North Yorkshire Escape to the Country

Today I'm in a county that's believed to be

the first place ever to see a man fly a plane.

It's an achievement that's helped pave the way

for hundreds of thousands of journeys around the world.

So, where am I?

Find out on Escape To The Country.

On today's show,

I'll be helping a pair of keen walkers put their best foot forward

as they start a new chapter of their lives in the countryside.

In one property, it's not long before there's a dispute brewing

over ownership of a prized room.

-Well, this must be my room, then.

-No, you can't have this one.

But then our mystery house takes them up, up and away.

It's quite high up, isn't it? It's just as well I like heights!

Today, I'm in North Yorkshire and this stunning village

is Brompton, the birthplace of aviation.

It's here the inventor Sir George Cayley, a local landowner,

put pen to paper and hammer to nail

and constructed the first functional glider.

When he'd finished it, he decided that a man of his standing

couldn't be seen gallivanting around in a monoplane

and in 1853 he ordered his coachman to strap in and take flight.

Now, despite being a pioneering design of the times,

it came to a crashing end, at which point the coachman refused

to go back up in the air and proclaimed that he was hired to drive, not fly.

So, rest assured, whether you're looking at this county

from up in the sky or from the land, there's plenty to see.

North Yorkshire is bordered by Cumbria and Lancashire to the west

and County Durham to the north.

As the largest English county, it stretches almost

3,400 square miles, which is 15% of the entire country's landmass.

Covering such a large area,

the county provides an incredible range of rural landscapes.

The undulating Yorkshire Wolds towards the south-east of the region

stretch for mile upon mile,

and the upland Yorkshire Dales in the north-west,

a collection of hills and river valleys,

feature the county's characteristic dry stone walls.

While in coastal areas,

glimpsing the fishing villages that cling to the shoreline,

you could be forgiven for believing you were in Cornwall or Devon.

The scenery may be stunning,

but that does have an effect on what you can get for your money.

The average price of a detached house

is £265,000.

However, you will have to dig a little deeper

if you want to live in one of the popular villages,

such as Pickering, on the borders of the moors.

Surprisingly, if you head inside the National Park,

the prices can come down quite considerably.

For this, you get fantastic views

but your only neighbours will probably be sheep.

So, whatever your budget,

North Yorkshire has a little bit of something for everyone.

If you're after a classic and cosy home,

then head to the villages that dot the headlands.

They're awash with traditional properties,

some even dating back to the 1600s.

A fisherman's terrace in one of the coastal areas

can range from about £175,000 to £330,000.

The county's 18th century mines may have fallen into disrepair

but the Georgian style that typifies the period

are still highly sought-after.

These family homes can typically command prices

ranging from £300,000 to £400,000.

And if you really want to get away from it all

and experience the area's farming heritage,

there are plenty of historic limestone farmhouses to choose from.

Dating from the 1700s, it's not unusual for prices

to start around the £250,000 mark for a project.

But they can reach upwards of £400,000 depending on the location.

Well, North Yorkshire certainly provides

a good range of property styles to pick from.

So, let's meet today's buyers to find out what they're looking for.

Early retirees Daryl and Penny live on the outskirts of the city of Plymouth.

They've spent eight years in their current home

but with work no longer an issue, they've decided that now

is the right time to make a move to the north of England.

The reason why we would like to move now is because our children

have both left home

and we would like to actually live in the countryside.

As we've visited North Yorkshire on many occasions,

we think that is the place for us for the next chapter of our lives.

The next chapter it may be,

but things haven't always been so simple.

Daryl and I met in 2003 when I moved to my new job

and Daryl was currently working there.

Firstly, we didn't actually like each other

although he did like my bottom.

Well, things seem to have gone swimmingly ever since

and our buyers certainly have a real zest for life,

which they're hoping to build on

when they make their move to North Yorkshire.

What we're most looking forward to is having the countryside

on our doorstep and enjoying lovely long walks with our new dog.

Opening up the back door, out the back gate and there we go,

off for a walk, without having to get into our car and travel anywhere.

So the chance for country walks are high on the wish list,

but so too is outside space at their new home.

One of the things that I hope to do when we're in our new property...

If the garden is large enough, to have our own vegetable plot.

