Gloucestershire Escape to the Country

Home to over 500 different variations,

these stunning red and golden trees

make up the largest collection of maples in the UK.

Now, find out where this exotic autumnal location is

in just a few moments.

On today's programme,

our house hunters find the search a little overwhelming...

Wow.

There's an awful lot to take in, isn't there?

..but our beautiful properties leave them searching for superlatives.

-That is another wow, isn't it?

-It may be even a stunning.

-Do you think?

-Yes.

I'm in the Cotswolds at Westonbirt's National Arboretum.

Now, this beautiful 600-acre site was originally created by

wealthy landowner Robert Holford back in the 1850s and he,

like many of the Victorian elite, collected plant and tree specimens

from all around the world and then brought them

back here to display in his garden.

Originally, this collection would have been

established for pleasure, but it is actually now a Grade I listed

landscape, and it is just one of the many historic sites worth

preserving in this region.

The Cotswolds are a range of hills in the west of England

spanning an area 90 miles long and 25 miles across.

They are mostly located in Gloucestershire and Oxfordshire,

although parts do spill into neighbouring counties.

Tucked in the western foothills of the Cotswolds are

charming villages like Stanton.

Looking much the same as it did 300 years ago,

the village takes its name from the stone, stan, from which it is built.

The town of Cirencester is often referred to

as the capital of the Cotswolds.

Built by the Romans, it quickly became England's second city,

gaining its wealth through the wool industry.

The Roman influence of Cirencester is evident to this day,

yet the streets are now filled with tourists and shoppers enjoying the

many bars, restaurants, independent shops and twice-weekly market.

But it's the backdrop to these towns and villages which is the real draw.

The rolling hills and pastoral landscape of the Cotswolds

makes it an appealing place to find a slice of country life.

Now, setting up home in the Cotswolds doesn't come cheap,

especially when you discover that

the average price of a detached property here

is £200,000 more than the national figure.

But, if you're willing to cast your net just a little bit

further beyond the borders, you will start to see that premium level off.

So, for instance, down in Wiltshire, you've got Malmesbury or Minety,

and it's still within range of the Cotswolds,

but it is more affordable.

However, our buyer today already has her heart set

on being in the Cotswold country.

Our house hunter is Nicki, who currently lives in central Oxford,

a city she got to know after a period studying here.

I guess my move to Oxford was originally inspired by

when I completed a degree course in psychology 15 years ago.

I completed that at Oxford Brookes, and fell in love with

the city and subsequently, five years ago, moved to Oxford.

For many, Oxford is a dream destination in itself,

but for Nicki, the time for city living is over.

I love being in the city, it's beautiful,

but I really have a strong desire now to move to the country.

It'll give me more greenery,

hopefully more of a community environment,

and also, hopefully, a bigger property as well to entertain

my family and friends, which is ultimately what I enjoy doing.

Nicki has two grown-up children, and developments with one of them

-have prompted the move.

-Ten months ago, I became a grandmother.

It's really important for me now to have a garden.

And to have more space, to have the children

and grandchildren visit me.

Being able to spend time with her new grandson is key.

What is important is not to move too far away from my daughter, who

lives in Reading.

I love spending time with her and my grandson.

So, it's important that it's... Two hours is probably

the maximum distance I would like to be away from Reading.

The decision to move to the Cotswolds is not, however,

-a new idea.

-I've always loved the Cotswolds, it's so beautiful.

It seems to provide, within the little towns,

a real community feel about it and, having visited there many times,

it always seems to be a very friendly place to live, and living

on my own, it's very important to have that community feel around me.

For such a big decision,

she's bringing along an extra pair of eyes.

Janice and I have been friends for... It must be over 25 years now.

She's been an incredible support over the years,

and we're just on the same wavelength.

She knows me well, she knows how I tick,

and I know I can get some honest answers from her.

I think Nicki needs, in this next move for her,

somewhere where she feels really comfortable in,

and the feeling in the house is going to

be as important as the rooms and the layout.

And Janice already has an idea of what to watch out for.

'The pitfalls that would be sounding alarm bells for me, for Nick,'

would be remoteness, being too remote, taking on too much,

perhaps a really large garden or a sort of quirky house

that might need maintenance.

But support for her friend's decision is certain.

Nicki's move has come along just at the right time, I think,

city life is great and it's all fun, but she's done that sort of bit

and it's just time to sort of ease back a bit,

drop your shoulders and just enjoy life a little bit more.

It is a big move, obviously, from the city out to the countryside, so

I'm looking to Janice to support me through it and give me some advice.

As Nicki wants to be in classic Cotswold country, we are

concentrating our search in the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty

between Cheltenham and Cirencester.

