Cornwall Escape to the Country

Welcome to what promises to be a blustery Escape To The Country.

The building behind me is the most southerly lighthouse station

on the British mainland

and the largest lighthouse station in the world.

Where are we? Join me in a few moments and I'll tell you.

'We're helping a London couple swap stressed metropolitan living

'for rural relaxation, and it's love at first sight at one property.'

It is an absolutely stunning house.

'Could another home steal the show?'

Sometimes, on the way to a dream, you get lost and find a better one.

Well, today, we're in Cornwall

and this is the Lizard Lighthouse.

For centuries, it's been an important beacon for seafarers,

overlooking one of the busiest shipping routes in the world.

The first lighthouse was built here back in 1600.

What you see today was put up much more recently - in 1752!

Its twin towers originally had two lights but now they've got only one.

It flashes every three seconds

and I'm told you can see it up to 26 nautical miles away.

And on a misty day, well, its foghorn sounds like this...

HORN BLARES

Later on, I'll be back here, taking a closer look at how it all works.

In the meantime, here's a little taster

of what the rest of Cornwall has to offer.

'In the southwestern corner of Britain,

'Cornwall is bordered by Devon to the east

'and the Atlantic ocean to the west.

'With almost 300 miles of fabulous coastline,

'from rugged secret coves to endless sandy bays

'and the dramatic wilderness of Bodmin Moor,

'a designated area of natural beauty,

'this county is a real walker's paradise.

'With rich Celtic roots and its own language,

'Cornwall has a fiercely independent cultural identity.

'A recent survey showed that 44% of residents

'believe themselves to be Cornish rather than British or English.

'Once reliant on tin mining, china clay production and fishing,

'today tourism is one of Cornwall's biggest earners.

'As the UK's top holiday destination,

'its appealing seaside villages and glorious unspoiled countryside

'attract over four million visitors a year.'

Even on a blustery and misty day such as this,

with coastline like that to inspire you, you can understand

why Cornwall has long been popular with many people wanting to escape to the country.

At £261,000, the average price of your detached property down here

is pretty much on a par with the national figure.

If you want your money to go a bit further,

it's worth avoiding some of those coastal hotspots such as Porthleven and St Ives,

and maybe look inland towards Camelford and Launceston.

Whatever you fancy, there is plenty on offer down here,

which is why today's buyers think Cornwall could be their new home.

'Born and bred in London, civil servants Ian and Vanessa

'have spent their entire working lives in the capital.

'They have decided to take early retirement

'and swap their hectic jobs in the big smoke

'for a breath of fresh air in the countryside.'

The children have fled the nest and we're young enough

to make a new life where we don't have to get up with the alarm clock.

I've been a police officer for 30 years.

That's one reason why we want to get away from the hustle and bustle and stress of life in London.

'It was a vacation four years ago that inspired Ian and Vanessa

'to get plans under way for a complete change of lifestyle.'

We never used to be outdoors people,

then Ian bought me a holiday to the Cotswolds and we just started.

We did a lot of walks, really enjoyed it and decided we wanted to move to the country.

We went to Cornwall and have never looked back since.

It'd be really nice not to have to plan.

We can get up and say, "Fancy a walk today?"

To live life like that would be something else, to be honest.

'With the chapters closing on their police and paramedic careers,

'the focus is now on embracing rural life -

'despite very limited hands-on experience.'

We do quite a bit of foraging while we're out.

-We collect all sorts of things, don't we?

-Mm.

We want to move on from there and actually raise our own produce, if we can.

Another thing I'm looking forward to is, maybe one day,

going out and catching our tea,

bringing it home and having really fresh fish - that'd be lovely.

'The dream is land for a smallholding outside

'and a large country kitchen inside.'

-We'd like a kitchen-diner.

-Mm-hm.

We spend a lot of time in the kitchen.

Quite often, we'll spend all evening with a couple of glasses of wine,

talking about the day or the week.

'Home is currently a three-bed semi in north London.

'Buying a house together will be an entirely new experience.'

This is the first time we've ever hunted for a house together.

