Scottish Borders Escape to the Country

This 15th-century fortification rises 20 metres high,

can be seen for miles around

and inspired one of this country's most admired authors.

Find out where it stands in just a few moments.

On today's show, we're helping new parents

find a family home that comes with business potential...

Wow. It's long.

..but at times it seems what they're really after is wardrobe potential.

-My one concern would be storage cos you have an immense amount of clothes and shoes.

-Yeah.

-Glad you said that.

-Yeah!

Today, we're in the Scottish Borders

and this impressive four-storey building behind me

is called Smailholm Tower,

one of a number of fortified houses built across the region

that also served as lookout towers.

Now, close by, just in the gathering of farm buildings there,

is the childhood home of novelist and poet Sir Walter Scott.

So fond was he of this particular landmark and its commanding views,

that he even included it in some of his work.

And even when he died in 1832,

his funeral procession stopped one last time

to savour these dramatic views.

And I must say, looking around, it's not hard to see why.

The Scottish Borders,

along with neighbouring Dumfries and Galloway,

form the gateway between England and Scotland.

It's one of the largest regions in Britain

and encompasses rolling uplands,

the ruggedly beautiful Berwickshire coastline

and the magnificent River Tweed

where more Atlantic salmon are caught

than in any other British river.

Having been farmed and fought over for centuries,

there are over 15,000 sites and monuments

registered in the Historic Environment Record.

One of those is the evocative 12th-century Jedburgh Abbey,

which, in spite of countless border army raids,

still towers remarkably intact.

The tranquil beauty here is unmarred by densely populated areas,

but it does have a fine share of small and beguiling towns,

including Kelso, which literary icon Walter Scott,

who had family ties here, described as the most beautiful,

if not the most romantic, village in Scotland.

And the region's famous writer is just one of many

who have drawn inspiration

from this intriguing and idyllic part of the country.

The average price of property here in the Scottish Borders

comes in at just over £166,000,

which is around £30,000 more

than neighbouring Dumfries and Galloway,

yet still £50,000 cheaper than Edinburgh,

although Borders locations with good access back into the city

or along the desirable east coast still attract a premium.

But if it's a truly rural existence you're after,

then prepare to be pleasantly surprised

on just how far your money will go.

So, let's meet today's property shoppers

to find out where they want to call home

and to find out how much money they're prepared to pay for it.

For the last year, Damian and Sam

have been living in this three-bedroom house in Penicuik,

10 miles south of Edinburgh.

It's one of the married quarters for the Royal Regiment of Scotland,

where Sandhurst-trained Damian is an operations officer.

From the time the couple met six years ago,

they've lived all over the country

and this is the fourth house they've moved to together.

But since the arrival of daughter Hermione,

they've been hankering for a more settled life in the country.

My job basically means that I have to move

maybe one or even every two years so it's quite transient.

But now, having Hermione, we maybe want a bit more stability for her.

And I think the concern is, you know,

as Hermione gets to school age,

then she'd have to move schools every two years

-and I think that's what we're keen to avoid, really, aren't we?

-Yeah.

The couple's dream of finding a more permanent family home

for Hermione to grow up in does come with a compromise.

During the week, Damian will need to stay at the base for work,

leaving just the weekends to spend with the family.

But with their new rural surroundings,

the time they do have together will be quality time.

We like to get out as a family so I think being in the country,

we'd make a lot of use of the grounds so a lot of walking.

The horse riding that would come with the country

that Sam's very keen on getting Hermione involved in and me.

The amount of opportunities it would give us as a family

to get outdoors and do stuff, the better.

THEY SING SCALE

During the time they've lived in the regiment's married quarters,

Sam has formed close bonds with a special group of women

that she's keen to stay connected to after the move.

I'm a member of the Military Wives Choir

and we meet every Tuesday night for rehearsals, which is...

It's a great social, actually.

It's kind of nice to meet like-minded people

and it's a bit of a jolly, but we do rehearse for specific events,

which is fantastic.

Really, really good fun. So, it's a nice crowd.

It's not just the leisure activities that will be affected by the move.

While a permanent rural base means a weekly commute for Damian,

it does offer Sam, who's currently on maternity leave

from her job as a procurement manager,

new ways of earning that she could do from home.

Being a military wife can actually be quite hard

in terms of managing a career.

So, what would be good would be if we could have a property

that we could run a small business from

and the ideas we kind of originally had would be

could we have a cottage in the grounds

that we could, you know, use as a holiday let

or a stable block that we could run a livery yard from?

It's not set in stone.

I think we're open to kind of the different possibilities.

Although proximity to Damian's work is one of the main motivations

for selecting the Scottish Borders as a place to settle down,

it's part of the country they do have a genuine affection for.

It's the countryside. It's the fresh air.

