Perth and Kinross Escape to the Country

This baronial castle was the favourite getaway of one of Britain's greatest monarchs.

It's also home to Europe's last surviving private army.

Find out where I am in just a moment.

'On today's show, we're helping a couple with young twins

'find a family home in rural Scotland.

'They begin with their cards close to their chest.'

-I think it's nice.

-Sounds like you're being very diplomatic!

'But another house unlocks their emotions.'

This is gorgeous!

-Wow.

-Absolutely gorgeous.

Today we're in the historic county of Perthshire,

right in the heart of the Scottish Highlands,

and this is Blair Castle.

As well as being the ancestral home of the Dukes of Atholl,

it was here in 1844 that Queen Victoria's love affair with Scotland began.

And also where, almost accidentally,

she led to the formation of the Atholl Highlanders

which survives to this day as Europe's only private army.

I'll be finding out more about that regiment's colourful history

and the Queen's visits later in the show.

But first take a look at some of the beauties this county has to offer.

The historic county of Perthshire

is now part of the larger council area of Perth and Kinross

and is situated in the very heart of Scotland.

Its neighbours include Highland and Aberdeenshire in the north

and Stirling and Fife in the south.

With scenery ranging from peaceful glens to ancient woodland,

Perthshire boasts some of the most beautiful landscapes in Britain.

In the west of the county,

Loch Tay is flanked on either side by striking mountains

including the snow-capped Ben Lawers.

Rising to just over 1,200 metres,

it's the county's highest peak.

One of Perthshire's prettiest villages is Kenmore,

with its attractive whitewashed and stone cottages,

reputedly home to the oldest hotel in Scotland.

With 2,000 square miles of diverse landscape,

Perthshire's unique character holds great appeal for those looking for rural drama

in their surroundings.

All this natural splendour has a knock-on effect

on property prices in Perthshire.

Because the average detached house in the county

costs just under £250,000,

which is £20,000 more

than the national figure for Scotland.

This is largely to do with exclusive homes within range of famous golf courses

near Auchterarder or Gleneagles.

But if you go further north into the Highlands or closer to Perth,

then you get a lot more for your money.

Let's find out who it is that's chosen to come and live in this beautiful part of the country.

For the past four years,

Laurence and Maria have lived in this four-bed semi-detached Victorian property

on the outskirts of Glasgow.

But the location's convenience also has its drawbacks.

This area we're living in at the moment is called Dumbreck.

It's on the south side of Glasgow

just south of the River Clyde.

The house is located between two busy motorways,

the M8 and the M74.

So there is a noise issue.

It's not just the traffic encouraging them to move.

The arrival of twins, Holly and Adam, a year and a half ago

has spurred them on to seek a better quality of life for the whole family.

There aren't many amenities close by

because we live in a very suburban area.

There are no local shops. The nearest things we have here

are a park, which I like to take the children to.

It's quite a nice wooded area

and that's the sort of environment I'm looking for for the children when we move out of Glasgow.

Maria is a town planner by trade,

but has put the job on hold to look after the twins.

Laurence works for a bank in Edinburgh and still intends to commute from their new home.

We're looking to move to Perthshire. It's not far from Glasgow.

It's only about 70 miles

but they call it the gateway to the Highlands.

It's a beautiful area. There are loads of lovely towns and villages

surrounded by beautiful countryside.

Despite the twins being toddlers, Laurence and Maria are planning for the future.

We think an education is important for our children.

Schools outside of Glasgow are generally smaller class sizes.

It would be nice for the children if we're in a village to be able to walk to school.

The move will also allow the couple to indulge their leisure interests.

And it's not just tennis.

I play a bit of golf and do a bit of fishing

so the area in Perth and Kinross has lots of golf courses

and a few rivers and lochs to go fishing.

-So I'm looking forward to that.

-And you want to teach Holly and Adam to fish.

-Absolutely.

-And play golf!

-Not at the same time, obviously!

-No.

But not all of Laurence's hobbies are as peaceful!

'Away from work and looking after the children, I play the bagpipes.

'I've played them for many years.'

The neighbours, I'm sure, will testify to the fact that I tend to play them either in the house

or in the garden.

