Cheshire Escape to the Country

Back in the late 19th century, the son of the local rector used

to scale the heights of this tower.

He went on to become one of England's most famous mountaineers.

Find out who he was and where he practised in just a few moments.

On the show today, we are helping an entrepreneurial couple flee

city life and find a new dream home and a new business in the country.

There are discussions over where the in-laws will stay.

You do get a barn.

OK, yeah.

And plans are afoot for Santa's arrival.

Put a Christmas tree up there. All the presents underneath.

Today, I am in Cheshire, and behind me

is St Wilfrid's church in the village of Mobberley,

where George Mallory was born and spent his childhood years.

Mallory set his sights on being the first man to climb

the highest mountain in the world, Everest.

Whether or not he reached the summit remains a mystery,

though, as on June, 1924, during his final ascent,

he got caught in a snowstorm and was never seen alive again.

When his body was eventually discovered, much later in 1999,

it was missing one vital piece of equipment - his camera.

And many believe until that is found, we'll never truly know

whether or not he was successful.

Cheshire, in the northwest of England,

is situated between the metropolitan areas of Greater Manchester

and Merseyside to the north

and the county of Staffordshire to the south-east.

Its landscape is defined by a mixture of peaks

and plains formed during the Ice Age.

Covering an area of nearly 100 square miles,

Cheshire's Peak District falls within the National Park.

The ridge of Tegg's Nose has been quarried since the 1500s and

today is a spectacular vantage point with views over the Cheshire plain.

Rearing up above the North Cheshire Plain is all Alderley Edge -

a red sandstone escarpment pitted with remains from its mining past

and natural woodland.

The village itself is a magnet for multimillionaire property shoppers

who want a lavish slice of rural riches this county has to offer.

The average price for a detached house here in Cheshire as a whole

comes in just below the national figure at around

£245,000.

But that pendulum can swing depending on which

side of the county you're on.

For more affordable properties, west is best,

but the price increases considerably as you head east, where you will

find rural properties with better connections toward Manchester.

But the real hot spot to look out for is the golden triangle

between Wilmslow, Prestbury and Alderley Edge,

which seems to be a magnet for multimillionaires

and is home to the most expensive addresses in the northwest.

But why are today's house buyers looking to move here to Cheshire?

Well, let's meet them and find out.

For the past ten years,

Steve and Anna have lived in the city of Leeds, but have decided to

leave the bustle of urban life behind and head out to the country.

I think now is the right time, cos it's a stage where

the kids are going to school.

And also I think it is a lifestyle choice as well.

I think the main difference it's going to have

is certainly on the kids and the upbringing that they get.

Where we live here, in Leeds,

it's two miles outside of the city centre and it's a much

different lifestyle than living in a more rural environment.

Family ties have dictated the location for the new home.

Ideally, I'd like to move to North Cheshire,

that's where my parents have got a family farm that I grew up on.

Their desire to move is linked to their plan to start their own

business.

We realised that there is an opportunity in terms of kind

of farms.

And it is the sort of thing that we would travel to go and do,

is to take the children to a farm.

And also, you know, maybe around the equestrian-type business,

cos that is the current business that my family have got.

The whole family is excited by the prospect of a new lifestyle.

Joseph is 3 1/2 now and Holly has just turned 19 months.

Holly can already say tractor.

She knows lots of the animal kind of noises and things like that.

And Joseph is already saying we might get goats when we move house.

So I think they are starting to get excited.

But they're not looking for the archetypal farming lifestyle.

Somewhere that is within easy reach of a small town or...

We don't want to be too far remote.

I think I probably would stay in the job I've got at Leeds

and see how commuting goes.

And what do they have to spend on their rural relocation?

The budget for this move is £650,000.

Our buyers have asked us

to focus our search on the north of the county

to be within reasonable distance of Steve's family in Warrington.

But before we began our property hunt,

I'm meeting them in Cheshire to learn more about what

they're after in their new home and business venture.

So, as a farmer's son growing up on a farm, this is what,

a return to your roots, isn't it, Steve?

Yeah, it is.

My parents have got...we've got a family farm over in Cheshire,

that's where I grew up. 20 years.

And then we moved over to Yorkshire and we have been there since.

So, yeah, it will be a move back to my roots.

Well, let's talk about the house first, OK?

How big does it need to be?

We've got two children, so ideally four beds.

