Derbyshire Escape to the Country

80 years ago, this brooding plateau behind me

was the scene of a huge protest

which led to the birth of the Right to Roam movement in Britain.

Find out where I am in just a moment.

On today's show, I'll be helping a couple buy their first house together in the countryside.

At the start, we have grimaces over taste issues.

It's rendered, and I have a distrust

or a concern about what rendering hides.

'But later on, their faces are a picture.'

Look at you. "Ching!" It's like it belongs to you already!

Today, we're in the Peak District and behind me is Kinder Scout,

which is the highest point in the moorland

and also this was where in 1932, 400 people gathered for a mass trespass.

They were angry at the local landowners who would not let them walk on their land.

Five of them ended up in jail,

but their action did lead to the formation of the Right to Roam movement

and eventually to the creation of the national parks,

the first of which was this one, the Peak District, formed in 1951.

I'll be looking at conservation projects on this beautiful hillside later in the show.

But take a look at some of the other great things in this area.

Three-quarters of the Peak District National Park

falls within the county of Derbyshire,

which itself forms part of the East Midlands region.

Spanning an area of 555 square miles,

it's visited by 10 million people a year

who come to experience the Peak District's dramatic landscape

which varies from remote grit-stone moorland

to undulating pastures

ring-fenced by a patchwork of dry stone walls.

The countryside here is complemented by an array of historic market towns

such as Ashbourne, whose affluence during the Georgian era

is still visible to this day

and counts over 200 listed buildings to its name.

The 18th-century architectural jewel in the crown, though,

has to be Chatsworth House.

Built in the Palladian style,

it remains the historic home to the Dukes of Devonshire

and is one of England's finest stately residences.

Let's talk prices.

If you're looking at Derbyshire which is the largest of the counties in the Peak District,

then the news is pretty good.

The average price for a detached house here

is £197,000,

That's £58,000 less than the national figure.

But looking at the Peak District as a whole,

a very beautiful part of the country,

then it's a bit more pricey.

Realistically, a detached house here is going to be upward and above £400,000,

particularly around areas like Bakewell.

Although if you drop further south to Ashbourne and Matlock,

that premium does drop away.

So a great variety of prices and also of property styles.

This three-bedroomed cottage in Bakewell

could be yours for £295,000.

Dating back to the 19th century,

it has been sympathetically modernised throughout

and a conservatory added.

This robust four-bedroomed stone house in Buxton

is priced at £365,000.

Its cosy living room benefits from the rustic warmth of a woodburner

and it has a modern light oak bespoke kitchen.

With all that variety, you can see why it's a popular place to live.

But let's meet the couple who are hoping to make the Peak District their home.

Graphic designer Gary, and Hannah, a pharmacist,

live in the town of Stockport, six miles from Manchester city centre.

It was an internet dating site that brought them together.

I approached him because I wouldn't have fit his criteria on age.

He's my toy boy - only just!

I'd decided to join for a trial period

and it was the best £35 I ever spent!

I think he's a bargain at the price.

I decided to keep him after his warranty ran out, as well.

-That's good.

-Onto a good thing.

They've now been together eight years

yet have always lived apart.

However, with the cats in tow,

they're now ready to commit to buying their first home together.

We're definitely convinced that we're compatible.

-That's nice.

-So we thought it might be as good a time as any

to make a new start, as it were.

It didn't take them long to decide on the area they want to call home.

We chose the Peak District cos we spend a lot of time, really,

when the weather's nice, over there walking and eating and visiting friends who live there.

It's a very pretty part of the world

and we'd like to move to somewhere more peaceful.

-Definitely.

-Semi-rural. Somewhere we can see ourselves relaxing

and spending our dotage together.

And it'll be nice for the cats, too.

There's one historic Derbyshire home that holds a special place in their hearts.

Chatsworth House.

-In fact...

-That's where we spent our first day together.

We did. Our first proper full day together at Chatsworth.

That's where we took that picture.

-So it's got a special significance for us.

-Yeah.

Despite their romantic associations with the area,

they're also pragmatic about location.

We do have to keep an eye on the commuting side of things for our respective jobs.

