Devon Escape to the Country

Welcome to Escape to the Country.

Today, we begin inside the beating heart of Britain's oldest working gin distillery.

I ask you, is there really any better way to start the programme?

On today's show, we're helping a couple break ties

with the house they have lived in for 28 years.

They are out of their comfort zone.

-It's something we are getting to grips with.

-Embrace the fear!

And it all gets too much for one of them.

Oh, Karen!

It has all got very emotional here, hasn't it?

Today, we are in Devon at the Black Friars Distillery,

home to Plymouth Gin since 1793.

Now, such is its global prowess, that it is now

protected by geographical status, which means

if it ain't made in Plymouth then it isn't Plymouth Gin.

It is quite simply unique. Not unlike the rest of Devon.

Sitting in the southwestern corner of England, the county of Devon

is bordered by Cornwall to the west and Somerset and Dorset to the east.

Devon is often voted the best place to live in the country

by leading property magazines and it's easy to see why.

It's the variety of countryside on offer that makes it so appealing.

From the rugged coastline in the north

to the deep and wooded valleys in the south.

And the granite tors of Dartmoor in the west to the patchwork

of fields around seaside towns like Seaton in the south-east.

Devon has provided inspiration for a host of literary giants down the years,

including Sir Arthur Conan Doyle,

whose Sherlock Holmes novel The Hound Of The Baskervilles

was largely set on Dartmoor.

Much of its haunting beauty that so inspired him remains unchanged today.

The same can be said for the rest of this timeless county.

The cost of a detached home here in Devon is currently £288,000.

That's a whopping £31,000 above the national average.

Those numbers are clearly influenced by properties with coastal views that attract a premium.

In particular, those that run along the English Riviera,

that 22-mile stretch that includes Brixham, Torquay and Paignton.

But broadly speaking,

the more inland you go the more you get for your money.

So let's meet today's buyers and find out where exactly they want to be.

Carl and Karen live in a four-bedroom house in Yarnton

just outside the city of Oxford

and it's been their family home for almost three decades.

But the area isn't the same as it used to be.

We've been living in this area for 28 years.

Originally, it was more of a village.

But now we've had considerable development of housing.

The traffic has increased.

We are looking for something a bit more rural.

I like big open spaces.

Wide-open spaces. Lots and lots of fresh air.

They first met when they both worked for the same bank.

He opened the door to me on my very first morning.

So he had to actually look through the spy hole at me

to see who was standing there.

-We have been married for 37 years.

-Is it?

Yes, I'm afraid so! He jokes about that all the time, don't you?

I always say you get less for murder!

With Carl now retired from banking

and their two grown-up sons having families of their own,

it's the perfect opportunity to make the break.

This move is going to be the first time

we have really moved where we want to move to.

Whereas before, when we had young children it was very important

to get settled as quickly as possible.

So we don't need to worry about all the things that

families need to worry about.

We can pick somewhere which will really suit us

for the rest of our lives.

Coastal Devon is their location of choice as it brings back

lots of happy childhood memories for Karen.

I've always wanted to live by the sea.

It's probably because my dad was actually in the Navy. It probably stems from that.

So this is why I would really love to live in either Devon

or across the border to Dorset maybe.

I really, really love it.

Since retiring, Carl has kept himself busy as a table tennis coach.

But the move will be a chance to take up some new pursuits.

I've been playing table tennis now, believe it or not, for 47 years.

-Much as I enjoy it, there are other things I need to do.

-With me!

We've always talked about walking along the coastal path.

I've been promising for years to write my children's books.

Children's stories that you used to tell our boys.

But I've never got round to doing it.

And in a way, business and table tennis has just dominated my life.

And Karen has big ideas of her own.

I love animals and I would really like to do something

that is animal-based.

If I had the money and the space,

I would set up my own rescue centre, actually.

We haven't got the money for that.

If we won the lottery, that is what I would be doing - opening my own rescue centre.

But in the meantime, they are interested in running

a holiday business, which would give them more financial flexibility.

Our budget for our move is 525,000.

But if there was some additional income like a holiday let,

we could stretch that to potentially 575,000.

Carl and Karen would like us to concentrate our property search

in the east of the county close to the coast and Lyme Regis,

just over the border in neighbouring Dorset.

I'm meeting them on Devon soil to find out what they're looking for in their new home.

