Cornwall Escape to the Country

Today I'm in a county home to Britain's only tea plantation.

But where am I? Find out on Escape To The Country.

On today's show, time is of the essence

as I help a science teacher, who's about to start a new job,

find a home in the country.

And she's brought along a friend to ensure she doesn't make any hasty decisions.

Along the way, we find it tricky to work out the formula

-of one property.

-It's such a surprise walking in here that I'm finding it really difficult

to adjust to what I'm actually seeing.

And one of our houses provokes a strong reaction.

-Can you bear to talk money with me?

-I'll try!

I'm very worried now that I can't afford it.

I'm in Cornwall and this is the Tregothnan tea plantation

near Falmouth.

From the 17th century, tea was a highly prized commodity.

In fact, a 1lb bag of it in weight would have set you back around £1,200 in today's money.

Later in the show, I'll be learning the fine art of tea plucking

but in the meantime, take a look at some of the rich pickings

held within this county.

As England's most westerly county,

Cornwall faces out over the Atlantic Ocean to the north,

and the English Channel to the south,

wrapped up in a coastline that extends some 300 miles.

The cultural hub of St Ives has a longstanding reputation

as the heart of the Cornish artistic community.

Home to the Tate gallery and sculptor Barbara Hepworth,

the town has been a key influence on the 20th-century British arts movement.

The county's most southerly tip is at Lizard Point,

which takes its name from the Cornish for "high place".

The Spanish Armada was first spotted from here in 1588.

The Lizard Peninsula was also the birthplace of modern communication

with some of the first radio experiments conducted here

by Marconi, in 1900.

Considering it's the birthplace of radio,

it's little wonder that word of Cornwall's delights has got out.

And its popularity has kept house prices high.

The average cost of a detached property

is £265,000. That's £11,000 more than the national figure.

However, if you want a sea view, well, brace yourself.

You may have to add £100,000 to that.

Although prices on the south coast are generally cheaper than those on the north.

You'll find that Cornwall's housing styles reflect

the rich heritage of its industries.

As the vast majority of Cornwall's economy was built around mining,

there's no shortage of building materials in this part of the world.

Though only one quarry now remains active,

slate has been mined here for centuries.

You'll see it on roofs and used as a protective covering on walls.

Slate-tiled properties can be found to suit a variety of budgets.

In fishing villages such as Mevagissey,

you can also find homes built from cob -

a mixture of clay, straw, sand and water.

This is placed on a stone base, creating a construction method

that is now coming back into vogue.

Cornish granite, originally mined in the 19th century

for bridges and churches, was soon being used for homes, thanks to its strength and durability.

This two-bedroomed cottage in Constantine

is priced just under £170,000.

Lots of beautiful properties there.

But today's buyer is focused on finding a home close to the sea.

Let's find out more.

Science teacher Helen is a woman on a mission.

She's accepted a new job in Cornwall

and now just needs the house to go with it.

So there's a certain degree of urgency to today's property search.

Didn't think I'd get the job but I did.

So, I've sold my house and I need somewhere to live by the start of September.

So Helen needs to be in her new Cornish home

before the school term starts.

And with her new teaching job waiting for her,

she knows exactly where she wants to live.

My job that I've got is in Helston, in Cornwall,

so I need to ideally be within 25 minutes, maximum, commute

of that area.

My preferred area is kind of south of Helston,

down towards the Lizard Peninsula.

I'd love a little garden that's nice and secure

so that my cat can't get out.

So I don't want to be on a main road.

Helen's lived in her three-bedroomed semi

in a built-up residential area of Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire,

for eight years. To help her make the move,

she's taking along Ali, who's been her friend since they were children.

My role in the house search with Helen

is really about bringing her down to earth

and reminding her of the criteria that she set herself.

To remind her, as well, that it's not just the cat that's going to be living in the house

and secure in the back garden, but Helen as well.

So, yes, she can fall in love with the house

but if it doesn't have a good study space,

then it's not going to work for her.

Moving such a long distance from friends,

Helen is confident that her role as a teacher

will help her settle into her new life.

As a teacher, it's very easy to become part of a community.

You instantly have that whole surround of the other staff,

the students and their parents.

I like to get involved in the school

and enthuse the children in science.