We don't want to go too far away from places like Manchester,

so ideally we're looking at that nearest edge of the Peak District.

When it comes to the ideal property,

Hannah has a very fixed vision of the creative scope it needs to give her.

I find it difficult in my head

to look at a property that's finished

and it doesn't have the option for me to stamp myself on it

and make it perhaps more than it is.

So it would be really nice to have a place that had that kind of potential

for improvement or expansion.

As for Gary, he's excited by the chance to do some serious star gazing.

I've spent most of my life, I reckon,

every now and then just being caught by the night sky.

I'll be walking along at night and look up

and then be mesmerised by the amount of stars that you could see.

I remember once I had a lovely holiday with Hannah in a place where there were no street lights

and it was so dark that I could see so much detail at night.

I started to think I'd love to be able to walk out of a place where we're living

and be able to see this all the time.

However, their wish list goes further than just wanting a house for them.

It would be brilliant if there was an outbuilding or garage

or, I don't know, some kind of...

set-up where we could possibly do something up

and then it would be suitable to rent to walkers.

In the long term, that might be a nice retirement idea.

-Yeah.

-To fund our retirement.

Our property search takes into account

their desire to be in the Peak District.

But that they also need good road access

into Manchester for Hannah's work.

We're all meeting up in the area

to get a further insight into what it is they're after.

This is a lovely spot.

-Very nice. Welcome to the Peak District.

-Thank you.

In terms of the property, cos we know a lot about the two of you,

what's the spec for the property you're looking for?

We're looking for something with a lot of character.

Detached, hopefully.

Two to three bedrooms.

So if it has two, maybe there's scope for three bedrooms.

And hopefully the same for reception rooms.

So two to three reception rooms?

-Yes.

-What are you looking for there?

Room for him to work from home. So a room you can use as a study.

And a dining room, hopefully, cos we like to entertain.

And then a sitting room.

There was talk about a holiday let. Is that serious?

Probably quite serious because we're either thinking that my job is,

being freelance, it's sometimes busy, sometimes not.

So it's nice to have something you can add on, just in case there's quiet times of the year.

And you are choosing to live in quite an expensive area

-cos you want to be commutable into Manchester.

-Yes.

And the Peak District is very desirable.

-Presumably you don't want to live in some of the less desirable bits.

-No.

-True!

-So what is your budget for this grand move?

-Probably about 500.

-OK.

-Very maximum.

-We've found some beautiful properties

and they are waiting for your visit.

-So come with me.

-Lovely.

With a top-end budget of £500,000,

Gary and Hannah would like a character home.

Although they need good road links to Manchester,

they're also keen to enjoy a rural lifestyle

so having the Peak District on their doorstep is vital.

I'll be showing them three properties that meet that brief

but I'll keep them guessing about the price

until the end of each tour.

Lastly, there's our mystery house,

which, if they're willing to go the distance, delivers a tempting proposition.

We're starting our property journey in the small village of Biggin

in the south of the Peak District.

This quiet farming village is served by a local pub

and has a church built back in the Victorian era.

It's popular walking terrain

as it lies close to a local route known as the Tissington Trail.

Surrounded by countryside,

our first property started life as two 19th-century workers' cottages.

Here it is. House number one.

What are your first impressions?

-Not many!

-It's rendered,

and I have a distrust or a concern about what rendering hides.

Yep.

-Apart from that, I can see under the rendering, and I like the lintels around the windows.

-Yes.

-So this is a footpath past the front of the house.

-Mm-hmm.

-But you do have privacy at the back.

-OK.

And in true country style, we're going to go in the back.

OK. OK, fair enough.

-This way.

-Thank you.

'Although that was a stony first reaction from Hannah,

'as we move to the rear of the property to explore inside,

'the authentic bones of the house are revealed,

'which should reassure them.'

-Come on in.

-Thank you.

-If you close the door behind you, Gary.

Keep in the warm cos it's a chilly day out there.

Certainly is.

And this is the kitchen. What are your thoughts about this space?

It's probably quite workable, really.

Yeah, it's OK.