Before we begin our search, I'm off to find out more details.

Nicki, Janice, welcome. Welcome to the lovely Cotswolds.

Now, can you just tell me

why it is that you're drawn to this particular area?

I've always had a real soft spot for the Cotswolds. It's beautiful.

I particularly like the honey-coloured bricks,

but it's just such a beautiful area to live in.

Now, the property search is very real for you at the moment,

-isn't it? Because you've just sold your current property.

-I have.

-Congratulations.

-Thank you very much.

Now, Nicki, you're obviously our buyer.

Janice, can you tell us what your role is going to be today?

I'm just here really to support Nicki.

I'm just going to be a bit of a leveller

and just keep Nicki's feet on the ground.

Now, you're very familiar, obviously, with escaping to the

country, because you've actually done it before, haven't you?

Yes, 13 years ago, we moved from Reading,

where Nicki and I met, back up to Scotland, and we live in a very

rural community, a little village called Roberton, which is lovely.

-It's beautiful.

-How did you guys meet?

We met through partners that we had at the time,

through their work, really.

And we just...25 years ago, we've been firm friends

-ever since, really.

-Wow.

What's the kind of style that you're looking for in your house?

I don't mind whether it's old or new, I'd like it to have character,

perhaps a bit quirky.

It's really important for me to be near a high street,

walking distance, ideally.

I don't want to be too rural, as I'm on my own. That's really important.

I'm looking for at least three bedrooms.

I currently have... Albeit that it's quite small,

it's an open kitchen/diner and I like socialising and having people

come and stay, so a bigger kitchen/diner is definitely a must.

And you've also got your daughter

-and grandson that you want to make space for to come and stay.

-Yeah.

Yes, I've got two children, both grown-up and left home,

and, yes, I obviously want to accommodate both of them

coming and staying, and now grandson as well.

Lovely.

Now, Nicki, the all-important question...what is your budget,

and is there any room to manoeuvre on that?

-Um, £750,000 is my budget.

-A sizeable budget, then.

Perhaps a little bit of room to manoeuvre, a little bit more.

Well, hopefully that'll be enough to find you your dream house.

-Fantastic.

-I think it's time for us to go and find them all.

-Great.

-Shall we head off?

-Absolutely.

-The Cotswolds await us.

-Brilliant.

-Follow me.

So, for a healthy budget of £750,000,

Nicki is hoping to get a minimum of three bedrooms,

generous, sociable living space, a garden for her visiting grandson

to play in, and be located near a lively village or town.

And we've got some incredible properties which are sure to

impress, but I won't be revealing their price tags

until our house hunters have had a guess.

And we'll be showing them the mystery house,

which takes the hunt further than expected.

So, Janice, you're here to help on the search,

-and you've done a bit of escaping to the country yourself.

-Yes.

Any good advice that you can give Nicki before we start?

Yeah, just consider carefully transport links,

and just think of daily practicalities like shopping

and weather and if you want to be in your car a lot or

if you want to be on foot.

Just think carefully about the location of the house.

-Janice has never been to the Cotswolds until now.

-Really?

-No, never.

-Well, welcome to the Cotswolds.

It is a beautiful part of the country.

Is it living up to your expectations?

Almost as nice as Scotland.

I'll leave you two to have that

discussion between yourselves.

To start our search, we're going to the village of Chedworth,

seven miles away from Cirencester

and in stunning Cotswold countryside.

As well as offering an attractive stone church and essential pub,

what this village has going for it is a thriving village hall

with horticultural, agricultural and drama societies.

There's a vibrant community for Nicki to tap into and,

right in the centre of the village, is our first property.

Well, feast your eyes on property number one.

-Isn't it beautiful?

-It's absolutely beautiful.

-Wow!

It's an 18th century converted barn, originally built in 1785,

and then converted in 2000.

And it's just got a lot of charm about it.

It's stunning, it's beautiful.

-I could see you here quite comfortably.

-So can I.

It really is absolutely beautiful.

-Is it the kind of style that you were hoping for?

-Oh, absolutely.

I'm dying to see the inside.

Well, I'm not going to keep you both waiting any longer cos

-I know how excited you are, you just want to get inside.

-Yes, yes, yes!

-So, let's go!

-Brilliant!

The main conversion was carried out in 2000, but much of the interior

has been updated in the last five years including the kitchen.

-Well, Nicki, Janice, come on in.

-Wow! That is amazing.

-This is your kitchen/diner.

-Wow.

-I've got goose bumps!

-That's what we love.

-It's beautiful, it really is, isn't it? Wow.

So, can you see yourself at home here...?