But also I like to get involved in the other parts of school

with the plays. I've helped backstage and we do a school pantomime

every year that I've taken part in.

She'll also be wanting to enjoy the outdoor lifestyle

that this part of the country has to offer.

I'm really looking forward to being able to just go to the beach at any time,

just sit and watch the waves.

I'd love for friends to come down and stay

and have enough room for them to relax and enjoy

the countryside that I'm going to be living in.

With her house already sold, Helen knows exactly what she can afford

to spend on her new home.

My budget is £240,000

and I'm hoping that can get me quite a nice property down in Cornwall.

When it comes to location, Helen would prefer to live in a village

south of the town of Helston,

where she'll be based for work.

But she'll consider anywhere within a 25-minute drive of the school.

I caught up with her and friend Ali here in Cornwall

to find out more about what she's looking for in her new country home.

Well, Helen and Ali, welcome to glorious Cornwall.

What a beautiful day!

We've got some fantastic views behind us,

just giving you a taster of hopefully what we're going to see

even more of over the next few days.

Tell us, what is it about Cornwall that you love so much, Helen?

You can see it today. It's the countryside, the water,

it's just beautiful. When the sun's shining like this, what's not to love?

How long have you been considering Cornwall as a place to live?

I thought about it about ten years ago.

This winter it became a bit of a reality

when I got myself a new job down in the area.

So now I need to find somewhere to live down here.

You've brought with you your best friend, Ali.

You're going to be the voice of reason, I believe, on this search?

I am normally! I've known Helen for 30-odd years

and we went to school together.

So, yes, when she falls in love with a house with just two tiny bedrooms

and no storage and you can't swing a cat,

I'll be the one saying, "That isn't it!"

You know her really well, you know her tastes.

Yes. I'm going to make sure she finds a home

that she's going to be comfortable in.

-Always good to have somebody else with you for another opinion.

-Yes.

What exactly are you after with your ideal home?

Something in a village sort of situation

with some local facilities like a pub and a small shop,

and just a small community. Not a house that's too small,

I'd like two good-sized bedrooms cos I'm hoping Ali and her husband

and lots of my friends will be coming to stay.

But because of my job as a teacher, I need some space to work

so I need some kind of office area that I can use to do my job.

-Now, talking of your job...

-Mm.

-You've accepted a position, haven't you?

-I have, yes.

And it's a matter of weeks before you start this new job.

Yes. I packed up my home two days ago

and we followed the removals van down here when we came down here.

-So the pressure is on us!

-Yes, no pressure. I need somewhere to live.

What about the budget? How much have we got to spend here in Cornwall?

-£240,000.

-We've got three properties to show you,

which I'm very excited about.

-Shall we get going?

-That would be great.

-Come on, then.

For her budget of £240,000,

Helen is hoping to find a cosy and characterful house

for her and Pickles the cat,

which will give her an easy-to-maintain kitchen,

a study for her to mark homework,

two bedrooms and a small garden for entertaining.

We've done our homework and found three gorgeous properties

which will hopefully make the grade.

At each one, I'll be asking them both to have a go at guessing the price.

One will, of course, be our mystery house,

which could spring a few surprises but first, we're heading to property number one.

We're making the journey around four miles west of Helston,

to the pretty village of Breage,

which would give her a quick drive to work.

With a population of around 3,000 people

and set in beautiful countryside,

Breage has all the local amenities Helen will need.

A shop with a Post Office, an impressive 15th-century church,

and a typical Cornish pub.

Our first offering is a Grade II listed granite cottage,

dating back to the 16th century,

and it's believed to be the oldest property in the village.

Looking forward to the first property?

-Yes, I'm wondering which one it is.

-Here it is, right in front of us,

-it's this beautiful cottage.

-It's very cute, lovely, I'm very surprised!

It's a handsome cottage. Ali, what are your first impressions?

You seem to have quite a lot of land, at the front and the back,

-so yeah, it looks lovely.

-A good start.

BOTH: It is!

Girls, follow me!

'The exterior gives a taste of the period charm

'this cottage has to offer.

'That character continues inside, as they'll see.'

Here is your first property, the cottage.

Isn't it lovely? It's very sweet.

It's a very low ceiling, isn't it?

That's a bad first reaction but it is.

I love the burner, but it is very, very low.