So we came in through the little back porch

and then there's the double garage we saw from the outside,

which is an office and they've turned it into a big boot room

-with tumble drier, washing machine and all that stuff.

-Mm-hmm.

-Useful for the cats.

-Yes, definitely.

What about the inside? What do you feel about the inside?

Gary?

I'm thinking how nice and cosy it is, actually.

The cosiness continues through here.

This is the older part of the property.

This is the early 19th-century part.

-This is the separating wall put in between the two cottages.

-Uh-huh.

-It's really thick, isn't it?

-So you've got two reception rooms

-mirroring each other.

-Uh-huh.

Both with fireplaces.

This one is a gas effect, and this one is a real one.

-Mm-hmm.

-Right.

-OK.

I think this would lend itself to a dining room, cos it's off the kitchen.

And that a sitting room which it's laid out as. So, yeah.

What about you, Gary? What are your thoughts?

I like the flow through from the back of the house,

through the kitchen and into here.

I'll give you a chance to explore downstairs later on.

-Let's have a peek upstairs. Lead the way, Gary.

-Thank you.

It's this way.

'Upstairs provides the three bedrooms they asked for,

'which include a spacious double room

'and a light single, along with a bright family bathroom.

'But let's see what they make of where they would sleep.'

-This is the biggest of the three bedrooms that you wanted.

-OK.

-We did indeed.

-This is the biggest.

-OK.

It's got these great big deep windows

and the window seats, in common with both the bedrooms on this side.

Very pretty. A nice feature.

And with a nice view, too, by the look of it.

-You can lie in bed and look over the dry stone walls.

-Very good.

So that's everything inside. Let's have a peek outside.

'Although they've been very quiet during our tour,

'I'm hoping we'll get some positive noises when we see the outside space.

'Along with two acres of paddock

'giving them stunning rural views,

'the immediate gardens are pleasantly landscaped

'and have a useful potting shed

'and a summer house for relaxing in. What's more,

'it gives them the development potential they're after.'

You have this very substantial stone-built building

which they've converted into a three-stall stables.

-OK.

-You could do all sorts of things.

If you were serious about wanting to open a B&B or a holiday let,

-that would be...

-That would lend itself nicely.

-Yeah.

I like that they're separate from the house

and probably wouldn't encroach too much on the privacy of this little bit.

So that would work quite well.

OK. So we know what's involved.

How much do you think it costs?

I would probably think towards the top of the budget

-so I'd say about 475.

-OK.

While we were walking around, I was going with 450 initially,

but now you mention the paddock and the space around it,

I'd go nearer 475, too, yeah.

-So both top of your budget.

-Probably.

Well, this is on the market for, brace yourselves,

499,950.

-OK.

-So this is the top of your top budget.

-OK.

-So that wouldn't really leave anything for converting it.

-No.

-No.

Armed with that fact, have a stroll round.

I'd like you to look at the extension,

which we didn't look at, and also look in the stables.

-They're pretty substantial.

-Yeah.

-OK.

-Fair enough.

-You're suddenly looking very serious and business-like!

-So you head in and I will see you out the front.

-OK.

Thank you.

Our first house falls within their £500,000 price bracket.

But it's a stark reminder

that finding outbuildings in a sought-after area

is going to put pressure on their budget.

However, this character cottage does give them two reception rooms

and three bedrooms, as they requested,

as well as that outbuilding which is ripe for conversion,

subject to planning consent.

Besides an attractive garden, they also get two acres of land

all wrapped up in a desirable location

in the heart of the Peak District.

Wow! So...two decent-sized units

if we were going to... But it would take quite a bit of money.

-We'd have to...

-Quite a lot of converting to do

-to make it work as a let.

-Yes.

When I walked up to the front of the house,

I thought it was quite austere-looking

but when I walked to the back,

I thought that was a much more pleasing aspect.

Some of the rooms are a bit small.

Smaller than I'm used to.

Realistically.

I do think it's nice and it has a nice feel about it.

I'm just not sure it's for me.

My first impression was quite favourable.

Despite the mist, I was thinking the location looks attractive.

I could just about make out the hills rolling around.

It just looks like a nice place.

Guys? Ah, there you are.

-All done?

