0:00:02 > 0:00:03Welcome to Escape To The Country.
0:00:03 > 0:00:06This pretty parish church, founded in the 11th century,
0:00:06 > 0:00:10is one of two sites where a young Tudor prince was laid to rest.
0:00:10 > 0:00:12But who was he and where are we?
0:00:12 > 0:00:14Well, join me in just a moment and I'll tell you.
0:00:31 > 0:00:33Today's couple have spent the past few years
0:00:33 > 0:00:36dreaming of a complete lifestyle change in the country,
0:00:36 > 0:00:41so it's all hands on deck trying to find them their perfect place.
0:00:41 > 0:00:43This has sort of blown me away, somewhat.
0:00:43 > 0:00:46I didn't think we could get this sort of thing on our budget.
0:00:46 > 0:00:49And we go all out in a bid to give them what they want.
0:00:49 > 0:00:53- Not too shabby, is it, really? - It's not too shabby, Jules, no!
0:00:58 > 0:01:00Well, today, we are in Shropshire
0:01:00 > 0:01:04and this is the parish church of St Laurence in lovely Ludlow,
0:01:04 > 0:01:09one of two resting places of Prince Arthur, Henry VII's eldest son.
0:01:09 > 0:01:12Now, aged just 15, Arthur came to live in Ludlow Castle
0:01:12 > 0:01:16with his new wife, Catherine of Aragon, but just six months later,
0:01:16 > 0:01:19he tragically died, paving the way for his brother, Henry VIII,
0:01:19 > 0:01:22to ascend to the throne and marry his widow,
0:01:22 > 0:01:25the first of Henry's notorious six wives.
0:01:25 > 0:01:29Now, as for Arthur himself - his body was buried in Worcester,
0:01:29 > 0:01:33but his heart was interred in a casket beneath the church itself,
0:01:33 > 0:01:35giving Ludlow and this glorious county
0:01:35 > 0:01:37a long-lasting royal connection.
0:01:40 > 0:01:42Home to some 300,000 inhabitants,
0:01:42 > 0:01:46the county of Shropshire is part of the West Midlands region,
0:01:46 > 0:01:48with Worcestershire to the southeast
0:01:48 > 0:01:51and the border with Wales to the west.
0:01:51 > 0:01:56Shropshire covers some 1,300 square miles of rich and rugged countryside
0:01:56 > 0:02:01and flowing through the county is England's longest river, the Severn.
0:02:01 > 0:02:04Its most iconic crossing point is Thomas Telford's bridge,
0:02:04 > 0:02:07constructed in 1779,
0:02:07 > 0:02:10and the first of its kind to be built from cast iron.
0:02:10 > 0:02:14It arcs across the river at the town which took its name, Ironbridge,
0:02:14 > 0:02:17and was granted World Heritage status in the mid-1980s
0:02:17 > 0:02:21because of its pivotal role in Britain's Industrial Revolution.
0:02:21 > 0:02:25Travel further south and you'll traverse the Shropshire Hills,
0:02:25 > 0:02:27a mass of sprawling peaks and valleys
0:02:27 > 0:02:30that cover a quarter of the county.
0:02:30 > 0:02:33Scattered across this area of outstanding natural beauty
0:02:33 > 0:02:37are examples of diverse geology, such as the Stiperstones,
0:02:37 > 0:02:42a wild ridge of quartzite that was formed around 500 million years ago.
0:02:43 > 0:02:47Shropshire is also home to the medieval market town of Ludlow,
0:02:47 > 0:02:49that began life in the 11th century.
0:02:49 > 0:02:52Here, you'll find almost 500 listed buildings
0:02:52 > 0:02:54and a dazzling mix of architecture,
0:02:54 > 0:02:57including examples of Norman and Tudor design.
0:02:57 > 0:03:00It's a county that doesn't disappoint
0:03:00 > 0:03:03and it's an enticing area for those looking to swap a suburban existence
0:03:03 > 0:03:06for an exciting adventure in the country.
0:03:11 > 0:03:14So, just how deep do you think your pockets have to be
0:03:14 > 0:03:17if you want to afford a slice of Shropshire life?
0:03:17 > 0:03:20Well, the good news is, not that deep.
0:03:20 > 0:03:25The average price of a detached property here is currently £247,000
0:03:25 > 0:03:28and whilst, yes, it is nearly a quarter of a million,
0:03:28 > 0:03:32it is, nonetheless, £35,000 below the national figure.
0:03:32 > 0:03:35And, with one of the lowest population densities
0:03:35 > 0:03:39anywhere in the UK, there is plenty of space for everyone to enjoy.
0:03:39 > 0:03:42So, let's meet today's buyers and find out what's attracted them
0:03:42 > 0:03:44to this beautiful part of the country.
0:03:45 > 0:03:49Lisa, a marketing consultant, and James, a web developer,
0:03:49 > 0:03:51have been married for two years.
0:03:51 > 0:03:54They met through mutual friends who live in Ludlow.
0:03:54 > 0:03:56I'm on a camping trip with the same set of friends
0:03:56 > 0:03:59and I was putting my tent up and out the corner of my eye,
0:03:59 > 0:04:01I thought, "That is a very nice-looking man over there.
0:04:01 > 0:04:03"I'm going to bounce across and say hello."
0:04:03 > 0:04:06I thought he was Colin Firth out of Pride And Prejudice and I was gone.
0:04:06 > 0:04:09- And that was it. - We're very, very different people,
0:04:09 > 0:04:14but we mesh, which means that, together, we come to a consensus
0:04:14 > 0:04:17- and we work as a team very well. - We're a good team, aren't we? Yeah.
0:04:17 > 0:04:20They're based in the commuter town of Guildford in Surrey,
0:04:20 > 0:04:22but after recently being gifted money from family,
0:04:22 > 0:04:26they plan to relocate and live mortgage-free in Shropshire.
0:04:26 > 0:04:31We want to expand ourselves and we want to change the way we live.
0:04:31 > 0:04:33Living in suburbia doesn't really suit us very well.
0:04:33 > 0:04:36Both of us have come to that realisation,
0:04:36 > 0:04:39so moving to the countryside gives us the opportunity to do that.
0:04:39 > 0:04:42They're passionate about their pastimes.
0:04:42 > 0:04:46James loves motorbikes and Lisa practises yoga and meditation.
0:04:46 > 0:04:49They'd like a property with enough land to create a campsite
0:04:49 > 0:04:51offering yurts - a glamping experience
0:04:51 > 0:04:54where paying guests can enjoy the outdoors in more comfort.
0:04:54 > 0:04:58But that's not the only reason they're making this move.
0:04:58 > 0:05:00The other half of the, sort of, lifetime plan
0:05:00 > 0:05:05is to give back to the community and we're hoping that,
0:05:05 > 0:05:09if we have the right house, we can put in for fostering.
0:05:09 > 0:05:11Yeah, we can become foster parents.
0:05:11 > 0:05:14And look after some kids that haven't been so lucky as us.
0:05:14 > 0:05:17Our couple started the fostering process in Guildford,
0:05:17 > 0:05:20but soon realised their rented home was not going to be big enough.
0:05:20 > 0:05:23They looked into buying a bigger property,
0:05:23 > 0:05:24but the prices were unaffordable
0:05:24 > 0:05:26and they decided it was time for a change.
0:05:26 > 0:05:28I really want to create a space
0:05:28 > 0:05:31where a child will be able to pull up in the back of the car
0:05:31 > 0:05:35and look outside and think, "Wow, this looks OK. I quite like this."
0:05:35 > 0:05:38They clearly want a lot from their new home
0:05:38 > 0:05:40and there's a lot riding on it.
0:05:40 > 0:05:43It's really difficult, sometimes, to talk about it
0:05:43 > 0:05:47because it's this dream come true and it is overwhelming.
0:05:47 > 0:05:50It's overwhelming in a really beautiful way.