-That's not a problem, being a pygmy, for me!

-You're not a pygmy!

Even with high heels, you're not going to knock your head.

Then behind us, you've probably noticed, there's your dining area.

Oh, yeah!

-In actual fact, as cottages go, it's a fair size.

-It is, yeah.

-Great, well, shall we continue?

-Absolutely.

-OK.

'So while Ali isn't too sure about the feel of this pretty cottage,

'Helen seems to be charmed by it.

'The next room could give her something that was top of her wish list - a study.'

On this ground floor, you currently have a bedroom.

-Right.

-The way it's set up at the moment is a single bedroom

with a study area here. Come on in, have a good look.

Next door, you've got a downstairs toilet and a shower room.

Just poke your head in there.

It also means for your guests, when they come to stay,

-they don't have to go upstairs.

-OK.

Fantastic. Right, Ali, if you could lead the way,

-take the door on the left.

-OK.

-Look at you, taking one more look,

taking it all in! I think that's quite a good sign.

'So it's onwards to the next room.'

So here is your cottage kitchen.

It is very cottagey.

-It's very...wee.

-Bijou!

-Bijou, very bijou.

You've still got enough room for a big fridge-freezer behind you.

Oh! I hadn't even noticed that.

So everything fits.

You might have noticed the stable doors.

So that leads out onto a courtyard.

At the moment, there's a huge...it looks like a kennel

and a massive shed in there.

If you took those out, it'd be a lovely area in the morning,

breakfast area. And then another little courtyard

you can see through the window, to put your washing.

-Oh, fantastic.

-How much time do you honestly spend in the kitchen

or is it opening the food for Pickles and putting it on a plate?

To be honest, it's where's the wine and the glasses and that's it.

-I like you, I like you for that!

-Chinese takeaway!

-Yeah!

So actually, this is going to be big enough, isn't it?

-Absolutely fine for me.

-If you're not a slave to the kitchen.

-Not at all.

'With the kitchen serving Helen's needs,

'let's explore the upstairs.'

There are two double bedrooms, so a very comfortable space

for visiting guests, and a bright and spacious family bathroom.

But we're taking a look at the second bedroom,

which Helen would claim as hers.

-So, two good-sized doubles upstairs.

-They are.

I'm surprised, again!

-And it is a really good-sized room, isn't it?

-Not bad at all.

-And there's some large furniture in here.

-What about the cottage itself?

You've seen everything inside. What do you think?

It's good, very good so far, you've done very well!

-You've done very well.

-What marks would I get, teacher?

I'm thinking a B plus, definitely, if not an A!

-I think A for effort, at least!

-Absolutely.

You two have got some homework to do.

You've got to think how much it's all worth. So, Ali,

if you want to lead the way, back down the stairs, into the garden.

'As well as the courtyards, outside the front of this property

'is a beautifully low-maintenance garden with a patio area,

'providing a perfect entertaining space.

'But now we need to do some straight talking.'

Well, it is time to get serious now because we've got to guess the price.

How much do you think this cottage is on the market for?

I think about 250, or maybe even more.

OK. Ali?

I don't think it's as much as that, I think about 225.

Interesting. Well, the current asking price is...

£249,950.

-What did I say?

-Very good.

-So, you were very good!

£50 shy of 250

but the current owners do know your budget is 240,000

and your situation. You moved out of your house, what, two days ago?

They know that you're very keen to move and they're happy to negotiate,

they want to have that conversation with you.

Why don't you take another look around the house together?

Take your time and I'll see you when you're ready. Okey doke.

Although almost £10,000 over Helen's budget,

it looks like there would be room for manoeuvre on that asking price.

Well-located for work, this detached character cottage

provides a manageable kitchen, a potential study,

two double bedrooms and a garden that's great for entertaining.

I was really surprised when I first saw the house

because it's detached and I haven't been able to see any detached

at the price I've been looking at before.

Cottages tend to be small but I think this one is just about perfect size for me, it's just me and the cat,

so I think it's quite doable.

I could definitely see Helen in this house.

Not only does it have a Helen-sized bathroom

but it also has a Helen-sized kitchen.

She doesn't do a huge amount of cooking.

The rest of the house, just perfect.

That seemed to go pretty well, and according to Helen,

that's the best property she's seen so far

and she's seen quite a few.