Our other two places that we've lived in have been police houses.

Then we were fortunate enough to buy our present house.

-It is quite exciting.

-Yes. A house we can choose ourselves.

-Rather than them say, "This is where you're moving to."

-And adapt.

'So, how much do they have to play with?'

Our budget for this move would be 400,000.

Um... We MAY be able to go a little bit further than that,

but 400,000 would be about right, I think.

'After a holiday in Cornwall last year,

'Ian and Vanessa have set their hearts on a move to the south,

'in particular, the Lizard Peninsula.

'Time for us all to meet up

'and find out about the Cornish home they see themselves living in.'

So, welcome to Cornwall, Ian and Vanessa.

It is going to be a massive lifestyle change.

A paramedic and a policeman, two of the most stressful jobs, I would imagine.

You're swapping it for the good life.

What's the good life going to comprise, Vanessa?

Possibly some chickens and pigs, hopefully.

And goats as well.

What kind of a house are you dreaming about, in which this life is going to happen?

Two to three bedrooms, so that the family can visit.

As long as it's a good-looking house.

I like pretty, but Ian's not so keen on the old chocolate box image.

-LAUGHING

-He's the rufty-tufty copper!

Bit more of a farmhouse style, yes.

-In terms of outside space?

-We want at least an acre.

-We think that we'd be able to manage with that.

-Yeah.

Remind us of the budget.

We have £400,000.

Even in Cornwall, given what you're looking for,

-that is going to be quite tight.

-Yeah, we understand that.

So we'll finish our tea up and get out there,

-see what we can find you.

-Looking forward to it.

'On a budget of £400,000, our buyers are looking for...

'..They're also after an acre of land to fulfil their dream

'of growing their own produce and keeping livestock.

'We've got a fine and varied selection of homes to tempt them,

'but I won't reveal the prices until they've each had a guess.

'Then we've got the mystery house,

'which could take their idea of Cornish country living

'from the outside to the inside.'

-Now then, this business of keeping livestock.

-Mm-hm.

-How much experience have you got of looking after animals?

-Absolutely none.

-We've got two cats.

-Oh, yeah. We have.

-ALL LAUGH Hardly livestock.

-Well, quite!

-Depends on your cats, of course!

-We'll learn as we go along.

I can see myself knee-deep or just flat on my back in the mud,

after chasing a pig!

'We're starting out in Ruan Minor, right in the Lizard Peninsula,

'a classic Cornish village with a sense of community and a few shops.

'Less than a mile away, on the South West Coast Path,

'is the historic fishing harbour of Cadgwith Cove,

'where the daily catch has been landed since the 16th century.

'Just ten minutes' walk from here, we find our first property.'

Right, come and feast your eyes

on property number one - what do you reckon?

It's lovely. It really is lovely.

It reminds me a little bit of, I don't know,

the Mackintosh era and around there, Arts & Crafts.

Yes, you're absolutely right. This is Edwardian.

It's about 1910, 1912, but I think it's got a real Arts & Crafts feel.

You have got a driveway up the side

that gets you into your garage at the back, a workshop as well.

There's also a vegetable patch over there, which is up and running.

So it does allow you some scope for this sustainability.

It just doesn't allow you pigs.

At this moment, I would actually...

sell the pigs! ALL LAUGH

Excellent! I thought we'd deal with that up front.

Let's get inside and look at this lovely Edwardian property.

We don't often get these. It's a real treat to see it.

Let's have a look inside.

'Without hesitation, the pigs have been ditched,

'as the period features of this unique property enchant Vanessa.

'The distinctive historic character is a highlight throughout,

'though it does require a BIT of TLC.'

Let's start in here, then.

-Really cosy.

-Isn't it?

-Yeah.

You say you love Arts & Crafts, look at the detailing!

I don't know, there's just so much.

You'd sit and have your coffee,

warm your feet in front of the fire.

I would say this is A living room.

You've got another huge room through here. Have a look at this.

There!

-Oh, it's lovely.

-Yeah.

-That is really lovely.