So, from a neighbours' point of view, I suspect,

playing them in the countryside will be far more palatable

than a built-up area like this!

-A lot of the neighbours do enjoy your bagpipes, though.

-They do.

They say they do. I'm not sure they're telling the truth!

All that remains is to find out how much they've got to invest

in their Scottish rural move.

The budget for the move is £450,000.

So that Laurence can continue to commute to Edinburgh,

we've concentrated our search in the south, around Crieff and Perth,

both of which have excellent road links to the Scottish capital.

And it's in the hills overlooking Crieff where I meet them to finalise the details of the move.

Welcome to Perthshire. What is it you're looking for in this property around Crieff?

It's a four-bedroomed detached property,

ideally with a lovely good-sized garden for the children.

Period property would be ideal. That's the sort of property we like.

What about the neighbourhood? Are you fussed about whether you're out in the sticks

or the middle of a village?

Again, we're quite easy on that.

It would be perfect if we were within walking distance of the town,

particularly schools, so we can take the children to school.

Are you looking for this house to be a long-term house, for the kids to grow up in?

-Yeah.

-Yes.

-Yeah.

-Yes. At least to get them through primary school.

You actually have quite reasonably modest requirements.

This is quite a price-intense area

because, like you, lots of people like to commute from this beautiful landscape

down into Glasgow or Edinburgh.

-So what's your budget?

-Budget is £450,000.

If we have to go to 500,000

then, for the right house, we'd be prepared to do that, absolutely.

Spoken like a canny banker, yes?

-So 450 up to 500.

-Yeah.

We've got three lovely properties and it would be interesting to see what you think of them.

-So let's get in the car.

-Yeah.

For a maximum budget of £500,000,

Laurence and Maria want a decent-sized detached family home

with character and ideally period features.

It has to include four bedrooms,

a large enough garden for the twins to run around in,

and within striking distance of a village,

so the children can walk to a primary school.

We've found three fantastic properties to tempt them with.

At each one, I'll be asking them to guess the price before I reveal it.

The last is our mystery house, designed to challenge,

and which could be a step too far for a couple with young children.

What are you going to be doing in the Highlands, Maria?

-A golf widow?

-I'm going to go walking. I love walking.

So if Laurence hasn't taken the children out golfing, they'll be with me on a long country walk.

Our first property is in the hamlet of Highlandman,

two miles outside the small market town of Crieff.

Crieff itself has a good selection of shops, supermarkets and restaurants.

It's been a popular hub for tourists visiting the Highlands

since Victorian times

and this heritage is reflected in its architecture.

But just a five-minute drive away, you're well into the countryside

and that's where our first house is.

-You can see Crieff over there, just across the fields.

-Yes.

Very close. Lovely mountain views.

But this is the house I want to show you.

It's beautiful. Very nice.

-Nice traditional property.

-It looks good, yeah.

What do you think of the style? You wanted a period property.

It looks ideal. Looks beautiful.

Probably the same as we have at the moment, actually,

-so that's good.

-Same sort of age, isn't it?

-Yeah.

And the location? Obviously, you're near Crieff,

but you're out in the countryside.

Yes, it's nice. We can take the car off the road.

-Shall we have a look inside?

-Yes.

-Super.

'This Edwardian property built just over 100 years ago

'makes a good first impression on Laurence and Maria.

'And I'm confident the period features inside

'will also go down well with our buyers.'

Come into the sitting room, first.

-A lovely room.

-Mm.

Nice fireplace.

-The cornicing is very nice.

-The cornicing is beautiful.

So they've knocked through into what would have been the back room

and built a conservatory at the back.

So it's a long set of rooms which have light. The garden is south-facing. This is north-facing.

So you get light through the day.

-Yeah, it's lovely.

-Very nice.

-It has a kind of classic Scottish feel to it.

-Yes, you're right.

It's restrained but tasteful.

-Up to snuff?

-Definitely.

-Yes.

'The ground floor also features a similar-sized dining room

'with another open fireplace

'and a bay window looking out towards Crieff.

'But our next stop is the kitchen.'

Round the back of the house is the kitchen. Come on in.

Nice range cooker.

-It's smaller than...