Welcome to Devon.

Now, this is very exciting because you have been in the same house, as I understand it, for 28 years.

Yes. And it's this week.

-28 years ago this week?

-This week, yes.

-Wow!

-So this is quite a moment, really, an anniversary.

-Yes, it is.

-So 28 years in the same house, but hopefully moving into a new one shortly.

-Hopefully.

-We hope so, yes.

-And what has this new house got to contain?

Oh, my goodness!

Hopefully, four bedrooms. But we could manage with three.

Quite spacious, quite open and airy. Lots of light.

-Hopefully, if we can, a separate dining room.

-A good-sized garden.

Yes, good-sized garden because we have two small dogs.

-But the house you live in at the moment is relatively modern, isn't it?

-Yes, it is.

So does that dictate the style you are after, or are you open to something else?

I think we are open because you tend to try

and live in the same places you bought before.

We have always bought family homes.

So it would be quite nice to look at something different

that takes us outside our comfort zone.

Now, the budget is interesting because there is a sliding scale.

Yes. That's right.

As I understand it, 525 for simply a house

with three or four bedrooms, airy living spaces, garden and so on.

-But possibly a holiday let at 575.

-If that's possible.

-You have always said you would quite like...

-Yes.

-Not bed and breakfast.

Not B&B, no.

I don't fancy getting up at the crack of dawn, cooking for anybody else!

But the main priority is obviously the house.

Well, we are in the right county. Devon is absolutely gorgeous.

We've got three, I think, very interesting properties

for you to look at, including our mystery house.

-So are you ready?

-We are ready.

-Let's go.

-Right. Thank you very much.

For a maximum budget of £575,000, Carl and Karen would like

a light and spacious property but they are not fussy about age.

The accommodation should include a separate dining room

and three to four bedrooms.

They'd like a good-sized garden

and the option to run a separate holiday let within the property.

We've got three lovely homes lined up to show our buyers here in Devon

and I'll be asking them to estimate the price at the end of each house tour.

With our final offering, the mystery house,

it's out with the old and in with the new.

-I understand, Karen, that you have a fascination with all things Victorian.

-That's right.

I would have preferred to be born when there were no cars and it was just horse and carriages.

What about you, Carl?

Would you like to live in a frock coat and a top hat?

I think I wouldn't have minded living years ago

as long as I was upstairs, not downstairs!

If I was lord of the manor, that would do me fine!

For our first property, we're heading to the small village of Combpyne

in the east of the county, not far from the border with Dorset and close to Lyme Regis.

The nearest village for shops and services is neighbouring Rousdon,

which is less than a mile away.

It originally grew up around the country

estate of a local 19th-century politician, Sir Henry Peek,

whose family donated the old school to the community in the 1970s

and is now the village hall.

Our first offering is just a two-minute drive away

in the smaller village of Combpyne.

The house greets you with a rather impressive water feature.

-Right, let's start with this one.

-Lovely.

-This is number one.

-Water running as well.

-Spectacular, isn't it?

-This is about 1720.

-Oh, my goodness.

-A bit different, isn't it?

-Very different.

-Is this what you had in mind?

-No.

-Why not?

-It is probably older than what I expected.

-But it looks lovely.

-Can you see that changing roofline to the right?

-Yes.

-The building to the end of the property, that was the old village forge.

-Oh, right.

That, broadly speaking, could be separated into a separate annexe.

-Right.

-For want of a door. That is where we are going with this one.

So have that sense of the building's layout in your mind.

Very interesting. Really looking forward to seeing inside.

Come on, let's have a look.

A good reaction to our first property with its annexe potential.

The house is only partially furnished inside,

which allows us to see all the space on offer.

Come on in, you two.

There.

-Yes?

-Yes.

-That's lovely.

-A nice wood burner as well. Something we've never had yet.

You said earlier that this was perhaps a little bit older

-than anything you might have considered.

-Yes.

-Does it feel very old?

-It doesn't inside, no.

-It doesn't inside.

I think this rather sets the scene quite nicely for us.

-I know a dining room was important to you.

-Yes, it was.

It's just through here. Have a look at this.

There we are. A nice little window seat. Fireplace there.

So you and your diners having a nice time in here, hopefully.

Very nice again, isn't it?

And it's next to the kitchen, which is through here.

