North Wales Escape to the Country

Welcome to Escape To The Country. Now, that rather shaky-looking

chain bridge behind me was built 200 years ago

and is a lasting testament to the commercial ingenuity of one man.

But who built it, and why?

Well, join us in a moment and I'll tell you.

Today, our property pursuers are giving up their day jobs

in return for a rural retreat.

You're spoiling me with these properties.

But things aren't always harmonious...

I could be quite happy with this bit and there's enough room for

Alan to just, you know, be pushed right into that far corner.

Well, today we are in North Wales and this is the famous

Chain Bridge which crosses the river Dee at Llangollen.

It was built back in 1814 by the fabulously named

Exuperius Pickering.

He was a mine owner, and in order to get his coal from this

side of the river to the railway on the other

and avoid toll charges that he'd have to pay on the existing bridges,

well, he decided to build his own.

Now, over the last 200 years,

time and numerous floods have taken their toll

on this fabulous structure.

But now, thanks to the award of a grant,

it's going to be restored and repaired.

So, hopefully, once again, visitors and locals alike can use it

to cross this stunning river.

The area of North Wales shares its border with England

and the counties of Cheshire and Shropshire to the east of it.

The region is home to layer upon layer of hills, rising

and falling into beautiful river valleys, with pretty communities

like the market town of Llangollen, sitting on the River Dee.

Its narrow streets are lined with whitewashed buildings

featuring striking dark timbers.

The borderlands between North Wales and England,

known as the Welsh Marches, were fiercely contested

for hundreds of years and contain the highest concentration of

motte-and-bailey castles in the country.

Chirk Castle, a magnificent medieval fortress

completed in 1310, is a particularly fine example.

The jewel in the area's crown is Snowdonia National Park,

with four dramatic mountain ranges, expansive lakes

and fast flowing rivers.

Equally as breathtaking is the North Welsh coast,

where arresting sea cliffs overlook pristine sandy beaches,

such as Barmouth in Cardigan Bay, with its attractive harbour

lying in the shadow of the

Snowdonian Mountains in the distance.

So, with its mix of stunning scenery and historic architecture,

this region is an escapees' paradise,

a place where you really can get away from it all.

Well, this is one of my favourite parts of Wales

and it's long been popular with property hunters too,

not just because it's beautiful but also because of the prices.

Now, the average cost of a detached property here is

currently £170,000,

100 grand less than the national figure.

And even when you compare it to neighbouring Shropshire,

which is also pretty good value for money,

there the same thing could cost you £70,000 more.

So the message is clear,

in North Wales you can get more property for your pounds.

So let's meet today's buyers and find out what's attracted them

to this glorious part of the world.

For the three decades they've been together,

Sally and Alan from Helsby in Cheshire have never had

a house to call their own but that is all about to change.

So for 30 years we've carried on living in, sort of, small spaces and

I feel like we haven't grown up yet

because we haven't actually got a house

and that's going to be great.

-It's exciting because we've never done it.

-No.

We've never, never done it,

we've always lived in one-bedroom apartments.

They may not have ever had the keys to their own house but their jobs as

property managers means they've lived in plenty of other people's.

We've been managing properties for about 15 years.

We sort of do everything as if it's our own property, really,

look after the grounds and the inside and all the plants

and everything and keep it running smoothly.

We've worked in old properties

in the centre of London, in the countryside,

all kinds, really, from a listed building to a modern...

Hi-tech to this place, which is hi-tech and state-of-the-art.

The home they've shared for the past four-and-a-half years is

a self-contained one-bedroom apartment in the £4.75 million house

they manage, sitting on the slopes of Helsby Hill

and it's got Sally's stamp all over it.

Well, it's an interesting mix of very modern and very old.

I do like '60s and '70s collectables, so I spend a bit of time

looking for it and then I like to put them all around the house.

I just love the design, the colours.

I probably haven't grown up, really.

I was up brought up in the '70s

and I continue to live in the '70s, really.

It is a bit like a toy shop, isn't it?

And it's great, we live in it, it's fantastic.

They do love the home they've created but when their employers

decided to put their house on the market three months ago,

it forced Sally and Alan to act on something they've been

thinking about for quite a while,

to use their life savings to buy a country retreat of their very own.

And they've decided the area around the North Wales/English border

is where they want to settle.

What I love about the Welsh Borders is that it just makes me

feel like I'm at home.

It just is so relaxing, it's the archetypal countryside,

you know, it has rolling hills like you would draw as a child,

it's beautiful.