What are you looking for from your living spaces?

Well, hopefully, open-plan kitchen-diner.

You know, we've got that at the moment

and we do spend quite a lot of time in the kitchen.

And then maybe doors out to the garden from there.

That's what we've got and it seems to really work for us at the moment.

But I think we're pretty flexible on everything else.

I mean, four bedrooms. I know you have got two children.

-Yeah, we could live with three.

-Could you?

-Yeah.

We could live with something on a smaller scale and be quite happy.

Outside, now this is where your, maybe, business or enterprise

element comes in, doesn't it?

With having the kids quite young, obviously,

we spend quite a bit of time going to, you know, sort of urban

farms and, you know, sort of tourist attractions, that sort of thing.

-So maybe something with a play barn.

-All right.

-You know, a few animals.

That sort of thing.

Yeah, along the lines of that, a farm shop.

You know, more of a small holding than a full scale farm.

So, how much land you think you'd like to have?

Ideally, five, ten acres to give some development and scope there.

So, what sort of budget you have?

It's 650,000.

-Yep.

-And that is set?

-Yes.

This may be the calm before the storm,

so let's finish our coffees and then we will drive to the first place.

-Yep.

-Brilliant.

On a budget of £650,000,

Steve and Anna are looking for three to four bedrooms,

a large kitchen-diner,

five to ten acres of land,

outbuildings to accommodate their business ideas,

a rural location close to a town or village

and not too far from family in Warrington.

We have three wonderful properties to show them.

And at each one, I will test their valuation skills as they work

out what the properties might be worth.

The third is the mystery house,

which has been chosen to take them out of their comfort zone.

What are you like with animals?

I'm getting braver.

Getting braver... That suggests some form of fear, then.

Yeah. The bigger ones, yeah, scare me a little bit.

But goats and things like that, I think I could maybe handle.

I think we'll leave Steve with the cows.

We begin our search in the village of Kingsley in the north

of the county, around half an hour from Steve's family in Warrington.

Nearby is the Anglo-Saxon town of Frodsham.

Once a thriving 13th-century port situated between the River Weaver

and Mersey estuary,

today it is a vibrant market town with a variety of independent shops.

And much of the architecture is a reminder of its heritage.

A few miles down the road is the village of Kingsley, and off a quiet

lane in a semirural position is the first house we're showing them.

This is where I start to find out what you're really after.

So, house number one is obviously straight in front of us.

-What are your thoughts?

-I like it.

-Yeah, it looks nice.

-It looks lovely from outside. It looks nice.

-You like the position?

-Yeah, it's got a bit of kerb appeal, yeah.

-Yeah, great view.

-Good.

-We'll talk about the barn later.

-OK.

-All right.

-Yeah.

-Small animals, not big ones! Come on. Let's go.

This renovated farmhouse has undergone radical restoration

and extension over the last three years,

but retains its character features within a modern interior.

Entering via a spacious entrance hall,

we're heading for the kitchen/diner.

-Let's start off in the kitchen.

-Very nice. That's lovely, yeah.

-Plenty of space, yeah.

-It's exactly what we kind of go for for a kitchen.

-Open-plan. Very light.

-Yeah.

-Patio doors out.

This is exactly what you said, you said you wanted open-plan,

-kitchen/diner with doors outside.

-Yeah.

-Da-dah!

-You've done it.

-Definitely ticks that box.

-Doesn't feel ultramodern.

-Still feels like a country house, doesn't it?

-Yeah.

I love the barn conversion type things that

have been modernised, that balance you get between the two,

it is exactly what we'd go for.

You've also got a utility right out of the way and a downstairs loo,

with the back door going out. So, happy?

-Very impressed.

-It's nice.

-Good. OK. Let's check out the living room.

-OK.

It's got a really handy little office that used to be

a downstairs shower room.

-More compact. What do you think?

-Yeah, again it's really nice.

It's well done out. It's nice character with the wood burner.

I quite like that. Not the biggest room, but...

For a living room, it still feels a little bit small.

It is, but because you've got that big kitchen/dining room I think

-you'd spend most of your time in there.

-We do as a family anyway.

-Let's take a look at the master bedroom, shall we?

-Great.

I'll just squeeze through.

Upstairs are three double bedrooms.

Two and three are served by a modern, shared bathroom.

But first, I'm showing them where they might sleep.

This is clearly the master.

