North Yorkshire Escape to the Country

In the 18th century, these abbey ruins were saved

and became the ornamental centrepiece of a massive landscaping exercise.

Find out which county this historic oasis is in

in just a few moments.

It's the call of home that's luring today's buyers

out into the country, and we've got some stunning properties

up for grabs with bags of potential.

-It is a really cute house, isn't it?

-It's got a lot going for it.

But one place in particular could see them really going to town.

You could do a workshop upstairs, if you wanted.

-Or even a master bedroom with an en-suite.

-Steady!

I'm in North Yorkshire at the Studley Royal Water Gardens,

which provides an elegant setting for the ruins of Fountains Abbey.

Back in the 13th century, this was the wealthiest

and largest Cistercian abbey in England.

However, it clearly hit hard times

when Henry VIII dissolved the monasteries in 1539.

230 years later,

wealthy estate owner William Aislabie bought the abbey site

and carved out this fantastic vista

in what was a wild and wooded valley.

It is still a stunning example of English landscaping at its finest.

As the largest rural county in the country, North Yorkshire

covers a massive 3,000 square miles of breathtaking English scenery.

To the southern Dales is the dramatic limestone cliff of Malham Cove

that was cut by a waterfall after the Ice Age,

rising up to 260 feet high.

East Yorkshire's terrain of stunning peaks and lush valleys

provides the perfect stomping ground for sheep to thrive

and also became one of the principal backdrops of the Industrial Revolution,

powered by the county's abundant supply of water.

The market town of Richmond was rebuilt in Georgian splendour

on the prosperity of the woollen trade

and retains Britain's oldest surviving Georgian playhouse.

Away from the picturesque towns and villages,

this is the place of wide-open countryside, where the horizon

stretches out to meet equally vast skies.

Around 40% of the land is covered by national parks

with almost all the moors and dales lying within the county borders.

And it's this wild natural beauty that continues to attract

artists, writers and artisans who find the sweeping fells

and moorland a constant source of inspiration.

The average price of a detached property in North Yorkshire

is just over £260,000.

That is roughly in line with the national figure.

However, be aware that around Harrogate you could pay a 10% premium

for the good schools, transport links

and access to the glorious countryside like the Dales.

Now, in the Dales themselves,

characterful properties and historic market towns like Hawes and Settle,

well, they are holding their value.

Whereas your money will go further if you look around Skipton and Hellifield.

So let's find out what part of this beautiful county

has so captured today's buyers.

Husband and wife, James and Catherine,

tied the knot 24 years ago

and for 15 years they have lived in a three-bedroom terraced cottage

within a busy village on the outskirts of Stockport in Cheshire.

But with retirement on the cards,

they fancy making their holiday way of living an everyday reality.

Over the last few years,

we've started going to more remote holiday places and one of the things

that was really marvellous was the fact it was really dark at night.

So there was a bit of space around and there were no streetlights

and no cars going past and there was something a bit magic about that.

There's a fair amount of traffic from the A6,

which is a major trunk road at the bottom of the hill.

Parking is an issue. We don't have a garage or a run-in.

Therefore, we are looking for something that would meet those needs and at the same time

accommodate Catherine's requirement to move back to Yorkshire.

I was born in Yorkshire. I'm from Leeds originally.

Although, I have not lived there for a long time,

I've still got a real soft spot for the undulating

countryside around Yorkshire.

Having been in lots of different places around the UK, I still come

back to the fact that Yorkshire is the most beautiful county.

It is. And it would be nice to have a small piece of that.

So it's back to roots where they both hope for a fine

and fitting property.

Looking for a traditional Yorkshire style house or building, whatever you want to call it.

I can see how people love big, grand barns, but I don't want posh.

I just want cosy.

With home comforts sorted, Cathy has grand plans for the home turf.

My ideal garden going forward would be somewhere with

space for a greenhouse so that I can start seeds off earlier.

Space for a vegetable patch.

Just a little space for sitting out

but some places to do some decent-sized flowerbeds.

