Devon Escape to the Country

Today, I'm at the border of two counties separated by a unique boundary.

So where am I? Stay tuned to find out.

On today's show, we're helping a couple of expats find a home

back in England after 22 years abroad.

-And we hit the ground running...

-Nice floor as well.

Oh, wonderful flagstones, look.

-The floor's quite nice.

-The floor, the floor! You and your floors.

-He always likes his floors.

-He does.

..before eventually finding our feet.

We thought it was just in our dreams, didn't we?

It exists, and you're in it.

Today, we're in Devon, but only just, because the trees over there,

they're in Cornwall.

The Tamar here runs almost the entire length

of the border between the two counties,

a perfect natural boundary.

It starts in north Cornwall, about four miles inland,

just below the town of Bude, and travels 50 miles south

to meet the English Channel at Plymouth in Devon.

On its way, the river runs through an area that was designated

as a Site of Special Scientific Interest in 1991,

and supports a whole range of wildlife on its journey

through some of the UK's finest countryside.

The West Country county of Devon shares its border with Cornwall

in the west and Somerset and Dorset in the east.

Devon is home to two national parks, the largest of which is Dartmoor -

almost 400 square miles of dramatic moorland with exposed granite tors,

glistening streams and rivers, and its own indigenous breed of pony.

The Dartmoor landscape still bears the scars

of its industrial past.

Locally quarried granite has been used in famous British landmarks

such as Nelson's Column, and tin has been mined here

since medieval times.

The tin industry centred on prosperous market towns

such as Tavistock,

where the profitable metal was assessed and sold.

Set amongst Dartmoor's wide open wilderness

are a number of picturesque villages, such as Lustleigh,

which features thatched cottages and a 12th-century church at its centre.

The region is the source of much of the county's drinking water,

stored in a number of man-made reservoirs, including

Roadford Lake, the largest area of freshwater in the Southwest.

With appealing villages, moody moorland and two separate

coastlines, such rich variety gives Devon an enduring appeal.

At the moment, the average price of a detached house here in Devon

is edging just over £300,000.

That's around 30,000 more than the national average.

And if you head to the coastal resorts of Salcombe in the south,

you may have to dig a little deeper, as it's now one of the most

expensive seaside towns in the whole country.

But in the north and the east of the county,

there are plenty of properties available for considerably less

than the national average. Some of them are even on the coast.

With all this in mind, let's meet today's buyers.

Childhood sweethearts Roger and Paulette

have been married for 45 years and recently returned from France,

where they'd living for more than two decades.

Their temporary home is a semi-detached property

in Alderholt, Dorset.

With their two grown-up daughters

and four grandchildren back in the UK, Roger and Paulette

want to spend the next chapter seeing much more of their family.

The reason we decided to move back to the UK was the fact that we

weren't seeing the grandchildren and they were rapidly growing up.

Roger won't mind me saying that he never got his head

around the French language.

Also the property now is just much too large for us,

so we would like to create the same kind of dream, but in Devon,

if possible, on a smaller scale.

And the couple have had their hearts set on Devon

since spending their honeymoon in the county's famous national park.

We have always had a love affair with Dartmoor.

It's just something that magical that happens

when we drive into the moor. It feels wonderful.

Until her retirement, Paulette ran a theatrical business

and Roger is a freelance photographer.

Now that he's reduced his workload, they'll both be able to enjoy

their hobbies, including a shared love of ping-pong.

My wife has always said, wherever we go,

"Can we have a table tennis table?"

Because she's a fiend at table tennis, and she always wins.

So we have got a table tennis table, and we will hopefully be able

to put it on something level rather than on hills.

Yes, we've got a sloping garden here, which is a bit awkward.

And as well as providing a space for the ping-pong table,

they'd also like a garden that attracts animals.

I love wildlife, and particularly birds.

Roger did promise me, for my 60th birthday, an owl box.

Five years later, I'm still waiting for it, and I would love one.

I know my children find it hilarious when I get really excited

-when I see a bird. But it does excite me.

-I know, it does.

Although they've sold their French home,

Roger and Paulette still need to sell a second property in Alderholt,

which is currently on the market.

They're under no illusions that the Devon move will be a life-changing

experience, but they're looking forward to it.

It was very, very hard to leave France.

The reasons for coming back all made absolute sense,

but it was still extremely difficult.

I think the move means a tremendous amount to our family.

The grandchildren are already excited.

They're talking to us all the time about what we're going to do,

and the dogs were going to get, and the Jeep we're going to buy,

and the fun we're going to have.