-Because you got a built-in wardrobe, a walk-in wardrobe.

-An en suite.

Again, it's nicely done.

Nice and clean and modern, which is what we go for, really.

So, great to have the en suite as well.

What you don't get is a spare bedroom.

There might be options in the future, with these outbuildings,

-so shall we go and take a peek at those?

-Yeah, that's cool.

-Great.

The grounds of the property will be the clincher.

To the rear is a secluded, hedge-lined,

lawned garden with patio area.

To the front, there's more lawn along with plenty of off-road

parking, a double garage, a barn

and paddock area.

Well, someone has divided this up for different breeds for you

-already, haven't they?

-Definitely.

-You don't get a huge amount of land.

-The whole plot available is about an acre.

-Right.

-OK.

But you can see how an internal workings of a petting zoo or

whatever you decide to do would work here.

Yeah, it's whether an acre is enough to expand things beyond a certain

size, really.

Obviously, there's not a whole amount of land here,

so we're going to go outside to the paddock and figure out

-if it can work or maybe not work for you?

-Great.

I think these outbuildings offer some real potential

if planning consent could be gained for some sort of visitor attraction.

This really is the extent of your land,

-so I know we are squeezing the land option for you, aren't we?

-Yeah.

You know, the house, lovely house, great,

could see us living in something like that.

But the barns, you know,

a great start of something you could build on there, it's whether

there's enough land, and I think maybe squeezing too much.

And if you put in a car park or something like that,

-I guess if it's a short walk.

-Yes, people are going to visit,

you've got to have car parking facilities.

How many people do you think might be here at one time?

There can be up to 20 cars, can't there, at one time.

-So, it's a fair...

-In that case, it's going to be

-a bit of a push, isn't it?

-Yeah.

-This is option one.

You're starting to maybe get a grasp of what actually you do

want and also what you might be able to afford,

so have a guess at the price.

How much do think this place is on the market for?

-Somewhere around 575?

-OK.

-Anna?

-I'm going to go slightly lower, I think, at 565.

-All right.

Well, this house is on the market for around £590,000.

-OK.

-Now, it was on the market for around 625.

Your guesses weren't a million miles away, where they?

I think another four or five acres of land and it could be

within our budget and just what we're looking for, really, so...

Well, have a look around the outbuildings again,

go and have a look at everywhere you haven't yet seen in the house.

-Cos it's a learning process, isn't it?

-Definitely.

What can you put up with?

Where are you prepared to maybe cut the corners on your search criteria?

-And I'll meet you whenever you're finished.

-Great.

-Great.

-See you in a mo.

-Cheers.

Well, dare I say it,

this is the first step where we start

to think about compromise, what parts of the jigsaw

are Steve and Anna prepared to maybe leave behind?

It's interesting.

The converted farmhouse comes in well under budget at £590,000

and gives them three bedrooms, the master with en suite,

a generous kitchen/diner, a living room, a barn which could be

suitable for their business idea, set in an acre of land.

All within reasonable distance from Steve's family in Warrington.

I love the open-plan kitchen/diner. That's really nicely done.

And the doors kind of straight outside, so that, you know,

the kids, they could be straight out into the garden or patio area.

That's perfect. And it is really nicely done in this house.

Parts of the business could potentially work.

There's a good barn space that you could develop and you could

probably see three or four different types of animals in there.

My main concern is around the land that the property comes with.

It's not leaving much to develop the business in the future

and longer term.

-So, seen enough?

-Yeah, yeah. I think so, yeah.

-Enjoy that?

-Yeah, it was good, it was a good first start, I think.

-OK.

-Well, let's keep going then.

-Brilliant.

-Onward and upward.

-Yeah.

Agriculture is rooted in Cheshire's rural heritage.

However, since the 1900s, the face of farming in Britain has

witnessed huge change due to industrial progress.

In 1973, a national charity, the Rare Breeds Survival Trust, was

established to conserve and protect rare native breeds from dying out.

And since its formation,

no native livestock breed has become extinct in the UK.

Across the country, there are 17 farm parks that have received

an award for their commitment to the conservation, breeding

and promotion of our endangered species of farm animals.

One such place is the Tatton Home Farm in Knutsford,

who were awarded a Rare Breeds Accreditation in 2007.

Mindful of Steve and Anna's plan to develop a visitor attraction,

we've arranged for them to meet Jane Chapman,

the farm's manager of 24 years who will give them

a feel for the day-to-day running of the centre.