This garden has always been slightly constricted

by James' need for the man shed.

So when we first came here, we built it together,

so it was a nice project to do and I enjoyed building the shed,

but that is really on the space where my greenhouse should be.

They have spent a lot of time renovating

and remodelling their current home.

But now James is retired from a career in retail and food buying,

he's relishing the chance to get stuck into some more DIY projects.

And since Cathy has reduced her work hours,

she is putting crafting high on the agenda.

I've worked full-time all my life.

Suddenly, I've got an opportunity to start to do some of these hobbies again.

I've got Lily, the gorgeous new granddaughter,

who is also an excuse to do crochet blankets

so she can roll around on the floor and toys and things like that.

So it would be nice to have a space where you could work,

come out, close the door and then go back in and pick up the work

when you are ready to do it again.

All that remains is to find out how much money

Cathy and James have earmarked for their future Yorkshire home.

The budget for the move is £400,000.

We'll be searching for Cathy and James'

dream Yorkshire property in and around the picturesque villages

within the Yorkshire Dales, which is exactly where we are all

meeting up to find out more about their move back to the motherland.

James and Cathy, welcome to glorious North Yorkshire.

Tell me, why do you want to move to this part of the world?

We are looking for somewhere away from towns and people,

a little bit more isolated than where we are at the moment.

And we want a little more room, both in the garden and within the house.

Lovely. And Cathy, you are a Yorkshire lass, aren't you?

-Originally, yes.

-Originally from Leeds. So how well do you know this part of Yorkshire?

-This particular area is all new to me.

-Is it?

-Yes.

So what are we looking for with this new property?

We are looking for decent-sized rooms rather than numbers of rooms.

What about bedrooms? Any numbers in mind for them?

Three would be nice, but we could manage with two if they are doubles.

But these houses that have four or five bedrooms to give you the space

downstairs aren't really what we're looking for.

What about a project? Are you prepared to do a little bit of work on this new dream property?

-Yes.

-Happy to do work, yes.

-Do you both do work?

-Yes.

I am the sort of enthusiastic apprentice.

So I am the one who hands across the hammers and holds the ladders

and things that, but I quite like that.

-Good team, then.

-We try to be.

Talking of teamwork, who is going to make the final decision with this next property, do we think?

It won't be me!

-He is quite clear on that, isn't he, Cathy?

-He is.

-But he knows I will make the right decision.

-Look at that.

That has to be the perfect answer. The perfect answer.

Well, we have got three splendid properties lined up to show you,

-so shall we get started?

-Yes.

-That would be great.

For a budget of £400,000,

Cathy and James are after a traditional stone built Yorkshire property

away from neighbours that has two to three double bedrooms,

space for Cathy's craft hobbies, and the potential for a large

kitchen diner, as they are willing to do some renovations.

Outside, the crucial garden should ideally have outbuildings to cater

for James' DIY tools and workshop,

as well as a greenhouse for Cathy.

We'll be cruising to some wonderful country homes

but until our buyers have had a guess first,

I'll be keeping my lips sealed as to the prices.

And finally, we'll be going off the beaten track

for an exceptional getaway in the form of our mystery house.

We are starting our property quest in Wigglesworth,

a small village at the southern edge of the Yorkshire Dales that lies

in the Ribble Valley, a few miles east of the market town of Settle.

Most essential and luxury goods can be picked up in Settle

but residents in the rural community of Wigglesworth

do benefit from a well-regarded gastropub which also offers a post office service twice a week

and lies right opposite house number one.

I've brought you to, I think,

one of the best sounding village names ever, Wigglesworth,

to show you our very first property.

Wow!

-It looks like it's well worth a look.

-Good.

What do you think, James? First impressions?

First impressions are that it's a quite nice, substantial house.

It's 18th century, Grade II listed, but gentrified in the 19th century.

It was a farmhouse. It's not all yours. It is semi-detached.

-Let's go through and see what you think of the house itself to start off with.

-Thank you.