0:05:55 > 0:05:58Our buyers would like to be within a half-hour drive
0:05:58 > 0:06:00of historic Ludlow, where close friends live,
0:06:00 > 0:06:03but rural enough for the lifestyle they have in mind.
0:06:03 > 0:06:05Before we begin viewing properties,
0:06:05 > 0:06:08I'm meeting up with James and Lisa in the county,
0:06:08 > 0:06:11to get a better understanding of what it is they're looking for.
0:06:11 > 0:06:15- Lisa, James, welcome to Shropshire. - Thank you.- Thank you.
0:06:15 > 0:06:17- This is all very exciting, isn't it?- Yes.
0:06:17 > 0:06:21Now, you've brought to this search a big list of wants.
0:06:21 > 0:06:23You're rubbing your hands together.
0:06:23 > 0:06:27We really need to get to the bottom of what you're trying to achieve,
0:06:27 > 0:06:30so just talk us through your ambitions,
0:06:30 > 0:06:32because I think "ambition" is the word that really underwrites
0:06:32 > 0:06:34what you're trying to do.
0:06:34 > 0:06:37What we really want to do is change the way we live our lives.
0:06:37 > 0:06:41We're coming to the countryside to have this wonderful life
0:06:41 > 0:06:43and to fill it with foster children
0:06:43 > 0:06:46and create a really nice, wonderful space for them to be
0:06:46 > 0:06:47and for them to grow.
0:06:47 > 0:06:51- But you've also got some additional ideas, haven't you?- We're hoping...
0:06:51 > 0:06:53- One or two! - Come on, James, tell me.
0:06:53 > 0:06:56We're hoping to get a little more income in,
0:06:56 > 0:07:00through doing holiday let business, camping to begin with,
0:07:00 > 0:07:03so we're hoping for a bit of land, maybe outbuildings,
0:07:03 > 0:07:05that we can convert, that sort of thing.
0:07:05 > 0:07:08We've considered yurts as well, because they're flexible structures.
0:07:08 > 0:07:11I know you're very keen on having a workshop in which to tinker.
0:07:11 > 0:07:12- Yes, definitely.- Just a little bit.
0:07:12 > 0:07:15And what are you going to do in this workshop?
0:07:15 > 0:07:17My father rebuilds old British motorcycles.
0:07:17 > 0:07:19I want to carry on that tradition from him.
0:07:19 > 0:07:22I also want to be able to look after the holiday let,
0:07:22 > 0:07:25look after the kids, build things for them, that sort of stuff.
0:07:25 > 0:07:27The main thing is the family and the children.
0:07:27 > 0:07:29That's the primary concern.
0:07:29 > 0:07:31You've thought about this for a long time, but between you,
0:07:31 > 0:07:35give us a quick rundown of what this property should look like.
0:07:35 > 0:07:37What kind of style have you been dreaming about?
0:07:37 > 0:07:40So, it's a family farmhouse, traditional.
0:07:40 > 0:07:42We want it to be lived in
0:07:42 > 0:07:44and we want something that maybe is a bit wonky,
0:07:44 > 0:07:47something unusual and quirky. We're not run-of-the-mill people.
0:07:47 > 0:07:51Little bit of kerb appeal would be good, the wow factor as we turn up.
0:07:51 > 0:07:54So you want something that's worn around the edges, a bit quirky,
0:07:54 > 0:07:58a bit eccentric. What don't you want?
0:07:58 > 0:08:01A recent barn conversion, double height, all mod cons.
0:08:01 > 0:08:03We want it to be nice and cosy.
0:08:03 > 0:08:06Any minimalist stuff or things that we have to put away
0:08:06 > 0:08:09so that it looks nice. It's not going to happen.
0:08:09 > 0:08:12Money will be the key ingredient in trying to make this happen.
0:08:12 > 0:08:15So, let's remind ourselves of the budget, James.
0:08:15 > 0:08:19OK, our maximum budget - absolute maximum - is going to be £400,000.
0:08:19 > 0:08:22- Yeah.- We can certainly find you a house that can contain a family
0:08:22 > 0:08:24and a growing family at that.
0:08:24 > 0:08:26The business side of it, for the budget,
0:08:26 > 0:08:28- is going to be difficult, to be honest.- Right.
0:08:28 > 0:08:30So, we've got three properties to show you.
0:08:30 > 0:08:32- Shall we go hunting?- Yes, please! - Come on then.
0:08:35 > 0:08:38£400,000 is a good budget,
0:08:38 > 0:08:41but it is going to be a challenge fulfilling such big ambitions.
0:08:41 > 0:08:43They want a characterful farmhouse
0:08:43 > 0:08:46with scope to accommodate two to three foster children,
0:08:46 > 0:08:48enough land to run a yurt camping business,
0:08:48 > 0:08:51outbuildings for James to tinker in
0:08:51 > 0:08:54and all this should be close to desirable Ludlow.
0:08:54 > 0:08:56We've lined up a fine selection of properties
0:08:56 > 0:08:58that I think will do the trick,
0:08:58 > 0:09:00but James and Lisa won't find out the price
0:09:00 > 0:09:02until the end of each house tour.
0:09:02 > 0:09:05And, finally, I'll show them the Mystery House,
0:09:05 > 0:09:08which may be a risky choice, given their style preferences,
0:09:08 > 0:09:12but if they embrace it, could be the answer.
0:09:13 > 0:09:17- It's going to be interesting to see how you...- React.
0:09:17 > 0:09:18Yeah, how you react,
0:09:18 > 0:09:21how you unpack what these properties can offer you how and they will,
0:09:21 > 0:09:26hopefully, begin to fulfil this huge list of really exciting ideas
0:09:26 > 0:09:29- that you've brought to the process. - Yeah. Or maybe cross some off.
0:09:29 > 0:09:30Or maybe cross some off.
0:09:30 > 0:09:33"Hang on a minute. "That was a good idea last week."
0:09:33 > 0:09:37What are we going to cross off the list to make it more manageable?
0:09:37 > 0:09:39"We've gone totally off that idea!"
0:09:39 > 0:09:42Well, let's see what you make of our first property.
0:09:42 > 0:09:44- Looking forward to this.- Mmm.
0:09:46 > 0:09:49We're starting our house-hunt in the village of Clunton,
0:09:49 > 0:09:52which is a 15-minute drive from Bishops Castle,
0:09:52 > 0:09:55a civil parish to the west of Shropshire,
0:09:55 > 0:09:57close to the Welsh border.
0:09:57 > 0:10:00Bishops Castle is a characterful medieval market town,
0:10:00 > 0:10:03on the fringes of the spectacular Shropshire Hills.
0:10:03 > 0:10:06It has a population of just over 1,600
0:10:06 > 0:10:09and offers a wide selection of amenities.
0:10:09 > 0:10:12Some may also visit the local brewery to sample the beer
0:10:12 > 0:10:15from what is thought to be one of the oldest breweries in Britain.
0:10:16 > 0:10:18Back in Clunton,
0:10:18 > 0:10:21our first property is just a 25-minute drive away from Ludlow.
0:10:25 > 0:10:28Right, let's see what we've got to start with, then.
0:10:28 > 0:10:30Come down here cos this, I think,
0:10:30 > 0:10:34is really where you get the best initial view of it. There you go.
0:10:34 > 0:10:37- Ah...- Wow! That's lovely.
0:10:37 > 0:10:41You said you wanted something that was a bit wonky and wobbly.
0:10:41 > 0:10:45Wonky in the right places, wonky in the right places.
0:10:45 > 0:10:50- Now, that bit, up to the wisteria is 1650.- OK.
0:10:50 > 0:10:52That bit's 20 years old. You can just see...
0:10:52 > 0:10:55- The tiles are a different colour. - In the slates, yeah.
0:10:55 > 0:10:57- Now you've pointed it out you can. - Happy so far?
0:10:57 > 0:11:03- Ooh, I'm excited!- Shall we have a look?- Yes, please. Yes, please.