What rare breeds do you have here at the farm?

We've got nearly all the rare breeds of pigs.

We've got the Saddlebags, Tamworths, Berkshires, Middle Whites

and Gloucester Old Spots.

We've got Clydesdale and Shires, loads of rare breeds,

poultry, sheep, you name it, and I think we have got it!

How do you educate the public about the rare breeds on the farm?

Well, we do lots of hands-on, really. I think that's important.

The best way for children to learn is to either brush the horse

or we actually get the chicks out. We have an incubator in the hatchery

and we hatch out all of the rare breeds of chickens and ducks.

And we get them out and we talk about the breeds

and the place that they play in today's society of farming.

And lots of fun things.

That's the most important way of learning things, I think, isn't it?

-To have fun.

-How many people does it take to run a farm like this?

Well, we've got five full-time members of staff,

so, they're in two teams of two, and myself.

But we're lucky enough to have lots of volunteers here.

We have some National Trust volunteers

and also lots of work experience, and they make a huge difference.

They fill all the waters, they bring round bales of hay

and everything, really, just making the place tick, really.

They're invaluable, all of them.

Once part of the Egerton Estate,

the farm served the family mansion up until 1958

when the last baron, Maurice,

bequeathed the estate to the National Trust.

Today, it's still an authentic working farm,

using traditional farming methods,

but it's also open to the public as a visitor attraction, with

a play barn, woodland trail and a variety of animals to interact with.

The pigs are a firm favourite,

and Steve and Anna are helping with Myrtle, a Middle White sow

and her nine three-week-old piglets, who need some exercise.

So how many piglets can you expect from a litter?

A sow should have two litters every year, so you could get up

to 20 piglets, so plenty to keep you busy, I think, Steve!

And which ones are best with the public?

Well, I always feel it's not so much down to the breed, it is

how much they are handled.

If you handle them from day one, they will be absolutely fine with

yourselves, your children and any other people you introduce them to,

so what you put in, you certainly get out of animals, I think.

Our dream would be to have something like this on a smaller scale.

Have you got any advice for us?

Well, Anna, I think you need to research the breeds

and see what type of land you're going to buy, really.

Whether you buy sheep or cattle, really,

depends on what farm you're going to purchase.

But it's a really good lifestyle. I think it is

a great thing you're going to do

-and I wish you lots of luck with it.

-Thank you.

-Thank you.

Now that Anna

and Steve have become acquainted with some of the UK's rare

animal breeds, we're ready to show them hopefully another rare example,

this time of the property variety, as our house search continues.

For our second house, we're heading around 13 miles further south

to the village of Calveley,

taking us about 40 minutes from Steve's family farm in Warrington.

Close by is the village of Tarporley,

once a staging post for the London to Chester coach,

its high street developed during the 18th and 19th centuries,

and as one of Cheshire's larger villages, it offers an array

of independent shops to service the surrounding rural community.

Around five miles down the road is the village of Calveley,

a rural setting, where we find house number two.

Now, the weather is against me.

-I'm hoping you won't be with house number two.

-It's interesting.

It's a totally different style

and it certainly is a totally different shape.

What do you think of the location?

Yeah, well, I don't think it's very far from Tarporley village, which is

-a lovely village.

-Lovely. Yeah. What do you think of how it looks?

It looks quite quirky, doesn't it? Plenty of character there.

-Yeah, yeah. Let me show you inside.

-OK.

Property two has been formed from part of the stables

and barn that once serviced a former manor house that originally

stood near this site.

The impressive entrance hall has a period feel

and stone mullioned windows.

So, into your kitchen.

I'm not blown away by this kitchen.

Well, you know, the sort of layout, having room for a table

and chairs, but in terms of kind of style of units and...

No, it's a bit more old...farmhouse.

-So, not your cup of tea at the moment?

-No.

-But space to make it?

-Yeah, yeah.

-All right.

Yeah, it's got big enough room to, yeah, you can change

the cupboards and things.

So, just through that door you have got a utility room and then,

you've got a guest suite, if you like, so, you have en suite

shower room and loo. Double bedroom.

And then upstairs, you've got a storeroom and another room

-in there as well for maybe an office or a single bed.

-OK.

Let's keep going through.

There we go. Mind the step.

Back across the entrance hall, we head through the dining room

and on into the sitting room.