-Uh, huh. Mm-hm.

-..which is the important thing.

-I might need to get a chef.

-Oh, well, that's fine.

I jest, really.

I could see you very comfortably using this space to

suit your needs and...beautiful.

Wow.

-Brilliant.

-There's an awful lot to take in, isn't there?

With exposed beams and contemporary heritage colours,

the kitchen is clearly impressing,

and off the back is an unusually charming utility room.

The modern country interior continues into the living room.

-That's gorgeous. Ooh, that's lovely.

-That's very lovely, isn't it?

And you've got the lovely French windows here, which makes it

so light and airy.

-It's beautiful. And a wood burner.

-Yes.

And it's been decorated, you know, really quite recently,

-what do you think of the decoration?

-Very tasteful.

Is there anything that you'd want to change about it?

-No, it feels so comfortable, doesn't it?

-It's warm...

It's really got a lovely feel about it. Very relaxing.

Peaceful.

-That's the important thing.

-Yeah.

This interior seems to be offering instant appeal for Nicki.

On the ground floor, there is also a dining room

for more formal entertaining and a cloakroom.

Up on the first floor, there are three bedrooms in total.

Two of which have en suite shower rooms.

And here is, potentially, the master bedroom.

Now, the current owners actually use this as the master bedroom,

but it doesn't have an en suite,

-but there is a lovely big family bathroom as well.

-It's lovely.

It really is. I love that window aspect.

-The window is stunning, isn't it?

-It really is beautiful.

-And the lovely stone wall as well.

-Yeah, yeah, lovely.

-Absolutely beautiful.

-Lovely.

Well, there is actually another floor to this property,

so, I think it's time.

-Let's go take a look.

-Fantastic.

Connected by a galleried walkway with a view right down

the house, there are two further rooms up in the eaves.

This is beautiful.

And this is either your second living room or a snug,

-whatever you fancy.

-Wow. Office...

-Work, well, actually, there is another room over there...

-Oh, OK.

-..that is the office.

-Oh.

-Again, it's got that kind of cosy feeling.

It has a quirky window. Wow.

And there you've got a nice skylight there,

so you've still got a lot of light coming in.

Another beautiful room.

-Absolutely.

-Yes.

-I guess I'm still in that stunned phase.

It's just such a fantastic space, isn't it?

Well, I think that's everything for this property,

so, I think it's time.

Start thinking about what value you'd put on it

and we're going to go outside to the garden and have a bit of a chat.

-Hmm.

-OK.

-Come on.

Surrounding the house are beautifully tended gardens

with vegetable patches and landscaped areas which have

won awards from the local horticultural society.

-Isn't it lovely?

-It is, it's beautiful.

And what do you think about the size?

Is this about the right thing that you were looking for?

-Yeah, I think so.

-I think it is deceptive.

You think it's a small garden, but it's actually not.

There's a lot to it and very well thought out.

-So, you can imagine your grandson running around here.

-Mm.

-Trying to keep him off the, um...

-Trying to keep him under control.

..plants, could be a bit of a challenge, yes.

-I was probably looking for more grass...

-Right.

-..for that reason.

-OK.

-But...

-Well, we...

-..you know, that could be workable.

We've got the size here

-and then we can kind of change it however you want to.

-Yes.

-Which then draws us to the important part.

-Hm.

What do you think this property is valued at, at the moment?

I am thinking...top end of the budget,

-so I'm going to go straight with £750,000.

-Ooh, interesting.

-Janice, what do you think?

-Thinking of the location, I think 735.

-735.

Yes.

Well, I can tell you, Nicki, congratulations,

-you are right on the money! Bang on. It's on at 750.

-Wow, OK.

So, it is at the top end of your budget.

So, how does that make you feel?

Well, it is just an absolutely stunning house.

-And nothing to do, nothing to do.

-Absolutely.

The fact that I could just move in...

um...

-it means that I don't have to spend any money on it.

-Exactly.

Yes, it-it's beautiful.

Why don't you go back in, take another look round,

and we'll catch up with you later.

Fantastic. Thanks, Nicki.

At the top end of Nicki's £750,000 budget,

this classic Cotswold stone property has five bedrooms, a contemporary

country interior throughout, and award-winning gardens.

Oh, wow! JANICE LAUGHS

NICKI GASPS

-Yikes!

-Just when you thought it couldn't get better...

-it does.

-I could see this working for you, Nick.

Yeah, a glass of wine, plenty of bubbles, just perfect. How lovely.

Beautiful. My initial thoughts about the property, um,

the first site of it was just absolutely stunning. Beautiful.

As soon as I walked into the kitchen, it really was a wow factor.

