Devon Escape to the Country

This flag fluttering above me

is a colourful representation of the county I'm in today

but where do YOU need to go to see it?

Find out in just a moment.

On today's show I'll be helping one lady and her dog find space

and peace in the countryside.

And early on in our house search

a dining room gets her in the party mood...

Lovely, I can see a great big family Christmas there.

..but later a kitchen fails to measure up...

There's not enough work surface. That would be my first thought.

..so can the charm of our mystery house win her over?

Today I'm in Devon, which in 2006 gained official recognition

for having its very own flag.

Now, despite its recent design,

the colours very much tell the story of this county's landscape.

The green signifying the lush hills, the black the dramatic moors,

and the white, the coastline and the chalk clay mining industry.

Now, with such iconic imagery,

it's clear to say why the people of Devon

are so very proud of their county's rich heritage.

As well as being the only English county with two separate coastlines,

over half of Devon's landscape is preserved

and maintained with special protected status.

Besides being the third largest county in England, it's also one

of the least populated, particularly in northern and central areas.

Mid Devon is sandwiched between the open moorland

of Exmoor National Park in the north

and the tors and rivers of Dartmoor in the south.

The River Dart, which meanders through this national park,

is not only a haven for wildlife

but has shaped the heritage of its towns.

Sitting on the banks of its estuary, the historic port of Dartmouth

has been a point of entry and departure for ships

over the past millennium,

and its seafaring character is still very much alive to this day.

Devon's beauty does come at a price.

The average detached property here will set you back around £287,000,

that's some 33,000 above the national average

and the south coast is particularly expensive,

with properties in seaside towns, like Dartmouth,

sometimes commanding double the national figure.

However, if you move away from the coast or further inland,

to areas like the north of Dartmoor,

you will find that your money goes a little bit further.

So, whatever your budget,

you're sure to find a rich mix of property styles here in Devon.

Devon's signature building type is the longhouse,

typically built of cob or rammed earth,

where the farmer lived under the same roof as his animals.

Although longhouses are a common sight across the county,

they are particularly concentrated in and around Dartmoor.

Often dating back to the 15th and 16th centuries,

these narrow dwellings retain an authentic charm,

like this four-bedroom property in Loxbeare,

which is on the market for offers above £400,000.

Since the Bronze Age, Dartmoor granite has been mined

extensively here, however, the quarrying of this durable

natural resource dwindled in the last century

so that now it's a highly sought after building material.

A traditional property on the edge of the market town

would cost upwards of £200,000.

Perhaps one of the most recognisable property types in the county

are the thatched cottages that lie in the rural valleys and hamlets.

They often come at a price

but, if you're up for a renovation,

this four-bedroom property in Chulmleigh

could be yours for £165,000.

Let's see if any of these styles suit today's buyer.

Janet lives in a four-bedroomed 1930s property in Fleet, Hampshire.

Even though she was born and raised in a city,

urban life no longer appeals.

I'm a country girl at heart

and I've just got this real hankering to move to the countryside now.

Fleet's getting quite built-up,

there's been one new housing estate built

and it's going to get very, very crowded round this area,

so I just want the open space of the countryside now.

She has her heart set on Devon and the more rural the better.

'I'd like to be inland,

'I don't mind a small village location,'

but I don't want anything that's getting on to be a town

and I'm quite happy to be fairly isolated as well.

I don't mind if it's not near neighbours.

That suits me down to the ground.

Janet will be accompanied on the move by her beloved dog Shadow

so the house has to suit both their needs.

Janice loves making cakes and Shadow needs more outside space.

Probably my two main criterias is the kitchen

and the other thing is the garden. I need a bigger garden.

It'd also be quite nice to have an annexe or an outbuilding,

whether it's converted or unconverted,

cos I quite like the idea of getting back into holiday accommodation

and it would be a source of income for me as well, once I move.

When she finally moves to Devon

she has her own plans on how to make new friends.

One of my hobbies is dog training and dog agility.

He enjoys it, I enjoy, I've met some really, really good friends

and its a really good way of socialising.

Family is important to Janet

and her three sisters are happy to help in any way they can.

My sister Jo will be coming with me to look at houses.

I think she's going to be a great help to me

because she's very sensible anyway

but she'll bring me back down to earth

if I'm looking at things which I really shouldn't be looking at.

Jo is older than Janet

and feels she can offer her some good sisterly advice.