So it means a lot to our family, which means a lot to us.

Our buyers would like us to concentrate our search

in and around the fringes of the Dartmoor National Park.

I'm meeting up with them on Dartmoor to go over their property wish list.

Roger, Paulette, welcome to Devon. How does this compare to France?

You can't beat Dartmoor. There's nothing like Dartmoor in France.

-There's something romantic about Dartmoor, isn't there?

-Absolutely.

You can't describe it,

but there's something about this place we absolutely adore.

-Right, let's get down to business.

-Mm.

How do you want your house to look and feel?

We love old and quirky.

We like character.

Paulette and I will know the instant we see something if it's right.

-It always has been the case.

-We always agree.

It's the ambiance of the whole place, it's the feeling.

Like in Dartmoor, you just love it.

So you're going to go with your gut,

-but what are the practical things that you need?

-Well, you say.

We need two bathrooms because when there are ten of us

-all staying together, that is a must.

-Yeah.

We would like to have four bedrooms, and a reasonable sized garden,

not huge,

but enough room to do various things like maybe have a barn owl

who comes to visit us, apart from lots of space for the children

-to play in.

-A large kitchen in which one could have

-a really enormous table.

-Yeah.

Hub of the family, eating and having fun. A snug.

A snug would be great, wouldn't it?

We did have a snug in France, and it was a very special place.

The children used to love going down there.

They used to think it was a proper cinema. Well, the little ones did.

Yes, they did. Absolutely.

Are there any things that would absolutely put you off a property?

-I think it needs to be detached.

-Mm.

-Would you say?

-We'd prefer detached, yes.

-I mean, we've done...

We've done communal living before, which was great.

-But we don't want to do it again.

-So, neighbours, but not too close?

-Yeah.

-Yeah, absolutely.

-And remind me of your budget.

It's £450,000, but we could possibly push it just a little bit further.

Maximum, absolute maximum, £475,000.

Roger, you know I'm going to take the high figure.

475,000, thank you. very much.

475,000, but may be knocked down to 450,000.

That's a lovely sized budget for this area, and I really think

-we can find you something fantastic.

-Good.

-Well, I hope so.

-Are you ready?

-Yeah, let's go.

-Thank you very much.

With a maximum budget of £475,000 to spend,

Roger and Paulette are after an older detached house with character.

It must have at least four bedrooms,

a large kitchen that should feel like the hub of the home,

and a reasonably sized garden for when the grandchildren come to stay.

Ideally, they'd like a snug in addition to the main living room,

and some degree of privacy from the neighbours.

We've lined up three quirky Devon homes to whet Roger and Paulette's

appetite, but I'll only reveal the price of each property

at the end of the viewings.

With our final offering, the mystery house, could the neighbours prove

too close for comfort?

Our first property is located just outside the village

of Broadwoodwidger, to the west of the Dartmoor National Park

and close to the Cornish border.

Standing on a steep hill overlooking the Wolf Valley,

Broadwoodwidger has a real rural charm

and centres on a village green and 15th-century church.

The nearby village of Lifton is larger

and provides a range of amenities for locals and visitors

to the national park, including two hotels.

Set into the hillside a mile from Broadwoodwidger and with unrivalled

southerly views across to the national park is our first house.

So the sun has come out just in time for our first viewing.

-Oh, this is lovely.

-What an amazing view.

-Isn't that gorgeous?

-Look at that. That beats a river in France.

-I think it does.

-That is lovely.

-Devon one, France nil.

-So far, yes!

-Absolutely.

-Definitely.

-And what do you think of the property itself?

-It looks very interesting.

-It's not modern, I can tell you that.

-No, no.

-I can see that.

-Cob walls.

-Oh, brilliant.

-Some stone there, too.

-It looks really interesting.

-Sweet little windows.

-Let's see if the inside is just as good.

-Please.

'Part of a former farm complex, this traditional cob and stone farmhouse

'has been improved by the current vendor,

'but still retains many original features inside.'

So I wanted to bring you into the dining room first, because

I think this room really shows off the quirkiness of the house.

-It certainly does.

-Yes, it does. It's a good size for a dining room.

-And a proper wooden floor. Not a laminate.

-No, it's very, very nice.

-And the dining room leads straight to the kitchen.

-OK.

-Good.

-Come in.

-Mm. This is a very, very adorable kitchen.

-How is this for size?

-It's good.

Because you have the dining room as well.

It's still big enough to put a huge table in here.

-Well, even a round table could go in here.

-Yes.

It looks like our kind of kitchen.