So how about this, Karen?

-That's pretty.

-That is quite well done, isn't it?

-It is space they have made very good use of.

-It is very nicely done.

It's all pretty new, as you can see.

It's got this lovely cottagey feel to it.

-A huge utility area round the back.

-Good.

Very cosy kitchen-diner and of course it has the addition of this conservatory.

-I didn't notice that.

-I didn't notice it at the front.

It also lets in a lot of light, but it's lovely having it next to the kitchen.

It really extends this dinner space, as it were.

-Now, remember when we looked at the outside we saw that change in roof level?

-Yes.

Through there is the rest of the property, but we are thinking,

if you had a door here, that would become the holiday let.

-That would make sense.

-A separate holiday let.

-Yes.

-All it needs is its own little kitchen area, but there is plenty of room for it.

-Oh, right.

The old forge end of the house that I'm suggesting becomes the holiday

let features a lounge with stable door to the outside,

a downstairs shower room and two smaller rooms at the back,

which could be converted into a kitchen area, subject to planning permission.

There is also a double bedroom on the first floor in this wing with its own separate staircase.

Upstairs in the main house, there are three further bedrooms.

A double with built-in wardrobe

and a single accessed via a dressing room, along with a family bathroom.

But I want to show Carl and Karen the potential master.

Now, watch your heads. Duck a little bit.

This is certainly one of the bigger rooms.

None of them are ensuite, but you have got the family bathroom down the corridor.

The space is the key thing.

Is there enough space up here and how does it compare with what you have already got?

I think downstairs is very good.

Upstairs is probably smaller than what we have got at the moment.

We have got quite a large bedroom

and a dressing room attached to it at the moment.

So there are plenty of pros and some cons.

-It is just seeing through that, really. What you can do with it.

-OK.

Let's go and have a look at the back garden.

You were tempted by the front garden with all those water features. Let's have a look at the back.

As well as the landscaped garden with its water feature

at the front of the house, there are also two lawned

areas at the back of the property bordered by plants and shrubs.

And there's a summer house and terraced seating space with views of the village.

I think from here we really can kind of take it all in.

As you can see, there is the break in the roof line, so that's the separate annexe.

It does mean your guests have their own little garden

area behind this mature border in front of us.

So they get their own garden.

You get this bit and of course you've got the front garden.

So let's think about the value of property number one.

Who's going to go first, Carl?

Right. It is a lot of property here.

There are certain bits we may need to change,

so I'm going to go for 535,000.

-535, OK.

-I'm going to go a little bit lower.

-525.

-525.

Well, that is certainly the bottom end of what you hoped to spend

and I'm afraid this is on at 575.

Because of its location.

You know, Lyme Regis is a hot spot. There is no getting away from it.

This part of the world is for ever popular

and of course it does have that income potential.

-I think it's a good first house.

-Off you go. Go and explore it.

I'll catch up with you a little bit later.

Priced at £575,000,

our first property is right at the top of Carl and Karen's budget,

but it does give them some income potential.

It's a detached period property with roots dating back to the 18th century.

The accommodation includes a separate dining room

and spacious kitchen and breakfast room.

There are three bedrooms in the main house

and the annexe, which was the old forge, has a separate living space

and upstairs bedroom, which could work as a holiday let.

I was actually very pleased when I first saw the house.

It's very, very pretty.

Lovely front garden with moving water, which is very pleasant.

The downstairs just seems to go on and on and is really impressive.

I think the downside is probably the upstairs. The rooms are quite small.

There is no ensuite facility.

So there is a bit of work required there.

It has given us a lot of food for thought.

-Are you all done?

-Yes, I think so.

-Is it all done and sold?

I don't know about that one. We've got a bit of thinking to do.

We have got two more properties to tempt you with, including the mystery house.

Let's keep on.

Devon's countryside is home to a rich variety of wildlife.

But the loss of their natural habitat and changes in farming practices

mean that some of the county's animals are at risk.

Just outside the historic market town of Totnes is a rare breeds

farm with a mission to protect and rehabilitate native species.

It provides sanctuary to uncommon varieties,

including Golden Guernsey goats and Soay sheep, as well as wild

animals under threat such as the red squirrel.

Karen has expressed an interest in working with animals,

so we sent her and Carl to the farm to find out more about volunteering.