0:11:04 > 0:11:07The original cottage was used as a stopover
0:11:07 > 0:11:10for drovers who would herd livestock to market.
0:11:10 > 0:11:12It was built from stone and slate with oak timbers.
0:11:12 > 0:11:16Now, you might need to duck a little bit.
0:11:16 > 0:11:19- I love the fireplace, absolutely love that.- Wood burner in there.
0:11:19 > 0:11:22- Lovely traditional inglenook. - Nice and cosy, isn't it?- Yeah.
0:11:22 > 0:11:24For me, coming into a room like this,
0:11:24 > 0:11:26and I'm short as well, I feel snugly and warm.
0:11:26 > 0:11:28I could quite happily sit on this sofa
0:11:28 > 0:11:31- and let the world go by already. - Go through there.
0:11:31 > 0:11:35- That's the dining room.- OK.- As you can see, it opens up a bit in here.
0:11:35 > 0:11:37- Bit more height.- I don't know where to look first -
0:11:37 > 0:11:39the floor, the ceiling, the fireplace?
0:11:39 > 0:11:42Out the windows, there's a little picket gate there
0:11:42 > 0:11:45with some nice foliage. I'm just going to look round here
0:11:45 > 0:11:47and there's another view out that one.
0:11:47 > 0:11:50You are taking in every single detail.
0:11:50 > 0:11:52Clearly working for you, in character.
0:11:52 > 0:11:53That's the nice thing about it.
0:11:53 > 0:11:56- Let's have a look at the kitchen. That's through here.- OK.
0:12:01 > 0:12:04When you get into here, it opens up yet again.
0:12:04 > 0:12:06That's what's nice about this kitchen.
0:12:06 > 0:12:07I know you have some reservations
0:12:07 > 0:12:10about things that are uber-modern and uber-slick.
0:12:10 > 0:12:12This is a modern kitchen, it has all mod cons,
0:12:12 > 0:12:14everything's built-in and integrated,
0:12:14 > 0:12:17but it's been done with a really nice contemporary country twist.
0:12:17 > 0:12:21I have now realised that that's something we hadn't thought about.
0:12:21 > 0:12:23Everything needs to work,
0:12:23 > 0:12:26it needs to be easy to get to, you need lots of surfaces.
0:12:26 > 0:12:31It can't, necessarily, do any harm to have modern in the kitchen.
0:12:31 > 0:12:35Now, through here, we've got you one of the four bedrooms,
0:12:35 > 0:12:38one of the three en suite bedrooms. So, ground-floor option there.
0:12:38 > 0:12:43That room would, in itself, make a fabulous master bedroom,
0:12:43 > 0:12:47but there is an even better one upstairs.
0:12:47 > 0:12:49Come and have a look at this.
0:12:49 > 0:12:52We're heading upstairs to the remaining bedrooms.
0:12:52 > 0:12:55One is a small single with a built-in wardrobe
0:12:55 > 0:12:58and then there are two further en suite doubles.
0:12:58 > 0:13:02One is a light and airy dual-aspect with its own bright bathroom.
0:13:02 > 0:13:06But I'm showing James and Lisa one with bags of character.
0:13:07 > 0:13:11- There we are. Isn't this a treat? - Oh, wow! I love the vaulted ceiling.
0:13:11 > 0:13:16We wanted quirky and wonky and character and something unusual.
0:13:16 > 0:13:18- It's also got an en suite. Have a look at this.- Wow.
0:13:18 > 0:13:23- Shower en suite as well.- This has sort of blown me away somewhat.
0:13:23 > 0:13:26I didn't think we could get this sort of thing on our budget.
0:13:26 > 0:13:28Well, let's talk about the budget outside
0:13:28 > 0:13:30and see if you can afford it,
0:13:30 > 0:13:33whether or not there'll be any change.
0:13:33 > 0:13:35- After you, madam. - Thank you.- Thank you.
0:13:39 > 0:13:42This house has a large lawned garden at the front of the property,
0:13:42 > 0:13:45with mature borders, a pond stocked with fish
0:13:45 > 0:13:48and a gravel patio for enjoying sunny afternoons.
0:13:48 > 0:13:51At the back is a hard, landscaped cottage garden
0:13:51 > 0:13:55with a varied selection of established plants and shrubs,
0:13:55 > 0:13:58a further seating area, another fish pond
0:13:58 > 0:14:00and a workshop adjacent to some land
0:14:00 > 0:14:03that's prime for building on, subject to planning permission.
0:14:05 > 0:14:08As you can see, you've got this nice little courtyard arrangement
0:14:08 > 0:14:12- out the back of the property. - Nice little sun trap, isn't it?
0:14:12 > 0:14:14- It really is, actually.- It is.
0:14:14 > 0:14:16But, as you can see, landwise,
0:14:16 > 0:14:20it doesn't have the acres that you were perhaps dreaming of
0:14:20 > 0:14:24and that is one of the kind of issues with making your budget work.
0:14:24 > 0:14:26- How do you feel about that? - Confused a bit.
0:14:26 > 0:14:29I'm beginning to notice, in my head,
0:14:29 > 0:14:32those parameters are beginning to change.
0:14:32 > 0:14:35Could we maybe get some land from somewhere else?
0:14:35 > 0:14:36This is such a nice house,
0:14:36 > 0:14:39could we compromise on the other parts of the business?
0:14:39 > 0:14:42The kids would love it here. It's messing with my head a bit.
0:14:42 > 0:14:46OK, so we've got you a very lovely house in a really nice spot.
0:14:46 > 0:14:49You've got up to £400,000 to spend.
0:14:49 > 0:14:53Now then, James, make us an offer on property number one.
0:14:53 > 0:14:56I'm going to guess around 380.
0:14:56 > 0:14:59I actually had 375 in mind...
0:15:00 > 0:15:02- ..hopefully.- You wish!
0:15:02 > 0:15:04Oh!
0:15:04 > 0:15:07Look, all is not lost. You're not far away from it.
0:15:07 > 0:15:11- This could be yours for 389. - That's not a million miles away.
0:15:11 > 0:15:15- Not far off.- It's not a million miles away and it's open to offers,
0:15:15 > 0:15:19so maybe your 375 isn't so far away. Go and have a look around.
0:15:19 > 0:15:22The house is yours and I will catch up with you later on.
0:15:22 > 0:15:24- Great stuff.- Good stuff. - Off you go. Enjoy.
0:15:28 > 0:15:32This cottage has come in £11,000 under budget
0:15:32 > 0:15:35and has quirky features that have excited Lisa and James.
0:15:35 > 0:15:38There are four bedrooms, three of them en suite,
0:15:38 > 0:15:40that would suit any future foster children,
0:15:40 > 0:15:43and the property is located in a lovely rural setting,
0:15:43 > 0:15:46less than half an hour from Ludlow.
0:15:46 > 0:15:50- Oh.- OK, that's a big bedroom. It's very modern, isn't it?
0:15:50 > 0:15:53I didn't expect it to be quite so modern. What do you think?
0:15:53 > 0:15:55I like it, as a bedroom,
0:15:55 > 0:15:59but it is a bit over-modern for what I was expecting.
0:15:59 > 0:16:02When we first arrived at the house, my gut reaction was,
0:16:02 > 0:16:05"Oh, my goodness, this is really pretty. It's meeting the brief."
0:16:05 > 0:16:09But as I moved through the house and saw the more modern areas,
0:16:09 > 0:16:13I'm afraid it fell a bit flat and that's where I'm stuck a little bit.
0:16:13 > 0:16:17I think the way the house blends the quirkiness,
0:16:17 > 0:16:20old-fashioned eccentricities of when it was built
0:16:20 > 0:16:23with the modern touches here and there works really well.
0:16:23 > 0:16:26I think it's definitely a contender.
0:16:26 > 0:16:31- Here we go. All done?- Yeah. - Good start?- Good start, yeah.