-It's not all matching and it's all a bit quirky.

-Yeah.

I like the floor as well. So that's two lots of floors.

I like the floor, I like the window out onto the garden.

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

-Oh, yeah.

This is just the sort of kitchen you always imagined you'd have.

-Yes, it is.

-Isn't it? Even to the plate rack.

-Aye.

An excellent start to our first house tour.

The rustic feel of the farmhouse kitchen seems to appeal

to Roger and Paulette's taste.

Just to the back of the kitchen, there's a spacious outhouse

providing rear access to the garden.

It incorporates a utility room with a sink, a workshop

and boiler room.

At the other end of the house, there is a study leading

to a washroom, offering potential for a downstairs bedroom

as well as the main sitting room.

-Look at that view.

-Mm.

Wherever you look out, there's a wonderful view.

-And we've got furniture just like that that can go there.

-Yep.

-Everything we have would fit.

-With a lot of thought, it would.

There are some things that are very tall that probably wouldn't.

On the other hand, they didn't fit in our previous place.

No, so it's decision time, isn't it?

There's no reason why we can't lose a few things.

It sounds as though our buyers are already making plans to move in

and we've yet to see upstairs.

'The main staircase provides access to three good-sized bedrooms,'

including an L-shaped room being used as a study

and a smaller double, both with views to the front.

There's also a family bathroom with a Jack and Jill arrangement.

A second staircase in the kitchen leads up to the fourth bedroom,

-which could make a good guest room. And finally, there's the master.

-Oh!

This is one of four bedrooms upstairs.

-And there's a little en suite shower room just there.

-Perfect. Perfect.

-Bonus. It's a proper cottage bedroom.

-It certainly is.

-You couldn't define it any more than that, could you?

-No.

-So that's the inside of the house.

-Good. Love it.

-Yes.

-Absolutely.

-We do.

-But you want to see the outside as well?

-Yes, please.

Because it's the first thing that hits you when you see this. The view.

-Let's go and fully appreciate the outside.

-Go on, then.

-OK.

Take us out to the garden.

At just under an acre,

the grounds include a pretty walled garden at the front of the house,

a large paddock with southerly views,

as well as a young apple orchard.

The property also comes with a range of outbuildings

including a stable block and a disused piggery

which could be converted, subject to planning permission.

One acre of garden, or just under, is just right, isn't it?

-It's perfect for us.

-And it's in separate little areas.

It's not just one.

But you feel as if you've got more

because of the beautiful fields and the view all around you.

So I know you love the house,

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

I think it's probably at the upper end of our budget.

I would say £470,000.

I was going to say £465,000.

Well, Roger is closer to the mark.

It's on for £475,000.

Right. I can understand that, it's lovely.

Yes, it is. It's the position.

Apart from the house, the position, the view...

-You don't get this for nothing.

-Without paying for it, no.

Do you want to go and see all those outbuildings that you haven't

-seen yet?

-Yes.

-And I'll meet you at the front door.

-OK, thank you.

All right.

At the very top of their budget,

our first property is a traditional Devon farmhouse and offers

Roger and Paulette the character and quirkiness they were after.

It comes with a large country-style kitchen and four bedrooms.

The views towards Dartmoor are outstanding

and there is nearly an acre of land

for the grandchildren to explore

when they visit.

The kids would love this, wouldn't they?

Oh, exploring, can you imagine? We'd never see them.

You've got a stables here, or something.

There's a lot of scope here.

It's in such a beautiful position.

You couldn't ask for a more stunning view.

The house itself is quaint and cottagey and quirky,

and just everything that Roger and I are looking for.

There's just a feel about the place.

It's got a certain sort of sense about it

that it feels very cottagey and very...

I can't put into words, it's just lovely.

If anything, I suppose the bedrooms are a little on the small side,

but we could adapt to that.

I just love it, and I know Paulette does as well.

Do I even need to show you any more houses?

-I can't believe how lovely this house is.

-A hard act to follow.

-Very hard.

If anything else you're going to show us is equal to this,

we're going to have a problem.

-Well, shall I give you the problem, and then you can handle it?

-OK.

-We'll try. Thank you very much. It's gorgeous, isn't it?

-Yes.

Nestled in woodland on the fringes of the Dartmoor National Park

is the Barn Owl Trust,

a charity established in 1988 with the aim of conserving the barn owl.

The species declined in the 20th century,

largely due to intensive farming and loss of habitat.

The trust's aviary near Ashburton offers sanctuary

to around 50 birds, many of whom could never survive in the wild.