I've obviously known her since we were babies

so I've seen her go through all the houses that she's lived in

and I know where she's been happiest,

and I think that I could probably recognise

a place that she would be happy again in, which would be lovely.

And Jo hopes there will be some benefits to her sister

living in such a beautiful part of the country.

We had some lovely, lovely holidays in Devon and Cornwall so,

yeah, we would definitely be visiting.

Got to make sure that the spare room's REALLY good!

You don't want much, do you? THEY LAUGH

With her house already on the market,

Janet has a clear idea of what she has to spend on her new home.

My maximum budget for the move is £425,000

but for that I would like to see a holiday business opportunity.

Janet wants to immerse herself in the heart of the countryside

but she also wants to be within easy reach of the coast

and have good transport links to friends and family living in London.

We'll be focusing our house search on the villages of Central Devon,

around Dartmoor National Park.

Time to meet her and sister Jo

to find out more about the specifics of the move.

-Hello, good morning, ladies!

-Morning.

-Morning.

Thank you for bringing me out here to Devon.

So, what's attracted you to this county?

It is the beauty of it, the open spaces.

You've got the moors, you've got everything

and, if you want, you got the seaside.

You're living in Hampshire, Fleet, at the moment so quite townie.

It's becoming quite a big town

and it's just not the same as it used to be.

So, now you're looking for something a lot more rural?

Yes, yes, I like rural. I do rural.

I'm much more of a country person than I am a town in person.

You got the support of all your family with this move.

Jo, what do you think is important for Janet in this house?

I think a little bit of land

because she's missing that at the moment and a big kitchen.

Somewhere that she can do her cooking, she loves cooking.

And I understand it's not just a property you are looking for,

there's also potential for a business?

Something with an annexe or something that's got a building

that could possibly be converted to a holiday let would be ideal.

The house itself, has it got to be huge?

No, not particularly, cos it's only for me and my dog, and my visitors.

And the property itself, I mean, how many bedrooms,

-what you wanted to be like?

-I'd like three bedrooms, really.

Three bedrooms minimum. And I prefer the older style property.

A quirky house or a house with character, at least.

-Yeah!

-Anything else?! I'm going to stop you right there!

The good thing is we have found

three wonderful properties to show you.

-One of them is the mystery house.

-Yes, I'm looking forward to that!

-But, for now, shall we go and have a look?

-Yeah.

-OK, lovely, thanks.

With a maximum budget of £425,000,

Janet would like a detached three-bedroom character home.

She has her heart set on a spacious kitchen for baking cakes

and she'd like a large garden for her dog to run around in.

Finally, she'd like an outbuilding or annexe

to convert into a holiday let, all wrapped up in a rural location.

We've got some superb country homes to tempt our buyer with,

although I'll be keeping quiet about the price tag

until the end of each house tour.

As ever, our final choice is the mystery property,

which takes our house hunt in a completely different direction.

Now, it's time to hit the road.

You are thinking of starting a business,

-that's a big change, isn't it?

-It is.

I would like to have a holiday let because I like meeting people.

It's a nice sociable thing to do as well.

It's something that you'd like to start small and grow or...?

I just want one to start off with, I think,

because that's enough for me to cope with on my own.

And then see how it goes.

And I'd like to have something that could be dog friendly,

which is another reason why I, sort of, wanted the countryside

because it would be a much, much better place for dogs.

-Especially Shadow!

-It would, he's going to love it!

He's going to love it - as long as there's not too many sheep!

For our first property we're travelling 20 miles

north-west of Exeter, a short drive from Chulmleigh.

Dating back to Saxon times,

this quiet town still retains its historic charm.

The streets are full of thatched buildings,

local pubs and a church dating back to the 14th century.

It looks picture perfect

but to give Janet an insight into the community,

I'm taking her to meet a local shopkeeper

to learn more about what it's like to live here.

The village shop.

I mean, it's the heart of a village, really, isn't it?

You must get to know everything that is going on in Chulmleigh.

We do and we are a gathering place,

and I'd recommend any small shop anywhere

to open a little tearoom as well.

-Do you get many tourists here?

-A few. They do come through.

-A lot of walkers but generally we rely on our local trade.

-Yeah.

So, a really good village community here?

Definitely, yeah, it's fabulous. I've never known a place like it.

Really haven't.

-You stock an awful lot of local produce as well, don't you?

-Yes.

The cheeses, and that, a lot of the local cheeses.

