North Yorkshire Escape to the Country

There are more of these stone crosses in this county's hilly, heathery moorlands

than any other part of the UK - 43 at the last count.

Where are we and what is the purpose of these things?

Find out in just a moment.

'On today's show, I'm helping a couple sever their ties to town

'and head for pastures new in the country.

'Our house hunt gets off to a fabulous start.'

It takes your breath away. It's absolutely gorgeous.

'Then their enthusiasm wobbles a bit.'

Not so keen on the house. Not quite higgledy-piggledy enough.

We're in North Yorkshire, and these are the ever-beautiful North Yorkshire Moors.

After the Norman Conquest, they were popular with Christian pilgrims,

who used these stone crosses to navigate between the famous abbeys.

You can still get from Whitby on the coast to York,

a journey of around 50 miles, using these crosses as orientation points.

That is, if you're not distracted by some of the county's other famous sights.

'Spanning 3,400 square miles,

'and the largest of all the English counties,

'North Yorkshire is home to a hugely diverse landscape.

'Within its borders lie two of England's great national parks -

'the North York Moors and the Yorkshire Dales,

'which was given its protected status back in 1954.

'Its lush green valleys are peppered with historic villages

'such as Grassington, where local limestone has formed the bedrock

'of its architecture for centuries.

'To the east of the county, the North York Moors

'are characterised by its purple haze of heather covered moorland,

'one of the largest such areas in the country.

'And with over 1,000 miles of pathways,

'it's a haven for outdoor enthusiasts.

'Moving coastwards, you'll find swathes of sandy beaches,

'rocky coves and towering cliffs,

'amongst which lies the fishing port of Whitby,

'from where its most famous sea-faring son, Captain James Cook,

'set sail for the South Seas.'

Over the last decade, property prices in North Yorkshire have doubled.

The average price for a detached home here

is £263,000, which is £8,000 above the national average.

Not too painful, but if you were going to buy a property within the two national parks,

the dales or the moors, you'd have to whop another 20% on top of that.

So it seems that people, despite a national downturn in property prices,

are willing to pay a premium for beautiful landscape

and lovely traditional stone houses,

something the moors and the dales have in abundance.

'Properties are typically built from local limestone,

'often dating back to the 17th century.

'Red pantile roofs are a common sight.

'This three-bedroom property

'in Hutton-le-Hole is on the market for just shy of £355,000.

'Whitby's historic harbour has many fine examples of architecture

'spanning the last 300 years.

'Many of the Georgian and Victorian buildings were originally built

'to accommodate families who worked in the fishing industry,

'such as this two-bedroom house priced at £250,000.

'Farming has always been rooted in Yorkshire's heritage,

'which is reflected in its building types.

'This four-bedroom farmhouse with a separate two-bedroom cottage

'is £565,000.'

An amazing array of different styles here in Yorkshire.

Are any of them to the taste of our buyers? Let's meet them.

'Bob, a retired Harrier aircraft engineer,

'and his wife Bernadette, an accountant,

'live in a four-bedroom semi-detached house

'on a busy high street in Huntingdon.

'It's been the perfect family home to bring up their three children, but they want to downsize.'

It'll be very sad to go, in many respects.

But it's necessary, we know that. It's far too big for just us.

It's our chance, with our third child about to leave,

for us to escape from them.

If we were to stay here, there's always a possibility they decide to move back!

'Our buyers also feel they've outgrown the area.'

This is a very busy village.

The newspapers arrive at about four o'clock in the morning.

-From then on, a train of vehicles come down the high street.

-Yeah.

During the school term, there's children outside, the buses stop over the road.

Which was all well and good when we had children.

We want to move away from that completely,

into a very peaceful environment,

where people want to come to have peace and relax.

'After 35 years together working and raising a family,

'this move marks a new era of focusing on each other.'

-We met in 1977, didn't we?

-We did.

Just before I went off to university.

Along came this chap with this patterned shirt and tanktop

and asked me to dance.

-Then we had a slow dance.

-As far as I was concerned, that was it.

