Dorset Escape to the Country

Welcome to today's Escape To The Country.

Now, this gorgeous pool behind me

may look like the quintessential picture of peace and serenity,

but around 200 years ago, it was a hive of industrial activity,

with men furiously digging. But for what? And where?

Well, join me in just a few moments, and I'll tell you.

On today's show, I'll be helping an island-hopping spiritual healer

find peace in the countryside, ably assisted by his daughter.

We hit the spot...

Oh, this is... This is it!

This is...wow.

-It's the perfect size for you, isn't it?

-Yeah.

'..and leave them stunned.'

You're a bit lost for words!

I'm a bit speechless, yeah. I am.

Well, today we're in Dorset,

and this is the aptly named Blue Pool

at Furzebrook just outside Wareham.

Since the days of the Romans, this area has been a rich source

for what is known as Purbeck Ball Clay.

In the early 1600s, it was much in demand for producing clay pipes

following the introduction of tobacco from the Americas.

And as our love affair of tea increased in the 1700s,

the likes of Wedgwood turned it into teapots and teacups

to grace some of the finest homes in the country.

And it's the clay in the water that still exists

that gives it this amazing turquoise colour.

It's a real gem,

that just goes to show that this region is full of hidden surprises.

Dorset, bordered by four counties,

is sandwiched between Hampshire in the east and Somerset in the west,

and its geographical location offers the best of countryside and coast

Its shores encompass the 95-mile long Jurassic Coastline,

and include the remote stretch of Chesil Beach

and the secluded Lulworth Cove.

Looking inland, farming has shaped Dorset's rural landscape,

with lowland areas defined by lush pasture land,

feeding the county's dairy industry.

It's no wonder, then, that Dorset exerts

such a powerful pull on property shoppers

looking to find a permanent home

in this wonderful mix of glorious scenery.

So, time now to meet today's buyers,

and find out why they think Dorset is the county for them.

Since the year 2000, retired IT consultant, John,

has lived in busy Bembridge on the Isle of Wight,

close to his daughter, Sarah,

but he feels the time is right to swap the high street

for a quieter spot in the countryside.

Bembridge is a lovely, lovely place,

but over the years it's got more and more and more busy.

The traffic is getting bigger and bigger,

so, for me, it's not as quiet as I would have liked it.

And John has signed up his daughter

to assist in his search for a new home.

Sarah's been my... I would say, my closest friend.

It's two good mates, isn't it?

-Yeah, we do get on very well.

-We're good mates. Yeah.

And I don't preach any more. I don't tell her what to do.

He's stopped all that!

Having lost his wife just over six years ago,

John has a new lady in his life, but she lives on the mainland,

prompting his desire to leave the island.

Ingrid lives in Weymouth,

and I want to be near her,

because she's very special to me - she filled a gap in my life.

It's been difficult because of the expense of the ferry crossings.

The logistics of it are just quite difficult to manage,

-to get from here to Weymouth.

-Yes.

So it makes sense for Dad to be over there.

When it comes to the new home,

John is very specific about what he's after.

I think the priority is a nice quiet spot.

My ideal property would be a nice low-slung cottage.

I'm not keen on thatch, obviously for the price,

and the insurance problems, and all that sort of thing.

So its energies are quite important, and the feel, you know?

It's not so much the bricks and mortar - that's not important -

I'm not after chocolate box stuff and things like that.

An important element in the new home is the kitchen.

I am passionate about my cooking.

Well, I've been cooking food since I was about three.

We love cooking huge banquets together.

We'll cook about 15 dishes, you know?

And also playing a key role in the property search

is spiritual healing - something close to John's heart.

My biggest passion - it's my life now, vocation,

whatever you want to call it - is healing.

I just try and keep it very simple and very straightforward,

and I work on the basis that there is a cosmic energy

which drives everything.

So, a healing room is very important.

It doesn't have to be a bland empty box or anything,

it just needs a room that feels right.

All that's left to discover are the finances for the move.

My budget for the move - £350,000.

John has asked us to concentrate our search around the south coast,

to be within reasonable distance from his partner Ingrid in Weymouth.

I met up with him and his daughter, Sarah,

to find out more about his property hunt.

This is an interesting tale, really.

You're escaping the Isle of Wight!

I'm actually moving here to break out with the healing side,

and take that a bit more seriously now. And, erm...

I found a partner three years ago

and we've really hit it off together. She lives in Weymouth,

so it was an opportunity to bring the two together.

Sarah, are you the voice of reason - dare I say - in all of this?

He's the one who's going to feel the energy, but, yeah.