I, as a little girl, lived in a rural area and, I suppose,

those memories are, sort of, pretty potent

and I would like to go back to that way of life, really.

When they leave their jobs they'll have to start afresh and they're

hoping to have more leisure time to pursue the hobbies they love.

Well, in our spare time we like to do a little bit of vegetable gardening,

we do bell-ringing, I like to collect clothes and, sort of, little objects.

I like to be creative, a bit arty, it makes me happy.

I really do like old cars, I like the simplicity of them,

the look of them.

I can maintain them most of the time and, again, they are great fun.

With the knowledge their employer's house could be sold any day

and with cash in the bank, Sally and Alan are ready for an exciting

life change, something very different from what they're used to

after 15 years of living in other people's houses.

We've been so immersed in it for so long, we don't quite know

what the other side of being in our own place will be like, to be honest.

-I can't wait for it, though, to happen.

-Yep.

-It'll be great.

-New phase.

-It's time to do something different.

-It's time to do what we want to do.

-Absolutely, yeah.

Our buyers have asked us to concentrate our search to the east

of North Wales around Denbighshire, Flintshire and Wrexham.

But before we begin our hunt for their first house,

I'm meeting them in North Wales to find out exactly what this

property savvy pair are looking for.

-Sally and Alan, welcome to Wales.

-Thank you.

Life at the moment for you is in Cheshire

but you have lived all over the place.

Why have you decided on North Wales?

I think we might get a little bit more for our money here,

hopefully, in terms of the space and it's beautiful.

What exactly are you looking for in this new property, Alan?

Nice space, nice piece of ground around, not too big

and a workshop for me, especially,

and a studio for Sally.

How many bedrooms are you looking for?

We only need two but if it's got more

we might be able to utilise those as, like, a studio or an office.

Are you after something that's full of traditional character

or something that's a bit more quirky, Alan?

Quirky would work for us but traditional we could turn to quirky.

Now, how much are you hoping to spend on this?

Well, we've got a budget of 300,000 and that is absolute tops, really.

Well, hopefully, you've come to the right place.

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

-to show you and this gorgeous landscape to explore.

-Yeah.

-Shall we get going?

-Yes, let's go.

-Come on then.

Sally and Alan's budget is perfectly healthy for what

they're looking for in this part of the world

and I'm hoping it won't be long before they realise their dream.

They'd be happy with an open-plan home with at least two bedrooms,

plus a studio for Sally to use for her painting.

Outside, they'd love a manageable garden,

ideally that wraps around the house,

and a garage-cum-workshop

for Alan to tinker with their two beloved classic cars.

Having lived in a diverse selection of houses, Sally and Alan

are happy to live somewhere a little out of the ordinary.

We'll be showing them around three contrasting properties

and only after they've taken each one in, will its price be revealed.

The final trip will be to our Mystery House

and today it'll give Sally and Alan a garden bigger than they

could ever imagine but there will be a compromise to take into account.

I'm fascinated by your life as property managers, though, Alan.

But for many people, I think, it might offer an opportunity to

escape to the country in a very different way without having

to go and buy something.

It can, yes, you can live in places

that you could possibly never imagine.

But now is the chance for you to have your own domain.

-Yeah.

-Yeah, something we can call ours, that we can do

exactly what we want.

I don't want to share any more, I just want it all to be mine...

-ours.

-Ours.

-Yeah, so it's quite exciting for us.

To kick off our journey, we're travelling to the

village of Cynwyd in the county of Denbighshire.

It's situated in the Dee Valley in North Wales

and is just under 20 miles from the English border

and just under three miles from the Welsh market town of Corwen.

Corwen sits on the banks of the River Dee beneath

the Berwyn Mountains.

The colourful and attractive town is equipped with all amenities

locals might need and it's also home to a life-sized bronze statue

of Owain Glyndwr, who, in 1400, was the last native Welsh person

to hold the title, "Prince of Wales."

An eight minute drive takes us to Cynwyd and our first property,

this detached cottage topped with

a Welsh slate roof, in a secluded rural location.

-Look behind you.

-Amazing.

-Oh, yeah.

-Brilliant.

-Well, have a look at the house because, obviously,

-that's the main event and, Alan, look at that.

-What?

-Oh!

-HE LAUGHS

-That's... That's...

-I mean, for the classic cars, mate, that's...

-Perfect.

-..ideal.

And behind it, you can't see it from here,

-is a workshop that runs the full width of it...

-Right.

-..as well.