First, they are visiting the hedgehog hospital

and meeting Samantha Adams and her prickly patient, Tripod.

As you can probably guess, being called Tripod, he does only have three legs.

I'm afraid he got a little bit too close to a garden strimmer when he was younger.

So in 2009 he was rescued and was brought into us from the vets.

-He's doing really well.

-Is that a common problem?

-I'm afraid so.

Mankind and hedgehogs don't generally mix very well.

So there's strimmers, there's traffic and a huge one is climate change.

They are really struggling with our winters.

They are warmer than they should be so they don't hibernate very well.

What do we need to do, as the general public, to help the population?

We can help them by putting down cat food or dog food.

In the past they used to say bread and milk, which is really bad.

Hedgehogs are lactose intolerant so milk is not a good idea at all.

-Milk is a definite no-no.

-A definite no-no, yes.

Hedgehogs typically arrive at the farm under weight,

but they can be released back into the wild when they weigh 500g,

around the same body weight as young Tripod.

-He is soft underneath, so he has no spines on his belly.

-He's so cute.

I want to take you home.

The farm is home to around 130 animals.

The aim is to try and release many of them back into the wild,

but there's also an active breeding programme in place for others, including the red squirrel.

This is our red squirrel colony.

They are a registered breeding colony

and they are doing very well, fortunately.

Why are the red squirrels so rare in the wild?

We used to have them all across Britain.

They used to be the only squirrel that we get here.

But then the grey squirrel was introduced by the Victorians in their London parks

because they thought they looked really pretty.

But sadly the grey squirrels completely outcompete the reds,

which are smaller and more delicate.

But more to the point, the grey squirrels carry

something called the squirrel pox, which they appear to be

completely immune to but it kills whole populations of reds.

They get decimated by this squirrel pox.

I have just noticed there is so much difference in the colouration of them all.

-Why is that?

-Yes. Even amongst red squirrels, there's quite a variety in their colours.

We have a couple here. A bright red when and some darker ones.

These really dark ones which we have in here,

are a southern European colouration.

So they get really dark the further south you go.

And to prevent inbreeding we introduced a few black ones to keep the gene pool going.

As you can see, they are all really active.

-Would you like to give them some peanuts?

-Yes, please.

-We'd love to.

The farm relies heavily on the work of volunteers

and they are always looking for people to lend a hand.

Could I actually volunteer to do more with the squirrels

-or any of the other animals that you have here?

-Certainly.

Our volunteers get really hands-on here.

We don't often go in there but the houses do need cleaning out.

They go a bit nuts and then they settle down.

They can get really inquisitive.

They start tugging at your clothes and try and see what you're up to. They are lovely little guys.

Now, we've found Karen a possible role here in Devon,

it's time to return to the property search to see

if we can find both her and Carl a house that they can go wild about.

For our second property, we're travelling around 20 miles

along the south coast to the village of East Budleigh.

It's an unspoiled and pretty Devon village

offering a host of historic buildings.

The Elizabethan explorer Sir Walter Raleigh was born in nearby Hayes Barton

and the focal point of the village is a statue of the famous seafarer.

There is also a parish church, a bakery and a community shop.

Our second property is even older than our first

and it is situated right in the heart of the village.

There.

-That's it. What do you reckon?

-A thatched roof.

-It is, indeed.

It is a lovely thatched roof.

Very typical for Devon, as you probably know, I'm sure.

It's also got this fabulous barn attached to it

and we're thinking maybe that could be a bit of a development project for you,

looking ahead to this idea of the holiday let.

It certainly looks very interesting.

You also get those double garages with the little workshop attached to them.

At our first property, you were a bit taken aback because you

thought it was older than the sort of thing you might have looked at.

We've gone back further in time with this one. How do we feel about that?

I don't know until I get inside and have a look at the inside.

-You're looking a bit anxious?

-Yes.

-It's something we wouldn't have considered.

-We wouldn't have considered thatched.

-Come on then, let's go and have a look.

-Lovely.

Well, a slightly nervous response from Carl

and Karen to this grade two listed cottage.

It is 300 years older than the house they live in now

and it could take some getting used to.

So what have we got for you in here?

Come on through.

-It's quite impressive, isn't it?

-It's very big, actually.

-Isn't it?

-Look at the fireplace.

-Yes. Classic kind of inglenook.