When I saw Bernadette I thought, "Wow! Seriously fit lady!"

Fit, but she couldn't run very fast, which is why I managed to catch her!

We're good friends. We just like to be together.

'However, when it comes to property, they don't see eye-to-eye.'

We're looking for somewhere, hopefully, very rural and peaceful with its own land...

No!

Not VERY rural. Rural.

There is a difference of opinion, as you can see!

But it won't matter, particularly to me.

Wherever Bernadette is is home, so...

'One thing they do agree on is the part of North Yorkshire they want to move to.

'It's somewhere Bernadette has a strong connection with.'

We're looking to move to the North Yorkshire Moors area.

Your parents come from not too far away from there.

When we go to North Yorkshire we feel like we're going home.

'Our buyers have a romantic vision of features they'd like their new home to have.'

I like beams. My favourite thing is deep window sills.

I LOVE deep window sills, which we don't have in this house.

I'd very much like a wood, and if it had a stream on the boundary...

-LAUGHING:

-Oh! We're really dreaming now!

'Apart from a quirky house with LOTS of character,

'there's one other important request.'

We could, hopefully, have a small property with a couple of holiday lets and maybe some land.

We'd like to have some room for caravans.

'Their house is already on the market,

'so they have a clear idea of how much they can spend on their rural retreat.'

The budget we're looking at is £550,000.

Maximum.

BOTH LAUGH

'Bob and Bernadette would like us to concentrate our search

'to the east of the county, around the market town of Pickering.

'This means they'll be close to family, a good transport network

'and plenty of tourist attractions, including the moors.

'I caught up with them on Yorkshire soil

'to find out more about their exact requirements.'

-Welcome to Yorkshire, you two.

-Thank you.

-You know this area well.

-It's a homecoming of sorts.

-Yes, it is for me. My parents come from Yorkshire.

What are you looking for, in terms of the spec for the house?

-We want a fairly small house.

-Good.

-Don't really want a big house.

Two bedrooms, I think, as a minimum, but that would be fine.

Are you fixated on a particular style?

-Er...

-Character, really.

-Character.

We want it to, you usually say, to pull on your heartstrings.

A real character property. Doesn't matter if it needs a bit of work.

Most old property requires work, anyway.

And, hopefully, a couple of holiday lets.

Talking about the business side, are you looking for something self-contained

or are you looking to be looking after people, cooking breakfasts?

-No!

-Self-contained.

Self-contained.

A little bit of land would be nice because we have dogs.

-We'd like to encourage people with dogs to come as well.

-Dog-friendly. That's a plus!

-We have found some beautiful properties.

-Good.

-So, let's go and see them. Follow me.

-OK.

'With their £550,000 budget, Bob and Bernadette have set down

'some clear criteria with their property brief...

'..Of course, we've got three fabulous properties up our sleeve,

'but we won't be revealing how much they cost until they've had a guess.

'Lastly, we'll serve up our mystery house,

'with a business that could be the cherry on the cake.

'Keeping close to the moors,

'our house hunt gets under way in the hamlet of Langdale End,

'with the amenities of Thornton-le-Dale

'a 20-minute drive away.

'Thornton may be a village, but it's certainly vibrant

'and home to a strong local community.

'It's also a popular stopping off point for walkers,

'with a number of local shops, as well as a Post Office

'and a pub or two, which will please Bernadette -

'although the isolated rural setting of our first house

'will definitely resonate with Bob.'

-Wow.

-It is a wow, isn't it? Absolutely gorgeous!

In terms of location, this might be one more for you, Bob.

-It's a bit of a walk to the nearest pub.

-It might be hiking boots!

This is one of the most beautiful spots

-I've shown a house in a long time.

-It's breath-taking.

-The ford's just lovely.

-You were pooh-poohing his dreams of a stream and a woodland!

-But we have come up trumps.

-We're only missing the pub.

-You could build a pub.

-All right!

-Ironically, it WAS a pub.

-Was it?

-This was on a drover's path.

-Wow.

-It was a sort of informal pub and if you look on the barn,

see a little Bacchus head?

-Yes.