-Right. Happy?

-Yes, very.

-Good start?

Incredibly good start, I'm surprised.

-Surprised?

-Yeah!

-Have faith, young lady, have faith.

Right, come on, girls, we've got more to see.

Whether countryside and coastline, the heritage of Cornwall's towns and villages

is woven into its geography. Looking out over the English Channel,

the fishing village of Mousehole features

distinctive yellow lichen-roofed houses,

built from the locally quarried granite.

They line the inner edge of the harbour,

protected from the force of the sea in Mounts Bay

by two sturdy breakwaters.

And just a few miles away, carved into the cliffs of Porthcurno Bay

is the Minack Theatre, which was planned, built and financed

by one determined woman - Rowena Cade.

As Helen enjoys helping with her own school plays,

we've arranged for her and Ali to meet up with theatre manager Phil Jackson

to find out more about this stunning place

and the extraordinary woman behind it.

Hello, welcome to sunny Minack, I'm Phil Jackson, theatre manager.

-Good to see you.

-It's an amazing view, it's almost Roman.

It has that feel, it looks Roman, a lot of people think it is. But actually, it's not that old.

It used to be a piece of cliff, like everything else across the bay,

until the early '30s and this was the local fishing rock.

So how did the whole theatre concept come about?

In the early '20s, Rowena and her mother bought the piece of land

for £100, in 1923, actually.

They had a house built on the top and this was her cliff garden.

But she got involved with local amateur theatre

and they put on a production of A Midsummer Night's Dream

in a wood just up the valley from here.

That was really successful, so in the early '30s,

she made the terraces, built the stage in one winter,

with her gardener and in 1932, they put on The Tempest.

Did Rowena actually get involved with the building?

There's some amazing stories about how she became a master builder,

just by experience. She spent 40 years of her life

building this theatre.

Helped by two Cornish craftsmen, Billy Rawlings and Charles Thomas Angove,

it took six months for Rowena Cade to build a simple stage

and some rough seating for a performance of The Tempest.

Using the skills of the two men, granite was cut by hand

from a pile of tumbled boulders.

In the years that followed, Rowena developed her own techniques with cement,

and by using the tip of an old screwdriver,

she decorated the surfaces of sets and seating

with lettering and intricate Celtic designs.

It was her lifelong passion.

She worked until she was 81, she was still mixing concrete

and building when she was 81.

The Juliet balcony, that we call over there,

that's the last thing she actually physically built.

In 1976, when she was well over 80, Rowena gave her beloved theatre

to a charitable trust, which aimed to preserve her creation.

It has been running successfully, with productions held every year

since her death in 1983.

-ON STAGE: You remember the drawing.

-How could I forget it?

After that inspirational tale,

it's time to return to our search for Helen's Cornish home.

We've made the journey six miles east of Helston,

to the lively village of Constantine,

which gives Helen a drive of around 20 minutes to work.

Amenities include a village shop with Post Office,

and a convenience store with fresh produce.

There's also a pub for socialising and an arts centre,

which is a local entertainment hub, hosting a range of community activities.

House number two is a former quarry worker's cottage,

built from the local granite, and dates back to around the 1850s.

Here is your second property. What do you think?

I'm surprised, I wasn't expecting the double front.

It is certainly larger than the first house that we saw.

It's called a cottage but I think it is more of a house.

Yes, definitely.

Slap bang in the middle of the village.

One thing to be mindful of, we are on quite a main road.

-Yes, that's a bit of a worry with the cat but we have got a little front garden...

-You have, yes.

..that she can just secure herself into.

Ali, what do you think, having a look at the cottage?

I like all of the stones

and I like the fact it's in a nice terrace, it's a good, solid house.

Right, come on, girls.

'Ali is right about the solidity of this house

'and the granite features continue inside,

'where she and Helen can see the very generous living space.'

So, let's start our second house tour.

What do you think, girls?

We've walked in and I can see you're busy taking it all in.

What about the size of the room?

It's a good-sized room.

It feels so much more in proportion than what we saw this morning.

Cornwall is famous for its granite

and it has such a strong look, but what I love

is they've kept it exposed. They've painted it white

to make it a feature. Could you imagine yourself

and Pickles the cat living in this room?

