South Devon Escape to the Country

This tank was raised from the sea bed of the county I'm in and stands

in memory of a WWII training exercise that ended in disaster.

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

On today's show, we're helping a couple of lifelong suburbanites

up sticks to the country.

At one property, it's all about the view.

-You wouldn't want to watch TV, would you?

-No.

-And there's a big surprise at another.

-We've stayed here.

-We've stayed here.

-You're joking?

Today, I'm in South Devon and this is Slapton Sands,

which was used by the Allied forces to rehearse for the D-day

landings on the Normandy beaches.

Codenamed Exercise Tiger, this top-secret rehearsal

ended in tragedy when a US convoy was torpedoed by German E-boats.

The death toll amounted to over 900 servicemen.

Today, their memory is preserved here,

as is this area, as it's also home to a national nature reserve.

And I'll be finding out more about this unique coastline

later on in the show.

But first, let's take a look at some of Devon's other natural highlights.

Devon is the third largest

and one of the most hilly counties in England.

Bordering Cornwall to the west and Somerset and Dorset to the east.

The south of the county, known as the South Hams,

covers an area of around 350 square miles between Plymouth and Torquay.

Sheltered from the weather by the uplands of rocky Dartmoor,

this rich agricultural region, with its patchwork of fields,

enjoys one of the mildest climates in the whole of mainland Britain.

There are 62 miles of Devon coast,

ranging from sheltered hidden coves in the long,

golden expanse of Slapton Sands,

to the tree-lined slopes of the Dart and Kingsbridge estuaries.

From historic ports such as Dartmouth

to the pretty riverside villages like Stoke Gabriel,

they all stand testament to the county's rich maritime heritage.

Devon's desirability is reflected

in just how much it costs to buy a home here.

With the average price for a detached house in the county

coming in at around £288,000.

Some £30,000 above the national figure.

Now, the South Hams district is the most expensive in the county.

In seaside towns like Salcombe and Dartmouth,

you can expect to pay almost double the national figure for a property.

But if you head west towards Plymouth or inland towards Dartmoor,

you'll be rewarded by getting much more property for your budget.

So, what's attracting today's buyers to Devon?

Let's meet them and find out.

Darren and Tracey have been married for 25 years.

For the last decade, they've lived in Farnham Common in Buckinghamshire,

just outside London's M25.

But with their grown-up children about to leave home,

-it's time to make the break.

-We have enjoyed living here.

The community's really nice.

We've a good set of friends and we're local to the shops,

but it's just becoming more compact with traffic.

Despite the changes in the neighbourhood,

they still have fond memories of the area.

We met in a disco called Regal's in Uxbridge.

Which was our main nightclub

on a Thursday night. It was girls' night.

Um...but then I had a break and went travelling for a bit

and then came back and we sort of hooked up again.

-At Regal's again.

-Yes!

And then, um...decided to get married.

Four years ago, they holidayed in South Devon

and it was love at first sight.

We just like everything about it.

It's the pubs, it's the open fields, the woods.

Because we've got a dog, we like walking.

And the idea would be to get another dog.

Just having some space around you

without too many neighbours would be really nice.

Darren runs a glazing company

and Tracey's a product development manager.

A job she can do from home.

But after the move, work will take more of a back seat.

I've built the construction company up.

It can operate without me being there fulltime.

I think the move's going to make us a bit more...or you more relaxed.

The last couple of years, your work has been quite stressful.

Um...and it would just sort of give you the opportunity

to pursue some areas that you've been looking to do for quite a few years.

-Yeah. Enjoy life, really.

-Mm.

Work to live, not live to work, really.

There's that saying, isn't there?

And with more time on his hands, keen biker Darren

will be able to enjoy everything coastal Devon has to offer.

The move down there would get me more into the sports I love,

which is scuba diving.

I know walking's not so much a sport, but walking.

It's everything there, really.

It's just for me and I really would like to get into sailing.

And when he's not sailing the seas,

Darren will be hitting Devon's roads with his other pride and joy.

I've got a Triumph Stag. I've had it over a year now.

I've had a bit of work done on it and it would just be great

to go around the countryside in a Triumph Stag.

While Darren's away, Tracey will keep the home fires burning.

It's going to be very important for me to have a good kitchen

because I spend a lot of time in it. Currently, anyway, with the family.

I do a lot of cooking and baking. I'm into growing vegetables.