-Yep. Thank you.

So this house is wrapped.

We're going to head on to house number two.

-OK.

-Follow me.

For our second property, we're staying in the Peak District

however we're just edging into Staffordshire

as we make our way to the small village of Sheen.

En route to the property,

I'm taking our buyers to the larger community of Hartington

which would be their closest pit-stop for everyday conveniences.

This renowned Peak District village is one our buyers particularly love

and it's easy to see why

with its charming village green, a duck pond, pub and a cheese shop

where we're stopping off for a chat with co-owner Clare Milner.

You're running the cheese shop. It's got a history of cheese, this village.

Yes. Cheese has been made here since 1862.

This was the original creamery, and just down the back is a huge cheese factory.

What would you say are the best things about living here?

The community atmosphere. Everyone's lovely. Everyone knows everybody.

They look out for each other. There's plenty to do.

Good pubs, which is very important.

Are they friendly to people coming in from the outside?

No problem mixing at all, especially if you get down the local pub, you'll be fine!

-Thank you. Good luck with your cheese.

-Thank you.

-Next time we come by...

-You'll be able to try some.

-Very good.

-Thank you very much.

-No problem.

-Bye, ladies.

-Thank you! Bye!

-Bye!

A couple of miles down the road in Sheen, we find our second property,

a former coach house dating back to the 1800s.

It comes with a detached garage and a long sweeping driveway.

-So, quite a grand approach, you'll have to agree.

-Yes, indeed.

-To our second property.

-OK.

What are your first impressions of this one?

-Better.

-Better.

-Yeah.

-Better.

-Phew.

-More interesting.

-Yes.

-I like the original part of it.

-This is a listed building.

-Really?

-So it's...

-Grade II listed.

But there are outline plans?

-There are plans to extend for a second garage.

-OK.

It doesn't disappoint at all. It's an interesting looking building.

If you took the garage away, or did something,

I think it's got potential. I can see beyond that. But that looks nice.

-Let's get inside.

-Good. That's what we're going to do.

-Good!

Come on.

'Let's embrace Hannah's gusto and press on inside.

'It's worth considering whether instead of a second garage,

'they could seek planning permission for a self-contained holiday let

'to sit alongside the main house.'

Come straight into this room.

Right. OK.

You wanted a bit more space.

There's definitely a lot more space, isn't there?

Yes, that's nice.

Looking at the beams and some of the features already.

It's quite a lot to take in in one room, really.

-Very nice.

-Very nice.

Let's check out the other reception rooms across the hall.

So this is obviously one room.

It goes straight through into here. I'll pull you into here.

-Yes, this works really quite nice as well.

-It does.

They're all good size, very similar to what I have at home.

-Yep.

-Good. Well, you wanted to transfer.

-Indeed.

-There you go.

-Nice.

-What's lovely is the sliding doors that slide back into the wall.

-A log burner there. That's a real fire.

-That's nice, yeah.

-Yeah.

Through here into the kitchen.

It's a different shape from the one before.

-Yes.

-It works.

-Yeah.

-Yep.

There's a utility room through here and an old butler sink.

Downstairs has the three reception rooms you asked for.

-Nice and spacious.

-Absolutely.

-And upstairs has four bedrooms.

-OK.

One of the big features is this amazing stone staircase.

It's wonderful.

'And you can't ask for a grander way to approach your sleeping quarters than this.

'The four bedrooms upstairs consist of a bright, spacious double,

'with another set up as a day room.

'There's also a good sized single with built-in storage.

'And a well-presented bathroom.

'But we're taking a look at where they could be sleeping.'

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

Uh-huh.

Yes, good size.

It doesn't have an en suite, but on both sides of this room

-it's void.

-OK.

So you could put in built-in wardrobes there

or, there's a water source over there

so you could put an en suite in.

-Yes.

-So, plenty of space.

-Yep.

-More spacious.

-Yes, indeed.

-Let's look outside.

-OK.

'This property does give generously on the insides

'and from the rear, it certainly has presence.

'And although there are no separate outbuildings,

'there's no denying it's an attractive setting.'

It's a much more contained garden.