-It's quite close to the coast as well.

-Yeah.

And we get the best of both worlds of Scotland/England as well

being right on the border and I can't think of a better place to move.

So that it's easy for Damian to get home to the family at weekends,

we're keeping our search within an hour and a half's drive

from the regiment in Penicuik.

I'm meeting up with them to find out some more about their move.

So, here we are in the beautiful Scottish Borders.

Why have you chosen to plant yourselves here specifically, then, Sam?

It's beautiful. We absolutely love it.

You must be quite excited

to be thinking about a more permanent base.

Have you got a picture in your mind's eye

of the sort of home that you'd both love to bring your daughter up in?

I think so. I think we'd both definitely like something quite traditional.

Four to five bedrooms. Somewhere with a bit of land.

You know, definitely with some stables

for potentially a pony for Hermione to grow up with.

-So, what does it look like?

-I think we like Victorian, Edwardian, Georgian kind of styles.

Right.

We definitely don't like kind of that cottagey feel with,

you know, the beams, Damian being quite tall.

-Height's an issue.

-Yeah, that could be...

-Yeah.

-Not so much for me.

BOTH LAUGH

We're in the beautiful countryside. How rural do you want to get?

We're prepared to be rural,

but not to the extent that we're so isolated.

So, it's got to be a good balance of having a small village

-or a small town nearby.

-Close by.

This big move, if you like,

it's obviously, first and foremost, this new family home,

but there's also an idea that you might want to run a business.

Have you got a minimum plot size in mind?

-I think a couple of acres.

-I think a couple of acres would be great.

Anything more would be an absolute bonus.

OK, let's talk budget. How much are you looking to spend on this move?

Our budget at the moment is about £600,000-£650,000.

We've got three fantastic properties lined up for you

so let's not wait any longer.

-Let's go and have a look.

-BOTH: Great.

With a generous budget of £650,000,

Damian and Sam are looking for a period family home

with four to five bedrooms and some kind of business potential,

perhaps in the form of outbuildings or land.

At least two acres would be ideal.

They'd also like a stable

so that Hermione can have a pony.

We've got a great selection of homes to show them

and at the end of each tour,

I'll be getting them to guess the price before I reveal it.

One will be the mystery house,

which could have them rethinking their priorities between home and business.

-You're a rider, aren't you?

-Yeah.

-Are you looking forward to having your own horse or have you got one already?

-I haven't.

-That's something I've always, always wanted.

-Yeah.

-Yeah.

-Something else on the shopping list, Damian.

-Yeah, well, not for me.

My father has actually promised a pony to Hermione,

clearly not quite realising how much that may cost.

Got witnesses.

You've got basically all week at work

and then coming home, "Oh, great.

"I've got to muck out Hermione's stable."

Well, that's where Sam comes in.

-You see, she's very thorough with that kind of thing.

-Oh, are you?

Already, we're allocating mucking out duties. Amazing.

We're starting our search close to the coast in Coldingham,

which is an hour's drive east of Damian's work in Penicuik.

This charming conservation village has a selection of appealing shops

as well as plenty of history.

It grew up around a Benedictine priory

that was destroyed by Oliver Cromwell's army,

some of the ruins of which still remain

on the site of the church that replaced it.

To top it off, the village is situated just inland from Coldingham Sands,

with its beautiful blue flag beach and walking tracks

that link to the spectacular Berwickshire Coastal Path.

Just a mile from the village and a stone's throw from the beach

is our first property.

-What do you think?

-Lovely, yeah.

-It's great from the outside.

It's a nice, peaceful, rural setting,

but with proximity to some people so you don't feel too isolated.

-And the size is great.

-Looks good.

-Great news.

-Let's take a look inside.

-Great.

Built in the 19th century,

the property was originally a farmhouse

and over the last seven years,

the current owners have done a considerable amount of work to it.

-So, in we come.

-Ah. Wow.

-Old and new meeting, isn't it?

-Mm-hm. Yeah. It is nicely done.

It still retains a lot of the period features

and everything like that, which is great.

And I think it's a nice-sized space

and in a lot of respects, the fact that it is quite open,

you know, to have Hermione running round as well

and keep an eye on her, it could potentially work.

Let's stick this side of the house and look at the living room.

-So, quite an elegant room, this.

-Yeah, it's a nice size.

Yeah, and I like all the windows.

-It's really light.

-The windows are great.

Just through that door, you've also got a sunroom or conservatory,

which, I think, you know, come the autumn or spring

-would just be absolutely gorgeous to sit out there.

-Yeah.

It's like, you know, the textbook living room, isn't it,

where you can sit and watch TV?

You've still got your fireplace to make it seem nice and homely.

It's beautiful how it's done, but I think it's not to our taste.