I cook all the time,

and I would use the vegetables in my home-made soups.

I'd also like to keep bees, if possible.

I did a beekeeping course and I find the subject quite fascinating.

With veg and honey already on the menu,

Daryl's hoping to keep his side of the deal by providing some fish.

I took up fishing a couple of years ago

and I go out in the Plymouth area and down into Cornwall as well.

But it is all sea fishing, and the thought of going down to the river

and spending a couple of hours doing a little bit of fishing

and maybe bringing home a couple of trout for my dinner

would be absolutely lovely.

Indeed it would.

Their current home is already on the market and as a result,

our buyers have a clear idea of their finances.

Our budget for the move is £400,000.

Daryl and Penny are keen to live north of York,

around the market town of Pickering,

a good location for country walks on the moors.

I'm meeting them

to find out more about what they're looking for in their new home.

-Daryl and Penny, welcome to North Yorkshire!

-Thank you.

Let's look at this request for your dream home, come on.

We're looking for three to four bedrooms, a large kitchen/diner...

I would love an extra room downstairs just for me,

just so I can get away from Penny.

Oh, what are you going to do in this extra room? Dare I ask?

-I'm going to be playing my games.

-You're a gamer? Right.

We bring you to the most beautiful county and you'll be gaming?

-He won't be using that room very much, will he?

-Hopefully not.

-Just on rainy days.

-What about you? What are you looking for?

I would like to have a nice garden with views, please.

And a conservatory or a sunroom. Somewhere I can sit and read.

So come on then, your budget. What's our top mark?

The top mark is £400,000

although we're hoping to spend a little bit less.

So, with all those requirements, that magical list,

-shall we get going, get started?

-Yes, please.

-Let's go.

So, for their maximum budget of £400,000,

Daryl and Penny are looking for a minimum of...

We've found three fantastic properties to tempt them,

but I won't reveal the price of each until they've had a guess first.

The last of these is our mystery house,

a property they may not have chosen on paper

but which could literally have Daryl and Penny living the high life.

Time to hit the property trail.

You currently live in a modern house.

What sort of house would you ideally like here?

I would like a traditional, Yorkshire, stone-built house. Definitely.

I love the look of them from the outside, so if you were to show us

something which is traditional, I'm sure I would like it.

Well, let's see if we can make Penny smile with our first property.

We're heading 20 miles north of York to Nunnington

in the Howardian Hills, a designated area

of outstanding natural beauty,

dotted with stunning and historic villages.

Do any of you know this area at all?

No, I don't. It's a new village name for me.

We're about 12 miles from the moor.

Community is so important. Very, very friendly village.

You've got the pub, you've got the hall...

They have lots of quiz nights and things going on.

So, as first impressions go, is this what you had in mind?

-Yes, it is.

-Perfect.

-It's absolutely lovely.

-Good. Excited?

-I am!

-We're going to walk up the hill,

but before we go we've got to mention the river, haven't we?

-Absolutely.

-The River Rye.

-Fishing.

-Yes.

-You can get a licence, you can fish here,

and the club house is just across the bridge there.

There we go. So, let's head up, find the first house.

House number one is a Grade II listed Georgian home,

dating back to 1810, and is constructed in York stone.

Here is your first property.

That is lovely. That is very, very cute.

That looks lovely. I love the front door.

Beautifully maintained outside as well, that is lovely.

If you like the Georgian style,

it is Georgian and you have all those features inside as well.

-You can see the fan light above the doorway.

-That is very nice indeed.

-Yeah?

-Yes, can't wait to go inside.

-Good! Come on then, let's go!

-OK.

A great start.

This property is a distinctive Georgian house,

symmetrical in structure, with rooms either side of a central staircase.

It was renovated back in 2004 and I think Daryl and Penny

are going to love the interior.

So from the hallway straight into this drawing room.

That is quite spacious.

It's a nice size, actually, isn't it?

Yes, and it's got a lovely fire as well. Is it a working fire?

It is, original Georgian.

-Can you see it's raised?

-Yes.

-In those days they had them raised,

and the Victorians had them actually on the ground.

I think it's a lovely-sized room.

It is airy, it's nice having the dual aspect

-so you get plenty of light in here.

-Yes.