As requested, this historic farmhouse is built of local stone

and the layout could also have the potential

James and Cathy were after too.

There are two large reception rooms at the front of the property,

one a more formal sitting room

and the other designated as the dining room,

which is where we are starting our tour.

So here is your first property.

-Wow.

-Mmm.

-It's a nice big room, isn't it?

-So, this was the old farmhouse.

-Right.

So, this is the oldest bit.

I think if this were our home, this would probably be the snug.

You know, you'd have big sofas and things in here

-and not use it as a dining area.

-You will see there's a staircase there.

This house has two staircases.

The reason being, the previous owners were going to divide it up into two cottages.

The current owners saw it, fell in love,

thought, "Couldn't possibly do that" and wanted it as one home.

But there are two staircases.

So I'm telling you that now because you could remove it

-and make this one big room. Just a thought.

-Interesting.

-So a good start?

-Yes. It's cute.

-Do you like it?

-It's cute.

-So far.

I'll take you through now to the kitchen.

-At the moment it has a country style to it.

-It certainly does.

-It is as small as I could go for a kitchen, I think.

-Is it?

-Yes.

To me, the pine isn't as attractive.

I think that's been overdone in the past.

-For someone who likes a project...

-It's a challenge.

-Just look at that old door.

-It's beautiful.

-The original back door.

We'll find out what's beyond the back door later on

and continue exploring inside.

Right opposite the kitchen/ breakfast room is a spacious utility

and the original staircase that takes us upstairs.

To the front, the smallest bedroom is being used as a study

and at the back not one,

but two family bathrooms serve a further four bedrooms.

One has a single bed, but could make a cosy double.

The other three are all good-sized double rooms,

including the one we've picked out for Cathy and James.

I am going to call this the master bedroom.

-Big, small, how do you feel?

-It's all right.

-It's a nice size.

-It's a good shape.

-How do you feel about the house in general?

Is it grabbing you? I'm not sure.

It's got some really cute little things about it.

-It is a really cute house, isn't it?

-It's got a lot going for it.

Both our buyers should be thrilled to find out that this cottage

has even more going for it outside, as that substantial door

we saw earlier opens onto an extensive south-facing garden.

Backing on to open farmland with views over the countryside,

the grounds are made up of level lawns with formal borders

and shrubs completed by a large pond.

What's more, there is a range of outbuildings

already being used as workshops.

-Are you surprised about all this behind the property?

-Yes.

-It is very positive. I love the garden.

-Do you?

-Yes.

There is so much potential. It's beautiful.

Who wants to go first with guessing the price of this property?

-I think I will.

-Go on, James.

-I'm not quite sure,

-but I would have thought somewhere around 385, given our budget.

-OK.

I think it's probably going to be more like 395.

OK. The asking price is...

..under that.

-£375,000.

-Interesting.

That makes it very interesting.

Has that slightly changed your view on the property?

It does because there are one or two things that need doing

and I would think that would be quite a sweetener, to be honest.

Have a wander around the house again. Do take a good look with that price in mind.

-And let me know when you're ready to go.

-OK, we will do that.

-Enjoy.

Thank you very much.

A pleasant surprise to kick off.

On the market under budget for £375,000.

The first property presents a generous semidetached stone cottage

with two reception rooms, a kitchen/breakfast room

and four double bedrooms.

But let's not forget the large garden that has

plenty of scope for Cathy

and outbuildings aplenty for James.

The kitchen needs some work to really be what we would want

but it had lots of potential. The bedrooms were all good sizes.

Four double bedrooms and two bathrooms.

It really made it an attractive proposition.

The aspect out into the garden is fantastic.

I was really impressed with the space inside the house

because it had more bedrooms than I expected it to have.

It had two really roomy sitting rooms.

You can't help but love things like those stone lintels and the

stone fireplaces and the beautiful door that leads out into the garden.

The garden is to die for.

Even before you notice the outbuildings

and the little stable and all the little nooks and crannies,

you just think it is so peaceful and so beautiful.

