Dorset Escape to the Country

Today, I'm in the county which is the birthplace of these iconic military machines.

Where am I? Find out as we escape to the country.

On today's show, we'll be helping a couple escape the city limits

for a bit of calm in the countryside and we get off to a tearful introduction.

-I'm getting quite emotional.

-And lavender!

-Such a lovely house.

-It is beautiful.

-Don't make me cry!

-Cos then I'll go!

And then words fail them in a modern property masterpiece.

-Wow!

-OMG!

I'm in Dorset, in Bovington, the home of the British tank.

Back in 1916, after two years of fighting on the continent,

trench warfare was at a stalemate.

What was needed was an armoured vehicle to penetrate enemy lines.

So the British Government, in secret, set about testing tanks here in Dorset.

Later on, I get to go in one. Yes!

But in the meantime, they're not the only giants to inhabit this beautiful corner of England.

Dorset shares its borders with the counties of Devon, Somerset,

Wiltshire and Hampshire and also boasts some of the most fascinating coastline in southern England,

which were once the stomping ground of the largest creatures that ever existed.

Dorset's 95 miles of heritage coast

have unearthed some rare and complete dinosaur fossils.

And the rocks here reveal a unique cross-section of geology

that spans the Triassic, Jurassic and Cretaceous periods,

over 100 million years in the making.

This county also exhibits another mammoth landmark,

in the form of a 54-metre chalk man, carved on the hillside at Cerne Abbas,

whose age and origin is unknown,

but has come to symbolise an important part of Dorset's heritage.

The county is satisfyingly remote, without any cities or motorways,

just a bounty of historic market towns and countless county hamlets,

chock-full of idyllic homes that present a perfect picture of rural English charm.

If you are thinking of moving here, then you should pray for pennies from heaven,

because an average detached house will set you back £312,000.

That's a staggering £54,000 above the national figure.

If you want to live near the sea, then you should have very deep pockets indeed,

because this county has the most expensive coastal properties in the entire UK,

situated just behind me in Sandbanks, near Poole.

But if you head inland towards Somerset, you can shave around 10%

off the county's national price.

But whatever your finances, there are a whole host of period properties to choose from here.

The market town of Bridport has some great examples of Georgian architecture

from the 18th and 19th centuries,

built on the wealth of its 750-year-old rope-making industry.

However, their proximity to the coast makes them pricey.

For character and countryside, Dorset is awash with a great range of thatched cottages,

such as this traditional longhouse in a rural hamlet just south of Blanford Forum.

It offers five bedrooms and is on the market for just shy of £770,000.

Dorset's locally quarried limestone from the Isle of Portland

also paints a pretty property picture, giving the region a very distinctive and delightful style.

This five-bedroom home has an asking price of £395,000

and the use of natural stone in its construction belies the fact

that it was built just two years ago.

As you can see, your spoilt for choice here, but what are our buyers looking for?

Let's meet them and find out.

Legal secretary Chrissie and her husband, John,

have spent the past 15 years living in a desirable West London suburb,

but a recent career change has made them re-evaluate their priorities.

I went to sea shortly after leaving school

and travelled the world for some 30-odd years in the merchant navy.

A year ago, I had the opportunity to take early redundancy

and retire, which I decided to do.

The thinking behind it would enable me to spend more time with Chrissie.

And they've chosen to drop anchor back in Dorset,

where they first found love.

Me and Chrissie met 20 years ago when my ship was in Portland harbour.

-We hit it off straight away.

-Yes, we were introduced by a friend.

-We were introduced by a friend.

Well, I'd quite like to move back to Dorset.

It's where I met John. It holds many memories for me.

And just carry on, really, where I left off all those years ago.

After a few years of married life there,

they relocated back to Chrissie's large childhood home in Chiswick,

that's been in her family for some 60 years.

But the time has come to swap the city for the country once and for all.

London's got a lot going for it, it really has,

but I think we really do hanker for the countryside now.

We've done London. By selling this house, releasing the funds,

-downsizing, it will enable us to do that.

-Yes. It will help us pursue our dream.

And there's another member of the family who will complete that dream.

I've always liked cats. Lou-Lou now, that I have, is my second cat.

And we got her from a rescue centre.

I'm very interested in rescue centres.

If we had one in the village where we eventually move to,

it's something I'd like to get involved in.

As well as volunteering, socialising is high on the agenda, too.

-It would be nice to mix with the local community.

-Meet some new people.

As we're not really drivers at the moment, even though we have passed our tests...

-We do need some amenities within walking distance.

-And public transport.

