0:00:02 > 0:00:06Welcome to a very enchanted edition of Escape To The Country.
0:00:06 > 0:00:10This magical place is known locally as a scowle.
0:00:10 > 0:00:13But what is it? How was it formed? And where am I?
0:00:13 > 0:00:16Join me in just a few moments and I'll tell you.
0:00:46 > 0:00:48On today's show, I'm helping one lady buyer,
0:00:48 > 0:00:51who's brought along a good friend for moral support,
0:00:51 > 0:00:54to find a home with a fantastic countryside view.
0:00:54 > 0:00:57And our first property gets us off to a great start.
0:00:57 > 0:01:00- Property number one. - This looks idyllic.
0:01:00 > 0:01:04But, as ever, the mystery house could just be the one to watch.
0:01:04 > 0:01:07- Another beautiful room, yes.- Wow.
0:01:09 > 0:01:11Well, today, we're in Gloucestershire
0:01:11 > 0:01:14and right now I'm standing in the middle of Puzzlewood
0:01:14 > 0:01:17in the heart of the Forest of Dean.
0:01:17 > 0:01:20These extraordinary limestone workings are the result
0:01:20 > 0:01:24of Roman mining excavations dating back over 2,000 years.
0:01:24 > 0:01:27It's even thought that Tolkien based his interpretation
0:01:27 > 0:01:30of Middle Earth on these magical surroundings.
0:01:30 > 0:01:32And when you look around here, you can see why.
0:01:35 > 0:01:37Gloucestershire lies in the south-west of England,
0:01:37 > 0:01:40bordering Monmouthshire in Wales to the west,
0:01:40 > 0:01:42and Worcestershire and Herefordshire to the north.
0:01:42 > 0:01:46The county town of Gloucester is rich in historic buildings
0:01:46 > 0:01:48such as the imposing cathedral.
0:01:48 > 0:01:51The main body of its abbey church dates back to Norman times
0:01:51 > 0:01:55but it has additions in every style of Gothic architecture.
0:01:55 > 0:01:58The county itself has three distinct areas -
0:01:58 > 0:02:02the Cotswold Hills in the south, the broad River Severn Valley
0:02:02 > 0:02:05in the centre, and the Forest of Dean to the west.
0:02:05 > 0:02:09Designated as a National Forest Park in 1938,
0:02:09 > 0:02:12the Forest of Dean covers around 42 square miles.
0:02:12 > 0:02:15It is one of England's few remaining ancient woodlands
0:02:15 > 0:02:18and it's home to a small number of deer and wild boar.
0:02:22 > 0:02:24Now when it comes to A-list counties,
0:02:24 > 0:02:27Gloucestershire is up there with the best of them.
0:02:27 > 0:02:30No surprise, therefore, that many a celebrity have chosen to call
0:02:30 > 0:02:35this place home. But that sort of desirability does come at a premium.
0:02:35 > 0:02:38A £290,000, your average house price here
0:02:38 > 0:02:41is around about 15% above the national average.
0:02:41 > 0:02:45It is easy to see why when you've got beautiful towns and villages
0:02:45 > 0:02:47like Stow on the Wold and Bourton-on-the-Water
0:02:47 > 0:02:50right on your doorstep. But, take heart.
0:02:50 > 0:02:53Step out of the hotspot of the Cotswolds,
0:02:53 > 0:02:56further west towards Stroud and Nailsworth,
0:02:56 > 0:02:59and you could save yourself about 30% on those figures.
0:02:59 > 0:03:03So whereabouts in this county will we be looking on today's show?
0:03:03 > 0:03:08It's time to meet our buyer Sarah, and her friend Ruth, to find out.
0:03:08 > 0:03:11Sarah, who works in corporate communications has been
0:03:11 > 0:03:14living in her three-bedroom house in the busy town of Sandhurst,
0:03:14 > 0:03:17in Surrey, for the past two decades.
0:03:17 > 0:03:20However, recent changes in her family circumstances have
0:03:20 > 0:03:24given her cause to re-evaluate her work-life balance.
0:03:24 > 0:03:27She's decided that now is the perfect time to fulfil her dream
0:03:27 > 0:03:30of buying a house in the countryside.
0:03:30 > 0:03:34I've just found myself on a treadmill these past, probably 20 years,
0:03:34 > 0:03:37really, where you get up, go to work, come home,
0:03:37 > 0:03:40do a bit of shopping, do a bit of tidying around the house,
0:03:40 > 0:03:44then have your weekend off and then it all starts again.
0:03:44 > 0:03:47And I'm really serious now about thinking, no,
0:03:47 > 0:03:50you've got to look at it from actually getting some more
0:03:50 > 0:03:53enjoyment out of what you do and what you work for.
0:03:53 > 0:03:56My son is now far more independent
0:03:56 > 0:04:01and I now do a sort of job that doesn't have to be so office-based.
0:04:01 > 0:04:03So it's given me the perfect opportunity to actually think
0:04:03 > 0:04:08seriously about my desire to move to the country.
0:04:08 > 0:04:11While she'll still be keeping her current property for her son,
0:04:11 > 0:04:14Sarah wants to find a new house within a two-hour drive
0:04:14 > 0:04:16so she can still commute to work.
0:04:16 > 0:04:19As a result, she's set her heart on the south-west of England.
0:04:19 > 0:04:22Many years ago, when I worked in Worcestershire, I actually had
0:04:22 > 0:04:25to drive through Gloucestershire to get there.
0:04:25 > 0:04:29And the countryside around there, I think, is going to be perfect for me.
0:04:29 > 0:04:31So that's why I've honed in on Gloucestershire.
0:04:31 > 0:04:34It's a perfect distance from where I am at the moment.
0:04:34 > 0:04:38And to help her find her perfect home, she's taking along Ruth,
0:04:38 > 0:04:41her good friend of 20 years.
0:04:41 > 0:04:43I'm quite happy with my own decisions.
0:04:43 > 0:04:46I've lived by myself for quite some time.
0:04:46 > 0:04:49It will be nice to have my friend Ruth along just to sort of bounce
0:04:49 > 0:04:53ideas off and be able to turn to her and say, "What do you think, Ruth?
0:04:53 > 0:04:56"Do you think this would suit me?" She knows me very well.
0:04:56 > 0:04:59It's up to me to maybe be objective,
0:04:59 > 0:05:05stay focused on what she said rather than the heart ruling the head
0:05:05 > 0:05:09maybe, if she sees something that she gets really excited about.
0:05:09 > 0:05:12And there's one particular aspect of country life that
0:05:12 > 0:05:14Sarah is very enthused about.
0:05:14 > 0:05:17The real reason I want to move to the countryside is for a view.
0:05:17 > 0:05:21I'm just longing for the perfect rural view.
0:05:21 > 0:05:25I must be able to see rolling countryside or hills, trees,
0:05:25 > 0:05:29just something quintessentially English.
0:05:29 > 0:05:33Looking ahead, she has the germ of an idea that might just turn
0:05:33 > 0:05:36her countryside move into a great business proposition.
0:05:36 > 0:05:38If we can't find somewhere that's actually just perfect for me,
0:05:38 > 0:05:41perhaps we could actually look for a larger property that
0:05:41 > 0:05:44I could actually then, in future years, potentially run as a
0:05:44 > 0:05:49bed-and-breakfast business if that's the thing I decide I want to do.
0:05:49 > 0:05:51Despite the potential for a business, she still has
0:05:51 > 0:05:55plenty of plans to enjoy her free time in Gloucestershire.
