0:00:02 > 0:00:03Welcome to Escape To The Country.
0:00:03 > 0:00:06Now, we're starting out right in the heart of one of the finest
0:00:06 > 0:00:10medieval castles anywhere in the country, one that in more recent
0:00:10 > 0:00:15years was used to imprison soldiers who were morally opposed to war.
0:00:15 > 0:00:18So, where have we come for this step back in time?
0:00:18 > 0:00:20Well, join me in just a moment and I'll tell you.
0:00:36 > 0:00:40'On today's house hunt, a mother and daughter duo are looking for
0:00:40 > 0:00:41'a property to entertain in.'
0:00:41 > 0:00:43What a family space.
0:00:43 > 0:00:45It's beautiful. It's a very sociable area, isn't it?
0:00:45 > 0:00:47Yeah.
0:00:47 > 0:00:49'And one of our offerings seems to hit the mark.'
0:00:49 > 0:00:51Whoa-ho-ho-ho!
0:00:51 > 0:00:53Ha-hah! I think we've hit the nail on the head!
0:00:53 > 0:00:54I'm feeling a bit tearful!
0:00:56 > 0:00:58Well, today we are in North Yorkshire
0:00:58 > 0:01:02and this is the imposing keep of Richmond Castle.
0:01:02 > 0:01:04Now, the Normans started building the fortress here just
0:01:04 > 0:01:07after their victory at the Battle of Hastings,
0:01:07 > 0:01:10and it was an important point in William's consolidation
0:01:10 > 0:01:13of his hold over the northern part of his territories.
0:01:13 > 0:01:15And, over the centuries that followed,
0:01:15 > 0:01:18the market town of Richmond itself grew up around it,
0:01:18 > 0:01:20and in many ways it's now regarded
0:01:20 > 0:01:22as a model of medieval town planning.
0:01:22 > 0:01:24But fast forward to the early 20th century
0:01:24 > 0:01:27and the castle took on a completely different role.
0:01:27 > 0:01:31It was used to house a number of conscientious objectors,
0:01:31 > 0:01:34men who refused to fight in the First World War on political,
0:01:34 > 0:01:36moral and religious grounds.
0:01:36 > 0:01:39Now, later on in the show, I'll be back here exploring
0:01:39 > 0:01:42the castle fully and taking a closer look at the story behind those
0:01:42 > 0:01:44men who were imprisoned here.
0:01:44 > 0:01:47But, take it from me, the view from the top of that keep
0:01:47 > 0:01:51of the surrounding landscape really is one of Yorkshire's finest.
0:01:53 > 0:01:56Yorkshire is a historic county in the north of England,
0:01:56 > 0:01:58the largest in the UK.
0:01:58 > 0:02:02Today, the county of North Yorkshire covers over 3,000 square miles
0:02:02 > 0:02:05and is one of the most rural and attractive parts of the country.
0:02:05 > 0:02:10This region is home to two National Parks - the Yorkshire Dales to the
0:02:10 > 0:02:13west and the rugged and windswept North York Moors to the east.
0:02:14 > 0:02:18The Dales has been a National Park since 1954, and is characterised
0:02:18 > 0:02:22by a collection of river valleys and gentle rolling hills
0:02:22 > 0:02:26dotted with pretty stone villages which retain a timeless feel.
0:02:26 > 0:02:30The valley of Wensleydale displays spectacular scenery
0:02:30 > 0:02:32in villages such as Aysgarth,
0:02:32 > 0:02:35with its famous flight of waterfalls.
0:02:35 > 0:02:38The region's long history of livestock farming has given
0:02:38 > 0:02:42rise to distinct sheep breeds and its tradition of cheese making.
0:02:42 > 0:02:44The market town of Hawes is home
0:02:44 > 0:02:48to the famous crumbly Wensleydale variety.
0:02:48 > 0:02:51The fields around have remained all but untouched by modern
0:02:51 > 0:02:55intensive farming techniques and many of them still retain their
0:02:55 > 0:02:59original dry stone walls, which characterise this part of the world.
0:02:59 > 0:03:02Geographically, the county has much to offer,
0:03:02 > 0:03:05so it's perhaps not surprising that the region has become
0:03:05 > 0:03:09a popular option for those seeking a slower, more rural existence.
0:03:11 > 0:03:15Now, look at any map and you'll realise that Yorkshire is
0:03:15 > 0:03:18an enormous county when taken as a whole, and when you
0:03:18 > 0:03:22think that it accounts for some 10% of England's landmass
0:03:22 > 0:03:26you can appreciate that house prices across it can vary hugely.
0:03:26 > 0:03:30If you go to the south of the county, there your average detached
0:03:30 > 0:03:33will set you back around about £180,000,
0:03:33 > 0:03:37but if you head further north, well, there you could expect to pay
0:03:37 > 0:03:40another 90,000 on top of that, and the reason is simple -
0:03:40 > 0:03:43up north is where you find the Moors and the Dales,
0:03:43 > 0:03:47beautiful properties set in stunning landscapes.
0:03:47 > 0:03:50A wonderful draw for locals and visitors alike.
0:03:50 > 0:03:51So, let's now meet today's buyers
0:03:51 > 0:03:55and find out which bit of the county they think is for them.
0:03:55 > 0:03:58Today's house hunters are mother and daughter Mel and Holly,
0:03:58 > 0:04:01who live in Worcester Park, Surrey.
0:04:01 > 0:04:04Mel, originally from North Yorkshire, is recently divorced
0:04:04 > 0:04:06and works as a speech therapy assistant.
0:04:06 > 0:04:08She has two daughters -
0:04:08 > 0:04:10Lily, who is about to go off to university,
0:04:10 > 0:04:13and Holly, who has just finished at sixth form college.
0:04:13 > 0:04:18They've decided that now is the time to make their move to the country.
0:04:18 > 0:04:22I lived here nearly eight years,
0:04:22 > 0:04:26and the area is quite busy and congested
0:04:26 > 0:04:30and we'd like to escape that.
0:04:30 > 0:04:34Mel's been itching to get back to her roots in North Yorkshire.
0:04:34 > 0:04:37I've been thinking about moving to the countryside
0:04:37 > 0:04:42and especially to move back to the northeast for about 13 years,
0:04:42 > 0:04:45but it's been put on the back burner.
0:04:45 > 0:04:49So, now I've got an opportunity, through getting divorced
0:04:49 > 0:04:53and selling this house, and now I can fulfil my dream.
0:04:55 > 0:04:57And Holly is a keen amateur photographer.
0:04:57 > 0:05:00I've just finished sixth form and I'm in a temporary job
0:05:00 > 0:05:02at the minute, so I have no real ties here,
0:05:02 > 0:05:04so, yeah, it will be nice for a change,
0:05:04 > 0:05:07- maybe pursue my photography passion. - Yeah.
0:05:07 > 0:05:09- I've got quite a few connections up north anyway so...- Mm-hm.
0:05:09 > 0:05:11- ..that'll be nice.- Yeah.
0:05:11 > 0:05:13But Mel has really missed the northeast
0:05:13 > 0:05:15during her time down south.
0:05:15 > 0:05:17I love everything about North Yorkshire.
0:05:17 > 0:05:21- I love the dales, I love the moors, the villages...- Yeah.
0:05:21 > 0:05:24- Ah, villages.- Quaint houses and things. Chocolate box.
0:05:24 > 0:05:26Yeah, chocolate box.
0:05:26 > 0:05:29And mainly because of the people.
0:05:29 > 0:05:32Mel and Holly have had their fill of suburban life.
0:05:32 > 0:05:34We'd like to be in a village.
0:05:34 > 0:05:37And maybe on the outskirts rather than being right in the centre.
0:05:37 > 0:05:40- Yeah. Somewhere where there's quite a community.- Yeah.
0:05:40 > 0:05:44And they do seem to be clear about what they want in their new house.
0:05:44 > 0:05:47We are looking for something with character.
0:05:47 > 0:05:49- Yeah, beams.- An Aga.
0:05:49 > 0:05:52An Aga, wood burning stove.