Both John and Chrissie are united about their preferred location,

but when it comes to the property itself, they're not quite so unanimous.

My ideal house would ideally be something contemporary.

Chrissie does prefer some features.

-I like a few features, like a wood-burning stove.

-Yeah. But I'm willing to compromise.

-Yes.

Something that gives us a bit of country feel, but something also that's modern.

They will be selling the family house in London to fund the move,

and have a good idea of what they're prepared to spend on their new Dorset home.

Our budget for the move is £600,000.

But, for the right property, we'd be willing to extend it to £700,000.

John and Chrissie are looking for a country home west of Poole,

and east of Dorchester, so we'll be exploring that portion of the county

to try to satisfy both their rural and coastal aspirations.

Time for me to meet up with our house hunters

on Dorset's stunning shores, to finalise the finer details of their prospective move.

-Hiya.

-Hello.

-Welcome to Dorset.

-Thank you.

-I should say "welcome back"!

So why decide on Dorset for this big move then?

Well, look at the view. It's wonderful living in a place

with a wonderful sea view like that.

And, you know, Dorset has a lot of memories for us.

We were married in Dorset. I met John in Dorset, you know.

I love the fact that you talk about the view and your face is just going, "Aaw!"

Yeah. For me, a sea view in a property is not a priority.

I'm used to the sea. I can give it a miss.

So you want the rural view and you want the sea view?

Well, just to make John happy, you know.

-I'd like a sea view in the front and he could have the rural view in the back.

-I'm willing to compromise.

Thank goodness you said that. I was going to say, "Good luck with your search, see you later!"

-So what are you after in a house?

-Detached.

-Right.

Three to four bedrooms. A nice-sized garden for Chrissie, cos she loves her gardening.

-I do like gardening, yes.

-Fairly contemporary.

-Yes.

-Open-plan kitchen.

-Yeah, open-plan kitchen.

-Conservatory, if you can manage.

-Right.

That can always be added on if we don't find one.

I was going to say, the list is getting longer and longer!

How much money have we got for this? Cos it's quite an expensive county.

-Yes. We thought 600,000.

-But at a stretch seven,

-for the property that hits the spot.

-OK.

-700.

I've got three lovely houses to show you - I think they're lovely! Shall we get going?

-Oh, yes! Please, yes.

-Come on then!

For a maximum budget of £700,000, John and Chrissie are after...

John has a preference for contemporary interiors,

but Chrissie is hankering after a few traditional features.

The jury's out on whether the location is surrounded by fields of green or acres of blue.

All-in-all, it's a tall order,

but we do have a fantastic selection of very engaging Dorset properties

that we hope will more than meet the mark.

As ever, I won't be revealing the price until the end of each tour.

Last but by no means least, is the mystery house,

which promises to be a real cliffhanger.

Our first destination is the village of Farnham in north Dorset.

Farnham is a sought-after location within the Cranborne Chase,

where it feels as though time has stood still.

Perfectly preserved, white-washed, thatched cottages

line the quiet, narrow lanes and completely epitomise a true rural idyll.

There isn't a shop within the village, but there is a bus service

that passes through a couple of times a day

and an inviting 17th-century pub with some very friendly locals.

There's a man after my own heart.

-You're living the village dream.

-Yes. Well, trying to, certainly.

-How long have you been here?

-Oh! 16 years, I think.

-Something like that.

-And originally you're from...?

-From London.

-Ah, right! So...

-We're from London.

-Right.

-Very similar.

-Originally, a cockney, believe it nor not.

-Is it too quiet here?

Ooh! That depends what you want out of life, doesn't it? No, I don't think so.

And what about community spirit? Cos there's no shop.

There isn't, but there is one just over one field.

And there are things like events in our local pub -

quizzes and rallies and all sorts of things.

-This is called The Museum. There's a story behind that, isn't there?

-Yes.

It's named after the Pitt Rivers Museum,

which is just up the top of the hill.

And that was a major collection of, well, artefacts really from all over the world.

But a lot of them from this part of the world.

Listen, we won't keep you. You enjoy your pint.

-Unfortunately, we can't go to the pub...

-Oh!

-I've got a house to show you.

-Oh, right!

-Maybe later!

-Yeah, maybe later. I'll hold you to that.

-Well, enjoy the house.

-Cheers. Thank you very much.

-My pleasure.

-Right. It's back up this way.

-Thank you.

-All right. Bye-bye!

This desirable village certainly gets a high recommendation.

So time to see if our first house will get our buyers' seal of approval.

It's just a stumbling distance away from the pub.

-Ooh!

-Ooh, indeed!