I'm giving him the advice.

But in terms of practicalities, bedrooms-wise, what...?

Three bedrooms.

I don't need any more than that.

I know that you've been quite anxious about the idea

-of a thatched property.

-Yeah.

I mean, my reservations

-are obviously how long the thatch has been there.

-Yeah.

Right, then, so you've got £350,000 to spend,

we've got three - I think - really interesting properties to show you.

I think we should make a move.

For a budget of £350,000, John is looking for three bedrooms,

a separate room to use for his spiritual healing,

a good-sized kitchen diner,

a quiet village location,

and all within half an hour from his partner, Ingrid, in Weymouth.

We have three gorgeous properties for John,

and after each tour, we'll see if he can guess the price.

Our final offering is our Mystery House which,

although it might not be on his radar,

could totally change his outlook.

So, we began our search with our first property.

We're heading west to the village of Netherbury,

close to the town of Beaminster,

about 40 minutes from his partner in Weymouth.

Netherbury is a peaceful village aside the river Brit,

in a designated conservation area,

and in a region known for its stone houses and cottages.

Property number one - a detached period stone house -

sits in a quiet hedge-lined lane in the heart of Netherbury village.

-Hey!

-What do you make of that, then?

-Well, that's a wow.

-Yes?

-That is beautiful.

-You got a "wow" out of me!

-How about that?

-Already!

-We haven't been in yet!

-My goodness.

-Pretty, isn't it?

-It is pretty.

-It is really pretty, yeah.

'We're off to a great start, with a "wow" for the exterior

'and so far, it's hitting all the right spots.

'As we head inside, I've got a good feeling about this house.

'Let's hope John does, too.'

Well, John, I thought we'd start in here.

Now, obviously, this is set up as their dining room,

but I thought we'd tackle the business of having somewhere

for you to work with the healing first.

Yeah. This would be perfect. Yeah.

There's a sense of quietness in this room as soon as you walk into it.

Is the road an issue?

-I mean, you can't really hear it, can you?

-No.

-There is some secondary double-glazing there, too.

-Yeah.

-Let's keep going. Follow me across the hallway.

-Okey dokey.

So this is your main living room, John.

Ah, yes.

This is just the right size.

The finishes are really nice -

another lovely working fireplace down there.

-No, the room is neutral.

-Yeah.

You know, so there's nothing here that would disturb me.

-Well, Sarah's smiling, so I think it's all good news.

-I like it.

-Oh, yeah, it is lovely.

-Yeah?

-Yes.

-And then this is the kitchen/diner, John.

-Oh, this is it.

This is... Wow.

-It's a perfect size for you, isn't it?

-Yeah.

Very simple space, this. Nothing's very cluttered.

Lines are very clean, it's all done, as you can see.

It's really nice, actually. Really good for you.

It's been done really well.

-We do need to see upstairs.

-Mm. Yes.

To draw this picture together, don't we?

-We do.

-Indeed.

-OK.

'The house has delivered the perfect kitchen,

'and so far, no negative vibes at all from the downstairs,

'so let's hope that continues.

'Up on the first floor

'there is one good-sized and another slightly smaller double bedroom,

'and a small single.

'Then, up another few steps is the master bedroom.'

Ah, yes. This has got to be the master, hasn't it?

-Yes, indeed!

-Yeah.

-This is good. This is good.

Next door is a really lovely bathroom.

Just been all done.

So, again, nothing really to have to do.

No. You could just move in here.

But what about the practical side, Sarah?

The rooms are manageable.

I don't think they're claustrophobic, not too small,

-because in cottages they can be, can't they?

-Yeah.

I think you'd manage quite well. You wouldn't feel overwhelmed.

-Yeah.

-And this is a lovely room.

-Yeah. Definitely.

-Lovely and bright.

-Well, talking about lovely and bright,

-let's get out there to the garden.

-Yeah, go into the sun.

-See what you make of that.

-Absolutely.

'John seems really taken with the house - top to bottom.

'And as we head for the garden to guess the price, the sun is shining.

'It really can't get any better.'

This is a sun trap, that's for sure.

You've got that sort of patio area down there,

and then it's terraced up to this lawned area.

And then you've got farmland and an orchard beyond.

Yeah, it's fantastic.

Well, let's have a think about the price, then.

I would probably say...

Mmm...

-335.

-£335,000.

Sarah? Voice of reason?

I think it's going to be a bit more.

-I would say 345.

-345.

I would say it's close to the budget.

Actually, you've both straddled it.

-Oh, right.

-This is on the market at £339,500.

I wasn't far off. That's nice.