0:05:55 > 0:05:58The perfect day for me would be to go out with a friend
0:05:58 > 0:06:03to a nice, old area and go and have a look at a country house.
0:06:03 > 0:06:06Not only to look at the house but also to wander through the gardens
0:06:06 > 0:06:08to get some ideas, to see what they're doing in their gardens,
0:06:08 > 0:06:11what type of plants they're growing.
0:06:11 > 0:06:15The day would also include a stop for coffee and a chat with a friend,
0:06:15 > 0:06:17and also a nice lunch.
0:06:17 > 0:06:19I'd just want to make a real day of it.
0:06:19 > 0:06:22All that's left now is to assess the finances.
0:06:22 > 0:06:27The budget for my move ranges from £250,000 up to £400,000.
0:06:34 > 0:06:37Sarah needs her new home to be within about two hours travel time
0:06:37 > 0:06:40to Surrey, so she'd like us to focus the search towards
0:06:40 > 0:06:43the south of Gloucestershire in the Stroud area.
0:06:43 > 0:06:46And she's arrived with Ruth to tell me more
0:06:46 > 0:06:49about what she wants for her new rural hideaway.
0:06:49 > 0:06:52- Hello, guys, nice to see you. - And you.
0:06:52 > 0:06:54- Nice of you to join us as well, Ruth.- Thank you.
0:06:54 > 0:06:56This is a long-term partnership, isn't it, between the pair of you?
0:06:56 > 0:06:59- Uh-huh, 20 years or more. - 20 years or more.
0:06:59 > 0:07:02So what do you think about this move that Sarah's trying to make
0:07:02 > 0:07:04to glorious Gloucestershire?
0:07:04 > 0:07:07I'm really excited to see whether we can find something
0:07:07 > 0:07:10that will suit what she wants.
0:07:10 > 0:07:12You've been thinking about this for a long time, haven't you?
0:07:12 > 0:07:14I have, yes, for many years.
0:07:14 > 0:07:17I used to go on holiday to a lovely part of Wales
0:07:17 > 0:07:19and just loved the countryside.
0:07:19 > 0:07:22My work has meant that I've had to live in more urban areas
0:07:22 > 0:07:24and so I just want to get back
0:07:24 > 0:07:28and live somewhere that's not quite as busy, not quite as hectic,
0:07:28 > 0:07:31so I just want something a bit quieter and with a view.
0:07:31 > 0:07:33- Something like this, perfect.- OK.
0:07:33 > 0:07:35So you mentioned the view,
0:07:35 > 0:07:38but what else are we really looking for in this property?
0:07:38 > 0:07:41Well, it doesn't have to be too large because, initially,
0:07:41 > 0:07:42it would be mainly be me.
0:07:42 > 0:07:46Yes, I'd like a spare room for a guest, perhaps another bedroom.
0:07:46 > 0:07:48- Say you've got somewhere to stay? Yeah.- Yes.
0:07:48 > 0:07:52She'll have to come and see me living in my countryside splendour.
0:07:52 > 0:07:54- What else do I want? Utility room.- Yes.
0:07:54 > 0:07:57At the moment, I come straight out from the garden
0:07:57 > 0:08:00into my kitchen, and I really want a sort of stopping off place,
0:08:00 > 0:08:01somewhere to put the wellies,
0:08:01 > 0:08:04somewhere to wash off all the mud, because I enjoy my garden.
0:08:04 > 0:08:08I also want a garden where I can grow some more flowers and some veg.
0:08:08 > 0:08:11You mentioned your love of Wales, so why Gloucestershire?
0:08:11 > 0:08:14Because Wales, at the moment for me, is a little bit too far.
0:08:14 > 0:08:18I still have to work. I'm hoping to cut down the days I work
0:08:18 > 0:08:20and perhaps work from home a little more often.
0:08:20 > 0:08:23But at the moment, I do still need that access back towards Bracknell,
0:08:23 > 0:08:25where I work at the moment,
0:08:25 > 0:08:28and to my property, which I'm maintaining in Sandhurst.
0:08:28 > 0:08:31So I really didn't want to be more than two hours maximum away.
0:08:31 > 0:08:35OK, so I get the sense we're looking for something genuinely pretty
0:08:35 > 0:08:40- but compact.- Absolutely. Compact, Bijou. Bijou is the word.- Bijou, OK.
0:08:40 > 0:08:43There's a lot to fit in to this bijou property, isn't there?
0:08:43 > 0:08:47Well, there is, and I think it's the two ends, really.
0:08:47 > 0:08:50I either go small and bijou just for me or, potentially,
0:08:50 > 0:08:53if the perfect property's found that happens to be larger then
0:08:53 > 0:08:56I'll have to just look at a different way of using it.
0:08:56 > 0:08:59- That would suggest a sliding scale on the budget.- It does indeed, yes.
0:08:59 > 0:09:01- Talk us through the numbers.- OK.
0:09:01 > 0:09:07- From around about 250,000 up to maximum around about 400,000.- OK.
0:09:07 > 0:09:10- Well. It's all to play for, isn't it?- It is.
0:09:10 > 0:09:13- A whole new life in Gloucestershire.- Yes.
0:09:13 > 0:09:15And we're going to have some good advice, I hope, from Ruth.
0:09:15 > 0:09:18Well, hopefully I'll keep her on the straight and narrow.
0:09:18 > 0:09:21- Brilliant. Let's go and see if we can find you a home.- OK.- Follow me.
0:09:25 > 0:09:31Sarah has a wide-ranging budget of around 250 to £400,000, and for
0:09:31 > 0:09:35the top price she'd want a property that has some business potential.
0:09:35 > 0:09:37On the wish list is - lots of character,
0:09:37 > 0:09:40a convenient location for commuting to work...
0:09:48 > 0:09:51We've got three charming properties to view and, as usual,
0:09:51 > 0:09:55I'll be asking them to guess the price before I reveal it.
0:09:55 > 0:09:57The final option is, of course, our mystery house,
0:09:57 > 0:10:00which could be just the business for Sarah in the future.
0:10:06 > 0:10:09We're heading close to the lively town of Stroud with
0:10:09 > 0:10:12good links to the M5 motorway for the commute to work.
0:10:12 > 0:10:15And it's a place that should provide Sarah with plenty of scope
0:10:15 > 0:10:18for her favourite activities of visiting historic buildings
0:10:18 > 0:10:22before having a spot of lunch in one of its many cafes.
0:10:22 > 0:10:26Property one is a couple of miles outside Stroud in the village
0:10:26 > 0:10:31of Slad, made famous by Laurie Lee in his novel Cider With Rosie.
0:10:31 > 0:10:33The house itself is built from Cotswold stone
0:10:33 > 0:10:36and is thought to date back to the Georgian era.
0:10:36 > 0:10:40So this is it, Sarah. This is property number one.
0:10:40 > 0:10:43- This looks idyllic. - Yeah, you said idyllic.
0:10:43 > 0:10:47- Very peaceful setting, I can hear birds.- Yes.- Yes.
0:10:47 > 0:10:52Lots of open countryside, different heights, I'm liking that very much.
0:10:52 > 0:10:54And the fact we've got trees around and things,
0:10:54 > 0:10:56I know you like trees around.
0:10:56 > 0:10:59- Birdsong, as Sarah says. Yeah, I agree.- Very happy.
0:10:59 > 0:11:01Right, let's have a look, follow me.