It has the terracing

and the wall and the interesting architectural features that are more apparent from the back.

Yep.

-And then the step down with this beautiful view.

-Uh-huh.

Let's talk money. How much is it on the market for?

About 480? 485?

I'd imagine it would still be a good price.

So about 470, maybe?

So...

this house is on the market for exactly the same price as the last one.

-499,950.

-OK.

So, yes. I'm afraid the painful truth is it's right top, top of your budget.

So, with that knowledge,

have another look around and see whether this is a potential property for you.

Nipping in under their £500,000 budget again,

this house offers a spacious character home near to a village they love.

One bedroom could be Gary's study.

There's no outbuildings,

but they could look at planning permission to turn the garage

into a small annexe to serve as a holiday let.

When I walked up, I thought the house was unusual, quite interesting.

I like the original part of it.

I didn't like the garage.

When I walked in, I noticed the parquet flooring. I thought that was really nice.

My eye was drawn to the staircase at the far end.

I thought that was wow.

The size of the rooms are good.

We'd have enough room to spread ourselves out

and the cats would have enough space for themselves.

So I think it would work quite well.

In terms of the price, I think it's a bit top-heavy at 499,950.

And it doesn't really offer us the potential for the outbuilding that we could do up.

Cos it's at the top end of our budget,

it doesn't really suggest that we can actually do any work to it.

So it would not be something we could make into a let after all.

Back out into the slightly damp Peak District air.

But that's it. Done for today.

-Now we can go and rest and relax ready for tomorrow.

-Cracking.

As the sun sets over the Peak District skyline,

it marks the end of a thought-provoking first day's property search.

Sometimes I feel like the prophet of doom on this show,

telling bright young house buyers that they can't afford to buy their dream home.

So I can really understand Hannah and Gary's pain each time

I told them that this property is right at the top of your budget.

But in a way, the Peak District is a very expensive property,

particularly if you want outbuildings and lots of space inside.

So for the mystery house, we're going a little further afield

but we're giving them more money to play with.

Our mystery house lies in the Staffordshire village of Calton,

on the southern edge of the Peak District National Park.

It's the furthest of our houses from Manchester,

so we're stretching Hannah's travel time to work.

But it might be worth it, as we'll see later.

Amenities in Calton include a traditional country pub,

a local shop for everyday necessities,

and a post office.

On the edge of the village is our mystery property,

a barn conversion that dates back to the 17th century

which will give them that income potential in the future.

You can start looking now.

Here it is.

OK.

-Yeah.

-Nice.

-I'm liking that.

One of the reasons we brought you here is because of this building.

Because that's one of the things that makes this property special.

It's a substantial stone outbuilding.

It's already... It's a garage and it's got a roof and electricity.

But we're still inside the Peak National Park.

So there is planning issues about putting up new structures.

-But not original.

-Yes.

-OK.

Well, I'm certainly finding it probably my favourite of the three so far.

Just by the fact that I'm liking the look of the buildings.

I can't wait to see inside, of course, as well.

-Shall we go inside?

-Yep.

-Lovely.

'Gary is clearly impressed but Hannah continues to keep me guessing

'about her thoughts.

'However, I think when she sees inside, she'll open up a bit.'

Come in. You get an idea of the place straight from the hall.

Wow, yes.

Magnificent flagstones through into the kitchen.

I think this is a magnificent kitchen.

Ah. Wow. Indeed.

That was a wow from you and a wow from you!

Yes. Fabulous.

They've sourced really lovely architectural finds.

These massive beams over the lintels,

which might have been reclaimed actually.

And then these terracotta tiles

which have been spun upside down to make them look older.

And all these are reclaimed wood bespoke units.

A range that does your heating, which is oil-fired.

And then a smaller dining area.

OK.

-Very nice.

-It is, isn't it?

-Really nice feel to it.

-It's really impressive.

-Great first impressions, yes.

-Very much.

-OK. Well, it's pretty simple.

Over here is the sitting room.

-Very nice.

-I like it. Look at the fire.

-Yep. Cosy.

-Yeah.

I'm starting to read your face now.

This is now your... Is it nice enough?