-That's a nice price.

-I'd say so.

-Yeah.

'This double-fronted period stone cottage

'will give John the peace he's looking for,

'along with four bedrooms,

'a quiet, private space to use as a healing room,

'a good-sized kitchen/breakfast room for when the family come round,

'a generous sitting room, and it's all set in a pretty village

'in the peaceful Dorset countryside.'

-Well, I think that went rather well, John.

-Brilliant. Absolutely superb.

-Yeah?

-Yeah.

-A good start, Sarah?

-Yep, very good start.

It couldn't get better, really, could it?

-It might! it's still shining. Come on!

-It is, isn't it? Wow!

'At the beginning of the 19th century,

'heathland covered most of South East Dorset,

'but today some 86% has been lost.

'It's important to conserve these areas, as it's this environment

'which is home to specialist plants and animals,

'including all six of our native reptiles.

'Today I've come to Arne,

'a heathland nature reserve near Wareham on the south coast,

'to meet Michael Wilson from the RSPB.'

Now, the headline that there are six reptiles in the British Isles

was news to me, I have to confess, and I'm surprised, in a way,

that there are so many.

It's amazing, there's actually three lizards, three snakes.

So we've got slow worms, common lizards, sand lizards,

grass snake, adder, and smooth snake.

And here at Arne is a hotspot for them, really.

Well, what is it about this particular reserve

that makes it work as a home for this rare collection?

Lowland heath is an extremely rare habitat. It's dry here.

We're obviously at the southern edge of the country.

'Up on the heath, the RSPB monitor and record reptiles,

'and we're hoping to see at least one of our six native species.

'Because of their rarity, a special licence is required to survey

'and disturb smooth snakes and sand lizards,

'so if we do find anything, I'll leave the handling to the experts.'

So, yeah, if you come over here, Jules,

I'll show you our reptile surveying area we've got set up.

All I can see is some old tin sheets.

It does look a little bit odd, but there is a serious point to this.

Reptiles are cold-blooded,

and these tins warm up first thing in the morning,

and reptiles find them as a refuge,

so they can actually reach a decent body temperature,

so they can be active.

Fingers crossed, see what we can see.

Just carefully.

-Well, there's no-one in!

-There are several more to look under,

so we'll see what we can find, really.

No.

Nope.

No.

Not a soul.

-No.

-No.

-Is it?

-No.

-No.

I mean, Michael, we have looked under...

-What, 40?

-About 40 tins, yes.

They are out here somewhere. I like to think they're watching us.

-Probably laughing at us.

-Probably laughing at us, yeah.

'Thankfully, however, Michael caught a couple of reptiles

'earlier in the day, so let's see what he's got for us.'

The first thing I'm going to show you

is probably the commonest reptile in Britain,

and this is a slow worm.

Despite appearances, she's actually a lizard.

Just put your hand out like that.

Incredible, it seems quite happy, actually.

Yeah, they'll start being quite active

-because they like the warmth of your hand.

-There you go.

-Shall I put the lid back on there?

-Yes.

-Safely.

-What have we got in here?

-That was a lizard.

This is a snake.

Again, quite common,

you might even find these living in your compost heaps at home.

The biggest snake that you get in Britain,

and it's a grass snake.

It's incredible the way it's lying there, with its mouth wide open.

That is a classic grass snake playing dead.

Yeah, properly playing dead.

I'm not sure she's enjoying this experience, you better put her back.

I think I'll put her back.

Michael, thank you very much.

We had a frustrating search but it's lovely to see the real thing here.

'Of the six species, the adder is the only venomous reptile in the UK,

'so when it comes to our cold-blooded neighbours,

'remember the golden rule.'

-Look, but don't touch.

-Yeah.

'For our second property, we're travelling east

'to the centre of the county to the village of Hilton, near to

'the town of Blandford Forum, around half an hour from Weymouth.

'The pretty village of Hilton, with its 15th century Gothic church,

'is in the heart of the Dorset countryside.

'Bearing in mind John's aversion to thatched roofs,

'we're taking a chance here in order to give him extra space.

'House number two is a Grade II listed semidetached cottage

'that has undergone extensive modernisation.'

-Now, John.

-Yes?

That is property number two.

-That's nice, isn't it?

-Yeah?

What do you think, Sarah?

I love it, I think it's really sweet, really pretty.

One thing I can assure you of is what we find on the inside

is not what you're expecting.

OK.

'A good reaction to the outside, and John hasn't run away

'at the sight of a thatched roof, so here's hoping the configuration

'of this extended cob cottage will give him the space he needs.'