I'm not sure at the moment. It's not a complete, "No, I can't..."

but it's such a surprise walking in here

that I'm finding it really difficult to adjust to what I'm seeing

so I think I need a little while to take it all in.

-Going to reserve judgment?

-Absolutely.

Let's see what else I can show you. Okey doke. Follow me.

'It seems this house isn't giving Helen that warm glow just yet.

'Let's see if the kitchen can remedy that.'

-Come through into the kitchen.

-OK.

Er, it's an L-shape, as you can see.

And as you walk through, if you turned left,

there's a utility room on the other side.

It just seems really small.

I wouldn't say that it is small per se,

the way it's laid out doesn't do it justice for the space that it's got.

At the moment, I don't think it flows very well.

Probably noticed we've got the garden at the back.

-Very good.

-Cool.

-And again I'm thinking pussy cat.

Little pussy cat running out.

The back of your garden leads on to other houses

so there isn't that traffic.

It's given you something to think about.

I haven't blown you away with the downstairs.

-But still more to see.

-OK.

-Let's head upstairs.

On the first floor, there are three bedrooms,

all of which are a very good size.

One could be used for guests, while another could be Helen's study,

as it has plenty of light.

All of them share a cheerfully decorated family bathroom

but we're heading to the third bedroom, where Helen could be sleeping.

-So, a nice, bright bedroom for you.

-Gosh, it is.

Come on in, girls. This, actually, is the largest of all the bedrooms.

It currently sleeps three girls.

You've actually got more additional space down there and an airing cupboard as well.

It's quite a good-sized room, so you could get a lot of storage

in here and put things around.

I can tell downstairs, you've got your reservations.

-Is it difficult to put your finger on it?

-Yes, it is.

I just need to think about it a lot more

because it's not quite so easy to see as in the other house.

It's kind of what you see is what you get in the other house and you could feel it more.

But here you've got to do a lot more work

to actually figure out what I'd do with it.

Well, it's a bit of a conundrum for Helen

but, as we head outside, I hope she'll recognise how much space

she'll get for her money here.

So, it is time now for guess the price.

-Mm-mm.

-Who's first?

It's my turn to go first this time.

I think I'd like to go with 225 again.

-You like that number, don't you?

-I do!

-Helen, now it's your turn.

You were the closest last time.

What do you reckon?

Because of what I would think I need to do to make it suitable for me,

I'd hope that it's under budget so I'd have something to spend on it.

So I'd say about 210?

Well, you're both under. The asking price is...

£237,500.

I think that's just made a decision for me!

Why don't you go and have another look around, because even though

you're quite sure it's not for you, you do get ideas of what you like,

what works and perhaps what doesn't.

Have a wander. I'll hang around and wait for you. Give me a shout when you're done.

-OK.

-Thank you.

-See you in a minute.

Well, really from the kerb,

I think Helen knew this house wasn't for her.

Under her budget, this property leaves Helen

a couple of thousand pounds to redecorate to her own taste.

It has a lovely main living area, with granite fireplace,

the modest kitchen she wanted, three bedrooms,

so one could easily be used as a study, and a secure back garden.

From the outside, house two looks...is quite impressive.

There is a lot of room and I don't really need that much space.

But I would like a little bit more garden on the outside, and a little bit more scenery as well.

The house itself doesn't need a huge amount of work,

but I think for Helen to make it hers, and to, for example, move the kitchen around,

it would need some money spent on it.

And I think that's part of her discomfort about it.

-Hello, ladies.

-Hello.

Have either of you changed your mind?

-I don't think so.

-No?

-No, sorry.

It is a great house, it's just not right for you, is it, Helen?

-I don't think so.

-Never mind, we did try.

-Indeed.

-Come on.

As the sun sets over the spectacular Cornish coast,

our first day of house-hunting draws to a close.

Chemistry teacher Helen has sold her house in Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire,

to move down to Cornwall for her new teaching job.

She urgently needs to set up home before term starts.

Friend Ali has come along to help her find the winning solution for her new house in the country.

The two properties we've seen so far have provoked very different reactions,

but coming up, our mystery house proves a bit too overwhelming.

This is lovely, I just really wasn't expecting this at all.

And I stop off for a home-grown cuppa at Britain's only tea plantation.

Yesterday, we began our experiment into the science of house-buying.