0:16:31 > 0:16:33- Very good start. - Are you going to buy it?
0:16:33 > 0:16:36- Let's see the others, I think. - Come on then.
0:16:44 > 0:16:46Part of James and Lisa's business plans
0:16:46 > 0:16:49are to offer yurts as a glamping experience,
0:16:49 > 0:16:52so we've sent them to meet up with Henry and Mary Dowell,
0:16:52 > 0:16:55experts when it comes to these portable structures.
0:16:55 > 0:16:57- Hi, welcome.- Hi.- Welcome to our home
0:16:57 > 0:17:00- and our yurt-making business. - Hi, I'm Henry.
0:17:00 > 0:17:03Henry's education in yurt-making started over ten years ago
0:17:03 > 0:17:07when he travelled around Mongolia, a country synonymous with yurts,
0:17:07 > 0:17:10and lived in these semi-permanent dwellings along the way.
0:17:10 > 0:17:12Where did your passion for yurt-making come from?
0:17:12 > 0:17:15The passion for yurts has come from living in yurts
0:17:15 > 0:17:16and travelling with yurts.
0:17:16 > 0:17:19They're such amazing structures that you can take down
0:17:19 > 0:17:22and fit in the back of a van and transport,
0:17:22 > 0:17:24set up home in a comfortable, cosy way,
0:17:24 > 0:17:26without leaving a footprint on the ground at all.
0:17:26 > 0:17:28When you're gone, you're gone.
0:17:28 > 0:17:30There's no trace of where you've been living.
0:17:30 > 0:17:33I'd like to know about maintenance and how you look after your yurts.
0:17:33 > 0:17:35We always say that a yurt which is lived in
0:17:35 > 0:17:37is a yurt that is looked after.
0:17:37 > 0:17:40If you put your yurt up and you use it and you light a fire
0:17:40 > 0:17:43and you clean leaves and bird droppings off the canvas
0:17:43 > 0:17:47and reproof it every year or so, then it will keep looking lovely.
0:17:49 > 0:17:52It takes up to a month to make all the components
0:17:52 > 0:17:56for a medium-sized yurt which has a 20-foot diameter.
0:17:56 > 0:17:59Henry's showing Lisa and James how certain parts of the yurt are made.
0:17:59 > 0:18:04He's starting with the rafters and uses locally sourced ash.
0:18:04 > 0:18:06We use ash because it is a very strong timber,
0:18:06 > 0:18:10it's very straight-grained and it is really springy.
0:18:10 > 0:18:13Also, it's quite lightweight, so for a portable yurt, that is perfect.
0:18:13 > 0:18:16And what we do is we use steam
0:18:16 > 0:18:19to make a straight bit of wood bent, like so.
0:18:19 > 0:18:23So we need the curve at the bottom to be kind on the canvas
0:18:23 > 0:18:26and to add extra head height inside the yurt.
0:18:28 > 0:18:30It takes roughly one hour per inch in the steam box
0:18:30 > 0:18:33to saturate the wood and make it malleable.
0:18:33 > 0:18:38There we go. We've got about ten seconds to get this,
0:18:38 > 0:18:40whilst it's still hot.
0:18:40 > 0:18:44That's it. If you can just grab a tie from down there by your feet.
0:18:44 > 0:18:47That's it. Lovely. We'll tie that off. Lovely.
0:18:50 > 0:18:53Next, Henry's showing them how to fix the rafters into the crown,
0:18:53 > 0:18:55which acts like its roof.
0:18:55 > 0:18:58We need a square hole in the crown,
0:18:58 > 0:19:01so that the rafters don't slip and slide when they go in.
0:19:01 > 0:19:05With a copper brand, we'll sear through the wood,
0:19:05 > 0:19:08so the action of the heat seals the wood, makes it stronger
0:19:08 > 0:19:11and it also gives us our nice square hole.
0:19:11 > 0:19:13Push that through, see.
0:19:14 > 0:19:16If Lisa and James do decide to move forward
0:19:16 > 0:19:18with their glamping business,
0:19:18 > 0:19:20they'd have a variety of yurt sizes to chose from.
0:19:20 > 0:19:23The most popular yurt size the Dowells make
0:19:23 > 0:19:26sleeps four to six people and costs around £7,000.
0:19:26 > 0:19:30However, these structures can be built on a really large scale.
0:19:30 > 0:19:33One that provides enough space to host a large wedding
0:19:33 > 0:19:36comes with a price tag of around £27,000.
0:19:39 > 0:19:41They're rigging a 16-foot diameter yurt,
0:19:41 > 0:19:43which should take about an hour.
0:19:43 > 0:19:45The team are starting with the main entrance
0:19:45 > 0:19:48from which the trellis sides of the structure are attached
0:19:48 > 0:19:50and then joined together using rope.
0:19:50 > 0:19:52The next part is the tension band,
0:19:52 > 0:19:54like a belt which holds the whole thing together.
0:19:54 > 0:19:56Henry holds the crown in position,
0:19:56 > 0:19:59so the rafters can be fixed into the square holes.
0:20:02 > 0:20:06James and Lisa could expect to fetch up to £700 a week in high season
0:20:06 > 0:20:08for a family-friendly yurt.
0:20:08 > 0:20:11One, two, three, four, five, six.
0:20:11 > 0:20:14The rafters are then tied to the trellis to secure the roof.
0:20:14 > 0:20:16Lisa and James should bear in mind
0:20:16 > 0:20:18that they would need planning permission
0:20:18 > 0:20:21to erect yurts permanently on their land for commercial purposes.
0:20:21 > 0:20:24- So, you make a loop like that. - Ah, OK.- It's like a half-hitch.
0:20:24 > 0:20:27The canvas is split into four sections -
0:20:27 > 0:20:31a roof, two separate wall covers and a cap that goes over the crown.
0:20:31 > 0:20:32The door is in the right place
0:20:32 > 0:20:36- and the wheel at the top is in the right place.- I've got it.
0:20:37 > 0:20:41James then sorts out the yurt's central heating system-cum-cooker.
0:20:41 > 0:20:43Rigging this yurt seems to have given our buyers
0:20:43 > 0:20:45a new-found confidence.
0:20:45 > 0:20:47Once we've done a couple of tries,
0:20:47 > 0:20:49these are going to be really easy to take up and put down again.
0:20:49 > 0:20:52- It's a lot easier than I thought it would be.- Yeah.- Yeah.
0:20:52 > 0:20:54And they're now fully prepared
0:20:54 > 0:20:57for what their potential glamping business might entail.
0:20:57 > 0:21:00- Good luck with your house-hunt. - Thank you.
0:21:00 > 0:21:02So, armed with this new-found knowledge,
0:21:02 > 0:21:04James and Lisa are a step closer
0:21:04 > 0:21:06to getting their own yurts off the ground.
0:21:10 > 0:21:13Back to our house-hunt and we've made a bold decision.
0:21:13 > 0:21:15James and Lisa have big goals
0:21:15 > 0:21:18for the first home they're buying together.
0:21:18 > 0:21:21They want a mix of internal space and outside land,
0:21:21 > 0:21:25so we've crossed the border into Wales to the county of Powys,
0:21:25 > 0:21:27where you can get a bit more for your money.
0:21:27 > 0:21:30The property is next to a village called Abermule,
0:21:30 > 0:21:33which is a ten-minute drive to the historic market town of Montgomery.
0:21:33 > 0:21:37It's an area well-known for its castle,
0:21:37 > 0:21:39a Norman ruin that sits on top of the hill,
0:21:39 > 0:21:41overlooking the market town.
0:21:41 > 0:21:44Other local landmarks include the Georgian town hall
0:21:44 > 0:21:47that dates back to 1748.
0:21:47 > 0:21:50And there's also a helpful array of local amenities
0:21:50 > 0:21:54that James, Lisa and their potential family could make use of.