0:11:01 > 0:11:04This property certainly delivers on the views
0:11:04 > 0:11:06and character Sarah is after,
0:11:06 > 0:11:09and the inside has been beautifully refurbished while keeping
0:11:09 > 0:11:13all the original features, which she'll definitely be pleased about.
0:11:13 > 0:11:18Come on in. This is obviously your principal living room. You tell me.
0:11:19 > 0:11:22- I really like it.- Do you? - Yes, very much.
0:11:22 > 0:11:25I love the fact that they stripped the floorboards back,
0:11:25 > 0:11:28the floorboards, that's lovely. Loving the fireplace,
0:11:28 > 0:11:30that's perfect. I love the view that you've got that way,
0:11:30 > 0:11:34so you're looking at a view that way, you're looking out this way, as well.
0:11:34 > 0:11:36- Yeah.- I'm very excited.
0:11:36 > 0:11:39- And it's not low ceilings, either. - It surprising, isn't it?- Yes.
0:11:39 > 0:11:41Because coming into somewhere like this,
0:11:41 > 0:11:43I would have thought it would be lower ceilings.
0:11:43 > 0:11:46- You'd be all right though, Ruth. - I'd be fine.
0:11:46 > 0:11:50- We have to think of Sarah.- OK. - Yeah, absolutely. Good.
0:11:50 > 0:11:52- I'm really pleased. - Yes, so am I.- Happy days.
0:11:52 > 0:11:55Right, follow me through to the kitchen.
0:11:55 > 0:11:56And the kitchen and breakfast room
0:11:56 > 0:11:58should keep the smiles on their faces.
0:12:00 > 0:12:01Oh, wow.
0:12:01 > 0:12:04- This is lovely, as well. - I didn't expect this.
0:12:04 > 0:12:07- Yes, perfect amount of work space. - Yeah.
0:12:07 > 0:12:10And then back for dining room.
0:12:10 > 0:12:13Ideal for entertaining because you're working away,
0:12:13 > 0:12:16your friends are sitting here with a glass of wine, talking to them.
0:12:16 > 0:12:18Yes. Very nice.
0:12:18 > 0:12:22- There's an air of excitement, isn't there?- Yes, already.- Oh, good.
0:12:22 > 0:12:24And it's so full of character.
0:12:24 > 0:12:27It's not overly done, but you've got the beams, you've got the wood,
0:12:27 > 0:12:29it's just perfect.
0:12:29 > 0:12:32OK, ladies, shall we go upstairs?
0:12:32 > 0:12:35I don't get to say that very often, do I? OK, follow me.
0:12:36 > 0:12:39Sarah and Ruth both seem quite taken with this cottage so far,
0:12:39 > 0:12:41and the rooms on the first floor,
0:12:41 > 0:12:44though not as large as downstairs, are equally attractive.
0:12:45 > 0:12:48So this is your room, Sarah.
0:12:48 > 0:12:50OK, yes.
0:12:50 > 0:12:53- Now, obviously things are a bit smaller up here.- Yes.
0:12:53 > 0:12:58On this floor, we've got you two bedrooms and a family bathroom.
0:12:59 > 0:13:02This is your room but you do get an en suite, too, which is in there.
0:13:02 > 0:13:05- Oh.- That's a bonus.- Yeah, look at it, lovely freestanding bath
0:13:05 > 0:13:06and all the rest of it.
0:13:06 > 0:13:09Love the bathroom, it's not something I'd even thought about
0:13:09 > 0:13:12- but great to have it.- Would this be big enough for you, though?
0:13:12 > 0:13:15You'd have to be clever with the space, wouldn't you?
0:13:15 > 0:13:18Perhaps a slightly smaller bed.
0:13:18 > 0:13:21It's liveable, I think it's just a little bit of thinking about how...
0:13:21 > 0:13:24Bearing in mind, we've also got the other bedroom on this floor,
0:13:24 > 0:13:27which might allow you a little bit of extra storage,
0:13:27 > 0:13:30- because much of the time it will be empty.- Yes.
0:13:30 > 0:13:36- But upstairs, we've got you a third bedroom.- Oh.- Oh.
0:13:36 > 0:13:39The bonus of having an extra room on the second floor
0:13:39 > 0:13:42is that it could be a great space for Sarah to work in
0:13:42 > 0:13:45if she can tear her eyes away from those views.
0:13:45 > 0:13:48So this is what we're thinking about in terms of office space
0:13:48 > 0:13:50- or study space.- Yes.
0:13:50 > 0:13:52And it could work very well for that, couldn't it?
0:13:52 > 0:13:56Yes, it's nice and light, which is good when you're on the computer.
0:13:56 > 0:14:00Yes, I get the sense that the excitement levels are dropping
0:14:00 > 0:14:02the further up this property we go.
0:14:02 > 0:14:05Perhaps the bedrooms aren't quite right but, again,
0:14:05 > 0:14:09I think with perhaps some thinking, I might be able to come up with
0:14:09 > 0:14:11a solution that would be perfect for me.
0:14:11 > 0:14:15So while the bedroom space might be a little less than she'd like,
0:14:15 > 0:14:17the garden should be more than ample.
0:14:17 > 0:14:20Surrounding the property on three sides and with mature trees
0:14:20 > 0:14:24and shrubs, it covers around a third of an acre.
0:14:24 > 0:14:26At the moment, it's certainly liveable with,
0:14:26 > 0:14:29I do quite like the unstructured, wild look, so I wouldn't want to
0:14:29 > 0:14:32get rid of that completely, I don't like regimented gardening.
0:14:32 > 0:14:35But just to change it and tweak it to the way I'd want it,
0:14:35 > 0:14:37and lots of options.
0:14:37 > 0:14:41I think the point about all this is you can see yourself having
0:14:41 > 0:14:43a bit of fun here, which is what this is about, isn't it?
0:14:43 > 0:14:46- It's a new start.- It is. - It's a new chapter.
0:14:46 > 0:14:50So the question remains, how much is this bit of fun going to cost you?
0:14:50 > 0:14:52- Go on, Ruth, you go first.- Oh, dear.
0:14:52 > 0:14:56I'm going to go for...
0:14:56 > 0:14:57295.
0:14:57 > 0:15:00295. Sarah?
0:15:00 > 0:15:03I'm going to come in slightly under, 285?
0:15:04 > 0:15:07It's a good job you've brought Ruth with you
0:15:07 > 0:15:10- because she's absolutely spot-on. - Is she?- Yes.
0:15:10 > 0:15:14- £295,000.- Well done, you.
0:15:14 > 0:15:16How do you feel about that?
0:15:16 > 0:15:19I think I want to have another look round it to see how much
0:15:19 > 0:15:21work I might want to do in there,
0:15:21 > 0:15:25there's just some finishing aspects that I'd want to do.
0:15:25 > 0:15:26Go and have an explore.
0:15:26 > 0:15:29Make a list of those finer points of finishing and,
0:15:29 > 0:15:31yeah, see if it's you.
0:15:31 > 0:15:33- OK.- I'll catch up with you later, off you go.
0:15:35 > 0:15:40On the market for £295,000, this charming terrace cottage
0:15:40 > 0:15:44offers Sarah nearly everything on her list of demands...
0:15:48 > 0:15:50Three bedrooms, one of which could be used as a study,
0:15:50 > 0:15:54and a mature garden with lovely countryside views.
0:15:54 > 0:15:57This is definitely a house I could see myself living in.
0:15:57 > 0:16:02It ticks so many of the boxes, my number one priority was the view
0:16:02 > 0:16:06and from every single room in this property, you get a view.