I would get one of those lovely oak conservatories. There's loads of space.

Then we'd have another reception room.

-Cos I think we need another reception room.

-There's room for it.

It is nice, and we could do it, but I would still like another one.

-Good.

-Yep.

-Very good.

That was one of our... This is a compromise.

But another compromise which not everyone's keen on

is the downstairs bathroom. However, quite a bathroom.

-Right.

-Gary, look, it's got one of those!

'That intake of breath from Hannah is a clear signal to me

'that the period features of this property are impressing and exciting them.

'Upstairs, as requested, there are three bedrooms.

'They're all in the eaves and are light and airy

'due to well-positioned skylights.

'One is currently being used as a study,

'but we'll head to the room that could be claimed as theirs.'

This is currently being used as the master.

-Very nice.

-Ah!

-Got a similar bed surround.

-So, yeah. Very nice.

-Yeah.

I like.

Lots of smiles, lots of "I likes".

Are we happy with the inside cos it is a smaller property?

Uh-huh.

'Well, the mood is still very upbeat.

'And the potential of that substantial stone outbuilding

'is well worth serious consideration

'as it could be converted for use as a holiday let

'with the proper permission.

'So let's head to the back garden and reveal how much it's all worth.'

Look - they've got goats!

Hello!

-Cute.

-They're cute.

The land is big. It goes all the way back to that oak tree at the bottom.

So it's big and wide and long so space for some goats. Hello!

-Or some chickens.

-Uh-huh.

-What do you think of the land?

-The landscape around is gorgeous.

A lovely hill overlooking the house itself.

So how much do you think all of this costs?

I'd say about 450.

-450.

-I'm hoping it's a lot lower than it was for the other houses.

So, I don't know. 470, maybe.

470.

Well, this property is on the market for...

£425,000.

-Same as mine.

-Yes.

OK. So plenty of scope.

Plenty of scope. It gives you 25 grand, or 75 grand, depending on how you look at it,

to do the holiday let and maybe put the conservatory on.

-Mm-hmm.

-Right. Yeah.

-Doable. It is, isn't it?

-Yep.

All of a sudden, that's good news!

-Very good news, yes.

-After yesterday's high-enders, yes.

-Cool.

-Go back inside and have a look around.

You've already done a lot of knocking down and rebuilding, which I like!

-And then we'll meet out the front.

-OK.

-OK.

On your way.

Yes!

Happy, smiley faces. That's what we love on this show.

That and goats! Hello!

On the market well under budget at £425,000,

our mystery property takes our buyers out of their comfort zone

in terms of location,

but offers them a great home and a development opportunity

for the future.

The outbuilding could be converted into a self-contained holiday let.

My favourite room is definitely the kitchen.

It's the biggest, it's got a real farmhouse feeling about it.

There's lots of wood, lots of reclaimed. Lots of exposed stone.

From the point of view of the outbuilding,

a reasonable accommodation for a let.

It might seem fairly small initially,

but after a bit, you feel as though there's an awful lot to explore.

It feels bigger. And with the holiday let on top,

it really has got an awful lot of potential.

This is actually a lovely terrace.

There's a very nice terrace here as well.

The patio's quite private.

-Or your guests could have that.

-They could.

Look at you. "Ching!" It's like it belongs to you already.

I'll have to tear you away.

-Pull the door behind you and let's get off.

-OK.

Kinder Scout is a windswept plateau covered in moorland,

most of which stands at around 600 metres above sea level.

It is one of the most iconic landscapes in the Peak District,

home to a variety of wildlife

and it was here in 1932 that the mass trespass protest took place.

However, now it's also one of the most damaged areas of moorland in the UK

and its future is in jeopardy

as a result of overgrazing, air pollution

and the corrosive effects of thousands of walkers.

I've come to meet area ranger Shane Bates of the National Trust

who is leading a £2.5 million conservation project

in the hope of saving the moor.

So this is part of the solution, I'm guessing.

It is, yeah. It's sandstone which we use cos it's a local stone.

And we use it to make dams in the peat gullies on top of the moor.

Right. Presumably that goes up there by the chopper which I can hear,

because it's too far or too remote to get to.