I do lots of gardening. I grow my own flowers and seeds, et cetera.

And I really would like to look at having some chickens.

So that is my next plan, really,

to get some space where I could put some hens and chickens in.

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

move to the South Devon countryside.

The budget for the move is £600,000.

Darren and Tracey have holidayed in the South Hams area of the county

and would like us to concentrate our property search there.

I've come to meet them on Devonian soil to go over the specifics of the house.

Welcome, both of you, to beautiful South Devon.

-I know you've been here many times before, haven't you?

-Yes.

-We have.

-Popular holiday destination.

-Definitely, yes.

So, why now are you choosing to relocate fulltime?

Well, our family have all grown up.

We're now more comfortable money-wise

and we can do that in our time of life, really.

Let's talk about the house. Open plan downstairs?

-Yeah, definitely.

-A nice big kitchen.

Kitchen/diner. More room perhaps downstairs than upstairs.

-Because that's where we are.

-Yeah. OK, that makes sense.

We need to have an office space

because Darren obviously has his business and I work from home.

So I'd like to be able to have a room that I can switch off from.

-That could be one of the bedrooms, though.

-Yeah.

-It could be.

Because that could turn into a guest room perhaps afterwards.

How many bedrooms as bedrooms do you need?

-At least three.

-Three. We'd like three.

So you're looking for a three to four bedroom house,

or a house with two to three receptions rooms downstairs.

-Yes.

-Yeah.

I don't mind doing the bed-and-breakfast type scenario

-or the guesthouse scenario.

-OK.

If we were lucky to have something that had perhaps a small annexe

or something that we could rent out.

-Well, that's worth thinking about.

-Definitely.

Should I be looking out for any big no-nos?

-A detached, we'd like, not a semi or terraced.

-You'd like, or...?

-It's got to be detached, really.

-Yeah.

-It really has.

So finally, the price. What's the final budget?

-£600,000.

-£600,000.

-Yeah.

-Which is a good amount of money.

-Yeah.

We want quite a lot from the property itself,

but we should have a good go at this, shouldn't we?

-I think so, yeah.

-All right. Let's get started. Just this way.

-Great.

For a budget of £600,000, Darren

and Tracey want a detached property with lots of light and space.

It must have three to four bedrooms

with enough room downstairs to entertain.

Tracey would like a large garden to grow vegetables and keep chickens.

Darren needs a garage or workshop for his classic car.

And location-wise, they'd like to be close to the coast.

We've lined up three charming properties here in South Devon to show them.

And at each one, I'll be asking them to guess the price at the end.

The last is our mystery house,

which could give our couple lots of options for work and play.

So, Tracey, talk me through this idea of running some kind of B&B.

-Yeah.

-Is this a long-held dream of yours?

-Yeah, it has been actually, hasn't it?

-Yeah.

For quite a few years, we've talked about that.

And I like to entertain and I like to organise things, so, um...

-Perfect! You're both quite social people, aren't you?

-Yeah.

-We entertain quite a lot. And our friends come over, don't they?

-Yes.

We've had a holiday home before,

so I've sort of rented that out

and got that all ready for the guests, et cetera,

so I think I'd be quite interested to do that.

For our first property, we're heading to the hamlet of Goveton,

not far from the South Devon coastline.

It's within two miles of the market town of Kingsbridge, which is

situated at the northern end of the estuary that takes its name.

Its proximity to the sea has seen Kingsbridge develop into a popular

tourist destination and it has a varied selection of shops and cafes.

Just a 10-minute drive away, you're well into the countryside.

And you'll find our first house.

So here we are at property number one.

-Wow!

-What do you think of how it looks? It's not your uber modern.

-No. The stonework's a bit different for me, isn't it?

-Yeah.

Yeah. I'm not quite sure.

Bit dark.

-It does seem very dark.

-Yeah.

-Rural location. Rural enough?

-Yes, definitely.

-Definitely, yeah.

-First impressions, you sound...

Reserved. THEY LAUGH

You sound reserved. OK.

-Let's see what you think of the interior. Follow me.

-OK.

Our first property was built in the early 1990s.

And although the stonework might not be to Darren and Tracey's liking,

I'm sure the light and spacious interior will lift their spirits.

So to start off with,

-you've got a separate living room just through there.

-OK.

This is the most important kitchen for you, isn't it?

Yeah. Actually, this is very nice. I like this.