But it also has an active release programme for injured owls.

Since Paulette is passionate about wildlife

and would like to keep a barn owl,

-we sent her and Roger to meet head of conservation, David Ramsden.

-Hi.

-Nice to meet you.

-Nice to meet you. Roger.

-Hi, welcome to the Barn Owl Trust.

-Thank you very much. Wonderful place.

-Beautiful.

-So you're going to live in Devon?

-We hope so.

-We certainly hope so. It would be really, really nice.

-Fantastic.

My wife particularly loves owls to such an extent

we would consider possibly trying to keep one in captivity.

What sort of a commitment is that?

The thing that we suggest people do, rather than have birds

in captivity, is actually to encourage owls in the wild.

And that's a worthwhile thing to do from a welfare point of view.

So if we wanted to encourage owls to live in our garden,

what would be the best way of going about it?

You could create habitats so wild owls could come

hopefully into perhaps the bottom of your garden and find food.

And also putting up nest boxes is a wonderful thing.

-I think that's something we'd much rather do, actually...

-Absolutely.

..to just encourage them.

The best habitat for a barn owl is rough grassland, as it

provides a home for the barn owls' main prey, voles, shrews and mice.

By leaving a section of grass to grow and fall back on itself

over the course of a year or two, it's possible for Rodger and Paulette

to create their own barn owl hunting ground in their garden.

The other thing barn owls need are nest boxes to hide in,

and David is taking Roger and Paulette to a field

not far from the trust which offers the ideal location for a hideaway.

So why particularly this tree?

Well, it's an isolated tree. That's the first thing to say,

because barn owls aren't woodland birds,

so a tree like this in a wood is not likely to be used.

So really you want a tree that's isolated or in an hedgerow, perhaps.

And you want to put the box up so that it's going to be visible.

In fact, it's the hole that needs to be visible.

Barn owls aren't really interested in boxes,

-they're interested in holes.

-I understand, yeah.

What about the height at which you'd mount the box on the tree?

This one is going to go up about 3.5m, 4m high.

The minimum, I'd say, is 3m, which is about ten feet.

-Birds like to feel safe and height helps with that.

-Right.

I have this miraculous bit of wood in my hand.

Very, very simple, really. We simply fix that onto the tree.

Once that's on the tree, then this piece of wood on the back

of the box will locate on here and the box will simply hang off it.

Ideally, nest boxes should be made of rot-resistant wood

and covered with a heavy-duty felt lining.

They should only be cleaned out between November and January

as it's an offence to disturb breeding barn owls.

So how long do you think it will be, David,

before an owl spots that box and comes in and makes a home there?

If there's lots of good habitat, lots of food, and not enough

places like this to hide and nest, then it could be really quickly.

We have people contact the Barn Owl Trust and say,

"It was literally two weeks and we got owls in our box!"

-That would be brilliant.

-But frankly, some boxes are never occupied.

It does depend partly on how well it's positioned,

and that's a really, really good position.

With useful advice on how to attract barn owls into their garden,

we just need to find Roger and Paulette their own perfect habitat.

For our second offering, we're hopping over the border

into Cornwall and travelling to the historic town of Launceton.

Situated a mile from the Tamar River boundary with Devon,

Launceston is a market town with a long history.

It was once the ancient capital of Cornwall,

and the 11th-century castle still dominates the skyline.

Centred on the market square, the town's network of pretty lanes

feature a range of independent shops selling locally-sourced produce.

House number two is found on the edge of the town,

surrounded by open farmland and accessed via a quiet country lane.

-This is house number two.

-Oh, look!

-That looks interesting.

-It used to be an old granary. It's Grade II listed...

-Ooh.

-..and it dates back about 200 years.

-Yes.

-So again, not modern at all.

No.

What are you doing to us today?

-Messing with your mind!

-Yes!

-And you wanted character.

-Mm-hm.

-You're about to be hit with it.

-Wow.

Character. Come on, then.

Built of stone and roofed in slate, the former granary has been

sympathetically furnished and decorated by the current owner...

Your favourite flowers as well.

'..and I'm hoping its quirky, characterful charm will make'

former expats Roger and Paulette feel right at home.

Come in.

-It's quite an entrance.

-Oh, it is. That's a lovely staircase.

It's slightly reminiscent of France, isn't it?

-I didn't expect to see that.

-No. And that lovely area down there.

-It would just be a little snug.

-You're finding France everywhere.

-It seems like it.

-Let's see if you see it in here.

-OK.

ROGER GASPS

-Oh, wow.