0:05:52 > 0:05:54- Yeah. Lots of...- Fireplaces.- Yeah.
0:05:54 > 0:05:56Kitchen-diner.
0:05:56 > 0:05:58- Three bedrooms would be great. - Yeah.
0:05:58 > 0:06:02We would quite like to have something like holiday lets to have
0:06:02 > 0:06:05something where there's potential of some business and income.
0:06:05 > 0:06:08Life in North Yorkshire will be very different
0:06:08 > 0:06:09to living in the southeast.
0:06:09 > 0:06:13A bit nervous. Obviously it's a big change and I'll be moving away
0:06:13 > 0:06:16from half my family, some friends and things, but it'll be...
0:06:16 > 0:06:19- But I'm very excited about it. - Yes. No, I'm very excited.
0:06:19 > 0:06:22- Because I'll be with my family... - Yeah.
0:06:22 > 0:06:23..for the first time in 26 years.
0:06:23 > 0:06:26Yeah, and there'll be a lot of opportunities
0:06:26 > 0:06:28- and things for us up there. - Yeah.- Yeah.
0:06:31 > 0:06:33Mel and Holly are keen to move to a village property
0:06:33 > 0:06:36within easy reach of family in Darlington.
0:06:36 > 0:06:40But, before our search begins, I'm meeting them to learn more
0:06:40 > 0:06:42about their proposed rural move.
0:06:42 > 0:06:44Well, Holly, Mel, welcome to Yorkshire.
0:06:44 > 0:06:47- Welcome back to Yorkshire for you, Mel.- Mmm hmm.
0:06:47 > 0:06:49- This is home, isn't it? - Yes, it is. Yeah.
0:06:49 > 0:06:51- Now, it's obviously your idea to come back up here.- Mm-hm.
0:06:51 > 0:06:53Did you take much persuading?
0:06:53 > 0:06:54Erm, no, not really.
0:06:54 > 0:06:59I'm in-between jobs at the minute so I'm easy, I'm happy to move.
0:06:59 > 0:07:02Be a new chapter for me and open some new opportunities for me, so...
0:07:02 > 0:07:05What are you going to do with your spare time, because
0:07:05 > 0:07:06there's so much on offer up here?
0:07:06 > 0:07:08Yeah. We want to do a lot of walking, don't we?
0:07:08 > 0:07:11- Yeah, we do.- Maybe get some dogs. - And photography.
0:07:11 > 0:07:13Yeah, and then I'd like to shadow
0:07:13 > 0:07:15a professional photographer here and...
0:07:15 > 0:07:19So, give us an idea of the sort of property that you've pictured,
0:07:19 > 0:07:22Mel, for your return to this part of the world.
0:07:22 > 0:07:24It's got to have character, definitely,
0:07:24 > 0:07:26- cos we live in quite a new house, don't we?- Yeah.
0:07:26 > 0:07:28So, it's got to have character.
0:07:28 > 0:07:31And are there any real no-nos in your wish list?
0:07:31 > 0:07:33- No new builds.- Yeah.- No bungalows.
0:07:33 > 0:07:35- No bungalows.- I'm too young.- Yeah.
0:07:35 > 0:07:37THEY LAUGH
0:07:37 > 0:07:40So, something nice and pretty - that, I think, is a given.
0:07:40 > 0:07:42But what does it need to have?
0:07:42 > 0:07:44How many bedrooms do you need, for example?
0:07:44 > 0:07:47Well, it needs to have three, three bedrooms and possibly four.
0:07:47 > 0:07:50- But we're quite relaxed on that, so...- Yeah.
0:07:50 > 0:07:53And what about outside space, Holly?
0:07:53 > 0:07:57We'd possibly like a potential to maybe have holiday lets or
0:07:57 > 0:07:59extra space maybe to put up yurts or something in a garden
0:07:59 > 0:08:02- if we've got a big bit of land. - Ooh, a bit of glamping maybe!
0:08:02 > 0:08:05- A bit of glamping.- Yeah! Let's talk about the budget then.
0:08:05 > 0:08:07How much do you want to spend on this whole move?
0:08:07 > 0:08:09375,000.
0:08:09 > 0:08:13If you take £375,000 all the way up from Surrey
0:08:13 > 0:08:16- the horizon does get much broader. - Yeah.- Yeah, it does.
0:08:16 > 0:08:17- And much prettier.- Yeah.- Yes.
0:08:17 > 0:08:19And that's the really exciting thing.
0:08:19 > 0:08:22We've got three really interesting properties to show you,
0:08:22 > 0:08:24- one of which is our Mystery House. - Mm-hm!- Yeah.
0:08:24 > 0:08:26- Yeah.- So, it'll be interesting to see what you make of it.
0:08:26 > 0:08:28Right then, let's go. Come on.
0:08:31 > 0:08:36Mel and Holly have £375,000 to spend on their new home.
0:08:36 > 0:08:38They'd like to be in a village setting within easy reach
0:08:38 > 0:08:40of family in Darlington.
0:08:40 > 0:08:42They're after a three-bedroomed house,
0:08:42 > 0:08:45with a large kitchen/diner and a garden.
0:08:45 > 0:08:48Although the house is their main consideration, if it did offer
0:08:48 > 0:08:52a business opportunity in the form of land or outbuildings that would
0:08:52 > 0:08:56be a plus, although that might be tricky to achieve within the budget.
0:08:56 > 0:08:59We've lined up three varied properties to show them over
0:08:59 > 0:09:02the next couple of days, but I won't be revealing the price tags
0:09:02 > 0:09:04until the end of each house tour.
0:09:04 > 0:09:07Finally, our mystery house will challenge what they think
0:09:07 > 0:09:11they want and test how much vision they have.
0:09:11 > 0:09:14- I want to wake up to that view every morning.- Yeah. Me too.
0:09:14 > 0:09:16Well, everywhere you look you are just spoilt for views.
0:09:16 > 0:09:18But what about your long-term future, Holly?
0:09:18 > 0:09:21Are you thinking that you might be buying a home of your own up here
0:09:21 > 0:09:22in a few years' time?
0:09:22 > 0:09:25Depends on when I leave the...the family home.
0:09:25 > 0:09:28Well! Yeah, what do you think, Mum?
0:09:28 > 0:09:31She did say she was going to live with me till she's 36.
0:09:31 > 0:09:34- Wow!- Wow. - So you've got another 16 years!
0:09:34 > 0:09:36THEY LAUGH
0:09:36 > 0:09:37I don't think I can manage that!
0:09:42 > 0:09:46Our first property is in the village of Melsonby, six miles from
0:09:46 > 0:09:50Darlington, so convenient for visiting Mel's family.
0:09:50 > 0:09:54It's an attractive village with a green at its centre and a brook.
0:09:54 > 0:09:57There's a selection of old cottages and the property we're showing
0:09:57 > 0:09:59them is right in the heart of things.
0:09:59 > 0:10:03It's an old stone barn, once a cow shed, that was converted
0:10:03 > 0:10:05into a home 28 years ago.
0:10:05 > 0:10:09It's been completely refurbished and restyled by its current owners.
0:10:10 > 0:10:15OK, ladies, come on in to property number one! What do you reckon?
0:10:15 > 0:10:18- Lovely. Absolutely lovely.- Yeah? - Yeah, it's really nice actually.
0:10:18 > 0:10:20Very pretty.
0:10:20 > 0:10:24I suppose the obvious thing to say is that it is, technically...
0:10:24 > 0:10:26Single storey.
0:10:26 > 0:10:28..a bungalow.
0:10:28 > 0:10:30THEY LAUGH
0:10:30 > 0:10:34If you think of it in terms of being a single-storey barn conversion
0:10:34 > 0:10:37- it takes on a completely different meaning.- Yeah.- Yeah.
0:10:37 > 0:10:39- All right?- Yeah.
0:10:39 > 0:10:41- Yes! We'll all positive, right. - Yeah. Yes!- Yes.- Yes!
0:10:41 > 0:10:43Come on, let's have a look inside.
0:10:43 > 0:10:47'Sadly, it doesn't offer business potential either.'