So, after you've walked through the banqueting room, here we are.

-It's nice, isn't it? It's really grand.

-Yeah, it is quite impressive.

It would look lovely at Christmas.

All of the presents underneath!

You do think of Christmas

when you come into this house, for some reason.

You might be wondering why we've got a different level there.

This was the pumphouse underneath, really,

so you've got a lower ground cellar,

with lovely brick arches, which is still quite dry,

which you access from outside, and that roof of that cellar is

-where this gym style flooring is, up to there.

-OK.

You could have a little Christmas pantomime there! Performances.

Yeah.

So, now, you seem to be warming up to this house a bit more.

So, let's go and have a look at the bedrooms,

because that's at this end of the house as well.

-I feel like we're on the right path.

-Yeah.

Upstairs are three bedrooms.

Two and three are served by a family shower room and there's the master.

So, right above where we were stood in the living room,

-we've got the master bedroom.

-Nice beams.

-A lot of character.

-It's a pretty spectacular bedroom, isn't it?

-I think so, yeah.

-And is that the en suite up there?

-Yeah. En suite bathroom only.

There's also a family bathroom.

-Yes, the more I see of this house, the more I like it, really.

-Yeah.

You agree, Anna?

Yeah, I'd like to see what the other rooms are like

and the rest of the house, but yeah, I could see us living here.

I almost feel like,

you're holding something back, because in the first house,

-you didn't get the land you were after.

-Yeah, yeah.

Well, this time, you do. Unfortunately,

it means you have to go outside in that.

So, it's brolly time, come on.

It's the grounds that will sell this property to them.

A south-facing garden leads onto equestrian facilities,

including a stable block and paddocks,

ideal for their prospective new business.

Now, then, you're in for a bit of a treat.

-Because, all of this is included.

-Wow.

-OK. This paddock.

-Yeah.

-The paddock next door.

-OK.

-Right at the back, that paddock.

-As far as the trees?

-Yeah.

-At this first post and rail fence here.

-Yeah.

-It's all set up for a livery business.

-Yeah.

It's got everything here that you would need.

Obviously they've got horses already, haven't they?

They've had them, yeah. There's one pony still trotting around, yeah.

I mean, the obvious thing is, do more with the equestrian side,

but, obviously, the...more...petting zoo, there is

no reason why if you've got the land, you couldn't do something

along them lines either, so it does open up a lot more opportunities.

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

I'm going to go top end of our budget, I'm going to say 650.

-OK. Steve?

-I would probably say slightly over our budget, maybe 660?

-Well, it's actually for sale for offers around £585,000.

-Surprising.

Yeah!

-That's quite interesting.

-Isn't it?

-Yeah.

-Gives you some breathing space, doesn't it?

-Yeah.

And it does, certainly, if there's an option to look at more land.

Well, look, this is bigger than the first house.

More land than the first house.

Remarkably cheaper than the first as well,

but there's still a lot to think about.

There's the home element, but also this business enterprise

you're thinking about. So go back into the house.

Have a look at the areas you haven't yet seen.

Maybe come back out and have a look at the land.

I mean, obviously, not particularly dressed

like landowners at the moment,

but if you can brave the weather, it might be an idea to have a look

around your boundary and see what you might be able to do with it.

-Yes, thank you.

-See you in a mo.

-Thank you.

House two has bags of character and is priced under budget at £585,000,

giving them four bedrooms with one located in the downstairs

guest suite, a large kitchen/diner, a spacious sitting room,

ready-made equestrian facilities for their possible business venture

in a rural setting, and a reasonable distance to family in Warrington.

The business opportunity here is much more what I had in mind,

just because it's got the land, it's got the startings

of an equestrian business that you can grow into more of a petting zoo.

The living area, you know, the wood-burning stove,

it feels much warmer, you know, cosy house.

And I could really see us living and spending time in the living space.

-So, did you decide which field the rhino's going to go in?

-THEY LAUGH

-Good price, isn't it?

-Yeah.

-Yeah, it is.

It's certainly a property that, you know, first impressions,

-it's certainly grown on us the more we've seen, really.

-Yeah.

Well, hopefully you've got something to think about tonight,

-cos that's all we'll see today, so let's get back.

-Brilliant.

-Yeah.

It's the second day of our property hunt in Cheshire with Steve

and Anna from the city of Leeds, who have £650,000

to spend on their country home and new venture.