I think we'd...a bit of cosmetic here and there.

I think a bit more traditional is how we'd like it.

-It's cosmetic, isn't it?

-Mm-hm. Yeah.

-See, I find that quite encouraging.

-Yeah.

-Yeah.

Good. All right, kitchen next.

-Just mind your step here.

-OK.

-Got a really handy utility area...

-Fab.

..which means the kitchen is just the kitchen and the dining room.

Oh, wow. This is really nice.

This is a lovely space.

-Windows are great.

-Yeah, this is fantastic.

You both smiled as soon as you came in here.

Yeah, it's a great room. I love it.

It's spacious, but it's homely at the same time, isn't it?

-Yeah. Mm-hm.

-Yeah, nicely done kitchen

and I don't think we'd do too much to that at all.

I don't think we'd do anything to the kitchen. It's beautiful.

Well, I'll take you upstairs to see one of the bedrooms,

-then you can have a scoot round on your own.

-OK.

We're heading back to the entrance hall to use the main staircase,

but there is another set of stairs at the other end of the hall.

It provides independent access

for what is effectively a small wing made up of two en suite bedrooms.

One's on the ground floor and the other is directly above,

but I'll talk about what I've got in mind for that

once we've seen what's upstairs back in the main part of the house.

-So, you've got three bedrooms in this side.

-OK.

-This is one of two potential master bedrooms.

-Right.

This is a nice room.

I like the double aspect. It's nice and light.

Quite high ceilings.

My one concern would be the very boring fact of storage

-cos you have an immense amount of clothes and shoes...

-Yeah.

..as every lady does.

-So, that...

-I'm glad you said that.

-Yeah!

..that would be my one concern at the moment.

It's a good point.

Now, the current owners have decided to make these three bedrooms

two good-sized doubles

and the middle bedroom, they're using as a dressing room.

Oh, OK. That would work.

There's a huge family bathroom in the middle as well.

Now, your guests have the benefit of the guest wing, if you like,

which is that side of the property

and there, you've got two double bedrooms, both en suite.

Fabulous.

-Perfect for maybe paying guests as well.

-Ah, OK.

-Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

-Cos it's kind of separate.

You can just lock the door,

but also gives your guests a bit of privacy.

-Yes.

-Let's go outside because there's loads to see there as well.

-Let me just squeeze past.

-Brilliant.

Beyond the garden, there's a paddock and a large yard

with outbuildings providing a perfect setup

for Sam and Hermione's ponies and inspiration

for that yet-to-be-conceived home business opportunity.

-Look at the size of this yard.

-It's fabulous.

Well, it's all very well and good until you've got to sweep it!

Well, those looseboxes in there are fantastic.

You've got an indoor/outdoor yard, which is, I think,

-what most equestrian lovers have as their dream, isn't it?

-Yeah.

-And then you see the house there obviously behind you?

-Yeah.

That's the boundary. So, all in all, you've got just over 2.5 acres.

-OK, brilliant.

-Oh, wow.

But how much do you think this place is on the market for?

-I think around £635,000.

-All right.

I think it's a little bit more. I think it's about £640,000.

-Well, this is on the market for offers over £625,000.

-OK.

So, depending on where the owner wishes to settle,

-you're both in the ballpark.

-In the right ballpark. Excellent.

-So, basically, you want that one?

-Yes.

It's not about the winning or losing,

from a loser's perspective.

So, look, go back into the house.

Have a look at the guest accommodation

and then come back out and have a look at the outbuildings.

-I'll see you when you've finished.

-OK, will do. Thanks.

-All right, see you in a mo.

Well, as I said, great first reactions,

but what's not to like?

For a couple looking for their first rural home,

this is a great start, isn't it?

£25,000 below Sam and Damian's maximum budget,

this immaculately renovated farmhouse

has that wonderful kitchen/diner they loved so much

and the five bedrooms they're hoping for,

two of which could work well as B&B accommodation.

Outside, there's over 2.5 acres of land

and looseboxes for a couple of ponies for Sam and Hermione.

My first impressions on arrival just from the outside of the property

were that it was very well-kept, very well maintained,

a charming location.

Yeah, it was very positive indeed.

-This is a nice room.

-It is, isn't it?

-Yeah.

You've got a great en suite here.

I could see the potential as a bed and breakfast on a small scale,

but I think the house probably lends itself better to the family home.

When I saw the stables, I thought they were fabulously done.

Really, really lovely. Great storage as well outside.

Inside with regards to decoration and taste,

I think there are a few things we would change,

but on the whole, it's in great condition

and we'd have to do very little to it.

-All done inside?

-Yeah, good to look around.

-Did you enjoy it?

-Yeah, that was great.

-OK, we've got another one to see today so let's go.

-Great.