-That's very good.

-You're doing well so far.

-Shall we?

-Yeah, absolutely, yeah.

'This country cottage, with its spectacular outlook,

'is over 200 years old but its decor, although it retains some

'period features, is firmly in the 21st-century.

'The current owners use it as a holiday home

'and, since purchasing it, have refurbished the whole

'house, as well as adding an oak-framed extension

'to the side of it.'

-So look at this, it's lovely.

-Yeah.

-Nice new oak porch.

-Yeah.

It's kind of a boot room, really.

There's nothing in it at the moment but the light's gorgeous.

And then this is the kitchen, what do you reckon?

-It's great.

-Very nice.

Oh, wow, fantastic! I love it, yeah.

-I love the simplicity of it.

-Really nice, yeah.

Ten out of ten for the kitchen.

It's also got quite a useful shower room and loo, etc, through there.

Yeah, because we've got lots of variations of coats and boots

and you just want to leave it all out there, come in,

get warm without actually having to affect the rest of the house.

You know, you can go through and, you know,

-clean and refined and scrubbed up.

-Refined!

Now, I know you're used to spending much of your days fixing

other people's properties but with this one, to be honest,

I don't think there's anything to do.

But if you want cosy, come and have a look at this.

'Just off the kitchen/diner is the living room.'

Oh, that's cosy.

Oh, very nice.

-You're doing well, Jules.

-It's great, isn't it?

-Yeah.

Wood burner roaring away in the background.

Yeah, I could be sitting on the hearth right next to the fire,

burning the bottoms of my socks on the edge of the wood burner,

melting them, I've done that before.

It feels cosy, which is what we all want, but it doesn't feel enclosed

and it doesn't feel cottagey, even though it's got all those elements.

It's really quite interesting, I do like it.

I think you could probably truly escape here, actually,

from what I've seen so far.

How's Alan?

-Yeah, I like it.

-He's almost speechless.

-Almost speechless...

-Not quite.

More so than normal.

Well, you have got this living room but we've also got another one

through here with an additional wood burner.

So, I suppose, they're similarly sized,

this is probably more of a snuggy feel, I guess.

-Yeah, I'm very impressed.

-Good.

'This is such an important move for Sally and Alan

'and I couldn't be happier that our first house tour is going so well.

'I just hope the positive vibes continue as we move upstairs,

'where there are three bedrooms, all with vaulted ceilings and beams.'

-Now, you've got a double here with bed...

-Yeah.

-..a double there without a bed but with storage.

-Yeah.

And then we've picked this one as the master.

I like it because you can get all the way around

and there's still a huge space in front of the bed,

because a lot of bedrooms, all you have is the little space around

and you put a wardrobe in and that's it, it's full, isn't it?

Now, the only downside to up here is that it doesn't have a bathroom,

-that is downstairs.

-Yeah.

However, they have got agreed planning permission to extend

the property that way, over that flat roof to give you,

-what would be, quite an elaborate en suite, if you wanted it.

-Yeah.

I'm sort of stuck for words, really,

I think it's got everything, so far.

-Save a few more words because we need to talk about the price.

-Oh.

-Shish kebab!

-Come outside.

The landscaped gardens are dotted around the property,

which is just what Sally and Alan were hoping for.

There's a kitchen/garden, a slate patio and a sweeping lawn.

-Oh, that lovely view again.

-Oh, it's great.

All part of the package.

And it's set in some really nice mature gardens.

Right then, Alan, I'm going to put you on the spot, mate.

-LAUGHTER

-What?!

You've got £300,000, what is property one on the market for?

Erm, I would think about... 270.

-270, hmm.

-I think it's probably a little bit more,

erm, it might be 285, 289.

You're both wrong!

This WAS on the market at £325,000,

it is now on the market at £295,000.

Right, it's got all the plus points,

I can't think of any negative, really.

We just need to understand the area a bit more

because, obviously, we don't know it that well.

-We don't have to do anything, do we?

-Nope.

And we could have the easy life, feet up on,

you know, on the fireplace.

Well, look, why don't you go and try it out,

-go and put your feet up in front of that fire.

-Yeah.

-Have a look around and I will find you later.

-Yeah.

-Thanks a lot, we'll see you in a bit.

-Off you go.

This characterful Welsh cottage

comes in just £5,000 under

Sally and Alan's budget, not leaving

them much in the way of change but

the house doesn't need a thing doing

to it and is ready to call home.