-God of wine.

-Oh, right!

-This has really started off very well.

-We're sold already!

-Enough chat. Let's look at the house.

-Yes.

'That was just the reaction I was hoping for.

'Even though Bernadette wanted to be on the edge of a village,

'she's blown away by the rustic charm of our first property.'

Through this garden room into this, the kitchen-dining area.

-Oh, it's lovely.

-Very nice.

-I like the thickness of the walls.

-I know! Massive thick walls.

It dates back to about 1840, so it was a proper old cottage.

These were extensions put on in the '60s.

-The original one was quite small.

-Nice size.

Through there, you've got a downstairs toilet

and a utility room with a shower.

Let's look at the living room.

Then you have, it's very simple, but a sweet little sitting room.

-It's very sweet, isn't it?

-Really nice.

-Lovely fireplace.

Yes, you see the rocks from the moors and a lovely log burner.

It's a working chimney. That's really nice.

-For those cold nights.

-Yes.

-So this is OK, in terms of downstairs space?

-Yeah.

Yes, it's absolutely right. We are downsizing.

-This is the sort of size we'd want.

-Let's look upstairs.

See if that fits the bill.

'So far, they seem pleased by the interior.

'Leading off the kitchen, there's also a conservatory,

'but now we're heading upstairs, to where there are three bedrooms.

'One is set up as an office.

'Another is being used for storage.

'There's also a well-fitted family bathroom.

'But let's see if their bedroom would measure up.'

This is the master bedroom.

-This is about the right size.

-We don't need a big house. It's just the two of us.

This is not the only possibility.

You wanted some space to convert, some space to have a holiday let.

-This property gives you that in spades!

-A-ha! Lead on.

'On top of a perfectly proportioned home for them,

'what's outside could generate a robust income.'

-This is your holiday let potential.

-Oh, wow!

It's a beautiful, very well maintained barn building.

They have planning, which has lapsed but would be easy to get again.

-That's good.

-Inside, it's a shell. It's not up and running.

Is that something you'd be prepared to do?

-Well, that would depend on the price.

-Mm, it would.

It keeps coming back to the price.

One more bit then I'll tell you the price!

'The outside space is a major selling point.

'It comes with over seven acres, so lots of land for the dogs to roam

'and the potential for a caravan site.

'Time to take a view on what else our first house gives them.'

There's also this, sort of... I don't know. Some sort of shed.

-Right.

-That also has, in the past, had planning permission

-to turn it into a free-standing holiday let, simple.

-Oh, right.

That's very good as well. Are we in the national park here?

At the end of your land is the beginning of the moors.

That's Dalby Forest over there,

one of the biggest mountain bike tracks in the country.

Very famous.

You've also got a big chunk of this woodland,

then a big chunk of land behind the house.

-So, just over seven acres.

-That's nice.

-It's the full package.

-It is.

-It is.

What about the price?

Hm!

Well, you wouldn't show it to us if we couldn't afford it, would you?

-475?

-Mm-hm.

I think with all the land it's probably more expensive. About 520.

Luckily for you, it's somewhere in the middle.

It's £500 short of £500,000.

499,500.

-Go and explore a bit more, then I'll meet you at the front.

-Thank you.

'Our fantastic first property comes in £50,000 under budget

'and is awash with opportunities.

'The main house provides...'

Wow!

-Just takes your breath away.

-It's beautiful.

-Yeah.

Especially with all the heather.

You can see for miles over there.

Just think, this could be ours.

When Alistair brought us to the house, I thought it was stunning.

The barns would be ideal to be converted into holiday lets.

The only down side is, of course, the isolation.

It is just stunning.

The more I've seen the more I like the property.

It's perfect.

It really is a beautifully quiet spot here,

apart from the squawk of the chicken and your tender footsteps.

-All done?

-We are.

Thank you.

I'm going to whisk you away to the next property before you have too many thoughts on this one.

'The North York Moors' dramatic scenery is one of contrasts,

'ranging from lush green valleys and woodland

'to a heritage coastline,

'set within its array of manmade landmarks

'that stand testament to how people have settled in

'and navigated this rural landscape.