The gorgeous, open, rolling landscape of the Scottish Borders is intrinsically linked

with a long and fascinating heritage of horse riding.

In medieval times,

the Borders were in turmoil from ongoing wars with England

and raiding, known then as reaving, between rival families.

Good horses and horsemanship were a way to survive those tumultuous times,

which locals commemorate today with festivals held here each summer

known as Common Ridings.

To find out more, keen rider Sam and husband, Damian,

who are considering setting up a livery when they move to the area,

are meeting Steph Robson,

whose family run an equestrian centre near Selkirk.

So, what's involved in the Common Ridings?

It goes back to the times

when a sort of principal man of the town was appointed

to lead a team around the boundaries and check that the town was safe.

And so now we have a sort of principal

or a king of the festival that's chosen by the local community

and they sort of lead the festivities for the week.

There's balls and sports and everything.

-And a good way to meet people in the local area.

-Yeah, exactly.

-Absolutely, yes.

-Fabulous.

So, have you guys done much riding before?

I've ridden once before and the first time wasn't too pretty,

but I'm looking forward to trying it again today.

One of my boyhood heroes was Indiana Jones

so I'm looking to emulate what he does...hopefully.

Steph has spent her whole life around horses

taking part in many of Selkirk's Common Ridings

and at her very first in 1986, she was the youngest rider there

led by her dad who himself is a world-class Olympic equestrian.

So, one of the ideas we had for our move to the country

would be to buy a property with some stables

and potentially run a livery yard.

-Do you think there'd be a market for that in the Borders?

-Yeah, absolutely.

I know lots of people that keep their horses at livery

and there's people who have DIY liveries

where you're literally just offering a stable and storage

and field access

right up to full liveries

where you would be involved in sort of all of the care of the horse

and the client might just come in to ride.

As well as establishing what level of service to offer,

it's worthwhile looking for a location

where there are existing equine-related businesses,

like saddleries and farriers,

because this will help attract clients.

-Out into the hills.

-Are you OK, Sam?

-Yeah.

What better way for Damian and Sam to get more acquainted

with the area they're thinking of moving to

than to take it in on horseback?

-Pull on your right rein. That's it. Go on. Give it a tug.

-Walk on.

-So, how are you feeling, Damian? OK?

-Yeah, feels good.

Not quite Indiana Jones yet! There's time.

With an abundance of perfect riding terrain like this,

it's unsurprising the Borders are known as horse country

and it's thought there are more horses per head here

than anywhere else in Scotland.

So, we're just heading up

to the Ordnance Survey trig point at the top of the hill.

Much of the landscape here bears a rich history,

including Ruberslaw Hill,

which was once the site of a Roman signal station.

-Nicely done. And whoa!

-Whoa!

-You can see the Cheviot Hills.

-Yeah.

Those go right along the Anglo-Scottish border.

And then just behind us, you can see the peaks of the Eildons.

-It's beautiful.

-Yeah, that's awesome.

-This is beautiful.

-This is why I want to live here, really.

You want to live here. That'll do.

-Let's go.

-Walk on.

It seems their riding experience has only reinforced their decision

to move to this beautiful part of the world.

Time, then, to return to our quest of finding them a home here.

Travelling 20 miles inland,

the next stop on our search is the village of Leitholm,

just over an hour's drive from Damian's job

with the Royal Regiment of Scotland in Penicuik.

A handy nearby town is Coldstream,

attractively situated on a stretch of the River Tweed

that forms a natural border between Scotland and England.

During the 18th and 19th century, it was infamous as a centre

for runaway marriages rivalling Gretna Green.

And there's another aspect to the town's history

that has particular relevance to our couple

so I'm taking them on a brief diversion

before we reveal our next house.

Well, this is the border.

Now, I thought for you especially, Damian,

Coldstream is probably what the name suggests.

It's apparently where the Coldstream Guards were originated.

Do you have much rivalry between...?

There was a lot of rivalry between battalions.

There's a wry smile going on here!

But no, they're part of the Guards Division.

We're a slightly different part of the army.

You asked us to look for properties for you in the Borders area

and it doesn't get much more Borders than the border itself,

-but it's just beautiful here, isn't it?

-It's gorgeous.

Now, Coldstream, as a town, will be your local town,

so any rivalries you do have, you'll have to get over it.

You'll be buying your bottle of milk here, OK?

Less than a 10-minute drive away

from those milk purchases is our second house

and it's Georgian - one of Sam and Damian's preferred styles.

So, we thought what better for a horsey lover

than to show them some converted stables?

It's different-looking. It's not like anything I've seen before, actually.

-It's a funny-looking building.

-It is.

-But it's not unattractive, is it?

-No.

Once again, I don't think you'd feel too isolated here.

-No, I don't think so.