Yeah, we're trying keep local.

-What's so special about this village?

-I would say the people.

The people, the charity, what they do for charity is amazing.

-I've never known a community to give so much.

-That's very good to hear.

Well, I think we're going to be looking at a property

not so far from here so...!

-Good luck.

-Thank you!

With an idea of the community she would be buying into,

it's time to take Janet to our first house,

11 miles away in a splendid rural setting.

Right...this is it.

-Much bigger than I was expecting!

-Yes!

-Is it just one house?

Good question.

It's actually two former cottages knocked together to make one.

-So it's not too much for you then?

-No.

That kind of size is what you're looking for?

-Yeah, the family would like that one as well!

-I think so.

-Yeah, there's a big smile on your face!

-I think so!

-It's a fantastic start.

-I do like the start, yeah.

Let's take a look inside.

This wonderful property is made of traditional stone, cob and brick.

Just the ticket for Janet, who wants a period home full of character.

Let's hope her enthusiasm continues as we step inside.

-Now, how about this for a kitchen?

-It's lovely.

-I've just spotted the range.

-Have you ever cooked on one of those before?

-No!

-That'll be a new experience, won't it?

-It will be.

I hear there's a real art to it and it is a big kitchen

because the size of that table is enormous.

If that wasn't there you'd really see how big it is.

And, as well as all this space that you have,

you also have a big walk-in pantry.

-Ideal!

-Lovely.

-Yeah.

Through there you've got a little utility room

but then it leads through to an even bigger one,

which runs along the side, there.

It's like a real laundry room and then leads to the outside.

Wonderful.

Even though it's a nice size kitchen it's still cosy, isn't it?

It is very cosy.

You can imagine everyone sitting while you cook.

What a cracking start to our house tour.

I've loved the way you've reacted to the kitchen

and I think you're going to continue to love this property.

Come with me, this way.

Fantastic dining space, with another fireplace.

-Oh, yeah, this is really nice.

-Really nice, yes, lovely.

-And through here, look at this for a living room!

-Oh, I like this.

-It's cosy, isn't it?

-It's a good size as well.

-It is.

-But, again, it's big, it looks cosy.

-It does.

-Even though it's a big size.

-I like the fireplace again.

-Yeah.

-And nice and practical with the dog.

-Yeah.

-Very practical for the dog. Yeah.

And even more space cos they've built this conservatory out here

so you can enjoy the sunshine, when it comes.

You've got a cosy sort of more wintry evening room.

Through there we've also got two good spaces,

which are currently used as offices, studies. Do you need that?

It's always handy!

I can see the family in the dining room at Christmas.

I can see everybody sitting around the table in front of the fire

and it would be lovely. I can see a great big family Christmas there.

If you're seeing Christmas here, then that's a good sign, isn't it?

Just needs somewhere for them all to sleep now.

There is that, isn't there?

-So, shall we check out upstairs, in the bedrooms?

-OK.

Upstairs there are five bedrooms in total,

giving the family plenty of space to stay in a range of single

and double rooms, which are served by two bathrooms...

..but we'll take a peek at the master.

Now, Janet, this could be your bedroom in this property.

This is a nice bedroom, isn't it? I like the low-down window. Yeah.

-This is a really nice size again, isn't it?

-It is, yes.

It's big enough and you've got the wardrobe, over there.

Built-in storage, so that's always handy and there's enough room

for another wardrobe, so there's plenty of storage in here.

The house seems to be a winner on the inside

and outside the whole plot extends to a third of an acre

but there's something else that I hope will get Janet excited.

See, a double garage, there,

-and you'll probably notice that window at the top.

-I did, yes.

Now, it is still a garage at the moment but it has been boarded

and it's got two floors,

and it's got plumbing, and electricity already.

-OK.

-So, I know what you're thinking!

-Yeah, yeah.

-I'm thinking potential annexe!

-That's it, yes, yeah.

A lot of house with the potential for a business.

The question is, how much do you think it's on the market for?

-I would go 470.

-I'm going to go a bit little bit less than that.

-Yeah?

Yeah, I'm going to go for... Yes, I'll give it 440.

At 440, could you stretch to that?

I'd have to consider it because of the amount of work

that I'd need to do to convert it for the business.

-Well, let me help you out here, shall I?

-Yeah.

This house could be yours for £395,000.

-BOTH:

-Good grief!