0:21:54 > 0:21:57The next home I'm showing them is situated in the hills of Abermule
0:21:57 > 0:22:00but is further away from Ludlow.
0:22:01 > 0:22:05- I should probably start by saying, "Welcome to Wales."- Thank you.
0:22:05 > 0:22:08- Look at that! Absolutely gorgeous!- Wow!
0:22:08 > 0:22:14- And it is designed to make the best use of this.- I'm stunned.
0:22:14 > 0:22:15And this, as you can probably tell,
0:22:15 > 0:22:18is a property very much of two halves.
0:22:18 > 0:22:231700 there, little cottage with a seven-year-old addition here.
0:22:23 > 0:22:25- Wow.- It's quite a contrast.
0:22:25 > 0:22:28This gives you the best of both worlds, cos we know...
0:22:28 > 0:22:29THEY LAUGH
0:22:29 > 0:22:32..we know now, don't we, from the kitchen in property one
0:22:32 > 0:22:34that, actually, a bit of modern's OK.
0:22:34 > 0:22:39So, this combines some very slick modern with some very old old.
0:22:39 > 0:22:44- What do you think of it, James? - It's beautiful.- Lisa?- I don't know.
0:22:44 > 0:22:47- I'm not convinced.- Really?- Really?
0:22:47 > 0:22:49Initially, for kerb appeal, for me,
0:22:49 > 0:22:51I don't want to run up and give it a big cuddle.
0:22:51 > 0:22:53Let's see if it gives you a cuddle from the inside.
0:22:53 > 0:22:56- I think it will.- Oh, good.- And it does make the best of those views.
0:22:56 > 0:22:59Come and have a look around.
0:22:59 > 0:23:00I was hoping that Lisa might find
0:23:00 > 0:23:03the quirky nature of this house exciting,
0:23:03 > 0:23:05but it's not wowed her from the outside.
0:23:05 > 0:23:08However, she'll see the property does deliver generously inside,
0:23:08 > 0:23:11and in different styles of decor.
0:23:11 > 0:23:14Through the mahogany-clad entrance hall is the kitchen,
0:23:14 > 0:23:16which really makes a modern statement.
0:23:18 > 0:23:25- Whoa, OK.- That's a modern kitchen! - That's a modern kitchen!- Wow!
0:23:25 > 0:23:28- Not too shabby, is it really? - It's not too shabby, Jules, no.
0:23:28 > 0:23:30THEY LAUGH
0:23:30 > 0:23:35- Um, I really like the wood.- Yeah.- I really like the cooker there.- Yeah.
0:23:35 > 0:23:38But I'm being very practical and if the cooker's there,
0:23:38 > 0:23:40there's no work surface outside the cooker.
0:23:40 > 0:23:42Come and look at the rest of it, look.
0:23:42 > 0:23:45You've got this whole preparation area here.
0:23:45 > 0:23:48Double sink and so on. Mood wall.
0:23:48 > 0:23:50I'm really confused because there's loads of work surface
0:23:50 > 0:23:53- and there's load of cupboards. - Just start to take it in
0:23:53 > 0:23:56because this is a property that really does reveal itself
0:23:56 > 0:24:00and it's absolutely made by the new bit that you're not so sure about.
0:24:00 > 0:24:04But my hunch is that you may, may eat those words.
0:24:04 > 0:24:06Come and have a look through here.
0:24:08 > 0:24:11We're leaving behind the older part of the house,
0:24:11 > 0:24:13which also provides a cosy snug
0:24:13 > 0:24:17and a spacious downstairs mahogany-panelled family bathroom.
0:24:17 > 0:24:20Next, we're making our way to the modern extension,
0:24:20 > 0:24:23that has a well-appointed utility and downstairs cloakroom,
0:24:23 > 0:24:25as well as separate dining and living rooms.
0:24:25 > 0:24:31Now, that's the design element, right. Come over here.
0:24:31 > 0:24:34Hmm, I totally get how this is all opened up to the view
0:24:34 > 0:24:36and I think that's outstanding, I really do.
0:24:36 > 0:24:39Well, if you like the views from here, wait till you get upstairs,
0:24:39 > 0:24:43because up there is your master bedroom and this is quite special.
0:24:45 > 0:24:47There are four bedrooms in total up here.
0:24:47 > 0:24:50The old part of the property has a characterful double
0:24:50 > 0:24:52that could make a good guest room
0:24:52 > 0:24:55and a dual-aspect, currently being used as a hobby room.
0:24:55 > 0:24:59On top of this, a landing space has been used as an office.
0:24:59 > 0:25:02Upstairs, in the modern part of the property,
0:25:02 > 0:25:06is a light twin bedroom, a separate, stylish shower room
0:25:06 > 0:25:09and rather spectacular sleeping quarters for them.
0:25:09 > 0:25:12This is the master suite. And there's the view.
0:25:12 > 0:25:15- Ha-ha, ha-ha.- Now, that's a view!
0:25:15 > 0:25:20There's definitely.... You are smiling all over your face.
0:25:20 > 0:25:23I am seeing it, I'm just not feeling it.
0:25:23 > 0:25:25I'm not giving up just yet. Come on, we're going out there.
0:25:25 > 0:25:27- You'll have to work a bit harder. - Yeah.
0:25:27 > 0:25:31This property comes with half an acre of land.
0:25:31 > 0:25:33There is also a terraced area at the front of the house,
0:25:33 > 0:25:36designed to enjoy those amazing views.
0:25:36 > 0:25:38The gardens that wrap around this home
0:25:38 > 0:25:41give it that real sense of rural seclusion.
0:25:41 > 0:25:44The sloped lawns are framed by established shrubs
0:25:44 > 0:25:47and also an impressive area of woodland.
0:25:47 > 0:25:50Opposite the house is a separate parcel of land.
0:25:50 > 0:25:51It's made up of raised beds
0:25:51 > 0:25:55and is currently being used for growing fruit and veg.
0:25:55 > 0:25:57There's also a state-of-the-art double garage block
0:25:57 > 0:26:00that could be perfect for James's bike-building projects.
0:26:00 > 0:26:03The property is also surrounded by farmland
0:26:03 > 0:26:06whose owners might be prepared to lease fields
0:26:06 > 0:26:08for our couple's yurt camping plans.
0:26:08 > 0:26:10To be honest, I'm not going to try
0:26:10 > 0:26:12and sell that land to you as a business.
0:26:12 > 0:26:15I'm not sure there's the space to develop your glamping idea,
0:26:15 > 0:26:18but as an overall package for you as a family, a growing family,
0:26:18 > 0:26:20I think it is quite interesting.
0:26:20 > 0:26:22You've got the man cave, a house of two halves.
0:26:22 > 0:26:25- What do you think of it? - It definitely gets us thinking.
0:26:25 > 0:26:27Let's keep our eyes on the prize then.
0:26:27 > 0:26:30How much do you think property number two is worth, madam?
0:26:30 > 0:26:35- 382.- 382?! Where did the 2 come from?- Random.
0:26:35 > 0:26:38- Random - I should say so. James? - I'm going to go for 375.- 375.
0:26:38 > 0:26:41That's what you said, Lisa, last time, isn't it?
0:26:41 > 0:26:47This is on the market at £395,000. It's all negotiable. Off you go.
0:26:47 > 0:26:51- Go and explore and I'll catch up with you a bit later.- Thank you.
0:26:55 > 0:27:00£5,000 under budget, I thought this fabulous family home
0:27:00 > 0:27:04might have the eccentricity and space our couple would appreciate.
0:27:04 > 0:27:08But it's divided James and Lisa's opinions.
0:27:08 > 0:27:10It provides a kitchen with all mod cons
0:27:10 > 0:27:13and the four bedrooms that offer space and seclusion
0:27:13 > 0:27:15for any foster children.
0:27:15 > 0:27:17James did see real potential with the land,
0:27:17 > 0:27:20views and, of course, that double garage,
0:27:20 > 0:27:23where he could rev his engines to his heart's content.