-No.

-No.

-Let's go inside.

-OK.

Before the current owners fully renovated the property in 1995,

the place was pretty much a wreck.

Part of the work they did involved linking

what were once two separate stable blocks

to create one 6,500 square foot home.

That's almost twice the size of the first house we showed them.

Okey-doke.

Now, I think you'll need your imagination with this house

because this is the new part of the building

-to connect either side of the stables.

-OK.

We would probably change a bit of the decor, I think.

Just to put our own mark on it.

Yeah, it's a reception room

and I think it probably could be decorated and set out as such.

-Yeah, OK.

-All right, great.

-Let's go into a more original part, which is just through here.

-Great.

So, everything in this house gives you loads of space.

It's a great dining room.

You could get a really nice atmosphere in here

with a few people sitting at that table.

Now, any room, in my book, that easily houses a dining room

with seating for 12 is a decent size.

This is probably like an officers' mess, isn't it?

Yeah, it is, actually.

It's got very much that feel and that's not a bad thing at all.

There's room to have maybe your breakfast in the kitchen next door.

-Good-sized kitchen.

-It is. It's not a bad size at all

and it's good that you can fit a family table in here.

You're talking about being quite open-minded

-as to what business you might want to operate.

-Mm-hm.

Now, this house is 6,500 square foot

-so we're thinking this is probably more hospitality-based, OK?

-OK.

-B&B.

Now, one of the benefits there is the fact that you've got

a good-sized kitchen and a door to shut.

You don't want diners seeing you cook the breakfast and what have you.

So, they're sitting in there having their fruit juice and cereal

while you're in here panicking about the bacon and the poached eggs.

Yeah, OK.

-Let's look in the sitting room.

-Right.

Righty-ho. So, another decent-sized reception room.

Yeah, it is a big room. It's a nice, big room.

Nice dual aspect. I think, for me,

I'm not really getting that feeling that I need to commit.

You know, as we approached the house from the outside,

you know, you could see this really nice Georgian stonework

and for me, I don't think that kind of comes through on the inside

and I think that's more what we're looking for.

-It's not produced that sort of whoa, it feels like a home for us.

-Yeah.

OK, let's go and take a look

at some of the bedroom accommodation just through here.

Leaving one of the two original stable blocks,

we pass back via the central reception room

that links through to the second block

where all the bedrooms can be found.

Now, I think this corridor just gives you a great illustration

of how much accommodation you've got here.

Wow. It's long.

On the ground floor, there are four bedrooms.

Three are generous doubles, all with en suites,

and one is a large master suite with its own dressing room.

Upstairs, at either end of this long wing,

are two further bedrooms.

One was once the old hayloft

and the other was the groom's quarters,

which is where we're heading now.

So, what do we make of this one, then?

Nice, big size. I think it's nice to have that feel

where you come upstairs to the bedroom as well.

-You just feel a little bit more separated, don't you?

-Yeah.

So, six en suite letting bedrooms, you're open for business.

You wouldn't need to do anything to the bedrooms and bathrooms downstairs.

They're all pretty much done, ready to go.

You can see the potential in the place, definitely.

-I mean, you said you might be interested in doing some sort of equine B&B.

-Yeah.

For an equine B&B,

you're going to need some space for the horses, aren't you?

-Yes.

-You've got that in bundles. Follow me.

-Excellent.

I think Damian and Sam can see the business potential here,

but the property seemed to be lacking the X factor for them.

Perhaps their imagination will be sparked by what's on offer outside,

where there's plenty of space and a range of good-sized outbuildings,

some of which could convert rather nicely into stables.

Now, let's talk land.

-You get quite a bit of it.

-OK.

-13.5 acres.

-13.5?

-Yeah.

-Wow.

Gosh. That's a sizeable plot.

-That would be enough for a few horses, wouldn't it?

-I think so.

-A few yurts, even.

-Yeah.

-The land is lovely, isn't it?

-It is. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

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

I think it's difficult to say.

Given how big the house is and also the enormous amount of land,

-I'm going to say £615,000.

-£615,000? OK.

I'll be slightly more conservative and say offers over £600,000.

Well, this one has been given a guide price

and that is offers around £650,000.

-OK.

-OK.

I think we were kind of keeping a little bit back in the hope...

Well, cos we would like to do some work to it.

Why don't you go back into the house, have a good look around -

it's the last thing we're going to look at today -

and I'll meet you whenever you're done.

-Great.

-See you in a mo.

Well, I can see which way this is going

and what we've learnt here that first and foremost,

whatever they buy up here in the Borders,

it needs to be a home first that gives them that special feeling.

Matching Sam and Damian's maximum budget of £650,000,

this grand scale Georgian stable conversion

would make an excellent equine B&B

with six en suite bedrooms, a large separate dining area

and plenty of space outside for the guests' horses.