Yeah, this is nice.

This is the sort of plan that I like.

-When you said, actually, this is very nice.

-Yeah.

That tells a story in itself. You weren't expecting to see this.

No, I wasn't. Because from the front, it looks quite small, compact.

But it's nice and light.

Now, off this room, you've got lots of what you said you wanted.

-Your separate utility through there.

-OK.

-Office through there.

But what they've done here is opened it all out.

There was a corridor running across here to the office.

So they've got rid of one wall,

which gives us the space for a nice big kitchen.

They've also opened up the room this way.

-Let's go and take a little look.

-Sure.

-There's a lot more space, isn't there?

-Very nice.

-It is nice.

-Plenty of light coming through the windows.

-Yeah, definitely.

But you've got so many other places. You've got a conservatory through there, just tucked away.

-French doors to open out during the summer.

-Bit of decking.

And you've got that other separate reception room at the front of the house.

-Yeah.

-Let's look upstairs, shall we?

-OK.

-Sure.

A much better reaction to the inside of our first property.

But I'm still not sure it's really grabbing Darren and Tracey,

even though on paper, it gives them everything they've asked for.

Upstairs, there are four good-sized bedrooms,

all serviced by a family bathroom.

Two of the bedrooms overlook the front of the house,

another is dual aspect and then finally, the largest.

-Let's take a quick peek into the master.

-OK.

-That's a nice size.

-Yeah, a great size.

This master, it's triple aspect and you've got an en suite, as well.

-Oh, even better.

-Yeah?

-Yeah, definitely.

You didn't say you wanted an en suite.

Actually, we didn't say, but we do. Sorry.

-Is that a rod going up my back there?

-Yeah.

We do want an en suite, yeah.

You said you wanted minimum three and an office.

-We've got four beds and an office here.

-Yeah.

-That's good.

A lot more room than I thought.

So our first property certainly gives Darren and Tracey

the space they're after and more.

But Tracey also wanted a large garden to grow vegetables

and keep chickens, so I'm hoping it's up to scratch.

So you've got a really nice raised terrace and decking area.

-You can pretty much chase the sun around the house.

-Yeah.

-That would be nice.

-Now, big double garage there for you.

-I like the garden.

-Yeah.

-Some fruit trees.

-Yeah.

-Mm.

-So...

..how much do you think a house like this,

or maybe this house exactly, is on the market for?

-565?

-565, you're saying?

-Yes.

-OK. Darren?

I think it's lower than that. I think it's 545.

Obviously, I'm going to be wrong.

Well, we'll be crashing down to earth with a bump, I'm afraid.

This place is on the market for offers around £625,000.

-Really?

-Yeah, that is...

I wouldn't have thought that.

Speaking to one of the owners,

he says they would be prepared to consider offers around your budget,

but that's still priced a lot more than you've put it at.

-Definitely. That's come as a bit of a shock.

-Has it?

-We're way out.

-It has, yeah.

-I'm surprised. It must be the location.

It's got to be the location.

Why don't you have a look at the areas you haven't seen.

The other bedrooms, the utility and what have you.

-And I'll meet you out the front whenever you're ready.

-OK.

-OK.

-Thank you.

-Thank you.

-See you in a mo.

Well, that price reveal wasn't great news for them.

I think coming down to Devon might be a bit of a shock to the system.

This house, technically,

it fulfils pretty much all of their shopping list.

Style-wise, I'm starting to get to know what they want.

And I'm not sure this is it.

On the market for £625,000, our first property is over budget,

but the owners are willing to accept a lower offer.

It's a modern, spacious family home

set in a peaceful rural setting close to the sea.

It comes with a large kitchen and living area

and there are four good-sized bedrooms.

The garden is laid to lawn and it has its own mini apple orchard.

It was a bit of a relief when I walked in,

the rooms were a lot lighter and bigger than you'd seen from outside.

It was more to my liking, I must admit.

The downstairs size is perfect, really.

The front room, there'll only be two of us most of the time.

There's lots of opportunity in the garden,

there's some fruit trees I can work with.

There's some space for the greenhouse, which is great.

And lots of little nooks and crannies.

We'd be able to fit some vegetable plots in

and perhaps some chickens, hopefully.

-So, all done inside and out?

-Yes, thank you.

-Yes, thank you. Yeah.

-Well, that's property number one done. Onto the next one.

-OK.

-Lovely.