-Bit smaller than we're used to.

-The utility's through there.

-OK.

So all your white goods are in there.

But you do have this lovely feature of the big red sandstone lintel

over the range cooker.

And upstairs, you've got five bedrooms.

'Although the size of the kitchen is a slight concern,

'I'm hoping the accommodation upstairs will compensate.

'This includes four double bedrooms and one single,

'all serviced by a good-sized family bathroom.

'One of the doubles lies at the front of the house,

'with another at the back, overlooking the garden.

'One of the larger bedrooms is being used as a study,

'and there's a further single which could be turned into an en-suite for the master,

'which is where we're heading.'

As I mentioned, there are five bedrooms. This is the master

simply by the fact that it's got all this storage in it.

Beautiful fireplace.

-Yes, it's almost Mackintosh, isn't it, the design.

-I love those tiles.

-Lovely.

-And the view, as well. I think this is the master because of the view.

-I know.

That's beautiful.

I think the house has a lovely feel to it.

One of those houses when you come in and think it feels very restful.

That's everything indoors. I'll let you wander around later on.

But let's look at the garden.

'The interior tour seems to have gone down well

'and we've given Laurence and Maria more bedrooms than they asked for.

'But there's still the all-important garden to see.

The south-facing grounds include a patio area,

a pond, which might need fencing off for the children,

a garden shed, a greenhouse and a veggie patch.

This is a nice spot where you see the back of the house and the formal garden.

Through the archway is a back garden.

They've got flowers, but you could easily make that a veggie patch.

-It seems to be well laid-out.

-Yes.

Nice to have the different areas of the garden.

So what do you think the house is on the market for?

440, perhaps?

Maybe a little bit less. Say 435. 430, 435.

-So this is obviously the Scottish custom "offers over"...

-Yes.

But this is on the market for offers over 375.

-375?!

-Really?

-Wow!

-Goodness me!

-That's a surprise.

-That's a big surprise.

Armed with that good news,

maybe go back inside and look at the rooms and see what you could do.

-We will.

-Head back in and I'll see you at the front.

-Thanks.

Priced at offers over £375,000,

our first house comes in well under budget.

It's a traditional detached Edwardian property built of local stone

with five bedrooms, four of which are doubles.

You could possibly take those cupboards out, if you wanted, open up the room a bit.

-Whether you need that storage space.

-Keep the storage space.

Good for toys!

And your shoes!

First impressions walking up to the property were very positive.

Lovely looking house from the outside. Very homely, comfortable.

I like it a lot. The only thing I would change is the small bedroom.

We'd look to make that into an en-suite.

This feels like it could be a really nice family home.

It's a good size, and there's a nice flow through the house.

The children would love the garden.

The view from the property, the upstairs windows,

looking across towards Crieff is stunning.

Great price.

We were both surprised it was on the market for offers over 375.

It gives us a lot of potential

to maybe think about a slight remodel to the kitchen,

or extending the kitchen. There's lots of scope there

with that sort of budget.

Laurence's Scottish reserve makes him quite hard to read,

but I think they're quite enthusiastic.

-Done?

-Yes.

-Had a good nose around?

-Yep. Very nice.

Good. Then let's have a look at house number two.

Laurence and Maria have spent many weekends visiting Perthshire countryside with the twins

and they can't get enough of the scenery that surrounds you here.

They may think that they've seen it all,

but we're sending them to an off-road adventure company

run by nature enthusiast Donald Ridell.

It's designed to reveal parts of Perthshire that are otherwise inaccessible.

Shortly, we're going to head up into the mountains.

We use private hill tracks

that we rent access from,

so we usually take our Land Rovers up there.

What we're hoping to see is some of our Highland wildlife,

and we're going to see some tremendous scenery as well.

To minimise environmental impact,

Donald has an agreement with local agencies

that allows him to drive along private forest tracks.

His tour covers the area of Perthshire around Aberfeldy

and it's here amongst the Caledonian pine forests

that you might see red deer

as well as rarer species including the red squirrel

and a type of grouse called the capercaillie.

This particular area is Forestry Commission

and they're doing a lot of conservation

with barn owls, tawny owls.

They're putting up nest boxes.