0:10:47 > 0:10:49Come in, Holly. There we are!
0:10:49 > 0:10:51What do you reckon then?
0:10:51 > 0:10:54- Yeah, really nice.- Yeah.- It's lovely.
0:10:54 > 0:10:56- Yeah.- Quite modern, isn't it?- Yeah.
0:10:56 > 0:10:59It's very modern, but it does have this nice country feel,
0:10:59 > 0:11:02the way the units are finished, this nice duck egg blue.
0:11:02 > 0:11:05Through there is a utility room, boiler and so on
0:11:05 > 0:11:09and access to the courtyard, so all the white goods are tucked away.
0:11:09 > 0:11:10- Yes, very nice.- Yeah.
0:11:10 > 0:11:13Now how's the bungalow thing going with you?
0:11:13 > 0:11:15Erm... Yeah, it's all right.
0:11:15 > 0:11:17It's not bothering me too much at the minute.
0:11:17 > 0:11:19Yeah, I think we need to see the rest of it
0:11:19 > 0:11:21- and see what we think. - Yeah, and make a decision.
0:11:21 > 0:11:23Yeah. Come and have a look at this.
0:11:27 > 0:11:30Now, I can quite see you two...
0:11:30 > 0:11:32cosied up in here.
0:11:32 > 0:11:34- Yeah.- Yeah. I love...
0:11:34 > 0:11:36- I love the ceiling, love the beams. - Yeah.- Yep.
0:11:36 > 0:11:38And I think it's rather nice,
0:11:38 > 0:11:41- cos you come from the kitchen into this space.- Yeah.- Yeah.
0:11:41 > 0:11:43- And it opens up, doesn't it?- Yeah.
0:11:43 > 0:11:45It's not huge but it feels spacious.
0:11:45 > 0:11:48And for family gatherings, just imagine Christmas!
0:11:48 > 0:11:51- Yeah, you can actually. - Yeah!- Yeah.
0:11:51 > 0:11:54- Ooh, you see?- I really like it.
0:11:54 > 0:11:55Well, let's go upstairs.
0:11:55 > 0:11:59Oh, no, let's not go upstairs! Let's go and look at the bedrooms!
0:11:59 > 0:12:00Ha-ha, you see?
0:12:00 > 0:12:01Ah, nearly got you going!
0:12:01 > 0:12:03Yes, there's no upstairs.
0:12:06 > 0:12:09Back through the kitchen to the other end of the house,
0:12:09 > 0:12:11there are three bedrooms -
0:12:11 > 0:12:13a cosy double,
0:12:13 > 0:12:16another double currently being used as a child's room,
0:12:16 > 0:12:19and also a neutrally decorated bathroom.
0:12:19 > 0:12:22But I'm taking them to the master bedroom.
0:12:23 > 0:12:26Now, I'm wondering if this is your room, Holly.
0:12:26 > 0:12:28- What, the master bedroom? - Cos it's got the en-suite, yeah.
0:12:28 > 0:12:32No, I think I'll have to give that to Mum, yeah.
0:12:32 > 0:12:34I could see that coming, yeah.
0:12:34 > 0:12:37- It's not a bad size. - It's the biggest of the three.- Yeah.
0:12:37 > 0:12:39The others are all doubles, so I guess you'd get first pick.
0:12:39 > 0:12:42- Yeah, and then Lily can have.. - Lily'll get what's left.
0:12:42 > 0:12:44Is our bungalow moving you at all?
0:12:44 > 0:12:46LAUGHTER
0:12:46 > 0:12:48- I think it's really beautiful.- Yeah.
0:12:48 > 0:12:53I think the decorating, the taste is really nice, it's really good.
0:12:53 > 0:12:56- Yeah. It's quite similar to what we...we have.- Yeah.
0:12:56 > 0:12:58Well, let's go outside and think about the price
0:12:58 > 0:13:00- and show you that courtyard. - Yeah.- OK.
0:13:00 > 0:13:03Maybe that will be the icing on the cake. Go on, after you.
0:13:05 > 0:13:09Outside, there's double-gated access to the walled front garden
0:13:09 > 0:13:11which is grassed with a raised patio area.
0:13:11 > 0:13:16At the back is a long, narrow paved garden with a well-planted border,
0:13:16 > 0:13:19and it's all pretty low-maintenance.
0:13:19 > 0:13:23- This is a perfect size...- Yeah. - ..maintenance-wise.
0:13:23 > 0:13:28OK, so, how much is property number one on the market for?
0:13:28 > 0:13:31I think it's on for 345.
0:13:31 > 0:13:34345? Yeah. Holly?
0:13:34 > 0:13:37I was going to actually go a bit lower, say about 330.
0:13:37 > 0:13:40You have clearly done it before cos it is on the market...
0:13:40 > 0:13:42- Is it?- ..for £345,000, yeah!
0:13:42 > 0:13:45- Ah-ha!- How about that! - 1-0 to you.- Yeah, 1-0.
0:13:45 > 0:13:47Yeah. But, you know, it's your first go, Holly,
0:13:47 > 0:13:49so I think that's fair enough.
0:13:49 > 0:13:52- And I like your optimism...- Yeah. - ..coming in a little bit under that.
0:13:52 > 0:13:55- 345, oh!- Yeah. OK, go and have an explore,
0:13:55 > 0:13:57and I will catch up with you a little bit later.
0:13:57 > 0:13:59- OK. Mmm.- Off you go.- Thanks.
0:14:03 > 0:14:06For £30,000 under their maximum budget,
0:14:06 > 0:14:09this single storey stone barn conversion
0:14:09 > 0:14:12provides an enormous open plan kitchen-dining room,
0:14:12 > 0:14:15an impressive sitting room with vaulted ceiling,
0:14:15 > 0:14:17and three bedrooms, with the master being en suite,
0:14:17 > 0:14:20and outside there are low-maintenance gardens.
0:14:21 > 0:14:23This is a lovely room.
0:14:23 > 0:14:26Yeah, nice high, vaulted ceilings.
0:14:26 > 0:14:28- Yeah, I could really imagine having Christmas in here.- Yeah.- Yeah.
0:14:28 > 0:14:31- With a Christmas tree.- Yeah.
0:14:31 > 0:14:36I think my favourite room in house one is the kitchen.
0:14:36 > 0:14:39I like the open plan space.
0:14:39 > 0:14:42And secondly I think probably the lounge
0:14:42 > 0:14:47because of the high ceilings and the beams.
0:14:47 > 0:14:50I think the problem with house number one is that it's one storey.
0:14:50 > 0:14:52Obviously at home I'm used to having two storeys
0:14:52 > 0:14:55so it's something that I'd have to get used to if we were to move here.
0:14:55 > 0:15:01My overall thought on property one is it's a beautiful house,
0:15:01 > 0:15:03it's in a beautiful location,
0:15:03 > 0:15:06I think I just would struggle with the one level.
0:15:08 > 0:15:13Well, that's it. One down, two to go.
0:15:13 > 0:15:15Yeah.
0:15:15 > 0:15:17Is it a contender?
0:15:17 > 0:15:20- We need to see the others, don't we, first?- Yeah.
0:15:20 > 0:15:22That's what everybody says. Come on.
0:15:28 > 0:15:31Mel is a keen gardener and loves attracting wildlife,
0:15:31 > 0:15:35which keen photographer Holly likes to capture on film,
0:15:35 > 0:15:39so we've arranged for them to visit Harlow Carr Gardens in Harrogate.
0:15:39 > 0:15:42They're meeting nursery manager Andrew Wilcox.
0:15:43 > 0:15:45- Hi, I'm Holly.- Hello Holly. - Hi.- Hi, I'm Mel.
0:15:45 > 0:15:47Hello, Mel. Welcome to Harlow Carr!
0:15:47 > 0:15:50What part of the gardens are we in now?