Right, you two. How are you both feeling?

-I'm feeling very optimistic.

-That's good.

-It's really interesting.

But if you are saving the best until last,

you've really set a standard to beat.

You'll have to wait and see on that one. Right, let's go.

During the industrial heyday of the late 18th and 19th centuries,

the provincial landscape of North Yorkshire

was transformed into a manufacturing hotbed

with a multitude of mills towering above the skyline.

And today, a surviving mill in a small hamlet called Gayle

has been restored to its former Victorian glory

when it was used to process timber.

Where better to send our woodwork enthusiast, James,

along with his wife, Cathy?

They are meeting volunteer Tony Ralph to find out

all about the mill's changing fortunes.

Welcome to Gayle Mill.

Built in 1786 or thereabouts.

It was built as a water powered cotton mill

and it ran like that for about 100 years.

Then it was changed to a sawmill

and the water powers all the machinery in the mill.

-You will be dead keen to find out about that, won't you?

-I will.

-He's a bit of woodworker.

-Really?

-Only an amateur.

Well, get your house bought up here and then you can be a volunteer.

Right! We'll try hard.

After two centuries, Gayle Mill closed for business in 1988.

But campaigners secured enough funds to restore the Grade II listed

building that had stood derelict for 16 years.

Restoration took four long years and the site now runs as a charitable

trust where volunteers have a key role in day-to-day operations.

This is the workshop floor of the mill,

where you see all the Victorian machinery around us,

which was all put in in 1879

and the Williamson Brothers turbine was put in downstairs.

It is reputed to be the only in situ working turbine

-definitely in this country and possibly the world.

-Wow.

I'd really like to get some hands-on experience of your machines, if that would be possible, please.

-Follow me.

-Thank you.

The mill has been transformed into a working museum

and heritage centre for woodworking

and crafts which provide an income to help run the site.

-Right, so you want to make something?

-Yes, please.

Tony's supervising James and Cathy as they attempt to make a boot-jack,

a hands-free way to remove your muddy boots.

First, the shape is drawn out on a thin piece of timber

and then it is cut out.

Can you turn the turbine on, please?

Water from Gayle Beck powers the turbine which drives the bandsaw.

And finally, the rough edges are planed with a hand tool.

I think we are about there. Yes, that's looking good.

The acid test is...

-Hooray!

-There is your muddy boot.

-Thank you very much.

-Thank you.

-It's been a pleasure working with you.

-It's been a pleasure having you. It has really.

With a handmade memento from their time in the Dales, we need to

find our buyers a rural home to use it, so it's back to the house hunt.

We are travelling further north into the Dales for our next property.

We're headed for the small hamlet of Cowgill, which was

once in North Yorkshire until the boundary was moved a few years ago.

So now it makes up part of the Cumbrian landscape.

Just three miles away, the quiet village of Dent is the nearest place

to pick up basic amenities with a general store and a post office.

And back in Cowgill, our next house lies within a small

cluster of properties situated in the midst of lush countryside.

So this is our second property we want to show you.

It is really idyllic, isn't it? A lovely view at the back with the viaduct.

That is the Arten Gill Viaduct from Settle to Carlisle.

What you think of the actual property itself?

It looks as if it has recently been done up a bit.

Very good observation. In 1987, it was made into a house.

The upstairs was put on.

The current owners have done so much work to it inside.

-Transformed it and this garden as well.

-It looks beautiful.

-It looks absolutely beautiful.

-Are you itching to get in?

-Desperate to get in.

-Come on.

Again, made of natural local stone,

this detached home was believed to have been built in the mid-1800s but

has been sympathetically renovated and retains a real rustic charm.

Welcome to your, well, I am going to call it a cottage,

-because it is a big cottage but it has a cottagey feel to me.

-It does.

-It does, very much so.

-I think it feels friendly.

-Does it?

Yes, and cosy, I think.

Well, I am going to go past the front door and take you

and show you the reception room through here.

I like to think of this room as a little bit of a snug.