There's quite a lot of capercaillie research going on as well, at the moment.

The capercaillie numbers have dropped so much

that they're researching why this is happening

and also trying to do things to encourage them to nest.

But whether the wildlife makes a show or not,

the views of the striking scenery are what it's all about.

Here we are at 2,500 feet

and we've got Schiehallion up there,

and then further west we've got Glen Lyon

and then right round there we've got Ben Lawers

which is the highest mountain in Perthshire, at 4,000 feet.

-It's stunning.

-Stunning scenery, isn't it?

And next, there's an opportunity for Maria to take the wheel

and learn the techniques of off-road driving.

First gear. Then you can accelerate on into it a bit

and then remember to take your foot off the gas when we get on it

because we will be going at 40 degrees

and we've only got five degrees of leeway, all right, before we tip over.

-So take your foot off the gas now.

-Yep.

-Foot off the gas?

-Foot off the gas.

-Am I OK?

-You're doing just fine. Look at that.

-Oh, my goodness!

-Oh, my goodness!

-Feel that.

-Oh, my goodness!

Aghh!

-Am I high enough?

-I think you're OK!

There we go. Good job.

We'll just carry on down a wee bit

onto the level bit of road here.

Great stuff.

Magic.

With off-roading skills to add to their list of outdoor interests,

it's time to make tracks and return to the house hunt.

We're venturing to the far eastern side of the county

for our second property, in the hamlet of Murrayshall

about two miles from the village of Scone.

And Scone is where we're making a pit-stop.

Not only the setting for one of Scotland's most impressive historic palaces,

it also features a piece of history that should stir the emotions in any Scot,

although this one's a replica.

Me, as an Englishman, telling you this is the Stone of Scone!

-Yes.

-Stone of Destiny.

So the Stone of Destiny, as I'm sure you know,

was where all the Scottish kings were crowned.

-Well, the lovely Palace of Scone, this would be your nearest stately home.

-Yes.

Do you think the twins would enjoy historical houses?

They would. We love going around historical houses

and the grounds here are beautiful.

-So lots of space.

-There's Old Scone, the palace, and then New Scone

which is a little town just on the other side of Perth.

That's just down the road.

As is our second property. Shall we go and see it?

-Yes.

-Follow me.

'As we continue our journey, we pass through the town of New Scone

'which offers amenities close by,

'including shops and a post office.

'A short drive away is the hamlet of Murrayshall

'and our second property.'

House number two is a very different offering.

It's this long, low-slung building.

-Ah!

-OK.

We thought this might be one for you, Laurence,

because it is jammed between not one but two golf courses.

One up here and another one just down there.

More importantly, perhaps, is we've shaved 20 minutes off your commute,

cos it's a few minutes' drive onto the motorway and then straight down.

It's interesting. Looks interesting. Is it a bungalow or is it double height?

-It is all one level.

-All one level, all right.

-Eager to get inside.

-Good. Enthusiasm. Let's go.

'This modern, single-level stone property looks much older than its eight years.

'And having the accommodation all on one level

'could be handy with the twins in mind.'

I'll take you straight into the kitchen, to get a flavour of the house.

-Mm.

-Lovely kitchen.

-Gosh.

-Very nice.

-A bit bigger?

-Bigger, yes.

-Place for a nice big table, a nice eight-seater here.

-Yep.

-You've got the island in the middle.

-Always useful.

-And all the mod cons. It's a very modern building.

-Yes.

It's a nice-sized kitchen.

Behind you is another selling point of the house, particularly for you, maybe, Laurence.

I don't know who's the tech head in your family,

but the whole house is wired for sound.

-Every single room.

-OK.

-So you can have music wherever you go.

If you push through, we'll go into the sitting room.

It's hard to get a sense of how Laurence and Maria really feel about this house.

A look at the heart of the home might provoke a reaction.

So this is the sitting room, the main reception room of the house,

with these incredible windows that look out over the golf course.

-Fantastic.

-Great view.

-Yeah.

A nice, big square room.

-Very high ceilings.

-Gosh, yes.

-Yes.

-And a proper stone surround with a gas effect fire.

-Mm.

-And the view's nice.

Sounds like you're being very diplomatic!