Now, I wasn't expecting that at all! No.

I mean, you could do all the work.

I could do all the work and still, probably,

keep within my 425 budget, top budget.

That's really surprised me.

Yeah, that surprised me, actually, as well. I'm shocked.

It is a lot of property for the money.

-An awful lot of property for the money.

-It is.

-Yeah.

-Worth serious consideration.

-It is, yeah. Yeah, definitely.

OK, thinking caps on.

Head over to that annexe and have a look,

and start thinking about what you could do with the spare cash,

-and your new business.

-OK, great.

-Off you go, I'll see you later.

-OK, thanks.

Under budget at £395,000,

the price and potential of our first property

was a welcome surprise for Janet.

It provides her with a large sitting room featuring exposed beams

and a fabulous fireplace.

There is a kitchen with plenty of workspace for Janet's baking,

it has five bedrooms and there's a double garage

with an upstairs studio room

that could be converted into a holiday let,

subject to appropriate planning consent.

-Oh, yeah, Janet, this is a good space.

-Yeah.

-Yeah.

-I can see this converted.

-Yeah.

-If you had a bedroom and then a bathroom.

-Yeah.

If you wanted to make it into a holiday cottage, little cottage.

When I first saw the property I was quite surprised,

actually, I was very surprised at the size of it.

It was far larger than I thought,

or even imagined it would be possible to have.

Shadow would have a lovely time out in the garden.

He could be out there to his heart's content, he's a real outside dog.

The property has so much potential, with it being under the budget.

I think that this property is just right for Janet.

I can see her in it.

I love it and if I was looking

I would certainly be interested in moving here.

BELL RINGING

Now, that is one bell, isn't it?

There we go, seems to have done the trick.

That was the only way I was going to get you out of there, wasn't it?

-It was, yeah!

-Ring that bell. This is only the first house.

-The weather's taken a turn.

-It certainly has, yeah.

-Onto the next one, come on.

-OK.

-OK.

Dartmoor National Park is home to 450 miles of public footpaths

and is an outdoor playground for three million visitors

who come here to climb, horse ride or walk its rugged terrain.

However, there is a dangerous

and wild side to this area of natural beauty -

it's easy to lose your bearings,

especially as the unpredictable Dartmoor weather

can close in at any time.

Last year one person every week went missing

or lost their way on the moor.

For this reason, the Dartmoor Rescue Group is a vital lifeline.

Set up in 1968, the team is now made up of 120 volunteers

and they also have four-legged help at hand.

With Janet's experience of training dogs,

earlier in the week we sent her to meet dog handler Dave Humphrey

and, of course, one of their very special canines.

-Hi, I'm Dave.

-Hi, I'm Jo.

-And I'm Janet.

-Welcome to Dartmoor.

This is Rusty and Didi's in the back.

I'm a member of the Search and Rescue Association

and based, literally, on Dartmoor, Exmoor and Cornwall.

What we do is we, basically, go out and look for missing persons,

and vulnerable people on the moors. We're out in all weathers.

Are you called out often?

Yeah, looking at, last year,

I think there was 187 callouts for missing people.

-They do it by scent, the dogs?

-The dogs do it by air scent.

They're searching across the wind for the strongest human scent

they can find and they'll follow that to its source.

-How long do they take to train?

-The training is roughly about two years.

You start them off six to eight weeks on speaking on command,

barking for their dinner,

and then you extend various exercises all the way through.

The dogs play a key role in Dartmoor's search and rescue team,

allowing the crew to find people lost on the moor in thick fog

or complete darkness.

Although the dogs track by scent,

the exercises also test their listening and concentration skills.

So, one of the exercises we'll do is what we call,

basically, the speak on command.

We'll stand in a triangle and the exercise is that we are going

to give you the toy, Janet, and you will throw it to each of us in turn.

The dog should sit in front of the person with the toy and bark,

then the toy goes to the next person.

When it gets back to you and he sits and barks, that's the reward.

And that is his signal when he finds somebody.

So we will start with Janet.

The dogs train for 20 hours every week,

but in order to simulate real-life emergency conditions,

they enlist the help of volunteers called dogs' bodies.

These volunteers hide away in a secret location in all weathers,

waiting to be found by the search dogs. Sometimes for hours.

Go on, find him!

Away you go. Find him!

Go on. Away, find.

Good boy! There you go.

What a good lad! Good boy. Good boy!

