Cornwall Escape to the Country

For centuries, ships set sail from this historic port

loaded up with a mineral that has put this county

on the international map.

Find out what it is and where I am in just a few moments.

On today's show we're helping a couple who have given up work

to enjoy some quality time together.

We'll be putting our feet up at one of our properties.

Reading the Sunday papers, having a coffee.

And love is in the air at another.

She might even kiss you at that one.

Today I'm in Fowey in Cornwell.

During the early 1900s, this county produced and exported

more than half of the world's supply of china clay

and it remains a multi-million pound industry today.

In fact, you can still see the huge cargo ships

travelling through this harbour on their way out sea.

Later on, I'll be popping into Fowey

to find how they celebrate their maritime heritage,

but first let's see what else makes this county

such a special place to be.

England's most westerly county Cornwall is bordered

by only one other, Devon to the east.

The rest of its boundary is coastal,

offering over 400 miles of dramatic shoreline,

with the Atlantic to the north and the English Channel to the south.

Exposed to prevailing winds,

it's no surprise that parts of Cornwall are a surfer's paradise,

with sandy beaches such as Fistral now world-famous for its waves.

But for those after a slower pace of life,

the coastal county is also home to pretty villages

and attractive harbour towns, including Fowey.

Inland, Cornwall's still bears the marks of the heavy industry

that once thrived here in the 19th century

when tin and copper mining was at its peak.

And at the heart of the county lies the wild expanse of Bodmin Moor.

Archaeologists have found evidence of human activity here

stretching back some 4,000 years.

It's this variety of landscape

that makes Cornwall such a popular destination

for those wanting the quieter life.

The average price for a detached house here in Cornwall

is around £262,000.

That's around £5,000 above the national figure.

According to local estate agents,

they expect the market to remain fairly buoyant

over the next few years due in no small part

to the strong tourist industry,

which then in turn fuels demand for second properties -

especially around coastal areas like this.

Now, heading over to firm favourites like Fowey and St Mawes,

well, a sea view can actually

double the asking price of a property.

But whereabouts in Cornwall do today's buyers want to look?

Let's meet them and find out.

For the past five years,

Christopher and Margaret have lived in this three-bedroom house

in the city of Worcester,

but now they're seeking a complete change from the hustle and bustle

of the West Midlands.

Living in Worcester, it's very nice.

It's a nice city but we are in the middle of a housing estate.

Even though we've got a lovely, quirky house in that housing estate,

but you can hear quite a lot of traffic noise

when you're sat outside.

I think we'd like a more village lifestyle, possibly,

so we could get involved with the local community.

They've been married for 18 years and they first met

through a dating agency,

but it wasn't the first time Margaret has clocked Chris.

She said, "I know you!"

I said, "Do you? I don't know you."

And it turned out we'd lived six doors away from each other.

Started chatting, dating and I moved in two months later.

Chris is taking early retirement as an electrical engineer.

He's looking forward to spending more time in the garden

and on his other hobbies.

I've always liked messing about in boats and on water.

You know, I find it very calming.

At the moment, living in Worcester,

we're quite a long way away from the sea,

and I hope that when we get to Cornwall

we'll be doing a lot more sailing.

Margaret has also given up work as a nurse

after receiving some bad news a few years ago.

One day I was just walking back to the car

and started staggering around the car park,

like I'd had sort of 20 pints or something!

Then upon investigations at hospital and everything

they found out that I had a brain tumour.

Although she's been given the all-clear,

Margaret's recent set back has been the catalyst in this move.

This is why it's come to this point now.

With me having my illnesses,

it's as if it's a kick-start,

saying "Come on, you've got the opportunity now to do it."

And with their grown-up children from previous marriages

having all flown the nest,

it's now a chance to spend some quality time together.

As Margaret regained some strength,

we hope that we can do a lot more walking across the coast of Cornwall,

across the beaches, take the dogs.

They love running across the beaches and going in the water.

I want to have more time with my wife.

I want to have more time to do the things that are pleasurable.

All that's left is to find out how much is financing

this new life in the Cornish countryside.

The budget for the move to Cornwall is £500,000.

Chris and Margaret would prefer to be close to the sea

in a village location so we're concentrating our property search

with that in mind.

I'm meeting them at a seaside spot close to Falmouth,

an area they know well.

What is it about Cornwall that draws you both here, then?

It's the variety.

It's not just the seaside and the countryside,

it's also the moors to walk on.

There's such a variety of little villages, little towns to visit.

Little ports and...yes, little fishing villages.

Quite right. There's so much more to this county, isn't there?

Are you looking forward to getting stuck into that?

Yeah, absolutely, cos every time...