0:16:06 > 0:16:09So from that angle, absolutely perfect.
0:16:09 > 0:16:12This property will suit Sarah in many ways,
0:16:12 > 0:16:15particularly the challenge of the garden, the views,
0:16:15 > 0:16:19the flexibility, I think, of being able to use, particularly
0:16:19 > 0:16:23the upstairs rooms, in the way that she wants, and to be able to add to
0:16:23 > 0:16:27it in various ways as she lives in the property itself.
0:16:27 > 0:16:31- It's ideal as it is now, but there's so much more I can do.- Mmm.
0:16:31 > 0:16:35I love that slope, I love the fact there's different levels here,
0:16:35 > 0:16:38- and such a big expanse, you know? - Hello.- Oh, hello.- Ah!
0:16:38 > 0:16:41- Plotting and planning, this is a very good sign, Sarah.- Isn't it?
0:16:41 > 0:16:44- Yes.- Excellent. Good, I'm glad you like it.- I do, very much.
0:16:44 > 0:16:49- Lot of potential inside and out. - Picked you a memento.- Aw.- Ah!
0:16:49 > 0:16:51Thank you for getting that.
0:16:51 > 0:16:53Right, after you, lead on.
0:17:03 > 0:17:04On the South Gloucestershire border
0:17:04 > 0:17:08lie the distinctive Cotswold market towns, which prospered
0:17:08 > 0:17:10in the Middle Ages on the back of the wool trade.
0:17:10 > 0:17:12Chipping Campden, for example,
0:17:12 > 0:17:15boasts impressive limestone buildings which are testament
0:17:15 > 0:17:18to the wealth of the old wool merchants.
0:17:18 > 0:17:20Taking pride of place in the town centre,
0:17:20 > 0:17:23the Market Hall has been an historic gathering point for farmers
0:17:23 > 0:17:27to sell their produce since the 17th century.
0:17:27 > 0:17:30Just a few miles away stands the 19th-century manor house,
0:17:30 > 0:17:34Kiftsgate Court, with beautiful gardens that are a result
0:17:34 > 0:17:37of three successive generations of women gardeners.
0:17:37 > 0:17:40As Sarah has green fingers herself, we arranged for her and Ruth
0:17:40 > 0:17:43to meet the current owner, third-generation gardener
0:17:43 > 0:17:47Anne Chambers, to hear more about her family's unique story.
0:17:47 > 0:17:50- Oh, what a view.- Yes, it's lovely.
0:17:50 > 0:17:55This part of the garden was created by my grandmother in the 1930s.
0:17:55 > 0:17:59She decided to terrace these very steep banks, quite an undertaking.
0:17:59 > 0:18:01But luckily, she had Italian gardeners
0:18:01 > 0:18:03and they were used to working on steep slopes.
0:18:03 > 0:18:06- On that sort of slope, yes.- With the vineyards and things like that.
0:18:06 > 0:18:09So she created these beautiful banks,
0:18:09 > 0:18:11- which are quite hard to garden, though.- I can imagine.
0:18:11 > 0:18:14- How do you plant on a bank like that? - Well, with difficulty.
0:18:14 > 0:18:18I sometimes rope my husband, yes, if he's on the very steepest bit.
0:18:18 > 0:18:22But they are dry and quite shady, so it's sort of
0:18:22 > 0:18:25trial and error what grows. You've just got to experiment.
0:18:25 > 0:18:27Anne's grandmother, Heather Muir,
0:18:27 > 0:18:31started her work on the garden soon after she moved into the house
0:18:31 > 0:18:35in 1918 and some of her work is remarkably still in evidence today.
0:18:35 > 0:18:37Some of the plants, the acers and the magnolias,
0:18:37 > 0:18:40- are from my grandmother's day. - Are they?
0:18:40 > 0:18:43- That Magnolia there, yes, that must be 80 years old.- That's beautiful.
0:18:43 > 0:18:46So there's a lot of different plants from different generations,
0:18:46 > 0:18:49- which is nice.- It must be lovely to see the continuity, to be able to
0:18:49 > 0:18:52- think back to how far this has gone back.- Yes, I think it is.
0:18:52 > 0:18:55A lot of different plants, quite sort of feminine planting.
0:18:55 > 0:18:57I think, being the three generations of women,
0:18:57 > 0:19:01it's not a masculine garden, it's a sort of mixture of softness.
0:19:01 > 0:19:03- It's soft and relaxed, isn't it? - Yes, absolutely.- Beautiful.
0:19:03 > 0:19:05- Nothing too regimented.- No.
0:19:05 > 0:19:11From the mid-1950s, Anne's mother, Diany Binny, added her own touches.
0:19:11 > 0:19:15She was responsible for the striking semicircular pool in the lower
0:19:15 > 0:19:19garden and redesigned the White Sunken Garden to incorporate
0:19:19 > 0:19:21a pool with a wellhead fountain.
0:19:21 > 0:19:24And in the spirit of her predecessors, Anne has brought
0:19:24 > 0:19:29the gardens bang up to date with her own 21st-century ideas.
0:19:29 > 0:19:33Oh, this is spectacular. Isn't it lovely?
0:19:33 > 0:19:37It's a complete contrast, yes, really, to the rest of the garden.
0:19:37 > 0:19:40And Johnny, my husband, and I did this 12 years ago.
0:19:40 > 0:19:44It was a tennis court and it all sort of fell into disrepair,
0:19:44 > 0:19:48- so we decided we'll create something new and different.- Yes.
0:19:48 > 0:19:50The fountain was made by Simon Allison,
0:19:50 > 0:19:52- who lives up near Banbury.- Right.
0:19:52 > 0:19:54We knew we wanted something with height
0:19:54 > 0:19:57and that would move and reflect.
0:19:57 > 0:20:02So it's stainless steel stems with gilded bronze philodendron leaves.
0:20:02 > 0:20:05And the water is on a timer, it sort of runs off.
0:20:05 > 0:20:07- They're so unusual, aren't they?- Yes.
0:20:07 > 0:20:10I think it works well, it's quite nice for each generation to add.
0:20:10 > 0:20:12To do something different.
0:20:12 > 0:20:15- Yes, to do something different to their contemporary.- Beautiful.
0:20:15 > 0:20:18So a great deal of inspiration for Sarah to take away
0:20:18 > 0:20:21and apply to her new garden in Gloucestershire,
0:20:21 > 0:20:23once she's found a house to go with it, of course.
0:20:28 > 0:20:32We've made the journey, just over five miles from Stroud,
0:20:32 > 0:20:34to the village of Horsley, which has a local shop
0:20:34 > 0:20:37specialising in organic food, and a church which has been turned
0:20:37 > 0:20:42into a space for schooling and community events alongside worship.
0:20:42 > 0:20:44Our second house, a Cotswold stone cottage,
0:20:44 > 0:20:48is in the hamlet of Wallow Green, within the parish of Horsley itself.
0:20:50 > 0:20:53We're going to start this one in a slightly odd way.
0:20:55 > 0:20:57Once again, it's an end terrace.
0:20:57 > 0:21:01The bit that's on offer is everything to the left of that
0:21:01 > 0:21:04- large soil pipe that's running up the wall there.- OK.
0:21:04 > 0:21:09Now, this piece on the end, this is a relatively new extension,
0:21:09 > 0:21:12- with the solar panels on the roof.- Mmm.
0:21:12 > 0:21:15How are you on your eco-credentials?
0:21:15 > 0:21:19I like eco-credentials, but I don't like solar panels.