Away from the coast, South Devon's moorland

and rivers have shaped its industrial past.

During the 19th century,

the town of Buckfastleigh was a centre of textile production.

And a railway line was built to transport freight

along the River Dart towards Totnes.

Part of the track was closed in the 1960s,

but a seven-mile stretch has been revived by committed locals

and is now run as the South Devon Railway.

It's an appealing way to explore

the region's inland heritage and landscape.

First stop for Darren and Tracey,

the railway's museum at Buckfastleigh station.

They're meeting historian John Brodribb.

-Welcome along to the South Devon Railway.

-Thank you.

The railway itself, what is now the South Devon,

it first opened in 1872. 1st May, 1872.

And it actually opened on the broad gauge.

Now, the broad gauge,

Isambard Kingdom Brunel's seven foot and a quarter inch gauge,

it's the distance between the rails,

was unusual because it was used in this part of the country,

but actually not very much elsewhere.

-Is the broad gauge still in use today?

-No, it isn't.

We run on the standard gauge.

What happened was that the Great Western Railway in 1892

changed the gauge in a single weekend.

After the broad gauge was changed, did that affect the line and the running?

It would've probably been slightly better in fact

because it was then easier for goods to reach other parts of the country

without the break of gauge, which had meant that

you had to manually shift goods from one train to another

where the gauge changed.

Despite the gauge change, the line was never really profitable,

until it started running as a heritage railway.

And today, it carries over 100,000 passengers every year.

Chairman of the railway company, John Haslam,

is taking Darren and Tracey on a short trip to Staverton station

to try their hand at operating one of the line's three mechanical signal boxes.

Right, here we are. This is Bishops Bridge Signal Box.

A massive great row of levers. The red ones are signals.

All the points are set up correctly

so all we're doing today is we are clearing the signals

to allow the passage of the train.

BUZZER

There's as train coming, as if by magic.

Turn the buzzer off.

Right, one of you, press the plunger marked 37.

A system of wires and rods link the lever to the track-side signal.

A pull on the lever clears the signal and the train can pass.

Tracey, we'll let you pull the next one, which will be 35.

Today, railway signalling is operated by electrical

and hydraulic mechanisms.

But the old lever system does require some elbow grease.

It's quite hard at the end, isn't it?

Now Darren and Tracey have tried their hand at signal operating,

it's time to make tracks and get back to the house hunt.

For our second option, we're heading 22 miles west towards

Plymouth to the coastal hamlet of Heybrook Bay.

The closest amenities are a mile away in Down Thomas,

which has a village shop, historic pub dating to the 14th century

and a small post office.

Just a two-minute drive away,

our second property with its magnificent sea views awaits.

I'm hoping for at least one of us,

the first impressions are going to be pretty good from this angle.

-That's a lot better.

-Very unusual. Yeah.

-We've never looked at something like this.

-I know. It's very nice.

It's not something I thought I'd like, but it's very, very nice.

-It suits, I think, the vicinity, the location.

-It does.

I mean, from first thing in the morning,

this house has light beaming into all this side of the house.

But also, as you can quite imagine, behind there,

which is why it's raised, you get amazing sea views.

-Now, you're grinning.

-I know. Yeah.

-I can't see.

-I'm surprised myself.

-I'm surprised.

-It's not your cup of tea normally.

-I know. I do like it.

-What does Tracey think?

-I do, I'm looking forward to going in.

-OK. Let's go inside.

-OK.

I thought our second property, built in the 1960s,

would have appealed more to Tracey.

But the smile on Darren's face says it all.

Now, do you want to pause briefly here?

You heard funny bing-bongs

and I'll explain why we've got things like that.

Because this house is currently let out as a holiday apartment,

or holiday home.

What we've got here is, as you can see, a games room,

but also on this level, you've got, well, a small kitchen,

currently used as an utility, and a living room and a shower and loo.

Ah, I see.

So you could, if you wanted to, self-contain this, even as it is.

-And that could maybe...

-Be a let.

-Be letting accommodation.

But I think you might want the extra space on the ground floor, anyway.

-OK.

-Now, upwards to the living accommodation.

-Can I just squeeze through there?

-Sure.

This ground-floor area could be converted to bed and breakfast

accommodation, or storage for Darren's sporting equipment.

Because the real selling point of this property is just upstairs.

So let's see what you think of what I think is a very impressive room.