-Wow. This is an incredible kitchen.

-You did ask for a big kitchen.

-And you found us one.

You can get your enormous table in here.

-All ten of us could easily sit round there together.

-I love this.

-I love those cupboards. Look at those cupboards.

-Look at the lamps.

-The beams.

-And the beams!

-That's a beautiful beam, that one there.

-They're really, really old.

-So, quirky enough for you?

Oh, definitely.

-Everywhere you look, there's so much to take in.

-Goodness.

-So have you seen the hatch?

-I thought it was a mirror.

-So did I.

-That's actually a hatch into the living room.

-Oh, nice.

-Let me show you.

-OK.

Oh!

-Cor.

-The magic continues.

-It's a big living room.

-It is.

It's sort of what we're used to, this sort of size.

-The old wheel.

-I just spotted that.

-What a feature.

-This is definitely a party room.

-Oh, yeah.

-I know.

And I just love those beams. All the bolts and things sticking through.

Yeah, the character in here is fantastic.

More character than you would ever imagine.

-It's a lovely, lovely sitting-room.

-Wonderful flagstones, look.

-Yeah.

I keep referring to the floor, don't I? But they are lovely.

PAULETTE LAUGHS

-It's very much done in our style, actually.

-Yes.

-We love red walls.

The current owners have their TV in here,

but there's another living room which I think would work well

as a snug if you wanted to make that your TV room and keep this

as sort of an entertainment room.

-You've already got one centrepiece, you don't need another one there.

-No.

That really is beautiful.

I thought the French farmhouse feel of our second property

would appeal to our buyers.

'Hopefully, their joie de vivre will continue upstairs, where

'there are four good-sized bedrooms, three of which benefit'

from the late afternoon sun at the back of the house.

There's another front-facing bedroom along with a large family bathroom.

And then there's the master.

-Oh, goodness.

-Another amazing room.

-It continues.

-Yes. Beautiful sized bedroom.

-And beams in the bedroom, we are used to.

-We have a sofa like that.

-We have a chaise longue.

-Are you sure this isn't your house, Roger?

-It's beginning to feel a bit creepy.

-We have a big wardrobe like that.

We do indeed.

And there's a lovely walk through wardrobe area,

-perfect for a dressing table.

-You always wanted one of those.

I have always wanted that, yes.

-And then a quite decent sized en suite, actually.

-OK.

-It is a lovely bedroom.

-Oh, goodness.

-What a lovely view, too.

-And there's more.

-OK.

-No, there can't be.

I don't think I can take any more.

Well, they're going to have to, as there is a whole other world

upstairs in the roof space of the property -

a large open plan attic room.

-Oh, you're joking.

-Somewhere for your tennis table!

Table tennis table!

-Oh, that is incredible.

-This is amazing.

We could do so much in here. We could have other games in here.

We've got a carpet like that.

-This is your house, come on.

-It is amazing.

-It is.

-Well, you've seen pretty much the whole house now.

-Yeah.

-Well...

I really don't know...

-You look weary.

-I'm not weary, I'm just speechless.

-Confused?

We'll go into the garden,

I'll show you what else the house has to offer, and then we'll chat.

-All right.

-OK.

-He's shell-shocked.

-He is indeed.

To one side of the house, there's an adjoining garage and a parking area.

The opposite side wall supports a connecting section

of the waterwheel that dominates the sitting room.

To the rear of the house, a patio, perfect for summer entertaining.

The gardens are mainly lawn with a hedge and tree-lined boundary.

Through a gap in the hedge, there's also a small wooded area

which backs onto the River Kensey.

I never thought a place like this would exist. It's just...

Well, we thought it was just in our dreams, didn't we?

-It exists, and you're in it.

-Yeah.

-We could be in it.

-It's gorgeous.

How much are you going to have to pay for this, though?

I think it's probably over our budget.

I think it's probably £480,000, at least?

Roger thinks I've been naughty and gone over your budget.

I think you've been even naughtier.

I think it's probably £485,000, or something like that.

You're both going to love me.

It's on the market for £450,000.

Oh! 450.

-It's a possibility then.

-It's a smile from Roger.

-Yeah, this is lovely.

-And almost little wet eye, I feel.

This is a certain contender, isn't it? Yes, it's wonderful.

-Do you want to go have another look around?

-Could we do that?

-Yes.

-We might be some time.

-That's fine, I'm patient.

-Well, not really, but I will be for you two.

-Thank you very much.

-Only because you're both so happy.

-All right, thank you very much.

-No need to say thank you to me.

-Enjoy.