It's got one more bedroom than

they asked for, which could become Sally's studio,

and offers them the space

they've never had in a home,

with a lovely garden and fabulous views.

Plus outside, there's a carport

for their beloved classic cars

and a workshop.

We could use this for bikes and gardening stuff, Al.

-Yeah, and all the tools.

-And you could have a bench.

-It's just perfect.

-Yep.

It is stunning and it is beautiful,

you couldn't wish for anything better, really, to be honest.

The view is spectacular, the garage is wonderful,

it would be all that I would need

and the workshop is a real bonus

and that would be just perfect for what I want to do.

Well, I'd have to give it ten out of ten, really,

because I can't find anything I don't like about it, really.

So it's happy days, really.

Oh, this is an animated conversation.

-This is ideal, isn't it?

-Brilliant, yes.

I think this has sold it to you on its own, Alan.

-I could buy this on its own.

-And live in it.

-Yes.

Well, we have got two other properties to show you

and, as it's started raining, let's squeeze in some lunch.

-Come on.

-Yeah, let's go.

Classic car fans Sally and Alan are looking forward to

bringing their two classic motors with them when they make their move.

And although the peaks and troughs of the Welsh landscape

may not appear to be driving territory,

the roads that wind through them

are the setting for an annual classic car rally.

It's organised by fellow classic car enthusiasts

Ian Crammond and his wife Wendy.

They founded the rally to bring tourism back to the area

after the foot and mouth disease outbreak 13 years ago

and we've arranged for Sally and Alan to meet them near

Chirk Castle to find out more.

So why did you start the rally?

Because Ian has been keen on cars and rallying all his life,

he had the idea of starting a rally to draw on the roots of

Welsh classic rallying which wasn't happening at the time.

That's right, there's just an enormous heritage for

rallying in Wales, going right back to the '30s.

We wanted to take people back to that rather nice golden age.

The event is called the Three Castles Welsh Classic Trail

and changes its route every year,

taking in not only the spectacular North Welsh scenery,

but also its fabulous historic castles along the way.

The route is kept under wraps until rally day and Ian and Wendy

are going to show Sally and Alan some highlights of previous events.

Ian and Alan are setting off in Ian's 1966 S-Class Mercedes,

while the girls are hitting the road

in Alan and Sally's 1968 Austin A40.

What better way to take in the wonderful Welsh landscape.

So, Wendy, where did your love of Wales come from?

-This is my home.

-Right.

I was born in Bangor and I've loved

the area all my life.

Life is... Life is good in this area

-and it's a very beautiful place to be.

-It is.

We wanted, in fact, to create something...

to try to create something for North Wales that was

a rally of an equivalent status

-to many of the big European events.

-Yeah.

During a rally, the road would have up to 100 classic cars

driving along it at minute intervals.

Are the rally routes any better now than they were or are they tougher?

I think you would find that the roads are the thing that

hasn't changed, the cars using them change but the great high roads

of Wales, for example, have been here for a long time

and we're driving today over roads...

This road is an example which would have been here

and used by rally cars for 50/60 years now.

It's certainly well worth the journey to North Wales

to take part in the rally,

with the route passing beauty spots, such as the medieval castle

at Dinas Bran, peering down on the town of Llangollen, plus the

Pontcysyllte Aqueduct, the largest aqueduct in Britain.

Do you have prizes for, like, the fastest, the slowest, the prettiest?

Yeah, it's not a race as such, so it's not the fastest.

So you have categories for a particular age of car,

that has a particular engine size.

-Right, yeah, so everybody's an equal footing.

-Yeah.

So then you have 1930s cars of a certain engine size,

-then you have 1940s cars, small engine, large engine.

-Yeah.

And so it goes on and so you're trying to put

people into groups where they have a fair chance

of winning a prize.

After taking in such spectacular scenery, the group has

arrived at beautiful Lake Vyrnwy, as the sun is beginning to go down.

-It's gorgeous, isn't it? Especially at this time of the evening.

-Yep.

But it's a fantastic example of the, sort of, reason why

we have the rally in North Wales and what we're able to show people.

-It's a show stopper for the end of the evening.

-It's fantastic.

-All that hard work.

-Yep.

-So will you come and join us next year?

-It'd be nice to have your company.

-I think we'd love to, it would be fantastic.

-Let's see if we can make that happen.

-Yeah.

For our second offering, we're travelling just under 20 miles east

and popping over the border into England, to the hamlet

of Craigllwyn, on the outskirts of Oswestry in Shropshire.