-Ooh! What can you say?

-What a beautiful house!

-Yeah.

-I'm getting quite emotional.

-And lavender!

-It's just such a lovely house.

-Yeah.

-John!

-I am, it's beautiful.

-Oh! It is beautiful.

-John, don't make me cry!

-Cos then I'll go!

LAUGHTER

-Pretty, isn't it?

-It looks very well-maintained, Aled.

-And it fits in with the rest of the village,

which is, I think, 99% thatched!

-I love the door. The door's... It really invites you in.

-It does, doesn't it?

It's got character, but it's not over the top.

-You know that inviting door?

-Yes.

-It's inviting us in. Come on. Let's go.

-I'm going!

This very pretty thatched cottage has all the hallmarks of a period property,

but was actually built some 14 years ago and manages to combine character features with all the mod cons.

Time to see if it's a combination that appeals to Chrissie and John.

Oh, this is nice... This looks really cosy.

-Isn't it?

-Yeah! No, I like the size of this room, it's lovely.

-It's well done.

-It's got a nice outlook to the garden.

You could put a conservatory out there as well. Just planning permission, of course.

-So you like it?

-Yeah.

-Er, first impressions, yes, I do.

-It does feel a little bit, a little bit claustrophobic...

-Really?

OK, cos I'm thinking we're really lucky to have the size, you know,

-of ceiling here, the height that you've got.

-Definitely, yeah.

And we are downsizing, so I need to adjust to the size of the house.

But it is big enough for two people.

'Though they may feel rather snug in the sitting room,

'I'm very confident they won't be cramped in the next area.'

-Come on in.

-Oh!

-Oh, my word!

-Oh! This is lovely!

-Isn't it just?

-It is.

-It's just the right size kitchen.

-Beautiful ceiling. Kind of a vaulted ceiling.

-Plenty of space.

-Yeah.

-Kitchen-diner, yeah?

Travertine floor. Under-floor heating.

-Yep.

-Oh!

-You've got this lovely little breakfast bar as well.

-That's beautiful.

And then you've got this enormous table in here for dining.

-I think this is where you'd spend most of your time. Well, YOU would, anyway!

-Yeah!

LAUGHTER

-I'd be waiting in there, by the cosy fire.

-Lovely!

-Oh, you would, would you?

-I think if the sun's out, this room would be fantastic.

-Yeah.

-It really would. So you like it?

-Mm!

-So far, so good, as they say.

-Quite nice, yeah.

-Quite nice?!

-Yeah!

Let's go upstairs.

'This house is actually laid out over three storeys,

'with the top floor completely given over to a long and large double bedroom.

'Back down a level on the first floor are the three remaining bedrooms,

'that include two light and roomy doubles,

'one of which is currently being used as a study.

'This sits right next to the family bathroom, but I'm showing them the room which could be theirs.'

And this is the master. Come on in.

-Oh, this is a nice-sized room, yeah.

-Good size, yeah.

-Yeah.

-Very nice size. En suite as well.

-Very modern en suite.

-Can we have a look?

-Yeah. Pop your head round.

Oh, yes. Oh, nice shower for John.

-That's a good size, yeah.

-Bright enough, isn't it?

-It is, yeah.

-It's a nice size.

-Have you got a lot of clothes?

-Yes. I need a walk-in wardrobe.

-That's handy.

Have we got room for one? Oh, magnificent!

-This is my room then!

-Yeah, yeah. I don't know where I'm sleeping.

Before poor John gets turfed out altogether,

let's turn our attention to the garden.

It's mainly laid to lawn, wrapping itself all around the property.

This house also benefits from a barn-style double garage.

-So...?

-Mmm.

-Nice garden, isn't it?

-It is. Very nice.

-Beautiful wraparound garden.

-It's a big house, you know.

-I know you're coming from a big house.

-Yes.

But, for both of you, I would say, you wouldn't want anything bigger.

-No.

-No, you are right.

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

I would say...

675.

-£675,000?

-Yes.

-OK.

-How about you?

-I think I'm going to go in lower.

-Right.

I'm going to say 635.

-It's currently on the market for £565,000.

-Really?

-Oh!

-That's surprising.

-It's well worth that.

Well, go back in and have a look around.

-And I'll be by the front.

-OK.

-Smelling the lavender.

-And the roses.

-And the roses. I always smell of roses.

LAUGHTER

-Go on, off you go!

-OK, then.

-Take your time, yeah?

-Thank you.

Comfortably under budget at £565,000, this charming, recently built thatched cottage

has the visual appeal of a more historic property.