0:21:19 > 0:21:24They save you about £220 a year on the running of this house.
0:21:26 > 0:21:29- Still not interested.- Still don't like them?- No, I'm sorry.
0:21:29 > 0:21:32Well, there they are, you can do what you like with them
0:21:32 > 0:21:35if you buy it. Let's see what you think.
0:21:35 > 0:21:39This quirky rambling property is a very different proposition
0:21:39 > 0:21:42to our first house, as Sarah and Ruth will find out
0:21:42 > 0:21:44when they step through the front door.
0:21:46 > 0:21:49- There we are, after you. - OK. In you go.
0:21:51 > 0:21:57So, what do you think? This is the kitchen in the new extension.
0:21:57 > 0:21:59It used to be through here,
0:21:59 > 0:22:03but they literally dragged the range through into the new bit,
0:22:03 > 0:22:07- I imagine with a lot of huffing and puffing...- I can imagine so, yes.
0:22:07 > 0:22:11..to create this kitchen-diner, if you will.
0:22:11 > 0:22:14You say this is an extension, but actually it's feeling old,
0:22:14 > 0:22:18- actually, it's feeling very quaint. - It all blends in rather nicely.
0:22:18 > 0:22:20The doors that you noticed, that's downstairs cloakroom,
0:22:20 > 0:22:25- this door goes to the cellar. - OK.- Or cellars, if you like.
0:22:25 > 0:22:29- There are three rooms down there, actually.- Ooh.- Yeah.
0:22:29 > 0:22:32- Lots to explore down there. - Lots to explore.
0:22:33 > 0:22:37The geography is something you're really going to have to
0:22:37 > 0:22:39get to grips with, with this one. It's not obvious.
0:22:39 > 0:22:42It does look like that sort of property already, yes.
0:22:42 > 0:22:44Ruth?
0:22:44 > 0:22:47I think I'll keep an open mind.
0:22:47 > 0:22:49Ruth's suddenly become petrified.
0:22:49 > 0:22:51It's like...
0:22:51 > 0:22:55Probably not what I expected, but let's keep an open mind,
0:22:55 > 0:22:58we're just starting, and see what happens. Yeah.
0:22:58 > 0:23:00Good, that's the spirit. Follow me.
0:23:01 > 0:23:04Next door, the old kitchen is now the utility room,
0:23:04 > 0:23:06which is a very good size.
0:23:06 > 0:23:10And adjoining that is the characterful sitting-room.
0:23:10 > 0:23:13This is your principal living room.
0:23:15 > 0:23:20- Cosy, I would say.- Definitely cosy, yeah. Wood burner over there.- Yes.
0:23:20 > 0:23:24Nice deep-set windows, again. And lower ceilings than the property.
0:23:24 > 0:23:29- Yes.- It is light and very cosy.
0:23:29 > 0:23:32It is. I think that is the word, it's a cosy feel.
0:23:32 > 0:23:36- Bless you, I can see you're working really hard to understand it.- I am.
0:23:36 > 0:23:40- It's more complicated upstairs, come and have a look at this.- Challenge.
0:23:41 > 0:23:45Up here, there are rooms either side of the landing.
0:23:45 > 0:23:48The first one is a single room, which might suit her son when
0:23:48 > 0:23:52he comes to stay, or it could be one of Sarah's alternatives for a study.
0:23:52 > 0:23:54But we'll check out the rest of this floor.
0:23:54 > 0:23:59- And then down to this other level, all right?- Right.
0:23:59 > 0:24:01- Little sort of study arrangement there.- OK.
0:24:01 > 0:24:05- Family bathroom is in here, all right?- Yes.
0:24:05 > 0:24:10And then this, Sarah, would be your master bedroom.
0:24:10 > 0:24:12- Come in, Ruth.- That's different.
0:24:12 > 0:24:16This is very different because this, again, is over the new extension.
0:24:16 > 0:24:20- Right.- Is it? And again, has been done very well to blend in.
0:24:20 > 0:24:22I would have thought old again.
0:24:22 > 0:24:24What it doesn't have, is an en suite.
0:24:24 > 0:24:27- Mmm. Here, I'm just not quite feeling it yet.- Ruth?
0:24:29 > 0:24:33I think I feel the same, and the fact that it is so, so different.
0:24:33 > 0:24:34Yeah.
0:24:34 > 0:24:37Up on the second floor is a further guest bedroom,
0:24:37 > 0:24:40and a spacious and light affair with two dormer windows
0:24:40 > 0:24:43and lovely stripped floorboards.
0:24:43 > 0:24:45But now we're heading outside to see if the gardens
0:24:45 > 0:24:48are as generously sized as the house.
0:24:48 > 0:24:51There's a timber studio here, which could serve as an office.
0:24:51 > 0:24:55Plus, an expanse of lawn with space for growing the veg.
0:24:55 > 0:25:00All right, let's finish up with an estimate of the value of this one.
0:25:00 > 0:25:03- I think 320.- 320, yeah. Ruth?
0:25:03 > 0:25:05330?
0:25:05 > 0:25:10This is on the market for £387,500.
0:25:12 > 0:25:16- Mmm.- It's got the amount of rooms but it's...
0:25:16 > 0:25:19I think because I don't feel the pull towards that property
0:25:19 > 0:25:21as I did the other.
0:25:21 > 0:25:24Go and explore the views and then go back inside our lovely
0:25:24 > 0:25:28warren of a property and see if you can't get your heads around it.
0:25:28 > 0:25:31- Yeah.- OK.- Go on. I'll catch up with you later.- Brain might not let it.
0:25:36 > 0:25:40On the market for just under £388,000,
0:25:40 > 0:25:43this rambling property has a great deal of potential for Sarah...
0:25:50 > 0:25:52A range of alternatives for a study,
0:25:54 > 0:25:58and a generous garden with views across the adjoining farmland.
0:25:58 > 0:26:01That is a view, that's what I asked for,
0:26:01 > 0:26:02but when you've seen property one
0:26:02 > 0:26:05you realise that there are views and views,
0:26:05 > 0:26:08and property one, I really loved that view.
0:26:08 > 0:26:12I think Sarah's feeling maybe a little deflated after the
0:26:12 > 0:26:16exhilaration of the first property, because she was so enthusiastic.
0:26:16 > 0:26:20It's very quirky, there are certainly elements I love,
0:26:20 > 0:26:22but somehow, altogether,
0:26:22 > 0:26:27I find it's almost a little scary, I think it's a almost too big for me.
0:26:27 > 0:26:28It's too big for me, I think.
0:26:32 > 0:26:37Right, ladies, time to go. The end of day one has arrived.
0:26:37 > 0:26:40- Have you had a good day? - Yes, very good.- Yes, interesting.
0:26:40 > 0:26:42That's the main thing. As long as it's interesting
0:26:42 > 0:26:45and it's stirring up those thoughts in your mind about what's going to
0:26:45 > 0:26:49- work and what isn't, that's the main thing.- Oh, it's certainly done that.
0:26:49 > 0:26:52Good, right, come on. Follow me, let's prepare for another day.
0:26:59 > 0:27:03As the sun sets over the wonderful Gloucestershire countryside,
0:27:03 > 0:27:06it marks the end of day one of our property search.
0:27:13 > 0:27:17Mum Sarah has decided to re-evaluate her work-life balance and,
0:27:17 > 0:27:21with the help of best friend Ruth, she wants a new rural home
0:27:21 > 0:27:23with glorious views of Gloucestershire.
