Cornwall Escape to the Country

Today, I'm in a county famous for a landscape

bursting with reminders of its prehistoric past.

These mysterious stone circles date back over 4,500 years.

Where am I? Find out in just a moment

as we escape to the country.

On today's show, I'll be helping a couple

fulfil a dream they've had for 30 years

of retiring to the country.

It's just the right size.

-It's warming, isn't it? It's nice.

-It is.

But the more challenges we chuck at them, the more excited they become.

This is a potential nightmare. You like the look of this?

Absolutely, yeah. I'm really up for this.

-Why?

-It's just got everything we've been looking for

but we haven't been able to find. You've done it.

Today I'm in Cornwall, on the edge of Bodmin Moor,

an area rich in early prehistoric sites.

Now, there are over 15,000 of these dotted across the county

but this one behind me here is one of the largest.

Known as the Hurlers,

it's thought that these stones were once local men

that were turned to stone for playing hurling on the Sabbath.

But ancient history isn't the only thing

this wonderful county has going for it.

With 300 miles of coastline wrapped around the country,

Cornwall's 165 beaches are in a league of their own

with Bedruthan Steps and its volcanic pillars

a spectacular sight.

Of Cornwall's 12 designated areas of outstanding natural beauty,

Bodmin Moor is the only one completely inland.

The granite that underlies this wild and rugged terrain

is a defining feature of the buildings

found in its moorland towns and villages.

This region offers up the perfect package of coast and countryside

so understandably house buyers are keen to put down roots here.

Coastal properties here in Cornwall sell for a premium

and can fetch anything between 10-15% more than those found inland,

due in no small part to the huge amount of people

looking to buy second homes, holiday rentals

or who may simply just wish to retire to the seaside.

So the smart move could be to look for property inland

especially when you bear in mind,

the average cost of a detached house in Cornwall is £275,000.

That's 6% above the national average.

So with that in mind, take a look at a great selection of properties

we've found currently on the market here.

£235,000 will buy you this pretty two-bedroom cottage near St Dominic.

Its living areas are packed to the rafters with character features

and high-quality modern fittings.

Outside, the landscape garden looks out over the Tamar Valley.

Or for just shy of £600,000,

what about this six-bedroom Georgian property

on the outskirts of Penzance?

Its generous reception rooms are offset by magnificent sash windows.

What's more, it offers the luxury of a swimming pool in the basement

and sea views towards St Michael's Mount.

If your budget can stretch to £625,000

this four-bedroom grade 2 listed property near Whitsand Bay

might be worth a look.

Formerly two gamekeepers' cottages,

it's packed with original features

from exposed beams to stone fireplaces.

And outside, the lawned garden

comes with its very own stream.

A great selection of Cornish properties there.

Time to meet today's buyers

who are hoping to make this countryside their home.

David and June may now have retired but they keep busy

by looking after the grandchildren

at their daughter's house on the outskirts of Fareham in Hampshire.

We are a really close family

and we spend holidays abroad together.

Every Christmas,

-they all congregate in our house.

-They descend on us, don't they?

Easter time.

'They still like jelly and ice cream for their birthdays

'and they're 37 and 40.'

We've just got a wonderful relationship

'with our two daughters and our grandchildren.'

I have said to our daughter,

if she'd like to sign the adoption papers, we'll take them on.

-We have them that often, but we love them to bits.

-Yes.

Although they have spent much of their lives in and around Fareham

and have strong family ties there,

they now want to act on an idea they hatched 30 years ago

and move down to Cornwall.

They have opted to look in the Launceston area

and have a clear picture of what their Cornish property must deliver.

On approach, I'd like to see granite stonework,

I'd like to see a nice slate roof, if possible

and going through the front door, if it's got a beautiful entrance

so when people come, we can welcome them

and then we move on into the lounge -

nice size, because we always have the family with us.

They're often visiting. Christmas, we've had as many as 18 people.

June loves to entertain.

Three bedrooms. One bathroom's sufficient.

If a bedroom has an en suite, superb.

But the kitchen, if it could accommodate our table and chairs

that would be nice.

'I would like perhaps a feature fireplace.'

Inside, quirkier the better.

And we'd like a garden which is wrap-around

so that any time of the day, we could sit in the sun if we wanted.

June and David have renovated many properties together

and are clearly quite a formidable team.

We've been going out since June was 15 and I was 17.