-Feast your eyes, John.

-Good gosh.

Oh, gosh!

-Wow.

-Wow!

-Yeah, definitely a "wow".

I was not expecting that at all.

-I told you.

-Yeah, you were right.

-It's something else.

It's absolutely fantastic, isn't it?

-You're a bit lost for words.

-I'm a bit speechless, yeah! I am.

It's not like me.

Let's see if you can find words in here. This is amazing, look at this.

-Wow!

-What do you say about this?

It's not a "wow", it's more than a "wow", I think. Yeah.

-They've done a fantastic job.

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

Come and soak up the atmosphere, it's quite a lot, to be honest,

to take on, because

it is so different to probably what any of us were expecting.

It's this mix of contemporary and old and thatched,

and it would take me a time, I think, to get adjusted to it.

'Onwards to the rest of the extension

'that offers an option for John's healing area.'

-Now, here on the other side of the pod, you've got a wet room.

-Gosh.

And then this, which is currently

the master bedroom.

-Nice, isn't it?

-Very nice.

If you were prepared to compromise on your bedroom and go upstairs,

this might lend itself to being your treatment room.

That's true. That makes sense. Yeah.

'The upstairs is within the original part of the cottage

'with its more period configuration.'

Now, it's up here, guys, that we really start to go back in time.

-Much more of that cottagey feel.

-Yeah.

Come into this one.

-Oh, it's nice.

-Squeeze in.

-Cosy.

-Now, really here,

we have two bedrooms that are pretty much the same size.

-Right.

-This one and one next door.

-And quite a nice family bathroom up here.

-Mm-hm.

-So, in all, it's a three-bedroomed house.

-Yeah.

-OK.

But this is where the compromise might be,

if you decide to use that amazing master suite as your treatment room.

Yeah.

Yeah. It would be an option, though.

Come on, let's go and get some fresh air.

'As we head outside, I get the feeling John is finding this

'combination of the old and new slightly confusing.

'It remains to be seen if he's willing to concede on bedroom size

'in order to get his healing room.'

You see, this, John, I think this is where

it really starts to make sense.

It seems to blend, it's a nice contrast with the thatch.

You know what's coming now, don't you?

-I do.

-I'm going to say 360.

-360.

I think, potentially, it could be spot on budget, about 350.

-Mm-hm.

-But I'm being optimistic there, I think.

-It's 325.

-Good grief!

-No way, really?

-Yeah.

'This Grade II listed thatch cottage

'comes in under budget

'with a mix of contemporary and traditional features,

'and gives John three bedrooms, with a master en suite,

'a large kitchen/breakfast room, a bright and airy sitting room,

'a manageable garden, and all within an attractive village location.'

-We've had quite an exciting day, I think.

-We have.

Ready for a celebratory drink to finish our first day?

-Phwoar, yeah!

-Absolutely.

-Come on.

-Lead me to it.

For the Mystery House we're staying in the area,

travelling a few miles down the road to the village of Milton Abbas.

Milton Abbas is a picture-perfect 18th-century model village.

Thatched cottages equally spaced apart run either side

of one main street.

A short walk away at the bottom end of the village lies

the Mystery House - a Grade II listed semidetached cottage

that may test John's ability to compromise.

Oh, that is...

Yeah, gobsmacked, as they say in Liverpool.

-Lovely?

-Yeah. Yeah. It's gorgeous.

-Now, you don't get the whole thing.

-Oh, right.

-It is a semi.

It's lovely.

-Does it have the right sort of feeling?

-It does.

'An amazing reaction,

'especially considering John's reluctance for a thatched roof.

'He seems to have come full circle.

'However, the acid test is to come, as we head for the kitchen,

'a room high on his agenda.'

Come in, John.

Now, not a massive kitchen/diner.

-No.

-Not a diner.

You know, we can't have everything, can we? It's about compromise.

-What are you thinking?

-I thought you would say "no" immediately,

so I'm really surprised.

-It has three bedrooms.

-Mm-hm.

-Two of them are on the ground floor.

-Yeah.

I think we should try and have a look at one of those next.

'John's U-turn by compromising on the kitchen dining space

'has taken us by surprise,

'as I thought it would be a substantial sticking point,

'so let's hope the good vibes continue with the

'possible space for the healing room.'

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

-Isn't it? Gosh, yeah.

-And you get a nice view out to the trees.

-Yeah.

-Next door also has a light well like that.

-Yeah.

This is bigger, it's set up as a twin, and next door is the bathroom.

-You just get that lovely feeling, it's very grounded.

-Mmm.