But the thing that really took my eye was the beam. That elm beam.

There is quite a lot of light comes in here.

Often, when you find beams, it's very dark.

-But it seems to be quite bright.

-Yes. The light pouring in through there.

There is a lovely window seat. So, Karen, what are you thinking?

I'm worried that you've gone a bit quieter.

I like the dual aspect, the two windows in this room.

It makes it a lot lighter.

But I don't think Karen is convinced, even though

the house is brighter than they were expecting.

It also gives them the separate dining room they asked for

along with a study and utility room on the ground floor.

And then this is the kitchen.

-Oh.

-That is very well done, isn't it?

-That is quite spacious.

-Yes?

-Yes.

A range.

I guess my only concern is that because you are coming from a home that is so modern,

that you have been in for such a long time, I am getting the sense

that when we talk about a property that is older,

whether that is something you're going to be very comfortable with.

It's something we wouldn't have necessarily selected ourselves,

a thatched roof, and this age of property.

-So it is something we are getting to grips with.

-Embrace the fear!

We have probably got the notion that every thatched cottage

is always low ceilinged and very dark.

And it is not necessarily that, is it?

Karen does seem to be warming to the idea of living in a 300-year-old property.

But as with many cottages like this, the stairs are curved and narrow.

But once you negotiate them,

there are three impressive bedrooms to take in.

There is a lovely light guest double through there, Karen.

There is another double here.

And then the family bathroom is there.

And then last but not least...

-..your bit.

-Nice.

-Yes? Loads of storage, as you can see.

-Which is always good.

-Like property one, it's not ensuite.

-But a really nice family bathroom next door.

-Nice deep windows.

Lovely floorboards.

-It is certainly in keeping with the feel of the rest of the building.

-Yes, that's right.

Our buyers are interested in the option of running a holiday let from their new property

and whilst there isn't the space at the moment, the attached barn offers lots of development potential.

This, I think you will find quite interesting.

-It's big.

-That's a big space.

-Isn't it?

-Very big.

The walls are cob, very common material in this part of the world.

Behind us, this brick wall is actually the back of the utility room wall.

So all the services are here, all the water, all the plumbing.

So they have already thought about extending into here,

the current owners.

And they have had some outline conversations

with a conservation officer about it.

So in theory, we think it is a possibility.

There is certainly quite a lot you could do with this. It looks very impressive.

How much you can do with it is going to depend on the price.

Let's go outside into the sunshine and talk about the money, shall we?

Outside, the gardens are largely laid to lawn

and there is a gravelled seating area, ideal for summer entertaining.

-What you see is really what you get.

-It's a great size, I think.

We wouldn't measure this in acres or even fractions of acres.

-No, but it's big enough.

-It's lovely and private. Nicely enclosed.

And I think for a village garden in a community like this,

it's a pretty good size, actually.

So what do we think about our location?

-Location I think, I can almost smell the sea air!

-Very nice.

Smell the sea air.

The spirit of Raleigh is floating through the rooftops.

There is lots of history here

and of course lots of history in the property.

-Let's have a think about the price then.

-I would say 555,000.

555,000, OK.

I'm going to go slightly lower. I am going to go 535.

535. I can see why you are thinking that, in fairness to you,

but you are much closer to it.

-Oh, good. I win one!

-Well, almost.

This is on the market at £575,000.

Like property one, it's open to offers

and I think anybody selling this would be mindful of the fact

that you might want to do something with the barn

and clearly would need some money left over.

It's knowing how much that renovation would cost

to really make it a dream property.

Go and enjoy yourselves and I will catch up with you a little bit later on.

-Thank you very much.

-Thank you.

Our second property, priced at £575,000, is also at the top end

of Carl and Karen's budget, but the owner is willing to consider offers.

It is a listed Devon long house with a thatched roof

and bags of character inside.

The rooms are light and spacious

and include a large lounge with inglenook fireplace.

It comes with three double bedrooms and outside there is a stone barn

that could be turned into a holiday let, subject to planning consent.

I was expecting, when I came through the front door,

very low ceiling, very dark, smallish rooms.

And actually it's the complete opposite.

But as for getting the really goose bump feeling,

I didn't get that, I'm afraid.

There are elements of this house that are really good.

It's got some lovely exposed beams.

But there are a few issues regarding ceiling height

and the accessibility to the upstairs with very narrow stairs.