I thought we'd done well with house number one! Even I'M confused now.

Under maximum budget by £25,000,

this Grade II listed former granary

is bursting with character and charm, and tempts Roger and Paulette

with a huge farmhouse kitchen,

a sizeable entertaining space

with a former waterwheel, providing a real talking point.

It comes with four double bedrooms

and a huge attic room running along the entire length of the house.

Yeah, that's amazing. Look at that!

The only thing we'd have to watch out for is the grandchildren,

-the boys in particular, climbing up it.

-We'd have to tell them not to.

House number two has completely blown me away.

When I walked into this kitchen, I just felt like I'd come home.

It's everything that I would want in a kitchen. It's absolutely amazing.

The character just hits you.

It is everything that we had ever dreamed could be put into a house.

I said at the very beginning when we started looking, we would know,

we would know that feeling when something just clicked.

And I have to say, this just clicks.

We know this is the place.

There isn't anything I would change about this house. It's beautiful.

It's totally us.

So what's the score, Roger? France nil... Devon/Cornwall...

Two?

Two, definitely.

It's the second day of our property search,

and with a budget of £475,000, we're helping Roger and Paulette,

who are returning to the UK from France after two decades,

to find a rural home in the heart of Devon.

Coming up, our mystery house offers our buyers a surprising encore.

Could you say that again, please?

'And I brave the rapids to explore one of the county's

'celebrated rivers.'

Yesterday, our houses provoked an overwhelming response

from Roger and Paulette.

With two serious contenders already in the bag, I think

we can afford to take a bit of a gamble with the mystery house.

Roger and Paulette wanted detached,

they wanted an edge of village location,

and they didn't want to be overlooked.

So what will they make of our final offering?

For our final property, we are crossing back over into Devon

and heading into the national park to the village of Sticklepath.

Located on the River Taw, the popular village offers a choice

of two traditional pubs and a tea room.

Sticklepath was an important centre of the Methodist movement

in the 19th century,

and is home to the last working water-powered forge in England.

At one time, our historic mystery house,

located in the centre of the village,

also harnessed the power of the river

since it's part of a collection of former mill buildings which

have been converted into a small community of residential homes.

Having shown Roger and Paulette two properties

in private locations but with little or no money to spare

from their budget,

the final house has a pleasant surprise up its sleeve.

-So this is the mystery house.

-Oh!

Another waterwheel!

The original mill dated back to the 12th century,

-but was then rebuilt in the early 1800s.

-I like the boarding.

-I like the boarding.

-I like the decking on the veranda up there.

But you are very overlooked here, which is something you didn't want.

I don't know if you are absolutely done with community living,

but I'm asking you to at least consider it.

-We've done the communal living, haven't we?

-Yes.

-But community is different to communal, isn't it?

-It is.

And the idea of the wheel, it sort of invites you in, doesn't it?

And that appealing waterwheel isn't merely for show.

It has potential to produce electricity by connecting

a new generator.

But will the inside of our mystery property energise our buyers?

I wanted to bring you into the kitchen first, because while it's

an old building, this actually was only put in a couple of years ago.

-Oh.

-It's a very surprising kitchen.

-And look how big the table is.

-Yes!

-The tables are getting bigger, aren't they?

-Yeah.

And have you noticed just there?

-What's that?

-The original millstone.

-Oh!

That's where they've kept it in and cut the tiles around it.

-Oh, that's lovely.

-The floor's quite nice...

-You and your floors.

-He always likes his floors.

-He does, yes.

-That is a nice floor.

This is nice, I like it very much.

So the kitchen diner comes through into the lounge.

Oh, that's nice, isn't it? That's really snug.

-Is that the only sitting room in the house?

-It isn't.

-There is another study area that you could also make into a snug.

-Right.

-It's time to reveal another part of the mystery.

-Oh...

So, from the outside,

yes, the property looks like a detached house,

but if you look over there, it's semi-detached,

because we're attached to that white building there.

Put a big tree up in front of them.

It depends how good the rest of the house is.

No, that's a consideration.

The semi-detached nature of our mystery house

hasn't put our buyers off completely,

but we have a job on our hands to knock house two off the top step.

The main stairs lead up to three good-sized double bedrooms,

two of which overlook the back of the property.

There's also a three-piece family bathroom.

'But a second staircase, located in the study,

'provides access to the master suite.'

-That's very nice.

-Oh, that is nice, yes.

Of course you have your en suite and a little dressing area there too.

This is more reminiscent of the height of the bedroom

-we had in France, isn't it?