It's under a mile from the Welsh border

and just under two miles from the Shropshire village of Trefonen.

Trefonen, which is Welsh for "Village of the Ash Trees,"

is home to a variety of smart houses, plus a welcoming dining

pub serving ales from its neighbouring brewery,

named after Offa's Dyke,

the nearby trail that follows the border dividing England and Wales.

A five-minute drive takes us to our second property,

this converted stone chapel, topped with a slate roof

and dating back to the 19th century.

Well, no house-hunting in Wales or the Borders is complete, really,

without a chapel, so here's yours.

I do like them.

It was built, as the stone says above the doorway,

in 1868 but it was converted in 2007/2008.

They've done it really nicely, they haven't skimped on materials

and fittings at all.

-It's all powered and heated by a ground-source heat pump.

-Excellent.

-You'll like that, won't you?

-Yeah.

It's got some very good eco-credentials.

-So what you think, Alan?

-I'm interested.

-Let's have a look.

-OK.

'This handsome chapel was actually a Welsh place of worship,

'even though it sits in England.

'The current owner bought it as a shell and converted it

'into a rather unique home.

'The double oak front door takes us into the hallway, where the

'full scale of the conversion can be appreciated.'

-Wow.

-That's a surprise.

-Really?

-Yeah, I don't know what I thought.

I mean, I know it's a chapel

but there's no altar there, so that's OK.

-No, its purpose has changed somewhat.

-Yes!

-It's quite clever this, really...

-Yeah.

-You know, they're all of a sort, these chapels.

-Yeah.

You've got the main living space here, dining area there,

through that door you've got a downstairs shower room

and two of the three bedrooms, which go off of it,

so two of them are downstairs.

And then, of course, you've got this

wraparound mezzanine, which gives you useful study space/studio

-and then through up to the master bedroom.

-Yeah.

Again, it's quite a simple interior which is nice, it's refreshing.

You're spoiling me with these properties.

It was last used as a chapel in the 1960s

and back then the floor downstairs sloped to allow the congregation

to all get a good view of the minister's sermon.

And one level up is the kitchen, once the vestry of the chapel

and it's perpendicular to the rest of the property

and built into the slope of the hillside with access to the garden.

And, like the rest of the home, it benefits from underfloor heating,

so no cumbersome radiators and cost-effective.

It's different, isn't it?

-I need to see the rest of it...

-Yeah.

..to be able to work out the space.

It's not a conventional layout. I suppose that's the thing

-to really get your heads around.

-That doesn't matter to us.

No, it doesn't.

-Let's go and have a look at the rest of it.

-Come on.

Come this way.

'Up a few more stairs is an impressive

'gallery/landing-cum-sitting area

'with a vaulted ceiling leading to the master bedroom.'

A very nice room, yes.

This one also has the addition of a walk-in wardrobe through there,

-which is terrific, but it also has a really nice en suite.

-Ah.

-Have a look, it's behind that door.

-OK.

-Go and have a look.

-Wow!

-There we go.

-That's a big space.

-Wow.

-I wasn't expecting that.

-It's nice, isn't it?

-Yeah.

What was an empty shell has been transformed,

making the most of the available space

and this old chapel seems to have captured Sally and Alan's interest.

The garden is just as important to them as the inside,

so I hope they're pleased with what's on offer here,

a multilevel plot with outstanding views.

Now, the one thing this doesn't have, that property one most

-definitely did have, is that great big garage.

-Yeah.

In terms of space to put one, well, you've got three or four

parking spaces down there off the road,

but because of the nature of this terraced garden,

-the only other option, really, is to put it here.

-Yep.

Well, that's the package.

So you've got £300,000 to spend,

what is our chapel worth, Sally?

272, very specific, I know.

272?! Where did 2 come from? Come on, Alan.

I'd say a little bit lower, maybe 265.

265, I can see where you're coming from because you would want

to add those extra facilities that it doesn't have.

-We need a bit of money.

-However, it is a bit more than that, I'm afraid.

Yeah, I can feel that in the property, yeah.

It's currently on at £299,950.

-So it's all in.

-What can we do for the 50 quid, do you think?

Very nice and we'll have a ponder.

-Go on, off you go, you go and ponder away.

-Yeah.

At just £50 below budget,

this converted 19th-century chapel

may only give Sally and Alan a

few pounds for their kitty

but it's been refurbished to such

a high standard that it's ready

to move straight into.

It's bright and spacious

with an extra bedroom, which could

become a study for Sally and,

although there's currently

no garage or workshop here, there's

plenty of room to add one or both in time.