And it got off to a rather positive start.

So I was taken aback when our second foray wasn't quite so successful,

even though it was in a village to die for.

Which brings us on to our mystery house.

Helen says she wants to live as close as possible to the sea,

so will the fisherman's cottage we've found her pass the litmus test?

Only one way to find out.

Helen, are you feeling the pressure? Because you have a matter of weeks before you start your new job!

And you and Pickles, you don't have anywhere to live.

Keep reminding me of that!

We've got to get this right.

Yes, yes, the pressure is still on,

and I'm really looking forward to what we're going to see today.

For our mystery house, we've travelled to Newlyn,

around 16 miles west of Helston, meaning a half-hour drive to work.

Granted, we've strayed out of Helen's search area,

but this property could provide everything she's after.

The coastal town of Newlyn has the largest fishing harbour in the UK,

and naturally it offers all the amenities Helen could possibly need

for shopping and socialising.

Tucked away 200 yards from the harbour,

our mystery house is around 50 years old

and has been built on the site of an old fisherman's cottage.

The setting, on a cobbled no-through lane, is like taking a step back in time.

-Very nice.

-Yeah? Were you pleasantly surprised as you walked round the corner?

I am, cos there's some very tiny houses around there

and this looks that little bit bigger.

I love the street, I love the cobbles.

The polarics, though, of coming from a working port,

and then just round the corner you're in this!

It's very, very different from what we saw yesterday.

-Right, I think we should start.

-I think so.

Our mystery house, take it away!

'Well, this is definitely a different prospect to yesterday's houses,

'with its mix of original character and modern styling,

'so the inside may not be what Helen and Ali are expecting.'

So let's start with the sitting room.

OK. You tell me what you think.

It's a good-sized room, it's all nice and neutral.

Got the two windows, which gives it a lot of light and makes it feel very spacious.

It's a nice room, it's very pleasant.

I do like the fact that it is a separate sitting room.

And for one person with occasional guests, enough space to entertain in here?

Definitely. Yeah, definitely.

Let's proceed through to the kitchen.

So, it's a good start for the living space.

Now, despite the fact she's not a slave to the kitchen,

I think Helen will want to spend a lot of time in this one.

-Nice!

-Good.

-Very nice.

-Good!

-It's excellent!

-Even better!

-Gobsmacked.

-Yay!

We've had varying degrees of reactions on kitchens.

Oh, no... This is...this is lovely. Really good.

Just through that door is a large utility room, with access to the back of your property.

You've got a downstairs toilet, a sink, all your white goods.

So even more space. There is even a cat-flap for Pickles.

-There you go.

-Bless!

-Miss is getting emotional.

-Yes, I do!

Oh, well, that's good, because that's the reaction you always want.

It's good, it's good.

It's good.

And you haven't seen everything.

This is lovely.

I just really wasn't expecting this at all.

I was expecting where the oven is to just be kind of the end of it.

Well, that is often the way, isn't it, with these sort of cottages.

-Are you all right? Here, let me give you a tissue.

-Thank you.

Can you sum up why this house is working so far for you?

Erm, it looks gorgeous from the outside.

You've got that beautiful garden.

The sitting room's really nice and cosy.

I'm going to go again!

I think it's more defined.

The kitchen is of a size, it's not too massive but it's not too small

either so it has a table in it but also,

there's this whole bit that goes right through, so it takes your eye right through to the back.

This is just spot-on.

The wine rack is empty. Does it upset you?

It won't be for long. It won't be for long.

'The kitchen is definitely a cause for celebration

'and Helen had a surprisingly strong reaction to it.

'Let's see if we can maintain that momentum as we head upstairs.'

-You've got two double bedrooms upstairs.

-OK.

Both about this size, so not enormous but pretty functional.

Yeah, definitely.

You also have a third bedroom.

A third bedroom in here?

A good-sized single and I'm thinking, "study".

Absolutely.

Gosh.

So is there storage in here as well?

Little bit of storage here, there's fitted wardrobes in the other bedroom

and then you've got the third with a family bathroom next door to here.

You can actually glimpse the sea through the window,

you can see the harbour and boats moving and everything!

Yeah, you can. That's not a sea glimpse, that's a sea view!

I stand corrected!

She's selling her own house here, I'm liking this!