I mean, we come to Cornwall a few times a year

and we always find something new and somewhere new to visit.

Let's look at the house itself.

-You're bringing a couple of dogs with you.

-Yeah.

Margaret, how big does this house need to be?

-We only really need three bedrooms.

-OK.

You know, we haven't got family living with us as such,

although it would be nice to have some separate accommodation

that we could either rent out as a holiday accommodation annexe,

or even to our family to stay.

OK.

This separate accommodation, is this on your wish list, this?

-Yes.

-Right.

To be able to afford the lifestyle we want down here,

we need some sort of an income to supplement what we're going to be

getting from our pensions.

Right.

So it's a three-bedroom house with some gardens.

-With some character.

-What do you count as character?

We would like something that is perhaps done in Cornish stone.

Right.

-Or slate...

-Right.

..of some description.

-Something like that to give it a bit of Cornish character.

-OK.

I mean, there's a lot of real estate.

You look around, actually, there's not a whole lot

of old Cornish-stone properties around,

certainly not for sale of a certain size.

How open-minded are you to this sort of character?

Again, I think, you know, we really don't want a new build,

but again, I suppose we're open to anything. You never know, do you?

Let's see how we get on with the first house.

I've got a fair idea of what are essential parts of the house,

size and location.

And from then on, we'll go from there.

-All right?

-OK, great.

-Great, thank you.

-Just this way.

-OK.

For a budget of £500,000,

Chris and Margaret would like an older property with character.

In addition to the three bedrooms,

Margaret would like a traditional farmhouse kitchen.

Ideally, the property would come with

separate accommodation for holiday guests.

They want a moderately-sized garden for the dogs

and they'd like their house to be in a village location

and most importantly close to the sea for Chris's sailing.

We've got three wonderful Cornish homes lined up to captivate

Chris and Margaret, and at each one,

they'll have to guess the price at the end of the tour.

Our last property is the mystery house

which may require our buyers to look beyond what's already there.

So, you're both sailors, I take it?

Not necessarily myself by choice.

Oh! Ho-ho!

It's a case of either getting involved or stay at home, isn't it?

So I do quite enjoy it, actually. I love being on the boat.

OK, so, does that make you the skipper then, Chris?

Yes.

When we first talked about having a boat,

my wife wanted a caravan, so I got her one that floated.

Oh, OK, that's not a bad compromise.

Sounds like you're good at making those then, are you?

I try and make compromises in life, yes.

Yeah, all right. I wasn't thinking about you, Chris.

I know, I was going to say, I think I make more than...than you!

For our first property, we're heading a little inland

from Falmouth to the village of Malpas.

The closest amenities can be found two miles away in Truro,

which despite its city status has the feel of a small town,

with a range of shops lining its Georgian cobbled streets.

Dominating the skyline is

the impressive Victorian Gothic cathedral.

10 minutes drive away is house number one,

nestled on the high banks overlooking the Truro River,

and it's a bit of a climb to get there.

Well, the climb is certainly worth it

when you come up to this front garden.

-Yeah.

-Come on in.

Goodness.

So, house number one is this.

-Wow.

-OK.

-Looks lovely.

-Spectacular view.

-Yeah, absolutely.

-Isn't it just?

Boats. Gosh, seeing that every morning.

So, location-wise, close enough to water for you?

-Plenty close, yeah.

-Couldn't get much closer, could you? Yeah, it's lovely.

The house. Now, you can't see from here, but it's semidetached.

-All right.

-What's your thoughts on that?

-It wouldn't be first choice.

-No.

-No.

OK. I don't think it's many people's first choice,

but it's the compromise of getting this, isn't it?

-It's the view, yeah.

-Yes.

-It's great.

-Let's look inside.

-BOTH: OK.

It's not the traditional Cornish stone they're after,

but this 1960s semidetached property

has made a good first impression,

thanks largely to its fantastic river views,

and that's why we've brought them here first.

So...

the kitchen.

Who does all the cooking?

-Me.

-Right.

-So you're the boss.

-Gosh, yeah.

Imagine cooking there, looking out.

I won't be doing any cooking, will I?

That's it, takeaways from now on.

Well, whoever gets landed with the washing-up

has the best view in the house, don't they?

-Is this big enough?

-Yeah, yeah.

-OK.

I mean, it is literally only the two of us and two dogs.

We have visitors, family to stay but, yeah, it's certainly big enough.

Now, you said you wanted a house with character.

It's 1960s which a lot of people say well, you know, it's modern.

-It's now over 50 years old.

-Gosh.

This is period property we're looking at now.

Does this have enough character for you?

Probably not to start with.

It's not ideal,

but it's certainly on the way towards what we would like, I think.