0:15:50 > 0:15:53We are on what has been known for years here as the Broadwalk,
0:15:53 > 0:15:56which is the herbaceous borders, and we've put in a wide
0:15:56 > 0:15:59and varied range of plants which provides a longer period
0:15:59 > 0:16:02of time for the insects, particularly bees and butterflies,
0:16:02 > 0:16:05to gather more pollen and nectar from as early as April
0:16:05 > 0:16:07right through until October.
0:16:07 > 0:16:10We'd like to really encourage wildlife in our new garden
0:16:10 > 0:16:12and our new home, so what sort of plants
0:16:12 > 0:16:15would encourage bees and butterflies?
0:16:15 > 0:16:18Generally, you're looking for plants that are bright and vibrant,
0:16:18 > 0:16:21in particular the Salvia sylvestris, which is excellent for honeybees.
0:16:21 > 0:16:25Lavenders are excellent as well, particularly for bumblebees.
0:16:25 > 0:16:28There's another part of the garden, the wild flower garden,
0:16:28 > 0:16:30which is built up of native flowers,
0:16:30 > 0:16:33things like ox-eye daisies and ragged robin,
0:16:33 > 0:16:36which are excellent pollinators for our bees and butterflies.
0:16:36 > 0:16:38And also in that meadow there's a lot of grass,
0:16:38 > 0:16:40which looks like an untidy mess,
0:16:40 > 0:16:42but it provides an excellent food source
0:16:42 > 0:16:45for the butterfly caterpillars so that they can actually produce
0:16:45 > 0:16:49the full life cycle in their own sort of nature reserve, if you like.
0:16:49 > 0:16:53Armed with top gardening tips, Holly and Mel are now meeting
0:16:53 > 0:16:55wildlife photographer Simon Roy.
0:16:55 > 0:16:58What do you find is the easiest to take pictures of in wildlife?
0:16:58 > 0:17:00Well, probably garden birds because you can get them
0:17:00 > 0:17:04in the garden using feeders, especially in winter and spring.
0:17:04 > 0:17:06So, what's the best weather conditions?
0:17:06 > 0:17:08Probably the best weather conditions is like today,
0:17:08 > 0:17:09sunshine through white cloud.
0:17:09 > 0:17:13If it's too sunny, it can ruin your photography,
0:17:13 > 0:17:16especially white flowers cos the exposure's too difficult.
0:17:16 > 0:17:17So, what are you photographing now?
0:17:17 > 0:17:20I'm just trying to shoot through the yellow flowers
0:17:20 > 0:17:22- and the white flowers and, see that red flower there?- Yeah.
0:17:22 > 0:17:24I'm trying to use the rules of composition
0:17:24 > 0:17:26and I'm just trying to blur the foreground
0:17:26 > 0:17:29and background foliage to try and isolate the subject.
0:17:29 > 0:17:30- Can I have a go? - Yeah, of course, yeah.
0:17:35 > 0:17:38That's lovely. You see and what you should do, really,
0:17:38 > 0:17:40you should imagine that the scene is split into a grid.
0:17:40 > 0:17:44- Right.- And then put your subject on about the third way in like this so.
0:17:44 > 0:17:47- Oh, really?- And everything else sort of blurred out
0:17:47 > 0:17:49and you've got that one nicely isolated.
0:17:49 > 0:17:51- Rather than in the centre?- Yeah. Well, you can do it in the centre,
0:17:51 > 0:17:54but it's more dynamic if you do it to one side. That's a lovely shot.
0:17:54 > 0:17:57I'm really interested in being a wildlife photographer.
0:17:57 > 0:17:58What sort of tips would you have?
0:17:58 > 0:18:01I think the biggest thing is patience, cos wildlife's
0:18:01 > 0:18:03really unpredictable and you just have to be patient and
0:18:03 > 0:18:06sometimes wait for a long time, you know, for your subject to come in.
0:18:06 > 0:18:08- Yeah.- And subject knowledge.
0:18:08 > 0:18:11Understanding your subject will give you a better chance
0:18:11 > 0:18:14- of capturing wildlife. - Thank you so much for all the tips.
0:18:14 > 0:18:16- Thank you very much. Nice to meet you.- Nice to meet you.
0:18:16 > 0:18:19Good luck with your house hunting and wildlife photography.
0:18:19 > 0:18:21- Thank you.- Thank you.- Bye.- Bye
0:18:31 > 0:18:33It's the second day of our property search
0:18:33 > 0:18:37and, on a budget of £375,000, we're in North Yorkshire
0:18:37 > 0:18:40seeking a rural retreat for Mel and Holly
0:18:40 > 0:18:42from Worcester Park, Surrey.
0:18:42 > 0:18:45Coming up, our mystery house gives them food for thought.
0:18:45 > 0:18:48I am...keeping an open mind.
0:18:48 > 0:18:50'And I'm back at Richmond Castle...'
0:18:50 > 0:18:52What a fascinating place!
0:18:52 > 0:18:54'..to uncover its wartime secrets.'
0:18:54 > 0:18:57I mean, these walls really do talk, don't they?
0:18:57 > 0:18:58They speak volumes.
0:19:00 > 0:19:04Look at that, the Dales bathed in glorious sunshine.
0:19:04 > 0:19:07What a way to start our final day of house hunting,
0:19:07 > 0:19:10which is all set to be a particularly busy one
0:19:10 > 0:19:13because we have not one but two properties to see
0:19:13 > 0:19:16including, of course, our Mystery House.
0:19:16 > 0:19:18Now. yesterday I thought went reasonably well
0:19:18 > 0:19:22but, despite the obvious charm and beauty of our barn conversion,
0:19:22 > 0:19:24it does seem to lack that second floor
0:19:24 > 0:19:27that both Mel and Holly are determined to have.
0:19:27 > 0:19:30So, two properties to come, each, I'm pleased to say,
0:19:30 > 0:19:34with two storeys I suspect in more ways than one.
0:19:36 > 0:19:39Our second property is in the village of Scruton,
0:19:39 > 0:19:41half an hour's drive from Darlington.
0:19:43 > 0:19:46Scruton is a lively, social village with a church,
0:19:46 > 0:19:48a pub, and a village hall.
0:19:48 > 0:19:51The property we're showing Mel and Holly is an impressive stone
0:19:51 > 0:19:53cottage in the heart of the village.
0:19:55 > 0:19:56Well, here we are then.
0:19:56 > 0:19:58What do you reckon to this little gem?
0:19:58 > 0:20:02- It's gorgeous! It's really quaint. - It's beautiful.
0:20:02 > 0:20:04- Isn't it?- Yeah. - It's really sweet.
0:20:04 > 0:20:06- Looks like a chocolate box. - Yeah.- It's nice.
0:20:06 > 0:20:11It is and it's all just been done and renovated to a really,
0:20:11 > 0:20:14- really high standard. It's Grade II listed...- OK.
0:20:14 > 0:20:17..but that doesn't need to worry you because it's all
0:20:17 > 0:20:19been sorted out. There's nothing you'd need to do here.
0:20:19 > 0:20:22I don't even think you need to paint it, to be perfectly frank.
0:20:22 > 0:20:24I mean, the finish is lovely.
0:20:24 > 0:20:27- Happy?- Yeah, very.- Yeah. Excited. - Right then, let's have a look!
0:20:28 > 0:20:31'While there's no obvious business opportunity here,
0:20:31 > 0:20:34'I think this house will really wow them.'
0:20:34 > 0:20:36Right, look at this.
0:20:36 > 0:20:39Ah-ha! Lots to tempt you with.
0:20:39 > 0:20:41Let's start in here.
0:20:41 > 0:20:43Oh, wow. I love this.
0:20:43 > 0:20:46- Yeah?- Yeah. Love it.
0:20:46 > 0:20:47This is the living room.
0:20:47 > 0:20:50It's not the only reception space you've got,
0:20:50 > 0:20:52it's mirrored by the dining room, which is across the hallway.
0:20:52 > 0:20:56Similar sort of size, similar spec, they've both got fireplaces.
0:20:56 > 0:20:59All the fireplaces here work, which is really nice,
0:20:59 > 0:21:02and I think this is a great indication of the sort of finish
0:21:02 > 0:21:04we can expect around the rest of the property.