The outside space is pretty and

manageable and the views from

the property are simply stunning.

From the outside it looked like a typical Welsh chapel in very

good condition, really interesting living area, brilliant bedroom and

storage, very clever use of the space and really well done.

Everything about it just says quality.

It's a different feel altogether,

it's got lots of possibilities.

We just need to give it more thought.

The other one was easy to work out,

it was just ready to go.

So it's in the running, definitely, it's a great space.

Well, it's not been a bad day, I don't think.

What do you think?

-To what?

-A good first day of house-hunting?

Yeah, brilliant, between the showers.

Yeah, well, look, it's getting dark, who's for supper by the river?

-Me.

-Me.

-Come on then, to Llangollen.

It's the second leg of our property jaunt, popping over

the North Wales and English border,

looking for a house for Sally and Alan from Helsby in Cheshire

to finally call home.

They've got a healthy budget of £300,000 to spend on a house

with a twist and a good outside space.

Coming up...

our Mystery House will be unwrapped in all its glory.

We'll take it, come on, let's go.

And I'll be getting wet all in the name of research.

LAUGHTER

No, no, leave me alone.

LAUGHTER

Well, over the years as property managers, Sally and Alan

have worked for some of the wealthiest people in the country

and lived in some of Britain's most beautiful buildings,

so what could we possibly come up with for our Mystery House?

Well, we thought we'd give them a taste of the old days,

a building that's as impressive and as imposing as any they may have

worked in in the past but, of course, it does

come with a twist.

On this occasion, if they like it, well, it could become their home.

For our third and final property we're journeying just under

14 miles north, back into Wales

and the village of Ruabon. It's just under seven miles from the

town centre of Wrexham and is around six miles from the English border.

Ruabon is small village with all the shops

and eateries locals and visitors might need.

There's also the attractive St Mary's Church,

with its statuesque clock tower, dating back to the 14th century.

A four minute drive from the centre of the village takes us

to our Mystery House, part of the Wynnstay Hall Estate.

It was once a private home and then a school before being

converted into separate dwellings.

Now, how about that then, for a Mystery House?

You can have the whole lot for £300,000.

We'll take it, come on, let's go.

If only, if only.

What we've done here is we've found you a chunk of the former

Wynnstay Hall.

Since the '90s, really, the whole thing has been

turned into a series of properties, there are 69 here currently.

In living here you get access to communal grounds and parkland.

-There is a small fee every year...

-Obviously.

..maintenance fee but that means you get the windows painted,

the lawns are cut.

Now, we're not going to try and sell you the whole thing, obviously,

what we've got in mind for you is a very pretty

corner of what was the old stable block.

Very good.

-You should feel quite at home in this kind of setting, I should think.

-We do, yes.

-To get to it, well, it's a little bit of a walk. Come on.

-OK.

'The old stable block is located behind the main house

'and has been converted into over 30 homes.

'This grade II listed mews house is built from sandstone

'and is set out over three levels.

'Sally and Alan might have wanted their own space and land,

'which they don't exactly get here, but this is our Mystery House

'and it is meant to challenge them.

'I hope they'll agree that what is on offer inside

'more than makes up for having to share what's on offer outside.

'We kick off our tour in the sitting room.'

Very nice.

Very straightforward, very simple living space.

It's a mixture, isn't it?

It's old and contemporary and it's quite good,

I do like mixing it up, especially as we've got lots of furniture

from different eras, it's great.

-Yeah, I do like it.

-It's a huge stable block.

You've got three bedrooms above this floor

and they still manage to incorporate this very high ceiling

but it allows the mezzanine to happen as well.

That's clever use of the space, I like that.

'Down one step in this open-plan living room is the kitchen/diner.'

-There, all tucked away.

-Oh, that's a surprise.

But actually, as a working space, it's quite a lot of kitchen area.

Gosh, it's plenty big enough for two of us

and, you know, the few times we entertain, absolutely adequate.

It's all here, they've done quite a clever job in slotting it all in.

It all sort of flows.

'A stairway leads us to the mezzanine level,

'with its glass balcony, giving a bird's-eye view

over the ground floor.

Rather cosy, actually.

There's something of a, sort of, library feel to it.

-A studio.

-A studio?

-Yeah.

-A painting studio?

Yeah, absolutely, no doubt about it.

Here, I mean, I could be quite happy with this bit

and there's enough room for Alan to

just, you know, be pushed right into that far corner.