I actually felt quite stunned. Beautifully designed. A lot of taste.

The garden feels adequate.

My only concern is, what I was really looking for was grass,

perfect for current grandchildren and any more to follow.

That could be modified.

So, not a great concern,

but I'm aware that I'd have to do something about it, definitely.

I'm slightly concerned about the village location.

I think that the village might be a little quieter

than Nicki was expecting.

Perhaps something with a bit more going on, might be better

and might suit more. But The house, as it stands, is beautiful.

It is amazing. It is gorgeous. What's really not to like?

And I would like to live here. Yeah, yeah!

Well, I think that was a pretty positive reaction from both

-Nicki and Janice there. Ah! And here they are. All good?

-Yes.

-Right.

-Really good.

-Great. I think we're ready for property two now.

-Fantastic.

-Off we go.

On the edge of the Cotswolds lies the market town of Winchcombe.

Its impressive historic buildings stand testament to its wealth

made during the peak of the wool trade.

In the early 20th century,

the Cotswolds became a centre for the arts and crafts movement,

a tradition which continues today with many artisans in the region.

The Winchcombe Pottery is one such example.

On the site of an earlier 1800s pottery, the current business

was found in 1926 and, since 1939, has been run by the Finch family.

Nicki and Janice are meeting the founder's son, Michael Finch.

Mike, what's special about Winchcombe pots?

Uh. Winchcombe pots are probably special

because we make practical pots for everyday use.

It something that's a work of art, it's a beautiful thing,

if you use something every day it enriches your life as well as,

you know, anything else, you know.

What made you decide to carry on the decision?

Well, I really do feel that making pots by hand is

a kind of vocation cos you know you're doing something useful.

Um, it's definitely not a job just to earn money cos the wages are low.

You do it because the things you are making you are proud of,

and, in themselves they're items of beauty.

What's the easiest thing to make as a beginner?

Probably a bowl, a bowl is a simple shape to make.

Would you like to have a go, because we can have a go in the workshop?

-I'd love to.

-OK, follow me, let's go down.

-Fantastic.

Winchcombe Pottery uses iron and ash glazing

and is distinguished by combed, sponge and fingered decoration.

Each pot is thrown by hand by the potters at the studio and,

with 50 years' experience, Michael will give Nicki a masterclass.

Here we are. Put it in the middle.

Now, what I'm doing now, I'm squeezing the clay

and holding my hands still.

What you've got to notice is my elbows are secure

like a triangular shape. When I relax, I relax slowly.

If I don't, it's got a bump in it, see? So, you relax slowly.

Now, I make a hole in it.

With one hand on the inside and the other outside, pressure needs

to be applied gently and moved up the pot at a steady pace.

It's essential to keep the clay wet at all times.

And, it's easy for me to say, but that's all there is to it.

-You cut the pot off the wheel and that's how you do it.

-Wow.

The pots would then be fired and, staying true to tradition,

they still use a wood firing kiln.

The unpredictability of the wood firing process means all

glazed finishes vary slightly, making each pot unique,

but, before it can be fired, Nicki needs to produce a pot of her own.

-I'll put that in the middle for you, so you can have a go.

-OK.

I'll get this bit out the way.

There we are. Now, it's all yours.

Remember, keep your hands wet at all times.

-Do I look like I know what I'm doing?

-No.

-No.

If it was easy, I'd be out of a job,

cos everybody would make their own pots. Well...stop!

Oh, stop before it collapses!

That's probably your creation, which is pretty good for a first try.

-Is it really?

-Yeah!

-Well, thank you!

Nicki may not have a great pottery career ahead, but, it's a

tradition that, hopefully, will continue for many years to come.

-Oh, it's come off perfectly.

-Brilliant!

-Look at that.

Back to the house hunt and, for our second property, we're travelling

half an hour north to the village of Prestbury just outside Cheltenham.

Prestbury is a busy medium-sized village

which has a well-used high street.

Amongst other things, there's a general store, post office,

butcher, hairdresser, and four pubs, so there are plenty of

local amenities on the doorstep and community to be part of.

And just a half a mile walk up the round is our next property.

It is property number two.

OK, I need to think of other words than wow, don't I?

-That is another wow, isn't it?

-It may even a stunning.

-Do you think?

-Yes, it's beautiful.

-It is really.

-It's a converted barn...

-Wow.

..built in the 18th century

and then turned into a residential property in 1989.

You might have noticed we're standing on a lawn, which is

obviously, I know, something that you're keen to have.

Yeah, definitely.

Now, the other really great thing about this property is its location,

because, obviously, although we're in a very rural area,

we're actually only half a mile from the local village, Prestbury,

and a five-minute drive from Cheltenham.