-I do like this, yeah.

-Look at that view.

-I can see the water.

-That's fantastic!

-The coastal path.

-You wouldn't want to watch TV, would you?

-No.

-It's the antithesis of the first house, isn't it?

-Wow!

Yeah, totally the opposite. I do... I mean, it's nice to watch everybody.

-Just people-watch.

-This is great. Really is great.

-On a sunny day.

-I just want to see some more, really.

-Well, let's do that.

Kitchen just through here. So...

-Good size.

-Good size.

-Come right in.

Um...compared to the one we saw last,

-that's my ideal kitchen/diner, really.

-OK.

I don't think it would be a big waste if you started again in here.

I don't think so. No. It's got the size.

-So you could change this quite easily.

-So you can see through it.

-Definitely.

-It's a good enough space.

-Yeah.

Let's see what you think of the rest. Let me squeeze through.

-Great.

-Thank you very much.

The kitchen also leads onto

a small conservatory at the back of the property.

Also on this floor, a large family bathroom with twin Jacuzzi.

Two double bedrooms, both with views over the bay,

and a dining room with stairs up to the second floor.

-So we might be fighting over who gets this space.

-Is that the office?

-A desk each.

-That's handy, actually.

-The views are fantastic.

You've got windows, as well.

I would say you might want to use this as a walk-in wardrobe, but...

-True.

-No, you've got plenty of space through here. Check this out.

-Ooh, gosh!

-Oh! Ho-ho!

-Very nice.

-Views again.

This is the wardrobe space?

Loads of storage space and, of course...

of course you've got an en suite.

-Look at this!

-Oh!

-Oh, great!

-LAUGHTER

-Very, very nice.

Well, the interior tour of our second property

couldn't have gone any better.

But there's still the outside space to see.

Tracey wanted a large garden for her vegetables

and Darren a garage for his classic car.

And I fear that's where we might come a cropper.

The rear garden is terraced with steps leading to a decked viewing platform

and a summer house, offering some breathtaking views.

-You'll be pleased to hear it's worth the climb.

-Oh, yeah!

-It is indeed.

I can't believe I'm saying this, but that's your flat bit of garden.

LAUGHTER

I was just looking over there

and they've obviously got their vegetables and things there,

-so if you were going to do anything, it would have to be here.

-Yeah.

All in, around a quarter of an acre. Just lots of different levels.

-Levels, yeah.

-But there's no garage here at the moment.

And that might involve more than just digging out.

It would involve engineering. So...

-The price.

-The price.

We made a boob on the last tone.

-Well...

-Um...

I'm thinking about 575.

And I'm going to say 600,000.

-Your guess is much better. It's on the market for £580,000.

-Yeah.

And it started life at £600,000.

-So you're back on the money.

-OK.

Don't be too led by the configuration at the moment.

It might take you some time,

but that's all we're going to do, so take as much time as you want.

-Because I will be lapping in this view.

-OK, then.

-All right?

-Thank you.

-Thank you.

-Catch you later on.

On the market for £580,000,

our second property is £20,000 under budget.

It's a modern lodge-style house built on three levels.

The accommodation includes a large reception room

with glass doors out onto a wraparound balcony.

It has four bedrooms, including the ground-floor room,

as well as a study.

And the garden is terraced with fantastic views out to sea.

TRACEY LAUGHS

-Oh, it is, yeah.

-Jacuzzi!

-Jacuzzi bath.

-Oh, wow! That's unusual!

-For two!

No, thanks. LAUGHTER

This was a very different house in concept to what we've looked at before.

So it was quite a surprise. The views are spectacular.

We knew when we saw the house that we were going to see something

really good from inside the house.

The garden where the terracing is at the moment, is quite difficult

for me to actually sort of visualise, but I'm sure it can be worked on.

There's definitely enough living space and, um...

even downstairs, that's a great games room.

I really do like the house, but I've got to try to persuade Tracey.

So that will be my job tonight.

So...all done inside and out.

-Yes.

-Did you find anywhere for your hens?

At the very, very top, as long as they don't escape into next door.

-That could be a negotiating point for you, Darren.

-It could be.

-I do feel this might have split the camp.

-OK.

-Time to go back.

-That's great.

It's day two of our property search

and Darren and Tracey from near Slough, to the west of London,

have a budget of £600,000 to spend on their Devonian dream.

Coming up, there's a big surprise at the mystery house.