I think the kitchen

has been done very nicely to a good standard,

and yes, we could live here.

Yeah, definitely.

As well as the kitchen, the ground floor also features

a dining room with patio doors opening onto the front garden.

Built into the hillside,

the accommodation is arranged over three levels.

So half a floor up, if you like, you get this fantastic living room.

Ah!

-The view is spectacular, eh?

-Absolutely.

-Absolutely.

-Let's go have a look then, shall we?

-OK.

Well, this is kind of an outside room now, isn't it?

Oh!

It's lovely.

-Gosh.

-It's fantastic.

It's nice the way it changes all the time,

the tide goes in and out, the boats turn around.

There's always something going on.

This probably wasn't what you had in mind,

but can you see yourself here so far?

I could certainly see myself sat here with a glass of wine

admiring the view, looking at the wildlife.

Chris can look at the boats... or be on the boat.

-Yes, I'd rather be down on the boat a lot of the time.

-Yeah.

Well, if you're a reluctant sailor,

you can watch him potter about on his boat,

and have a nice glass of white wine in your hand.

That sounds a good idea.

-Let's go take a look at our bedroom.

-OK.

Up on the top floor, there are four bedrooms.

Three of those are doubles and there's one single,

which is currently being used as a study.

They're all serviced by a large family bathroom

and an additional toilet.

Two of the double bedrooms have fantastic views

over the front of the house,

and one of those could be Chris and Margaret's master.

Guess what, it's got an amazing view.

-Yes, every room seems to.

-Just for a change! Yeah.

What's going through your minds at the moment?

This is the first house we're seeing,

so let's talk size at the moment.

You know, it's a four bedroom

but I don't know what your room sizes are like at the moment.

-We have a very large bed.

-That's true.

Cos we've got a super king-size bed so it's...it's rather large.

-I would like a bigger bedroom than this, to be honest.

-Fine.

All right. That's good to know. What do you think, Margaret?

Yeah, probably the same, but I'm still open to...

You know, we don't know what the other bedrooms are like

and the rest of the house, so it's a complete package, isn't it,

trying to find the, you know...?

It is, yeah.

I mean, if you took us took us straight into a house

that was just absolutely wow in every room or something, it'd be...

She might even kiss you at that one.

-God, I don't think he'd want that!

-I've got to pick my game up, haven't I?

-I was hoping this view was kiss-worthy, but maybe not.

-Yeah.

OK, well, look,

let's go outside now towards the back of the house

to have a look at the garden,

and start, if you can, to think about the price.

-OK.

-All right?

-Right, OK.

-I'll lead the way.

-Yep.

As well as the lawn and patio at the front of the house,

the property comes with a large secluded landscaped garden

to the rear with further patio areas overlooking the river.

So what do you think then, Chris?

-Well, it's lots more than I've got now, which is good.

-OK.

And it's got lots of little sun traps, which is nice as well.

-Yeah, it is private, isn't it?

-Yeah.

We're up on a hill looking down over everybody else,

which is rather nice, isn't it?

How much do you think this house is on the market for?

Taking everything into account of where it is,

the outlook and everything, I'd put it at £475,000.

-All right. Margaret?

-Again, lovely location.

You can't fault that whatsoever.

I think less than that, I'm afraid. About £430,000.

Ooh, right.

Well, you're in for a bit of a shock then.

This place is on the market for offers around £500,000.

-I think we're paying for the view.

-You are, absolutely you are.

So, where do we go from here?

Well, I think you guys should go back inside,

have a look around everything you haven't yet seen

and I'll meet you whenever you're done.

-OK.

-All right? Mind your step on the way down.

-OK.

Bang on budget at £500,000,

our first property is a semidetached modern house

perched high above the Truro River.

It has a large contemporary kitchen and an upstairs living room

with doors opening onto a balcony.

There are four good-size bedrooms

and outside a dog-friendly garden with fantastic views

over the river estuary.

As I approached the property,

I was a little bit worried about all the steps we had to come up,

because we're not getting any younger

and that could prove a bit of a problem in the future.

Overall, the house is in very good order.

The views are absolutely wonderful

and I could just imagine Chris down there on his boat

and me up here doing the cooking watching him.

The kitchen was lovely. The views were to die for.

With all things considered,

I don't think it's going to be a contender.

I think the steepness of the walk up, due to my wife's previous illness,

would prove a barrier as we get older.

I just don't think it's going to be a contender for us.

I must say, I'm loath to leave this place, this beautiful view.

-All done inside?

-Yeah, I think so, yeah.

-OK.

-Lovely.

-Onto the next one.

-OK.

At over 400 miles,

Cornwall's coastline is the longest of any county.