First impressions of the house as we walked up through the gate from outside,

it quite took my breath away. Made me quite emotional, because it is a beautiful looking house.

-What do you think of this room?

-It's a strange space.

-And you just banged your head on there as well.

-Yeah.

I don't know. I can see it being more of a storage area.

When I came through the gate, I saw the front of the house with its lovely porch

and roses and I thought, "Oh, this is lovely!"

Just what you would imagine - a chocolate box house.

But some of the rooms could have been a bit bigger, especially upstairs.

-And you're still smiling!

-Hello!

-Seen enough?

-Yes, yes.

-The lavender smells gorgeous, and the roses.

-Beautiful. Jump in the car?

-Yes, please, yeah.

-Come on.

Set amongst the rolling hills behind Dorset's Chesil Beach

is the beautiful village of Abbotsbury, home to the remains of Abbotsbury Abbey,

whose Benedictine monks established a swannery here back in the 11th century.

As Chrissie is keen to get involved with animal welfare,

during the week we arranged for our buyers to meet the swannery's general manager, John Huston,

to discover more about this ancient natural habitat of nesting mute swans.

The swannery, we think, started around the 1040s,

when the Benedictine monks established a monastery

on the hill at Abbotsbury village, just behind us.

The swans were already here, so the monks were really taking advantage

of a wonderful source of free food.

Does anybody actually eat swan in this day and age?

No. The swans are protected. Most swans are owned by the Queen.

Except, uniquely, here at Abbotsbury,

the swans are owned by the Ilchester Estates,

who purchased Abbotsbury off Henry VIII in 1541.

The feathers from our Abbotsbury swans are used by Lloyd's of London

to record sunken ships in their Book of Doom.

And they've assured me that they would have used an Abbotsbury quill

-to record the sinking of the Titanic.

-Oh, a lot of history.

-It's amazing, isn't it?

At any given time, at least 1,000 swans feed and shelter in the lagoon.

And the hatching of the first cygnet traditionally signifies the start of summer.

This is the only colony of mute swans you can visit anywhere in the world.

And they're drawn here by the perfect, five-star swan conditions.

The eel grass in the water is one of their favourite foods.

The freshwater streams are ideal for cygnets in their early stages,

because they can't tolerate seawater.

-John, do swans make good parents?

-On the whole, yes.

But, occasionally, for odd reasons,

we get abandoned cygnets and it might be a bad parent,

or perhaps the parents have been attacked by a predator, like a fox.

In those sad circumstances, we have our adoption parents to look after the cygnets who have been abandoned.

-Would you like to see them?

-We'd love to.

-Ooh, yes!

-It's over this way.

There are five of these pens at the swannery,

which provide sanctuary to neglected cygnets before they can, hopefully, return to their natural environment.

Abandoned cygnets get put in here with a good family.

And if it's done in the early stages,

they will immediately bond, the sound of the cygnet will be recognised by the parent.

They imprint and they accept them as their own.

-And how old are these cygnets?

-They're probably only a week, two weeks old.

-Two weeks old?

-They're quite big for two weeks, aren't they?

It's the role of a swan herd to look after the welfare of the birds,

which includes feeding twice a day and conducting an annual census.

Swan herds have been keeping records of cygnets born at the colony here since the late 14th century.

HE CHUCKLES

But that's enough swanning about for now,

as it's time to get back to the property hunt,

to try and find John and Chrissie the perfect place to spread THEIR wings.

For our second property, we're travelling around 12 miles south of our first location,

to the town of Wimborne.

Officially titled Wimborne Minister, due to the presence of a huge, 1,300-year-old, limestone church,

this market town has a much busier and livelier environment than our previous house.

There are plenty of shops, restaurants and conveniences,

housed in attractive, historic buildings, some of which date back to the 16th century.

And they're all within walking distance from our second property,

which provides a very modern contrast to the ancient architecture of the town centre.

-Oh, lavender again!

-Yes, lavender again.

But a rather...more unusual house.

-Built in 2005. It actually won East Dorset House of the Year...

-Oh!

..In 2005, the year it was built.

-I can certainly say, I've never seen nothing like it.

-The street aspect!

-Is that a good thing or is that a bad thing?

-I don't know.

-I really don't know.

-I get a bit worried when she's lost for words!

I suspect there's something on the other side.

-Let's go and find out if you're right. Come on.

-Oh, yes!

This property is part-clad in weathered oak,

behind which is hidden a very unique house, designed by the current owners,

who are well-renowned architects.

John, in particular, wants something contemporary. That's exactly what we're giving him here.

Wow! Wow!