-Yes, it's quite cosy, isn't it?

-Yes.

Windows on all sides, so good natural light during the day.

If you just have a look around the corner. Have a peek.

I didn't expect that to be there. That's nice.

It is a good use of the space, isn't it, as an office?

So, size-wise?

It feels, I'm not saying very small, but it feels a little bit small.

By the time I've put books and music

and everything else into here, I think it might feel a bit small.

I get the sense the ground floor dimensions aren't quite working,

but there is a little bit more down here in the shape

of a utility room and a downstairs toilet.

Upstairs, an elegant bathroom sits alongside three

bedrooms in total, all of which are well presented double rooms.

-So, your master bedroom.

-This feels quite big for a bedroom.

It feels more in keeping than downstairs.

So, so far so good up here?

-So far so good.

-Slightly redeemed ourselves?

-Yes.

-Let's head back downstairs.

Thankfully, both Cathy and James are warming to the property

and I've got high hopes with another south-facing garden.

The majority of the third-of-an-acre plot sits to the front

of the property, with large lawns and deep floral borders

and this time we've got a workshop as well as a greenhouse.

-Surrounded by stunning countryside here, aren't you?

-Certainly are.

-Beautiful.

-It's really lovely.

Let's talk price, shall we? To see if that makes any changes.

-Who wants to guess the price first?

-You guess first.

I would think we are in a national park, so my guess would be it would

be slightly more expensive than the first house and I would guess at 395.

OK.

I suppose I would go slightly less than that and say 385.

The asking price is £425,000.

I'm not surprised because it is a beautiful house.

We've spoken to the owners. They are aware of your budget.

They would be happy to have a conversation with you.

-That is always worthwhile, isn't it?

-Yes.

-Why don't you have another look on your own and come and see me when you're done.

-OK.

Edging over budget with an asking price of £425,000,

the second in our selection

is a detached stone built 19th century cottage

that comes with a bespoke farmhouse kitchen diner, three bedrooms

and a landscaped garden featuring a huge workshop

as well as a large greenhouse.

-How big is this?

-It's substantial, isn't it?

-I think you are quite taken with this.

-No, it is quite well-planned!

The man-space was very attractive from the outside and even more so inside.

It was very roomy, well lit with electricity

and plenty of space to do a number of things.

It's an idyllic spot, but for me

the layout wasn't quite as attractive as the first house we saw.

I would say it is a beautiful house that has been lovingly restored

and it couldn't be in a more gorgeous setting.

But whether it is the right house for James and I, I'm not sure.

This really is the most glorious spot.

I don't think I'd ever get bored with that view. Beautiful.

-Talking of beautiful, are we done?

-We are, thank you.

-We are.

-Seen enough?

-Yes.

-So that's it for today.

-We've shown you two houses and we're now going to hit the road.

-OK. Thank you very much.

The second day of our house quest is upon us

and on a budget of £400,000, James and Cathy want to escape

suburban Cheshire and flee to the North Yorkshire Dales.

Still to come, a bumpy venture with the mystery house.

-How are you feeling?

-Shaken.

And I meet a Yorkshire-based wool aficionado

who refuses to follow the flock.

You can't beat driving around the countryside in the Dales

on a hot and sunny day, and yesterday was no exception.

So with our mystery house today, it has land, it has space,

it has character, it has charm.

It also has a view to die for.

The question is, will it be a step, or should that be a drive, too far?

Let's find out.

For the mystery house, we're travelling to the eastern

side of the National Park,

destined for the rural outskirts of Thoralby, which is a sleepy place

where characterful stone properties frame the village green.

But despite its small size, key businesses include a shop,

post office and public house.

Beautiful, isn't it? What do you think of that setting?

-Is this what you had in mind when you thought you wanted to move to the Dales?

-Definitely.

-It's beautiful.

-James?

-Yes, it's postcard pretty, isn't it?

That is good because the mystery house isn't that far from here.

This would be the local village.

But in order to get there, we have to go in one of these.