Very cosy, isn't it? And look up.

-Oh, wow!

-That's Arts & Crafts!

It's a real Tudor feel to it, actually.

I imagine old places being dark,

but there's a lot of natural light coming in.

Let's have a look at the kitchen.

To be fair, it's where we have to use a bit more imagination.

-I thought we might have.

-You're up for a project, aren't you?

-Mm. Yeah.

Right, so, this is what our project may entail.

Take it all in. What do you think, as it is?

-It's quaint.

-Yes.

If that wall behind you were to disappear,

it would lead into what is currently the dining room.

-The kind of space you'd be left with would be terrific, I think.

-Yeah.

'With the right permissions, this relatively minor alteration

'could give our buyers the kitchen/living area they hope for,

'and they don't appear fazed by the challenge.

'Let's find out what they make of what's on offer upstairs.

'Alongside a family bathroom, there are four bedrooms in total.

'Two are spacious double rooms, but we're heading for the grand master.'

Then finally, you get your own kind of, well, suite really.

In terms of size, Ian, what do you reckon?

I'm trying to gauge it with our one at home and it's...

It's roughly the same, I guess.

Again, original doors, the picture rails

-and loads of light from those two windows.

-Yeah, it looks good.

'The en suite is a Jack and Jill bathroom with a second door

'that leads to the landing and the smallest bedroom,

'which could be changed into a walk-in wardrobe to complete a really smart master suite.

'That wraps up the internal tour.

'Now to turn our attention back to the grounds.

'There's half an acre on offer, with a host of mature trees and shrubs

'and space for the arable side of their good life goal.'

Right, so there we are. There is property number one.

It is an absolutely stunning house.

Now to the difficult bit.

How much do you think or, indeed, hope this is on the market for,

in relation to your £400,000 budget?

-Around 375?

-375. Ian?

I'm going a little lower, cos it does need modernisation.

-I'm going to say about 350.

-350!

-Are you born optimists, the pair of you?

-Yeah.

-LAUGHING:

-I'm afraid it is neither of those figures.

This is on the market at £425,000.

However, having talked to the owners,

they would accept an offer of your maximum budget of £400,000.

-Mm-hm.

-Well, I'm going to leave you here

while you discuss the big compromise about space for animals,

-and I will catch up with you a little bit later.

-OK.

'On the market for £425,000, but open to negotiation,

'the first property is...'

For us to live in a place like this is a dream.

But I think not having the land for the animals we wanted

would have to be a big compromise.

When we came in the garden, I just thought, "This is beautiful.

"What would it be like inside?"

Inside is just as gorgeous - if not more, actually.

But the dilemma is, you know...

Is it ALL of our dream? I don't know.

I think every house should have a verandah.

It's gorgeous on a day like this!

Ah! Here we are! All done?

-Happy?

-Yeah, had a good look round.

-Yeah. It's lovely.

-Enjoying the show so far?

-Very much so.

-Good.

I think this is a great start. Property number two awaits.

And that offers you a whole new set of considerations. Come on.

'South Cornwall's maritime position on the Gulf Stream

'means it benefits from one of the mildest climates in the UK.

'Whilst the spoils of the coastline make it a seafood lover's dream,

'plant life inland is being harvested

'on a small sustainable scale by a crop of savvy locals.

'Vanessa and Ian feel passionately about becoming self-sufficient and have dabbled with foraging.

'So they've come to pick up some tips

'with professional wild food foraging chef Caroline Davey.'

You are in the perfect place in Cornwall for foraging.

We've got these ancient Cornish hedges.

We don't call them hedgerows. It's a hedge made out of earth and stone.

And here, we've got hundreds of species growing in this hedge.

A lot of them are edible.

'The hedges in the Lizard Peninsula are home to a rich variety

'of natural culinary delights.

'You should take expert advice and be careful never to eat anything

'if you're not certain of its exact identity.'

This is a plant called Alexanders.

A few hundred years ago, everyone in this country

-and throughout Europe grew this in their garden.

-Oh, wow!

It went out of fashion when celery was introduced in the 17th century.