This home has plenty of original features,

and the period feel continues in a room

that's likely to play a very important part

in our couple's future life - the kitchen/diner.

-This is very nice.

-This is nice and big, isn't it?

It's nice and big and it also has nice, high ceilings as well.

And although it's got beams, they're not intrusive, are they?

-Not in your face.

-They add character, don't they?

I like the style of the kitchen.

I think it's very... part of the house,

it looks like it fits in very well.

There's certainly an upbeat reaction so far.

But let's see if we can keep up the momentum with our next room,

which could be just right for Daryl.

Come through to the second drawing room.

Slightly smaller than the very first one that we saw.

-Mm.

-It's very nice.

-I notice it's got another fire. Is that working as well?

-It is.

Beautiful Georgian fireplace there.

So this would be my room, really?

This could be the gaming room. What do you think?

I could just leave him here and he'd be very happy.

-It's a nice-sized room.

-The perfect gaming room. Excellent!

With a positive response to Daryl's games room,

it's time to head upstairs,

which I think offers the great countryside views they wanted.

-Come on up.

-That is very nice indeed. That looks lovely,

looking over the rooftops of the other houses in the village as well.

That's beautiful, that really is gorgeous.

This property is certainly hitting the mark.

Now for the master bedroom,

which is situated next door to the generously-sized family bathroom.

Ah! Isn't this sweet? This is lovely.

This is a very cute room.

-Your room, hopefully.

-It's a little bit smaller than I was expecting.

You're bound to compare with what we've already got

and this is quite a bit smaller than our current bedroom at home.

We did make a commitment to actually downsize. We said,

"Right, we're not going to have such a large house,

"we're going to get rid of a load of stuff

"and we're going to live a more simple life."

-But the truth is...

-The reality!

The reality is we actually like a bit of space, especially in the bedroom.

Although a good size,

it hasn't quite lived up to their expectations.

However, there's another double bedroom on this floor,

which they might find roomier, but then it won't have that great view.

On the next level there are two more bedrooms which could

accommodate their children when they come to stay.

There's also an additional bathroom.

Now we're heading for the garden.

And while it does have a very useful barn-style outbuilding,

it may not be as large as they were hoping.

But I have a plan.

Time for the outside of the property.

-So this actually is the garden...

-Right.

-..for the house.

Now I know that it's not very big

and you were keen to grow vegetables and keep bees and all sorts?

Yes. If at all possible.

So, I've done a bit of exploring, been investigating

-and there are allotments to be had very close to the property.

-OK.

So, it's time now for guess the price.

How much do you think this Georgian house

is currently on the market for?

OK, because it's in such a lovely location, close to the moor,

I'm going to go for £390,000.

OK. Daryl?

-I'm going to go for £395,000.

-OK.

Current asking price is...

£425,000.

Oooh. That's...ooh.

That's way over our budget of what we want to spend, isn't it?

Yep, however, we have spoken to the owners

and they are aware of your budget, your top budget of £400,000

and they are willing to have discussions.

-They're going to be flexible.

-OK.

-That's good to know.

Go on, have a look at the house and we'll catch up when you're ready.

-OK, thank you, Nicki.

-See you later.

At a price of £425,000, this house is over their budget

but a sensible offer could make it achievable for Daryl and Penny.

All in all, it has...

The location of this particular property is absolutely perfect.

I couldn't think of a better location to live in.

My initial impression of the house was delight.

This is the sort of house I would love to live in in the future.

The first house was very interesting.

The rooms were nice and light and airy.

The village looks absolutely wonderful

and I'd be looking forward to doing some fly fishing

and catching some brown trout on the river.

-OK, guys. Have you seen enough?

-Yes, thank you, Nicki.

Our first house in North Yorkshire. Look at those smiles!

-Looks like a very good start.

-Yes, it is.

-Come on.

Yorkshire's dramatic rural landscape

is home to many historic villages and towns.

Dubbed the gateway to the North Yorkshire moors,

Pickering is a prime example.

Its notable landmarks include a 12th century church,

which houses some of the most beautifully preserved

medieval wall paintings in the country.

Since being granted its market charter in 1878,

Pickering has become a vibrant hub for local market traders

and the surrounding countryside is fertile ground for food crops.