-So if you'd like to jump in.

-Right.

One of the main motivations for James and Cathy's move

is to get away from neighbours, so for our last property stop,

we are testing just how isolated they are prepared to go.

Let the mystery house journey begin.

To get to the mystery property, we are only travelling just over a mile

away from the centre of the village.

But it's a road trip only accessible in a four-by-four

along a single track that takes about 15 minutes

as we have to drive very slowly.

Remind me never to use the word "semi-rural" again!

On foot, it is a very healthy 20-minute walk and what blissful

surroundings in which to get out and stretch your legs.

-How are you feeling?

-Shaken.

-But not stirred, James?!

-Not stirred yet, no.

-Guess what?

-What?

-We are nearly there.

-I don't believe it.

We are arriving at the mystery property from the back

but to fully appreciate the house in all its glory, we are heading

straight around to the front.

So, our third and final property,

the mystery house.

It looks lovely, looks like somebody has spent some time and thought.

It looks absolutely new in terms of the windows and things like that.

It was built in 1614. It would have been a farmhouse originally.

It's got a slate roof.

But the current owners have been here for ten years

and have beautifully restored the property.

-Shall we step inside?

-Love to.

With an incredible 360-degree uninterrupted aspect,

this 17th-century detached stone built property

completely encapsulates a truly rural retreat.

Assuming Cathy and James' nerves are settled from the drive,

I am very optimistic that the accommodation should fit the bill.

-Straight into the kitchen.

-Right. It is nice and airy, isn't it?

It's a nice layout, the way they have it set out.

-There is plenty of room to cook.

-And eat.

There is room around the table for six if you had them.

-If they ever found the place!

-If they do the trek!

Are you surprised at this kitchen as you walk through the door?

I was thinking it would be more olde worlde

and hops on the beams and things like that.

-But it's nice and modern and clean.

-And roomy.

-And roomy.

-Yes.

Have you seen enough of the kitchen?

Yes. I'd like to see some more of the house, please.

OK, we're going to go next door into the sitting room.

Not quite as large as the kitchen.

It feels nice and cosy

so although it is not as big as perhaps we might have hoped,

it feels a nice room.

I am going to tell you this straightaway,

the way the house is, this is the only sitting room.

Something to think about, then.

You do have a very large pantry but it's like a walk-in pantry

and they use it as storage. It's huge.

Very cool at the moment with all the stone.

You also have a utility room as well

-but you don't have another reception room on this floor.

-OK.

-Shall we go upstairs and show you the bedrooms?

-Love to.

Despite the somewhat compact size of the living room, our buyers will be

relieved to know that this property has grander proportions upstairs.

There is a large four-piece family bathroom that serves

the three spacious double bedrooms our buyers asked for

and we are heading to the biggest one.

At the moment, the current owners use this as the master.

-The family bathroom is just next door.

-It's a nice room, isn't it?

It feels really clean and clear.

Do you like the property so far?

Let's forget about planes, trains and automobiles to get up that track. The actual house itself.

-Yes.

-Yes.

-Love the location. The views are stunning, as you said.

The interior is really nicely done. The rooms are a nice size.

Let's go back outside.

James, you are going to lead the way

-because I've still got some more to point out and show you.

-Oh, good.

I've got a sneaking suspicion

that James is quite moved by our mystery house so far.

When it comes to outbuildings, well, with three to choose from,

there is plenty more for him to get his teeth into.

So let's talk garden and land.

If you look over there, there's a field. That's about 1.2 acres.

Then you've also got just under an acre behind us there.

So two acres in total.

The other thing I wanted to mention was these buildings to the side of us.

That is all with the property.

They are actually very large

-so if you wanted a huge man den or workshop...

-There is one there.

-You could convert those.

-Very good.

-What about the property itself?

-What do you think?

-It's lovely. It's lovely.

The only little fly in the ointment

is the fact the sitting room is a bit snug.

-A bit too snug.

-Mmm.

If you look to the side, there is an attached part of the house.