This is a much more pungent aromatic celery.

It's full of flavour.

'Whilst it's best to vary locations to leave something for the wildlife

'and so the plants can rejuvenate,

'sometimes a small reap can be of benefit.'

Over here, we've got some three-cornered leek.

-Have you heard of three-cornered leek?

-Yeah.

This was brought to Cornwall as a garden plant

from the western Mediterranean in about 1860.

It loved it here so much

that it jumped over the garden hedge and spread like wildfire.

So this is a pro-conservation wild food.

-Eat as much of it as...

-Eat as much as you want!

Take as much as you want, dig it up, then you're helping our wildlife.

'Free wild food can be found by the sea, too,

'on beaches like this one at Sennen.'

This is laver seaweed. This is what the Welsh make laverbread out of.

We use scissors for seaweed, cos it has a chance to grow back.

'There are no known toxic seaweeds off the UK shores,

'but be sure to harvest as low down the tide line as possible

'and choose isolated areas to reduce the risk of contamination from humans or animals.'

Do these grow here? They're not just washed up?

They're definitely not washed up. These are attached to the rocks.

The stuff that you find rotting at the top of the beach,

don't go near that cos it's been decomposing for a while.

You don't know how long it's been hanging around.

'Seaweed should be picked and eaten in moderation.

'Back at Caroline's home, she's showing our buyers

'how to transform their wild harvest into a hearty lunch.

'Ian washes the salt off the seaweed

'and Vanessa peels the Alexanders, ready for steaming.

So here we are, laver seaweed cakes with Alexanders and wild garlic.

-That looks fab.

-Buon appetit.

-I love them.

-Really delicate, aren't they?

'After a tasty foraged Cornish feast, it's back to the house hunt,

'to see what's ripe for the picking with our second property.

'For our next destination,

'we're travelling inland to Troon,

'around five miles from Cornwall's northern coast.

'Originally an agricultural hamlet, the village of Troon

'was developed to house the workforce for tin and copper mines in the 19th century.

'The relics of this industrial past can be seen dotted on the landscape.

'On the rural outskirts, about half a mile outside the village,

'surrounded by lush open countryside stands our next property.'

"Smallholding" is the word you need to have in your minds with this one.

There is quite a bit of land to go with it.

It's looking good. I like the look of the house.

Looking at the land, it looks about what we're after, to be fair.

We'll explore the land later on.

Get in there, see what you think of the property.

-Then we'll brave it back out here.

-OK.

-Happy?

-Yes.

-Come on, then.

'Standing in around three acres of land,

'this detached mid 19th-century farmhouse gives Ian and Vanessa

'all the land they've asked for and much more.

'But the house itself, again, could benefit from some modernisation.'

Wow! Nice warm kitchen to come into! This is where we're going to start.

What do you reckon?

Um... Yeah, different.

-The red sink is, er...

-JULES LAUGHS

-..interesting!

-Yes. I would have to change that.

What you wouldn't need to change is that wood burner which is brand new.

'To one end of the kitchen there's a study and a family bathroom.

'We're going to check out the reception areas towards the back.'

This would be your principal living room.

Although you've got the dining room, as it's set up, next door.

-Whether you mixed and matched, or had two snugs...

-This is nice.

This is really nice. It's a very nice cosy room.

-It's got some potential.

-Yeah? Well, that continues upstairs.

Come and have a look.

'Before we go upstairs,

'there's more reception space that runs the full depth of the property.

'Upstairs, there are four rooms, including a bright double bedroom,

'a snug single, plus the one we've earmarked for Vanessa and Ian.'

-Come on in. This is your master bedroom.

-Mm-hm.

-It's a decent size.

-It is.

-The room is a great size.

That's the point, really, to bear in mind.

But again, you can see why, you know,

-this property does need a bit of up-grading.

-Yeah.

Yeah, it just needs a little bit of TLC.

-Yeah.

-But would you be prepared to do it?

-Not sure.

'Vanessa may not be convinced,

'but perhaps the final room, just off the master, will sway her.'