As Penny has a passion to grow her own,

we've arranged for our buyers to meet Matthew Machin,

who runs a farm near Stamford Bridge,

which is championing seasonal and local produce.

Today, we are going to be digging up the parsnips.

So, what's the straw and the plastic for, Matthew?

The plastic and the straw is put down to protect them from the frost.

So the plastic keeps them nice and clean and the straw insulates it.

-Otherwise it would have rotten parsnips on the top.

-OK.

So that keeps them nice and warm.

OK, guys. There's a couple of forks there for you.

This is a row of parsnips which we'll be selling in the shop,

hopefully today.

-Then we'll be making some beautiful soup out of them as well.

-Ideal.

Get digging!

Matthew puts the success of his vegetable crops down

to the area's fertile, light, sandy soil, which is especially good

for asparagus and root crops like these parsnips.

Over recent years, there's been a significant rise

in the number of local farm shops across the UK,

and Matthew's produce, like in many others, ends up being sold on site.

However the story doesn't end there,

as Matthew's grandmother, Molly, also uses his veg

to create an array of traditional recipes for their customers.

And she's going to coach Daryl and Penny

as they attempt to cook her parsnip, apple and ginger soup.

-Perhaps if you would like to finish peeling and chopping the onion.

-OK.

-If Daryl could do the parsnips.

-OK.

First the onions are chopped into one-inch pieces,

then they grate the parsnips and put them all in a bowl.

The next ingredient is a large Bramley apple,

peeled, cored and sliced before being added to the veg.

That's lovely! I'm looking forward to this.

While Penny peels and presses the garlic,

Daryl takes care of the ginger, finishing off by grating.

Then it's time to start cooking.

Butter and oil are melted in a pan alongside an onion.

Garlic and ginger are added before Molly's special ingredient,

a good teaspoon of curry powder.

You need to put in the rest of the ingredients - that's the apple

and the chopped parsnips - and the stock.

-OK, so in goes the stock.

-Good.

So, bring it back to simmering.

Simmering, not boiling.

And then cook it gently for about an hour with the lid off.

This has been simmering nicely, now.

This looks lovely and the smell is absolutely delicious.

After blending to give the smooth texture - a job for Daryl -

it's time to taste the soup.

And there's a little added extra of parsley garnish

with a smattering of vegetable crisps.

A lovely, nutritious, healthy soup.

Very fresh because it's all locally grown, the produce.

And for very little outlay, really. A nice, satisfying meal.

Well, that's definitely been food for thought for our buyers

as we return to our property hunt.

We've made the journey 18 miles north-east of York,

close to the thriving market town of Malton.

Dating back to medieval times,

it's got all the amenities to help our buyers bond

with their new community, including a post office, shops and some pubs.

It also offers a historic local walk, the Malton Trail.

Our second house is just a few miles south-east,

in the village of Duggleby.

It's surrounded by stunning countryside

and has views of the Yorkshire Wolds.

Here is your second property.

-That looks very nice.

-Yeah, it does.

-That looks really lovely.

-It's quite imposing, isn't it?

-Yes.

-And it looks familiar.

-Does it?!

-Yeah.

-Yes.

-Oh, tell me why.

-You haven't been inside, have you?

-No, we've not been inside.

I think when we were doing research online a little while ago,

I'm pretty sure we saw this house.

The bit I can remember is it has a lovely kitchen-diner,

which is on our wish list.

So I'm delighted that you brought us here.

Well, the pressure is on.

I hope Daryl and Penny's expectations will be fulfilled

when we step through the front door.

-So, come on in.

-Thank you.

It's certainly warmer in here.

It was a bit chilly outside. Yes, well this is lovely, isn't it?

-A roomy entrance.

-Yeah.

-Yes.

-You've got a downstairs cloakroom there.

-And through here is the kitchen.

-OK.

It's lovely.

-Is it all coming back to you?

-It is. It's the fact that it flows through.

I love the wood of the units, I love the wood floor.

So a really good-sized kitchen.

-You've got the dining area there and beyond that, the boys' room.

-No!

Daryl, it's off-limits, then! Penny has spoken.

With a dispute brewing over rights to the next room, I think

we're about to find out who really wears the trousers in this relationship.