An attached barn.

So you could easily extend through from that snug,

have a second sitting room and if you were really keen,

you could extend the top and have another bedroom with an en-suite.

In fact, probably two.

So, what price do you want to put on our mystery house?

Cathy, I think you should go first.

-I will say 400,000.

-OK.

I think it will be even more, I'm afraid. I think it will be 425.

We are in the National Park,

which, as we know, does reflect the price of properties.

The current asking price for the mystery house is £390,000.

There you go.

So just under your budget.

Now, the owners are realistic.

They've got to sell the property.

So they are happy to have a conversation with you.

I think we would like to have that conversation with them.

-Fantastic.

-Way to go!

That is a very good reaction, so why don't you take another look?

Start with the attached barn because there is so much potential with that building.

And then have another look around that beautiful farmhouse. Go on.

-We will do that.

-Off you go.

Under budget at £390,000,

the mystery house is a 17th-century stone built converted

farmhouse that offers a beautiful kitchen diner,

three double bedrooms,

three huge stone barns

and just over two acres of land.

All wrapped up by awe-inspiring Dales countryside at its loveliest.

-It is a size, isn't it?

-It's huge.

Very big. Lots of potential, though.

It would be nice, I don't know much about construction,

but to make it a living area downstairs

and then you could do a workshop upstairs, if you wanted.

-Or even a master bedroom with an en-suite.

-Steady!

I thought the house looked really great.

It's got fantastic views over the valley

and it's in very good condition.

Somebody has obviously spent a lot of time thinking through

what they were going to do with a very old building.

I think overall, the property is the most comprehensive of the three

we have seen in terms of our needs.

When you first approach the house,

you are actually coming to the back of the house

but as you walk around to the front, that is even more stunning

and the views take your breath away.

The rooms are all well renovated

but they look plain and sensible

and it looks like you could move in and just

put your furniture in it and it would be perfect.

Idyllic and, at the same time, challenging.

Have you seen enough of our mystery house?

Yes, for a first visit, thank you.

You have got a lot of thinking to do so why don't you go off

and I'll catch up with you in a little while.

Look forward to seeing you soon.

If there's one thing synonymous with the glorious Yorkshire Dales

scenery, then it has to be sheep.

And the area has a long and rich heritage of wool production.

But today, the majority of wool manufacturing is outsourced

overseas, having a detrimental effect on the long-standing

traditional British crafts such as spinning and weaving.

But on a farm near Richmond,

pioneering ethical entrepreneur Isabel Davies has successfully

combined her passion for animal welfare with her sense of style.

She's created a fashion label

using wool from her own rescued flock of sheep.

And every single part of the process

relies on centuries-old British skills.

So Isabel, when did you decide you wanted to become a knitwear designer?

I have an organic home delivery company and it was whilst

meeting farmers who were supplying the organic company

I discovered that wool in this country is being burned

and buried because the price they were being paid for it didn't

even cover the shearing costs.

So I decided I wanted to do something using British wool.

But I immediately ran into the problem of, I'm vegetarian,

I can't use wool from animals that are going to be slaughtered.

So I set about rescuing my own flock.

So in actual fact,

you have this dream of every process being done in the UK.

-But it's quite difficult to achieve that.

-It's really hard to achieve it.

It doesn't help that a lot of our wool is exported directly over to Asia,

bypassing all our textile industry.

So all the wool just gets processed over there.

I had no idea that perhaps the jumper I could be wearing

could have more air miles than me attached to it.

-Are these some of your herd?

-Yes.

We are shearing over here if you want to come and have a look.

I would absolutely love to.

-Are these the Shetlands?

-These are the Shetlands, yes.

Isabel started off with just six sheep,

but now there are 600 in her flock, including rare breeds and Shetlands

that create a very fine and soft wool.

They are sheared once a year in the early summer months.

-I can't believe how quick this gentleman is.

-They are incredible.

-How long does it take?

-About one and a half minutes.

-Is that all?

-Yes.