Now, look at this!

Wow.

-Now, that's completely different.

-Yeah.

I see this as sort of a day room,

you know, somewhere to relax and chill out.

So, the property does need a bit of thinking about,

but the real reason we're here is to try and help you realise

this ambition that you have and that means what's going on out there.

'This move is all about the great outdoors.

'Let's not keep our buyers waiting any longer and get outside

'into the enormous grounds to take it all in.'

Right, there's a lot to see.

'There is so much here to suit Ian and Vanessa's self-sufficiency plans

'as well as extensive formal and secret gardens.'

You could have a lot of fun working out what to do with this lot.

'And with fields, barns, a piggery and a variety of other shelters,

'all the livestock they could wish for would be more than catered for.'

-Then you've got four paddocks.

-Oh, blimey!

Look at this lot.

'This package presents a tangible slice of Ian and Vanessa's smallholding dream

'and it's theirs for the taking - if, of course, they're still up for it.'

So there you go, just under four acres.

In many ways, it sets the scene for the kind of life you were considering,

but it all rather depends on the price, if this is the one for you.

-It definitely does.

-Where are we on this one? Any ideas?

Ian?

I haven't got a clue, but I'm going to say top of our budget, 400,000.

-400,000. Vanessa?

-I haven't got a clue, either!

I'd like it to be... Well, I'd like it to be 350,

but I should imagine that it will be more to the 400.

If it were 400,000, would you go for it?

It's something we'd have to consider, really, but...

-We'd have to talk about it.

-Well, let me make it easier for you.

It is 50 quid short of your 400 grand at 399,950.

But they are very keen to sell it

and I think they recognise the amount of work that needs doing.

There's no question that a sensible offer would get a sensible answer.

Let's go and have another look around together, let the pieces slot into place.

'Just £50 under budget...

'..But this place is all about land and lifestyle

'and could provide our buyers with a smallholding ready to go.'

The outside is great and I think we could do loads and loads,

but I'm not sure that the inside would work for us.

It just doesn't do it for me.

There's room for everything we want - and more.

This place is the one, land-wise, that I dreamt of.

The house is not quite what I'd want, but can we get round that?

-That's it for today. Has it been a good one?

-Yes.

-It's been a very good day.

-It's been a long one, a lot to take in.

Yeah, quite a lot to take in. Shall we warm up over a pint?

-That sounds good.

-Very good idea.

'It's day two of our property search.

'We're helping London couple Ian and Vanessa to fulfil their dream

'of living off the land in the Cornish countryside

'on a budget of £400,000.

'Still to come, light and some enlightenment floods into the mystery house.'

-That is nice!

-Waking up to that every morning...

I wouldn't have the blinds down.

'And I find the source of illumination at Cornwall's most southerly tip.'

-I was hoping this was the top. It's not, is it?

-Not at all.

As we head into our final day of house-hunting in Cornwall with Vanessa and Ian,

I have to confess, I am beginning to have my doubts

as to whether the life of a smallholder is really for them.

Yesterday, we gave them two very different options that got the wheels turning.

With the mystery house, I think we need something that's going to try and consolidate those plans

into something meaningful to try and find them their ideal future home.

Has yesterday changed your view

of what your plan may be for the future?

Yeah. In some ways.

The first house was SO nice and the area's lovely.

We're now thinking, well, could the compromise be the animals,

and we go for a house, either that one or something similar?

It's interesting how properties can influence you.

It may be that the animals have been a bit of a distraction.

-That's true.

-Could be.

Maybe our mystery house will help confirm in your minds

what the overall aim should be.

Mm. Maybe plans had got a little bit bigger than we thought.

-Yeah.

-I don't know. We'll see.

What do you think we've got planned for our mystery property?

I'm expecting the unexpected.

I've got no idea what you're going to do today.

'The third and final house I want Vanessa and Ian to consider

'is back down south again, just outside Mullion.

'The largest village on the Lizard Peninsula, Mullion is down the road

'from the pretty working harbour of Mullion Cove,

'which has been owned and maintained by the National Trust since 1945.