0:21:04 > 0:21:06Yeah. It is lovely.
0:21:06 > 0:21:07Yeah, I love the beam.
0:21:07 > 0:21:09Holly?
0:21:09 > 0:21:11Yeah, I'm a bit speechless. I love the beam, yeah.
0:21:11 > 0:21:13It feels nice. It feels...
0:21:13 > 0:21:16Yeah, it's got a lovely feeling to it. It's very homely.
0:21:16 > 0:21:18- Now, the kitchen is through here. - OK.
0:21:18 > 0:21:21It has something in you are going to really love.
0:21:21 > 0:21:22Come and have a look at this.
0:21:25 > 0:21:28There you go, Mel. Didn't you want one of those?
0:21:28 > 0:21:32Oh, my goodness. Yes, I wanted a range.
0:21:32 > 0:21:34- That's lovely.- Yeah?- Mmm.
0:21:34 > 0:21:37A gorgeous fitted kitchen. And this is lovely -
0:21:37 > 0:21:39how about that for a larder?
0:21:39 > 0:21:40Oh, very nice. That is very nice.
0:21:40 > 0:21:42That's nice and big.
0:21:42 > 0:21:44- It's gorgeous, isn't it?- Yeah.
0:21:44 > 0:21:47It's not the huge kitchen-diner, but I don't think it matters.
0:21:47 > 0:21:49No. I don't think it would do the house justice
0:21:49 > 0:21:50if it was a big kitchen-diner.
0:21:50 > 0:21:52No. Yeah, it's very fitting.
0:21:52 > 0:21:54I don't think I would change it actually. No, lovely.
0:21:54 > 0:21:57Great. Come through here. Have a look at this.
0:22:00 > 0:22:02Now this, to me,
0:22:02 > 0:22:05is one of the really clever bits in this renovation.
0:22:05 > 0:22:09You've got the old house behind us, you've got the old outhouse
0:22:09 > 0:22:12and garage, and they've linked the whole thing with this...
0:22:12 > 0:22:14well, amazing garden room.
0:22:14 > 0:22:16What a family space.
0:22:16 > 0:22:17Oh, it's beautiful.
0:22:17 > 0:22:21And then, through there, a really well-equipped utility room.
0:22:21 > 0:22:24Fridge-freezer is out there and then a door through to a garage,
0:22:24 > 0:22:27so you've also got off-street parking if you need it.
0:22:27 > 0:22:29- That's good, isn't it?- Yeah.
0:22:29 > 0:22:31It's beautiful. What a lovely addition.
0:22:31 > 0:22:32- It's a very sociable area, isn't it? - Yeah.
0:22:32 > 0:22:35- Happy, Holly? - Yeah. I really like it, yeah.
0:22:35 > 0:22:36Come on, let's get upstairs
0:22:36 > 0:22:39because there is an upstairs, you'll be pleased to know.
0:22:40 > 0:22:42Through the garden room, there's a study
0:22:42 > 0:22:45and next to it a cloakroom with shower.
0:22:46 > 0:22:48We need to go up here.
0:22:48 > 0:22:49- OK.- Oh.
0:22:52 > 0:22:55The cottage has a steep staircase leading to three bedrooms -
0:22:55 > 0:22:57a large double with a hand basin,
0:22:57 > 0:23:01a smaller double being used as a dressing room
0:23:01 > 0:23:04and it has a beautifully fitted bathroom with another shower.
0:23:07 > 0:23:10And then finally, Mel, this is yours.
0:23:10 > 0:23:11- Oh, my gosh!- Wow.
0:23:11 > 0:23:13Oh, this is lovely!
0:23:13 > 0:23:15- Yeah?- Yeah.
0:23:15 > 0:23:17And your room is not a lot smaller than this next door, really.
0:23:17 > 0:23:21- No, it's not. It's not.- No. This is beautiful. It's lovely.
0:23:21 > 0:23:24- Isn't it?- Yeah. - Whoa-ho-ho!
0:23:24 > 0:23:26I think we've hit the nail on the head!
0:23:26 > 0:23:28I'm feeling a bit tearful!
0:23:28 > 0:23:31- Yeah?- Yeah.- You can see yourselves in here, then?
0:23:31 > 0:23:33I really, really do like this, yeah.
0:23:33 > 0:23:35Let's go down to the garden and get some fresh air,
0:23:35 > 0:23:37talk about the price. Go on, Holly,
0:23:37 > 0:23:39open that door.
0:23:40 > 0:23:43'So, this place has hit the mark, but what will they make
0:23:43 > 0:23:44'of the outdoor space?'
0:23:46 > 0:23:49The cottage has a formal front garden enclosed by hedging
0:23:49 > 0:23:52and at the back is a private garden with patio area.
0:23:54 > 0:23:57Come on, then, let's have a sit down
0:23:57 > 0:23:59and relax a while.
0:23:59 > 0:24:00Back garden, obviously.
0:24:00 > 0:24:02Nice and secluded, as you can see,
0:24:02 > 0:24:05but I think it just kind of complements a really nice package.
0:24:05 > 0:24:07- It does.- Yeah.
0:24:07 > 0:24:10So, Holly, I'm going to get you to guess the price first.
0:24:10 > 0:24:13Where is property two on the scale of things?
0:24:13 > 0:24:15Erm...
0:24:15 > 0:24:18I think it's at our top end of our budget. 375, I'm going to guess.
0:24:18 > 0:24:21- Yeah, top end. - Yeah, I was going to say that.
0:24:21 > 0:24:24- You can, you can agree. - I think I'll be a bit different.
0:24:24 > 0:24:27I think it is...
0:24:27 > 0:24:29365.
0:24:31 > 0:24:34I hate you. You get it right all the time!
0:24:34 > 0:24:36No! Did I?
0:24:36 > 0:24:39- You did! You did, yeah. - I'm too good.
0:24:39 > 0:24:42£365,000.
0:24:42 > 0:24:44- And it really is 365? - It really is. It really is.
0:24:44 > 0:24:46- I'm really good at this. - I'm impressed.
0:24:46 > 0:24:50So it's just under budget, but nothing to do.
0:24:50 > 0:24:54- No.- Nothing to do. You could literally move in.
0:24:54 > 0:24:56Nothing, just put your furniture in.
0:24:56 > 0:24:58- Why don't you?- Yeah.
0:24:58 > 0:25:00Go and have an explore and see where it might all go.
0:25:00 > 0:25:03- Thank you.- And I'll catch up with you later.
0:25:03 > 0:25:07I think I might just stay here and cool down because,
0:25:07 > 0:25:11believe you me, our house tours really are hotting up.
0:25:12 > 0:25:15This Grade II listed stone cottage
0:25:15 > 0:25:18is priced £10,000 under their maximum budget
0:25:18 > 0:25:20and is in mint condition.
0:25:20 > 0:25:22It has a beautiful country kitchen with range,
0:25:22 > 0:25:26a bespoke conservatory, and three bedrooms.
0:25:26 > 0:25:29There are private gardens front and rear, as well as a garage.
0:25:31 > 0:25:33- I love this room. - Yeah, it's a lovely room.
0:25:33 > 0:25:35I don't think I'd have it as a dining room, I think
0:25:35 > 0:25:37I would probably have it like another snug
0:25:37 > 0:25:41and have a sofa bed, like, if people wanted to come and stay.
0:25:41 > 0:25:45- Yeah.- And I'd have a big TV on the back wall.
0:25:45 > 0:25:46Yeah.
0:25:46 > 0:25:48I love house two.
0:25:48 > 0:25:51It doesn't need anything doing to it, you can move straight in.
0:25:51 > 0:25:56Love the kitchen, the conservatory is fantastic...
0:25:56 > 0:25:57I love all of it, really.
0:25:57 > 0:26:00I could really see house number two as a contender.
0:26:00 > 0:26:03I think me, Mum and Lils would be really happy here.
0:26:03 > 0:26:06So, that's it, then, property two is done and dusted.
0:26:06 > 0:26:08An absolute gem.
0:26:08 > 0:26:10Clearly top of the list at the moment.