We've now been married for 44 years this year.

We read each other's minds.

We'll know exactly what we want together.

-It's...

-It's...

-We just know what we want, don't we?

-We complement each other.

-We do, yeah. Yeah.

It will be perfect.

-I've got the brains, you've got the brawn.

-Yeah.

So far, their househunting efforts in Cornwall have come up short

but the money's already in the bank from the sale of their house

and they've set their sights on how much they're ready to spend.

Our budget is £300,000.

Well, let's hope we can find a fantastic property

that matches June's brain with David's brawn.

For their budget of £300,000,

they're after a detached property with at least three beds,

maybe a renovation project

and the house itself needs to be on the edge of or close to a village

with a good-sized garden or maybe even land.

With these strict requirements,

David and June have already come to Cornwall in the past

in search of their perfect property.

But they've gone home empty-handed.

Let's hope this time, we can do a bit better.

David and June want to focus their search inland

in the hope they'll get a bit more for their money.

At their request, we'll base our house search

around the market town of Launceston.

We've picked three very different properties to show our couple

but I won't reveal the price of each until they've had a guess first.

And there's always an outside chance

that our mystery house could be the answer to their prayers.

Well, David and June, welcome to Cornwall.

-Beautiful day, isn't it?

-It is.

-Yes, superb.

You've hand-picked the day for us.

Well, I try to sort everything out, to be honest.

-Exciting time, isn't it?

-It is, very.

-A complete move to a new part of the world for you guys.

-Yep.

Why Launceston area of Cornwall?

Well, it's mainly down to budget.

You get more for your money inland.

-Yep.

-And, you know, we've gone past the beachy stage of our lives

and it's only a half an hour, 45-minute drive anyway.

And I don't surf. I don't sail.

THEY ALL LAUGH

-Have you thought about compromises?

-This has to be the right property.

We don't want to find somewhere,

sort of live there for a couple of years

-and think, "This isn't really for us."

-No.

-It's going to be our last move, we think.

-That's why we're being fussy.

Let's not waste any more time. Let's get on with the first property.

For their budget of £300,000,

June and David want a detached period property

and would relish the idea of a renovation project.

However, it must give them a large family living room

with a feature fireplace,

a kitchen, along with space for a family sit-down meal,

three bedrooms

and a wrap-around garden in the region of half an acre -

all lying within easy reach of a village.

We're kicking off our property search in the hamlet of Trekenner,

just five miles from all the amenities of Launceston

but with a good pub only 15 minutes' walk away in nearby Treburley.

Back in the heart of the hamlet,

we find our first property,

which comes complete with its own garage.

Now, the house, this rendered detached number,

what are your thoughts?

-I like it.

-Yeah, I like it.

-I really do.

I like the slate roof.

I can see there's a nice chimney, wide chimney going up.

It's got a bit of a wobble to it as well, which...

Yeah, but perhaps there's a nice fireplace within.

Well, fingers crossed! There's a lot of history attached to this.

Now, 1650 was when it was built.

Initially it was a two-up two-down cob house. In more recent times,

it's been a dairy, I think in the 1960s it was even a post office.

You can still see hints of its past there.

-Not too far to take the letters.

-Not far at all, no!

As a walk-up, you see this house,

does this house say David and June?

-Yeah, I think so.

-Yes.

-I think so.

-It's nice.

But I'll give you my decision when I've seen inside.

OK, let's not halt that decision any longer.

-Right, let's go.

-Thank you.

I'm happy with that as a first reaction.

Inside, David won't find a project

but there are lots of character features I hope they like.

Right now, you'll instantly notice some 1650 proportions.

-Yes!

-Thankfully,

the kitchen is 1960s and you've got a bit more room in here.

Come right in, David.

-Oh, it's...

-Yeah.

It's just the right size.

-It's warming, isn't it? It's nice.

-It is.

Oh! There's...

-Our table would fit there.

-Yeah.

-You've pointed at something. What's that?

-That's the range.

Now, quite a treat. A lot of city people might think, "Gas, big deal."

Everything in this house is mains. Mains drainage, mains gas.

Now, what do you think of the style of this kitchen?

-This is tastefully done.

-It is.

-Well, so far, so good.

At the back, there's a useful cloakroom

but will they settle for the unusual layout next door?

Now, what do you think of this bathroom?

-Oh, right.