Coming up, we ponder the ideal animal for the mystery house.

-Mountain goats, I was thinking.

-Yeah. HE LAUGHS

And I visit one of Cheshire's most iconic structures that

literally dominates the local landscape.

Well, I think we've got a property in the bag, so, this morning,

we can afford to take a bit of a gamble which, let's face it,

that's what the mystery property is all about, isn't it? Now, the house

itself, it's very stylish, but I think the real gamble comes outside.

Sure, it got enough land for animals, but they might need to be

mountain goats, and another thing, it's not actually in Cheshire.

For the mystery house, we're heading 30 miles east from Calveley,

stepping over the border into Staffordshire into the farming

community of Swythamley,

putting them around an hour away from Warrington.

So, here we are. Welcome to, ahem, Staffordshire!

The reason we've brought you here is this,

the Peak District National Park.

It's the oldest national park in Britain, founded about 1951.

But it's just beautiful,

and it's so accessible to you and to everyone else.

One of the ideas was that where we're focusing on, you know,

a place to bring up your children, you want a rural existence,

what better place than a national park?

We've taken this gauntlet that you have laid down,

this rural idyll, and we've run with it.

And as you can see, we ran all the way to Staffordshire!

Let's see if you want to run back to Cheshire after seeing this house,

-shall we?

-Yeah.

-Great. Thank you.

The property lies about a mile from the peaceful village of Wincle,

which straddles the beautiful River Dane.

It offers up a traditional pub as well as a local brewery.

Just down a lane nearby, we're going out on a limb

with our mystery house.

It's a stunning, architect-designed home,

with contemporary interior, set in a dramatic rural position.

I'm hoping that any location concerns will be blown

away by this bold and beautiful building.

Now, then.

Right...

in the heart of the national park, we find the mystery property.

We've got, well, part of what was a one-up-one-down, really,

dating back to 1635.

And a few years ago, the current owner bought this derelict

property off a local farmer, and built that on.

And everything you see is basically the hard work of the current owners.

-Right.

-Right.

-It's cool, isn't it?

It's interesting, the way it's all built-in to the land there.

You know, you're used to the countryside,

-you were brought up on a farm.

-Yeah.

-This is hillside farming, isn't it?

-It's the middle of nowhere.

-It's as remote as it gets, really!

-Are you bothered? Are you concerned?

-Yeah.

-Yeah.

-THEY LAUGH

-Honest answer. Good.

-You said you wanted honesty!

-Yeah, absolutely.

One of the reasons why this property was chosen for you, because inside,

for a young family, we thought this was amazing living space.

-Let's see if you agree, shall we?

-Yeah!

Although they have concerns about the location,

I'm hoping the fantastic interior will sway them.

You've got a very nice reception area there.

But then things get very cool, contemporary in the new part.

Good space, isn't it? Very light. Great views.

You wouldn't expect to find this in the Peak District!

I mean, it is very cool, very contemporary, not for everyone.

-Yeah.

-How about you guys?

-I like it. I like the style.

-Let's go to the kitchen next. We'll go through this way.

-OK.

A glazed roof passageway runs the length of the original property,

linking the living room, entrance hall and the kitchen/diner.

-So, the uber cool theme continues in the kitchen.

-It's very modern.

It's very modern, yeah.

-And then you've got the big...

-The wood burner.

-The wood-burning fireplace.

-Spitting away, as you can hear!

That has been put in recently. It's obviously not original.

But again, you got this fusion of old and new,

with that massive range there as well.

It's a great space.

You know, big, open-plan.

We do like plenty of room for a big dining room table.

It's a bit stark, I think, for my taste. It doesn't feel like a home.

-Really.

-I'm starting to get the feeling you don't really like this

contemporary style as well, this minimalist style?

Yeah, probably not. I quite like the modern style.

-Well, let's go and have a look at a bedroom upstairs.

-OK.

Let's hope there's a bit more furniture in there!

Downstairs is completed by a utility room and cloakroom.

There's also a large bedroom with en suite and walk-through wardrobe

and dressing area, which could serve as the master or a guest suite.

However, upstairs are options with two more double bedrooms.

Now, this upstairs is the master bedroom.

Mainly, because you get direct access to that amazing

bathroom, which is a Jack and Jill.

You can get to it from the other side.

-So, the far bedroom, you can use it as well.