0:27:23 > 0:27:25I really like house number two.
0:27:25 > 0:27:27The lack of land, it's not, necessarily,
0:27:27 > 0:27:29the highest thing on our list.
0:27:29 > 0:27:31We don't have to have it as part of the house,
0:27:31 > 0:27:34so the fact that there's these rolling fields outside -
0:27:34 > 0:27:37literally, right outside the front door - if the farmer's of a mind
0:27:37 > 0:27:41to rent them out to us, then that's the business taken care of really.
0:27:41 > 0:27:46The old and the new mixed, for me, was too contrasting.
0:27:46 > 0:27:49I didn't get the sense of it being a family house.
0:27:49 > 0:27:51I got the sense of it being an adult house.
0:27:51 > 0:27:54It's designed and it's very thoughtful and clever,
0:27:54 > 0:27:56but I can't make sense of it.
0:27:56 > 0:28:01- Oh, madam.- Hello.- How are we then? - Good. Still confused.
0:28:01 > 0:28:04- I'm still confused. - Somehow, I was expecting that.
0:28:04 > 0:28:08Don't worry about it. Our work, today, is done.
0:28:08 > 0:28:10You've got some time, this evening,
0:28:10 > 0:28:12to think about everything we have shown you
0:28:12 > 0:28:15and then, tomorrow morning, guess what happens.
0:28:15 > 0:28:18- My favourite bit!- It's the Mystery House, yes!- Oh!- Right, come on.
0:28:27 > 0:28:30It's day two of our property search in Shropshire,
0:28:30 > 0:28:33and with a maximum budget of £400,000,
0:28:33 > 0:28:35married couple Lisa and James are ready
0:28:35 > 0:28:38to move on from their life in Guildford, Surrey,
0:28:38 > 0:28:40and seek out their dream home in the countryside.
0:28:40 > 0:28:43Coming up, they'll finally see the Mystery House,
0:28:43 > 0:28:46which I hoped would enlighten their property preconceptions.
0:28:46 > 0:28:49- I'm liking this. - The kitchen's great.
0:28:49 > 0:28:51And I visit a very special vessel
0:28:51 > 0:28:54that's being renovated to its former glory.
0:28:54 > 0:28:58- Right, OK, I'll earn my keep today. - Thank you.
0:29:02 > 0:29:04As you can see, our final day of house-hunting
0:29:04 > 0:29:06has dawned bright and sunny
0:29:06 > 0:29:09and it is traditional, at this point in the show,
0:29:09 > 0:29:11for me to offer you some in-depth analysis
0:29:11 > 0:29:13as to where our house-hunt is going.
0:29:13 > 0:29:16But on this occasion, with Lisa and James, to be perfectly honest,
0:29:16 > 0:29:18I don't think I've really got a clue.
0:29:18 > 0:29:19It's perfectly clear that, so far,
0:29:19 > 0:29:22our first two properties haven't pressed every button
0:29:22 > 0:29:24on their extensive wish list, but then, to be honest,
0:29:24 > 0:29:28I'm not sure that THEY know which buttons they should press either.
0:29:28 > 0:29:31So, for our Mystery House, I'm going to take a little bit of a gamble.
0:29:31 > 0:29:34This is a property I don't think they'd have looked at on paper,
0:29:34 > 0:29:37but if my hunch is right, it might just work.
0:29:38 > 0:29:40So, let's put that theory to the test
0:29:40 > 0:29:43and make tracks to our mystery proposition.
0:29:43 > 0:29:45We're heading back to Shropshire
0:29:45 > 0:29:47where our destination is the small village of Milson,
0:29:47 > 0:29:49just a 20-minute drive from Ludlow.
0:29:49 > 0:29:52Even closer, at five miles away,
0:29:52 > 0:29:55is the delightful town of Tenbury Wells.
0:29:55 > 0:29:57Located on the south bank of the River Teme,
0:29:57 > 0:30:00its high street is lined with a good range
0:30:00 > 0:30:03of luxury and essential amenities.
0:30:03 > 0:30:06And when it come to the mystery option, back in Milson,
0:30:06 > 0:30:09we've managed to find an authentic characterful farm building,
0:30:09 > 0:30:12but not necessarily in the package our buyers envisaged.
0:30:13 > 0:30:17There we are, at last. Our Mystery House. What do you make of that?
0:30:17 > 0:30:20Wow, it's very pretty, isn't it?
0:30:20 > 0:30:23But it is, of course, a converted barn.
0:30:23 > 0:30:28And there was a sense that, maybe, converted barns weren't for you,
0:30:28 > 0:30:30so I've taken a bit of a risk on this one.
0:30:30 > 0:30:34It doesn't look like a huge, great, echoey barn conversion
0:30:34 > 0:30:36and it looks like it's been very sensitively done.
0:30:36 > 0:30:38It doesn't look like a barn.
0:30:38 > 0:30:41As we've gone through this week and our properties...
0:30:42 > 0:30:46..we have tried to help you redefine what it is you're looking for.
0:30:46 > 0:30:49Yeah, the idea of the yurts was always secondary.
0:30:49 > 0:30:51As we're looking at the properties,
0:30:51 > 0:30:53we're focussing more on the children, more on the needs...
0:30:53 > 0:30:56How are we going to use the house? How's it going to best fit them?
0:30:56 > 0:30:58This is a really interesting proposition
0:30:58 > 0:31:02because it's got huge amounts of living space downstairs,
0:31:02 > 0:31:05but I think, also, enough space
0:31:05 > 0:31:08that you can have your degrees of separation, should you need it.
0:31:08 > 0:31:09- That's the idea.- That's exciting.
0:31:09 > 0:31:11That's the hunch I've been working on.
0:31:11 > 0:31:13- Ooh!- Let's see if I'm right. Come on.- Cool.
0:31:15 > 0:31:18The barn was sympathetically renovated into a home in 1987
0:31:18 > 0:31:20and it's one of four properties
0:31:20 > 0:31:23in this small development of converted outbuildings.
0:31:25 > 0:31:28Let's start in here, with the kitchen.
0:31:28 > 0:31:31Everybody wants a square kitchen and this is what you've got.
0:31:31 > 0:31:34- I'm liking this. - The kitchen's great.- Isn't it?
0:31:34 > 0:31:36This is exactly the sort of kitchen we were thinking of,
0:31:36 > 0:31:40- with the table in the middle. - And it's very lived in.- Yes.
0:31:40 > 0:31:43Which is what I said. Nice and worn round the edges, lived in,
0:31:43 > 0:31:46something that we could have a few kids around
0:31:46 > 0:31:50and they could knock the edges and it really wouldn't be a disaster.
0:31:50 > 0:31:52I really like it. It feels really nice.
0:31:52 > 0:31:55- It also benefits from a laundry room through there...- Excellent.
0:31:55 > 0:31:58..which also leads through to one on the four bedrooms
0:31:58 > 0:32:00that this property offers you.
0:32:00 > 0:32:03But in reception areas, this place, I think, spoils you.
0:32:03 > 0:32:05It's really, really good. Come and look at this.
0:32:05 > 0:32:07This is the way to the living room.
0:32:07 > 0:32:09We're making our way through the hall,
0:32:09 > 0:32:11past a convenient downstairs cloakroom
0:32:11 > 0:32:13and a spacious study with exposed beams,
0:32:13 > 0:32:17to access the reception rooms at the far end of the house.
0:32:17 > 0:32:20This is the room that I think really helps to sell this property.
0:32:20 > 0:32:22- Is it cuddling you?- It's giving...
0:32:22 > 0:32:25Yes, and I did say that, didn't I, that I would like...
0:32:25 > 0:32:28I do feel that this house is giving me a big cuddle, you're right.
0:32:28 > 0:32:30I'm loving it. I'm loving the fireplace, the beams.
0:32:30 > 0:32:34- Yeah.- It's huge. There's lots of room for everything to happen.