'The area is a popular tourist destination

'and there's plenty to cater for both residents and visitors

'with a range of traditional inns, cafes and art galleries to enjoy.

'Tapping into the tourist trade is the key element of the mystery house

'which lies on the edge of the village in a glorious setting

'surrounded by fields and just a short stroll from the coast.'

So, there...is our mystery house.

Looks good. Looks really good.

In terms of location, that stream bubbling away behind us

-runs all the way down to Mullion Cove.

-Oh, wow!

-Which is probably a five-minute walk.

-It's not far, is it?

It's gorgeous.

Something I read this morning said, "Sometimes, on the way to a dream, you get lost and find a better one.'

Ah ha! The poet comes out, Ian. I love that!

Let's see if we can make this one your own dream.

'Our mystery house offers something a bit different for Ian and Vanessa.

'It's a three-storey property with the potential to boost their income,

'but we'll come to the business side later.

'First, I want to show them the rooms they could call home, starting on the middle floor.'

Let's start with this one.

-Your living room.

-Yeah, nice size, isn't it?

-The proportions are great.

-But I'd like to bring a little bit more character back.

-Yes.

That's fair enough. You could do that with the fireplace.

You can see they've still got the hearth.

I think one of its real sellers is the kitchen.

-Thus far, we haven't really managed to get you a kitchen-diner.

-No.

-No.

-Of the sort that you have been thinking of.

-OK.

I think we've got that here. Sticking my neck out, but you never know.

We shall see!

Is this it? Is this more what you had in mind?

-Yes. Much more like it.

-You've got the burner there.

That's heating the entire house, just from its own ambient heat.

There is no oil central heating, so that's really doing it.

-It's clearly a very well-insulated building.

-Yeah.

-A bit more character there.

-Yes. Much more character.

-So far, so good.

-Very good.

-It's nice, yeah.

Let's go up.

'On this floor, there's the first of three bedrooms

'reserved for the residential part of the house,

'alongside a contemporary family bathroom.

'Upstairs, a smaller second bathroom

'serves two generous sized double bedrooms.

'One is a bright room with large roof lights.

'We're headed for the one suited to the master,

'as it features the most outstanding Cornish countryside panorama.'

So, this...

would be yours.

Oh, wow! LAUGHS

-It couldn't be any lighter.

-No.

-You've got this great big dormer.

-It's huge. The smiles are becoming more genuine.

-They are, very.

This is extremely gorgeous.

It's funny, other places we've been to,

we don't necessarily like sloping roofs,

but it doesn't seem to matter here.

-I like this one.

-You aren't struggling for head height.

-No.

But that is just a little bit nice!

-Waking up to that every morning...

-I wouldn't have the blinds down.

I would wake up with natural light.

'That's the home side of this mystery proposition sorted.

'Now to turn our attention to the business on the ground floor level,

'which is entirely given over to a self-contained apartment.'

So, down here, the conservatory, which we saw from the garden.

You've got one principal bedroom.

-It leads on to a bathroom and kitchen area, too.

-Mm-hm.

The current owners tell me that to get £500 or £600 a month off this,

long term, isn't difficult,

if you wanted a long-term let, just to ease the pressure financially.

Again, it's a head-spinner for me.

Yeah, it's a beautiful place.

I can see us living here. Yeah.

It's, um...getting your head around how it would work.

'The alternative enterprise

'that this mystery house offers Vanessa and Ian is food for thought.

'Although the well-tended garden doesn't have room for husbandry,

'they wouldn't have to give up on their dream altogether.'

There is the possibility of renting that small paddock next door.

-Oh, right.

-And possibly, in the future, buying it.

-But to be perfectly honest, I'd rent it.

-Yeah.

Be a lot cheaper than buying it!

-So, make me an offer.

-It's going to be way over budget.

-Yeah. 450, I think it's going to be.

-450, yeah.

I was going to go a bit lower than that. 415, I'll go.

415, that's quite a bit lower.

Well, it is on the market...

at 400...

-..and £25,000.