-Right.

-OK.

-I'm liking this bit of it more.

-Yeah, it's nice, this bedroom.

-It feels more traditional, doesn't it?

-It does.

It feels like this mystery house, so far,

has pushed you too far the other way.

I know you said you liked sort of modern, contemporary interiors,

but this is bordering on the avant-garde, isn't it, I suppose?

But then, I don't know if you would have shown us this where

we were yesterday, in terms of location?

I know the price would be different, but if I might feel differently?

-Good point.

-I don't know what's swaying it.

What's swaying your feelings at the moment is this location

-being quite remote.

-Yeah.

-Yeah.

Let's go back outside and talk about that and then,

-think about price as well.

-Yeah.

-Great.

-OK.

The grounds are extensive with lawns opening out into hillside

and wooded areas. However, it remains to be seen

whether they can envisage a business in this location.

So, here's the views.

And I can explain now what land you get.

You get about 5.85 acres off memory, over here.

So, it follows the tree line across, there's little post and wire fence.

Down past the third telegraph pole, and then up the hill.

-So what you see here, twice as much again.

-Right.

-OK.

-Mountain goats, I was thinking.

-Yeah!

So how much do you think the mystery house is on the market for?

-I would probably say around about 630. Something like that.

-OK.

-Anna?

-I'm going to go a bit lower, I think,

just given the kind of rural side of things. I'm going to say 590.

Well, the asking price is around £650,000. Yes.

-Good guess.

-You win.

-I win. THEY LAUGH

It's, you know, as I say, it's,

the mystery property is here to challenge you.

This has done that, and it may be a bit too much in that way,

-so, that's it. That's all we're going to have a look at.

-Yeah.

-Yeah.

But whilst we're here, in this beautiful

national park setting, why did not

go and have a look around and I'll meet you back here when you're done.

-OK.

-Great.

-All right. See you in a minute.

-Thank you.

My mum always said, you should never gamble. She was right.

This cool mystery house is on the market for £650,000

and gives them stacks of contemporary features,

with three bedrooms, one with en suite, a massive living room,

a large kitchen with dining area, almost six acres of land

in a rural location with stunning views of the Peak District.

The land that it comes... obviously is very hilly,

it limits you to what animals you could have on the farm.

Therefore, it would limit what business we could have as well.

I mean, there's fantastic views and scenery,

but in terms of kind of getting in the snow to a village shop,

or walking the kids to the school, in this sort of location,

I kind of struggle to picture that.

I could see us coming visiting a place like this and, you know,

staying here for a couple of weeks over the summer,

doing it week to week, day in day out through the winter, you know, and

commuting anywhere. I'm just not sure

it would fit with our lifestyle, really.

-Well, then. Seen enough of this contemporary abode?

-Yeah, yeah.

-I think so, yeah.

-OK, well, you probably only have

one property to think about,

but there's enough to go through your mind, so why

don't you go off and have a chat

-and I'll catch up with you later. OK?

-Yeah.

-See you in a bit.

Rearing up from the Cheshire plain,

the Lovell telescope at Jodrell Bank can be seen from miles around.

It's dominated the local landscape since 1957,

and with Grade I listed status, is an icon of science and engineering.

Named after its creator, Bernard Lovell,

it has real standing on the international astronomy circuit.

To find out more about the observatory

and the discoveries this world-famous telescope has made,

I have come to meet associate director, Professor Tim O'Brien.

So, Tim, after years of seeing this from miles away, we are

now right up close to it. How far can it see?

The distances in space are so vast,

they're almost impossible to imagine.

And travelling at 300,000 kilometres every single second, we can see stuff

that actually those radio waves have taken billions of years to reach us.

They're billions of light years away.

That huge ball that you see behind us, that is collecting radio

waves across its whole area, and it's sort of focusing them together,

collecting them

at a point that's at the top of the tower in the centre, and that

gives it huge power, because it is collecting it over such a large area.

But those radio waves are things that have been generated by,

you know, distant galaxies, by exploding stars, by stars being born.

Even planets actually around other stars being formed.

The creator of the telescope, Bernard Lovell,

originally experimented with radar at the University of Manchester.

But that was ruined by radio interference from local trams.

So, he moved out of the city to the University Botanical Gardens

at Jodrell Bank and never left.

We're off inside to the telescope control room,

the original from the 1950s.