With more than 13 acres of land, it would also lend itself well

to the livery business they're considering.

The land outside of the property was phenomenal.

Way in excess of what we expected.

We could maybe do a DIY livery with a little bit of work to the stables.

This is probably what we would try and turn into stables.

Yeah, I think so. It's almost there, isn't it?

It wouldn't take much conversion at all.

It's got so many, so many positives, but in terms of the feeling,

I just didn't get that forever home feeling

for myself and my family.

-All done inside?

-Yeah.

-I thought you'd got lost, actually.

-Did you see the stables?

-Yeah.

-Good.

All right, now, that's all we're going to do today

-so let's go back.

-Great.

It's the second day of our house hunt in the Scottish Borders

and with a budget of £650,000,

Damian and Sam are hoping to leave army married quarters

in Penicuik near Edinburgh

to find a family home their daughter Hermione can grow up in.

Still to come, our couple's powers of observation

are put to the test by the mystery house...

Just noticed there's a barn behind us.

Oh, you noticed that, did you? Yeah.

..and I meet some prickly characters

at a pioneering marine research station.

Ooh, you can feel its spikes, can't you?

-Yes. Yeah, they're very spiky.

-It's amazing.

Well, I think it's fair to say

that house number one came out on top for Damian and Sam.

It seemed to have the right package for them,

certainly in terms of style internally

and the property itself.

But today's mystery house,

well, we're able to take a slightly oblique view

of their search criteria.

So far, we haven't really discussed the fact

that Damian is going to be away for potentially long periods of time

and we thought it would be a great idea

to find Sam the best community possible

for her not only to get immersed in,

but also good nurseries and local schools for Hermione.

She gets that with this property, but unfortunately, of course,

it comes with a couple of compromises

and they are a lack of land and a lack of business potential.

Travelling six miles north, we reach the hamlet of Fogo,

an hour from the army base in Penicuik

and the final stop on our search.

The nearest town a 10-minute drive north is Duns,

which centres on its appealing Market Square.

There are plenty of shops here

as well as nurseries and schooling options for Hermione.

The town is also thought to be the birthplace of John Duns Scotus,

one of the most important philosophers of the Late Middle Ages

who earned the epithet 'subtle doctor'

because of the penetrating yet refined nature of his thought.

And some deep thinking might be required of Damian and Sam

when they view our mystery property,

a converted coach house five miles from the town.

-So, pretty house.

-Yeah, it looks good.

Clean, tidy, traditional at the same time, which is good.

-Good combination.

-I've noticed there's a barn behind us.

Oh, you noticed that, did you? Yeah, massive old Dutch barn.

-That is included.

-OK.

-Oh, right.

I don't know what you'd use that for.

-I mean...any ideas?

-Massive gym.

THEY LAUGH

-Let's go inside.

-Great.

This stone coach house was first converted in the 1970s

and it's been extensively refurbished and extended

over the years since then.

Now, I'm hoping you're going to like this -

-the kitchen/dining area.

-Oh, wow.

This is a nice space. Very sociable.

-It feels quite homely to me as well, actually.

-Yeah.

I'm glad you said that. That's exactly why we brought you here -

cos it felt like a home, a family home.

-It definitely does.

-This has a more rustic, farmhousey feel.

-Obviously, you've got the range there.

-Love that. That's great.

In the summer, this house faces the south

so you get loads of light pouring in

and you can spill out onto the garden,

-which I think is a lovely feature.

-Yeah, yeah.

The other side of that range,

you've got the secondary kitchen, which works as a utility.

-Good start?

-Definitely. Yeah, yeah.

-It is. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

-Let me take you into the living room.

-OK.

-Hoping you're going to like this.

-Wow. Love it.

I love this living room. It's a great size. It's fab.

Love these windows. It's really light.

This is quite sociable as well - the fact that it really works.

It's big enough to carry the table and the sitting area separately.

Absolutely. Yeah, that would be fantastic.

It would be great for entertaining.

Plus, you're so close to the kitchen as well. Yeah, it's great.

All right, good stuff. I'm chuffed that you like this space.

Let me take you upstairs to show you the master bedroom.

As well as the living room, which has gone down so well,

there's a cosy sitting room that comes off the central entrance hall.

Upstairs, there's a spacious family bathroom

and four bedrooms with built-in storage

and plenty of windows which flood them with light.

-One of those is the master suite.

-This is lovely.

Great light, isn't it? I love these windows.

The light's coming streaming in, which is great.

You've got a great-sized en suite, bath and a separate shower

and then through there,

you've got a room that's the size of a double bedroom

but just laid out as a dressing room.

Fabulous.

ALL LAUGH

-Yes, we're cooking now, aren't we?