You don't have to buy every house I show you!

You do have some free will!

Is this not floating your boat?

It's probably not what I would choose myself.

'As we head back past the kitchen,

'we pass a generously-sized dining room

'which could also be used as a bedroom.

'Further down the corridor are two more double bedrooms,

'one of which is being used as a guest room

'and the other as a study

'which offers another large window.

'Completing the accommodation on this, the only level,

'is a utility room with sink area,

'a stylish family bathroom,

'and there's under-floor heating throughout.

'But let's not forget where Laurence and Maria might sleep.'

As I say, this is the master bedroom.

It's got an en-suite with a shower and toilet.

-That's a nice room.

-Nice size, yes.

Lots of storage space.

-Think of it as another option.

-Yes.

-A different offering.

-Yes.

And then, of course, there's outside.

'Laurence and Maria are still being very tactful, but I'm not sure this house is really grabbing them.

'We have one last chance to find out what they really think

'with the outside space.

'This includes a terraced patio overlooking the back of the property.

'And round the side of the house, a west-facing garden,

'which is mainly lawn with another patio area for entertaining.'

What do you think?

A smaller garden than I would have liked.

But it's nice to have a seating area.

My initial concern would really be about the amount of hard landscape round the back, for the twins.

What about pricing?

Hmm.

-Maria, you have to go first this time.

-Oh, dear!

I would say...410?

-Mm-hm.

-OK.

Um, I think maybe a wee bit more.

I think 430, perhaps.

Well, actually, this is on the market

-for offers over 450.

-Gosh!

Wow!

-Way off the mark!

-OK.

-I think it may be the golf bonus.

-Of course, yes.

-And also it's that bit closer to Edinburgh.

-Yeah.

-Yes.

We rushed round it inside. Have a look at those other bedrooms

and see if you can maybe think about reconfiguring those.

-Then I'll see you out the front.

-OK.

-Good.

-Thank you.

This high-tech modern home

is £50,000 under Laurence and Maria's maximum budget.

All the accommodation sits on one level,

and with a little re-ordering inside,

it could be turned into a four-bedroomed property.

It also comes with a lawn and patio

with stunning views over the Perthshire countryside.

An interesting house, I guess,

obviously all on one level.

Not something we'd really given much consideration to.

Coming into the house, the public areas are quite a good size.

Perhaps, with the exception of the main bedroom

the others are a wee bit on the small side

but not a huge problem, per se.

One concern I have is the number of steps outside and the hard landscape

in the patio area in particular.

It's something we have in our existing house

and we're quite keen to get away from that

and get into a more child-friendly garden,

where there's less opportunity for the children to fall and hurt themselves.

An interesting property.

It's not something I would look at first hand.

I wouldn't typically go for a modern property.

So it was interesting to come inside and have a look around.

It's probably not the ideal house that I would go for

if I was looking to push our budget to its upper limit.

-Hello!

-Hi!

-I was enjoying the sun. It's a lovely sun trap here.

-All done inside?

-We are.

-Yes.

-That's our lot for the day. Time to maybe have a little rest and see the twins.

-OK. Good.

-Come with me.

It's day two of our property search.

With a maximum budget of £500,000,

we're helping Laurence, Maria and their twins

escape the bustle of Glasgow for the peace of rural Perthshire.

Coming up, we step back in time with our mystery house.

I grew up in a small village like this,

-so it's almost like coming home, I guess.

-That's what we like to hear!

And I follow in the tracks of one of Britain's greatest monarchs.

Today's mystery house is a corker.

It's a beautiful property, much closer to Edinburgh, and within budget.

But this morning, I woke up a little bit anxious

because Maria and Laurence's reaction to the second house yesterday

made me worried that the mystery house might be not quite toddler-friendly enough.

But I also have a theory when someone doesn't like a property,

they'll grasp at lots of reasons to justify that dislike.

And when they see another house with the same things, that they love,

all those reasons drop away.

That's what I'm hoping is going to happen.

How are you feeling this morning?

Quite excited about today and seeing the mystery house.

What do you think the mystery house might be?

Very good question.

I'm wondering whether it might be something like a barn conversion, perhaps?

-Or...