So, what are your first thoughts of the property,

-what do you think so far?

-The wow factor again, definitely.

It's really tidy and clean and looks well-maintained from the outside,

and it is a stunning property.

And do you think this location is better suited for Nicki?

It certainly seems to be a bit closer proximity to a more

lively village, so, yeah, I think it could well be.

Well, I think that's about all we've seen from the outside.

-Shall we go and take a peek inside?

-Yes, please.

All right, then, off we go.

This single-storey building was originally a milking parlour

and barn, and is build with 20-inch thick Cotswold stone walls

and stone and concrete roof tiles.

-And here we go.

-Gosh, that's lovely.

-What do you think?

It feels very homely, doesn't it?

Yes, it's warm and welcoming.

You've also got these window panes,

which are actually...they were originally from a school.

They were used to kind of separate classrooms from the hallway

and they were taken from the school and put into the barn here

-when they did the conversion.

-Fantastic. Nice feature.

-Yeah, it's lovely.

-Isn't it?

It's lovely and cosy and warm and lovely and light.

A really nice feel about it.

-And still got the Cotswold stone on the wall, exposed.

-Yeah, exactly.

It's lovely and, as you say, warm and cosy and homely,

but it needs a bit of Nickiness in it.

Well, hopefully, that was a good start so far, lots more to see.

-Let's move on to the living room.

-Thank you.

The flagstone flooring and double height ceilings,

which give the room a feeling of space

-and light continue into the living room next door.

-Wow.

That's huge, also made bigger

because you've got the formal dining room at the end.

-Yeah.

-It's very different, isn't it?

-Yeah.

-It's got a lot of potential.

I don't think that the style's quite you.

It's lovely, but it's a bit heavy for you.

You would want something a bit more contemporary.

Once you take out all the furniture, you know, it's a lovely room...

-It is.

-..with white walls

and you can do exactly what you want with it.

-Really nice proportions, yeah.

-It's about putting my stamp on it.

-Exactly.

-Exactly.

-And then, of course,

you've got the lovely doors that open out into the patio here

and this is great space because it gets the light in the morning.

Yes, this is lovely, lovely and light.

-A really nice feel about it.

-Excellent!

-Well, I think it's time for us to go and have a look at the bedrooms.

-OK.

Yeah? Fine then, follow me.

Off a long corridor are three good-sized bedrooms

for Nicki's guests. One has an en suite bathroom

and there's a separate shower room and WC.

Then there's a surprise in the master suite.

-Woo! Gosh, that opened out really...

-It does.

-..nicely.

-Very nice.

-Yeah, it's nice and spacious.

-Yeah.

-Nice and spacious.

-It is an en suite as well.

-Yeah.

Um, and you've got the lovely window there which looks out onto

-the rolling Cotswold country.

-It's got a nice feel to the room.

The beams just add an extra dimension to it as well.

Now that we've had a look around, it is just one storey.

How do you feel about that?

-I've got no problem.

-No?

-No, absolutely not.

-So, you wouldn't miss going upstairs to bed?

-No, not at all.

Great. Excellent. All right, then. Well, I think it's time

-to go and see the garden.

-Great.

-Shall we?

-Fantastic.

The final room inside the house is a small study.

Outside, the garden extends to a third of an acre with lawns to the

front, perfect for Nicki's grandson, and offers fruit trees,

a pond and various terraces to sit out on.

-We've got your lovely cottage which is just stunning.

-Very pretty.

-Lots of different parts to it and a vegetable patch there.

-Yes!

-Really nice.

-And now, all this comes at a price, of course.

-Yes, yes.

Well, I'm going to ask Janice first

-to let you think about it a little bit longer.

-OK.

What do you think this property is valued at on the market?

Well, it has more bedrooms, although I do think you might need to

do a bit more to this property to make it suit your needs.

-Yeah.

-I would say...710.

Over to you, Nicki. What do you think you're going to go for?

Difficult.

I'm going to go 690.

Well, you are both wrong.

-It's a little bit higher than you were expecting.

-Oh.

It's actually also on the market for 750.

-Oh, wow!

-So, it's priced at the same as property number one.

-Wow.

-So, that's obviously a bit of a shock to you both.

-That is, yes.

-I am very surprised.

-So, I think there's still quite a

bit more for you to see inside, so, why don't you go and take a look and

-I'll meet you out front in a minute.

-Fantastic.

-Great, see you guys later.

-Thanks, Nicki.

At a price of £750,000,

this converted single-storey barn

gives two large-double height living spaces,

four bedrooms, a lawned garden,

and is in close proximity to a lively village.