0:26:10 > 0:26:12- Yeah, beautiful. - Yeah, definitely.
0:26:12 > 0:26:14So our Mystery House has got some competition.
0:26:14 > 0:26:16- It has.- Let's go and see it.
0:26:25 > 0:26:28Well, property two went well!
0:26:28 > 0:26:31Didn't it just?
0:26:31 > 0:26:32- Yes!- Got a bit emotional.
0:26:32 > 0:26:35Are you going to get the chequebook out?
0:26:35 > 0:26:37- Ah...- That would make me emotional.
0:26:37 > 0:26:40- Yeah.- And me.
0:26:40 > 0:26:43Well, our last property is just down the road
0:26:43 > 0:26:46and we're going to head more into the heart of the Dales for this one.
0:26:46 > 0:26:48Oh, OK!
0:26:48 > 0:26:52It is the Mystery House, after all, so something a little bit different.
0:26:56 > 0:26:59Our final property, the Mystery House, is in the village
0:26:59 > 0:27:03of Carperby, which is situated 30 miles from Darlington,
0:27:03 > 0:27:06so quite a bit further than the other two houses
0:27:06 > 0:27:07for access to family.
0:27:07 > 0:27:11Carperby is a small village in the Dales with a well-known hotel,
0:27:11 > 0:27:13The Wheatsheaf, where author James Herriot and his bride
0:27:13 > 0:27:15spent their honeymoon.
0:27:15 > 0:27:19In the heart of the village, a high-stepped cross dated 1674
0:27:19 > 0:27:23tells of the time when there was a regular market here.
0:27:23 > 0:27:27Our house is stone built and sits in the centre of the village.
0:27:27 > 0:27:30It's very different from the other two houses as it offers
0:27:30 > 0:27:33a separate annexe which could offer real business potential,
0:27:33 > 0:27:36but this house does require some imagination.
0:27:38 > 0:27:40Right then, here we are, Mystery House.
0:27:40 > 0:27:41Hmm.
0:27:41 > 0:27:43Now, it used to be a bungalow...
0:27:45 > 0:27:47..but it's not any more.
0:27:47 > 0:27:5020 years ago, they put a second floor on.
0:27:50 > 0:27:55But, importantly, this one comes with a completely detached annexe.
0:27:55 > 0:27:58Now, I know it wasn't something you had to have,
0:27:58 > 0:28:02- but we are thinking ahead about what business may come your way.- Yeah.
0:28:02 > 0:28:04So we're thinking, if you do want a holiday let business,
0:28:04 > 0:28:07then it's got to be in a holiday area, and this is it.
0:28:07 > 0:28:08Now, structurally it's all there,
0:28:08 > 0:28:14but it is going to need a bit of TLC in terms of its decor.
0:28:14 > 0:28:17- OK.- Because property two is the challenger at the moment
0:28:17 > 0:28:20that this, our Mystery, has to compete with.
0:28:20 > 0:28:22Come on, let's see what you think.
0:28:23 > 0:28:26They do seem a bit quiet, but I'm hoping they will see
0:28:26 > 0:28:28the potential with this place.
0:28:29 > 0:28:31There.
0:28:31 > 0:28:33- Slightly different from house two. - Yeah.
0:28:33 > 0:28:35Very different from house two
0:28:35 > 0:28:38- and I'm very conscious of the fact that we are...- Compact.
0:28:38 > 0:28:41..trying to compare one with another.
0:28:41 > 0:28:45What this one lacks in terms of decor and finish it makes up for
0:28:45 > 0:28:49in extra space because of the annexe next-door, and the views, obviously.
0:28:49 > 0:28:52- Yeah.- I think we've spoilt you in number two!
0:28:54 > 0:28:57I am keeping an open mind.
0:28:57 > 0:29:00- Yeah, the fireplace is nice.- Yeah.
0:29:00 > 0:29:03The stone wall's nice. OK, we need to see a bit more.
0:29:03 > 0:29:04- Yeah?- Yeah.- Let's continue.
0:29:04 > 0:29:06Have a look in here. This is the kitchen.
0:29:07 > 0:29:09There we go.
0:29:09 > 0:29:12Again, I mean, this does need some updating.
0:29:12 > 0:29:13- Yes.- Yeah.
0:29:13 > 0:29:16It's all very functional, it's all very clean, it's all working.
0:29:16 > 0:29:19So, come on then, Holly, don't bottle it up, what are you thinking?
0:29:19 > 0:29:21There's no cosy, warm feeling
0:29:21 > 0:29:24and obviously things aren't quite to our taste.
0:29:24 > 0:29:26You're struggling with this because you've never really had
0:29:26 > 0:29:29to consider what to do with a property before, have you?
0:29:29 > 0:29:32No. No, I haven't, so it's quite difficult
0:29:32 > 0:29:34to see past the current decor, I think.
0:29:34 > 0:29:36Well, there's lots to see here.
0:29:36 > 0:29:38Let's go upstairs and then we'll go out to the annexe.
0:29:40 > 0:29:44So, they're not taken with it so far, but I'm really keen that they
0:29:44 > 0:29:47remain open-minded as there is so much more to see.
0:29:47 > 0:29:50Downstairs, the house also has a dining room
0:29:50 > 0:29:52as well as a fourth bedroom.
0:29:52 > 0:29:54Upstairs, there are three bedrooms -
0:29:54 > 0:29:57a double being used as a single,
0:29:57 > 0:30:00a good-sized double, and a large family bathroom with corner bath.
0:30:01 > 0:30:04And then this is the master, Mel.
0:30:05 > 0:30:09- Yeah. Yeah, this is nice. A good size.- Yeah?- Yeah.
0:30:09 > 0:30:13It has an en-suite shower room and, of course, those views.
0:30:13 > 0:30:15- The views are beautiful.- Yeah.
0:30:15 > 0:30:19The main property itself is, frankly,
0:30:19 > 0:30:21almost as big as the annexe.
0:30:21 > 0:30:24- Right.- So, actually, you could pick and choose
0:30:24 > 0:30:26as to which one becomes the main house.
0:30:26 > 0:30:29- I don't know, it's maybe a thought to have.- Yeah.- Yeah.
0:30:29 > 0:30:32So let's go and have a look at that and then we'll enjoy those views
0:30:32 > 0:30:34and talk about the money, yeah?
0:30:34 > 0:30:37'I'm hoping that they'll like the annexe.
0:30:37 > 0:30:40'It's currently used as a workshop, but it could easily
0:30:40 > 0:30:43'be subdivided and let out to provide income.'
0:30:43 > 0:30:44There.
0:30:44 > 0:30:46- Wow!- It's huge inside.
0:30:51 > 0:30:53So it's arranged over two levels.
0:30:53 > 0:30:56We're going to start with this one, though.
0:30:56 > 0:30:58What do you think of this?
0:30:58 > 0:30:59Wow.
0:30:59 > 0:31:03You see what I mean? The footprint of this annexe is huge.
0:31:03 > 0:31:06Yeah, it is huge. This is a massive space.
0:31:06 > 0:31:09That door through there is a separate storeroom.
0:31:09 > 0:31:11That could become, for example, a bathroom,
0:31:11 > 0:31:14- if it needed to be.- Yes, it could.
0:31:14 > 0:31:17And upstairs you've got, already,
0:31:17 > 0:31:19a kitchenette, a living room
0:31:19 > 0:31:21and a double bedroom.
0:31:21 > 0:31:25So this is just waiting for somebody to kind of take it on.
0:31:25 > 0:31:27- You could make this a fantastic kitchen-diner.- Yeah.
0:31:27 > 0:31:29- Yeah.- It's a blank canvas, isn't it? - Yeah.
0:31:29 > 0:31:32It's a bit more inspiring here.
0:31:32 > 0:31:35Yeah, definitely could use this space.
0:31:35 > 0:31:36Right then, money.
0:31:36 > 0:31:39- Let's go and talk about it in the garden.- OK.- Come on.
0:31:41 > 0:31:44'Outside, the property has a rear south-facing garden
0:31:44 > 0:31:47'with amazing views over the Dales.'