Janet and Rusty the dog have found what

they were looking for on the moors.

Fingers crossed we have a keen nose for finding our buyer

a perfect property as we return to our house search.

Our second property is around 19 miles west of Chumleigh.

It's close to Great Torrington,

a small market town perched on an inland cliff with spectacular views

of the surrounding countryside and with the River Torridge below.

Its geographical position meant that it played a historically

important role in the English Civil War.

In 1646 the Battle of Torrington marked the end

of Royalist resistance in the West Country.

Let's hope Janet will remain onside when she sees our second offering.

A bit of sunshine, lost the rain, and here's the property.

-Very different to the last one.

-It is, isn't it?

-And looks interesting.

I like the look of it.

But one of the big draws of this property, and the reason

we really wanted to see it is because as well as the house,

it comes with an up-and-running holiday let business already.

That's made you smile! Changing things already, yes?

I think I have warmed you up to this a little bit more now.

Come and have a look inside.

That open-minded response is encouraging,

which hopefully we can build on inside.

Straight through to this side of the house,

-which gives you your living room.

-OK. It's got its fireplace again.

Yes, a fireplace with a wood-burning stove, a conservatory.

Big enough, isn't it?

We started this side, let's wander over there,

cos we've got the kitchen, a bit more space. After you.

-This isn't a bad size, is it?

-No. It isn't big enough, though.

-Straight to the point.

-There's not enough work surface.

That would be my first thought.

But then you don't have to do the cakes, necessarily.

I do like a big kitchen and I do like my big work surface.

But out that door, you now have a dining room space out there,

so there is always opportunity for you to maybe look at changing

things around, and a utility room, as well.

The bigger picture of this is the business that comes with it, too.

Upstairs first. OK.

As we continue, I'm sensing Janet is not really warming to this property.

But maybe the three bedrooms upstairs will win her over.

There are two singles, one of which is currently being

used as a study, and there is a good-sized family bathroom.

But we will explore the master. So, good-sized double bed.

You've got the wardrobes and quite a lot of storage.

-What are your thoughts?

-It's small.

-It's a workable size.

I mean, it's a bedroom, isn't it?

It is workable and at least it has got all the storage,

-which is a bonus.

-How are you feeling in this house?

I don't get much feeling for it, but I'm going to wait until I see the holiday side of it.

Shall we help put this in perspective, then?

Go and have a look at that holiday let business. Back down the stairs.

Because that might be where you would like to stay, anyway.

And I'll change your mind for you then!

It seems like it's going to take something really special

to get Janet to change her mind about this house.

And that's exactly what I've got in store. Right.

-Come and have a look at this.

-Can I let the house and move in here?

I knew you were going to say that!

That would be an option, wouldn't it?

-This is very well done, isn't it?

-It is, it's lovely.

You've got this lovely living area, a dug-down area to create

a lovely kitchen, two good-sized bedrooms and a bathroom.

-I think they've done a fantastic job.

-They have. It's lovely.

There's a little bit more to show you, because it's not just this.

You have some outbuildings and gorgeous gardens.

Let me show you that. Back this way.

It's good to see Janet finally smiling.

She clearly loves the holiday cottage, but will that be

enough to persuade her that the main house could work well as her home?

I'm sure we'll find out soon enough

but first we are viewing the garden.

A gorgeous garden.

It has got so much character.

I think they've done a really great job.

From here, you can see the house, obviously.

You've got this lovely pond and the little bridge,

looking over to the holiday let.

This is a great space for guests to sit and hang out.

You also get this triple garage, so loads of storage, space for cars.

The little bonus at the back,

you have a chicken coop, and the chickens come with the property.

-That's it. You've seen it all.

-Yes.

Now you get the total picture of this property.

-You understand why we've brought you here?

-Yes, I can understand why.

So now it's the big question. How much?

I'm going to go for 450.

And I was rubbish last time, so I'll give it a go.

I would say possibly a little less, 440.

Mm, you're getting better. You're going the wrong way.

This property is on the market at £410,000.

OK, so that's still within my budget.

And you wouldn't have anything to do...

No, that's perfect to just go.

Well, go and have a look around, and think about it.

Because it's a very, very different proposition than the first.

But equally within grasp. Off you go. I'll see you later.

That's thrown the cat amongst the pigeons.

The house hasn't got the character of the first,

but it does offer a great business that is up and running.

And you can see the cogs going round in Janet's head.