-It is, yes.

The A-frame, I think, is lovely,

and the fact that they've kept the bricks exposed up there.

-It's been done very sympathetically, hasn't it?

-Yeah.

How are you feeling about our mystery house so far?

To be honest, it is quite small.

The bedroom's fine, but the little rooms downstairs seem to be

smaller than we would have liked.

So despite giving Roger and Paulette the number of bedrooms they wanted,

the downstairs space of our mystery property is a bit of a concern.

Across the drive from the house, there's a garage

and a further space for parking.

The main garden is at the front of the property,

and comprises a number of mature trees and shrubs as well as

a wooden decked area which overlooks the river.

-Oh, this is nice. This is private.

-Oh, yes, it's very sweet, isn't it?

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

-Reminds me a bit of Monet's garden.

-The bridge over there does, doesn't it?

-Yes, it does.

So, lovely, but not for you?

Had this been the first viewing, we would have thought, "Wow, OK..."

It's not right, but it's really quite nice.

It is a lovely house, it's fascinating,

and the history of it, it's really lovely.

I think our heart has been set upon what we've seen previously.

Difficult to draw you away. Do you want to know how much it is?

-Because that might...you know.

-Do we get to guess?

-Yes, you have to.

Who'd like to go first?

I'm thinking, even though we're saying it's maybe not

-the one for us, because it's actually in Dartmoor...

-Yes, it is.

..in the national park,

it's probably going to bump the price up a bit.

-Yeah.

-I'm going to say £465,000.

-OK.

-Oh, right.

OK. I was going to say £450,000.

It's actually on the market for £385,000.

Oh.

-Could you say that again, please?

-£385,000.

So 90,000 in your back pocket.

Don't carry it around all at once, of course.

It would make a difference to what you could do with the place.

It would get rid of the some of the things that you didn't like

and create something you did.

But we still don't get away from the fact that...

It's that house we saw yesterday that, I'm afraid, has set it for us.

Yeah. I cannot change your mind at all, can I? Anyway, I've tried.

You have.

Go and have another explore,

-and then I shall meet you by the waterwheel. How about that?

-OK.

Yes, the one that can generate electricity.

-Thank you.

-Thank you very much.

-See you in a bit.

Significantly under their maximum budget, the former mill building

would give Roger and Paulette some spare cash to make alterations.

It gives them the four bedrooms they asked for,

and a spacious kitchen diner,

and while it is in a central location, it's semi-detached

and overlooked by other properties.

It's a nice village.

It's a village that I think we could be happy living in.

And the house looked very good from the outside.

Unfortunately, although it's been beautifully converted

and sympathetically done, the downstairs area is too small for us.

I like a lot of things about the mystery house.

It's got quirkiness. It's certainly got lots of character.

The front garden is lovely. It leads you into different areas.

The drawback about the front garden is that just the other side

of the hedge is the next door neighbour's garden.

So one feels a little bit exposed.

You both only have eyes for house number two, don't you?

-I think you know us so well already.

-I'm afraid so.

-That's OK.

Don't apologise. The main thing is you found the one.

-Yep, I think we have.

-Let's work out your proposal.

Wow, let's go and do that.

Many of Devon's rivers begin their life on Dartmoor, rising up

from the heathlands and blanket bogs.

On the edge of the national park, one of them,

the River Plym, drops down through beautiful dense oak woodland

on its journey to the sea at Plymouth

in a succession of waterfalls, pools and natural whirlpools.

'I've come to Dewerstone Woods to experience the River Plym

'from a different perspective.

'I'm meeting Charlie Chambers, who's going to give me a lesson

'in the increasingly popular outdoor activity known as gorge scrambling.'

So, Charlie, tell me all about gorge scrambling. What is it exactly?

-What are we going to be doing?

-It's an exploration, really.

It's an exploration of the river, but from inside the river.

And why is this spot in particular good for gorge scrambling?

This is a great spot for gorge walking,

mainly because you've got a good consistency with the water

and the river. There's lots of interesting little features on there,

so some little things that we can crawl through, little slides.

So it's a great spot, cos you can tailor it to anybody, really.

And we're all fully kitted out. How wet are we going to get?

-We're going to get wet.

-Good. OK. We're dressed for it.

Yes, so buoyancy aids, straight over your head.

'Although gorge scrambling can be enjoyed by all ages,

'you do need to be careful.

'It's easy to lose your footing in the rapids, so lifejackets

'and protective head gear help minimise the risk of injury.'

That's it. Ready for action.

Like many of the county's rivers,

the Plym was historically tapped for its tin.