Four years ago, we stayed here.

This is where it all started, in this particular property.

And I visit the wildlife wonder

under threat from Mother Nature herself.

Well, I think we might have split the camp yesterday.

Whilst property two came out on top,

I think Darren preferred it a lot more than Tracey.

We're on the way to the mystery house and I think this property

plays a lot more to what Tracey said she wanted.

Well, it's only fair, isn't it?

Now, this property has a garden I think

she has pictured in her mind's eye.

And it also has a business opportunity

they can probably dip their toes into now

or fulltime sometime in the future.

But in order to get all this, as it's the mystery house,

there is a compromise.

And they'll see this compromise as soon as they step out of the car.

For our final property, we're heading back to familiar

territory, and specifically, the hamlet of South Huish.

The closest amenities are to be found in the village of Marlborough,

which has a pub and a post office.

Before we get to our mystery house, we're making a pit stop

at a nearby beach called South Milton Sands to take in the view.

So, I take it you've probably been to this beach before, have you?

We have. This is what started our journey quite a few years ago.

-Is it?

-Yeah.

-Why?

We stayed not too far from here and we used to come to this beach

with our dog and walk him in the morning.

I just thought it would be a glorious beach to come to.

-It's dog-friendly.

-Absolutely.

A lot of people come here for water sports.

There's a wreck that you can dive around and discover, as well.

Oh, great. That's even better.

So it would be good news if I told you you could

-walk from the mystery property to this beach, would it?

-Yes.

It would be very good news.

Some of the properties we looked at around here, we liked very much.

-Well, this is quite an expensive part of the world.

-Mm.

-Yeah.

-So to be close to this beach is pretty special.

But we are, so let's see if the house,

well, pleases hopefully both of you, shall we?

-Yeah, great.

-Let's go.

-Thank you.

At the start of our house hunt yesterday,

Tracey mentioned she'd like to run a bed and breakfast.

And our mystery house is an up-and-running, well-established B&B.

But our buyers also wanted a detached property.

And our mystery house, a 300-year-old barn conversion,

is essentially terraced with neighbours either side.

Right, then, this is our mystery house.

It's not a surprise to us.

-We've stayed here.

-We've stayed here.

-You're joking?

-No.

Four years ago, we stayed here.

And this is where it all started, in this particular property.

When we were on the beach, when you said a mile away, we thought...

-We were thinking, "Hm."

-Maybe... Because...

-And then...

And Tracey's been excited ever since.

-You stayed here?

-We stayed here.

-In that room there.

Yeah, in that room there.

Well, I can tell you're excited,

but almost putting to one side the fact that you've stayed here,

-you know it's attached.

-Yes.

-We do.

-I do, but I'm really happy about the way...

We just liked it when we were here and that doesn't bother me at all.

-All right.

-Because we know the land set-up and everything around it.

So whilst you said you would never look at anything attached...

-We did say.

-Absolutely fine.

-Yeah, yeah.

-I'm really excited now.

I can't wait to show you. Come on, let's go!

Well, that's definitely a first.

But despite having stayed here some four years ago,

Darren and Tracey only saw two rooms in the property.

One of which was this impressive entrance dining hall,

where they had their breakfast.

But our first stop is to the left of the hall, the kitchen.

-So, did you get a chance to look in here?

-No, I didn't. No.

-We didn't.

This is the sort of farmhouse kitchen I like.

The owner, who you've probably met...

This is quite bizarre for me. She spent a lot of money on this place.

We remember. We had quite a conversation about it.

Talking about all the renovations she's done.

We're aware what's gone into it.

Tracey, you seem clearly over the moon with the prospect of this.

Darren...

I'm still shocked. I am shocked, yeah.

It's, um... I don't mind the mind the idea.

-You're worried about the B&B bit.

-I'm worried about the B&B bit.

And having people in the house.

I think he likes to have a separate area.

I had a thought about maybe rejigging the accommodation

-slightly so you can have a bit of separation.

-Yes.

-Yeah.

Let's go downstairs to some current letting accommodation

-I think could become yours. All right?

-OK.

At present, the owner's accommodation

is situated to the right of the hallway.

This includes the bedroom that Darren and Tracey stayed in,

a small living room and a bathroom.

But my plan is to turn the basement into a larger, private living space.

A small living room to the left-hand side there.

-OK.

-And this, as it stands, is a letting bedroom.