0:32:34 > 0:32:36And this isn't it, because through there,
0:32:36 > 0:32:39we've got you a gorgeous garden room/ dining room,
0:32:39 > 0:32:41with a huge table in it which I think really sets the scene
0:32:41 > 0:32:44for those family meals that may happen in the future.
0:32:44 > 0:32:45Come and have a look.
0:32:47 > 0:32:50- Do you see what I mean?- This is a great space, isn't it?- Yeah.
0:32:50 > 0:32:53- Really light. - The views are gorgeous.- Oh, wow.
0:32:53 > 0:32:56The key thing is how can we accommodate everybody upstairs?
0:32:56 > 0:32:59But we're going to really spoil you with the master bedroom.
0:32:59 > 0:33:01Come and have a look at this.
0:33:01 > 0:33:04Up on the first floor are three further bedrooms.
0:33:04 > 0:33:07Two are compact doubles with exposed beams
0:33:07 > 0:33:10that share a tastefully decorated family bathroom.
0:33:10 > 0:33:12And then there's the main event - the master.
0:33:12 > 0:33:17- You're searching for words. - It just feels nice.
0:33:17 > 0:33:21I really feel calm and collected in this house.
0:33:21 > 0:33:24- It's giving ME a cuddle as well. - Hey, brilliant!
0:33:24 > 0:33:28I think we've managed to make an emotional connection here,
0:33:28 > 0:33:31but this bedroom also delivers practically.
0:33:31 > 0:33:34There is a huge dressing room, with plenty of built-in wardrobe space
0:33:34 > 0:33:37and a spacious en suite with walk-in shower.
0:33:37 > 0:33:40So, out of ten, then, how did we do on our Mystery House?
0:33:40 > 0:33:44- So far, it's an eight.- Ooh.- I think it's getting nearer nine for me.
0:33:44 > 0:33:45OK, eight to nine.
0:33:45 > 0:33:48Let's see if we can bump the numbers up a bit further.
0:33:48 > 0:33:50We'll go outside, look at the garden.
0:33:50 > 0:33:52I think the views might get us a ten from you.
0:33:52 > 0:33:54- You're a view man, aren't you? - Definitely.
0:33:56 > 0:33:59At the back of the property is a garage-cum-workshop
0:33:59 > 0:34:03for James's motors and a pathway that leads to the main garden
0:34:03 > 0:34:06that has a patio area and around 100 feet of lawn
0:34:06 > 0:34:08that slopes down at the end,
0:34:08 > 0:34:10creating the effect of infinite vistas
0:34:10 > 0:34:13over Shropshire's countryside.
0:34:14 > 0:34:16There you go, James. It's not bad, is it, really?
0:34:16 > 0:34:19- It's a magnificent view! - Absolutely lovely,
0:34:19 > 0:34:21at the end of this quite narrow,
0:34:21 > 0:34:24but I think rather private, rather cosy garden.
0:34:24 > 0:34:26Have we gone above a nine?
0:34:26 > 0:34:30- I think the view makes it nine and a half, ten.- There you go.
0:34:30 > 0:34:31- I'm on a nine now, with...- Yes!
0:34:31 > 0:34:35- I'm coming round to the view cos it makes him really happy.- You see!
0:34:35 > 0:34:38So, the price, is going to be the final mitigating factor, isn't it?
0:34:38 > 0:34:43You've come out here with £400,000 to play with.
0:34:43 > 0:34:47- Go on then, James. - I'm going to go...385.
0:34:47 > 0:34:49385, mmm-hmm.
0:34:49 > 0:34:51I would say 397.
0:34:51 > 0:34:53It's on at...
0:34:53 > 0:34:58- £395,000.- D'oh!- 395.
0:34:58 > 0:35:00THEY LAUGH
0:35:00 > 0:35:02- Are you happy? - Yes, very, very happy.
0:35:02 > 0:35:04And the primary aim now, the fostering,
0:35:04 > 0:35:07- the house being all-important.- Yeah.
0:35:07 > 0:35:10The yurt thing, the holiday lets, we can let that gestate a bit,
0:35:10 > 0:35:13see if there's some land to rent nearby
0:35:13 > 0:35:15- and maybe do it as a remote business.- Yeah.
0:35:15 > 0:35:20Go on, off you go, enjoy yourselves. I'll find you, as ever, a bit later.
0:35:20 > 0:35:24There we are, our Mystery House may well have done it again.
0:35:24 > 0:35:26They have redefined their priorities.
0:35:26 > 0:35:30That, in my experience, is the key to a successful house-hunt.
0:35:30 > 0:35:33Hopefully, now, our hunt is over and it's a result.
0:35:34 > 0:35:37So, our mystery property has served its purpose
0:35:37 > 0:35:40and got them on board with barn conversions.
0:35:40 > 0:35:45£5,000 under their budget, it got a fantastically positive response.
0:35:45 > 0:35:47The kitchen got the thumbs up,
0:35:47 > 0:35:50with bags of space for potential foster children
0:35:50 > 0:35:51and incredible rural views
0:35:51 > 0:35:54and it's less than a 20-minute drive from Ludlow.
0:35:55 > 0:35:58- What a lovely room! Really good size, isn't it?- Yeah.
0:35:58 > 0:36:01I like the fact that it's close to the master bedroom,
0:36:01 > 0:36:03- so that we can keep an eye on the kids.- Yeah.
0:36:03 > 0:36:06This house, to me, means home and family.
0:36:06 > 0:36:08It's going to be one of the houses
0:36:08 > 0:36:10that I'm going to be championing and fighting for.
0:36:10 > 0:36:13The next stage for us, for this house, is to come back,
0:36:13 > 0:36:16have a visit and see what's going on in the local area
0:36:16 > 0:36:18and see what comes up with those investigations.
0:36:18 > 0:36:22- Ah, how are we? - Very good, thank you.
0:36:22 > 0:36:25Chequebooks at the ready then? Who knows?
0:36:25 > 0:36:29- Now, we have given you all of the options this week.- Mmm.
0:36:29 > 0:36:32It's now time to go and think about everything we've shown you
0:36:32 > 0:36:35and see if we can find a solution to your future plans.
0:36:35 > 0:36:38- Happy?- Yeah, very happy, thank you. - Good. Come on then.
0:36:47 > 0:36:51The Ironbridge Gorge World Heritage site is just a short distance
0:36:51 > 0:36:54from Blists Hill Victorian Town,
0:36:54 > 0:36:57where an important restoration project is in progress.
0:36:57 > 0:37:00Curator Georgina Grant and her team
0:37:00 > 0:37:02have been restoring a unique river vessel
0:37:02 > 0:37:05that once helped the region thrive. I'm keen to find out more.
0:37:05 > 0:37:08This is a Severn trow and this is called Spry
0:37:08 > 0:37:10and she's about 70 foot long.
0:37:10 > 0:37:13Severn trows were used as cargo boats
0:37:13 > 0:37:15in the 18th and 19th centuries.
0:37:15 > 0:37:17They were a fundamental part
0:37:17 > 0:37:19of the Industrial Revolution's infrastructure
0:37:19 > 0:37:21before the introduction of trains.
0:37:21 > 0:37:24Trows were distinctive for two reasons.
0:37:24 > 0:37:25Firstly, they had deep, open holds
0:37:25 > 0:37:29to maximise the space for freight and goods and secondly,
0:37:29 > 0:37:33they had flat hulls to navigate parts of the shallow River Severn.
0:37:33 > 0:37:35How many would there have been on the river?
0:37:35 > 0:37:37Hundreds going up and down the River Severn.
0:37:37 > 0:37:39We like to say it was like the M6 of its day,
0:37:39 > 0:37:41so you've got all these vessels going up and down
0:37:41 > 0:37:43and trading along the river.
0:37:43 > 0:37:45Where does the name "trow" come from?