-OK.

-You got a separate shower.

-Yes.

I mean, here you see some of the owner's expert handiwork.

-This is really nice, isn't it, with the dark?

-I like it.

Is there one upstairs?

-Ah.

-Now, there's a potential hiccup.

-There isn't?

-No.

-OK.

Well, what do you think about having

-just a downstairs-only bathroom?

-I could live with that.

I could live with that.

It's great that they're being open-minded about the quirks

which inevitably crop up in an older property.

Time to head to the front of the house

and check out those character features.

Now then, this is where I think

the real history of the building comes out

and it's illustrated here.

Now, what was one of the key features?

-Fireplace.

-Fireplace.

-That's lovely.

-It really bangs out some heat, doesn't it?

-Lovely, yes.

I read this would have been quite a small house. They've opened it up

and you get a good-sized living space.

-It's a good size for us.

-Yes.

-This is a nice size.

-It is a lovely size.

-Yeah.

-Good.

-Wow.

-So downstairs...

-Good.

-Thumbs up?

-Oh, yes, definitely.

-Definitely.

Brilliant. Upstairs, let's see, shall we? OK.

'It looks like family Christmases around the fire are sorted

'so let's see if they think there's enough space

'in the three bedrooms upstairs.'

-Children's bedroom.

-It is, yes.

Now one of three, I thought,

and this is the smallest, I think, or thereabouts.

-It's not a bad size for a cottage.

-No, it's good.

You could even put a double bed in there, couldn't you?

-You could.

-Or bunk beds if it's children staying here?

-It's up to you.

-We've got a double bed at the moment.

-OK, there you go, then.

-Yeah.

-All right?

-Yeah, good.

-It's lovely, yes.

Cool. Now then, bedroom number one.

-I'll walk you past two and we'll go into three.

-Three, yes.

Now, mind your head, mind the step.

Bedroom two through there. I think that's definitely a children's room.

This is your master bedroom.

-Yes. Oh, beautiful floorboards.

-Yeah. Nice size.

And upstairs, big enough for you guys with guests staying?

-Yeah.

-Internally, it sounds like

this house is doing it for you guys

-but outside was a big thing for you.

-It was.

-Nice big garden.

-Yeah.

Let's see what do you think of that.

There's no denying that this cottage is impeccably presented

which means David doesn't get his grand project.

Outside delivers the wrap-around garden they asked for, and all told,

amounts to about a quarter of an acre

with plenty of scope for landscaping.

There's a separate zone which David could develop for the grandchildren.

Now what about the price?

So now you've seen the house, inside and out,

how much do you think it's on the market for?

-Who wants to go first?

-June.

-I'll go first.

-You're good at this.

-Yes. Um...

295.

OK, June. 295.

Well, as the majority of the work's been done,

310.

310?

Good guesses, both of you.

June, you are good. It's on the market for £295,000. So well done.

Why don't you go back in? Have a look at the rest of the garden,

-look inside the house.

-Yes, thank you.

-Thank you.

-Catch you later.

Under budget at £295,000,

this charming cottage is a great retirement option

as there's no work needed.

It's in great decorative order and gives them a spacious kitchen,

a large living room with traditional features,

three bedrooms

and that quarter-acre wrap-around garden

with far-reaching views over Dartmoor.

The outside is pleasing to the eye.

The inside is beautifully done.

The bedrooms are more than adequate for size.

The lounge is cosy, the kitchen is just the right size.

The garden is the right size.

I can do a lot with that.

The proximity of the neighbours might be an issue with us.

They're just too close.

Against the backdrop

of Bodmin and Dartmoor's remote hills,

lie villages and small towns with a rich heritage of their own.

Launceston today may have a population of around 7,000,

but traces of its history stretch back 1,000 years.

Besides the Royal Mint being located here during Saxon times,

the 13th century castle remains still dominate the town,

standing testament to it being

a stronghold for the Earl of Cornwall during the Middle Ages.

By the 17th century, Launceston was established as the centre for

the Cornish wool industry, which, although is in decline nowadays,

still boasts the only organic production wool mill in the county.

It's the enterprise of Sue Blacker, who, 15 years ago,

gave up her city job and returned to her Cornish roots,

intent on keeping the art of traditional wool production alive.

Earlier in the week,

we sent June and David to meet her,

to find out more about how her spinning business

offers a lifeline to small-scale sheep farmers far afield.