Although it seems Janet hasn't fallen in love

with our second house, priced at £410,000, it is under budget,

and offers her a generous package with business potential.

It has a large living room with fireplace, three bedrooms,

a mature garden with a pond and a two-bedroom holiday cottage.

Oh, now, this is a nice space.

I can see this, changing it into a kitchen for my cake-making.

You could because it's got plumbing already.

And it's obviously got electricity here.

And you've got plenty, if you played it all out,

a great big work surface.

My initial thoughts on the house is, uh-oh,

Janet's not going to like this.

But then there was the prospect of the holiday let,

which was very important.

When I initially saw the house,

I just didn't think it was for me at all.

It didn't seem to have the character that I would want in a house.

This could be my last move.

It could be where I want to sort of end my retirement days, as well.

So I have to consider, is that house

I would like to stay in for the rest of my life?

Or am I just using this as another stepping stone?

It's still gloriously sunny out here. It really has brightened up.

-Had a good look round now?

-I have, yes.

-It's been a long day, come on.

Let's go find somewhere to sit down.

As the sun sets over the Devon skyline,

it marks the end of the first day of our house hunt.

With a budget of £425,000, Janet wants to escape the town

of Fleet in Hampshire and pursue a dream of living in rural Devon.

Our two properties so far have provoked very contrasting reactions.

But the kitchen failed to impress in one house,

and she was enraptured with the other.

But it's never a done deal until we've seen the mystery house.

-This is beautiful!

-And I'll be tasting a local delicacy.

Mmm! That's delicious!

Yesterday we showed Janet two very different properties.

The first offered her a near-perfect home

but with a business that she would need to start from scratch.

The second, the business was a going concern,

but the property, she'd probably have to do a little bit of work on.

So, for our mystery house, we're just going to keep it simple,

and see how she reacts to that.

Our last location is found 20 miles south of Great Torrington,

close to Okehampton.

This vibrant market town, located on the edge of the

Dartmoor National Park, has a rich architectural heritage from the time

when it served as a staging post on the London to Cornwall route.

A couple of miles from here, our mystery property offers up a slice

of local history in the form of this stunning 18th-century cottage.

Traditional and picture postcard it may be,

but there is one essential element missing.

House number three!

And you can get a good view of it from about here, I'd say.

Beautiful. It's absolutely beautiful. So, so pretty.

-What are your thoughts of having a thatched roof?

-Wonderful.

-Oh, good.

-I love it. I love the idea of it.

This is not the only thing with this mystery house, the thatched roof.

The other thing is that it doesn't come with an

up-and-running business.

This house is all about you, your lifestyle

and getting a gorgeous country cottage in Devon, OK?

-How do you feel about that?

-Relaxed. It sounds relaxing.

It doesn't give an income, but there's always other ways.

The outside is certainly gorgeous. Let's go inside and have a look.

The smiles and laughter say it all.

Janet has already fallen head over heels in love

with the exterior of this 300-year-old cottage.

Let's see if she'll be impressed by the interior.

-Right.

-This is beautiful.

-Oh, wow.

-Wow indeed.

This is absolutely beautiful.

You've got the beams, oak beams, all they way through,

-and a huge hallway, isn't it?

-It is a huge hallway, isn't it?

It's almost like another room.

Well, if you're impressed with this, you're going to love the next room.

I can't wait to see it.

-Right.

-This could be the living room.

-This is gorgeous.

-Oh, lovely.

-That fireplace is just...

-So impressive, isn't it?

-Proper inglenook, got a bread oven.

-Yes.

-Heats up the house.

The chimney goes right upstairs. So you've got warmth running through.

-And the whole family fitting in here?

-Oh, very easily, yes.

Like it! Already thinking about how you might fit in,

and we haven't even seen the kitchen yet. Come this way.

Lots of lovely areas, great features throughout this property.

Down here, the kitchen.

Oh, this is a nice kitchen.

-Oh, this is lovely, isn't it?

-Yes.

-Oh, look at the fireplace in it as well.

-Again, another bread oven.

-Yes.

-Really deep windows and thick walls.

Means you have a lovely warm house in the winter, cool in the summer.

-Yeah.

-Is this big enough for your baking?

-Definitely.

There's lots of work surface.

And the feeling on not having a business,

-maybe just enjoying your home for a while?

-Yeah.

-Let's check out upstairs.

-OK.

I know how important the kitchen is to Janet

and this one is clearly the icing on the cake.