That's probably because of the age of the property.

The living room is a real seller. Come and have a look at this.

Ooh, that sounds intriguing.

Now on the way is the dining room.

-Oh, yeah.

-That's nice.

-Sweet.

So it's not a kitchen/diner, but it is a kitchen with a diner.

-Oh, wow!

-Yeah.

-Oh, gosh.

-You like that?

-Yeah. Definitely.

-Cosy, isn't it?

-Oh, it is.

-That's rather nice, the little window seat there.

-That's lovely.

This one, for me, does send zinging things around, you know.

But the head is still saying, "You don't want a semi,

"and you don't want this and you don't want..."

The heart is saying, "Hang on, let's just..."

Is he given to following his head, or his heart?

-He's a heart man.

-I thought so, yeah.

-Yeah, definitely.

We have got you, I think, quite a nice master bedroom upstairs,

-so you've got your own little domain there.

-That's good.

-Let's have a look at that.

-That's important.

'The Mystery seems to be coming up trumps,

'not just on a practical level but spiritually too.

'So, onwards upstairs to see if the bedrooms

'have the zing factor as well.'

-Sweet.

-Do you like this?

-Yeah.

-Oh, yeah.

-That's really sweet.

-It's nice.

-You're beaming, aren't you?

-I am!

I've never seen you so happy!

And across the landing, effectively an en suite dressing room, really.

-Shower in there and so on.

-Yeah.

I think it's a happy coincidence that, actually,

our final property really seems to fit more.

-It is all kind of here, spatially, for you.

-Yeah.

And it has the character and similar...

Better energy than number one did.

'With the energy flowing, we head outside to the garden,

'as it's time to guess the price.'

-What do you think, John?

-There it is, the pond.

-Your water feature.

-The water, yeah.

-You love water.

That's... Listen...

WATER TRICKLES

Now, the garden itself also continues up beyond

this other terrace here, and way up towards the wood line.

-Oh!

-Oh, wow.

-That's... I think this one's going to blow my budget.

-Yeah.

I think it's going to be about... 365.

365. Sarah?

I'm being more optimistic, and I'm going to say it's on budget at 350.

-At 350.

-Mmm.

It could be yours for offers in excess

of £300,000.

Good grief!

'The charm of this 18th century Grade II listed mystery cottage

'seems to have completely won John over, and is well within budget.

'It gives him three bedrooms, including a decent sized master,

'with the option to convert one into a healing room.

'A characterful living room with inglenook fireplace,

'a peaceful garden, including ornamental pond and secluded patio,

'views over the glorious Dorset countryside, and all

'within reasonable distance to his partner, Ingrid, in Weymouth.'

-I think it's been a really good week, this, John.

-Yeah.

You've got plenty to consider now. We've given you all the options.

-Yeah.

-Let's go and consider.

-You've thrown it at me, haven't you?

-We have! Bit by bit.

-Big time!

So, where are we now, Sarah, with this search?

Have we managed to do it for your dad, do you think?

-I think you have, yeah.

-OK.

I'm not going to say too much, because it's his decision.

I'm getting the right vibe, let's say.

OK, well, it's been all about feelings, hasn't it, this one?!

-Absolutely!

-Erm... OK, John.

-Property number one had the edge, didn't it?

-It did.

It did, because it had a lot of... All of the parameters

that I was looking for.

Dead on there, it was spot on.

It was perfect until today.

The Mystery House seems to have changed everything.

And that sort of challenged, maybe, what I was thinking.

Am I coming here because I want to do my healing?

Well, that's not the ultimate thing.

The purpose is to spend the rest of my life

in peace and tranquillity, and in a place I'd love to live.

So, where are we?

Providing things go ahead back at home,

I'm going to see if I can make an offer on the last one.

-The Mystery House?

-The Mystery House.

So, it's all dependent on you selling your current property

-on the Isle of Wight.

-Which could be soon.

-Brilliant.

-Best of luck.

-Thank you, as well. It's been really great.

That is our pleasure.

Now, Milton Abbey ceased to be a monastic centre

during the Reformation of the 1540s,

but it still has a spiritual air about it.

I think that's a theme that's really run through this entire week.

I've always believed that buying a house

should be an emotional process

but, thanks to John, I'm beginning to think

that it should also have a spiritual dimension as well.

I've learnt a lot from him

and now, with any luck, he'll be living just up the road from here

in possibly just a few months' time.

John has since returned to Milton Abbas for a second viewing

of the Mystery House and is eager to put in an offer.

All that remains is for John to sell his property,

and Dorset may soon welcome a new resident.

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

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