There are over 60 breeds of sheep in the UK

and some 10 of them are really rare and endangered.

They're the ones that we're particularly keen on

and try to support, to enable them to continue.

Although we're based here,

our customers are from everywhere in the UK.

The factory processes fleece into yarn

for more than 1,000 smallholders across Britain,

with breeds ranging from Shetland to Bluefaced Leicester.

The process starts here in the sorting room, where the

raw fleeces such as this one from a Jacob sheep, are brought.

-A whole fleece.

-Here we have a whole fleece.

We pull out the white and put it at one end.

Very time-consuming, isn't it?

It takes me about twice as long to colour sort a fleece,

as to sort a plain fleece.

Did you to design this apparatus for it all to fall through?

Effectively, yeah.

And then we take the dark and put it at this end,

and anything that's really sort of halfway...

I think we could get a job, June. Definitely get a job.

..we just leave in the middle as grey.

Very dark Jacob sheep.

If you feel it, it's fine.

It's quite a nice fleece. The handle is lovely,

but it's quite messy to sort.

The fleece is sorted to remove poor quality fibres,

as well as for colour.

Perhaps you'd like to put the grey in the grey bag?

That's the other thing.

It looks brown and white but it'll actually spin to grey.

Sue has established a viable rural business, and is also

playing her part to ensure

small farms have a marketable product,

that ensures traditional countryside crafts are not a dying breed.

We're continuing our house search

just half an hour's drive from Launceston,

near the historic market town of Bodmin.

Its grand civic buildings made of local granite stone,

serve as a reminder that this was formerly Cornwall's county town.

A couple of miles away,

in a fantastically rural spot, is our second property -

and historic tin mine engine house, which really throws

down the gauntlet to David in terms of a renovation project.

Into this sleepy hollow

-we find a quirky house.

-Oh, my goodness me!

Oh, my goodness.

-That is quirky.

-Couldn't wish for more granite stone, could you?

When you said you liked granite stone, I thought, "I know a place."

-Lovely slate roof.

-Yes.

-That is incredible.

Look at the size of the slates on that roof.

-And also the roof looks...

-In good condition, doesn't it?

-It looks in decent shape.

-It does, yes.

-Looks can be deceiving.

There is a lot of work to be done to this place,

but first of all, let me explain what we've got here.

-Yes.

-You've got a home,

potential business,

and a huge, huge project.

Residential accommodation is the first half,

just beyond those French windows.

According to planning consent,

the next part of the building

is for letting accommodation - holiday lets, if you like.

It's been there for such a long time,

the owners have spoken to the local planning authority

and they say they're happy for it to be turned back into complete

residential accommodation, but only if the new owners want it that way.

Apparently, getting that consent changed,

is going to cost you about £170. Beyond that,

that is your major, major project.

It's up to you what you do with it.

Could be a project to end of projects, couldn't it?

-Or a giant barbecue!

-Yes!

Imagine the size of the steaks on that! So what do you think?

-It's beautiful.

-It's lovely.

-Absolutely beautiful.

-It's ticking boxes.

-Good.

David really means business,

but it's no mean feat to transform this into a comfortable home.

Right then.

Tell me what you think now.

-Oh my goodness.

-Oh my goodness.

This is just what we're looking for.

Not overdone with beams, still a bit of height.

Incredible! Lovely size.

-Suit our family down to the ground.

-It's amazing.

To a lot of people, this is a potential nightmare.

-You like the look of this?

-Absolutely, yeah.

-I'm really up for this.

-Why?

It's just got everything we've been looking for,

but we've not been able to find.

-You've done it.

-Brilliant.

-At this stage.

-Let's see more, shall we?

-Yes, please.

-Follow me.

OK. Here's a good place to start

to get an idea of the geography of this place.

You've got a downstairs loo, bathroom and shower,

and, now it's up to you,

maybe a spare bedroom or an office,

whatever you want to use it for.

-A study? Yes.

-You don't have to walk straight into the kitchen.

-You've got this lovely entrance hall.

-That's nice.

-This is a lovely laid out hallway.

-Yes.

-Yes, it's nice, isn't it?

How would you have this arranged?

The grandfather clock's going there.

-Is it?

-Absolutely going there, yes. I can see it as I come in.

-Wow! Yeah, it would suit it, wouldn't it?