-I think so.

There's no B&B here, unless you want someone living in your house.

-This is, first and foremost, a home for you guys.

-OK.

-OK.

-Which is where we said our priorities were.

-Yeah, exactly.

-This is what we don't really want to compromise on so...

-Yeah.

-Yeah, that suits, really.

-Mm-hm.

So, why do you think you're reacting as you are doing

to this house more so than the first house?

I think it's just got that feeling.

The feeling that you can't really put your finger on it,

but it just feels warm and you're getting these fuzzy vibes.

For me, it's the combination of being cosy,

which makes it homely, but still got bags of space.

Let's go outside and talk about

what comes with the property and the price.

Let me just squeeze through there.

The mystery house really seems to have the look

and more importantly, the feel

they were hoping for in a family home.

The only catch is that it doesn't come with a load of land.

There's around three-quarters of an acre,

which includes patio areas, raised veggie garden beds,

a double garage, that massive Dutch barn

and a wonderful lawned area with fantastic rural views.

Looks pretty, doesn't it?

-It is very pretty, yeah.

-It is.

-Gorgeous.

-What you don't have is land.

-OK.

-All right?

-Yeah.

-So, no scope for ponies?

-No.

-OK.

-And it is a perfect family home, isn't it?

-It is.

-It would be ideal.

-I really like it.

-Even without the land?

I think that's a decision we'd have to make, wouldn't it?

You know, is the house strong enough

for us to then compromise on the land that we originally wanted?

-Yeah.

-All right.

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

Because there isn't much land,

-although the house is nicely done, I'm going to go £575,000.

-OK.

Yeah, I think I'll go guide price - £600,000.

Well, the guide price for this house is £575,000.

-Well done.

-Oh, wow. Wow.

-Clean sweep.

-Yeah.

You've got chains to consider maybe a land option

nearby at a later date.

-Yeah.

-Bit drizzly. Go back inside for now.

Have a look around all the other bedrooms

and obviously, you want to get in that barn, don't you, have a look at it?

All right, I'll catch you whenever you're finished.

-OK, thanks.

-See you in a bit.

Well, looks like the gamble may well have paid off.

This is very much a home that they can both see themselves in.

It's unfortunate it hasn't got the land,

but that's also reflected in the price.

Below Sam and Damian's budget by a substantial £75,000,

this attractive converted coach house has four bedrooms,

the homely, traditional-style kitchen they're after

and that very generous living room -

perfect for entertaining visiting family and friends.

There isn't enough land for yurts or a livery,

but there is that very large barn.

-Oh, gosh. This is huge.

-It's a massive space, isn't it?

-Yeah.

I think possibly we could knock it down and extend...

-The land.

-..the land opportunity,

which is probably what we'd consider more strongly than having a gym.

Yes, I think so.

It's a really, really nice, warm, friendly, sociable family house.

I think the flow is really nice.

I can already see Sam and Hermione being here

when I'm away during the week as well.

I think they'd be secure here, not isolated

and the surroundings are just beautiful as well.

So, has the mystery house set the cat amongst the pigeons?

-It certainly has, yeah.

-Well, that's good, then.

It's given you something to think about and compare to the first house.

-Yeah, definitely.

-Yeah.

I think we should find you guys somewhere to sit down

and have a bit of a chat and we'll talk it through later.

-Yeah, great.

-OK.

Along the Scottish Borders' craggy and dramatic Berwickshire coastline,

cold Arctic currents merge with warmer currents from the south,

helping to create a uniquely rich marine biodiversity.

And two years ago, in the serene fishing village of St Abbs,

a charity-run marine station was set up

to carry out research in the waters here

with the aim of enhancing the marine environment

and furthering scientific understanding of the sea.

Dr Keith Todd, who helped spearhead the organisation,

is here at the St Abbs Harbour collecting plankton research samples

and I'm here to join him.

What are we looking for? What's in this plankton, then?

We might find fish eggs, fish larvae, little things called arrowworms,

lots of things that form the basis of the food chain.

First thing I'm noticing - this water looks incredibly clean.

It is. The water quality around St Abbs is very good.

Even after it's been rough and in the summertime,

-there's some of the best clarity for diving in the country.

-Wow. OK.

So, we'll take these back, put them in the bucket.

The marine station, which was once an old fisherman's cottage,

is equipped with a lab where samples are examined

to help monitor the health of the local marine environment,

but also to find clues as to how vulnerable species can be supported.

This is a live view of the plankton samples that we've just taken.

So, what can we tell by studying this environment, then?

We can select certain species

that are important as a food source for other species

and culture them up en masse

and then use them to feed some of the animals

that we're trying to work with.

We're looking to be able to breed the spiny lobster or crawfish.