0:31:47 > 0:31:48There we go.
0:31:48 > 0:31:52Now the view that we keep talking about is of Penhill, there it is,
0:31:52 > 0:31:55and Wensleydale. It is gorgeous.
0:31:55 > 0:31:57And there, our Mystery Property -
0:31:57 > 0:32:00maybe two properties, for the price of one. Who knows?
0:32:00 > 0:32:03So let's think about the price, then, of our Mystery House.
0:32:03 > 0:32:05I think...
0:32:05 > 0:32:08- 285.- 285.- Mm-hmm.
0:32:08 > 0:32:09Holly?
0:32:09 > 0:32:12I was going to go a little bit higher...
0:32:12 > 0:32:13320.
0:32:13 > 0:32:15It's not 320, I'm afraid.
0:32:15 > 0:32:18It's on at 370.
0:32:18 > 0:32:20Oh...
0:32:20 > 0:32:22And that is the draw of that,
0:32:22 > 0:32:24and this part of the world.
0:32:24 > 0:32:25I was really out.
0:32:25 > 0:32:28- You were well out! I was surprised, actually.- Yeah!
0:32:28 > 0:32:32- But hey, you were there, you were closest.- I was the closest.
0:32:32 > 0:32:34Let's not rush off just yet.
0:32:34 > 0:32:37Go and have another look around and I'll come and find you a bit later.
0:32:37 > 0:32:39- OK.- Off you go.
0:32:43 > 0:32:46This property is priced £5,000 less than their top budget
0:32:46 > 0:32:49and would offer them a detached stone house
0:32:49 > 0:32:51with superb views over the Dales.
0:32:51 > 0:32:52There are four bedrooms
0:32:52 > 0:32:54with an en-suite master.
0:32:54 > 0:32:55Next to the house is the annexe
0:32:55 > 0:32:57with a generous downstairs room
0:32:57 > 0:32:59with upstairs living accommodation.
0:32:59 > 0:33:02And outside there are south-facing gardens
0:33:02 > 0:33:04and also a garage.
0:33:04 > 0:33:06Oh, this is a great area, Holly.
0:33:06 > 0:33:08Yeah, it's a nice space.
0:33:08 > 0:33:10This would be brilliant for you, actually.
0:33:10 > 0:33:12- Yeah. Friends and stuff in here. - Mmm.
0:33:12 > 0:33:14I really like the view at the Mystery House.
0:33:14 > 0:33:17It's not something that was offered to us in the first two houses
0:33:17 > 0:33:20and I like that there's potential for a holiday let business here.
0:33:20 > 0:33:25The price for the Mystery House was really high.
0:33:25 > 0:33:31I got a bit of a shock, but then it does have the holiday let potential,
0:33:31 > 0:33:34so it's actually two houses.
0:33:34 > 0:33:37But there's so much work to be done.
0:33:37 > 0:33:40Look at that - a lovely Dales scene.
0:33:40 > 0:33:42All our house tours are over.
0:33:42 > 0:33:45We need to sit you down and get you to think about
0:33:45 > 0:33:47all the options we've given you.
0:33:47 > 0:33:50- Happy so far?- Yeah.- Yeah. - Very happy.
0:33:50 > 0:33:52- Ready for a drink?- Yes, please. - Yeah.
0:33:52 > 0:33:53Come on, then.
0:33:57 > 0:34:01Richmond Castle is one of the finest and best-preserved
0:34:01 > 0:34:03Norman castles in Britain.
0:34:03 > 0:34:05After the Norman Conquest in 1066,
0:34:05 > 0:34:09William The Conqueror built castles across the North of England
0:34:09 > 0:34:11in an effort to control what he considered
0:34:11 > 0:34:14the unruly population of the North.
0:34:14 > 0:34:16I've come to meet curator Kevin Booth from English Heritage
0:34:16 > 0:34:18for a history lesson.
0:34:19 > 0:34:21- Kevin.- Jules, nice to meet you.
0:34:21 > 0:34:23Very nice to see you, Sir! This is gorgeous, isn't it?
0:34:23 > 0:34:26What a beautiful and slightly romantic place.
0:34:26 > 0:34:28There's something about these medieval castle ruins
0:34:28 > 0:34:30that have a bit of romance about them,
0:34:30 > 0:34:33but this was never intended to be a romantic place.
0:34:33 > 0:34:35Why was the castle sited here in Richmond?
0:34:35 > 0:34:37Richmond Castle is a point of force
0:34:37 > 0:34:40and it's sitting on a promontory on the River Swale.
0:34:40 > 0:34:42It's got views both ways down the river
0:34:42 > 0:34:46and this is a point of control over the north of England.
0:34:46 > 0:34:49But it's one of the very first fortresses like this that's
0:34:49 > 0:34:51built up here after William wins the Battle of Hastings.
0:34:51 > 0:34:54Yeah, I mean, it's only four, five years
0:34:54 > 0:34:57after William comes through the south of England.
0:34:57 > 0:34:58So, what was the idea?
0:34:58 > 0:35:00It's control.
0:35:00 > 0:35:04It's a Northern population that haven't yet bowed
0:35:04 > 0:35:06to the rule of the Normans.
0:35:06 > 0:35:08Now, the earlier Anglo-Saxon kings and lords
0:35:08 > 0:35:12weren't really known for their castle-building exploits.
0:35:12 > 0:35:14I mean, for the local population to see this rise
0:35:14 > 0:35:17out of the ground, it must have been, well, astonishing, really.
0:35:17 > 0:35:21This is Norman architecture being imported with the conquerors -
0:35:21 > 0:35:23bewildering, presumably to the local Saxons.
0:35:23 > 0:35:25In terms of what we can see around us, Kevin,
0:35:25 > 0:35:27which were the first bits to be built?
0:35:27 > 0:35:30I think we need to look up at that, that fantastic tower there, really.
0:35:30 > 0:35:32A classic piece of Norman design.
0:35:32 > 0:35:34It's quite small, it's quite compact,
0:35:34 > 0:35:36but it's a wonderfully complete surviving example.
0:35:36 > 0:35:39Now, Kevin, I am assured that the view from the top of the keep
0:35:39 > 0:35:42- is absolutely fantastic. - 139 steps to the top.
0:35:42 > 0:35:44Yeah, we'll start counting, shall we?
0:35:45 > 0:35:47The keep is 100 foot high
0:35:47 > 0:35:51and was built from sandstone in the 12th century.
0:35:51 > 0:35:54From the top on a clear day you can see for over 40 miles,
0:35:54 > 0:35:58so advancing opponents could easily be spotted.
0:35:58 > 0:35:59There's your view, Jules.
0:35:59 > 0:36:02Wow, look at that! Fabulous!
0:36:02 > 0:36:06You can absolutely see how the town has grown up around this place.
0:36:06 > 0:36:10The castle is pulling in people, it's pulling in skills,
0:36:10 > 0:36:13it's a centre for money, for law and order, for justice,
0:36:13 > 0:36:17and it needs that town to support it and the town requires the castle.
0:36:17 > 0:36:20The military importance of the castle in this area
0:36:20 > 0:36:22lasted around 300 years.
0:36:22 > 0:36:25But by the 15th century, there was a lack of investment
0:36:25 > 0:36:28and it started to fall into decline.
0:36:28 > 0:36:31But the castle's history doesn't end just because it becomes a ruin.
0:36:31 > 0:36:33No, and certainly in the 19th century there was a great
0:36:33 > 0:36:36resurgence of its fortunes with the military adopting it -
0:36:36 > 0:36:38the local regiment's based here.
0:36:38 > 0:36:41But, as you get to the 20th century, there's a story with a very
0:36:41 > 0:36:43different slant, which perhaps we can go and see now.
0:36:43 > 0:36:46Absolutely. Yeah, I'm going to follow you.
0:36:46 > 0:36:49'During the First World War, although millions of men went
0:36:49 > 0:36:52'to the front line, there were those who refused to fight
0:36:52 > 0:36:57'on moral grounds and they were called conscientious objectors.