SHE LAUGHS

-Yeah.

-Wow!

OMG!

HE LAUGHS

-Well, it's not what you expect.

-It's what you said though.

-Yes.

-I like.

-Yeah?

-I like.

I like.

-I love the glass!

-Yeah, the glass is lovely.

-This is unusual.

-It's like a treehouse.

-It is, isn't it?

It's almost like having a conservatory and then the open space, your garden, there.

-The outside is actually coming into the inside.

-Yeah.

First impressions, I like it. It's modern, which I like.

It's highly contemporary, which I like. I do like.

It's like something out of a magazine, isn't it?

-Mm. It appeals to me.

-Yeah?

-Yeah, I like.

-What about you?

-First impressions.

-Mm. I need to see some more.

OK. Well, come on then. Let's go.

-And the open-plan theme continues.

-Yeah, it flows.

-Yes.

-Flows nice. Flows nicely.

-I do like that at the back.

-Great place to have a dinner party.

-Yes, it's really nice there.

And, to me, this is the hub of the house. This is the entertaining area where you would sit

-and have your food and cook, chat while you're doing it.

-Looking out on to that aspect.

-I think it might be too modern for me.

-Right.

-Somehow. I don't know.

'Open-plan and modern is one thing in theory, but the reality does seem to be scaring Chrissie.

'But there's no doubt John is ready to seal the deal and I don't blame him.

'For this is a truly remarkable house.

'Off the dining area, there's a compact study.

'That takes us full circle back to the front hallway.

'This property features an upside-down layout

'and the oak staircase leads down to the bedroom quarters on the lower ground floor,

'where there's also a utility room, as well as a luxurious, fully tiled bathroom.

'In total, there are four bedrooms and the windows in each one

'frame the natural habitat outside. It almost feels like a painted canvas.

'There's a beautifully appointed twin room and two similar-sized double bedrooms,

'which just leaves the largest bedroom, with direct access out to a private courtyard.'

-This is the master.

-The bedroom's nice. Like the wardrobes.

-Lots of wardrobe space.

-Lots of storage.

-Love the window.

-You've also got en suite.

-En suite.

-Whirlpool bath. Have a look. Very modern.

-Oh, the bathroom's lovely.

-That's beautiful. Good size, yeah.

-Really nice.

-Love it, yeah.

So the idea is, you see, if you're lying in your bath,

-you're looking out on to water as well.

-Yeah.

-Oh, yes.

-That's called a vision pool, apparently.

-Oh!

And the little door leading out on to the garden.

-No diving in, OK?

-Oh, the pool area.

-Right. Come on out.

-Oh, right.

-Big run up. Are you ready?

-Oh, dear!

-Chrissie, can you imagine doing this when you're 70 years old?

-No!

-This is no good, Aled?

-No?

-No!

-Why not?

-A steep bank like that.

-Don't you just want to roll down it?

-No. Maybe children will.

Cats might like running up and down it, but can you imagine me gardening here?

I'm not sure. You've got your garden coming round from the front of the house.

This part they've just let overgrow. Well, OK. Let's talk money.

Money, ah! Let's say 699.

Wow! OK, £699,000.

Top of the budget. I think it's above budget.

720 maybe.

-It's on the market for top of the budget. 700...

-Exactly?

-£700,000.

-Really? Is it? OK.

-So I was the nearest.

-You were.

-699.

-Such great joy in it!

-Yes!

-That was a good guess, Chrissie.

-Yeah. It's, erm...

It's quite a high price to pay for something that I wouldn't really be happy with.

OK. That's fair enough.

-Do you want to have another look around?

-All right then. See you later.

THEY LAUGH

Woah! Woah!

Right at the top of their budget, at £700,000,

this property meets much of our buyers' criteria.

Wrapped up in an outstanding contemporary finish.

But will the garden here make it too much of an uphill struggle?

This is a nice room. This must be like a second bedroom.

-It looks nice and airy.

-Good size, again, Chrissie.

When I first saw house number two,

I was very surprised, cos I'd never seen anything like it in my life, I can truly say.

It was very, very modern and, in fact, it was too modern for me.

And, for me, the house hasn't got the garden I would want.

It's actually got a wild look at the back, which is a bit like a forest.

When I walked into the house, I was surprised, pleasantly surprised,

because this type of house is the kind of thing I like -

modern, plenty of glass,

open-plan...

And it really hit the spot for me, it really did.

The lounge is the best space in the house.

It's got sliding doors out on to the decking, veranda,

which is a really nice feature of the house.

I don't feel enclosed in here. It doesn't feel small and it flows lovely.