-Oh, interesting.

-It is, it is.

Again, another really spacious room, isn't it?

-And very different to the rest of the house.

-Yeah, yeah.

But that's decor. You can easily change the decor.

I've really liked the overall look of the house...

Cotswold stone, really soft paintwork, really beautiful.

I think the long corridor with the bedrooms coming off,

that's very different, not what I expected, which is nice.

The location suits me a lot better.

I feel the closeness to the village and also close to Cheltenham,

a very big and lovely town.

I think the garden space, certainly the grassed area is better

and it's exactly what Nicki would look for in a house.

I think the interior would need

quite a bit of adaptation to suit Nicki,

so I think she would need to use a bit of imagination and just

have a look at it as a blank canvas rather than as it is at the moment.

To make it the way I want it, I think I'd have to spend quite

a lot of money on it, so I was surprised by the price of it.

So, that's where I think I'm in a bit of a dilemma.

-Hi.

-Hello, so the first day is over. Lots to think about.

-A lot to think about.

-Yeah, lots.

-I think it's time for a glass of wine.

Fantastic. Good idea, Nicki.

It's day two of our property search for Nicki, who's swapping

city life in Oxford for a slice of Cotswold rural living.

Still to come, will our mystery property

stray too far into the country?

Yes, I can see myself here, but this, for me, feels quite isolated.

And we take a break from houses to visit some

of the Cotswolds more unusual residents.

Well, feeding time in the lemur cage!

Well, it was great seeing how excited Nicki

and Janice were yesterday at our first two properties,

but I do think it's given Nicki a lot to think about

and today's mystery house is going to challenge her again

in terms of style and location, so it could raise even more questions.

For our mystery house, I'm taking Nicki and Janice

11 miles south to another classic Cotswold village,

Rendcomb.

It's full of beautiful stone buildings

and also home to Rendcomb College, a public school.

There are some amenities with a post office, shop and doctor's surgery.

Down three miles of country lanes, we find our mystery house.

Well, Nicki, Janice, here is your mystery house.

Wow, that looks lovely.

It's a 1950s farmhouse which had a lot of work done on it in the 1990s.

-Right.

-So, a slightly newer building.

-OK.

And you've got the traditional Cotswold stone on the outside

-and, you have a lawn.

-Lots of lawn.

I was drawn to that as soon as we walked in

because there's a lot down the side as well. It's lovely.

-So, lots of space for the grandkids to run around in.

-It's lovely.

First impression, really nice.

Brilliant and you can't miss the stunning views.

-Unbeatable, aren't they?

-Yes, beautiful.

So, Janice, what are your first thoughts? Can you see Nicki in here?

My first thoughts are it's a semi, a semi-detached, which is...

-Does that put you off at all?

-If anything, it's quite reassuring.

Obviously, on the drive on the way here,

I was very aware of it being very rural.

Um, so, that's reassuring knowing that, yes.

We are a little bit further out than the other two properties

that we saw yesterday, but you are only a 25-minute walk

-from Rendcomb, and it really is a couple of minutes drive.

-Yes.

So, you're not too far away. Shall we take a look inside?

-Yes, let's.

-Come on, then.

The house may be semi-detached, but it is large and an extension to the

back has created a four-bedroom, three-bathroom property.

-Here is your living room.

-Oh, it's lovely.

-It is lovely, isn't it?

That's very tasteful. It's beautiful. The fireplace is lovely.

They've done a great job in here. It's lovely.

-Yeah, you could have a really cosy winter here.

-Yes.

And then in the summer, of course, you've got your double doors

-that open out onto your patio straight into the garden.

-Lovely.

-So, good start so far?

-Yeah. It's looking very promising, isn't it?

Oh, excellent! That's what we like to hear.

This sitting room extends to almost 27ft,

so is more than big enough for visiting friends and family.

The generous dimensions

and stylish decor are continued in the kitchen/diner.

-So, this is the kitchen!

-Oh, wow!

-Wow.

-It's stunning, isn't it?

-Yeah.

-Beautiful.

-And it's got that lovely kind of contemporary feeling

-that we know you like.

-Gosh, yes.

But I think it's still kept in with that sort of farmhouse style.

-It captures it perfectly, actually, doesn't it?

-Really nice.

Again, you've found the perfect socialising space, haven't you?

It's got the sort of mixture of the traditional

and the old and the sort of freshness and newness of a refurb.

I think it's lovely.

You can't actually see them at the moment, but the washing machine,

tumble dryer, dishwasher is all hidden away behind these cupboards.

Is it our next challenge to find them?

Well, I'll let you begin!