-This is nice.

-This is great, isn't it?

-Sorry, Daryl.

-Really sociable.

This is lovely.

That looks like patio doors leading out onto the garden.

Certainly does.

So, I could be sitting here with the doors open, nice chair,

sitting reading, sunning.

Nice, very nice little room.

I don't think it's suitable for a boys' room. No.

So, Penny claims this space,

but Daryl might be able to take ownership of the drawing room.

Or they could just spend some cosy evenings there together.

But the next room is the one that might really set

the cat amongst the pigeons.

Could Penny have her eyes on this one, too?

-Oh!

-So, conservatory, garden room...

-Yeah.

-Sun room.

-Yes.

This is lovely again.

It's a nice square room, wooden floors, which is lovely.

-Yes. What do you think?

-I think it's brilliant.

It's a brilliant size, it is a sun room, it's a conservatory.

It's somewhere where we can just sit and relax.

I've just suddenly thought, if there's the room

over the other side, which I've already said I'd like...

Well, this must be my room, then.

No, you can't have this one.

Would you like an answer to that problem?

-Yes.

-Just behind us there's a door. There's a study in there.

-Really?

-A study, but big enough to be a gaming room.

-Ideal.

I think I might be a bit selfish, really, having two rooms.

-Well, this is a gorgeous room.

-Yes.

Upstairs, with a total of four bedrooms,

this definitely doesn't count as downsizing.

There are two double bedrooms that might suit their children

when they come to stay.

While this single could be used as a dressing room for Penny.

And there's also a bright and spacious family bathroom.

But we're heading for the main bedroom.

-So let's bring you straight through into the master bedroom.

-OK.

And it also has the ensuite next door.

OK. We'll have a look at that.

It's a nice size, actually. It's an OK size.

It's a little bit smaller than our current bedroom at home,

but we've got the wardrobes down here and...yeah.

-Yeah, it's a nice bedroom.

-Good.

-Yes.

With four bedrooms, that single has either got

your name on it - gaming room.

Or, I'd be inclined, actually, to use it as a dressing room

and just have this as a fabulous bedroom

and then, just along the hallway, your dressing room boudoir.

Actually, I agree.

The thing was, when we decided that we were going to move,

Daryl promised me my own dressing room.

-Ah!

-You're quite right.

Maybe this is my opportunity to give you your own dressing room.

Thank you very much.

You feel the girls are ganging up on you here, Daryl?

-Are we being unfair or not?

-I feel under pressure, yes.

So, it's an excellent result inside, especially for Penny.

But now for the great outdoors, and these grounds

are a really good size, offering a lawn, numerous shrubs, a sociable patio

and enough space to grow those all important vegetables.

So, this garden, there is room, actually, on the side,

to have a vegetable patch. They do have one in the corner.

But you could take that all out if you wanted to

and have that all as vegetables.

I think that's probably just about the right size, actually.

-There's one negative thing about it.

-Go on.

It overlooks another house on that side.

-Well, let's see what you think of the price.

-Oh, yes, the price.

The price. Come on, who's going to go first?

-You go first.

-I think it's my turn.

-Yeah.

-380?

-OK.

I was going to go for about that. I think I'll go for 390.

-You're both over...

-Oh, right!

-..the current asking price.

-Are we?

-Yes.

-Oh, right.

-By quite a bit.

-Really?

-£345,000.

-Really?

-Yeah.

-Oh!

-Wow.

-Oh.

-The owners are very keen to sell.

Have another look at the house, garden, that beautiful garden room.

-Yes.

-And come and find me when you're ready.

-OK, thank you.

Off you go! Enjoy your personal tour.

They really, really like this house.

And I think that having neighbours not that close,

that's the compromise. And I think it's worth it.

Well under their budget at £345,000,

this house meets many of their requirements, and more.

It has a huge sociable kitchen/diner...

House two was very interesting, actually.

Really liked it, it had two extra rooms downstairs

and of course Penny and I will be arguing over who has

the extra room - the snug, or the sun room.

This is the one that I saw on the internet

and I really did want to come and have a look at this house.

I'm so pleased we have.

It's lived up to more than my hopes,

but, and I'm afraid it is a small "but", there is a house opposite,

and it overlooks our back garden.