-After you.

-Thank you.

Well, that's it.

Property two is done

and that is the end of a fairly busy first day's house-hunting.

It's been extremely interesting and we've certainly got a lot to think about.

We are going to give you even more tomorrow.

-It is nearly mystery house time.

-More confusion!

It's the second day of our house search here in Devon

and with a maximum budget of £575,000, we're helping Carl

and Karen close the chapter on their Oxford home of nearly 30 years.

Still to come, the mystery house pushes all the right buttons.

-This is obviously working, isn't it?

-This one is working.

And I taste the tipple that wet the whistle of the British Navy.

As we begin our final day of house-hunting with Karen

and Carl, it's perfectly obvious that our first two properties,

although Escape to the Country classics,

clearly aren't working at all.

This is proving to be far more of a challenge than I had expected.

So for our mystery house we are rewriting the remit

and spreading our net far and wide.

On this occasion, it's very definitely out with the old and in with the new.

For our mystery house, we're heading back

east along the coast to the seaside town of Sidmouth.

It's a popular spot for tourists

and a large part of the town has been designated a conservation area,

due to its range of Regency and Georgian buildings.

Sidmouth is also the gateway to the Jurassic Coast and it's

known for its striking red cliffs formed some 240 million years ago.

Our mystery house is a more recent addition to this stunning shoreline,

completed just four years ago.

It couldn't be more different to our first two properties.

It's situated just outside of the town on the edge of the local golf course.

Look at this.

-My goodness.

-Come this way.

-That is absolutely breathtaking.

-It's huge!

-No, you don't get all of it!

I'm afraid. You get that bit over there.

-The sea is just behind those trees.

-I know, I can see it.

Karen said she wanted to be by the sea. That is absolutely tremendous.

Now, this is a fascinating redevelopment.

Can you see down there? See those pillars?

-This used to be, wait for it, a Victorian water tank.

-Really?

That was supported by these pillars.

But now, they have really gone to town with the architects

to create a bespoke complex.

It has the feel of a kind of barn conversion.

-Effectively what you've got is a four-storey...

-A four-storey?

-A four-storey townhouse.

You get the bit down there, a bit in the middle and then two floors above.

You can see we are beaming faces today.

At last! Come on, let's have a look.

This contemporary property is semidetached and part of a

larger complex, but that doesn't seem to worry Carl and Karen.

The accommodation is arranged over four levels.

We are entering the house on the first floor.

-Grab the door, Carl.

-Thank you.

-Now.

-Now, isn't that an entrance.

-Wow!

-Yes?

-That is unbelievable.

It's big as well.

-You don't realise how big that is from the outside, do you?

-No, not really.

Are you pleased?

Oh, Karen! It's all got very emotional here, hasn't it?

-This is obviously working, isn't it?

-This one is working.

I think we've pressed a few buttons here, Carl, haven't we?

I think you have. We have not seen anything like this before.

This is, well... I don't know what to say, really.

It is something we didn't expect at all. We didn't expect it at all.

-You didn't expect it, did you?

-No.

-Come and have a look at the kitchen.

I think you will like this, Karen.

-There you are, look.

-Look at all this. It's a lovely space, isn't it?

-And room for another table.

-Exactly. You've got more dining tables than you need, really.

There's one in here, one next door, there's one out on the decking.

-Talk about being light and airy...

-This is.

-You've got two more floors to explore.

-Oh, dear.

You can take your pick of master bedrooms.

The floor below is home to more living space which we'll explore later.

But we are heading up to the second floor, where you will find the family bathroom

and two of the three large bedrooms in this house.

And I've earmarked one of them for Carl and Karen.

You've got your two doubles on this floor. That's one of them.

With an en-suite.

But this one I think would make the best of the masters.

It doesn't have an en-suite, but it has the view of the golf course.

Very nice. Lots of wildlife to watch as well.

-You can see me coming off the 18th, dear.

-Yes, I could do.

Absolutely magnificent.

-And don't forget, there's another floor which also has an en-suite.

-Does it really?

-The finish up there is exactly the same as the finish down here.

-Yes.

-It's all lovely.

-Let's go to the basement. Come and look at this.

A fantastic response to our mystery property so far.

But let's not forget that Carl

and Karen also wanted one with holiday let potential.