'A prime example of this is the North Yorkshire Moors steam railway,

'which runs from Pickering, the gateway to the Moors,

'all the way to the coastal town of Whitby.

'The North Yorkshire Moor's Historical Railway Trust help with its maintenance.

'Vice-chairman Chris Cubitt has offered to take our buyers aboard.

'This nostalgic journey is strongly linked to Bernadette's family heritage.'

-We really looked forward to coming.

-It feels like we're coming home.

My grandfather was the last signalman at Levisham.

We're coming up to Levisham now, just six miles from Pickering.

I've got a few photographs.

One in particular which we thought was quite interesting was this one.

-You probably recognise the engine.

-I recognise the engine.

And I could tell you the date, roughly. It was April 1964.

'And some 50 years later, the station remains as it did in her grandfather's day.'

We're just pulling into Levisham.

You say your granddad was a signalman here?

That must be where he used to live.

Yes. There was the two station cottages after, yes.

'The North Yorkshire Moors line was planned

'by famous railway engineer George Stephenson

'as a way of opening up trade routes inland from Whitby.

'These days, it's popular with day passengers

'and a source of pride for the Trust.'

-How many people are working on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway?

-We have 100 full-time staff.

Then we have 200 to 300 volunteer staff.

'First opened in 1835 as the Whitby and Pickering Railway,

'the first trains were initially horse-drawn,

'except when they were hauled by rope up a steep incline

'into the moors at Goathland, which is the next stop.'

We're now at Goathland, which is our celebrity station, really.

We have people coming who've seen it on Heartbeat.

Aidensfield Station is what people know it as.

Originally, when the North Yorkshire Moors Railway was set up in 1967,

Goathland was the headquarters of the North Yorkshire Moors Railway

and during time everything was moved to Pickering,

where our head office is now.

'It may be nearing the end of the line for this journey,

'but we're going full steam ahead, as our house hunt continues.

'Our second property takes us coastwards to Robin Hood's Bay.

'Set in the cliff-edged shoreline,

'this former fishing village is a popular tourist destination,

'as it's close to Whitby, with a seven-mile walk

'along the Cleveland Way linking the two.

'Our second property embraces the fact

'that this area is a draw for holiday makers.'

You'll never guess why I've brought you to this property(!)

-I think we might!

-Yes, you might.

-Cos look at the view - Robin Hood's Bay.

-It's fantastic.

-It's lovely.

-As you can see, this property has a caravan park.

-Up and running.

-Five hard standings.

-Yes.

-OK.

This is the property, a 1920s house, extended in all sorts of directions.

-Yeah.

-Yeah.

-So what are your thoughts on this?

-LAUGHING:

-Mm!

Not so keen on the house, I have to say.

Not quite higgledy-piggledy enough.

-What about you, Bob?

-Um... Yes.

I know it's not exactly what we were looking for from the outside,

but let's see what's inside and what else is going for it.

-So shall we have a look inside?

-Yes, please.

'Although the regular exterior doesn't appeal to Bernadette,

'she should reserve judgment because, as she'll see later on,

'this house does have bags of potential.

'First, let's get her view on the interior.'

We're going in the back door, country style.

-Straight into the kitchen.

-Ah, it's quite pleasant.

-It's spacious, isn't it?

-I was thinking the opposite.

-I was thinking it's a little bit small.

-Right.

-Sorry.

-Not at all.

It goes through into a formal dining room

that looks out through a big bay window at the sea.

-You could knock through, if you wanted to.

-Yes.

Yes, I think that would have to be a possibility. Yes.

We haven't finished the tour. Let's have a look at the front.

-Nice hall.

-Mm-hm.

-Nice hall.

-Spacious.

So here we have, well, this is their sitting room.

Like most Victorian houses, you have two big rooms at the front.

There's the dining room on that side and then this on this side.

They extended just before they moved in, about 20 years ago.

They put this sort of bay extension on.

-Mm. It makes the most of the views.

-Yeah.

-And brings in a lot more light.

-It does.