Well, actually, I think the next challenge is going to be,

see what you think of the upstairs.

-Great.

-So, shall we go and have a look?

With doors out to the back garden,

the kitchen/diner is a good entertaining space,

but there is also another ground floor room currently

used as a dining room and snug.

-So, here is one of the bedrooms.

-That's lovely.

It's an en suite and, of course, you can wake up to that every morning.

Beautiful. Lovely. Lovely and light, and...en suite, absolutely stunning.

So, Janice, obviously, you are living in a very rural area.

How does this compare?

Um, this is less rural than where I am,

but it would present similar problems in that

a 25-minute walk for a pint of milk is not always practical, you know?

And I do think that you would use the car a lot.

As I'm walking round, that is

something that is on my mind all the time.

It's a beautiful home and, yes, I can see myself here,

but, all the time, I'm thinking...I need to think.

I know this, for me, feels quite isolated,

so I've just got to keep reminding myself not to be too overwhelmed by

how beautiful the home is and be realistic.

-About the practical side of things.

-Definitely, yes.

It's good you've got a good friend here to give you the advice

-that's done it all before.

-Exactly.

There is another en suite double room to the rear of the house,

which looks out over the garden and is currently used as the master.

In addition, there are two further doubles, which share a bathroom.

Outside, this house really delivers on Nicki's desire

for a grandchild friendly play space with a fully fenced lawned garden.

As you can see, it kind of curls round the house.

-It's on all three sides.

-Oh, it's beautiful, it really is.

The views are stunning. Really spacious and very safe, actually.

-This is...ideal, isn't it?

-This is a really nice, flat area.

Really useful, versatile.

So, Nicki, we have challenged you here, slightly.

We've brought you into a slightly more rural area.

Now that you've seen the property, what are your thoughts.

It's a beautiful home.

I feel it doesn't need a lot doing to it. I could just move in.

It still feels very...

-isolated.

-We've given you a lot to think about, haven't we?

-You have.

-Yes.

-It's a lot to process.

It's a lot, seeing three very different houses.

-it is a lot to process.

-Hmm.

-That's why you're here.

-Yep.

-Exactly.

Well, that brings us onto the all-important question,

what price do you think this house is on the market at?

I think about...

720,000.

-720 from Nicki.

-Yeah.

-Janice?

I'm going to go a bit lower.

I'm going to go 710, given that it is a semi.

Well, I can tell you, it's actually on the market for 650,000.

-Wow, that is a surprise.

-Well, that gives you scope, doesn't it?

It does, it does.

-And food for thought.

-Yeah.

Well, um, why don't you guys go and have another look round,

-you've got a lot to think about, and we'll have a catch up later.

-Great.

-Yeah, good.

-Great, see you later.

-OK.

So, for 100,000 under budget, at £650,000,

this semi-detached rural property offers four bedrooms,

large sociable living spaces,

and a large lawned garden with fantastic Cotswold views.

I was quite surprised to see that it was a semi-detached property, erm,

but thought that it might be good for Nicki

and if it is a rural location, she wouldn't be isolated.

I think upstairs is really nice.

The room to the front is beautiful, and the views,

and who wouldn't want to wake up to that in the morning?

This house, I feel, is a beautiful family home.

Nicki has had lovely family homes in the past

when she's brought her children up, um,

and I think that Nicki would be looking for a slightly more

quirky feel, rather than the traditional family home.

The mystery house has been a really different prospect.

A lot for me to think about.

The challenge for me around it being rural is...

I still have real reservations about how isolated I will feel.

-Hi.

-Hello, there. How are you both?

-Very good, thank you.

Excellent, but, sadly, it is the end of our property search.

-Have I given you enough to think about?

-Oh, lots.

-Just a bit.

-Yes.

Excellent, excellent. Well, I think it's probably important for you both

to spend some time thinking through everything.

-So, um, I think that's it. Shall we go?

-Yes, thank you.

The Cotswolds may be a byword for traditional pastoral

Englishness, but just outside the village of Burford can be

found something rather more exotic.

Built on the Bradwell Grove Estate, the Cotswold Wildlife Park

and Gardens is home to over 300 different species of animals.

From prairie dogs to penguins and monkeys to meerkats.

Today, I've come along to meet curator Jamie Craig to learn

a little more about their conservation work.

Jamie, thanks for having me down today and see all

the conservation successes here, but how did it all begin?

Well, the housing estate around the house have been in the family

that own it now for a long, long time.

In 1970, John Heyworth, who lived in the manor at one point,

had a real interest in natural history and the environment,

decided to turn it into a wildlife park and it's been growing ever

since, and it's now run by his son, Reggie Heyworth, so it's a real

family business and they've been in the area for a long, long time.