I can see what's going on here, Alan, you don't

-get all the space, do you?

-No.

Another stairway leads to the top floor.

You really are, sort of, up in the gods with this one up here.

You've got three bedrooms in all, one double there, one double here,

a nice big family bathroom with the bath in it and this is the master.

-Perfect.

-I mean, as a package, is it all, sort of, coming together?

-Yeah.

It's simple... They all are,

-but it's easy to look after, that's what we're looking for, really.

-Yeah?

-And, of course, with this one you've got

-an en-suite. Oh, have we?

Through there, an en-suite shower room.

-There we are.

-Great, yeah.

-Yeah.

'Well, I'm hearing all the right noises inside

'and, as we move to the garden, I hope they continue.

'Sally and Alan will definitely not be short of outside space

'if they move here.'

You have got acres and acres to enjoy here.

'70 to be precise,

'including beautiful gardens, lakes and tennis courts.'

Now, you've both already guessed the price once,

-so who's going to go first this time?

-You are.

OK, a bit over budget, I think, possibly 320.

320 says Alan.

-Me, under budget...

-OK.

..by quite a way, I reckon.

I'm going to keep it at 250.

-250?

-Yeah.

I'm afraid it's on the market

for £210,000.

Yeah, I knew, I could see that coming.

I didn't dare go lower because I thought I might embarrass myself.

I could live with that kind of embarrassment.

-Well, it gives you a lot of money left over on which to live.

-Yep.

Off you go, go and have a wander and figure out what you might do.

Thanks.

Brilliant! Well, it wouldn't be the first time that a buyer's list

of requirements have suddenly changed

when faced with a Mystery House but, as well they might with this one,

it would suit them, I think, beautifully.

This fabulous listed mews house is

a substantial £90,000 under

Sally and Alan's budget.

It may not offer them shelter

for their classic cars,

but the property does come with two

parking spaces and it will

keep them in the manner to which they

have become accustomed.

Here they get a bonus bedroom

plus the living space is open plan

and versatile, which is just what they wanted.

And they'll never tire of enjoying the gardens

which are huge and beautifully kept.

Oh, bulrushes.

Oh, it's all the archetypal plants you might expect to see.

-Oh, it's beautiful.

-Yep.

-Look at the monkey puzzle tree.

-Oh, yep.

I do really like it,

I like the space, which is similar to what we've got now,

so we know we can work in it,

plus we've got extra space which is brilliant.

I'm pleasantly surprised

and it's a place I would never have thought of looking at.

There's a lot of space, even though it's quite compact and small.

It's something we needed to see, a setup like this.

I think this one's quite inspiring,

beautiful house in a beautiful place, beautiful grounds,

connected well to everywhere, it could be ideal for us.

-Well done.

-Well, we're giving you plenty to think about.

Shall we go and settle down somewhere and mull it over?

-Yes, please.

-In the pub?

-Well, maybe, come on.

-Is that food for thought, is it?

-Oh, very good, yes, very good.

Because of its dramatic terrain, Wales has been known

as the spiritual home of extreme sports in the UK for some time.

I've come to try my hand at white-water rafting on the River Dee

in the Dee Valley, which was formed when a glacier melted

at the end of the last ice age.

I'm meeting rafting experts Josh and Ant at Horseshoe Falls,

they're going to show me how it's all done.

Rafting on the river is something that's really taken off

-only in the last few years.

-Yeah. The main section we're going to be rafting today has

kind of started gotten rafting about 18 months ago.

So it's still fairly new to the valley itself.

Now today, I'm going to be in the raft with you, Josh,

-and then you're going to be in the safety kayak.

-Yep.

-Keeping an eye on us, in case any of us go in.

If anybody falls out, I'll be there right next to you, giving you a hand.

What are the chances of me actually going in the water and you having to rescue me?

-It's a 50-50. We'll have to see.

-THEY LAUGH

'We're starting our trip at Horseshoe Falls itself.

'Josh will be sitting at the back of the raft as guide

'and my camera crew have come along for the ride and to make up numbers.

'Ideally, you'd have three or four crew members to manoeuvre the craft.'

OK, right then. 'First, a quick safety briefing and paddling lesson.'

If for some reason one of us leaves the boat involuntarily,

do we remember what to do if you're swimming on your own?

We are going to be in the water, heading downriver with our feet

downriver, protecting ourselves from the rocks with our feet.

Oh, and hopefully, holding on to my paddle, if I haven't lost it!

That's perfect!