-A property that you do up, maybe.

-Possibly a fixer-upper.

-Yeah.

And what are you afraid it might be?

A newly-built modern house!

For the mystery house, we're travelling 20 miles south of Perth

to the hamlet of Cleish.

On the plus side, it will cut Laurence's commute time even more,

but we're venturing further from where they originally wanted to be.

A past winner of Best Kept Hamlet,

Cleish has a vibrant community feel, with local amenities more typical of a village,

including a primary school and a 19th-century church,

the tower of which was built to celebrate Queen Victoria's diamond jubilee in 1897.

Surrounded by agricultural land

but a stone's throw from transport connections to Edinburgh,

it's a good location for a countryside commuter.

As well as the location, the other mystery element to our third property

is that it's semi-detached,

which isn't what Laurence and Maria wanted.

What's more, there are some potential hazards to contend with.

So, the mystery house.

Wow!

Wasn't what you were expecting?

-No, not at all!

-No, gosh!

It's a bundle of contradictions, this house. It's not what you asked for.

Always the case with the mystery house.

It is, as you can see, half a house.

-Yes.

-It's period in the sense that it's originally an 1840s mill,

but it has been completely remodelled quite recently.

I like the look of it. I like it a lot.

It looks nice. It's interesting.

One of our concerns about showing you this, particularly after yesterday,

was that the next six months with the twins is going to be a bit "steptastic"!

-Hmm.

-Yes!

Yes, a lot of steps to get to the front door.

-Yeah.

-And the house itself is on three levels.

-Can't really see it. There's obviously stairs inside.

-Right.

And this is little sort of new area with some properties that will probably have young families.

-It would be quite nice to have a little community.

-Yes.

Definitely. I grew up in a small village like this

and it's almost like coming home, I guess, for me.

That's what we like to hear.

-Shall we have a look inside?

-Yes.

-Yes, please.

-We'd like to.

'Our mystery house is one half of a former mill.

The fact that it's semi-detached

hasn't put Maria and Laurence off, so far.

I hope the unconventional layout inside, spread over three floors, won't either.

We're entering the property on the middle floor

which is where you find the main reception room.

Come into the kitchen first.

-This is a work of art.

-Oh, look at this!

-Goodness me!

-This is gorgeous.

-Wow.

-Absolutely gorgeous.

I like the maple, or whatever that is.

This is actually elm.

It's a local woodworker who made this bespoke for the kitchen.

There's also a fireplace made of it, as well.

-Obviously very rare to get that bit of elm.

-Yes.

-Gosh.

-There's lots of it. All these cabinets are bespoke

to an incredibly high quality.

And this beautiful moulded work surface, so there's no edges.

I suppose the question is, can you imagine you, yourselves and the twins living here?

-Definitely.

-I could, definitely.

Definitely, yes.

It's a lovely feel to the room.

It's a lovely family kitchen.

-So thumbs up for this room?

-Absolutely.

-Definitely.

-Fantastic.

It's slightly unusual. Because it's on three levels,

the house is unusually structured.

Opposite, we've got a big bedroom and en-suite,

which could be your master.

They use this as their guest bedroom.

But it's very grand!

-Ooh, gosh.

-Lovely.

-Yeah.

And then the spectacular en-suite.

-Goodness me!

-Wow.

That's beautiful.

Then it goes upstairs and downstairs.

'We're heading upstairs to the top floor,

'but downstairs, there are two further bedrooms, both en-suite,

'which the present owners are using as separate offices.

'The ground floor also features a large utility room

'with lots of space for storage.

'The fourth bedroom, also en-suite,

'is currently being used as the master and is on the top floor.

'And just across the corridor from that, our next stop.'

At the top of the stairs, you have this beautiful room,

which they've turned into a sitting room.

-Great. Lovely views.

-Gosh, look at the view, yes.

Very nice.

-It's got a really lovely feel to it.

-It has.

I'll let you explore downstairs in your own time.

There's things to think about, about how you would configure it.

-But let's go outside and talk about price.

-OK.

'Our mystery house, combining the fabric of the original mill with modern design,

'has clearly lifted the spirits.

'But there's still the garden to see,

'and it's back to where we started, outside.'