0:27:23 > 0:27:26So far, she's been charmed by pretty property one,
0:27:26 > 0:27:30and a little overwhelmed by the quirkiness of property two.
0:27:30 > 0:27:33But coming up, the mystery house gives her
0:27:33 > 0:27:35much more than she bargained for.
0:27:35 > 0:27:40- Oh, my goodness! All the room for storage you would want.- Oh, wow!
0:27:40 > 0:27:44And I get hands-on while investigating an eel-life story
0:27:44 > 0:27:46of Gloucestershire conservation.
0:27:53 > 0:27:55For our mystery house, we've travelled some way out
0:27:55 > 0:27:58of Sarah's ideal search area to the village of Lydbrook,
0:27:58 > 0:28:02on the western edge of the county, in the heart of the Forest of Dean.
0:28:02 > 0:28:05Lydbrook itself has a range of amenities,
0:28:05 > 0:28:07including a church and a pub.
0:28:07 > 0:28:10The community is also served by a social club,
0:28:10 > 0:28:13as well as a shop, which acts as a post office.
0:28:13 > 0:28:17Our mystery proposition is a stone-built Victorian property,
0:28:17 > 0:28:19which was originally two cottages,
0:28:19 > 0:28:22and has a modern annexe currently being used as a holiday let.
0:28:22 > 0:28:25So it offers genuine business potential for Sarah.
0:28:25 > 0:28:27So...
0:28:28 > 0:28:33..this is it. This is our mystery house. What do you reckon?
0:28:33 > 0:28:37It's very pretty, I like the stonework, yes.
0:28:37 > 0:28:41The point to really stress about it, I think, is that we're outside
0:28:41 > 0:28:43- of the premium price bubble... - Right.
0:28:43 > 0:28:45..of the central Cotswolds.
0:28:45 > 0:28:49Which means, not only do we get to offer you this gorgeous cottage,
0:28:49 > 0:28:53but also that purpose-designed holiday let.
0:28:53 > 0:28:57- Right.- Wow.- Yes, you see! - All right, yes.
0:28:57 > 0:28:59We'll explore the garden a little later on,
0:28:59 > 0:29:02but as you see, you've got a nice little water feature for you,
0:29:02 > 0:29:04- vegetable beds aplenty.- Yes, yes.
0:29:05 > 0:29:08Right. I like it. Yeah.
0:29:08 > 0:29:10I've got a very good feeling about this one.
0:29:10 > 0:29:12- Come on, let's have a look inside. - Good.
0:29:12 > 0:29:15So, with the view and garden demands both met,
0:29:15 > 0:29:19plus the bonus of the holiday let to mull over, this should be a very
0:29:19 > 0:29:22thought-provoking house tour for Sarah and Ruth.
0:29:23 > 0:29:27Now, what do you think of this as an initial starting point?
0:29:27 > 0:29:29- Let me grab the door.- Very nice.
0:29:29 > 0:29:32I love the way it's been done. Yes, very.
0:29:32 > 0:29:35- Very cosy, yes. Lovely feature wall. - Got a lovely wood burner in there,
0:29:35 > 0:29:38which is currently working, thank goodness, on a damp day.
0:29:38 > 0:29:39- Oh, good.- Yes.
0:29:39 > 0:29:42It's lovely, isn't it? Little bit of a bay window here.
0:29:42 > 0:29:46- And dual aspect.- Very good first impression.- Yeah?
0:29:46 > 0:29:49- Yes.- OK, let's have a look at the kitchen. That's through here.
0:29:49 > 0:29:50There you go.
0:29:51 > 0:29:55Another beautiful room, yes, wow.
0:29:55 > 0:29:57- And the views out, as well.- Yes.
0:29:58 > 0:30:01Now, the only other time I've heard you say "wow," Ruth,
0:30:01 > 0:30:03- was in property number one's kitchen.- Right.
0:30:03 > 0:30:06So this is another wow. Good.
0:30:06 > 0:30:10This gorgeous cottage has lots of space downstairs,
0:30:10 > 0:30:14including a dining room and a bright second reception with doors
0:30:14 > 0:30:16that open out onto a Juliet balcony.
0:30:16 > 0:30:19It also has the utility room she's after.
0:30:19 > 0:30:22Meanwhile, up on the first floor on one side the landing,
0:30:22 > 0:30:24is a good-sized double bedroom,
0:30:24 > 0:30:27which would be very welcoming for guests.
0:30:27 > 0:30:29But how about this one for Sarah?
0:30:30 > 0:30:34Now then, what about this as your master bedroom?
0:30:36 > 0:30:41Yes. Again, dual aspect. Nice and bright in here, isn't it?
0:30:41 > 0:30:43All sort of in character, plenty of room,
0:30:43 > 0:30:45enough room for you to probably
0:30:45 > 0:30:48get some kind of more cupboard space in here if you wanted to.
0:30:48 > 0:30:51Well, the cupboard space is the moot point, really.
0:30:51 > 0:30:54- Have a look in there, Ruth. Go on.- My turn, is it?
0:30:54 > 0:30:57Yes, your turn. Open that door. Come on, Sarah.
0:30:57 > 0:30:59Oh, my goodness!
0:30:59 > 0:31:05- All the room for storage you would want.- Oh, wow!- Look at that.- Yes.
0:31:05 > 0:31:08- Absolutely unbelievable. - More storage. Wonderful bath.- Yeah.
0:31:08 > 0:31:10Modern, but still in keeping, I think.
0:31:10 > 0:31:13I think this is every girl's dream, isn't it?
0:31:13 > 0:31:15Well, I was just thinking, as you're wallowing in the bath,
0:31:15 > 0:31:17looking out at the sky.
0:31:17 > 0:31:20Yeah, loads of storage, loads of room,
0:31:20 > 0:31:22you could pamper yourself to bits in here.
0:31:22 > 0:31:24- You certainly could, couldn't you?- Yeah.
0:31:24 > 0:31:27With the upstairs really delivering the goods,
0:31:27 > 0:31:30let's see what the annexe has to offer.
0:31:30 > 0:31:31This could be the game-changer,
0:31:31 > 0:31:34providing Sarah with some real options for how she might
0:31:34 > 0:31:36spend her future work life.
0:31:36 > 0:31:40While the lower level currently houses a workshop and a shower room,
0:31:40 > 0:31:42up on the first floor there's a big and beautiful
0:31:42 > 0:31:44living and sleeping area.
0:31:44 > 0:31:49- Yet more space. And very attractive. - Yes?- Yes.
0:31:49 > 0:31:51- Ruth?- Oh, that is nice.
0:31:51 > 0:31:54These skylights, of course, fill it full of light.
0:31:54 > 0:31:57- Now, as you can see, this has only just been done.- Right.
0:31:57 > 0:32:01They've only had it registered as a holiday let for a couple of months.
0:32:01 > 0:32:02There are already bookings.
0:32:02 > 0:32:05This would work perfectly. Because, again, I've got options.
0:32:05 > 0:32:08It's perfect for when friends, relatives come and stay,
0:32:08 > 0:32:11but it could also be used, if not immediately then certainly
0:32:11 > 0:32:15soon, to bring in additional income, depending on how things work out.
0:32:15 > 0:32:17I think you can just, you know, certainly see.
0:32:17 > 0:32:20Well, I'm glad that Sarah is pleased with the options
0:32:20 > 0:32:22this property could offer her.
0:32:22 > 0:32:24But now it's time to find out if she can afford it.
0:32:24 > 0:32:27Well, let's have a think about the price, then.
