North Wales Escape to the Country

During the late-18th and early-19th centuries

this unique house was also home to two equally unconventional ladies,

and attracted the attention of

some of the most notable figures in regency society

including the Duke of Wellington and the great poets Shelley and Byron.

But why did they come here?

Well, find out in just a moment.

Today's house hunters want to experience country life

with plenty of land.

-This belongs to the house?

-This belongs to the house.

-Enough for you?

-Gosh, yeah, cheers.

-Yeah?

-Yeah, thank you.

But the house is really important too.

It doesn't feel as country cottage-y

as I thought it would be.

Today I'm in Llangollen in North Wales,

and this is Plas Newydd,

once the home to Lady Eleanor Butler and Miss Sarah Ponsonby

who became famous in regency society

as the ladies of Llangollen.

Now, in the late 1770s

and faced with the prospect of

either loveless marriages or life in a convent,

these two courageous Irish women defied convention

and decided to set up home together here in Wales

without the support of a husband.

At the time, it was thought positively scandalous.

They moved here, and over the next 50 years,

recreated this house in a stunning gothic style.

As news of their intriguing independent lifestyle grew

they became a draw for famous writers, poets, even nobility

and often entertained up to 20 guests a day.

The ladies' house is now a museum,

and their endearing legacy continues to this day.

But there's plenty more here in North Wales

to capture your imagination.

The region of North Wales is made up of six counties

including Denbighshire and Conwy,

and is home to the Snowdonia National Park

which lies largely in the county of Gwynedd.

The park is the third-largest National Park in the UK.

Established in 1951, it covers a massive 800 square miles

and at its heart is Mount Snowden,

the highest peak in England and Wales.

To the north-east of the Park are gentler rolling hills

and the beautiful coastline

which boasts many pretty seaside towns,

like the Victorian resort of Llandudno in Conwy

with its historic pier.

Constructed in 1976 at a length of over 2,000 feet,

the pier is the longest in Wales

and an inspiring place to sit and take in the views out to sea.

North Wales is also known for its many impressive castles

which dot the landscape.

To the west, in Gwynedd, is Harlech Castle

which dates back to the 13th century,

and was built in a hurry by Edward I

during his invasion of Wales.

It's considered to be the finest example

of late-13th-century architecture in Europe

and is now a World Heritage Site.

Less than a quarter of Wales' total population live in the north,

concentrated mainly in urban areas

making the rural parts some of the most sparsely populated places

in the whole of the country.

Ideal for those seeking a truly peaceful escape.

On average, the price of a detached home here in North Wales

comes in at around £100,000 less than the national figure,

which makes this region an increasingly popular option

for those seeking both beautiful rural countryside

and striking coastlines.

Although, in the county of Gwynedd,

you may have to pay around £20,000 more

as the majority of the Snowdonia National Park

falls within its boundaries,

keeping prices at a premium.

So let's meet today's buyers to discover exactly what attracts them

to the beautiful North Wales countryside.

Wayne and Denise have been living together in a four-bedroom house

in Warrington, Cheshire for the last five years.

Wayne is a police officer and met Denise at work.

I used to be Denise's sergeant

and we just got on like a house on fire.

And we stayed friends, and it was friends for a long time.

It just seemed to happen. Is that right?

-Blossomed from there.

-Is that what it is?

The couple married in 2009,

but initially, Denise was a bit slow to take up Wayne's offer.

-You proposed a couple of times.

-Yeah, several times.

-I ground you down in the end, didn't I?

-He did, yeah.

It was my car windscreen, he etched it in the windscreen

one day when it was frosty

and then the second time was in a sports shop

when we were in Carlisle.

It was very busy, and I just joked,

"You haven't got down on bended knee yet,"

so he did, in the middle of the shop.

I just said, "Get up, you fool!"

So that was a no.

And then he asked me again on the London Eye in London.

-Yeah, on Valentine's Day.

-Yeah, on Valentine's Day,

and that was the official, I suppose,

-proposal, really, wasn't it?

-Yes, it was.

While Denise has only relatively recently moved in,

Wayne has lived here for some time.

I've been here for 14 years.

I brought my children up here

cos it's got a great school just nearby.

It's sort of semi-rural,

when I look out at the back, I can see another house,

I look out of the side, I can see another house,

I look out of the front and I can see lots of other houses.

I want to be able to look out of at least one window

and not to be able to see another house, please.

Although the house is in a quiet cul-de-sac,

they're very near the M62 and hear a lot of traffic noise.

We don't use the garden cos it's so noisy.