-Have you seen enough, you two?

-Yes, thank you very much, Nicki.

Has North Yorkshire done us proud?

-I think it has.

-Yeah?

-Yes.

-Today it has.

-It has.

And hopefully, next time we look at a house, the sun might even shine.

You never know.

As the evening falls over the hills and moors in North Yorkshire,

it marks the end of the first day's property search.

Early retirees Daryl and Penny

are seeking a move from the city of Plymouth

to North Yorkshire, to begin the next chapter of their lives.

So far, they've been dazzled by the period detail in one property,

while remaining bewitched by the huge amount of space

on offer in another.

But coming up, our mystery house proves hard to beat

when it comes to spectacular scenery.

When you're having a view like this, you can actually watch

the seasons change.

And I saddle up for the oldest flat race in England.

I think we may have found Penny and Daryl's North Yorkshire dream.

Unfortunately, it was the first location we showed them,

but the second property that they really liked.

As far as downsizing's concerned, well, they've forgotten that bit.

So, today it's time to show them our mystery house.

Now, both of them have said they want views on their doorstep.

The big question is, are they prepared to climb more than

three steps to get to their little bit of heaven?

How important is location for you two?

The countryside around the Yorkshire moors is absolutely beautiful.

It's stunning, in actual fact.

So having an open view at the back of our house would be lovely.

So, your ideal is literally open the door

and it's all there in front of you.

-Yes, please.

-That's the dream.

-Yes, but whether we can afford it or not is another matter.

-Yes.

For our mystery property,

we're travelling 90 miles north of York to the lively

village of Oswaldkirk,

just on the edge of the North Yorkshire moors.

The village was once an Anglo Saxon settlement,

and is named after its church, St Oswald.

-This is our third and final house, our mystery property.

-Yes.

So you said you wanted views on your doorstep. Used to hills?

Yes, Devon is full of hills, so used to going up hills.

-Yes, well, that's good.

-And down them, obviously.

I'm glad you're prepared, because I'm about to reveal the mystery...

right up there.

-Wow.

-Wow! THEY LAUGH

Your mystery lodge.

You have to be fit to get to this house.

Set halfway up the Oswaldkirk bank, there are 39 steps.

But I think Daryl and Penny will feel it's definitely

worth the effort when they reach the summit.

-That is amazing.

-That is an amazing view. It's beautiful.

It's quite high up, isn't it? It's just as well I like heights.

It's really high up, yeah. But you two wanted a view, didn't you?

-You delivered.

-so, you've seen the vista.

Let's see if the mystery house can work its magic inside.

Off the spacious entrance area is the first room,

which looks very cosy indeed.

So, here's your reception room, or your drawing room.

And a lovely roaring fire, and quite a modern fireplace, actually. 1999.

Yes, you've noticed. With the Yorkshire rose.

And the house was extended in 1999.

It was actually built around 1922, and they've extended it.

And this was put in then.

It's Yorkshire stone, so even in the winter months,

with a roaring fire, you can still appreciate that view.

-The aspect is something else, isn't it?

-It's beautiful.

I think, when you're having a view like this,

you can actually watch the seasons change.

-Very, very nice.

-Good.

This unique property has definitely captured Penny's imagination.

And I'm hoping they'll both feel at home in the kitchen.

So, the kitchen/diner.

-You've got oak cabinets here, granite work surfaces.

-Yes.

Belfast sink. And then, you've got your dining area here.

This is, I think, the sort of size we should be looking at, in all honesty.

-We've readjusted, slightly. We've tweaked.

-Yes.

I do have one slight concern.

-I do notice there is a back wall.

-Yes.

Which is inevitable for a house of this style.

-Because you're on the side of a hill.

-Yes.

-Yes.

You don't have acres of garden behind you, that's true.

But you can't have everything, can you?

You've got the most amazing view out the front,

so unless you're a lighthouse...

I couldn't have put it better myself. I couldn't.

Well, let's have a look at that view again, through another room.

And that next room, with its sunny aspect, could be

just the thing to melt both our buyers' hearts.

So, you've got another sitting room here,

which is actually being used as an office.

You can shut it off in the winter, then, when it gets a bit cold,

because it's got one of those conservatory windows.