-Lots of storage here and then it's huge, as you can see.

-Yeah.

Oh, right, yeah. This is great.

-And you've got a massive en suite just to the right.

-OK.

-But I was thinking this is a really nice owner's accommodation.

-Definitely.

Potentially even this as a living room

with a smaller living room becoming a bedroom

and then you just sort out the access between the two with the bathroom.

-Yeah.

-Definitely.

Oh, this looks great.

-You can definitely cut it off then, can't you? That's...

-Yeah.

-Well, you're totally separate from the guests here.

-Yeah.

-It's a great idea.

-I think so.

-Let's get outside and show you some of the options there. OK?

-Thank you.

As well as the basement bedroom

and the room Darren and Tracey stayed in,

there are two further guest bedrooms on the first floor of the property.

Both come with en suite bathrooms.

And that makes four bedrooms in total.

At full capacity, the B&B business

can make £250 a night in peak season.

The outside space includes a small fenced-off garden,

a larger paddock area with a stable block

and garage for Darren's car and a vegetable plot.

But that's not all.

So in a bid to get you as much space as possible,

this paddock is also included.

-Really?

-Yep.

This whole property can be self-sufficient.

There's a borehole you could use.

You've got so much wood for the central-heating.

And with a south-facing roof,

-you could even put solar panels on there.

-Right.

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

-I'd say 575.

-OK. Tracey?

Bearing in mind the first house we had was over our budget,

but this has got really everything we want,

I'd like to think it was still in that price range.

I'm going to go for about 595.

She's good. It's on the market for offers around £590,000.

Mm. Wallet?

Ooh! Wallet!

LAUGHTER

-It could be a lovely rural, almost seaside home for you two.

-Yeah.

-And that's what I want to remind you of.

-Yeah.

So why don't you both now go back into the house,

take as much time as you want.

-Come on, then.

-Thank you.

-See you later.

-Bye.

On the market at offers around £590,000,

our mystery house is £10,000 under budget.

It's a 300-year-old barn conversion

and a successful bed-and-breakfast business.

It has a large dining entrance hall and a farmhouse-style kitchen.

There are four bedrooms,

three of which are currently used for guests.

The property comes with two acres of land which includes

a large paddock area and an adjoining field.

This is a nice, airy room.

-We haven't seen his, have we?

-No.

-Nice en suite.

-Nicely decorated.

Very nice.

It's got the beams. This is very nice.

I know I keep saying that, but it is.

It was such a surprise when we came around the corner.

I can't believe we actually stayed here four years ago

and this is where we decided we wanted to live in the South Hams.

If we didn't run it as a B&B, internally,

the set-up is a bit of a challenge, I think.

We've got a really nice kitchen/diner, which I wanted,

but then you need to go downstairs to the living accommodation.

So it could be a little bit challenging.

The property is not something we'd usually go for

because it's not detached.

The building, the way it's been built,

it's got loads of character.

It's got the beams I like and it's a bed and breakfast,

which Tracey has wanted to do for years.

-So, am I looking at the new Basil and Sybil Fawlty?

-Yeah.

It would be Fawlty Towers with us!

Well, I hope you enjoyed looking around that as prospective owners.

-I found us somewhere very nice to go for a bit of a chat. Just that way.

-Thank you.

The South Devon coast is home

to some of the best beaches in the country.

One of them is Slapton, a four-mile strip of shingle

with the sea on one side

and a freshwater lake on the other called Slapton Ley.

The Ley is home to some of the rarest flora and fauna in the UK.

And its natural beauty is clear to see.

But maintaining this fragile habitat hangs in the balance.

I've come to the Ley to meet Andy Pratt

from the Slapton Field Centre and Nature Reserve

to find out why it's under threat.

Andy, this is just an amazing picture we've got in front of us.

I can't remember seeing a freshwater lake of this size so close to the sea.

It must be one of the larger ones.

This is the largest freshwater lake in the South West.

The fact that it's close to the beach makes it quite significant.

I understand this is a Site of Special Scientific Interest.

-Is that right?

-Yeah, that's right.

It's designated by Natural England

and they've identified it as one of the key sites in the county

because of the variety of wildlife

and the sorts of wildlife that are important.

Really, the range of plants and animals.

-So there's a particularly rare plant called strapwort.

-Right.

This is the only site in Britain where it actually grows.

Andy, this nature reserve in its current state

may well be changing in the future.