Shifting your mood as you've come to the front?

Yes, it's nicer at the front. Yes.

And through that door, there's a little added bonus.

-Ooh.

-Oh, right.

So, surprise, surprise!

-It's another house!

-Oh, right!

It's a self-contained house.

It's got a kitchenette and a sitting room,

and upstairs a bedroom and a bathroom.

Oh, it's very sweet.

With a separate entrance.

-So it could be, if you separated it out properly, a holiday let.

-Hm.

-Yes. Distinct possibility.

-You're being quite muted.

I'm getting it's nice, but it's not YOUR nice.

-Yes.

-Right.

-Yes.

-Nothing's won you over yet?

-It's not...pulling at heartstrings.

-No. And Rob?

-No, very practical.

My worry is that my son sees this and thinks, "I'll move back in!"

LAUGHTER

'I've got a feeling Bernadette has already made her mind up,

'but hopefully upstairs will sway her.

'On the first floor, there are three bedrooms, including two doubles,

'and a family bathroom.

'But we'll take a look at what would be theirs.'

Then this, the master bedroom.

-With its en suite.

-Oh, very nice.

-Oh, that's nice.

-Yes.

-That's plenty big enough.

-Hm. Yeah. Another good size room.

Again, it's all about lying in bed and looking out over the view.

-The view, yeah.

-What is it that's not doing it for you?

-Just the style, or...?

-Yes, I think so. It's just...

-It's not old enough for you.

-No.

-She much prefers the older property.

I do as well, but I'm more worried about the business

and worry about the house later.

-Talking about the business, we should have a look at the business options outside.

-Right.

'Our buyers are clearly looking at this property with two very different mind sets.

'Bob is focusing on the business potential.

'Bernadette is more concerned on the look and feel of the house.

'As we move outside, I'm confident we'll address Bob's priorities.

'But who has the final say?'

It's a lovely verandah they put on to maximise the view.

Yeah. The verandah's very nice.

-That is such a lovely view.

-The view's absolutely to die for.

There's quite a lot more which you can explore later.

There's a double garage and a workshop.

There's also a veggie garden. There's a duck pond.

There's a stable block. There's an orchard.

There's two and a half acres of land.

Quite a considerable plot.

They've maximised the caravans. They've got five standings there.

-They also have permission for ten camping places.

-Goodness!

It does fit your brief, in a way. It gives you everything you want.

-But clearly it's not quite fitting the taste.

-It does.

You've given us a holiday let. You've given us the caravans.

-You've given us land.

-How much do you think it costs,

this little package of business potential?

Well, there's a lot here. Lots of land, lot of potential.

The holiday letting side and the camping facilities.

I think it's going to be right at the top of our budget, about 550.

-525.

-525.

Well, in this instance,

you're both...wrong.

-LAUGHTER

-Actually, it is a bit over budget.

It's on at 560. Probably a big sigh of relief.

You've got an ace card. You can say, "I love it, but can't afford it."

I'd like you to have a look around.

There is a lot to look at, in the grounds particularly, but also inside.

Even though it might be not your taste with the furnishing,

I think it does have good bones and some potential.

-Give it a go.

-A substantial house.

-Yes.

-OK. Thank you.

Ah! It's Bernadette who makes the decisions. I've clocked that now.

From the beginning she didn't really like it, and that's fine.

Most people make their decision about a house in ten seconds.

No matter how many of the bits of the puzzle we did offer,

if it doesn't really make her feel at home, then what can we do?

'Priced at £560,000,

'our second property is £10,000 over their budget.

'On paper, however, it does meet many of their demands...'

Not a bad looking property.

Not the sort we would normally consider buying.

I like to keep an open mind because I'm worried about the business side,

whether we can earn enough to survive.

In one respect, you delivered everything we asked for -

the holiday let, the caravans and the land.

Unfortunately, the house is just not my cup of tea,

not to my taste at all.

It is a beautiful view.

I suppose the trouble with having caravans in front of your view,

it sort of spoils it a bit.

I was thinking about whether you could move things around, but anyway, we're done here.