-Mm-hm.

But I have had a conversation with the owner

-and 400 would get it.

-Really?

-Yeah.

-Wow.

-How about that?

-That's something to think about.

-Have another look.

Yeah. Go and have a good look at the annexe. Check that out.

-And I will find you somewhere later.

-OK.

-Cheers.

-Off you go. Pleasure.

-CHUCKLES

-Well, how the story is changing on this house hunt!

I do love it when properties start to dictate where the future may lie,

and this story is a case in point.

As for our mystery house - it's got to be a winner.

'Creeping over budget at £425,000, but open to negotiation...'

-Thinking about the holiday let, it would be quite nice to meet new people as well.

-Yes.

We do jobs that meet lots of people.

-It gives you a link with the outside world.

-Yeah.

Out of the three that we've seen, this one is probably my favourite.

Hadn't thought about a holiday let. We have been thrown a curve ball!

The lifestyle this house would offer me? I'd be busy in the garden.

There's a lot of garden to tend.

For family and friends to visit and keep in contact, I think it is a brilliant option.

We've got enough room in the house as well as the annexe.

Living in London, thinking about goats, pigs, chickens,

when you see the reality of it,

it's a lot of work - it really is a lot of work.

I'm not so sure that the actual rural dream

is actually going to be like a rural reality.

Maybe the dream was...

too rural.

The mystery house has done it again.

-Certainly has.

-Oh, certainly.

-The plans, they are a-changing, methinks.

-As Bob Dylan said.

As he said. Right then, I think you've got a lot to consider.

-More than most couples, I would say.

-Mm-hm.

-Yes.

Come on. I'll shout you an ice cream.

'We've shown Vanessa and Ian three possible houses in Cornwall

'for their £400,000 budget, but there are plenty of others on offer

'if you, like them, are seeking to relocate to the county.

'In Leedstown, just five miles from the coast,

'you can find smart three-bedroom semi-detached houses like this one

'for an asking price of £230,000.

'A few miles north in Camborne, this elegant period property

'with a modernised interior and four bedrooms

'will set you back £315,000.

'Whilst further south, a few minutes' drive from Halsetown,

'this characterful five-bedroom converted mill and miller's cottage

'with over an acre of grounds is on the market

'for £575,000.

'Almost surrounded by the sea, Cornwall's Lizard Peninsula

'is the most southerly point on the British mainland

'and boasts over 250 plant and animal species

'of national and international conservation importance.

'During the week, I met National Trust ranger Justin Whitehouse

'to find out what makes this area so special.'

Justin, when you look on a map or a naval chart at the Lizard,

it does feel very peculiar, unique.

Why is it here? What happened?

It is unique. It is geographically, geomorphologically separate from the rest of Cornwall.

It appeared 375 million years ago,

when the world was a very different place,

all the supercontinents - Gondwanaland, Euramerica.

-When all that was joined together?

-Yeah.

Between these two supercontinents there was the Rheic Ocean.

Right at the bottom of that ocean, part of the Earth's mantel,

normally ten kilometres down,

-protruded out of the crust of the Earth.

-So it moved?

-It moved.

Lizard, this little lump of rock,

hit the bottom of what's today Great Britain.

'The close-cropped grassy headlands of the Lizard

'are one of the country's top habitats for rare plants.

'You can find species that aren't found anywhere else in Europe.

'Down below the headland at Kynance Cove,

'visitors are able to see the rocks that erupted from the Earth's core.'

This rock we're standing on, that's surrounding us, is the serpentine,

which is, effectively, remnants of what was the Earth's mantel.

I suppose it's also given this coast its unique character.

It's very beautiful, very dramatic, but it's also extremely treacherous.

I'm looking over your shoulder at the surf

breaking on those jagged rocks.

Yeah. Lizard Point was this amazing obstacle for seafarers to get around.

'The Lizard is dubbed "the graveyard of ships",

'but for over 400 years, the Lizard Lighthouse has been protecting mariners from the hazardous waters.

'My next port of call is a tour of the lighthouse

'with expert Caroline Rogers.'