So, what current projects are on the go here at the moment?

With the big Lovell telescope, there is

a network of telescopes across the UK, we call it E Merlin,

which is seven radio telescopes connected by optical fibres.

The signals from each of them are brought back to here,

to a supercomputer, where we combine them

and make images of the radio sky.

So, have you got anywhere we could look at some of this new data

-coming back?

-I can show you an image that we have just taken recently.

All right, let's look at that, shall we?

Jodrell Bank leads the way in radio astronomy related research.

Objects that were discovered in space decades ago

can now be revisited in even greater detail.

So, Tim, this is all part of the E Merlin project?

Yes, here are where the E Merlin networks are in the country.

So, each of those telescopes there, seven of them,

is actually represented on this control screen here by these

circles, so the controller that is on duty can actually check how

each telescope is working, what it's doing,

how that network is bringing the data back here to Jodrell.

This data is converted into an image that gives us

a clearer picture of an object light years away.

What you're seeing here is a combination of a radio image,

with E Merlin, which is the coloured stuff here,

and also an image with the Hubble space telescope, which is

showing you these two bright things here.

The object itself, it's a quasar.

A distant galaxy with a supermassive black hole.

We discovered back in 1979.

But you can build a new instrument and you can go back

and look at things that you already knew about.

You see them, it is like putting on a new pair of glasses and you

see a better view of something that you knew existed already.

I must say, Tim, it's been absolutely fascinating.

I'm now off for a lie down, but thank you very, very much.

Cheers, bye-bye.

It's a remarkable insight into the universe and the amazing

equipment out in the countryside that we use to monitor it.

For now, though, let's put stargazing aside to catch up

with our house hunters.

Well, it's pretty clear there's only one property up for serious

consideration.

So, after a bit of thinking time, let's find out from Steve

and Anna what they plan to do about it.

Well. The sun has come out. Beautiful up here, isn't it?

-Lovely, yeah.

-So, we have a fair idea of which of the properties

-is your favourite, but just to confirm?

-Property two.

-Yeah.

-Yeah.

-Why?

-I think, in terms of location, you know,

kind of it's close enough to Steve's mum and dad's and also,

close to a big village and so it's got that kind of access as well,

and potential to possibly grow business.

Now you've had a good look around that house, and come

away from there, what changes do you think you would like to make to it?

I think, the kitchen wouldn't take a lot to improve it,

and just personalise it and make it to our taste.

Certainly, the idea of maybe putting an orangery on the front,

a little bit more light in, it would give us more space in the dining

room, and within our budget, we can probably afford to do that.

So, the house, all that land, what are you going to do with it?

Initially, probably developing the stable side,

because it's obviously got stables there.

I think they've done liveries there before, yes.

Obviously, longer term, we would like to introduce other animals

-and potentially open that up to the public to come and visit.

-Come on!

-What sort of animals?

-Some pigs. Some goats. Rabbits.

-Yeah.

Fairly... Ones that kids like. HE LAUGHS

So, what's the next step for you both?

I think we've got to do a bit of research on property number two,

about whether we could get planning to kind of expand or

-build a business on that property.

-Yes.

-And access as well,

because it is quite a kind of single-track road, to get to the

house, so, if we were looking to ask visitors to come, what options

are there there or what planning do we need for that side of things?

So, I think it would be doing some research.

Well, it's a big step you're making.

I mean, the very first next step is a second viewing, isn't it,

of course, but then there's phone calls, research, there's

legwork going around the area.

So, I wish you the very best of luck with that.

But do please let us know what you decide.

-Yeah.

-Thank you.

-Good luck.

-Cheers.

Well, after giving us a fairly general outline, Steve

and Anna seem very focused on what they're after now.

And by the sounds of it, it's property number two.

The good thing, I think, is that both of them

seem very practical on what to do next.

Not only are they going for a second viewing, but more importantly,

they're going to have a look around the whole area,

meet the neighbours, look for local competition, but perhaps most

importantly, speak to the local authorities, speak to the planners

and see what they think about the idea of them running a business.

And then hopefully, if they get positive answers to all their

enquiries, then maybe they'll be making their move to Cheshire,

not only for an escape to the country,

but for the whole family, a much more rural existence.

See you next time.

Steve and Anna liked house number two, but after looking further into

their proposed business venture, decided the equestrian facilities

didn't provide all that they needed, so they're continuing their search.

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