Right.

Time now to regroup and have a think about what you've seen,

-and prepare yourself for tomorrow.

-Yeah.

-Sounds exciting.

'As the day draws to a close, it marks the end

'of a thought-provoking first day's house hunting.

'Armed with their £550,000, Bob and Bernadette from Huntingdon

'want to put down roots and start up a holiday let business

'in North Yorkshire.

'Our property pendulum has swung between finding them a charming home

'and serving up the income they're looking for.

'So, what will they make of the mystery property?'

I'm not quite sure. I'm a bit dumbstruck at the moment!

'And I discover how Yorkshire's music and dance tradition

'is being kept alive.'

You can understand why they call it God's own country.

You can also understand why people pay a premium to live here.

That premium is putting a pressure on our buyers' £550,000 budget.

Partly because Bernadette, quite rightly, knows what she wants

in terms of living accommodation.

She doesn't want to be too remote, either.

Also, because Bob is very conscious of getting some income from a business.

So the mystery house really gives them everything.

It's a village location, a quirky old property,

and it's an up and running business.

However, it is a bit of a long shot.

It struck me that it might be more imperative to have a house that you love

rather than a business making money, does that seem like a fair comment?

We really need both. We need to be happy in the house as well as having a business.

Yes. Yes, that's very true.

With the budget we've got and the value of properties up here,

we know it's a little bit tight,

but having the property that we want to live in for some time

is very important.

That will allow us, we think, to develop a business,

so we probably could survive for a while, as we have work done

or have holiday lets built.

'For the mystery house, we're driving ten miles north of Pickering

'into the North York Moors to Rosedale Abbey.

'However, I'm taking my buyers on a slight detour.'

-This is what you came to Yorkshire for, isn't it?

-Yes!

-These amazing views!

-It is.

This used to be, you can't really imagine it,

but back in the late 19th century, this was a massive industrial area.

They found ironstone in this hillside.

-These were the kilns where they purified it.

-OK.

It was amazing. It was like the Klondike. There were 500 people.

In the space of ten years, there were 3,000 people living here.

There are many abbeys scattered across the moors.

There are stone crosses that guide your way, if you were a pilgrim.

-43 of them.

-Presumably, they'll go, what, Whitby...

-Whitby to York.

-To York? Oh, right.

-You can still follow the crosses, apparently.

-A good walk that.

A good walk! Let's do the first abbey, which is Rosedale down there.

-Follow me.

-Lead on.

'Just down in the valley sits our mystery property,

'which marries their different interests in a rather original way.'

-This is a very good mystery house.

-BERNADETTE GIGGLES

Because you were very keen to have a business.

-You were very keen to be in the centre of the town.

-Right.

And so this...

-..is for sale.

-Oh, that's different!

-CHUCKLING:

-It's Rosedale Abbey village shop and tea rooms.

-It certainly is a mystery.

-And I think it's very interesting for you.

Probably not what you were thinking about, but in terms of a business,

it's very, very good.

-Mm.

-It has a turnover of around 172,000.

-That's good.

-Blimey.

Campsites all around, so there's lots of guaranteed trade.

You don't even have to get out of bed to get your milk,

because it's actually in your front room!

-What are your first thoughts about running a village store and tea room?

-Um...

I'm not quite sure, actually. I'm a bit dumb-struck at the moment!

Yes, my gob is smacked!

'A complete surprise it may be, but now I've reassured them

'that the setting and the sums of our mystery proposition stack up,

'let's see if it's a lifestyle choice they'd sign up to.'

Come in. Isn't this exciting? This could be your village shop.

-Not your village shop, but your shop in the village.

-Mm. Could be.

-Is it something you could imagine yourself doing?

-I think so.

Yeah, it's just such a surprise still, I'm trying...

I think you two would be good running a village shop.

-I'm thinking of the amount of work.

-Yeah. That is the thing.

-It's a job.

-Well, we've got to work. We've got to earn money.

-We haven't seen the house yet, either.

-Exactly.

So this is the shop. Next door, a very busy tea room.

-Look, lovely cakes.