-Yes, it would.

And an armchair or small sofa, there.

I was about to say, June, sounds like David's moving here,

-but you're both on the same page, aren't you?

-Yeah.

In addition to the single bedroom downstairs,

there are two good-sized bedrooms upstairs, one with its own

en suite. It all needs a bit of a cosmetic overhaul,

but let's see if we can keep up the positive momentum in the next room.

I don't think size is an issue with this place.

-My goodness, that's a good size.

-It is. Can you see the furniture here?

-Oh, look! A wood burner.

-That's good, yeah.

Look, this has been done up.

You can see it's been done up, post-'60s.

There's quirkiness to it.

You look at that upright there, it's a railway sleeper,

but I don't think every piece of wood here has to stay.

A lot of this is faux, tacked to the ceiling.

So you can make it whatever you want it to be.

I can see amazing Christmases.

Just imagine, you can keep the wood stove there,

or you put a big inglenook style fireplace there,

and you can either have a huge dining table or Christmas here,

all the grandchildren around, playing with their toys.

It's just a really good, adaptable space, isn't it?

I'm delighted that they're embracing this project with such

enthusiasm, but will they be as inspired by the annex,

which has its own little kitchen area and bathroom,

along with two bedrooms upstairs, one single,

the other a potential double?

It would be difficult to get consent for a house to be

turned into holiday lets.

You've already got that here.

And if members of the family wanted to stay,

they could stay and be self-contained.

-Absolutely, yes.

-You got the best of both worlds.

-Yes.

June and David seem to be grabbing this amazing development

opportunity by the horns, so here's hoping they're not

fazed by the space and work needed outside.

-You can see a lot of land here, can't you?

-You can, yes.

Tell you just how much. Pretty much as far as you can see

on that fence line, there.

The other side of that lovely old oak,

all the way around,

just over 1.3 acres.

It's very hard to value this place, because it's fairly unique.

You've got a piece of Cornish history,

but you can live in it, but you get all this land as well.

-How much do you think it's on the market for?

-I think this is going to be cruel,

and I think it's way over our budget.

I'm going for 330.

OK. 330, David.

I'm going to be a real skinflint

and say 275.

Right, OK.

Well, when this first came on the market, it was 330.

It's now on the market for 309,950.

That's not a bad price, is it?

In your eyes, I'll give you that.

This is a huge undertaking for anybody,

so why don't you go and have a look around the land?

I'm sure you're dying to get into that barn, as well.

Help yourself. You've got a short amount of daylight left.

Use it. And I'll catch you later.

-Thank you very much.

-Thank you very much indeed.

Although this converted engine house is over their budget

by nearly £10,000, it could provide them with an income

from the holiday let possibility and is a one-off opportunity to

create a fantastic home, from a local piece of Cornish history.

As it stands, it gives them a huge kitchen-diner,

an enormous living room, perfect for those family gatherings,

a potential earner from the holiday let annexe

and one and a third acres of land,

all set in a spectacular rural location,

but with Bodmin just a couple of miles down the road.

This house has really given me food for thought.

There's a lot to take in but I do love it.

I absolutely love this property.

I particularly want to do something up.

The potential is there and there's a possible income from some of it.

-All done?

-Yes. Very impressed.

-Not moving in yet, are you?

-No. No.

-I'd like to!

-I know you would!

As evening falls over the Cornish skyline,

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

Armed with their £300,000 budget,

June and David are poised to make

the leap from the busy outskirts of Fareham to inland Cornwall.

Retirement it may be,

but out of the two properties we've shown them so far,

David leapt at the chance of completely renovating

the engine house.

Coming up, our mystery house leaves them awestruck.

The buzz word here is space.

This is huge, isn't it?

'And I meet some of the resident wildlife

'receiving sanctuary in the area.'

It's amazing!

Well, a good day yesterday, wasn't it?

We had wonderful weather and we had great properties.

Two very different properties, mind you.

But great reactions in both of them, nonetheless.

Although, having now slept on it, I've started to get the impression

that maybe David was more keen on that big project

that the second house gave them than June.

But another wonderful start to the day today

and we've got the mystery house to look at.

As ever, it's here to challenge the expectations of our house hunters.

But one thing's for sure,

June and David should be getting their fair share of quirky.

What are you expecting now from the mystery house?

I don't really know.

-What would you like it to be?