I want to show them what this house has to offer.

-There.

-More space.

-More space.

-Dear me!

-Another sitting-room.

And look above you.

That's the brick vaulted ceiling from the old water tank.

I can see where the pillars go now.

Now, but for a door there,

this could be a self-contained holiday let if need be

because through that door there is a utility room with a sink in it.

All it needs is a cooker hob really. That becomes your kitchen.

There is an en-suite there. There is a bedroom space over there.

And of course you have got this living space here and a separate door there for your guests.

-To come in and out.

-I saw a couple of people go out and play golf.

I would imagine that keen golfers would be...

Delighted to come and stay here.

That's where we're going with this one.

It does offer you that possibility of the extra income

if you want it and your guests would be completely separate from you.

So how are we doing out of 10 on our mystery house, Karen?

-I think it's virtually at the top.

-Yes?

-Nine and a half.

-Almost the top of the shop. Carl?

-I think it's nearer 10.

What they have done with this complex is quite unbelievable, really.

Let's see if we can get a 10 out of you.

Come on, let's go back upstairs.

The garden is accessed via the first-floor living area

and is largely laid to lawn and surrounded by trees.

And finally, the garden.

-Yes?

-Yes.

-What do we think?

-It's a good size, isn't it?

-It's all right, isn't it?

-It is.

Considering it's in a complex, I don't think that's bad at all.

Does this give us a final 10, do you think? With the garden?

-Yes.

-Yes. I thought it might.

-I think so.

Let's think about the price then. What would you pay for it?

-I'm going first, am I?

-Yes.

-I think it's going to be possibly right at the top end. 575.

-575.

I'm going slightly lower, being optimistic. 550.

Yes. Optimistic would be the word, I'm afraid, Carl.

I'm afraid you're both wrong.

But I think there may be room for negotiation

because currently this is on the market at £595,000.

-Right.

-OK.

But I'm assured a reasonable offer would probably be listened to.

-That is certainly something to think about.

-Good. Right then. Don't cry again.

Off you go before you do. I'll catch you later.

On the market at £595,000, our mystery house is slightly

over budget, but the owner is open to offers.

It's an architect-designed four-storey property.

The stylish interior includes a large living area

and a contemporary kitchen-diner.

There are four bedrooms in total, three of which are ensuite.

What's more, the ground floor offers potential

for a very impressive holiday let

and the property is located on the edge of a popular seaside resort.

I think I got all emotional because it was just what I wanted.

I was wanting a house that was very light and airy

and also the main factor is because it is very close to the sea.

I can see the sea.

I am finding it hard to fight the tears coming back again, actually.

I suppose it is fate, isn't it?

It's 28 years to the day that we moved into our last home

so maybe it's telling us something.

I love these old iron pillars.

This really is a fabulous repurposing of what was once

simply a utilitarian water tower.

-Now it is a gorgeous home that might be yours. Who knows?

-It may well be.

-It may well be.

-Has a decision been made?

I think I'm going to be looking at the finances and checking a few details.

Are you now? Good. Let's see how it all might work.

With over 300 miles of coastline,

it's no wonder that Devon has a strong maritime heritage.

Much of it is centred on Plymouth Sound,

one of the world's largest natural harbours.

In the past, ships departing from the naval port set sail

with a stash of alcohol on board.

Traditionally, rum was the daily tipple for sailors.

But in the early 17th century, gin became the drink of choice.

In 1793, this distillery was established in a former

monastery in Plymouth and started supplying its own special

brand of gin to the Royal Navy.

Today, it's the oldest working gin distillery in England.

I've come to find out more about its unique recipe

and the gin's ties with the Navy.

I'm meeting Sean Harrison.

It is a drink we all take for granted, but where did it all begin?

The Dutch are credited with making the original gin, which they

called Geneva, which is still around today.

In the early part of the 1600s, the English got involved

and they brought the concept from Holland back to the UK.

-The whole Dutch courage story, is that related to gin?

-It is.

There was a war between 1610

and 1640 over the Low Countries of Europe

and the story goes that you would have your shot of Geneva

before you went into battle and you'd get your Dutch courage.

Now, I've always associated gin with those classic black and white war films.

We often associate the Navy with gin. Why?

Particularly with Plymouth because we are in a port that is

very much built around the Royal Navy.