-Mmm!

The smell of coffee. It's a good sized tea room.

This is the business - the shop, the tea room, both very successful. The house is directly above.

'Now we've tackled the business, it's time to look at the mystery property in detail.

'Attached to the cafe downstairs is the professional kitchen,

'but all their accommodation is upstairs.

'First up, the main reception room.'

So, it's an unconventional house. All the living space is upstairs.

And this is the sitting room.

-Oh, it's a nice size.

-Nice and light.

-Nice and light.

Yeah. You really are in the heart of the village.

You can see everything that's going on, but you're up high and relatively private.

But it is small. It's a downsizing move.

-It is.

-How do you feel? Obviously, you haven't seen it all,

but in terms of living above your business?

I honestly don't know. This is... I'm still...

-Processing.

-Slightly in shock.

We're picking our chins up off the floor!

'There are three good sized bedrooms.

'We're heading straight for what could be their room.'

This is what they're using as the master bedroom.

-Oh. It's light and airy, isn't it?

-It's a nice size, as well.

As you know, it's a surprise to us. We've not lived above anywhere before.

It feels very homely, actually.

There's a nice feel about the property.

-I don't have a problem with it.

-I'm going to ask Bernadette.

I know that you are more... It's more important to you.

Can you imagine this as a home?

-Yes, I think we'd need to do a bit of work.

-Sure.

-It's do-able.

'The two remaining bedrooms lead off the main hallway,

'one being a large double and the other currently used as an office.

'There's also a light, well-fitted kitchen-diner.

'Time to survey what outside offers.'

This is the private garden.

In terms of land, it's not anywhere as big as the other properties,

but it's altogether unlike the other properties, so...

-That's true.

-What about finances? How much do you think it costs?

I think it's going to be above our budget.

560?

-Bernadette?

-I think it might be a little bit more.

-575?

-575. You both guessed considerably over your budget.

-Actually, this property is under your budget.

-That's a surprise!

It's on at 539,950.

-Oh!

-Hm.

-Just under 540.

That's actually... That's a surprise, but a pleasant surprise.

Good. That's what we like to hear.

So, I'd like you to explore, check out the village.

Spy on the clientele! See who's coming in and out!

Think about the house. I appreciate it's a different offering.

-Then I'll see you out the front, maybe with a cup of tea.

-Sounds good.

-In you go.

They took that very well, cos even I would be thrown

if they gave me this up and running business in a beautiful place.

Not quite what I was expecting.

Well done, Bernadette and Bob, for taking it on the chin.

Be interesting to see what they actually think.

'Priced at just under £540,000,

'our mystery proposition brings work and life all under one roof...'

I was completely shocked and surprised.

I'd guessed it might be a run-down property we'd have to restore.

I had no idea it would be an up-and-running business

in such a beautiful village, so it was a huge surprise.

The outdoor space is actually quite good for a property with this sort of business.

That's where it would be a bit more difficult for us.

It'll be harder for us with the dogs, people coming and going.

We need to think long and hard about that and see whether that's do-able.

I think it's a delightful village, a lovely shop,

good viable business, the accommodation is big enough.

I'm just not sure that we'd both want to be working full-time.

We have to sit down and have a good talk about this one.

Old-school telephone box! Can't beat those!

-Hello, guys.

-Hi.

-Looked around?

-Yes.

-Tea and cake?

-Yes.

-Excellent.

So, now time to reflect on the houses that we've seen.

Come with me.

'Along with spectacular coastline and beautiful beaches,

'the historic town of Whitby has a strong cultural heritage.

'A highlight of its annual calendar is Whitby Folk Week,

'which takes place every August.

'Now in its 47th year, this is one of the country's biggest folk festivals

'and celebrates the music, dance and song of Yorkshire

'and the rest of the British Isles.

'I've come to the festival on its penultimate day to meet Barry Evans,

'one of the directors, to find out about the important role

'the event plays in showcasing the country's traditional music.'

Sadly, the fishing's gone out of Whitby.

Is this a good tourist boost?

The folk festival is the largest income generator in the year.