-OK. I'll compromise.

I don't necessarily need a moat and portcullis.

-I can safely tell you that it's not a castle.

-OK.

But that's all I'm going to tell you.

There's history attached to this property.

One thing beginning with Q that this property has

and that is something you've asked for is quirky.

-So we're sticking with that theme.

-That's brilliant.

Everything else is off piste.

For our mystery property,

we're doing a complete U-turn on giving David his renovation project.

We are, however, heading closer to Launceston,

around eight miles from the attractive moorland village

of Altarnun with amenities that include

a pub, a post office

and a village shop.

Its 15th-century parish church

is known as the Cathedral on the Moor,

and this granite stone is a defining feature of the local architecture,

as we find with this Wesleyan chapel conversion dating back to 1875

where the hard work's already been done.

Ever thought about living in a church?

Didn't have it down as an option but, yeah, OK.

I'll need to get a swear box.

THEY LAUGH

You might be losing a bit of loose change in there.

But let's talk about the area.

First of all, what can you hear?

Birds.

This is your local main road and look, this is rush hour.

A couple of little bits and bobs which make this the mystery house.

Obviously, it's a converted church. It's very, very different inside.

-But also, your garden is split. You have a garden to the back.

-Yes.

You've also got a vegetable patch raised up there as well.

-That's novel.

-It is novel, isn't it?

Yes. Let's get in there then.

Shall we? All right, come on then.

'They may not have thought of hosting family gatherings

'in a chapel, but as they'll see, inside, it's surprisingly homely.'

The buzz word here is space.

This is huge, isn't it?

-Hasn't it been nicely done?

-It has.

-I really think it has.

-Very tastefully done, yes.

-I really do.

-The decor in here is how we would want to live.

-Is it?!

-Exactly.

-Yes.

-Yes.

-Well, take the furniture out

and you do have what a lot of agents would call a blank canvas.

-But what they've kept here, I think, has been pretty clever.

-Yes.

-Obviously, you've got the pew.

-That's nice.

-But even the shelving is a pew with a top on it.

-Right!

Wow.

I think there's a new altar in town.

-There's a wonderful wood burner.

-That's large enough, isn't it?

-Yeah.

'I know downstairs space is really important to them,

'so let's see if the proportions of the kitchen measure up.'

-Now then, another good-sized room, I think you'll agree.

-This is nice.

-Isn't it light?

-Yes, really light.

-Deceiving too, isn't it? Cos it's a good size.

-Yeah.

This to me feels like a day room. You'd spend a lot of time in here

because it's so big. You've got a lovely, brand new range there.

Right.

I'm glad you like the style of this

-because if you didn't, it would be an awful waste.

-Yes.

-So two rooms down, still smiling?

-Yes, definitely.

-Yes.

'They've definitely warmed to the large,

'convivial living spaces downstairs,

'so let's head up the impressive wooden staircase

'and take a look at the two bedrooms.'

Now, the architect has had to box fairly clever

with this conversion because it's always difficult

to get a wonderful, large living space downstairs

but still get bedrooms above when you've got windows like that.

One of the reasons they've managed to get

this lovely, galleried landing

-is you've got windows on the other side of the building.

-Right.

And that's where the bedrooms get their natural light.

-Are they too small?

-Very deceiving.

-No. And it's not just a box, is it?

-No.

It's quirky. Definitely quirky.

Well, that is your new middle name.

-It is.

-The other bedroom is a similar size, OK?

So you've got two bedrooms on this level. Can you live with this?

-Oh, yes!

-Most of the time, it's just going to be the two of us.

-Fine. Good. Well, I'm happy if you are.

-Yes.

Next door, there's a bathroom project in the making,

just ready for David if he wants to put his own mark on it.

And back downstairs to the rear of the kitchen is a utility area

and a small office which they could convert

into a very workable third bedroom.

Do they think they could transform outside into their Garden of Eden?

It's not the biggest garden in the world, I know.

But the bonus for you is, it needs some work, David.

Oh, yeah. I can do this, yeah. I can already see the plants,

where they're going to go.

OK. Well, run me through your landscape architecture, David.

Right. I'd do that all out with nice shrubs, all through there.

And if the fence there is the boundary...

-Yes.

-..I would have four foot shrubbery through there,

but because of the views there, you'd have to keep it quite low.

I think so. They are wonderful views.