I should think in this hot weather they are relieved

-when all that fleece is off them.

-Absolutely.

We've got a fleece actually... I mean, this looks beautiful.

-And it feels so soft.

-It is really beautiful.

This fleece here probably will weigh about one and a half kilos.

So by the time we've washed it, scoured it,

all the grease will come out and it will weigh about 750 grams.

And to me, what would that produce?

That would produce a large chunky jumper

or a couple of skirts or a suit.

Once the sheep are sheared,

a number of processes take place, all within a 120-mile radius.

The wool is washed, spun, dyed and weaved, before getting

transformed into one of Isabel's own designs created in her home studio.

I can see you've got some examples in front of us.

-Is this all your own wool that you use?

-Yes. This is all our own wool.

This is from the Wensleydale sheep. It's very lustrous and silky.

You can actually wear it against the skin

because it doesn't have the prickly, coarse hairs in,

which are called kemp.

This is hand-knitted here in the Dales.

And then once you've finished with it,

when it goes back into the ground it totally biodegrades,

which is unique to wool. It's an incredible fibre.

It keeps you warm in the winter and cool in the summer.

How important do you think it is for us to know where our clothes come from?

We feel like that about food. Do you think it has transferred to clothes as well?

I think it is slowly transferring to clothes.

As indeed all products and all industries,

we have to be sustainable.

Championing the reinvigoration of largely undervalued homespun technologies,

Isabel's business model is setting a unique trend,

looking backwards for the future of fashion.

And her customers have the added value

that their wares are the product of a rather contented flock.

So James and Cathy have now seen our three properties.

The first one in the middle of the village,

I think, really took their fancy.

But then suddenly, at the mystery house, in the final hour,

James said he would consider discussing and negotiating on the price.

Such a curveball. I didn't see that coming.

So I've given them a bit of time to think, contemplate and discuss.

Let's see what their final thoughts are.

We have shown you three very different properties, actually,

but all characteristic of this area.

Any favourites?

It's testing because each one of them is beautiful in their own way.

So each one of them delivers some of the things we were looking for

but none of them delivers all of them.

The last house, as a property, was the most satisfying for us.

However, the journey to it from the public roads, it does need

some thought as to whether we could put up with that on a daily basis.

The first house, I think, is the other one we would want to give series consideration to.

Whilst it was the most disappointing as we arrived at it,

-it got better the further we got into the house and into that beautiful garden.

-Oh, the garden.

Where do you go next from here?

Is it worth a second visit for either of those properties?

I think we need to get home,

study the details and then return to the Dales

to have a look at at least two of the houses we have seen

and hopefully we will look to make somebody an offer.

-Did I hear right?

-You did.

We would like to move sooner rather than later

and if we can reach a deal, because I always like to bargain a little,

then hopefully we can make somebody an offer they will find too good to say no to.

You've got to tell me. Which one is closest?

Wigglesworth or the mystery house?

I think subject to talking to Catherine, Wigglesworth would

be the one I think we are more likely to proceed with.

Please enjoy that second viewing of both those properties.

And if you've got any good news, you will share it with us, won't you?

-Certainly.

-It has been an absolute pleasure.

Thank you both and I'm glad we've helped you on the road to moving to North Yorkshire.

-Thank you.

-Thank you.

I am delighted James and Cathy have decided that two of our properties

merit a second viewing, especially that wonderful mystery house.

But it is important when considering living in such a rural location

the practicalities of life in the country.

But it hasn't seemed to put our couple off and the good news is,

Cathy seems as keen as ever to return to her Yorkshire roots

and James has decided that the Dales is the place where he wants to live.

We wish them all the very best. Until next time, goodbye.

James and Cathy revisited the mystery house

as well as the first house,

but sadly, they decided against them both.

However, the good news is that they have fallen for another property

in Wigglesworth, which they are currently pursuing.

If you'd like to escape to the country in England, Wales,

Northern Ireland, Scotland or even further afield to the continent

and need our help, please apply online at...