0:36:57 > 0:37:01'These men were given non-combative duties, but some had even
0:37:01 > 0:37:05'stronger objections and ended up incarcerated here.'
0:37:05 > 0:37:06Oh!
0:37:06 > 0:37:09Now, this is an atmospheric place.
0:37:09 > 0:37:12The centre of every castle should have its dungeon.
0:37:12 > 0:37:14Well, this one has a range of eight prison cells.
0:37:14 > 0:37:17But absolutely covered in graffiti!
0:37:17 > 0:37:20Pre-First World War up to the 1950s, but focusing,
0:37:20 > 0:37:22especially for my interest,
0:37:22 > 0:37:26on the work of the 16 absolutist conscientious objectors.
0:37:27 > 0:37:30These men were known as absolutists because,
0:37:30 > 0:37:32unlike conscientious objectors,
0:37:32 > 0:37:35they refused any duties connected to the war effort.
0:37:35 > 0:37:40In 1916, they were held here and became known as the Richmond 16.
0:37:42 > 0:37:44So, eight cells on two levels,
0:37:44 > 0:37:49and if we go upstairs we'll see the best examples of the Richmond 16.
0:37:49 > 0:37:51Yeah. What a fascinating place.
0:37:54 > 0:37:59So, here we are, Jules, in one of these tiny little cells
0:37:59 > 0:38:01and this one probably has some
0:38:01 > 0:38:04of the most poignant material inscribed.
0:38:04 > 0:38:06They're so austere.
0:38:06 > 0:38:09So it's just lime wash and pencil annotation over the top
0:38:09 > 0:38:14and a whole series of messages from the religious, the personal,
0:38:14 > 0:38:17to quite bold and blatant political statements as well.
0:38:17 > 0:38:19That's interesting,
0:38:19 > 0:38:22"The only war which is worth fighting is the class war.
0:38:22 > 0:38:26"If the workers of all countries united and refused to fight,
0:38:26 > 0:38:28"there would be no war."
0:38:28 > 0:38:29Isn't that incredible?
0:38:29 > 0:38:32It's a record not just of those 16 but actually of a whole
0:38:32 > 0:38:35series of people across 40 years who've ended up in these cells
0:38:35 > 0:38:38for some way disobeying their army orders.
0:38:38 > 0:38:42The government and the military were terrified of what the actions
0:38:42 > 0:38:45of a group of people like this could do for the morale
0:38:45 > 0:38:48and the capacity of the country to fight the war.
0:38:48 > 0:38:51How do we square their story with the role
0:38:51 > 0:38:55this part of the world has played in a military narrative?
0:38:55 > 0:38:59I see the absolutists as having made their own choice for free speech,
0:38:59 > 0:39:01their own statement about the ability,
0:39:01 > 0:39:05the rights of man, to make those choices.
0:39:05 > 0:39:09Clearly, conserving these buildings is a challenge.
0:39:09 > 0:39:13We don't open it to the public but we are doing all we can to monitor,
0:39:13 > 0:39:16to understand the conditions that affect it and then to rectify it.
0:39:16 > 0:39:20Well, Kevin, thank you very much for this rather privileged
0:39:20 > 0:39:23and brief look into this story.
0:39:23 > 0:39:27It is a fascinating footnote to the story of the First World War.
0:39:27 > 0:39:28You're very welcome, Jules.
0:39:28 > 0:39:30Let's leave it to its damp past.
0:39:42 > 0:39:45Well, we've now reached that part of the show when we like
0:39:45 > 0:39:48to sit our buyers down and find out what is going to happen next.
0:39:48 > 0:39:51Now, sometimes it can be quite a complicated
0:39:51 > 0:39:54and quite a long conversation, but today...
0:39:54 > 0:39:56Well, I think it's going to be rather short
0:39:56 > 0:39:58and hopefully rather sweet.
0:40:02 > 0:40:06Ah, look at you enjoying the evening sunshine.
0:40:07 > 0:40:10- Well, girls, how are we doing? - Good.- Really well.
0:40:10 > 0:40:13- Have you enjoyed the last few days? - Yes.- Yeah, thank you.
0:40:13 > 0:40:16We gave you three properties to consider.
0:40:16 > 0:40:20Let me have a stab at where we're at.
0:40:20 > 0:40:23Property number one, our gorgeous barn conversion,
0:40:23 > 0:40:25was certainly affordable
0:40:25 > 0:40:27but, at the end of the day, you still thought it was a bungalow.
0:40:27 > 0:40:29- Yes.- Yeah.- Single storey.
0:40:29 > 0:40:31JULES LAUGHS
0:40:31 > 0:40:35Our Mystery House had in the past been a bungalow
0:40:35 > 0:40:37and then had been much extended
0:40:37 > 0:40:40but, despite all of that, it still wasn't gorgeous enough.
0:40:40 > 0:40:41No.
0:40:41 > 0:40:44Which leaves property number two,
0:40:44 > 0:40:46which I think you rather fell in love with.
0:40:46 > 0:40:49- Yeah. We loved it. - Yeah, we really did.
0:40:49 > 0:40:50Beautiful.
0:40:50 > 0:40:52So what happens next, then?
0:40:52 > 0:40:55Well, we've had a think
0:40:55 > 0:40:59and I think the next step is that we need to get Lily involved.
0:40:59 > 0:41:02We'd really like Lily to see it, wouldn't we?
0:41:02 > 0:41:04Yeah. I think she'll feel quite similar to how we feel.
0:41:04 > 0:41:06I think she'll really like it.
0:41:06 > 0:41:08- She's got quite a level head, hasn't she?- Yes.
0:41:08 > 0:41:10It is a beautiful house,
0:41:10 > 0:41:12but I have to tell you that we have heard
0:41:12 > 0:41:16that the owners are today considering an offer that has
0:41:16 > 0:41:20just come in, so you are going to have to be pretty quick about it.
0:41:20 > 0:41:23I don't know how fast you can get Lily up here,
0:41:23 > 0:41:26but I suggest you make a phone call and get her on a train right now,
0:41:26 > 0:41:29because it probably is a matter of a day or two
0:41:29 > 0:41:32before they accept that offer.
0:41:32 > 0:41:36But you're well within striking distance of bettering it...
0:41:36 > 0:41:38- Yeah, OK.- ..I would think.
0:41:38 > 0:41:41- I think it's a cracking house. - It is.- Yeah. Yeah.
0:41:41 > 0:41:44I think it really does represent a completely different way of life
0:41:44 > 0:41:47from what you've known in Surrey.
0:41:47 > 0:41:50I mean, that's been all of your life, hasn't it, Holly, down south?
0:41:50 > 0:41:52And for you, a chance to come home again, Mel.
0:41:52 > 0:41:55It is, and a new life.
0:41:55 > 0:41:58Well, it has been a huge amount of fun having you on the show
0:41:58 > 0:42:00up here in Yorkshire, so all that remains is for me
0:42:00 > 0:42:04to wish you all the very best of luck, offer you a toast...
0:42:04 > 0:42:05Thank you!
0:42:05 > 0:42:08..and perhaps remind you, if you do want property two,
0:42:08 > 0:42:10get your skates on.
0:42:10 > 0:42:12- Cheers!- Cheers!
0:42:16 > 0:42:19You know, over the last few days, many a friendly local has tried
0:42:19 > 0:42:23to reassure me that the sun always shines on Yorkshire
0:42:23 > 0:42:27and, as you can see, it's certainly shone on us today
0:42:27 > 0:42:30and what a day to fall in love with your dream home.
0:42:30 > 0:42:34That, of course, is exactly what Holly and Mel have managed to do.
0:42:34 > 0:42:38So, hopefully, if they are able to get it any time soon,
0:42:38 > 0:42:41their dream of a new life here in the Dales should come true.
0:42:41 > 0:42:43I'll see you next time.
0:42:44 > 0:42:47If you'd like to escape to the country
0:42:47 > 0:42:49in England, Northern Ireland, Wales or Scotland
0:42:49 > 0:42:55and need our help, you can apply online at...