-That's Dartmoor you can see right over there in the distance.

-Right.

OK. Well...

-It's done its job, I think, as a mystery house.

-Yes.

-Definitely.

It's different, it's quirky,

but the big question is, how much is it on the market for?

Oh, cripes. I'd forgotten about that.

Well, keeping you on your toes.

290.

290 from June.

It's not large, is it? So I'm going to go 395.

£310,000.

-Bit of a surprise?

-Well, for the lack of garden...

I know the area is lovely.

What's the most important thing when we value property?

-It's the location.

-It is, yes.

We're back towards Launceston again.

-Let's not forget, you've got that vegetable patch over the road.

-Yes.

Go back inside, get to know it a little bit better. All right?

-OK then.

-See you later.

-Yes.

Priced at the £310,000, a our mystery chapel conversion

may come in a surprise form,

but it does provide a huge living room with that a wood burner,

a great focal point for family get-togethers,

a sociable kitchen-dining room,

the potential for three bedrooms

and a garden with amazing views towards Dartmoor

and all of this falling within their search area,

just eight miles from Launceston.

This is a nice room, isn't it?

-It is. I think this is my favourite room out of all of it.

-Yes.

-Love the beams and the openness of it all.

-Yeah.

But it's still cosy.

This house totally surprised us.

From the outside, you wouldn't expect so much inside.

I think we would consider a chapel conversion,

but then normally they would be out of our price range.

I could quite happily live in here and I think June could too.

This is actually, believe it or not, a contender.

-Here's the happy couple leaving the chapel!

-We are, yes.

-And we're married!

-Well done.

-Now, decision time looms.

-Yes.

Cornwall's moorlands and wet woodlands are fed

by a rich network of streams and rivers,

a natural stronghold for our indigenous British river otter.

However, 40 years ago, they were a critically endangered species

nationwide as their habitats were destroyed by farming

and polluted waterways. In the mid-'80s,

the Otter Trust opened this site near Launceston,

playing a vital part in breeding and releasing otters back into the wild.

Happily, numbers are once again in their thousands,

and back in 2006, Mandy Allen took over running this centre,

which although is now open to visitors,

still focuses on rescuing and releasing orphaned otters.

I'm joining Mandy at feeding time to find out more.

Now, obviously, it's a wet afternoon.

-I take it they probably love this.

-They do.

The British otters don't mind cold, wet weather.

They don't like warm sunshine.

So, who've we got here?

What have we got here?

OK. We've got two males in here, Troy and Tor, and a female, Libby.

What's your job here then?

Are you here to rehabilitate the otters or do you keep them for life?

If we can, we would rehabilitate the otter

and put it back out into the wild.

That's where it's come from.

-Really, there's no need for us to keep them here.

-OK.

Can I have a go at feeding them, please?

-You can because these have been hand-reared.

-So what do I do?

Do I just hold it or...?

Yes, if you let the otter come and see the food.

-Here he comes.

-Here he comes! Who's this one?

-This is Tor.

He was brought in from the wild 20 months ago.

It's amazing!

So, look, this fish...

This looks like a nice meal here, fish and boiled egg.

Yeah. Well, the boiled egg they only get about once a week.

Come on. Be a bit braver.

That's it. Go down a little bit. Then I think he'll take it.

HE LAUGHS

He looked pretty hungry, he's got quite a an appetite.

How much do they eat a day?

A British otter will eat

between three-quarters to over a kilo of fish a day.

-Wow!

-Yes.

-That's a lot of protein.

By the looks of it, they're constantly doing something.

Swimming, running around, furtive glances everywhere.

They are. They've got high metabolisms and very playful.

With otters still a protected species, the centre takes in

injured or abandoned cases such as 12-week-old Ellie who will be

reared here until she reaches adulthood at around two-years-old,

the amount of time she would have spent with her mum in the wild.

-So, this is your most recent addition?

-It is, yes.

This is Ellie.

Obviously, you have a real relationship and a bond with Ellie.

How do you prepare her for the wild then?

Initially when they come in, we do spend a lot of time with them,

just making them feel secure and loved, really.

Obviously, nursing them back to health.

Once we've done that, we will introduce her

to another British otter

-and then we start withdrawing our contact with them.

-OK.

It's such a privileged to get close to these amazing

but elusive animals which, although were faced with near extinction,

are now once again thriving in the south-west's waters.