They've been in there long enough, I tell you. Oh!

-Hello!

-Ah, you took your time.

-Well, John liked it so much.

-I didn't want to leave.

-Oh!

-You're going to have to leave, cos it's not your house yet.

-No.

-Don't tell me if it is going to be.

Two very different houses today, so I think we'll go back and regroup.

-Start again tomorrow.

-Yes!

-Come on then.

-Look forward to it.

As the sun sets across the Dorset countryside,

we leave John and Chrissie to reflect on the two properties they've seen so far.

With a budget of £700,000, London-based John and Chrissie

have decided to quit the city for a rural home in Dorset, where they first met.

So far, they've had a taster of traditional and a cut of contemporary,

but, coming up, the origins are rather confusing in the mystery property.

-It's not a joke house, is it?

-No, no. This is all for real.

-No!

-It's not a museum, is it?

-It could be, I suppose!

And, as for me, well, I'll be making tracks!

It's the start of day two and yesterday went rather well.

We found John his dream property in the second house.

The only problem was that Chrissie didn't like the garden or the trees.

I think we best "leaf" that one alone. Bring on the mystery house.

Trees aren't a problem. It's even got a sea view. Lack of transport might be though.

Will their ship come in? It's time to find out.

And to get to the mystery house, we're most definitely going off the beaten track.

-You are going to take up the driving again?

-Yes.

-Yeah, definitely.

-We need to. To live in Dorset, we're going to have to drive.

-Yes.

-It's a good road, don't you think?

-No!

-This road is atrocious, Aled.

-If I...

-You need a horse and cart.

If I had to walk down here... We won't be getting a car.

We'll be getting a donkey or a horse and cart.

-A good horse and cart along here would be fun.

-Yes, I think so.

For our third and final stop of this property tour,

we're heading south-west towards the coastal wilds of Holworth.

In fact, we'll be as close to the sea as you could possibly be,

without getting caught by a wave.

The mystery property towers 200 metres above the former fishing hamlet of Ringstead

and has a real feeling of seclusion.

But the location is still close enough to civilisation if needed,

being less than ten miles from the seaside town of Weymouth,

which offers all the essential amenities.

The gamble with this house is there's no public transport connections near to the property,

just a beautiful coastal landscape with commanding sea views.

And just before the road tumbles down to the shore, we arrive.

SHE LAUGHS

-Wow!

-So...

-Well, I don't know what this is.

-It's the mystery property, that's what it is.

It looks like an old school house.

-It's actually an old coastguard house.

-Oh, is it?

This was the boss's house. And there are six other houses attached to it.

Basically, we've brought you here because if you look that way...

-What do you see?

-The sea!

-If you look that way, what do you see?

-Rolling hills.

-There you go!

-And over there. Oh, it's beautiful.

-Oh, beautiful views.

-Yes.

-Well, shall we get in?

-Oh, yes. Yes.

-Come on!

-I might have to get a donkey!

Cutting an imposing figure high on the chalk headland,

the mystery property was built back in the early 20th century to deter and catch smugglers.

So let's step inside for a little time travel.

-Two entrances to the property. This is the back one.

-Oh, right.

-Through to a utility room. Also a downstairs loo there.

-Yeah.

-Follow me through to the kitchen.

-Oh, it's very quirky!

-Isn't it?

-Isn't it just?

-Yes.

Yes. Oh, this is... Oh, it's lovely this kitchen, yes.

-Yeah.

-A nice feel to it.

-It is.

It's old fashioned but it's been loved. You can see it's in good condition. I can see that.

I love the kitchen. It's very country kitchen, isn't it?

-So you've got the gas lamps.

-No!

-Really?

-No!

-They don't still work, surely?

-Yeah.

-No!

-Gor!

-No!

-Beautiful, isn't it? I love it!

-JOHN LAUGHS

-It's really... It's...

-It's not a joke house, is it?

-No, no, this is all for real.

-No!

-It's not a museum, is it?

-It could be, couldn't it?

But just lovely little features everywhere you look. Do you like it?

In today's modern world, I don't know. It's not modern enough for me.

-I'd find it quite hard to get used to this.

-We might change your mind. Let's look at the living room.

-OK.

Come on, follow me.

Oh, this is another quirky room!

-Cosy little room, isn't it?

-Yeah, it's very cosy.

-Again, great fire.

-I know the fires are wonderful.

-Beauty that, an absolute beauty!

-Even nicer than the one in there.

-I just want to sit down and curl to sleep now.

-Yes.

-You could be sitting here with your cat on your lap.