Due to its growing popularity as a tourist destination,

more and more people are using its beaches and the sea.

This, in turn, is leading to an increasing number of call-outs

for the charity responsible for sea rescue,

the Royal National Lifeboat Institution.

Chris loves the water

and Margaret wants to get involved in community activities,

so we sent them to the RNLI lifeboat station in Falmouth

to find out about the life-saving service and to see if they can help.

They are meeting the station's chairman Alan Barnes.

How long has the RNLI been here in Falmouth in this station?

Well, actually, the lifeboat service has been here since 1867.

The first boat was called The City of Gloucester

and it was given by the people of Gloucester

and brought to Falmouth by rail,

brought through the town by horse and carriage

and it was housed in the dockyard over here.

And how long have you had the present boat?

Since about 2001.

She was named by the Queen on the start of her Golden Jubilee tour.

What's the most usual call-outs you get here?

You know, where a boat will go out to medical evacuations,

ships on fire.

Vessels that are broken down.

We've had a tug that's steering broke that we had to get in.

This is the 18th busiest station in the RNLI.

There was 80-odd calls last year.

Both Chris and Margaret are keen to get involved,

and like all the stations around the country,

RSLI Falmouth relies almost entirely on local volunteers

to keep the service going,

from helping with fundraising to piloting the boats themselves.

The station's offshore lifeboat

is designed to function in all weathers.

Normally crewed by seven volunteers,

it has enough space to accommodate 28 survivors.

Offering to show them around is volunteer Bill Hudson.

Each seat has a harness on it.

If the boat capsizes, which is a very, very rare,

it can turn over and back up again in 10 seconds

and you'll still be sitting in your seats.

What sort of speed does the vessel maintain?

When she's going out to a shout, then obviously, you know,

you're on full-throttle to get there as fast as you can

and she can push up to about 25 knots.

Can I just have a go at seeing how it is to...?

Yeah, of course you can. Help yourself to steering.

Yeah, just keep away from the rocks.

-SHE LAUGHS

-Yeah!

Now that Chris and Margaret have been shown the ropes,

it's time to see if we can come to the rescue

and find them a new home here in Cornwall.

For our second property, we're venturing 50 miles east,

away from the part of Cornwall by Chris and Margaret know well

to the village of Downderry.

The coastal village has a strong community feel to it,

and there's a wide range of facilities,

including a post office and a pub with its own deli.

Both the village and beach offer views over the bay

towards Looe Island, and our second property,

situated in the heart of Downderry, takes full advantage of them.

So then, house number two... is this one.

-Nice position.

-Yeah, lovely.

-Isn't it just?

-Mm.

-Yeah.

You can imagine, as soon as we get a bit of elevation,

you're going to have some fantastic sea views.

Mm-hm.

-So, what do you think about the style of it?

-Yeah, very unusual.

Not quite sure what it's going to be like inside.

Well, believe it or not, this dates back to the early 1900s.

-Gosh.

-But it's got a much more modern facade.

The new conservatory certainly adds to that, doesn't it?

-BOTH: Yeah.

-Fancy looking inside?

-Yeah, absolutely.

-Good.

Our second property's age should appeal to Chris and Margaret,

and it's packed with character inside.

As well as a more gentle approach to the house,

all the accommodation is arranged on one level.

So then, let's start in the kitchen.

Just mind your step on the way up there.

Now, Margaret, you told me you do all the cooking so you're the boss.

-What do we think?

-Yeah, it's lovely. I like it.

Really nice, first impression.

Is it a recent addition to the building or...?

It's been recently done up.

According to the owner, this part of the house,

it was built at the same time as the rest of it.

Oh, it's lovely. They've done it really nice.

I like the ceiling and the light coming through the centre.

And all the windows around. It's very nice.

-Very well done.

-Yeah.

-Good.

All right, now, as lovely as this kitchen is,

I don't think we're spending a whole lot of time in here

because I alluded to the view earlier,

and this house certainly makes the most of that.

-All right.

-Follow me.

Now, this is when the Victorian

dimensions start to reveal themselves really, isn't it?

-Good size, isn't it?

-Yeah, it's a lovely size.

Very good, yeah. Nice high ceilings, yes.

The telltale signs, really, you know,

you've got more detail in the corners,

seeing deeper skirting boards, the fireplace.

It feels like a lot more history here

than we've seen so far, doesn't it?

-Yes.

-Sort of dimensions you had in mind?

-Yeah, this is lovely for a dining room.

-Fantastic.

It's a wonderful size, yeah.

One improvement the current owners have made

that really set this house apart is out the front here,

so let's take a look.

Now...