So, back to the garden.

You can see it's on many levels.

There's a raised bit here where they've got their veggie beds and greenhouse.

And this bit, which is more of an eating area.

Down the steps there is a sunken garden which has the doors to the bottom floor

-which you haven't visited yet.

-Right.

And that's a real suntrap because it's completely sheltered from the wind.

-Apparently, it gets Mediterranean heat during the summer.

-Fantastic.

-Get a good tan!

What do you think it's on the market for?

I think it's right at the top end of our budget.

Would you say? I'd say...

something like...485?

I think it's above our 450.

Probably nearer 490.

Well, this property in on the market

for offers over 395!

Wow!

We're slightly out, Laurence!

That's amazing.

3-9-5!

Goodness me!

Well, we're way out, but wow!

Why don't you look downstairs. That's a slightly quirky layout.

-Look downstairs and see if that will work with the kids.

-Yes.

-I'll see you back here.

-OK. Thank you.

-Excellent.

It's always a good barometer of how much people like a property

by how much they over-guess the price!

So I'm thinking they quite like it!

Way under budget at £395,000,

our mystery house is a renovated 19th-century mill.

The accommodation is arranged over three storeys

and includes four bedrooms all with en-suite bathrooms,

a designer kitchen diner

and a top floor living room with extensive views across the countryside.

The property is located in a popular village with a good primary school.

This is a nice-sized room.

A lovely room, as well, isn't it?

-This would be ideal for one of the kids.

-It would.

When I first saw the mystery house, I thought it looked amazing.

Just all the different levels of the garden,

looking up towards the front door, it looked stunning.

It is a beautiful property.

It's lovely. I love this room in particular.

I think it's a real family room.

I could imagine myself cooking here, quite easily!

Internally, I think the property is stunning.

I particularly like exposed beams

and the exposed stonework in the kitchen.

I can't say there's anything I would want to change about the property at all.

A few tweaks round the edges, perhaps, in terms of safety

for the children, the stairs in particular.

But other than that, I wouldn't change anything, I don't think.

OK. Mystery house done, houses one and two done.

-That's all the property. Let's go and catch our breath.

-OK.

And that marks the end of our property search for Laurence and Maria.

But if you, too, have got your heart set on a rural Perthshire bolt-hole,

there is plenty of property to choose from,

with a wide price range.

If contemporary living is your style,

this four-bed modern property in the village of Muthill

is on the market for offers in excess of £540,000.

The accommodation includes a large open plan kitchen diner

which leads on to an additional living area with a log burner.

The bedrooms upstairs include this spacious master suite.

And at the other end of the price and age scale,

a three-bed traditional stone cottage

in St Fillans has been reduced to encourage a quick sale.

At offers in excess of £200,000,

it offers good value.

With all this breath-taking scenery,

it's no surprise that the Perthshire Highlands have long been a favoured holiday destination

for those who love the outdoors.

One of its biggest fans was Queen Victoria

who came here to Blair Castle, the seat of the Duke and Duchess of Atholl,

in 1844.

During her visits, she was protected by the Duke's personal bodyguard,

the Atholl Highlanders,

and was so impressed, she gave them the right to bear arms.

I've come to meet the castle's chief historian, Jane Anderson,

to find out more about the Queen's visit

and the castle's unique private army.

Ah, this is a very Victorian room.

-Yes.

-Is this where she slept?

The actual room isn't. She slept in the Derby Room, along the passage.

But everything that was in that room is now in here.

So when they knew Victoria was coming,

they went out and bought a whole new suite of furniture.

-As you do when the Queen comes!

-As you would!

What was different about this stay?

She often went to stay in castles, one imagines.

Yes. But usually, she would descend on people for a day or two

and expect a full state reception.

But Albert asked particularly here that they put the castle at her disposal.

And the family moved out, she moved in,

and so she had a very long stay,

which was very relaxing without all the trappings of state.

-A holiday, in a way.

-Yes. The informality, the lack of intrusion.

That was preserved by the men of Atholl guarding her.

They camped outside in tents.

They were there to make sure that no-one disturbed this idyll.

The Highlanders still have a presence at the castle,

more than 150 years after the Queen's visit.