There are still core people keeping the traditions alive, thankfully.

I find it all too sad that too much of the population of this country

know too little about our musical and dance heritage.

-Is it singing and dancing, what else?

-Singing, dancing.

We have some pure children's events.

It's one of the largest story-telling festivals in the country.

We encompass all the genres of traditional music and dance.

I know you've got lots to do, but you have organised a taster?

We've got you meeting the Yorkshire Garland Group, who'll run you through a song.

-You're going that way and over to the spa.

-See you later.

-Cheers, Alistair. Thanks.

'Before I venture onto the streets of Whitby to sample some music and dance first-hand,

'Ray Padgett and some members of the Yorkshire Garland Group,

'founded in 2006, have offered to open my ears

'to the county's folk song tradition.'

Is there a kind of quintessential Yorkshire song

or maybe from the coast along here, Whitby way?

Well, I think probably the most famous song

is a song called Three Score And Ten,

which was to do with a disaster, a sea disaster...

-Always about a disaster at sea!

-Of course!

It started off as a poem.

There's been a lot of research done about it since.

-You're all of you going to sing?

-Yes.

-Good.

Take it away.

CONCERTINA BEGINS

# And it's three score and ten

# Boys and men Were lost from Grimsby town

# From Yarmouth down to Scarborough

# Many hundreds more were drowned

# And it's three score and ten

# Boys and men Were lost from Grimsby town... #

'Oh, dear. That song may tell a lamentable story,

'but the festival at large sets the tone of celebrating

'our country's historic musical roots.

'Time to return to our buyers

'where, hopefully, our houses have hit the right note.'

How has it been coming back to Yorkshire?

-Has it confirmed this is the place you want to move?

-Most definitely. Yes.

The houses, one by one. The first house, quite remote, very beautiful.

-What are your thoughts about that, in retrospect?

-It was lovely.

From my point of view, it was perfect. It was the setting.

It was so peaceful. There was lots of wildlife.

The outbuildings presented opportunities to develop the holiday lets.

The house was quite small, but that's the size we're looking for.

So truly downsizing.

Just wonderful, and for people wanting to holiday and get away from it all,

I think we could provide a really good setting for them.

Bernadette, your worry about being remote, has that got bigger or smaller over time?

I think we'd have to consider it.

What about property number two? This was much more on the beaten track.

-This is where a lot of tourists came.

-Yes.

Wonderful views! Absolutely wonderful views!

I'm afraid the house just didn't do it for me at all.

Just not my style.

Having the vans so close to the property

was not really to my liking but, again, I was trying to look from a business point of view.

-But definitely not your style of house.

-No.

The mystery house, this was a business in a period property.

You couldn't see the business in your sitting room.

It was underneath you.

-What are your thoughts about the mystery house?

-It was lovely.

The village was absolutely beautiful and the business was do-able,

but it would be very intrusive in our lives.

It came as such a shock - not an unpleasant shock -

because we hadn't ever considered that sort of business and lifestyle.

It does add further complications.

We could be tied to the property and the business for relatively long periods of time.

That's not what we've been looking for, originally.

What happens next? Would you revisit any of them?

Property number one, as I've said all the way through,

was fantastic.

-Your favourite.

-It is my favourite, yes.

-It really does sum up what

-I

-was looking for.

-I know Bernadette would like to pick it up and move it close to a village.

-I would.

-That would be my dream.

-But that was perfect.

Once they invent a machine that picks up houses and puts them in places, I'll be a rich man!

Well, I hope you come up here and find a business

-that doesn't intrude too much on your lifestyle.

-Thank you.

-Thank you.

North Yorkshire delivered beautiful landscape and incredible properties, I thought,

although Bob and Bernadette illustrate a classic escape dilemma.

Once you find a beautiful home with views like this,

do you really want to share it with strangers to pay the bills?

Luckily, you at home don't have to find an answer to that, because you can keep on watching.

Join us next time for more Escape To The Country.

'If you'd like to escape to the country in Scotland, Wales,

'Northern Ireland or England and need our help, apply online at:'

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