-I'm definitely liking this.

-I'm amazed.

-I am.

-Definitely if there's a third bedroom, I'm really stunned.

-Yay!

Helen seems to be falling in love with the setting, the space, and character of our mystery property.

Outside, the back garden consists of a pretty landscaped courtyard

and the garden at the front gives the house real kerb appeal.

It's not often that people can sit outside their houses,

but also, it's not just here it's everybody up and down the street so it's got a real community feel.

When you had this dream of relocating to Cornwall,

what did you have in your mind?

I think it's that.

Really?

I don't think I need ask you anything else, do I?

Are you all right?

Can you bear to talk money with me?

I'll try!

I'm very worried now that I can't afford it.

OK, I'm going to be really tough now.

I'm going to be the teacher.

-We're going to be composed cos we're going to talk money.

-OK.

-You are now my pupil.

Do your sums, and how much is this cottage on the market for?

I'm hoping 250 and they'll take an offer.

But I think it's a lot more.

-I think it's going to be 245.

-OK.

Your budget is £240,000.

And I know you really want to stick to that, don't you?

Yeah.

You can.

-It's £240,000.

-Good lord!

SHE SOBS

-Deep breath.

-I can't believe that's that price.

I think I'm going to know the answer

but I'm going to ask the question anyway.

-Would you like to have a second look?

-Yes, please!

And I think it would be fair to say that it wasn't just Helen

that got a bit emotional, Ali and I had a bit of a tear too!

How fantastic!

Bang on budget at £240,000,

we may have sealed the deal with our mystery house,

in spite of it being in a location Helen wouldn't have ever considered.

It has a wonderfully sociable kitchen, a large living space,

three bedrooms, with one set up as a study, and charming gardens.

From outside, I was really surprised by the mystery house.

There seemed to be places to park,

and the little garden out the front that was really cute.

I really do like the kitchen.

There are absolutely no negatives with this house that I can see so far.

This house, I think, is as near perfect as you're going to find.

I am absolutely amazed that you found something so great.

Well, I think that went quite well.

-OK, ladies?

-Yep!

Don't want you to say anything, I want you to hold those thoughts,

cos I think we need to go somewhere nice and quiet,

sit down and have a proper chat.

Yeah, and I think I need a drink.

I think you do too. Come on.

Surrounded on three sides by the sea,

Cornwall is in the unique position of making the most

of what the Gulf Stream has to offer,

with its temperatures, on average, five degrees warmer than the rest of the UK.

In the past, it has been a paradise for botanists,

with over 60 gardens now open to visitors,

including the eye-catching Eden Project and the Lost Gardens of Heligan.

Thriving in the microclimate of the Fal Estuary

is the Tregothnan Estate.

This is believed to be the very first place in Britain

to grow ornamental camellias outdoors,

almost 200 years ago.

It was this wealth of experience that led to the estate

becoming the only producer to actually grow tea in the UK.

I met head gardener Jonathan Jones to find out how this tea plantation manages to thrive on British soil.

So here we are, standing in Cornwall, beautiful summer's day,

but I wouldn't think the climate would be quite right for producing tea,

but I'm obviously wrong.

This is the perception, and this was our first question back in the late '90s.

If it could have been done, it would have been done before.

But if you think of Darjeeling, famous for tea, it's cool, it's wet,

the pH is the same as here, the rainfall.

If you look at everything about the climate in Darjeeling,

it's not about the quantity of the tea that we grow but it's certainly the quality.

But it's a huge success, not just in this country,

there are people in China and India buying English tea.

Putting Cornwall firmly on the map for its tea.

It is a first, isn't it?

It is a first, it's great fun to be involved.

Why don't you come and have a look?

In fact, do you want to pluck some tea?

I'd like to, that would be a first for me.

It's not widely known that tea comes from a particular camellia plant.

Legend has it that Chinese emperor Shen Nong was sat beneath

the Camellia sinensis, one day over 4,500 years ago

when some leaves accidentally fell into his boiling drinking water.

The tea grown here stems from this camellia strain.

These are the first outdoor tea bushes ever grown in this country,

planted in 1999, Camellia sinensis, from China originally.

What we're plucking here are these top two leaves from the bud.

-These ones?

-That's exactly right.

Are there certain times of the year that you have to pick?