-Yes, it's like a sun room, isn't it?

-It is.

I mean, in summer I can imagine those doors

are left open the whole time.

We've got a utility room behind me, with a shower, as well.

And it's got access to the back.

You've got to think about the dimensions, the space,

but with your own furniture it's going to look very different.

Nicki, I'll have to pull you up on that.

-Daryl has promised that I can have all new furniture!

-Oh, really!

Well, there we go, then. Classy.

-Right, let's look at the bedrooms next.

-Right, OK.

So, there's even more promises for Penny,

and there's another treat to come in the extension.

-So, here's the master bedroom.

-Oh, wow, Nicki, this is lovely!

-It's surprisingly large.

-It's massive, isn't it?

-It is.

I wasn't expecting a bedroom to be on this floor, actually.

I thought it would be up in the eaves.

And the windows out onto that view.

-Your eyes are drawn to that view all the time.

-Yeah.

And we're used to saying,

"This bedroom's a bit small, not as big as our current bedroom."

-But this is a lot bigger.

-It's good.

This is a really lovely master bedroom.

Top marks, I think.

This fantastic bedroom suite also has a walk-in wardrobe

and a very generous ensuite bathroom with a free-standing bath.

The other two bedrooms are up in the eaves

and provide a useable space for guests or, indeed, Daryl's gaming.

But now it's time to view the garden,

which could prove more of a challenge due to its steep nature.

But then again, it does have that rather special view.

So, this is your garden space. Goes right up to the border at the back.

-You can see where the shrubs are. So that's all your land.

-Oh, right.

Which, again, if you wanted to have your vegetables,

have a little plot, you could actually have boxes

all the way up, like steps.

Next door are quite keen, actually,

if you wanted to buy a little more land,

they'd be willing to negotiate.

OK, crunch time. How much is this house on the market for?

What's it worth?

I'm going to guess at £410,000.

Penny.

I was actually going to go a lot lower, actually, at £380,000.

-Well, you're both out.

-Oh, right.

-You're not even close.

-OK!

-That doesn't surprise me!

-But in a good way.

-OK.

-£345,000 is the asking price.

-Right.

-So way below your budget.

That would give you £55,000 to play with.

So we could actually build a little tram or something.

Yes, a little lift!

Well, with that price in mind - because it does change

the outlook a little bit - why don't you have another wander around,

and I'll catch up with you when you've seen enough?

-Thank you.

-OK, thanks.

This house more than delivers on the view

and is well below their budget at £345,000.

So, they can certainly afford all that new furniture.

The actual house itself is very nice indeed.

Downstairs living accommodation is the size we should really be

looking for, so I think I was pleasantly surprised by that.

My favourite room in the house would have to be the master bedroom,

because it was completely unexpected, it was massive.

I just thought, "What a brilliant room to wake up in each morning."

OK, that's it.

You've seen all three houses here in North Yorkshire.

Yes, you've certainly given us something to think about, Nicki.

-In a good way, I hope.

-Yes, definitely.

-Definitely.

Within North Yorkshire's vast and varied landscape are

some age-old traditions that are still going strong many centuries later.

For nearly 500 years, the town of Market Weighton

in the Yorkshire Wolds has played host

to the annual Kiplingcotes Derby,

reputedly the oldest horse race in Britain.

And, as a keen rider myself,

I couldn't miss the opportunity to see history in action.

So, on a very foggy day, competitor Emma Herbert-Davies,

who came second in last year's race, offered to give me the inside track.

So Emma, I was going to ask you what's it like riding

in this beautiful scenery, but we can't see anything today.

No, we've got the wrong day for it. I'm hoping it clears.

I only need to see about 100 yards ahead, anyway.

As long as I can see the finishing post, I'll be fine.

-And the race will continue?

-Oh, absolutely.

Even in deep snow drifts.

They've walked Shire horses down this course to keep it open,

because if you miss a year, you lose the charter

and the right to hold this.

It's been done since 1519, was the very first time they ran it.

And I came in to do it just because of the history of it.

And I thought, "I have to take part in this race,

"ride a piece of history and with a bit of luck, win."

Oh, we're gunning for you. Fingers crossed.

So, we better get you over there, weighed in and registered.

And let the race begin.