..I think this adds an essential dimension to this home,

bearing in mind this fantastic view, doesn't it?

-Gorgeous view.

-Yeah.

Sit here reading the Sunday papers and having coffee.

See, that's more like it.

You're talking about your everyday relaxed, retired life.

I like the sound of this.

Beautiful, isn't it?

-Look at all that sea.

-It is. It's a nice space.

-Lovely.

-I like the flooring.

-Yeah.

-Excellent.

It's very nice.

-Happy so far?

-BOTH: Yes.

A much better reaction to our second property.

If this sunny space and the dining room aren't enough,

there's a further reception area

at the other end of the conservatory

which the current owners use as their living room.

The house comes with four bedrooms.

They're all accessed by a central hallway

and they all have use of a large family bathroom.

So, the master bedroom.

What do we think?

It's wide enough. HE LAUGHS

What, for the all-important, what is it, king-size, is it?

-BOTH: Super king-size.

-Super king.

Yes, nice size.

-Now, you've got four bedrooms with this house, OK?

-OK.

This is easily the biggest.

The next biggest is the one next door,

and you've got two guest rooms at the end, if you like.

So you asked for three, you've got four

but a couple of them are fairly small.

But the good thing about those is they are self-contained

if you want them to be.

-You've got another door at the far end of the building.

-Oh, right, OK.

Now, there is planning consent...

..current to convert the loft space...

Oh, right.

..to a really nice en suite master bedroom.

Ooh, that sounds good.

That's an option for the future

cos obviously any alterations like that cost money.

Mm-hm.

But options, they give you.

Shall we have a look at the garden?

-OK, yeah.

-Follow me.

So our second property gives Chris and Margaret the option

to let out bedrooms to holiday guests,

or even the attic space should they decide to convert it.

The grounds include several patio and decked areas

and a reasonably-sized garden to the rear of the haze.

-So all in all, not a bad package, is it?

-BOTH: No.

-Very nice. Yeah.

-So how much do you think it's on the market for then?

Oh.

After getting it totally wrong last time

and taking into account the sea view, I'd go slightly over.

£510,000.

£510,000. OK.

I'm going to er on the side of caution again.

Trouble is you got the sea view.

Trouble is because of the sea view?

No, I don't mean that, I mean...thinking of the cost.

-£499,000.

-OK.

Well, this house is on the market for offers around £465,000.

Oh. Gosh.

-That's very, very good.

-Yeah, surprising.

-Isn't it?

-That's good news.

Now you know the price.

What do you think about it?

I know we've only just had a quick run around it,

but what are your thoughts?

It means there's extra money in the budget

to be able to do the extension.

Yeah. That could give you a bit of income.

I mean, it's close to the sea.

Maybe now go back into the house without me warbling in your ears.

Go on and have a look at those other bedrooms,

get a real feel for the place.

You know, go back into the conservatory

and maybe have time relaxing in there.

See if that's the sort of place, this is the sort of home, maybe,

that you could retire to.

-OK.

-All right?

-OK.

-Yeah, lovely.

-I'll get the papers from the car.

-Thank you.

-Don't take too long!

On the market at offers around £465,000,

our second offering is well under Chris and Margaret's budget.

It's a detached seaside property,

parts of which date back to the early 1900s.

There are three reception rooms, including a conservatory,

with stunning views over the bay.

It comes with four bedrooms

and it there's the possibility

of turning the attic space into a further bedroom.

The property has a reasonably-sized garden

and it's located in the middle of a vibrant village.

I wonder if because this end of the house has got

its own access whether you could

make this into a self-contained annexe

or, you know, some sort of...

Maybe could do B&B or...

We could do something with it, yes.

It's certainly got some beautiful sea views.

The accommodation, certainly enough room and everything.

I think with some slight adjustments,

maybe the loft converted into another bedroom

with en suite would be a nice idea.

And...

yes, certainly got a nice bright airy feel about it.

Overall, I think the house has got potential.

It leaves us room to perhaps to create the annexe that we want.

And it could possibly be a contender.

So, all done?

-Yeah, fine, thanks.

-Yes, thank you.

Give you a taste for seaside living, does it?

Definitely.

-Good.

-Very good.

-Let's head back.

-OK.

It's day two of our property search, and on a budget of £500,000

we're helping Chris and Margaret swap the West Midlands

for the West Country.

Coming up, size is everything at our mystery house.

Bit larger, isn't it, yeah? Certainly a lot bigger.

And I join an elite crew of oarsmen

at one of the county's top regattas.

-Don't tell me this is the raft.

-This is it. Jump up.

Well, so far, Margaret and Chris haven't given a great deal away.