0:32:27 > 0:32:28I think it's definitely top-end
0:32:28 > 0:32:31because it does have a lot of space in there,
0:32:31 > 0:32:35but also the additional rooms for B&B if I wanted to go that way.
0:32:35 > 0:32:39- So I'm going to say 410.- 410, yeah.
0:32:39 > 0:32:40RUTH SIGHS
0:32:40 > 0:32:43- You were going to say that. - She's got me.- Go on.
0:32:43 > 0:32:44- OK, 405.- 405.
0:32:45 > 0:32:50This will cost you £370,000.
0:32:50 > 0:32:51Oh...
0:32:53 > 0:32:55There you are, that's done it, hasn't it?
0:32:55 > 0:32:58I'm not good at this game, am I? Not after seeing the second property
0:32:58 > 0:33:04- and then this.- Yeah.- And all about where it is?- And it's under budget.
0:33:04 > 0:33:07- Wow, lots to think about.- You know what's coming now, don't you?
0:33:07 > 0:33:11Off you go, go and explore. I'll find you later.
0:33:14 > 0:33:16So, well under Sarah's maximum budget,
0:33:16 > 0:33:21this immaculate property is on the market for £370,000.
0:33:21 > 0:33:24And, while it's a bit further away for her commute,
0:33:24 > 0:33:27it handsomely fulfils all her other demands.
0:33:27 > 0:33:30It has a wonderful view of the Forest of Dean,
0:33:30 > 0:33:33beautiful living spaces with original features,
0:33:33 > 0:33:36a utility room, two good-sized bedrooms in the main house
0:33:36 > 0:33:37and a further one in annexe,
0:33:37 > 0:33:40which is currently set up as a holiday let.
0:33:40 > 0:33:43Last but not least, there's a lovely garden.
0:33:43 > 0:33:46I think I've got quite a bit of thinking to do now.
0:33:46 > 0:33:49I did really like property number one,
0:33:49 > 0:33:53that was fitting in with the way that my thinking was
0:33:53 > 0:33:55when I came away to do this.
0:33:55 > 0:34:00But seeing the mystery house and the additional potential there is there,
0:34:00 > 0:34:02perhaps it is time for me to have a rethink,
0:34:02 > 0:34:04and think, perhaps I actually make the sort of move now
0:34:04 > 0:34:08rather than the halfway house, which property one would be.
0:34:08 > 0:34:11Although Sarah might not realise it at the moment,
0:34:11 > 0:34:15I think Sarah would like to give up work.
0:34:15 > 0:34:19I think she needs a bit of a kick to do that.
0:34:19 > 0:34:22This house might be that kick.
0:34:22 > 0:34:25Now, there's an awful lot about this property to fall in love with.
0:34:26 > 0:34:28Out you come, girls.
0:34:28 > 0:34:31Has it stolen your heart?
0:34:31 > 0:34:34Close. It's possibly getting there, yes.
0:34:34 > 0:34:36- You're not giving too much away, are you?- I'm not sure I know.
0:34:36 > 0:34:39Do you know, when this place was sold back in 1920,
0:34:39 > 0:34:42it went for 230 quid?
0:34:42 > 0:34:45- How times have changed, eh? - Oh, dear.
0:34:45 > 0:34:47If only, if only.
0:34:47 > 0:34:50But I think this is a really nice one to end on,
0:34:50 > 0:34:54and I think completes the mix of properties that
0:34:54 > 0:34:57will hopefully give you some choice.
0:34:57 > 0:35:00- It's certainly done that.- Cup of tea? - Yes, please.- Come on.
0:35:10 > 0:35:12The River Severn is home to a wealth
0:35:12 > 0:35:15of diverse natural habitats and wildlife.
0:35:15 > 0:35:18But one particular species residing in these waters
0:35:18 > 0:35:21has unfortunately been declared at risk.
0:35:21 > 0:35:25In 2008, the European eel was listed as officially endangered
0:35:25 > 0:35:29after a 90% plunge in numbers over the previous three decades.
0:35:30 > 0:35:33In recent years, a series of recovery measures
0:35:33 > 0:35:37have been implemented to support eel numbers, including the unblocking
0:35:37 > 0:35:39of migratory pathways in the river,
0:35:39 > 0:35:43the creation of new wetland habitats, and restocking programs.
0:35:43 > 0:35:47Here in the Westbury-on-Severn, a local food producer is running
0:35:47 > 0:35:51its very own sustainable eel programme. Richard Cook owns
0:35:51 > 0:35:55one of the UK's most environmentally friendly eel smokehouses.
0:35:55 > 0:35:58- Now, what have you got in front of you here?- These are my babies.
0:35:58 > 0:36:02These are the ones that we caught earlier in the season,
0:36:02 > 0:36:06- in March time.- On the Severn?- On the Severn. So they're wild glass eels
0:36:06 > 0:36:08that turned up in the Severn, we caught them,
0:36:08 > 0:36:11we've taken them out, we've health-checked them, we've given them
0:36:11 > 0:36:14feed to get them feeding, because they're actually not feeding when
0:36:14 > 0:36:17they're in the river. They don't actually feed at that point.
0:36:17 > 0:36:19So these have turned the corner, then?
0:36:19 > 0:36:23So these are now developing into what we would associate with an eel.
0:36:23 > 0:36:28The life cycle of the European eel is a mysterious and fascinating one.
0:36:28 > 0:36:31Starting out as larvae in an area of the North Atlantic
0:36:31 > 0:36:33known as the Sargasso Sea,
0:36:33 > 0:36:37they undertake a two-year migration to the freshwater rivers of Europe.
0:36:37 > 0:36:42Here they turn into tiny creatures, known as glass eels, and en masse,
0:36:42 > 0:36:45move upstream into the river system. However, within the first
0:36:45 > 0:36:48three months of arriving in the River Severn,
0:36:48 > 0:36:5299% of glass eels perish, mainly due to the hazards
0:36:52 > 0:36:54of man-made river flood defences.
0:36:54 > 0:36:57Richard's aim is to fish them out and to put them back
0:36:57 > 0:37:01into smaller tributaries, where the environment is more suitable.
0:37:01 > 0:37:03When these are released into our freshwater rivers,
0:37:03 > 0:37:07how long will it take them to grow to a size that we would associate
0:37:07 > 0:37:09with a sort of eel that we would eat?
0:37:09 > 0:37:14In a wild environment, they will stay there and develop into adult eels
0:37:14 > 0:37:17anything from seven to 15 years.
0:37:17 > 0:37:20- 15 years?- It's a big, big life cycle.
0:37:20 > 0:37:24In line with European policy, Richard releases 35% of his total
0:37:24 > 0:37:29catch back into accessible parts of the river like this nearby wetland.
0:37:29 > 0:37:33The long-term goal is to increase the number of eels which will mature
0:37:33 > 0:37:37and make the 4,000 mile journey back to breed in the Sargasso Sea,
0:37:37 > 0:37:40so continuing this ancient cycle.
0:37:40 > 0:37:43Right then. So what's the process? Is it fairly straightforward?
0:37:43 > 0:37:46What we're going to do is just put them down towards...
0:37:46 > 0:37:48The corner? And just tip them in?
0:37:48 > 0:37:50Just slowly let them run in.
0:37:50 > 0:37:55So these little guys, hopefully, will get to 15 years of age.
0:37:55 > 0:37:59- But, of course, there is a lot more to it than this, isn't there?- Yeah.
0:37:59 > 0:38:00What do your eels taste like?