-And best of luck to Blue and you.

-Thank you.

In 1519, horse racing was as popular then as it is today.

And the Kiplingcotes Derby, held on the third Thursday in March,

was always the first race of the year.

Over four miles of rough terrain, it offered the landed gentry

the chance to see how their horses had wintered.

Nowadays, it's open to everyone, but it's by no means a free-for-all.

A strict set of laws has always ruled proceedings,

and these have been passed on from generation to generation.

"Every rider that layeth hold of any of the other riders,

"or striketh any of them, shall win no prize."

Riders must weigh exactly ten stone and, if you're not heavy enough,

it's time to start filling your pockets with potatoes.

It used to cost four gold coins to enter into

the Kiplingcotes Derby, England's oldest horse race.

Today, it costs £4.25.

Now, the winner gets £50, plus this beautiful trophy.

So, without further ado, on the wave of a white hanky,

they're off.

The race is run over fields, lanes and tracks

and starts at a stone post not far from the old Kiplingcotes railway station

and finishes at Londesborough Wold Farm.

We're on the finishing line. Here comes the first rider.

Number 20.

And it wasn't our Emma.

This year's winner is John Thirsk, riding his horse, Bob.

And it's the fourth time he's won the race in the past five years.

Here comes another one.

It's Emma! Well done! It's Emma.

So, John, congratulations on winning this year's Derby...

-Thank you very much.

-..and for keeping the tradition alive.

-Thank you very much indeed.

-Well done.

-Emma, well done.

-Oh, thank you!

-What an exhilarating ride!

That was one of the best races I've ever done. I loved every minute.

It was just full-pelt the whole way.

And did Blue do you proud?

He did do me proud, yeah.

And we'll come back next year and I will get that trophy at some point.

So Emma is runner-up once again. But the trophy this year goes to John.

Well, we've already seen all the runners and riders

in our property search.

Time to find out if any of them

have nudged past the finishing post for our buyers, Daryl and Penny.

Ah, thank you, a nice cup of tea.

Think we deserve this after our tour.

So, let's start off with the first property that we saw.

In a beautiful, beautiful village.

Yes, Nunnington. It was lovely.

That is the sort of village I'd like to live in, definitely.

But what about the Georgian property that we showed you?

I liked the style of the house.

Grade II listed is slightly worrying, but lovely inside.

The interior was beautiful.

From a downside point of view,

the outside space really didn't do it for me.

So our second property was in Duggleby. It was a new-build.

I absolutely loved the look of that property.

It was perfect, from my point of view.

After you mentioned to us there are four bedrooms,

I suddenly thought,

"What are we going to do with all these four bedrooms?

"This is ridiculous." It is just the two of us now.

What about the location, because that was very

different from the first village that we showed you.

It was. I think what disappointed us was the lack of local amenities.

Right. Where you are at the moment,

you're used to having all those amenities on your doorstep.

-Yes.

-Yes.

It's a very different thing when you step out into the true countryside.

It is.

It's not that we don't want to move to the countryside,

but we will do a lot more research about the areas.

Well, talking of locations, we took you to probably the most

prime location you're ever going to see, in Oswaldkirk.

Yes.

The mystery house, it definitely had

that wow factor, when I first saw it.

It was absolutely beautiful, stunning views,

-180 degree views and it was absolutely amazing to look at it.

-Yeah.

Looking at the layout and how it was presented, it actually made me

think that, "Yes, we should be going down the direction of smaller rooms.

"A smaller house."

So, in a way, the mystery house has helped you refine what you need.

Did any of our houses come close?

I'm sort of guessing perhaps not, but I want to hear it from you.

Perhaps not.

I think what you have done, is that you've shown us

everything that we wanted, and perhaps everything

that we needed as well, but not in one house.

Across the three houses, you've definitely achieved that.

You've shown us what we want, and thank you very much for doing that.

Well, you are very welcome.

And we know you're going to move up shortly...

-Hopefully, fingers crossed.

-..so all the best.

-Thank you.

Although we didn't manage to find Daryl and Penny

their ideal property, what we did do was help them re-evaluate

what they want and what they actually need from their new home.

I'm pretty certain they're going to be moving to North Yorkshire

very soon.

Until next time.

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