The distances involved are quite large

and also, using a land-based vehicle would cause more damage.

-So it defeats the point.

-Absolutely.

So I'm quite excited to get up there,

particularly excited about being in the chopper!

'Shane is taking me to see an area of damaged peat bog

'that is in the process of being restored.

'But on the way, I'm getting an overview of the extent of the damage.'

-You can see here the boggy peat.

-The black stuff, yeah.

-So that's good.

-That's not too bad there, yeah.

And is this where it's starting to be eroded?

Yeah, you can see some of the gulley forms now.

-Ah.

-On this side.

-The gullies are where it's starting to wash away?

Yeah.

'The project started last year

'and is set to run until 2016.

'The local sandstone is used to dam the gullies,

're-landscaping them to catch the peat

'thereby preventing further peat loss.'

It's very robust, the peat, isn't it?

Bear in mind we've spread chopped heather on all this.

-Oh.

-And it's been seeded with grasses as well.

You can see that it's already starting to hold.

You can see it's starting to hold the water back

and the water in the gulley systems keeps the peat wetter as well,

which makes it more stable.

Just over the period of this project,

we've seen huge advances in the amount of vegetation.

And I've been coming up on Kinder for the best part of 50 years.

And the differences now are just incredible compared to what it was like when I was a kid.

'The high carbon content of peat makes it vital in the combat of climate change

'and it's also a habitat for a wealth of wildlife.

'So this preservation project is definitely an essential one.

'But now it's time to address another important issue

'as we find out if our buyers have made a decision

'on the three properties we've shown them.'

So, here we are, at the end of our Peak District odyssey.

Three houses that we saw

and spinning back the clock to yesterday morning,

seems like a long time ago,

the very first house we showed you, what are your thoughts about that?

It was a good impression initially.

When we first turned up, it seemed to be out in the wilds,

very nice-looking area.

So it started well.

I'm not sure Hannah agrees entirely.

It didn't seem that you were totally convinced from the beginning.

A little bit disheartened in that, yes, we have the house,

yes, we have the outbuildings, but cos it was top end of the budget,

we couldn't afford to have done anything with them.

What about the second house? This was the other way round, really.

Lots of space inside, not so much potential outside.

The accommodation was fine in that we had the three reception rooms that we'd asked for.

Kitchen was a bit dated, although you had the space in that instance as well,

there was nothing external that had the potential for being done up for let.

And the mystery house?

This one seemed to be a winner.

It seems to be in a very good location.

You could see the potential straightaway with the building at the front, the garage.

So yes, it was more of a build-up than a let down, this time.

What about you, Hannah?

Just a nice feel for the place.

You could see the eye was drawn straight into the kitchen.

That was really quite nice.

So it seems there's been a familiar struggle between your aspirations,

-what you want of a house and the budgetary constraints of where you're looking.

-Mm-hmm.

Have certain things come into focus?

Are you clear about what you could compromise on and what you won't compromise on?

I think the proximity of the first two properties to the village of Hartington

probably would have been reflected in the price.

Perhaps we'd be prepared to move that boundary slightly

and look at alternative routes

and see how we could access the main routes in and out of there.

And actually perhaps rethink on that basis to end up with what we wanted.

-So...

-What happens next?

Are you going to revisit the mystery house?

Would you put in an offer when you sell your property?

We'll definitely ask for another viewing. So, yeah!

-Sounds like a very strong response.

-Yep.

It's been wonderful showing you around the Peak District.

I do hope - it would be lovely if you bought the mystery house -

but wherever you live, I hope it's a joy.

Yes, very worthwhile and we've had a great time.

-Yeah.

-Looking and having some food for thought.

-So, brilliant. Thank you.

-Thank you very much.

I thought we were going to come a-cropper midway through this show

because Gary and Hannah, Hannah particularly,

had very strong energetic responses to those first two high in the budget properties.

And they weren't always positive!

But the mystery house, there the energy came to our side.

Hannah was planning to bring in builders and build a conservatory

which is generally a sign of positive intent.

So I hope they go ahead and buy the mystery house

and I hope that you join us next time for more Escape To The Country.

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