It could almost be under threat in its current guise

-from Mother Nature itself, I understand.

-Yeah.

Our concern is that this stretch of coastline

suffers from a significant amount of storms and coastal erosion,

particularly during the winter.

Our concern is that one day in the future,

that the whole shingle ridge will be breached.

If the ridge is breached, saltwater would flow into the Ley

and the plants and animals that have adapted to the freshwater

environment will no longer be able to live there.

Andy's taking me down to the beach.

And it's immediately clear just how delicate this natural barrier is.

In 2001, a large storm damaged the road

and it's only a matter of time before it happens again.

We're literally over the road and it's a fairly busy road, isn't it?

-We've got the threat of that sea, haven't we?

-Yeah.

It's hard to believe on days like today where it's a flat, calm sea,

that there would be any threat at all.

But this is an incredibly dynamic beach.

It changes dramatically and can change almost overnight.

Today, it's hard to see what the issue would be.

But in high winds, storm conditions, high tides,

you see the full force of the ocean.

Could any sea defences be put in place at all?

This is a four-mile long beach.

To have a four-mile sea wall would be quite a significant feature.

What's felt to be in keeping with the nature reserve,

with the geology and the dynamicness of the beach

is to have the small-scale bastions you can see behind us.

These are basically mounds of shingle

that have been put in key strategic places

to protect areas most at risk.

Experts predict the sea could reach the lake within the next 100 years.

So we should enjoy this natural wonder in its present form

while we still can.

After a bit of time to think, I've agreed to meet Darren and Tracey

at the beach where it kind of all started, really,

to find out what they plan to do next.

Well, it seems rather fitting to choose this spot

-to contemplate your future, doesn't it?

-Yep.

-It does.

Finish where we started, really.

This really does seem like we're closing the circle, doesn't it?

-It does.

-So, what's your favourite house?

-The mystery house.

-The mystery house. Without a doubt.

-Not such a mystery, but a mystery house.

-Yeah.

It's the first time anybody has said to me

they've stayed the night in the house I'm about to show them.

But the proof of the pudding is in the eating.

-You knew what it was like to be a customer there.

-Definitely.

And that was what started the whole idea of wanting to come down here

and perhaps set up home and live here permanently.

Can you see yourself making it more of a home for you guys?

I think we can. We've got a lot of thinking to do.

The way the set-up is at the moment for the B&B,

we need to see, do we continue in that,

or can we make adjustments where we can have it as a B&B

-and a family home?

-Yeah.

Darren, what are your thoughts on the mystery house?

I'm quite excited.

So, it's better for you, Darren, than the second house we looked at?

It is, really, because it's...it's everything for Tracey.

So if Tracey's happy, I think my life's going to be a lot easier.

That's a man that's been successfully married for a while.

-We've been married 25 years.

-You've got the land.

15 minutes' walk on a footpath to come down here

and it just seems so perfect at the moment.

-I'm sure there's going to be a catch, but...

-It's great for our friends.

Like the lady who does it at the moment closes it down for a while.

-And has friends and family down.

-So second viewing, how soon?

Well, we'll have a talk to them.

We've got to go back, unfortunately, within the next couple of days,

but we'll see if we can get back as soon as possible and turn something around.

-Brilliant news. I wish you both the very best of luck.

-Thank you.

-It's exciting.

-It's very exciting.

-It's been enjoyable.

And apparently, there's swell down here.

So when I'm next coming down surfing, I'll know where to stay.

-Definitely.

-Discount, I'm looking for.

-Special rate. Film rate.

-Yeah.

Oh, so, you're still going to charge me? Thanks a lot(!)

-Good luck, and let us know what you do.

-Will do.

-Thank you.

-Thank you.

I think it's fair to say that's a bit of a one-off.

Sure, it was an educated guess

bringing them to an area we knew they liked,

but showing them a property that was the catalyst

behind their big idea to move down here to Devon,

well, that was a bit of a fluke.

But I think it's the business element that's really inspired them.

They can now see what it might be like to not only live down here,

but perhaps work down here, both of them, fulltime.

Maybe sooner rather than later.

So hopefully their second viewing goes according to plan

and then they'll make their very exciting move down here

to the stunning Devon coastline. See you next time.

Darren and Tracey returned to the mystery house and put in an offer.

They're currently in negotiations with the owner

and we're keeping our fingers crossed.

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