So, after a couple of days and three property viewings,

I really feel that David and June

have seen the best of what their money can buy them in Cornwall.

I'm about to find out now

which of their three properties is their favourite.

But I've got the sneaky suspicion that David has already had

his heart stolen by one of the properties.

And I think you know which one I mean.

-So, it's been an eventful couple of days, hasn't it?

-It has.

Let's go back to the first day of property hunting then, shall we?

The first house we looked at was a little detached cottage.

What are your thoughts on that now we've come away from there?

I liked the look of the property.

-Yeah?

-The lounge...

with the fire in it was lovely and quirky

and the kitchen was a good space.

When we got outside of the first property,

it was your wraparound garden

but you didn't seem as enthused as I'd hoped you'd be.

-What was going through your mind there, David?

-The size was fine.

-Right.

-It wasn't...

The slope was far too steep.

-I would have had to have terraced it, I think.

-Right.

And I wouldn't have separated it into two plots.

I got the feeling it was a good start but just wasn't for you.

-That's right.

-And maybe in hindsight that was

-because there wasn't enough of a project there for you...

-Yeah.

..which there certainly was in the second property

that I showed you where you had...

-Well, it was a semi-converted tin mine, wasn't it?

-Yes.

You didn't seem daunted

-by the amount of work to be done there, June?

-No, no.

It was almost livable. Once it'd had a good clean through

and perhaps carpets renewed and decorated,

it was liveable.

OK. There was a house you could move into straight away.

What do you think you'd want to do now looking back on it

in regards to the holiday letting part of that building?

-I think it would be a good idea.

-You'd keep it as it is?

-As a holiday let.

-Yes. You agree, June?

-I would bring it into the main part of the house.

-OK.

And convert it to a house.

As you can see, you haven't given us that much time to discuss it!

This is interesting because you have been on the same page

in everything we've looked at

but we've got a slight difference of opinion.

But if I hold my hands up, it's quite a way

out of your original search area around Launceston.

This was more the Bodmin area.

What do you think about a new area for the right property?

We would consider it once we've done a little bit more research.

-Basically, we hadn't been there.

-No, we hadn't investigated.

The amount of times we've been down, we can't cover it all.

-OK. Well, that was the big question mark then, wasn't it?

-Yes.

Great house, great opportunity, we don't know the area

so we can't make a decision on that yet.

So today it was mystery house time.

Back to the area of Launceston at least.

And you stood outside a converted chapel.

-What were your first thoughts?

-It wouldn't have crossed my mind...

-No.

-..to look for one.

-I think you were exactly the same.

-Exactly, yes.

We walked in through those doors

and then you were met with that huge expanse of living space.

-What did you think?

-That was just stunning, wasn't it?

It was good. That would suit our needs.

But there again, you started to talk about your family

and family coming down to spend time here and I started to think,

they're considering this could be a potential home

-which excited me, certainly.

-Yes.

-So all in all...

..you had really positive experiences from my end

-that I could see in all three properties.

-Yes.

Have you had enough time to think about what your favourite

out of these three properties might be?

-I have.

-I have. We both have, yes.

-Are you in agreement?

-We are, yes.

This is what we'll find out, isn't it?!

I think my favourite was

the one at Bodmin.

Before we go back home, we're going to research the area.

-What a great idea.

-Yes.

-I think you're going to do some finances, aren't you?

-Yes.

And if that all goes according to plan and all tickety-boo...

-what next?

-Who knows.

-What? Estate agent time?

-Yes.

-Could very well be.

-Definitely.

-That's great news.

I've had a thoroughly good time showing you round

and I've loved the fact you've been so open-minded as well.

-So best of luck with your research.

-Thank you very much indeed.

Thank you very much for making this so special.

Well, when I first met David and June,

I could tell they were really committed to a move to Cornwall

and rather excited about the fact.

But for me, well, I was rather daunted, to be honest with you.

I knew they'd already come down here before

and failed to find the right property.

That's because they had what I'd consider a rather limited budget

for all they wanted. But because they were able to compromise,

I was able to show them a property that gave them

the quirks and character they're after, a project for David

and all that land in a rural location.

What they need to do now though is go to Bodmin,

see if it's the town for them.

Fingers crossed it is

and then fingers crossed they can put an offer in

and maybe move into a new home

that will provide David with something to do in his retirement.

See you next time.

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