So much so that I don't really have any idea

of which of yesterday's properties came out on top,

so today we want to mix things up a bit,

which, let's face it, that's what the mystery house

is all about, isn't it?

Now, so far, Chris hasn't seen this stone-built property he mentioned.

We also haven't looked around a property that gives them the ability

to earn some income, which they have mentioned in passing at least.

Well, we're going to remedy that,

but in order to get these attributes,

they will have to make a compromise and I think that comes in the form

of doing some work to the property.

For our mystery house,

we're heading back towards where we started

in the west of the county

to the pretty coastal village of Porthallow.

And before we go to the mystery house,

we're making a stop at the village.

It's somewhere Chris and Margaret have never been before

and has a number of features that I think will appeal.

Dog-friendly beach. Coastal path going either side of it.

-What do you make of it so far?

-It looks really nice.

-Lovely, yeah.

-Really impressed.

-Nice and peaceful.

Lovely open space to watch the boats.

Believe it or not, this beach and this car park

was bought and is owned by the village itself.

They formed a trust in the 1970s.

They're doing up village hall. There's a great community here.

You've got a pub, you've got a tea shop.

And I remember you said yesterday,

"Oh, I could just see myself having a glass of wine,"

in one of the properties.

-Yeah.

-Well, they've got a vineyard here as well.

-Oh!

-Very Euro.

-Maybe not a good idea!

Well, yeah, that could be bad news. So, what do you think?

Is this the sort of place you could see yourself putting down roots?

Oh, yeah. Could walk out here every morning and stay here all day.

-Good place to walk a dog, isn't it?

-Yeah.

-Yeah, great. Fantastic.

OK, let's see what you make of the house itself. Just this way.

OK.

Our mystery house is just a few minutes walk from the beach.

The property does give Chris and Margaret

the self-contained holiday let they were after,

but they may need to add their personal touch to the house.

-Very nice.

-You found the slate.

-Yeah.

And the stone, or granite maybe.

It was actually built in the '70s.

-But do you like the character?

-Yes.

What do you think of the position?

Lovely.

-Quiet, isn't it?

-Very quiet.

-Very nice.

I want you to be fairly open-minded as to maybe decor and what have you.

-Tell me what you really think.

-OK.

-All right?

-BOTH: Yeah.

-Let's go.

-OK.

Initial impressions are favourable and there's lots of potential

with this house if Chris and Margaret are open

to doing a bit of work.

Now, you've got a couple of reception rooms

to choose from at the moment.

The first one here being used as an office.

Let's take a peek in the dining room,

which is a bit bigger.

Adequately-sized for a dining room.

Yeah, it's a good size.

Now, if you kept this as a dining room,

it would mean you'd have a fairly modest-sized living room.

I was wondering whether or not

you could dispense with the formal dining room

and maybe knock this wall through to have one big living room.

-Mm-hm.

-And maybe do something with the kitchen.

-Right.

Let's take a look at the kitchen, see what you think of it.

So, we see the kitchen is a decent size.

Yes.

It's nice and bright again with the dual-aspect windows.

Lots of work surfaces.

Would you keep the kitchen as it is

and maybe muck around with the dining and living room?

-I think that would be the first job.

-Yeah.

-Yeah.

That would also keep this a dining-kitchen still

because you've got the utility behind you

to get all the stuff out of the way.

-Oh, right.

-Yeah.

-OK?

-Yeah.

So...

let's take a look at your master bedroom

before we look at the added extras, shall we?

BOTH: OK.

The downstairs also has a shower room,

handy for Chris when he comes home after a day at sea.

Upstairs there are four double bedrooms,

three of which have built-in wardrobes

and a family bathroom with corner bath.

All of the bedrooms are a decent size,

but the master is something else.

I'm hoping you're going to like this master bedroom.

Ooh.

That's giving us the space, definitely.

It's a bit larger, isn't it, yeah? Certainly a lot bigger.

Beautiful windows and lovely aspect.

-And certainly got the space.

-Plenty of light.

It might not come as a surprise,

this house used to be an upside-down house.

They used to have the living room up here

because of this beautiful view,

but I think as a bedroom, it really works.

-Yeah.

-It's lovely.

Yeah, definitely, with the outlook over the garden and everything. That's lovely.

-Very positive, I'm thinking.

-Yeah, yeah, lovely size, definitely.

OK, well, before we go outside,

there is a potential moneymaking aspect to this house as well

so let's take you there.

OK.

Our previous property offered Chris and Margaret the potential

to rent out individual rooms to holiday guests,

but our mystery house comes with an up-and-running holiday let

in a separate wing.

So now we come into the annexe.

-Oh, right.

-Good.

-An extra living room.

-That's a good size.