So when the Navy was at its height 100 years ago,

all the ships were taking local produce to sea

and in our case they were taking Plymouth Gin to sea.

The Devon-based gin is still being made in huge copper stills

that are over 100 years old.

But in order to see the process in more detail, the distillery

has a scaled down glass version of a still down in the basement.

The gin made here is creamier on the palate than other varieties,

largely due to the different flavoured plant ingredients that are added to alcoholic water,

along with the gin's chief ingredient, juniper berries.

The one thing that surprises me is the range of flavours that is possible.

I just thought gin was effectively alcoholic water.

It's what a lot of people make the mistake of,

because traditionally, it very much is juniper.

-So you've got to have that in it?

-You've got to have that in it.

-What else have we got here?

These are nine other traditional gin ingredients. So we've got two peels. Lemon peel and sweet orange.

We've got green cardamom pods which come from Guatemala.

We've got coriander seed and this is Russian as opposed to Moroccan,

so it's slightly smaller and slightly more citrus.

-Quite distinctive.

-Yes.

We've got something called orris root, which is the root of the iris that comes from Italy.

Again, it has been known about for hundreds of years.

When you look at the origins of these ingredients,

you really do understand why Plymouth as a trading port

-became the centre of gin manufacture.

-Absolutely.

The exact ratio of ingredients in the Plymouth variety is a closely

guarded secret, so I'm going to have a stab at making my own version.

As well as the juniper, I'm adding lemon peel, liquorice,

coriander and orris to a liquid of water and alcohol.

And now what we need to do is cook it to get the essential oils out.

-So effectively boil it.

-Boil it, exactly right.

The distillation process involves boiling off the essential

oils from the ingredients and the alcohol, which then travel

in a vapour through a water condenser

which forms a purer, stronger gin.

The distilled liquid is 80% alcohol,

so it needs to be watered down.

But once it's travelled up there and filled this bottle, then we add some water and it's ready to drink?

-It's ready to drink.

-Brilliant.

Gosh! Actually, it's really good. I'm surprised.

Don't sound too surprised!

I have learned a lot about the flavours and that is the thing that is most surprising to me.

How much you can flavour it.

And how much you can change it by what you flavour after juniper.

-Well, here's to you and here's to gin.

-Cheers!

What a day and what a view.

Now, Karen's face, frankly, has told us all we need to know about which property is her favourite

but the question is, are they likely to buy it?

Well, let's go and ask them.

-Here we are. Sheltering out of the wind.

-Hello.

-This has been quite an eventful few days, hasn't it?

-Yes, it has.

-Quite emotional.

-Yes.

Our first two properties were classics for Escape to the Country,

-but they clearly weren't for you.

-No.

I think it proved to us that a lot of people might like low beams

and thatched cottages and olde worlde type,

and they were really good properties, but it's not our cup of tea.

-Let's talk about our mystery house, Karen.

-If I can.

-If you can.

Those emotions are still running quite high, aren't they?

-Yes.

-Is it a sense of relief that is making you so moved?

I think it's basically because you've come to

one of my favourite places and especially with the sea.

-Sidmouth could be your new home.

-Yes.

-It could well be.

Will it be, though, Carl? You are in charge of the finances.

Yes, I shall be back home crunching the numbers

and if we can do that, I think you have found us our dream home.

Is this the journey completed?

I think so. Close to the coast.

Nice property. Somewhere for our family to come and stay.

And if we did want to let out the bottom of the property for all

those keen golfers that would want to come and play at the nearby

golf course, we can achieve everything with one property.

I think when you go looking at any houses, you always get a feel when

you walk into the house straightaway whether you can make it a home.

I am delighted that we have arrived at a destination

which should be a fabulous new home for you.

I wish you all the best of luck, Carl. Go and crunch those numbers and let us know.

I can't wait to hear if finally you have moved in.

Thank you for all your support and the support of the team.

-It's been great.

-Our pleasure.

This has certainly been an odd week here on Escape to the Country.

Our view of what a traditional country house should look like

has clearly been at odds for a couple

who, in seeking a whole new chapter in their lives, have really struggled

with the enormity of the changes in front of them.

But we have rethought their remit.

In our mystery house, I think we have really offered them a prospect

of a whole new life in a stunning new property overlooking the sea.

And being something of an old softie, I do like a happy ending.