Which is this fellow here?

The numbers are in decline so we're hoping to come up with techniques

to rear them in captivity

and one of the things that we need to do is find the correct plankton,

the correct species of plankton, that they will feed on.

If you can find out the right food, maybe that we're viewing here,

-then, further down the line, we might see more of these?

-Right.

We've got to go out and go shopping for the right baby food for the crawfish.

The spiny lobster was once plentiful along the west coast of Scotland,

but since the 1970s, numbers have steadily decreased

and they've now been identified as a threatened species.

The reason for the decline is unclear,

but it's thought tangle net fishing practices

could be partly responsible

because their spiky bodies are easily caught up in the mesh.

What is the difference between these lobsters here

and the lobsters that generally we might find, well, on our plate?

Sure. Common lobster has a big set of claws that we're all familiar with.

These guys don't have that.

So, actually, they're not as aggressive to each other.

They tend to live socially in the wild

so you'll find numbers of them together,

whereas the common lobsters would be individual, under one rock

and defend that rock quite heavily

and that's why these ones are actually more difficult to rear.

Through research carried out here at the marine station,

they're hoping to develop ways of rearing spiny lobsters

and other at-risk species in significant numbers

so they can be released into the wild

to boost struggling populations.

Now, all of these look quite active, actually,

apart from this fellow here.

Is he recently deceased or...?

No, he's not deceased. That's an old cast skin.

-So, that's not actually a lobster?

-That's its old skin, yeah.

-Can I have a look at it?

-Yeah, certainly.

They can't grow like a normal fish. They have to shed their old skin.

This gap here, this is where the lobster has split the shell

and the actual animal has come out.

So, how often would it cast its skin?

When they're very small, several times a year.

As they grow, they cast fewer and fewer times.

-Can I have a closer look?

-Of course.

You can feel its spikes, can't you?

Yes. Yeah, they're very spiky.

-It looks totally intact. It's amazing.

-Yeah.

Well, I wish you the very best of luck.

-I hope you find their favourite food very soon.

-Yes, so do I.

Thank you very much, Keith. It's been fascinating.

-I wish you the best of luck.

-No problem. Thank you. Thanks.

-Bye-bye.

-Bye.

Well, with property number one

and the mystery house both getting great reactions,

I don't think it's going to be a particularly easy decision

for Sam or Damian to make.

Time to catch up with them and find out their thoughts.

Now, in my mind, I think we can forget about the second property.

It wasn't to your taste.

It seems to me like it's a toss-up

between the first house we saw and the mystery house.

-Am I right?

-I think you're right.

I think with a kind of sway

possibly towards the mystery house, if I'm honest.

-Would you?

-Yeah.

-Both of you?

-I think so.

The main reason for that is that the house felt more of a home

and that's become our priority.

It just had that extra family feel

-that, you know, is difficult to replicate.

-Yeah.

I think the only downside with the third property

was the fact that it didn't have the stables

and it's the old kind of cliche, isn't it?

If you could take part of house one and add it to the mystery house,

I think we would pretty much have our perfect home.

Second viewing?

-Potentially. I think so.

-Yeah.

I would think we need a proper discussion first

-just to make sure that we've got our priorities correct.

-Yeah.

I think that's the other thing.

It can be quite confusing cos you think you go in with a set of,

"This is what we want" and then as the search kind of grows,

your priorities become re-evaluated, almost.

I kind of, at the end of the mystery house, I was like,

"Ooh, I'm a bit confused as to what I think I want as well, almost."

Just to play devil's advocate, if we hadn't shown you the mystery house,

would you be going back to the first property for a second viewing?

-I think probably. Probably, yes.

-I think yes.

-Yeah.

Well, if you go back to the mystery house for a second viewing, you should go back to the first one.

Well, look, it's a very interesting journey

we've all come along together.

Maybe we may have found the property.

If not, we're certainly a lot closer to finding it in the future.

-Definitely, yeah.

-Yeah, absolutely.

Well, I wish you both the best of luck

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

-Will do.

-Will do.

-Thank you.

-Thank you.

Well, it can often be confusing for housebuyers

when they're looking to make their very first escape to the country

and then they try and bolt on extra aspects to their search,

which, in Damian and Sam's case,

was this enterprise or business side of things.

So, I'm really happy they've decided to focus

on what's really important to them, which, of course, is the family home

and potentially, at least, some land.

And, in focusing themselves,

they've managed to find the mystery property really does rather suit them.

They reacted so well to it and if, on second viewing,

they decide that they really must have a couple of acres of land,

then I hope they heed my advice and reconsider the first property.

It certainly has everything they said they're after on paper.

I'm looking forward to finding out what they decide to do next

and I'm sure, just like me, you wish them both the very best of luck.

See you next time.

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