Let's hope she gives upstairs the thumbs up.

There are four bedrooms, including the one where Janet could be sleeping.

Come on through.

This is a nice size as well, isn't it?

I see you poking your head around there.

-We've got an ensuite shower room.

-Very nice. Yeah. It is a nice room.

-Could you picture it being your bedroom?

-Yeah.

Oh, that's very positive. No hesitation there.

Is this what you have been picturing your little sister moving into?

This is something that I think she will be really, really happy in.

-Yeah.

-Oh, decisions, decisions.

But you've got to see the garden yet. Come this way.

Besides the family bathroom, there are three further bedrooms.

One is set up as a study and two generous doubles offering

plenty of accommodation for visiting family when needed.

Now it's time to step outside and take a look at the back garden.

Come on out here. It really is gorgeous, this garden.

Quite a lot of space and a wonderful view

of the back of the house from here. It's gorgeous, isn't it?

-It is, it's lovely.

-It's lovely.

-Yeah.

-So, all in all, your garden is about half an acre.

-Wow.

From back here, you've a utility room, this lovely little shed.

-I love this little area here, the patio.

-Yeah.

-Great vantage point.

And as you can see, the garden goes down there. And there is this!

A garage they put a thatched roof on

so it is in keeping with the rest of the house.

So how much do you think it is on the market for?

I'm actually going to go just slightly under my 400.

I'm going for 390. Yeah.

I'm going to go 410.

This property will cost you £425,000. Right on your budget.

-Still very good, isn't it? A good price.

-It is, yeah.

-About 30 grand more than you thought it was.

-Still pretty.

-Well, go and enjoy that beauty. Go on, revel in it.

-Thanks.

-And I'll see you later on.

-OK.

Janet seems bowled over by our mystery property,

although it means she would have to ditch the holiday let idea.

Bang on budget, this 18th-century character cottage gives her

a generous living room with exposed stone fireplace,

a great kitchen for her baking,

four bedrooms and a generous garden for the dog.

-Oh, this is a really, really big room as well.

-Oh, gosh, yes.

-It is a great size.

-I think it's almost as big as the master bedroom.

I love that big area up there.

It's definitely good for keeping loads of knick-knacks, or clutter.

-No, no clutter.

-No clutter.

-Knick-knacks. It's lovely.

-Yeah, it's beautiful.

Really unusual.

As soon as you walk up and see the property, it is so chocolate box

and typical of what you expect to find in the Devon countryside.

It's probably what I was born to live in.

This is probably the house that does get me more excited

about moving to Devon more than any of the others at this stage.

And it's really worth serious consideration, I think.

As soon as I saw this house, I thought, yes.

The style of the house is so Janet.

She has really got to think seriously about this

with the financial aspects and the lifestyle change, really.

-Hello, there.

-Hello.

-Seen everything now?

-Yes.

-Yeah?

-Got your head around it all?

-Yeah, I think so. It's a lot to take in.

It sure is, isn't it? Let's go and sit down somewhere

-and see if you have made any decisions.

-Yeah, OK.

For centuries, Devon's landscape

and its natural resources have played a key role in its economy.

While farming is the dominant feature inland,

historic coastal villages have looked to the sea.

The waters of the south coast are home to one of the largest

and most productive brown crab fishing fleets in the UK,

netting an income of £6.8 million a year.

It is also home to its own native species, the South Devon brown crab,

which is gaining recognition as a seafood delicacy.

To find out more about its heritage and growing appeal,

I took a trip down to the quayside at Teignmouth,

to meet local crab fisherman Rob Simmons.

-Hello. You must be Rob.

-Hello.

-Busy out here.

-Yeah.

So we've got crab and lobster in here.

Very well known in this region for the Devon crab, it's a famous...

-It's the taste, I would say.

-It's the taste?

-Oh, I think so.

I think our crab down here has got more flavour than any other crab.

So what makes them so tasty, what makes the Devon crab special?

You get two types of meat in our crabs, not just one, they don't just eat the claws.

You can go into the head of a crab and you can eat the brown meat,

which a lot of people don't know is absolutely full of Omega-3.

I would love to have a go at cracking a crab.

Well, I think we could organise that for you.

Rob runs a local restaurant a short walk from the quay.

So, using a cooked crab, I'm going to be shown how to extract the meat.

-There is clearly a technique to it.

-We start like this.