I'm meeting one of them, George Faran.

George, you look resplendent. How long does it take to get into all this?

About 25 minutes to get the main part on,

but then you haven't put your plaid on.

This plaid has to be wrapped around you and pinned on.

What's your job description? What do you actually do?

I'm the caretakers in the castle.

Ah. So are most of the regiment also people who work on the estate?

A large majority work on the estate or have worked on the estate.

And anybody further afield will still come back for any events we have on.

-Jane, was that always the case? Was it always...

-Yes.

It was always the Duke's men,

either tenants on the estate or employees on the estate.

They were invited personally by the Duke to join.

'One of the things the Queen was able to enjoy during her stay at Blair Castle

'was to explore the surrounding countryside on a pony.

'And that's what I'm doing with guide Debbie McLoughlin.'

So is this where the Queen would have ridden, Debbie?

Yes. Queen Victoria rode here.

She first rode on Atholl estates in 1844.

She went up through the hills while Albert was out stalking on the estate.

Ah. So she was a pony rider?

Yes, she rode the Highland ponies on the estate. She was very keen.

'The Queen was so struck by her visit,

'a few years later she and Prince Albert

'bought the neighbouring estate, Balmoral,

'still used by the Royal Family today as a holiday home.

'And being neighbours meant Victoria could still drop in for a visit.'

Jane was saying she would ride over the hills to visit the Duchess?

She rode over the hills. It's do-able.

It would take them a few days and they would stop for picnics.

In Glen Tilt there's a well

that's known as Queen Victoria's well

where she stopped for refreshment of fresh hill water.

'When they weren't carrying royalty,

'the Atholl ponies were used during the stalking season

'to transport deer off the mountains,

'a role they still perform today.

'But as I head off to catch up with our buyers,

'it's easy to see how Queen Victoria fell in love with this remote Scottish beauty spot.'

Time to find out what Laurence and Maria think about all three properties we've shown them.

My hunch is that the second property by the golf course is too modern for Maria's tastes.

And she might win the day.

However, the first house, the classic Scottish beauty

and the third house, the mystery house,

really are both contenders.

Let's find out which one might win.

I've brought you down to the shores of Loch Leven

just to have a think about what next?

What your plans are, having seen the three properties.

Which ones are contenders?

Property one, yesterday, the detached property,

was a beautiful property.

I think we both liked that.

-Yep.

-And today's mystery house was a real surprise, a bit of an eye-opener.

Yes. They are quite contrasting properties.

What is it about the first house and the mystery house that you like?

The first house, for me, was probably the setting.

It was a beautiful house and the views from the house,

looking over towards Crieff, were stunning.

It had a lovely garden, a well laid-out garden.

Laurence, what about the mystery house?

The mystery house, I thought, had a nice feel to it.

It threw a lot of switches we hadn't considered before.

But it really blew us away

as soon as we saw it.

-I don't know. I'm torn between the two of them.

-That's good.

-It's good that you're torn.

-I know!

So I'd like to go back and see property number one again.

-And maybe...

-I would like to go back and see the mystery house again.

-Yeah, both of them.

-I liked them both for different reasons.

And in terms of because you're aware that quite a lot of people are interested in the mystery house,

how fast do you think you'd like to act?

Probably within about a week.

Good. I wish you all the best. I hope that you do find a house for you and the twins.

-Thank you.

-It's such a lovely area,

I think you'll be happy in either of those two houses.

-I think so.

-All the best.

-Thank you.

-Thank you.

-Thanks for your help.

-Not at all.

-We enjoyed it.

It seems like my worries about the mystery house were unfounded.

It really struck a chord with Maria and Laurence.

Though I do wonder whether, compared to the classic Scottish grandeur of the first house,

the quirky individualism of the mystery house might be a step too far! See what I did there?

But I hope they move soon because there are lots of people interested in the mystery house.

So the sooner they get to this beautiful part of the world, the better.

I hope you've enjoyed our trip through Scotland.

Do join us next time for more Escape to the Country.

Shortly after returning home,

Maria was offered a new job in Glasgow.

For now, they've decided to postpone their move to Perthshire.

Let's hope they don't leave it too long.

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