It's a popular local attraction,

but it's not just about showcasing animals to visitors.

The park also plays an important role in world animal

conservation, particularly with the lemurs.

Well, feeding time in the lemur cage.

They look pretty excited.

Uh, yeah, they do...they're always keen on their feed.

And we've got a couple of different species here.

What are the names of the species?

These ones are the collared lemurs.

You can see sort of by the red and orangey collar under the neck. These

are the more typical that everyone would know from the film Madagascar.

These are the ring-tailed lemurs, and behind you, these ones,

the males have got the sort of white teardrop marks and the females are

the dark brown, these are red-bellied lemurs, and in here somewhere,

he may come over, is the crowned sifaka.

The crowned sifaka is one of the most endangered primate species

in the world, with estimates of less than 1,000 left

remaining in the wild.

So, what role does the park actually play in relation to lemurs

and the conservation projects?

Well, all lemurs are endangered.

They only occur in Madagascar, which is obviously just one island

and there are a lot of problems there with deforestation

and instability in the country,

so what we do in captivity is we ensure we have, first of all,

a successful breeding programme, but also we make sure that it all

links into conservation for the lemur species in the wild.

Out in Madagascar, the park funds and supports projects

which protects the lemurs' natural wild habitat from

slash and burn agriculture and logging, and, back in the UK,

it's sustaining the captive population that's key,

and the park has seen more than 100 lemur births over the years.

And I know you've had another massive success

-and a and new arrival.

-Yes, we have, yes.

-Can we go and see it?

-Of course you can.

-Thank you.

Rhinos were first brought to the park in the 1970s,

but they've never had breeding success until now.

Their first ever white rhino baby has recently been born.

So, this is Astrid. She's gorgeous!

You must have been so proud when she was born.

-Yeah, we've been very proud.

-So, tell us all about the birth.

-How old is she?

-Uh, it's just over three months.

-She was born on the 1st of July.

-How exciting!

And, I mean, is it quite difficult

to breed these animals within the park?

Uh, it can be in sort of a wildlife park setting,

because there's not really much competition with the males,

which they really do need to breed.

So, we had a few little tricks up our sleeve.

We've brought some dung in from another zoo of another male,

so, obviously, Monty, our male, detected the smell of another

male and everything happened as we'd hoped.

Oh, we've got someone coming up to say hello here.

She is just absolutely gorgeous.

Well, it's been such a pleasure meeting Astrid today and we do

really wish you all the best for the future of the conservation projects.

-Thank you very much.

-They're brilliant.

-Thank you.

Well, Nicki and Janice responded really positively to the

three properties we've shown them,

but I'm just not sure if Nicki has a clear favourite.

Time to find out.

Well, I think we've seen three fantastic properties over

the past couple of days and we've given you a lot to think about.

But, you're kind of keeping me guessing a little bit here,

-which is your favourite? Do you have a favourite, even?

-Definitely.

Number one. It was absolutely stunning.

It was a beautiful home.

I really did feel like I could just move into it,

not have to do anything, um, very much my style and it was quirky.

Yeah, which has always been very important to you, hasn't it?

So, Janice, can you see Nicki being happy in house number one?

Yeah, I think it has a really lovely feel and that's sometimes you can't

describe and you can't quantify, you really have to just feel it

and sort of to see Nicki's face and,

and...see her mind working overtime and planning and...yeah,

-I could really see Nicki there and the family...

-Mm.

-..being there and sharing it all with you.

-Yes, yeah.

What about in terms of the kind of location?

That's probably the one concern for me.

I'd really like Janice to support me

a little bit further in the real need to go back, visit the village,

drive around it, get a little bit more of an idea of exactly where

it is in relation to the main road and what are the actual facilities.

-You're going to have to compromise somewhere.

-Yeah.

It's about sort of prioritising what is really important to you.

Is the location the most important or is the accommodation

the most important? And, if it's the accommodation,

-I don't think you could really go past the first house, really.

-No.

It was stunning. Well, it really has been a lot of fun the past two days.

-I hope you've enjoyed it as much as I have.

-Absolutely.

And maybe property one could be that for ever home and you could

enjoy it with all your children and grandchildren in years to come.

-Thank you.

-Good luck. Thank you, guys.

I think we've really helped Nicki on her journey to find

the perfect property in the Cotswolds.

We wish Nicki and Janice all the best for the future.

Join me next time on Escape to the Country.

In the end, the first property's location proved to be

a little too quiet for Nicki.

She's now renting in the Cotswolds town of Moreton-in-Marshtown

until she finds her perfect home in the perfect location.

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