-Yeah.

Next door you also have a study, music room,

which you could have as a little snug, a his-and-hers TV room.

-But John didn't want lots of little rooms.

-No, not particularly, no.

The mystery house is set out over three levels

and, up on the top floor, lie two bright and homely double guest rooms.

Originally, the house offered a total of four bedrooms.

As well as the two up in the eaves on the second floor,

there were also two on the first floor.

They've now been divided with folding wooden doors,

which, when opened, create a rather grand master,

enjoying both rural views to the back and coastal views to the front.

And that's where we're heading next.

Nice family bathroom with a rolltop bath. Come through to the master bedroom.

-Oh, quite spacious up here.

-This is quite nice.

-Oh, surprised!

-Really surprised.

-So you've got your own dressing area here.

Look at the view as well.

-Dressing area for you.

-Yeah.

-Sea views. Rolling hills.

-I know some of the rooms downstairs are small.

-Yeah, yeah, it's better up here.

-I could see this house as a weekend retreat.

-OK.

You know, not somewhere that I could live in every single day.

But if I wanted to escape for a weekend retreat, it would be some place like this.

This mystery house isn't for the faint-hearted.

Sadly, it appears to be too remote for our city slickers.

But we can't leave without checking out the pretty garden,

and soaking up those incredible and inspiring views.

And it's little surprise that this property also comes with an artist's studio.

-Might as well take a seat.

-Yes, this is wonderful.

-It is, yes. It is nice.

-It's definitely stunning.

-It is.

-It's the only word for it.

-It's a lovely location.

-Let's talk money, cos you never know, that might change something.

-This is a hard one.

I'm going for 450.

-Wow! All right. OK. 450,000?

-Yeah.

-OK.

I'm going to go up into the fives. I'm going to say something like 525.

-£525,000?

-Yeah.

-OK.

-Yeah.

-It's definitely not 450.

-Isn't it?

-No.

-No.

-Nowhere near.

-No.

-Well, I always go by the old-fashioned prices.

-OK!

LAUGHTER

It's actually on the market for £575,000.

575? Yeah. OK.

Listen, go and have a look around. I'll be up here waiting for you.

-OK.

-Yeah.

-We'll do that.

-Come along, Chrissie.

Again, under budget with an asking price of £575,000.

The mystery property is a Victorian, three-storey, semi-detached...

A rare opportunity to buy a part of Dorset's coastal heritage.

But it's the dramatic and inspirational setting

that makes it so very special.

The house is charming.

When you come into the kitchen, it is actually a lovely, cosy farmhouse kitchen.

And it is very appealing.

Although it's got that charm, it's too rustic, in a way.

It's in very good condition,

but it is like stepping back in time.

I think I would, sympathetically, update it,

keeping some of the traditional character of the property.

And you've got the benefit of the outhouse, as well.

The outhouse was a nice space, if you wanted to do any hobbies, any painting, or something like that.

-Hello.

-I thought you were prolonging the journey back, you were dreading it.

-Seen enough?

-Yes.

-Yes.

-I think so, yeah.

-We've shown you three very different properties.

-Yeah.

-Certainly have.

-Definitely. All different.

-Shall we go and find somewhere where we can have a chat about them?

-Yes.

-Come on.

It's safe to say that Dorset's winning combination of breath-taking coastline

and vintage countryside makes an ideal retreat for a spot of R and R.

Ah, there's nothing like the British countryside.

And where better than Dorset in the summer? Peace and tranquillity.

And tanks!

Oh, yes.

During the Great War, the British military were desperately trying

to find alternative ways of overcoming the stalemate in the trenches.

One mechanical solution was the secret development of so-called "land ships"

at Camp Bovington in the rural moorlands on Dorset's south coast.

This location was ideal because tanks could easily be transported

to the frontline just across the water in France.

And today, the camp is still home to the Armour Centre for the British Army,

part of which is open to the public.

I met up with museum curator David Willey

to find out more about the early deployments of these remarkable trench-crossing machines.

So I never knew that the German trenches were a little bit nicer than ours.

Well, the Germans, like this one... This is a recreation of a German trench we've got here.

They were there to stay. That's the whole point. They occupied the ground. We've got the problem.

How are we going to get them out? How are we going to push them back out of France and Belgium?

And that's why the British come up with this thing, the tank.

This new armoured vehicle was designed to cope with all types of ground conditions,

break through layers of barbed wire and provide protection from artillery and machine-gun fire.

Little Willie was the first basic tank prototype,

developed by British engineers, who drew their inspiration

from the caterpillar-tracked equipment used on farms in the USA.