0:38:02 > 0:38:03You'll be the judge of that.
0:38:03 > 0:38:07Richard's smokehouse uses local sustainable timber
0:38:07 > 0:38:11and, as well as smoking adult eels here, there is also a restaurant
0:38:11 > 0:38:14where chef, Tania Steytler, has cooked some up.
0:38:14 > 0:38:16Absolutely fabulous. But you know what?
0:38:16 > 0:38:19There is a slight pang of guilt about this, having learned what
0:38:19 > 0:38:22these animals go through to get to this stage.
0:38:22 > 0:38:23Do you ever wonder about that?
0:38:23 > 0:38:27Just by eating this eel, this will stimulate three elvers
0:38:27 > 0:38:30to be released back. We have a little scheme in here.
0:38:30 > 0:38:33Every dish we serve, we release three eels back
0:38:33 > 0:38:36to our eels-in-schools scheme and back to restocking.
0:38:36 > 0:38:39So, hopefully, that'll soften the blow for you.
0:38:39 > 0:38:43- That's a good excuse to keep eating, isn't it? Cheers, Richard.- Cheers.
0:38:43 > 0:38:44Mmm, fabulous.
0:38:44 > 0:38:48The Severn was once literally alive in springtime with eels,
0:38:48 > 0:38:51a natural phenomenon that the work of people like Richard
0:38:51 > 0:38:53could hopefully bring about again.
0:38:55 > 0:38:57You know, there are occasions on this show
0:38:57 > 0:39:01when I do worry that perhaps we offer our buyers too much choice.
0:39:01 > 0:39:04This, I suspect, is one of those moments.
0:39:04 > 0:39:07Out of the three properties that we've shown Sarah and Ruth,
0:39:07 > 0:39:10there's no doubt that there are two clear contenders,
0:39:10 > 0:39:13but they offer two very different forms of country life.
0:39:13 > 0:39:16So what's it to be? Well, let's go and ask them.
0:39:23 > 0:39:25Now, let's just remind ourselves of the route
0:39:25 > 0:39:28we've taken to get to this point. Property number one,
0:39:28 > 0:39:32which certainly brought a smile to both of your faces, Ruth,
0:39:32 > 0:39:35what did you think, in particular, when you walked through the door?
0:39:35 > 0:39:37I thought it was nice and cosy.
0:39:37 > 0:39:41It seemed to give most of the things that Sarah was looking for,
0:39:41 > 0:39:46definitely gave the views and it was an adaptable layout, as well.
0:39:46 > 0:39:48I think that was important.
0:39:48 > 0:39:52She had a blank canvas in the garden, so, yeah.
0:39:52 > 0:39:55Well, that's what Ruth thinks you thought. What did you think?
0:39:55 > 0:39:57She's absolutely right, this is why I brought her.
0:39:57 > 0:40:01- She knows me well, she does know me well.- Thank you.
0:40:02 > 0:40:05It's a naughty word to use, simple, but I think it was a simple house,
0:40:05 > 0:40:09it would have suited me at the moment.
0:40:10 > 0:40:15It would be easy to maintain, the garden was a perfectly acceptable
0:40:15 > 0:40:19size and I think it would have been something that I could have
0:40:19 > 0:40:22done a little bit more as and when I had the time.
0:40:22 > 0:40:26Property number two was an altogether different proposition.
0:40:26 > 0:40:28I described it as rambling.
0:40:28 > 0:40:31It was a lovely, quirky, quaint cottage.
0:40:31 > 0:40:36But, actually, just had too much room for me. Too many rooms.
0:40:36 > 0:40:37- We don't often hear that, you see.- No.
0:40:39 > 0:40:40But, you know, fair enough.
0:40:40 > 0:40:45And I think it was one that was going to take some imagination
0:40:45 > 0:40:49to really turn into the sort of property which you want, which I
0:40:49 > 0:40:54suspect has a little more, shall we say, mod cons attached to it?
0:40:56 > 0:41:00Yes. And I think that was why I did like the mystery house.
0:41:00 > 0:41:03I thought the building itself was beautiful,
0:41:03 > 0:41:07it had obviously been extended over time, but beautifully so.
0:41:07 > 0:41:12- And it just worked. It was a very, very attractive, cottage.- Ruth?
0:41:12 > 0:41:18I thought it was, similarly, very sympathetically extended.
0:41:18 > 0:41:20You didn't have to do anything there.
0:41:20 > 0:41:22And what about that bathroom, girls, come on?
0:41:22 > 0:41:24Well, yes, I could laze in that.
0:41:26 > 0:41:28And, of course, the holiday let,
0:41:28 > 0:41:32which was beautifully appointed. Modest but very, very feasible.
0:41:32 > 0:41:34Yes, and separate, I mean, totally separate.
0:41:34 > 0:41:38You didn't have to do anything with that straight away
0:41:38 > 0:41:41- if you didn't want to.- So let me cut to the chase now. What happens next?
0:41:43 > 0:41:48My gut reaction would be property one is perfect for me now.
0:41:48 > 0:41:52But I think property three has set me thinking that, is it sensible
0:41:52 > 0:41:58to move now with a view to then moving again in a few years' time?
0:41:58 > 0:42:01I'm not going to press you on a decision as to which one you'll buy,
0:42:01 > 0:42:04because I think you've almost gone back to the drawing board, in a way.
0:42:04 > 0:42:05I think so.
0:42:05 > 0:42:08We've given you a property in which you can envisage this new life,
0:42:08 > 0:42:11you've just got to be sure that it's the life you want right now.
0:42:11 > 0:42:12Exactly.
0:42:12 > 0:42:16Well, best of luck to you, thank you very much for your help
0:42:16 > 0:42:20in advising Sarah, I daresay this pattern of advice will continue for
0:42:20 > 0:42:22some time to come. But you've been real sports,
0:42:22 > 0:42:25it's been a real pleasure. I've thoroughly enjoyed myself.
0:42:25 > 0:42:28And, fingers crossed, you'll be living in Gloucestershire very soon.
0:42:28 > 0:42:30Thank you very much for all your help.
0:42:36 > 0:42:39You know, when we started this house search with Sarah,
0:42:39 > 0:42:41I thought we were looking for more of a bolthole,
0:42:41 > 0:42:44something of an escape from the hustle and bustle
0:42:44 > 0:42:47of her working life down in Camberley.
0:42:47 > 0:42:50But what's emerged is something far more intriguing.
0:42:50 > 0:42:53In the mystery house, we've offered her a slice of life,
0:42:53 > 0:42:56a completely different country lifestyle, if you will,
0:42:56 > 0:42:59that might enable her to move lock, stock and barrel
0:42:59 > 0:43:01from Camberley to Gloucestershire.
0:43:01 > 0:43:04And it just goes to prove that although they've got a lot of
0:43:04 > 0:43:07thinking to do and discussion to be had, when it comes to house-hunting,
0:43:07 > 0:43:11just occasionally, you do need to be very careful what you wish for.
0:43:11 > 0:43:13I'll see you next time.
0:43:13 > 0:43:17I'm pleased to say that Sarah has been back to see house number one
0:43:17 > 0:43:20and she's consulting a builder about her plans for it.
0:43:20 > 0:43:24So it's still very much in contention to be her future home.
0:43:24 > 0:43:27If you'd like to escape to the country in Scotland, Wales,
0:43:27 > 0:43:28Northern Ireland or England
0:43:28 > 0:43:31and would like our help, please apply online at...
0:43:56 > 0:43:59Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd