53- You can because these have been hand-reared.- So what do I do?
0:35:53 > 0:35:55Do I just hold it or...?
0:35:55 > 0:35:59Yes, if you let the otter come and see the food.
0:35:59 > 0:36:03- Here he comes.- Here he comes! Who's this one?- This is Tor.
0:36:03 > 0:36:07He was brought in from the wild 20 months ago.
0:36:07 > 0:36:08It's amazing!
0:36:08 > 0:36:10So, look, this fish...
0:36:10 > 0:36:15This looks like a nice meal here, fish and boiled egg.
0:36:15 > 0:36:18Yeah. Well, the boiled egg they only get about once a week.
0:36:20 > 0:36:23Come on. Be a bit braver.
0:36:23 > 0:36:26That's it. Go down a little bit. Then I think he'll take it.
0:36:26 > 0:36:28HE LAUGHS
0:36:31 > 0:36:33He looked pretty hungry, he's got quite a an appetite.
0:36:33 > 0:36:34How much do they eat a day?
0:36:34 > 0:36:36A British otter will eat
0:36:36 > 0:36:41between three-quarters to over a kilo of fish a day.
0:36:41 > 0:36:44- Wow!- Yes.- That's a lot of protein.
0:36:44 > 0:36:47By the looks of it, they're constantly doing something.
0:36:47 > 0:36:50Swimming, running around, furtive glances everywhere.
0:36:50 > 0:36:55They are. They've got high metabolisms and very playful.
0:36:55 > 0:36:57With otters still a protected species, the centre takes in
0:36:57 > 0:37:02injured or abandoned cases such as 12-week-old Ellie who will be
0:37:02 > 0:37:06reared here until she reaches adulthood at around two-years-old,
0:37:06 > 0:37:09the amount of time she would have spent with her mum in the wild.
0:37:11 > 0:37:15- So, this is your most recent addition?- It is, yes.
0:37:15 > 0:37:17This is Ellie.
0:37:17 > 0:37:21Obviously, you have a real relationship and a bond with Ellie.
0:37:21 > 0:37:24How do you prepare her for the wild then?
0:37:24 > 0:37:27Initially when they come in, we do spend a lot of time with them,
0:37:27 > 0:37:30just making them feel secure and loved, really.
0:37:30 > 0:37:34Obviously, nursing them back to health.
0:37:34 > 0:37:37Once we've done that, we will introduce her
0:37:37 > 0:37:38to another British otter
0:37:38 > 0:37:43- and then we start withdrawing our contact with them.- OK.
0:37:43 > 0:37:46It's such a privileged to get close to these amazing
0:37:46 > 0:37:50but elusive animals which, although were faced with near extinction,
0:37:50 > 0:37:54are now once again thriving in the south-west's waters.
0:37:57 > 0:38:00So, after a couple of days and three property viewings,
0:38:00 > 0:38:02I really feel that David and June
0:38:02 > 0:38:05have seen the best of what their money can buy them in Cornwall.
0:38:05 > 0:38:06I'm about to find out now
0:38:06 > 0:38:09which of their three properties is their favourite.
0:38:09 > 0:38:12But I've got the sneaky suspicion that David has already had
0:38:12 > 0:38:14his heart stolen by one of the properties.
0:38:14 > 0:38:16And I think you know which one I mean.
0:38:19 > 0:38:23- So, it's been an eventful couple of days, hasn't it?- It has.
0:38:23 > 0:38:27Let's go back to the first day of property hunting then, shall we?
0:38:27 > 0:38:30The first house we looked at was a little detached cottage.
0:38:30 > 0:38:34What are your thoughts on that now we've come away from there?
0:38:35 > 0:38:36I liked the look of the property.
0:38:36 > 0:38:39- Yeah?- The lounge...
0:38:39 > 0:38:43with the fire in it was lovely and quirky
0:38:43 > 0:38:46and the kitchen was a good space.
0:38:46 > 0:38:49When we got outside of the first property,
0:38:49 > 0:38:51it was your wraparound garden
0:38:51 > 0:38:54but you didn't seem as enthused as I'd hoped you'd be.
0:38:54 > 0:38:57- What was going through your mind there, David?- The size was fine.
0:38:57 > 0:38:59- Right.- It wasn't...
0:38:59 > 0:39:02The slope was far too steep.
0:39:02 > 0:39:06- I would have had to have terraced it, I think.- Right.
0:39:06 > 0:39:08And I wouldn't have separated it into two plots.
0:39:08 > 0:39:13I got the feeling it was a good start but just wasn't for you.
0:39:13 > 0:39:15- That's right.- And maybe in hindsight that was
0:39:15 > 0:39:18- because there wasn't enough of a project there for you...- Yeah.
0:39:18 > 0:39:21..which there certainly was in the second property
0:39:21 > 0:39:23that I showed you where you had...
0:39:23 > 0:39:27- Well, it was a semi-converted tin mine, wasn't it?- Yes.
0:39:27 > 0:39:28You didn't seem daunted
0:39:28 > 0:39:30- by the amount of work to be done there, June?- No, no.
0:39:30 > 0:39:34It was almost livable. Once it'd had a good clean through
0:39:34 > 0:39:38and perhaps carpets renewed and decorated,
0:39:38 > 0:39:40it was liveable.
0:39:40 > 0:39:44OK. There was a house you could move into straight away.
0:39:45 > 0:39:49What do you think you'd want to do now looking back on it
0:39:49 > 0:39:52in regards to the holiday letting part of that building?
0:39:52 > 0:39:56- I think it would be a good idea. - You'd keep it as it is?
0:39:56 > 0:39:58- As a holiday let.- Yes. You agree, June?
0:39:58 > 0:40:01- I would bring it into the main part of the house.- OK.
0:40:01 > 0:40:03And convert it to a house.
0:40:03 > 0:40:07As you can see, you haven't given us that much time to discuss it!
0:40:07 > 0:40:10This is interesting because you have been on the same page
0:40:10 > 0:40:11in everything we've looked at
0:40:11 > 0:40:13but we've got a slight difference of opinion.
0:40:13 > 0:40:15But if I hold my hands up, it's quite a way
0:40:15 > 0:40:18out of your original search area around Launceston.
0:40:18 > 0:40:20This was more the Bodmin area.
0:40:20 > 0:40:24What do you think about a new area for the right property?
0:40:24 > 0:40:30We would consider it once we've done a little bit more research.
0:40:30 > 0:40:34- Basically, we hadn't been there. - No, we hadn't investigated.
0:40:34 > 0:40:37The amount of times we've been down, we can't cover it all.
0:40:37 > 0:40:40- OK. Well, that was the big question mark then, wasn't it?- Yes.
0:40:40 > 0:40:43Great house, great opportunity, we don't know the area
0:40:43 > 0:40:45so we can't make a decision on that yet.
0:40:45 > 0:40:48So today it was mystery house time.
0:40:48 > 0:40:51Back to the area of Launceston at least.
0:40:51 > 0:40:53And you stood outside a converted chapel.
0:40:53 > 0:40:57- What were your first thoughts? - It wouldn't have crossed my mind...
0:40:57 > 0:40:59- No.- ..to look for one.
0:40:59 > 0:41:02- I think you were exactly the same. - Exactly, yes.
0:41:02 > 0:41:04We walked in through those doors
0:41:04 > 0:41:09and then you were met with that huge expanse of living space.
0:41:09 > 0:41:11- What did you think? - That was just stunning, wasn't it?
0:41:11 > 0:41:15It was good. That would suit our needs.
0:41:15 > 0:41:19But there again, you started to talk about your family
0:41:19 > 0:41:22and family coming down to spend time here and I started to think,
0:41:22 > 0:41:25they're considering this could be a potential home
0:41:25 > 0:41:29- which excited me, certainly.- Yes. - So all in all...
0:41:30 > 0:41:32..you had really positive experiences from my end
0:41:32 > 0:41:35- that I could see in all three properties.- Yes.
0:41:36 > 0:41:40Have you had enough time to think about what your favourite
0:41:40 > 0:41:42out of these three properties might be?
0:41:43 > 0:41:46- I have.- I have. We both have, yes.
0:41:46 > 0:41:49- Are you in agreement?- We are, yes.
0:41:49 > 0:41:52This is what we'll find out, isn't it?!
0:41:52 > 0:41:54I think my favourite was
0:41:54 > 0:41:56the one at Bodmin.
0:41:56 > 0:41:59Before we go back home, we're going to research the area.
0:41:59 > 0:42:01- What a great idea.- Yes.
0:42:01 > 0:42:04- I think you're going to do some finances, aren't you?- Yes.
0:42:04 > 0:42:08And if that all goes according to plan and all tickety-boo...
0:42:08 > 0:42:11- what next?- Who knows. - What? Estate agent time?
0:42:11 > 0:42:13- Yes.- Could very well be. - Definitely.- That's great news.
0:42:13 > 0:42:16I've had a thoroughly good time showing you round
0:42:16 > 0:42:18and I've loved the fact you've been so open-minded as well.
0:42:18 > 0:42:21- So best of luck with your research. - Thank you very much indeed.
0:42:21 > 0:42:25Thank you very much for making this so special.
0:42:27 > 0:42:29Well, when I first met David and June,
0:42:29 > 0:42:32I could tell they were really committed to a move to Cornwall
0:42:32 > 0:42:34and rather excited about the fact.
0:42:34 > 0:42:38But for me, well, I was rather daunted, to be honest with you.
0:42:38 > 0:42:40I knew they'd already come down here before
0:42:40 > 0:42:41and failed to find the right property.
0:42:41 > 0:42:45That's because they had what I'd consider a rather limited budget
0:42:45 > 0:42:49for all they wanted. But because they were able to compromise,
0:42:49 > 0:42:51I was able to show them a property that gave them
0:42:51 > 0:42:55the quirks and character they're after, a project for David
0:42:55 > 0:42:58and all that land in a rural location.
0:42:58 > 0:43:00What they need to do now though is go to Bodmin,
0:43:00 > 0:43:02see if it's the town for them.
0:43:02 > 0:43:03Fingers crossed it is
0:43:03 > 0:43:06and then fingers crossed they can put an offer in
0:43:06 > 0:43:07and maybe move into a new home
0:43:07 > 0:43:10that will provide David with something to do in his retirement.
0:43:10 > 0:43:11See you next time.
0:43:13 > 0:43:15If you would like to escape to the country
0:43:15 > 0:43:19in Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland or England and need our help,
0:43:19 > 0:43:21please apply online at...
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