There is a little knack to pulling the legs off.

-This is how I do it. Like that. It all comes out in one.

-Right.

-Can you see the meat on there?

-Yeah.

-This is just the start of it.

Now, you do the same with the claw.

Pull it backwards. And the meat comes out of that.

-Oh, look at that! That's a good bit of crabmeat.

-That is.

I'm going to let you have a go in a sec. I'll let you have a go.

If you want to do one at a time.

-There, got some sinews there.

-Yeah. And we try the claw as well.

-OK.

-The claw is the same principle?

-The same principle, take it back.

Oh, look at that!

-That's it, that's lovely.

-It's fantastic, isn't it?

-There's sinews on that as well.

-A good bit of meat there. There we go.

-At this stage, would you like to try a bit?

-I would love to.

Just try a little bit.

Try a little bit of this.

Mmm, that's delicious!

But apparently,

it's the brown meat that is the tastiest part of the crab

and this is found in the main cavity of the shell

and is valued as a delicacy in many parts of the world.

What we would do now, is mix that with that. Do you want to try it?

-Just do that.

-Shall we?

-Yes.

-Yeah.

It doesn't look attractive at the moment, but it will in a minute, I promise you.

And you have to try and give me your honest opinion of what you think.

I won't be offended if you don't like it mixed.

If you don't like the look of it, but... That's, you know...

It looks as if it's in mayonnaise or something.

Doesn't smell of anything.

-Actually really nice.

-Do you prefer that? The truth.

Or do you prefer the white meat?

-Yeah, I prefer this.

-You do, yeah, I prefer that.

That was absolutely delicious and a real experience.

-I have learned so much and it's tasty, too!

-Thank you very much.

-Thank you very much.

-Cheers.

It has been wonderful to see a traditional industry thriving out here in Devon.

But right now, it's time for me to get back to Janet to see

if any of our properties have grabbed her.

We have picked a lovely spot here, haven't we? It's gorgeous.

Yeah, very peaceful, very relaxing.

-This is what it's all about, isn't it?

-It is, yeah.

We saw three very different properties, didn't we?

We started with that huge house, five bedrooms.

Was it too big for you?

A lot bigger than I thought I'd get in this part of the country.

I could really see lovely big family gatherings there.

And I could see me getting lost because it was like a maze

and you could just go everywhere and it was beautiful.

-Now, Jo, you were brought along as the voice of reason.

-Yes.

What were your feelings about that property?

I loved the property. I thought it had lots of potential.

I liked the idea of it having potential for a small holiday let.

And I thought it was beautiful.

It did leave you money to convert that the garage into a holiday let.

-How are you feeling about that sort of decision now?

-It's...

I think it's probably quite a contender, because of that.

I think because it has got that potential.

The second property offered something very different.

An up-and-running business and the house, well,

you would have to do a bit of work on it.

It was all about the business with that one.

And the house was not quite what I would have had in mind.

I definitely didn't feel that you thought it was the right house.

I thought... Don't know, don't think that this is really quite Janet.

But the mood definitely changed

when you saw the potential with the business.

It was a lovely holiday let and we could see the potential

and the sense in having a property like that.

It was just whether I was willing to compromise on the house

for the sake of the holiday let.

And, finally, the mystery house.

Now, there was no business at all with that. Very different.

It definitely was the perfect, ideal, chocolate box house, yes.

-And picture postcard. Yes.

-What did you feel about that property?

I felt at home.

It felt like a home and the minute you walked through the door,

you felt like you were home. It was just perfect.

Have you ever had that feeling before?

No, not quite so strongly as that property.

So, are you going to put an offer in on any of our houses?

-I think you have set your heart on the third, haven't you?

-I have, yes.

As long as I can figure a way to make sure I could finance it.

That's great news. I wish you all the luck in the world.

-It will be fantastic for that to become your home.

-Thank you.

-You will let us know how you get on?

-I definitely will, yes.

-Yes, and thank you for the experience.

-It has been a pleasure spending time with you

-and I hope you make the move soon.

-Thank you.

-Thank you.

This week, Janet was really looking for a big change in her life

and she had a very fixed idea about what that would be.

But I did have a hunch she was going to fall for that mystery house.

It was the fairytale home that she had always dreamed of

and it didn't even come with a business,

which has given Janet the opportunity to re-imagine anew

the vision of what her new life will be like.

I'll see you next time on Escape To The Country.

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