Although not an instant success, Willie paved the way for the Mark I tank,

which was the first ever to be used in combat at the Battle of the Somme in September 1916.

-Is it a complicated bit of machinery?

-For the day, they are cutting-edge technology.

-Why don't we have a look at one and you can see for yourself?

-Brilliant. Come on.

Conditions inside the early tanks were cramped and appalling.

Apart from the enemy, the crew of up to eight men had to contend with deafening noise,

suffocating fumes and intense heat.

-So here we are. We're in what's called a Mark IV tank.

-Right.

And this is the one they made the most of in the First World War. They made about 1,000 of these.

This particular one is what they call a male tank.

This one, being a male, has the bigger guns on the side, what they call six-pounder guns.

Female tanks just have two machine guns.

-Why are all the tanks here then?

-This is where all the tanks came back after the First World War

to be chopped up for scrap metal and the story goes that Rudyard Kipling, the author and poet,

came down here in about 1923 on a visit and said, "You ought to save some of those.

"They were very important in the First World War." And that was the start of the museum.

Modern tanks have now evolved beyond all recognition.

And they're actually allowing me to have a go. Talk about big boys' toys!

-I'm in.

-Right, now I'm going to pass you some ear protection.

-Fantastic.

-Yeah, comfy?

-Can't hear a word you're saying, so it's obviously working.

Copied and developed by countries all over the world,

this original British invention has become a key weapon for the military

and even today, constitutes an essential asset in land combat operations.

And talking of assets, in the battle of the houses,

which one of our selection, if any, will win?

Let's find out.

Well, thanks for finding a nice secluded spot for us to have a chat.

-But windy, isn't it?

-Escape To The Country!

-It is, yeah.

-We're the only ones brave enough to...

-We are. Mad as hatters, aren't we?

Yeah! Well, hope you've enjoyed it.

-It's been great.

-It's been marvellous. A good adventure and a good experience.

-A lovely few days!

-Three really different houses.

-Yeah.

-Very different, yes.

How did you feel when you walked up to that first one and saw that thatched roof?

It really brought a tear to my eye. I actually got quite emotional.

-I really did.

-It looked lovely. It's what you would imagine

-when you come up to a house.

-And it was absolutely immaculate inside.

-Yeah.

-Yes, it was a lovely house.

There was only one drawback. It was really rural.

There was nothing there.

-It had neighbours.

-It had neighbours and a village pub.

-Yeah.

And the people were very friendly, but there was no shop.

You couldn't even buy a newspaper there.

You need a car to live there.

-I think you're going to need a car wherever you live in the country.

-I think we've discovered that.

In the last few days, we've found out that you do really need a car.

Let's talk about the second one. It just wasn't modern enough!

-Must we?

-Yeah, sorry! Hold her back!

-You loved it.

-I loved it.

-And I think you said you didn't like it.

-I didn't like it at all.

I hoped that it would be modern and when we went inside, by golly it was modern.

-I really liked it.

-It was modern, yes.

-I loved it.

-That was the type of house I like.

-And then we showed you remote, with the third one.

It was rural, but it gave you the sea,

which I was willing to compromise on, and it also gave you the rural aspect,

-so it didn't feel totally rural.

-You didn't feel you were cut off in property three,

because you could see Weymouth, Portland, you could see a town

in the distance, more or less, you know.

You loved the drive up, didn't you?

Oh, the drive up was... Well, what can I say?

-You definitely need a four-by-four car there.

-You would.

-Yes.

-Definitely.

-Yeah.

-It was an amazing house though.

-Unbelievable.

If you want to get away from it, escape from the world, that's the house, really.

-Be a bit of a hardship to live there.

-Do you think?

-I think so, yes.

-I think so, too.

So the second property was too modern?

-And the third property was too old-fashioned for you?

-Too old-fashioned.

-Which means the first property's perfect.

-The first property was my favourite out of the three.

Right. So do you think you'll see any of them again?

-Not...

-Realistically?

-Not those ones.

-Not out of the three, no.

-No.

-No.

-Not even the first one then?

We'd rather get something where we can walk around.

-Well, I wish you luck.

-Thank you!

And I hope you do find that house with the sea view and rural views that's not too isolated.

-We'll try our best.

-It's been great meeting you and lovely spending time with you.

Well, I think it's fair to say that we showed Chrissie and John

three very different properties here in Dorset.

And all of them, on paper, had elements of what they're looking for in their dream house.

But one thing is for certain, if they are going to make the move here,

I fear they're going to have to jump back in that car.

I wish them well. It's bye from me.

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