With the Cornish climate, you might get any month of the year producing tea.

But the optimum months are really April to October.

But we've even plucked tea in December here.

There's five stages, basically.

We are plucking now and then they go into withering, rolling,

oxidising and drying. The whole bush to cup thing is about 36 hours.

All the processes used on the estate are chemical-free and done by hand,

with the final stage being to dry the leaves to a 2% moisture content.

I'm now going to have my first taste of a home-grown British cuppa.

Hopefully it's strong enough for you.

So, what should I be looking for in English tea that might be different from what I'm used to?

In a word, I'd say refreshing.

It's not too strong, is it? It's got quite a subtle taste.

A big mistake people make with their tea is that they use freshly boiled water

and they should let it go off the boil a bit, maybe 90 degrees,

so leave it off the boil for about a minute.

Don't re-boil the kettle cos that does take away the life

out of the water. Nicely freshly drawn water,

boiled but then cooled to about 90 degrees, is perfect.

I'm not quite sure how hot 90 is, so for me, let the kettle boil, leave it...

Leave it for half a minute or a minute, even a minute.

And then put it over the leaves.

Should the leaves be loose, or should they be in a bag?

Loose is best, there's no doubt.

The estate has been advising a number of potential sites in the UK

on tea-growing methods and we should know within the next decade

if Yorkshire, Lancashire, or Pembrokeshire will be branching out

and growing tea here on British soil.

There's nothing as British as a cup of tea,

even if it does look like it's been grown in some tropical paradise.

But time is of the essence, I'm so excited.

Let's hear what the girls have got to say.

Hello, girls.

Hello.

Well, Helen and Ali, just a few days ago we were discussing how Helen,

you'd changed jobs, sold your house, moved all your furniture out,

coming down to Cornwall and hopefully we were going to find you

the most ideal home for you and your cat.

Big question is, did we get close to that?

I think you might have done.

Seems like we've been looking at houses for ages!

-We have been through all the emotions with this search, haven't we?

-We have.

We've had laughter, we've had tears,

but let's start at the very beginning with the first property that we saw.

So, we took you to a village, a very pretty village called Breage,

a traditional-looking house.

Tell me what you thought of that, your first impression.

It was a really cute little cottage,

it was very chocolate box in its appearance.

Double front looks like a little two-up, two-down.

Lovely garden at the front, it was a very cute-looking cottage with lots of features.

From the outside, it looked really, really lovely,

and the inside, especially upstairs,

was just what we were looking for, for Helen.

Then we moved onto our second property in the beautiful village of Constantine.

A great location. Again, not that far from the coast, was it?

No, not at all.

But that property didn't quite hit the mark for you, did it?

No, I don't know what it was but I wasn't really feeling it in that house.

I think I warmed to the house more than Helen did,

especially the front room.

The front room had great proportions,

it had the open stairwell in it which I really liked.

-A good family home, but wasn't quite right for you, was it?

-No.

Which leads us on to our mystery property.

It just seemed to grab you straight away.

It was just a lovely, lovely cottage,

again with the double front and the little garden at the front.

It just looked really, really cosy and cute.

The living room was very well-proportioned

but it wasn't cramped and neither was it too large.

-Then we went into the kitchen, and I was sold.

-Fantastic.

-And it just seemed to get better and better as we walked around, didn't it?

-Absolutely.

So where do we go now, girls?

What's Helen's next big move?

I think that we definitely go back to Newlyn tomorrow, have a look round.

Could be in a position to put in an offer?

Possibly, seeing as I have no house to sell any more and I need somewhere to put all my furniture.

I don't think you've got any tears left either, have you?

-No, I'm doing all right now.

-All the best.

-Thank you very much.

I hope any questions you have get answered tomorrow.

-Let us know how you get on.

-Oh, I will do.

I'm not going to be waiting months for answers from you, it's going to be weeks!

-It could be a couple of weeks!

-All the very best, thank you.

-Thank you very much.

-Thank you for being such a fantastic friend.

Thank you.

That felt like it all went rather well to me,

and it just goes to show that house-buying isn't an exact science

but when all the elements come together,

you get one hell of a reaction. Until next time, bye-bye.

The good news is that Helen did put in an offer on the mystery house, which was accepted.

And she's since moved in.

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