Show me around.

'The top of the lighthouse stands 70 metres above the waves,

'up a stone spiral flight of steps to the observatory,

'where the reward is THE most breathtaking view across the water.'

At last, Caroline, we've made it to the top and this fabulous view,

not just of the light but also of the Atlantic beyond.

-It's beautiful up here.

-Does it take a lot of looking after?

-It takes three hours to clean the lens.

-I can imagine.

I don't know where you'd start. It's extraordinary.

And it runs 24-7, 365 days a year.

Yeah. The lens is always going round.

I gather there's a smugglers connection, appropriately in Cornwall, to the Lizard Lighthouse.

The lighthouse that was built before this one was by Killigrew.

He was later done for piracy, but we have tunnels under our engine room.

We're not too sure what they are for, but they're linked to him.

It's a lovely romantic idea that smugglers had a part to play in this.

Now we've come this far, Caroline,

is it possible to get outside and really take in those views?

-Yeah, sure. That's fine.

-Brilliant. This is a real treat!

Wow! Haha!

-That is a proper "wow"!

-Yeah.

We get some real treats on Escape To The Country,

but standing on top of this lighthouse on a day like today

has to be one of the best.

-Thank you very, very much.

-You're welcome.

-What a view!

When we ask our buyers to go and think about all we have shown them,

you never know how long they're going to need.

I think Ian and Vanessa could spend the rest of their lives coming to some sort of conclusion,

but we are going to press the issue

and see if they have reached a decision - let's go and find them.

What's happened this week? It's all-change, I suspect.

-Just a tad.

-When we started out,

we were all focused on this idea of the good life -

chickens, vegetables, animals and all of that.

Which may have been something...

Was it the tail that wagged the dog a bit, on what you were aiming for?

Having seen the houses that you showed us,

it has turned us all the other way round, I think.

Let's just remind ourselves. We took you to a smallholding, property number two.

The house didn't do it for me,

but the land was everything and it was the dream.

But I don't know, there was just...

-It just didn't feel like I could live there.

-Hm.

That was difficult.

Property number one, a lovely Edwardian number

with a real touch of the Arts & Crafts about it,

-that you picked up on straight away.

-Absolutely loved it. Still do.

-Still do? So is property number one on your list?

-Oh, yes.

-Is it on yours, Ian?

-Yes.

-OK.

-I can't believe I'm saying that!

-I can't believe he's saying it.

-OK.

So let's think about our final property, our mystery house.

Just up the road from Mullion Cove, a really gorgeous bit of the coast.

It's a stunning house, it really is. It's beautifully kept.

It's an ideal location

and it had the annexe, which is an added extra on that one.

And we could rent the paddock, so we could have had the animals.

But, um...don't know. I'm still in love with number one.

Yeah, I think I'm the same. Number three has everything we asked for.

Number one hasn't, but it is absolutely lovely.

-My sensible part of me thinks we should take number three.

-Yeah.

But my heart says no, number one.

You have made us think a lot and we've learnt a lot.

We haven't bought a house together before and we've learnt bundles.

So what happens next?

We're considering putting an offer in for number one.

Fantastic. Well, I am absolutely delighted, guys.

It's been a real pleasure having you in Cornwall.

Let's have a toast with some lovely Cornish tea.

ALL: Cheers.

Sadly, our time here in Cornwall is nearly at an end.

Ian and Vanessa are heading home, their heads full of ideas and plans

as to what their future now holds.

In making sense of it all, I'm reminded of something that Ian said at the mystery house.

Sometimes, when you follow your dreams, you get lost, only to find a better one.

Where better to let fate take a hand

than here on the glorious and inspiring Cornish coast?

I'll see you next time.

'Ian and Vanessa did make an offer on our first property,

'that beautiful Arts & Crafts house, but unfortunately, they were outbid.

'The good news is that they've had an offer accepted on another house

'just down the road.

'If you would like to escape to the country in England, Scotland,

'Northern Ireland, Wales or further afield to the Continent

'and would like our help, please apply online:'

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