-It is a nice size, the room.

-Yeah, lovely size.

Well, you might not be using it because behind that door

-is an en-suite shower room with a loo.

-Oh.

Then separate front door...

kitchen, bedroom.

-Ah.

-Ah. Nice.

-Yeah.

-That's some earning potential.

-That's the sort of thing we were looking for, definitely.

-Yes.

-Good.

-Yeah, definitely.

Well, it's earning potential but it's got a track record.

Last reported figures on this place showed

a gross turnover of just under £8,000.

That was let, I think, something like 27 weeks in that year.

-OK.

-Not bad, eh?

Yeah, good. Definitely.

OK, so, more than enough bedrooms for you.

Letting accommodation. All we need now is some outside space, don't we?

-Yep.

-We do.

Lead the way.

And that space includes a large gravel driveway,

plenty of room for visitors and guests.

And a double garage at the back of the house

for Chris to store all his sailing equipment.

There's also a patio area with a pond,

enough grass for the dogs to run around on,

as well as a separate section for growing vegetables.

-So, what do you think?

-Oh, lovely and peaceful, isn't it?

Very quiet.

-Yes.

-It's nice.

How much do you think this mystery house is on the market for?

Taking everything into consideration,

I'd say £520,000.

All right.

I think it will be somewhere around £490,000.

Pretty good guess.

This place is on the market for offers around £479,000.

Mm-hm. Still under budget, isn't it?

That's under budget so yes, it's good.

Gives you some change to maybe make some cosmetic changes,

update a few bits and bobs.

-Mm-hm.

-Yes.

So, go back inside the house.

There's lots to it and you might get a better idea of where you might

want to knock a few walls down.

-OK.

-All right.

-Take as long as you like.

-OK.

-I'll enjoy the garden.

-Great.

-Catch you later on.

Bye-bye.

Well, certainly a lot more animated in this house looking around

because it gives them so much more

of an option for living accommodation,

but also to maybe earn money,

and it's hard not to fall in love with this location, isn't it?

On the market for £479,000,

our mystery house is £31,000 under budget,

leaving some money in the pot to make changes.

It's a slate and stone-fronted property built in the 1970s.

The accommodation includes a spacious sitting room

and dining room that could be knocked through together

to make a larger reception area.

There are four bedrooms and it comes with a self contained annexe

which would be perfect for a holiday let.

The location is absolutely superb.

Village-wise, it looks really good down there.

The house itself is delightful.

It is a little dated so it will need some cosmetic updating.

I would imagine that I would go for it more than Margaret.

I'm not 100% sure I could see myself living here.

The position, location, fantastic, but all in all,

maybe the house just isn't quite right for me.

-So, all done inside and out?

-Yeah.

-We are.

-Did you get right to the back of the garden?

-I did, yeah.

-It's a cracking spot, isn't it?

-Yeah, lovely views over the valley.

-Good.

All right, let's find you somewhere to have a bit of a chat and a think

-and we'll catch up later on.

-OK, lovely.

Coastal Cornwall is rightly proud of its maritime heritage.

Situated on the southern coast of the county is Fowey,

not only a historic town

but also a thriving commercial seaport,

exporting locally-mined china clay to destinations around the globe.

For most of the year, it's a peaceful place.

But for one week each August everything changes

when the world-famous Royal Regatta comes to town.

As well as the serious business of yacht racing,

events include a town carnival and a fireworks display.

I'm meeting up with Leslie McCartney to find out

more about its illustrious past and its current form.

-Now then, Leslie. Beautiful day.

-Lovely, isn't it?

-Beautiful part of the world.

-Beautiful.

How long has it been going here?

Well, it was noted that in 1838 the regatta was well-established.

But in its present form, it's been going about 50, 60 years.

-Now, I've heard it called a Royal Regatta.

-That's right.

Really?

That's because Queen Victoria and Prince Albert,

they visited Fowey in 1846.

Did they now? So it keeps its Royal status.

Yes, it does.

I don't think I've ever been to a Cornish town so busy.

I mean, it's so full of people. How many people come here each year?

Absolutely tens of thousands, yeah, into Fowey.

-Tens of thousands of people?

-Yeah.

How much money is generated from this each year?

It's been reported £5 million comes into Cornwall's economy

just through Regatta Week.

-Just through this one week?

-Yes.

Now, looking around here, that does not look like a posh yacht race.

-There's all sorts of stuff going on.

-Yeah.

-Talk me through some of the events here.

-It's all sorts of crazy stuff today.

Later on we've got some swimming races

and we've also got a raft race.

-A raft race.

-Yeah.

Now, a little birdie tells me

that I might be getting a bit more involved in that.