OK, right then. 'Now, we're ready to face the rapids.'

And paddle backwards, paddle backwards.

'The rafts are made from very strong rubber or PVC, which makes them pretty sturdy.'

-Beautiful.

-Excellent.

So, we're going to start with our forward strokes.

'The only time the river is out of bounds is after flooding,

'when the water level can rise by as much as eight metres.'

Perfect. Keep it going. All together.

'And I'm glad it's pretty calm today. Well, so far.'

There's a lot more to rafting than you might think. It's not just being along for the ride.

Everybody has to do their bit.

So, we're going to look at dropping over this first kind of weir

-drop here.

-OK.

Ant's going to go first and he'll give us a signal

-and we'll drop straight over as well.

-Brilliant.

So, if we can assume the positions...

Keep it going. Keep it going, and get down, hold on, down you go!

-Make sure you're holding on!

-Whoa!

And back to your seats! Backwards paddle, backwards paddle!

Stop, stop, stop!

'In white-water rafting terms, this is no gentle stretch of water.

'The River Dee here rates as a three, with one being a gentle

'paddle and six, a danger zone and no-go territory.'

-Keep it going, team. All together.

-Wahey!

How about that?

What a way to see this river! I'm loving it!

'The river and banks here are not only a designated

'area of outstanding natural beauty,

'but also a site of special scientific interest.'

Brilliant! Absolutely brilliant!

And here we are now, emerged in this valley of the Dee.

I mean, you see this all day long, but I just love it.

It's a beautiful section and I guess this kind of highlights the nature of our trip here as well.

We're going to have small rapids, followed by kind of like calm pools.

It's interspersed by kind of calm sections, which gives us

time to kind of relax and take in the scenery really.

'Ahead of us is the bridge where

'I started my journey around North Wales.'

We're just going to hang in this little eddy?

That's the one. Keep it going.

And stop there.

A different perspective of the Chain Bridge, I guess.

It really is, isn't it?

Lovely reminder of the area's industrial past.

The bridge built 200 years ago this year by that wonderfully

named Exuperius Pickering.

-Let's leave the bridge and head downriver, shall we?

-Cool.

'The next rapid we're going through

'is the ominously-named Tombstones Rapid,

'our final adrenaline adventure

'before we end our white-knuckle ride.'

Give it some beans! Give it some beans! Give it some beans!

Harder, harder, harder!

And get down, hold on!

LAUGHTER

We're surfing!

LAUGHTER

Oh, yes! That's quite cold, actually!

There we go.

Just absolutely brilliant. Thank you very, very much indeed.

What a way to experience this valley than from the surface

of the Dee itself.

-Thank you so much.

-No problem. You didn't even go for a swim.

I didn't go for a swim. Just about got away with it.

No! Leave me alone!

There we go, he's in.

Well, we have given Alan

and Sally three fantastic options this week,

each of which they have enjoyed and in fairness, taken

at their respective merits, but of course, they can choose only one.

So, what does the future hold for this couple who are finally

looking to settle down in a home of their own?

Well, let's go and ask them.

You came here looking for a new home that you could finally

call your own, after having looked after

so many others for so many different people. What happens next?

-For me, it's the mystery property.

-Really?

I really liked property one, as I think you probably guessed,

cos that was sort of a home almost instantly.

And the final property, the mystery house, that gives us lots of options.

I can't say between the first and the third,

but both of those will need to be closely inspected to see

if there's any real potential in either of them.

I can see it might be more the mystery house than the first property.

The thing is what we've got to do is take a view about what's best in the

future cos we just want to buy one property

and that will be it, so it's got to take us a long way really.

I would have had my money on property one.

-It is my favourite, but it's a joint decision, isn't it?

-Yeah.

-You can't have your own way all your life.

-Well...

-I've tried.

-You've tried!

-Tried and failed! Will you go back and have another look?

-Yes.

-Definitely, yeah.

-That's the things.

Just let us know, keep us informed as to what you do next.

I have enjoyed showing you round. I think they're some really interesting properties.

-Thanks to you.

-Thank you.

-Thanks, Jules.

-Thank you.

Finding a new home for a couple who have had the chance to live

and work in some of the finest that Britain has to offer was

always going to be a little bit of a challenge, but thankfully,

the property market here in North Wales has not disappointed us,

and if anything, I think it's left Alan and Sally spoiled for choice.

I suspect they have much still to discuss.

So, where better to finish up than where we started -

on the banks of the beautiful River Dee.

I'll see you next time.

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