0:37:45 > 0:37:47It comes from the name "trough"
0:37:47 > 0:37:49and that describes the large, open hold in the middle.
0:37:49 > 0:37:52Different freight loads were carried by trows,
0:37:52 > 0:37:54including iron and limestone,
0:37:54 > 0:37:55but coal was the main cargo.
0:37:55 > 0:37:58How did they operate? How were they powered?
0:37:58 > 0:38:01You would have had one captain and about three crewmen.
0:38:01 > 0:38:03Going downriver, they would have sailed down,
0:38:03 > 0:38:06but coming upriver, against the current,
0:38:06 > 0:38:08you would have had gangs of men called bow haulers
0:38:08 > 0:38:10and, using a rope tied to the mast,
0:38:10 > 0:38:12these men would haul the trow up the river.
0:38:12 > 0:38:15That's a massive job. This is not a small vessel at all!
0:38:15 > 0:38:19No, they were very hardy men and not particularly liked, actually.
0:38:19 > 0:38:21Were they a bit rough round the edges?
0:38:21 > 0:38:23They were a bit like pirates of the day, maybe.
0:38:23 > 0:38:25'Keen to get a closer look,
0:38:25 > 0:38:29'we're heading to an elevated gantry to get a better view.
0:38:29 > 0:38:34'Spry was built in 1894 by shipwright William Hurd in Chepstow,
0:38:34 > 0:38:37'and would have been at her busiest in the year 1900.'
0:38:37 > 0:38:39That is a gorgeous view, isn't it?
0:38:39 > 0:38:42It gives us a real idea of the anatomy of this vessel.
0:38:42 > 0:38:45You get a real sense of her size from up here. It's a great view.
0:38:45 > 0:38:48Can you give us the vital statistics?
0:38:48 > 0:38:52She's about 18-foot wide and then would have carried about 56 tons.
0:38:53 > 0:38:55It's thought Spry was one of the last
0:38:55 > 0:38:57and largest trows to be built,
0:38:57 > 0:39:00but she now had to compete with the rise of the railway network
0:39:00 > 0:39:02and the growth of motor vehicles,
0:39:02 > 0:39:06which were increasingly phasing out reliance on Britain's waterways.
0:39:06 > 0:39:09I'd just like to point out to you one of the original timbers here.
0:39:09 > 0:39:12You have the registration number here
0:39:12 > 0:39:14and then the registered tonnage which was 36 tons.
0:39:14 > 0:39:17And there it is, all carved in, beautifully, actually. I love it.
0:39:17 > 0:39:21How big a story is this, in terms of Shropshire?
0:39:21 > 0:39:25When people talk about the trow, it has a real resonance, doesn't it?
0:39:25 > 0:39:26Yeah, it's got a lovely history.
0:39:26 > 0:39:30When she was brought to Blists Hill, we sent out a request for trees
0:39:30 > 0:39:34to be donated to help build her and, in the end, we had 83 trees donated.
0:39:34 > 0:39:38So, she really is a Shropshire gem. People know about this vessel.
0:39:38 > 0:39:39And they love to come and see her,
0:39:39 > 0:39:42as they have their own connection with her now.
0:39:42 > 0:39:47After her heyday in the early 1900s, Spry fell into a dilapidated state,
0:39:47 > 0:39:49but the team here has spent the last six years
0:39:49 > 0:39:51getting her shipshape once again.
0:39:51 > 0:39:54Right, OK, I'll earn my keep today.
0:39:55 > 0:39:57George, thank you very much
0:39:57 > 0:40:00for a very exclusive look around this wonderful boat
0:40:00 > 0:40:03but, my goodness me, you've got plenty to do!
0:40:03 > 0:40:05- I'll give you a hand.- Thank you.
0:40:06 > 0:40:09'It's wonderful that the museum and residents of Shropshire
0:40:09 > 0:40:11'have come together to restore Spry,
0:40:11 > 0:40:14'a workhorse of the Industrial Revolution
0:40:14 > 0:40:17'and an important piece of the county's heritage.'
0:40:20 > 0:40:22As you've probably gathered,
0:40:22 > 0:40:25Lisa and James have not only challenged ME this week,
0:40:25 > 0:40:28but also themselves. So, have we managed to find a solution
0:40:28 > 0:40:31to their new-found dream of a life in the countryside.
0:40:31 > 0:40:33Well, let's go and ask them.
0:40:38 > 0:40:41The weather in Shropshire's rubbish, isn't it?!
0:40:41 > 0:40:44Why would anybody want to live here?
0:40:44 > 0:40:46Well, guys, how's it been this week?
0:40:46 > 0:40:49We've really had our eyes opened as to what's out here,
0:40:49 > 0:40:52what can be got for the money and what we're looking for, really.
0:40:52 > 0:40:57Ah, now then, this is the nub of it, isn't it? What ARE you looking for?
0:40:57 > 0:40:59A functional space -
0:40:59 > 0:41:04somewhere that I can have a vision of what it would be like
0:41:04 > 0:41:07to run the household and have my family around me
0:41:07 > 0:41:09and how that would work. That's what I'm looking for.
0:41:09 > 0:41:13That's the core thing that's come out of this week for me.
0:41:13 > 0:41:15We gave you three properties to choose from.
0:41:15 > 0:41:20Has any one of them become the thing that you think you are looking for?
0:41:20 > 0:41:23- Yeah.- Yeah, the Mystery House. - Ah-ha, the Mystery House.
0:41:23 > 0:41:26What was it about the Mystery House that really worked for you?
0:41:26 > 0:41:29For a barn conversion, it was really great.
0:41:29 > 0:41:31It looked like a country farmhouse,
0:41:31 > 0:41:34so the aesthetics were really pleasing to me.
0:41:34 > 0:41:37The Mystery House enabled me to visualise having a family there,
0:41:37 > 0:41:39what it would be like on a day-to-day basis,
0:41:39 > 0:41:41how the house would work,
0:41:41 > 0:41:43and clarified some things that I hadn't thought about,
0:41:43 > 0:41:46like having the bedrooms close to the master bedroom
0:41:46 > 0:41:48and having a nice, big, square kitchen and workshop for James.
0:41:48 > 0:41:51I could really see what it would be like to live there.
0:41:51 > 0:41:53So why aren't you buying it?
0:41:53 > 0:41:55We need to do more research around the location.
0:41:55 > 0:41:57We're not so familiar with the location.
0:41:57 > 0:42:00That's the next step for us before we go off in any direction,
0:42:00 > 0:42:03is to find out what's around there.
0:42:03 > 0:42:04I hope, whatever you buy,
0:42:04 > 0:42:08it is exactly what you want it to be, to fit the new life
0:42:08 > 0:42:10and the future that you can envisage for yourselves
0:42:10 > 0:42:13- and those children that you're going to take on.- Thank you so much.
0:42:13 > 0:42:15- Best of luck.- Thank you.
0:42:18 > 0:42:21Well, it has been said many times before on this show -
0:42:21 > 0:42:23knowing what you're after really is half the battle
0:42:23 > 0:42:26in any successful house-hunt.
0:42:26 > 0:42:30That is a lesson that James and Lisa have most definitely learned,
0:42:30 > 0:42:34but in fairness to them, that was part of the challenge they gave us -
0:42:34 > 0:42:37trying to figure out what it is they ARE after.
0:42:37 > 0:42:41Well, their search will continue out there, across Shropshire,
0:42:41 > 0:42:43and possibly over the border into Wales.
0:42:43 > 0:42:45But one thing they have remained true to
0:42:45 > 0:42:47is their wish to foster children in need,
0:42:47 > 0:42:50to give youngsters a better chance for the future,
0:42:50 > 0:42:53and in that, we all wish them the very best of luck.
0:42:53 > 0:42:55I'll see you next time.
0:42:55 > 0:42:58If you'd like to escape to the country in England, Scotland, Wales
0:42:58 > 0:43:02or Northern Ireland and would like our help, please apply online.