Yeah, we'd like a little bit more silence, please.

They want to move away from the noise and the traffic

and have chosen North Wales as their peaceful new location.

The reason we want to move now is I've already retired,

I retired last year,

-Wayne's almost there.

-Yes.

I will be retiring soon,

and I'm going to spend more time at home,

I'm going to do more outside.

It's time for another challenge.

This is the optimum time for us to go, really.

And when it comes to the kind of property,

they have a clear idea of what they want.

A large kitchen is a must for me,

and I'd also like a boot room as well,

so that when you come in from the garden,

you've got somewhere to store your wellingtons.

And I want some land cos we have chickens,

and I'd like them to roam free more,

and I'd like to have more chickens and more animals as well.

I want some outbuildings.

Please, I beg you, some outbuildings.

The garage here at the moment is full of wood that I've cut down

and we've got to move it.

So, with their wish list in hand, the couple are raring to go.

The house is sold.

We're in the process of moving all our furniture

into a rented house just down the road,

so we need to find somewhere very quick.

I'm very much looking forward to a quieter life, please.

One that doesn't involve shifts

or waking up at five o'clock in the morning,

unless it's for the animals.

Yeah, almost, you know, we open the curtains,

and what we see will be ours rather than somebody else's.

Denise and Wayne want to be within easy reach

of their family in Cheshire,

so we'll be concentrating

our property search

in Denbighshire and Conwy.

But before we begin,

I'm meeting up with them

to hear more about their planned rural move.

Well, Wayne and Denise, welcome to North Wales.

I mean, you've certainly picked an idyllic spot.

But why here, why does it work for the two of you?

Well, I had lots of children's holidays here with my family,

and we also walked Offa's Dyke five years ago

and got married halfway along.

So how long is that walk?

It's 200 miles.

Two hun... And that was your honeymoon, was it?

Yes, that was our honeymoon, yes.

I made you carry your own rucksack and your own dress.

Yes.

So you're sold on this area, aren't you?

Yeah, we like North Wales.

It's still within travelling distance

to where Denise's family still live and my children

-so it fits everything really, doesn't it?

-Yeah, it does, yeah.

-This is what we want.

-Yeah, rural.

Now let's pick up on this word - rural.

Yes, I'd like a lighthouse

on top of a hill in the middle of nowhere, if possible.

No neighbours.

That's true, he does.

You don't want neighbours, but you want livestock?

We want livestock, yeah.

I've always had a longing to possess goats,

I have no idea why,

I've just always fancied the idea of

a small holding or living in the countryside

with some animals, particularly goats and sheep.

What about the property, the actual house itself?

-Large kitchen, if we can do it.

-Yes.

-Number of bedrooms...easy-going.

-Um, I'd say minimum of three.

Denise, I know for you it's really important that

-your mum's nearby that she can come to stay, isn't it?

-Yeah.

And there's accommodation if she wants to stay

-for a little bit longer than the three days.

-Yeah.

She's OK, I have a nice mother-in-law.

-So you've sold your property.

-We have.

So, in an ideal world,

-you're going to be moving in in the next few months?

-Hopefully, please.

That would be very nice, thank you.

So, remind me how much we've got to spend?

Ooh, we can't even agree on that.

Oh, the first disagreement!

-OK, well, try me.

-Go on, Denise.

Well, I said 400...

but you actually pushed it up a bit, didn't you?

-I think I went to 430.

-Yeah.

OK, well, let's look at 430 as the top budget

if you're both comfortable with that.

Well, we do have three, well, I think,

particularly splendid properties to show you

and, of course, pressure's on, in a good way,

to find you that new home.

-Shall we get started?

-Please.

-Follow me.

-Thank you.

-Thank you.

With their Cheshire house sold,

the pressure is on to find our buyers a new home.

They have a top budget of £430,000

but if we can find them something for less, Denise will be happy.

They'd like a three-bedroom house with a large kitchen and boot room,

land for the animals and outbuildings for Wayne,

and they're happy to be

somewhere really rural.

We've found three amazing properties to show them,

all set in beautiful Welsh scenery,

but we'll keep the price a surprise until the end of each tour.

The last stop will be the mystery house,

which has a few secrets of its own.

Now, you are moving to another country

and, with that, does come another language.

So, how keen are you on learning a little bit of Welsh?

-I'll give anything a go.

-Yeah?

-Yeah, I'll give it another go.

Likewise. There's nothing in life that's impossible.

You know, you've got to try.

You know, we've got to fit in with our immediate neighbours

if indeed there are any, but our nearest neighbours.

Yeah, it will be a nice challenge, it really will.

Our first property is in Denbighshire,

about two miles from the town of Corwen.

With a population of over 2,000,

Corwen is a historic market town

located on the banks of the River Dee

at the foot of the Berwyn Mountains.

It grew up on the main route from London to Holyhead in Anglesey,

although today's traffic takes a different route along the coast.

Historically, it was known as a cattle droving town

and today, it still has farming at its heart.

Our chosen house is set amongst acres of farmland,

just a five minute drive away.

And here it is, our first house.

What springs to your mind when you have a look at it?

I like stone houses.

-You do, don't you?

-I do.

-That's definitely on my wish list, a stone house.

-Yeah.

For me, it looks really light and airy

and it's got a great view so, for me, yeah.

At the moment, it looks like it's full of light.

Right, we're going to start with the house

and then we'll come onto the land.

That's great, cheers, thank you.

'The property was built as a chapel in the 1850s

'and then converted into three workers' cottages,

'but today, it's just one home.'

So, I thought I'd start us off with the kitchen.

And I think you know why, don't you, Denise?

Yeah, cos it's lovely.

Fireplace.

That wasn't on my wish list but it's lovely.

This a fabulous area,

and for you, it's exactly what you want, isn't it?

-Yeah, a big kitchen.

-Very much.

Yeah, it's nice.

It doesn't feel as...country cottage-y

as I thought it would be, for me,

but the fireplace is a definite plus point in this room.

The kitchen units can be changed.

I just don't get the country cottage-y feel.

Massive space, loads of scope.

Could you put in the country kitchen for Denise in here?

Yes.

Yeah, it's an absolute yes. It can be done.

Wouldn't scare you?

No, it wouldn't scare me at all, no.

No, anything can be done.

I'm pleased my buyers can see the potential here.

Let's hope that continues in the sitting room.

Can you imagine yourself sitting in here?

Yeah, yeah, I think I could, yeah.

I'm warming to it a bit.

When I first came in, the kitchen was nice,

but I didn't get the initial homely feel.

But, yeah, I think with a bit of TLC.

I think this house has wonderful potential.

-It's whether you want to invest that time into it.

-Uh-huh.

We know you can do the kitchen, I wonder what else you can do?

I want to see outside. THEY LAUGH

-Well, let's keeping going. Wayne, if you want to lead the way.

-Sure.

'As the house was three cottages, the layout is a little confusing,

'but it does offer a lot of space.

'There's a boot room, which I know Denise wanted,

'as well as a study and second sitting room.'

If your family came to stay,

there is enough space with this property.

I quite like the fact that it's not one big room,

that it's several small ones.

It's more adaptable, more useful for me.

Is it feeling like a home yet?

-I'd have to see upstairs first.

-OK.

Good point. Let's go and have a look.

As with many cottages, the staircase is rather steep.

Upstairs are six bedrooms.

One is currently being used mainly for storage

as it's a walk through between other rooms.

Next door is a good size double.

At the end of the house, there's a large single bedroom

and another double.

Plenty of room for friends and family to stay over.

In the centre of the house is a family bathroom

which is light, airy and very spacious.

And opposite that there's a separate shower room.

At the other end of the house, there are two further bedrooms.

-So, this is the master bedroom.

-Good size.

It's not massive, cos there's no wardrobes in here

but if you've got as many bedrooms as that,

then one could be just for my clothes.

That's exactly what they've done next door.

-That is their walk-in wardrobe.

-OK.

You could sacrifice one bedroom for that, couldn't you?

Yes, we could, yeah.

I'm still not getting the homely feel.

-It hasn't bitten you, has it?

-No, it's not.

Well, it is time now, Wayne,

to go outside...

See what you think of the garden.

Outside, the large garden is mainly lawn bordered by hedges.

The lower part is fairly wild,

which could give them plenty of scope

to cultivate it or use for animals.

Wayne, you've been very patient, very patient.

The all-important land.

Outbuildings, I can give you one.

That little one there, the stone outbuilding

but you could actually have a great workshop

-perhaps at the top of the garden.

-OK, all right.

I'm offering you three quarters of an acre

with a view like that.

Is it enough?

I'd prefer more.

You would? OK.

Oh, he's set the bar high, right.

But how much is it on the market for? That is the question.

I'm going to say...

375?

OK.

And as I haven't got a clue...

Um...

I'll got for 385, but my wife is probably right.

The asking price is...

£400,000.

It wasn't that far out.

You don't seem too surprised by that.

No, cos you get a lot of house for your money, you do,

and it is a nice area.

I would prefer a bit more land,

but it's not the be all and end all,

but I would like to see all the others as well.

Yeah, of course.

Now you know the price of our first house,

why don't you take another look around together

-and I'll catch up with you when you're ready.

-Thank you.

For £30,000 less than their maximum budget,

this house offers them a large kitchen/dining room,

the boot room for Denise

and six bedrooms offering plenty

of space for visiting family.

There are fabulous views from the front of the house

and at the back, well, there's not much

in the way of outbuildings for Wayne.

There's a large garden and terrace.

-It's like a maze.

-Uh-huh.

So, this is the one that's on the other side of

-the main bedroom, isn't it?

-Yes.

So we could knock this through, if we wanted to.

Make one big bedroom.

Or walk-in wardrobe.

For me, this house hasn't got the homely feel.

It's got the big kitchen,

but it's got more negatives than positives for me.

It's a lovely house

and if only it had a little bit more land,

that would be my main negative

including the fact that it's got no outbuildings, unfortunately.

-How we doing?

-OK.

I'm loving this view.

I was very happy sitting there.

But I'm going to drag you away

cos I've got more to show you.

-OK, thank you.

-Thank you.

The rugged landscape of Wales is home to over 17,000 farms.

Although the country is well known for sheep farming,

with Welsh lamb exports contributing over £160 million to the economy,

the mountainous regions are equally suited to keeping goats.

In the UK, there are around 90,000 goats

mainly kept for their milk and meat,

but some are also kept as pets.

Wayne is really keen to keep goats when they move here,

but doesn't know much about them.

They're meeting Carol Allen who keeps a small herd of them here

in the Llangollen Valley village of Cefn-mawr.

Are they easy to care for?

Do you have to watch out for any sort of diseases or anything like that?

They don't really ail, goats, very much

but I usually get mine tested every 18 months or two years

just to check they haven't any notifiable diseases.

Carol has five goats

and started keeping them when she moved here

to help clear the overgrown site.

She keeps horses too.

Are there any rules to keeping a goat?

Yes, well, you have to live on a registered holding

or have your land registered with a holding number.

Your goats have to be tagged.

When you move them from off the holding or onto the holding,

you have to have, what we call, a movement order.

You can get lots of advice on this

from your local Environmental Health or Trading Standards officer.

Carol recommends keeping two or three goats on an acre of land,

and insists there must be adequate fencing

as well as shelter against the rain,

as their coats aren't waterproof like those of sheep.

And their diet is pretty varied.

They eat the weeds that the horses don't.

They don't eat grass unless there's nothing else to eat.

They eat the hedgerows back

-so you'll actually gain up to ten foot on your field.

-On your land.

Looking after goats involves regularly inspecting their feet,

and Carol is going to show Denise and Wayne what to look out for.

Like sheep, if they spend too much time on wet grass,

they can get foot rot,

so need access to warm dry conditions

to prevent this happening.

Their feet should be checked regularly,

and their hooves need to be clipped every couple of months

to ensure the animal can walk comfortably.

Carol milks her goats every morning,

and today, Denise and Wayne are going to help.

OK.

Good girl.

So, you have to squash the ends of the teats

so that it's like squeezing a tube of toothpaste

and then...

-make a seal with your finger and thumb.

-Yeah.

and then squeeze out what's in there.

It's like you're pushing the milk into the ends of the teat.

And are you going to have a go at milking, Wayne?

Yes, I'll give it a go yeah, yeah.

-And how's that?

-Yeah.

-This doesn't hurt them or anything, does it?

-Oh, no, no.

It's a relief for them.

And how often do you milk them?

I milk once a day.

-You can milk twice a day.

-Yeah.

-Make sure you milk at roughly the same time each day.

-Yeah.

Is that to keep the goat in, like, a routine?

Yes, it keeps the goat in a routine,

it prevents them from getting mastitis.

Hopefully Wayne has been given an insight into

what's involved in goat husbandry.

But, for now, our job is to help them find a new rural home.

Our second property is in the heart

of rural countryside

in a hamlet called Clocaenog,

which is about four miles away from Ruthin.

Ruthin is the county town of Denbighshire

with a population of around 5,000.

It boasts a historical mix of Tudor and Georgian property,

including the half-timbered Old Courthouse

which is now a bank.

Ruthin Castle was built by Edward I in 1282.

It was rebuilt in the 19th century as a country house

and today is a luxury hotel.

Because of the town's mix of magnificent period property,

it is now listed as a conservation area.

Ten minutes drive brings us to the hamlet of Clocaenog

and our second offering.

So, welcome...to house number two.

It's nice.

Yeah, it is. It's L-shaped.

I like the location.

-It's got a nicer feel...

-Yeah.

-..than the first house.

It's quieter.

Is it welcoming?

Yeah, it's more homely feel from the outside straightaway.

The Clwydian Range, as you can see, is your neighbour.

-It's nice...

-Yeah.

-..for me so far.

-I'd have to agree, definitely.

-So we like the outside.

-Yes.

-Shall we see what you make of the inside?

-Please, yeah.

-Please.

OK, well, follow me back cos the back door is beckoning.

The house was originally a single-storey cottage

which has been extended to create a large family home

with bags of character and original features.

-So you've got a boot room, a utility room.

-Uh-huh.

-Wow.

-But this is why I wanted to bring you...

-Wow.

-..through the back door.

This is nice.

-It is.

-Wow.

-It's lovely. It is lovely.

The beams are lovely, it's got character, it's large.

It doesn't need anything doing to it.

-Wow.

-That's what you had in your mind as a kitchen.

-Yeah.

The floor's lovely, the units are lovely, it's got Belfast sink.

-Well done.

-Well done, yeah, really, honestly.

And then we haven't even mentioned the actual dining space.

It's got character and it feels homely as well.

It's nice.

I bet you're keen to see more now, aren't you?

-Yeah, it's very impressive, really is.

-It's lovely.

-Let's see if the rest of the house is for you.

-Yes.

-Please.

'That's certainly a positive start.

'I just hope that feeling continues as we head into the living room

'which is on the first floor.'

So you may be expecting a bedroom up here.

-Yeah.

-Yes, we were.

I'm sure you weren't expecting all of this space.

No, we weren't.

I don't really know what to say,

I've never really thought of a living room upstairs.

Well, at the moment, they're using it as a sitting room,

really, to maximise those fabulous views

but just because they want a sitting room up here

doesn't mean to say you have to.

It could be a bedroom.

-It's good.

-Yeah?

-Really, honestly.

-It hasn't put you off?

-No.

-No.

-No.

If they didn't want to use this room as a sitting room,

there's another living room downstairs,

next door to the family bathroom.

Upstairs, there are three bedrooms, each room is light and bright,

and there's a newly-fitted shower room too.

On the ground floor is a fourth bedroom

so there's plenty of room for visiting family.

So, here...you've got the master bedroom.

It's weird. That room just threw me and it's, I don't know, it's weird.

I've confused you now with this, haven't I?

Yeah, cos I originally walked in here and thought,

"It's a little small."

All the other rooms are so large.

-It's done very nice.

-It is, yeah.

It's done really nice.

It's very homely.

But could it be your home?

Ooh.

I think Denise is a little confused about the layout of this house.

I just hope the outside offers the space Wayne wants.

It's so lovely here.

So, the outside area,

you've got a double stable block, you've got a tack room.

Perfect for goats.

Perfect for goats.

-Yeah? Intrigued?

-Yes.

-Yeah.

Well, I've got one more thing to show you.

-If you'd like to follow me.

-Sure.

The current owners have created

a pretty cottage garden around the house

complimented by the stunning views.

But just a few yards down the lane

is the icing on the cake for this property,

which I'm hoping will swing it for Wayne

with his desire to keep animals.

I wanted to bring you up here.

Take a look at that little bit of land there.

This belongs to the house?

This belongs to the house.

The whole thing up to the trees?

Yep. Just under two acres.

It is practically next door.

You've got one house in between you.

That's great. That's quite a surprise.

-Enough for you?

-Gosh, yeah.

-Yeah?

-Cheers, yeah, thank you.

So let's go back to the property

-because now you really have got to come up with the price.

-Oh, no.

So, this house does seem to fulfil the brief pretty well,

but how much do you think it's on the market for?

-Dee?

-Oh, gosh. Erm...

I'd guess...425.

And I think it's right at the top end of our budget, 430.

You're both really close.

Someone is spot-on.

Asking price - £425,000.

Oh, hey, hey.

Well, that kiss, was that to celebrate her getting it right

or, more importantly, that it's under your budget?

Well, she's just saved me £5,000

and it's a lot of house.

I thought it would be more than that.

It's quite a nice surprise, really.

-Take another look around.

-Oh, please, yeah.

And work out if this is where you want to live your lives.

-Have another, have a view.

-Thank you very much.

-Thank you.

Our second property comes in £5,000 under their maximum budget

and offers a spacious house

with beautiful views.

It has a big family kitchen, which

Denise has fallen in love with,

a utility boot room

and there are four bedrooms -

one more than they asked for.

Outside are cottage gardens, stables

and a 1.75 acre paddock.

-It's actually quite good, isn't it? Quite large.

-It is, yeah.

So that'd be perfect, wouldn't it?

Yeah, for the goats.

Yeah, yeah, that's perfect, isn't it?

The kitchen's the best feature of the house

and it's everything I asked for, to be honest.

Big country cottage kitchen,

I wouldn't change anything at all.

Lovely house inside.

I can't find a single negative about the inside of the house

in any way shape or form.

There is some land a little bit further up the lane.

If that was the one caveat, really,

we would've preferred the land attached to the house,

but I don't think that that would be a complete no-no.

-Are you ready, you two?

-We are.

I feel a bit mean dragging you away, is the truth.

But, well, it's the end of our first day.

I think it's gone pretty well.

-Yeah.

-Very.

-Yeah.

-Yeah, we ended on a high note, I feel.

-We did.

-Definitely.

And I've got more to show you tomorrow.

-So, let's hit the road.

-Looking forward to it.

-Thank you.

It's the second day of our property search for Wayne and Denise,

who are looking to move from their noisy home in Cheshire

to a rural retreat, here in North Wales

on a budget of £430,000.

Still to come, will the final property surprise our buyers?

-That's good.

-I wasn't expecting that.

That's really good.

And can my head for heights cope with

a spectacular piece of engineering?

It's a sheer drop to the river below.

Oh, my word.

Yesterday, I thought we got very close

to finding Denise and Wayne their future home,

although something didn't quite sit right with Denise.

Now, I believe that second property gave them everything they were after

but the layout and the fact that the land was just down the lane

did seem to confuse her.

So, there is unfinished business here,

and today, we're going to introduce them to our mystery house.

Now, this home delivers on all fronts.

Set in its own land

and even has an up-and-running business.

So, are you looking forward to the mystery house?

I don't know. This is like pulling the rabbit out of the hat.

This could be the one

or could be completely,

you know, against everything that we were after, so...

Perhaps all we're going to show you...is an outbuilding.

Yes, or indeed, a large green field with no house on it at all.

You'd like that.

I don't know if you'd remain married, but you'd like that.

Well, let's see how we get on.

Our third and final house

is in the county of Conwy.

It's situated in Llanfairtalhaiarn,

which is 12 miles from the village of Llansannan

and is just under eight miles from the coast.

Llansannan is a small village with a shop and a popular pub.

The village landmark is a statue of a little girl

built to commemorate famous locals who lived here.

It was the work of sculpture William Goscombe John

and unveiled in 1899.

A 20-minute drive from Llansannan is the mystery house,

situated on a very quiet lane.

Through the gate...

..to take a really good look at your mystery house.

It's smaller than house two

but it's nice and quiet.

Why is it a mystery?

Why is it the mystery?

Well...first thing is...

your nearest neighbour's about a quarter of a mile away,

and you wanted to be rural, you didn't want to see anybody else.

That's the Aled valley,

-that is where your closest neighbour is going to be.

-That's good.

So I might be a little bit naughty on this one.

I normally reveal straightaway why it's the mystery house,

-but do you mind if I keep a little bit back?

-No, gosh, no.

-No, no.

-Shall I keep you guessing?

-Good so far.

Well, let's see how we get on, let's start on the tour.

-Thank you.

-Great, thanks.

'So far, so good.

'Now it's time to show them the inside,

'which I hope will go down as well.'

So, welcome...to your Welsh cottage.

You've got a utility/boot room there

and this is the first of two reception rooms.

-That's nice.

-Yeah, that's good.

-Yes.

-Good feeling.

It's got character. I like the beam. Bit of character.

-It's a nice fireplace.

-Yes, it is.

It's like a little snug.

-It is, that's a good word for it...

-Yeah.

-..a snug.

If you wouldn't mind leading the way for me, Wayne, into the kitchen.

So, the kitchen also has a dining area incorporated.

Now, I did show you a massive kitchen/living room yesterday,

which I think is a little unfair to this cottage

because I think it has its own merits

and it's hard...it's hard not to compare the two.

Mm...yes.

-I spoilt you yesterday.

-You did, you spoilt me, yes.

But it's nice though.

It's got a nice feel.

And you've not wrinkled your nose yet, so it's good.

No, I haven't, no. Not yet, no, no.

It does feel quite homely,

I'm just trying to warm to it a bit more,

cos you spoilt me so much yesterday.

I know, it's keeping you both happy and trying to get the balance.

You've got a downstairs shower room there

and then you'll probably notice there's some stairs going up

but just to the side of that, there's another door

-and that's your second sitting room.

-Okey dokey.

-It's about the same size.

-That's all right.

-Yeah.

I'll reveal more as we go round.

After you.

Upstairs, there are two good size doubles,

both bright and neutrally-decorated,

and opposite is the large and bright family bathroom.

We're headed to the master bedroom.

I like this room, this is my favourite room.

-So, you're going to live in here.

-Yeah, I am.

-I like this room, it's lovely.

-That's good news.

There's a glimmer of light

but I'm still feeling quite confident

-because I've got so much more to show you.

-OK.

Denise seems pleased,

but just wait until they see what I have to show them outside.

I think they're going to be quite surprised.

There's a pretty summer house

which is surrounded by mature cottage garden.

The borders are packed with a variety of plants,

and there's plenty more to see.

Now, there's an awful lot to point out

so you've got a double car port,

you've got a workshop plus a wood shed.

-Keep going.

-You've got a chicken coop here.

-Oh, better again.

Ahead of you, you've got another workshop, that's the second one,

plus, well, to the right, they used to keep their goats in there.

-Keep going, please.

-And there's even more round here.

At the bottom end of the site,

there's room for Denise to grow some vegetables,

there's also a polytunnel.

And if all that wasn't enough with these spectacular views,

may I present to you...

the mystery chalet.

-That's good.

-I wasn't expecting that.

That's really good.

The owner rents that out about six months of the year.

It's already a successful business.

On top of that,

you've got 3.2 acres of land

in this beautiful setting.

It is. That's really good.

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

I'm going to say...445.

Oh, gosh. I think it's over our budget...

440.

You are so good at this, you really are.

The asking price is £445,000.

-Wow.

-How do you do that?

-It's just a lucky guess.

-Right, yes.

They're aware of your budget,

and they are more than happy to have that discussion

and negotiate with you.

-That makes it a lot more attractive, doesn't it?

-Yeah, it does, yeah.

So, take another look around.

Start off with the chalet,

you have lots of land to explore as well.

I think you're going to need some time, aren't you?

-So, why don't you get started?

-Thank you.

-Cheers.

This mystery house has so much going for it.

It, you know, provides the land, the opportunities, the business...

It's just the cottage which I've got a slight concern of with Denise.

I think she's being polite.

In a way, in her heart, she does want a larger home.

The mystery house is £15,000 over their budget

but there could be room for

manoeuvre with this price.

The house isn't huge

but it offers three bedrooms

and a boot room that Denise wanted.

But the joy of this property

is outside,

where there are fantastic views

and everything they wanted.

Plus there's a log cabin,

ideal for visiting family

or to bring in some extra income.

The house is not as large as house number two.

I haven't got the large kitchen that I asked for

but, all the same, you're getting a lot for your money here,

but, yeah, I may have to compromise on this house a little bit

cos I know Wayne likes it a lot.

When Nicki took us through the grounds,

we then come to a wooden chalet,

which is something that neither me nor Denise seriously expected

and that's brought a whole different perspective into it

because, clearly, there is separate accommodation for our family

and, also, the possibility of an income generation as well,

which we never considered before.

Oh, wow. Gosh.

-This is impressive.

-I wasn't expecting this.

-No, nor was I.

-I really wasn't.

In conclusion, I think the mystery property's a definite possibility.

This is a lovely house.

-Have we seen enough?

-Yeah.

-Yeah.

Funnily enough, I knew I'd find you two outside.

Can't get him in.

It's nice, it's a nice day, why not?

-You don't want to leave, do you?

-No.

Well, that's it, you've seen our three houses.

-Let's go and have a chat.

-Thank you.

One of the best known waterways in Wales is the Llangollen Canal,

which crosses the border between England and Wales

linking Llangollen with South Cheshire.

At 80 miles in length,

it's popular with tourists,

and every year, thousands of narrow boats navigate

this stretch of water.

Howard Griffiths, from the Canal and Waterways Trust,

is going to tell me more.

How old is it? What does it date back to?

It was, erm...late 1700s.

It was built to join the River Severn to the River Mersey

to get to the docks at Bristol and at Liverpool.

And what would they have actually used the canal for?

You say it's to join up those two cities,

but what would it have been?

North Wales and the area is high in limestone and slate,

coal, erm...to some extent wool.

Now, this area is famous for its aqueduct.

In actual fact, isn't it the highest aqueduct in the whole of the UK?

It is, yeah, definitely,

and it's the highest and longest cast iron aqueduct in the world.

The Pontcysyllte Aqueduct was finished in 1805.

This breathtaking piece of engineering was built

by civil engineer Thomas Telford

with the help of William Jessop.

It's 1,007 feet long

and stands proud above the valley of the River Dee.

-It's so high, I could be quite scared.

-Yes.

How long's the drop?

About 126 feet, something like that.

Well, I don't think I suffer from vertigo...

-We'll find out.

-..but let's see how I get on. Come on then.

Every year, around 12,000 boats go over the aqueduct,

so it's a really busy section of the canal,

and as it's single file, you have to wait your turn.

With going across the aqueduct,

if there's a boat already on there, they've got right of way.

But, apart from that, it's first come, first served.

Thank you!

So, aqueduct's clear, it's our right of way.

The aqueduct took ten years to design and build

at a total cost of £47,000.

That's equivalent to over £3 million today.

The first stone was laid in July 1795.

There are 18 piers, or uprights,

each with a 45-foot span.

The cast iron trough holds some 1.5 million litres of water

and so, to keep the overall weight of the construction down,

the top third of each pillar was kept hollow.

Because it's so narrow, that does seem like a very long drop.

I think if it was wider, it wouldn't feel quite so bad,

but I literally am peering over the side into the abyss.

It is quite a spectacle, isn't it?

-I mean, we are so high up.

-Yeah.

So, does the aqueduct actually take much maintenance?

I mean, 200 years old, that's pretty ancient.

It is but we've done nothing at all to the piers.

We've renewed a tow path back in 2004.

But remarkable - that feat of engineering,

something that they thought about, constructed and designed,

-has lasted so long with very little maintenance.

-Yeah.

You can't say that about many things today, can you?

No, you can't, you can't.

I wonder if Telford and Jessop truly realised,

some 200 years later,

this feat of engineering was going to be enjoyed

by thousands of holiday-makers

-rather than carrying hundreds of thousands of tonnes of coal?

-Yeah.

May the legacy of Telford and Jessop live on.

Oh, I think it will.

It's lasted 200,

and I'm sure, when we're all gone, and in another 200 years,

it'll still be stood here.

It's been an interesting few days with Wayne and Denise.

We made them both happy, but with different houses.

Let's see if they can agree on just one.

Well, we've had a great few days, haven't we?

I mean, this is such a life change for you both.

You're going from busy, busy lives to rural new life.

I just wonder, have we got close?

-Very close.

-Have we?

-Yeah.

The second house and the mystery house.

And is there a favourite between the two?

They both bring something completely different.

Property number two was absolutely, utterly stunning inside,

-it really was.

-Yes, it was.

Unfortunately, the outside didn't quite match up to what we wanted

but the inside is absolutely stunning

and it's still not been struck off our list really, has it?

No, no.

And house number three...gosh.

We arrived, it's smaller than house number two

but it just got better and better and better

and as we went outside and all the outbuildings

and the land that surrounds it...

And it's a very tough decision to make

between the two, really, I think.

I think it's more tough for me than it is for Wayne.

I think, for number three, I think I feel like I need to compromise.

It is important, when you move, that you're both happy,

and I'm not quite sure we've got there.

So what is the next move going to be?

I need to sit down with my wife and just discuss it

and see which one of the two that we prefer,

but both, honestly, are in the running.

So we're leaving you today with a huge question mark in the air.

More discussions, more thoughts about those properties,

but I'm glad we've been able to help you make that first step.

Let's see how you get on

and, well, whatever happens, let us know, won't you?

-We will.

-Of course, yes. Thank you very, very much.

-Thank you so much.

You're welcome, and I know the one thing that is guaranteed is

you're going to be moving to Wales.

-Oh, yes, thank you.

-Yeah, definitely, thank you.

Although we didn't secure a house sale,

I feel we can leave Wayne and Denise safe in the knowledge

that North Wales is where they want to move to.

And so often we talk about compromise

and the importance of it,

but on this occasion, well, I don't think either of them should.

It's so important both of them are happy with the house

and the land that comes with it.

Perhaps they will go for a second viewing on one of our properties,

but if they don't,

I truly hope the perfect combination of home and country living

is just around the corner.

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