The earliest form of extraction was by taking tin deposits

from the riverbed.

Today, people come here for walking, swimming

and of course gorge scrambling.

So we're going to head in.

A couple of things for you to know before we get in there.

First thing is, it's going to feel quite slippery to start with,

so it will take a little while to get your river feet.

So just take it steady, take it slow.

Unlikely, but if you get a foot trapped in there, take a deep breath,

it's OK, just think about which way your foot went in

and give it a wiggle, just pull it back out the other way. Is that OK?

I'm ready.

'All of Dartmoor's rivers are called torrent rivers.

'They are fast-flowing,

'acidic in content due to the soil they run through,

'and subject to rapid water level fluctuations because of rainfall.

'Today, though, it's just the water temperature that's concerning me.'

-Forget the slipperiness.

-It's the wobbliness.

-No, it's how cold the water is!

-Yeah.

'The first challenge is to climb up through a natural hole

'between two boulders.'

Just take it slow, I'll head through first,

and I'll see you on the other side.

And is it on my hands and knees, really?

Yeah, pretty much hands and knees, yeah.

'Charlie goes first, and as I make my way through the gap in the rocks,

'the power of the water rushing towards me hampers my assent.'

-That's good.

-Right, well done!

'But just as I'm finding my feet, the river gets the better of me.'

SHE SCREAMS

'With my pride dented the little, Charlie takes me further upstream

'to a waterfall.

'I've tackled a plastic water slide before,

'but this one's made from granite.

'As the bottom of the river falls away beneath me, the only option

'is to battle the rapids and make a grab for the boulder.

'Fortunately, Charlie is a pro and shows me where to put my feet.

'Just some final advice on the best way down

'to avoid unnecessary bruising.

'After the thrill of the slide, Charlie's final challenge

'is for me to experience another waterfall

'from an alternative angle.'

We're going to head over into the little waterfall now,

a bit of a final finish off after heading up that climb.

That looks a bit more chilled out than what we've just done.

Yeah, it's a great way to finish off.

We'll go and sit behind it and watch the world go by.

Charlie, thank you so much. It's been brilliant.

'With its combination of climbing, swimming and paddling,

'gorge scrambling is definitely something I'd try again.

'As I relax in the natural whirlpool, it's time to see whether

'any of the properties have WHET our buyers' appetites.'

It's very clear that Roger and Paulette

have their heart set on house number two.

Now it's time to find out how they're going to make sure

they can call it home.

-Hello.

-Hello.

-Hi.

-So, tell me,

what was it about house number two that made you fall in love?

-You go.

-To start with, the kitchen.

I can't stop thinking about the kitchen.

It was just amazing.

It is the nicest kitchen that I've ever seen in my life...

-..and the most spacious.

-Yes.

But just done the way that I would do a kitchen

if I was asked to make a perfect kitchen.

-It was like stepping into our own place, wasn't it?

-It was.

Immediately, it felt very, very homely. It felt it was ours.

-What were your favourite bits, Roger?

-The garden particularly.

I really loved that garden. It led you into different areas.

And the secrecy of that big patch of garden around the left-hand side,

-I never imagined that was there.

-That was such a surprise.

It WAS a surprise. And the grandchildren would love that.

You asked us to find a house for you in Devon,

-and actually the one you liked...

-..we found in Cornwall.

-You love Cornwall now.

-Well, we've always loved Cornwall, too.

-But it was only just into Cornwall.

-Yes.

-Just on the edge.

So how are we going to make sure, as it's so perfect,

that you get this property and make it your home?

We're down here for another few days, another week.

And next week we're going to go for a second visit, and we'll talk

to the present owner, and I think we're going to put in an offer,

aren't we?

We can try, and see if they're acceptable, even though

we haven't sold our property in Dorset yet.

Well, let us know how you get on. As it's so perfect,

-I really, really hope you get it.

-We will, we will indeed.

We're really excited about that,

and we have to say thank you for showing it to us. It was lovely.

-Just invite me round for one of those parties.

-We will.

They'll be quite a few of those.

I couldn't be happier that Paulette and Roger

have found the house of their dreams.

After coming back to Britain from France,

they wanted a property that would suit them and their whole family.

And house two is exactly that.

It's almost as if it was made for them and their love of entertaining.

If they can sell their second home quickly, I think Paulette and Roger

could be partying in Cornwall very, very soon.

See you next time on Escape To The Country.

Roger and Paulette have a potential buyer for their Dorset home,

and hope to make an offer on house number two very soon.

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