What kind of rafts are they?

Built at the last minute.

A few oil drums, I expect.

-HE LAUGHS

-Nothing that should float.

I've got to say, it doesn't sound particularly seaworthy.

And I'll be judging that, will I?

Um, you might be involved in some way, yes.

Oh, good.

Well, it turns out that my involvement is going to be

a bit more hands-on than just judging the race.

I've been told to meet Jodie Makin at the end of the pier

and to wear a wet suit.

Now, Jo, I understand you built the raft

-that we're racing on today.

-Yep.

Right, OK, so you're local then, yeah?

No, I'm from Bolton. My mum and dad live down here.

Bolton. Not known for its boat building, is it?

-Not particularly, no.

-OK.

-Do this all the time, do you?

-No, first time.

-First time you build a raft?

-Yep.

-Right. OK.

So what made you get involved this year?

My kids have been asking for a few years to do it

so this year we decided to have a go.

So surely, you know, you've built this raft,

you're going to show us all how it's done.

You're going to captain this boat.

-Nope.

-Why not?

Because I built it and I've seen it, so...

-That's why I'm going on it, is it?

-That's right.

Right, which way is this boat?

Just over there.

Thanks.

Well, I'm sure it can't be that bad.

There are certainly some impressive looking vessels here,

and I get the feeling that perhaps

I'm not taking this seriously enough.

Time to meet my crew.

Now then, I'm reporting for duty.

I understand I'm in the raft race.

-Yes, you are.

-Don't tell me this is the raft.

This is it. Jump up.

Right.

Gordon Bennett.

Oh!

HE LAUGHS

Whoa! OK!

We're going to actually race in this thing, are we?

-Yeah, you are, mate.

-Yeah, out.

Dig your paddle in.

-You're off!

-Whoa!

ALL LAUGH

It's off to a good start, then.

Perhaps the clue was in the name of the raft.

I'll swim it.

She's not getting back on!

Does anybody else want to come on the raft?

That set back makes us late

in lining up for the start of the 50 metre race,

with a new crew member on board.

MAN OVER LOUDSPEAKER: Race start. Ready. Go!

Come on!

We're taking on water!

Oh.

Got to finish, come on, guys.

But despite all the effort, we finish in last place.

A bad workman blames his tools or his crew.

This was an elite crew of amateurs led by a fool.

-Sorry, guys.

-It's fine.

It was good.

We nearly won.

With the fun over, it's back to the serious matter of finding

Chris and Margaret somewhere to live,

and I'm keen to see what they think of the houses we've shown them.

So, after a short amount of time to think about things,

which one of the three properties is your favourite?

I think I'd go for the first property.

-Really?

-Yeah.

Decor-wise and the way the place is actually set out,

it's absolutely beautiful, and the views.

The unfortunate problem is the steps,

which would prove too much, I think.

-Do you agree?

-I agree mostly with my wife.

Yes, the views were absolutely stunning for us,

some of the best I've seen.

It is the steps that would prevent us from going for that one.

Goodness me. That is a surprise.

I thought the mystery house was the ace up my sleeve.

You know, the practicality.

There was no steps.

All the size, the earning potential.

Yes, it had all...

But it's the semidetached house you went for.

Yes, surprise surprise.

Why, though? Is it just those views that blew you away?

The views blew us away, definitely.

Right.

And the location, closeness to Truro.

If you had to buy one of those houses at the money

that they're on the market at,

are you telling me that you would, out of those three,

buy house number one?

Yes.

So moving forward, what's the most important thing?

What are you going to drop off this list?

Or are you just going to keep looking until

hopefully you find all the criteria you set out?

-We know that there's got to be a compromise.

-Yeah.

And we think that the view will be the compromise,

that we'll have to go more inland.

Sure.

Well, you do get a bit more for your money inland,

so I wish you the very best of luck.

I've loved looking for property around here.

It's a great part of the world,

and I see why you and many more people like you

want to move down here.

So whatever happens, please let us know what you do, won't you?

-We will do.

-OK.

-Good luck.

-BOTH: Thank you.

Well, I'm not surprised that

Chris and Margaret's favourite property

was house number one, given those fantastic views.

And sea views were their priority.

I am somewhat taken aback however

that in order to proceed in their search down here in Cornwall

they're going to compromise on views in order to hopefully

obtain earning potential, enough bedrooms and a nice flat garden,

but then surely isn't that the mystery house

that they've recently seen?

I'm not sure. Maybe it's all down to taste.

What I do wish them, though,

is the very best of luck in looking for a property

in this absolutely glorious part of the world.

See you next time.

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

Northern Ireland, England or even further afield

to the continent and need our help, then please apply online at: