Dorset Escape to the Country

It's hard to believe that the world's proud tradition

of trade unionism has its roots underneath

this 300-year-old sycamore, but it's true.

Find out the story behind it and where I am in just a moment.

Today's property shopper is looking to turn her back on the suburbs

in favour of a bold move to the countryside.

From the outset,

it's clear she won't lose her head over character features.

Just check if I can stand under the beam or not.

-Oh, yes. There's a good foot clearance there.

-Easily.

-I can't wear my high-heeled shoes, but never mind.

-Or your top hat.

-No.

But when her dream starts to become a reality,

it becomes overwhelming.

Are you excited?

-SHE LAUGHS

-Stop it! God!

Today, I'm in Dorset, and this is the Tolpuddle Martyrs Tree.

It was here in 1834

that six farm workers got together to form a society

to campaign for workers' rights,

and for that they were convicted

on trumped-up charges of swearing a secret oath

and sentenced to transportation to a penal colony in Australia.

Luckily, public opinion turned and they returned home free men,

but their example inspired trade unions across the world,

and every year the village of Tolpuddle

celebrates a festival in honour of their legacy.

Part of the West Country region,

Dorset covers an area of over a thousand square miles

and sits between Hampshire and Devon on the south shores of the UK.

Overlooking the English Channel,

the sea cliffs here rise up to the highest point

on the south coast, Golden Cap.

Rearing up some 630 feet,

it forms part of the area's geological highlight

to the Jurassic Coast, a World Heritage Site

which charts 180 million years of the Earth's history

and stretches from the Devon border to the seaside resort of Swanage.

Other natural landmarks

include the iconic Durdle Door at Lulworth Cove

and the renowned East Cliff Beach at West Bay.

Moving inland from this magnificent coastline,

the Dorset countryside is home to peaceful villages

and a patchwork of fields laid to pasture.

It's this landscape which inspired English author

and poet Thomas Hardy to create his fictional Wessex,

a setting for many of his famous novels,

such as Far From The Madding Crowd.

So, it's fitting that this evocative countryside

framed by its beautiful coastline

continues to fire the imagination of many people

seeking a rural escape where time seems to stand still.

Dorset's property market is booming, and by that I mean it's expensive.

The average price for a detached house here is £339,000,

which is £55,000 above the national figure.

Although, of course, there are variations up and down the coast

and in and out from the coast.

For example, you'll pay a 10% premium

if you want to live in Lyme Regis,

and yet eight miles down the coast in Seaton

prices are much more affordable.

As a general rule of thumb, the eastern part of the county,

which is better connected, is more expensive than the west.

Mindful of that, let's find out where today's buyer wants to move.

Della is a retired teacher from Newbury in Berkshire,

and she's asked her best friend Jenny to join her for moral support.

They met at school as teenagers,

and after 50 years of friendship, they've developed a close bond

and seem to have the measure of one another.

We share everything. We're so boring.

Della can be quite serious-minded and she can also be quite frivolous.

She's great fun to be with.

She probably knows me more than anybody else,

so she will be frank and honest and quite blunt, really.

Both ladies are now widowed,

and although Della lives in Berkshire,

some 60 miles from Jenny,

they still make time to catch up with each other once a fortnight.

We do lunch and shopping.

Whenever we go shopping, we end up trying on the same thing,

so they get passed from changing room to changing room.

In fact, with so much in common, they've created a bucket list

of all the places they'd like to visit together.

We were both on our own and we didn't want to travel on our own.

We've done lots of places in Europe.

Oman, India. Just come back from Russia.

We know that it's the only people we can actually bear to go away with

for such a long time and not fall out.

For the last 15 years,

Della's home has been a three-storey townhouse

on the outskirts of Newbury,

but she feels that over the years

the area has lost some of its community feel.

It's on a crossroads of the M4 corridor,

so it's very busy,

and the fact that there is a major telecom company nearby

means that we have a lot of transient people.

I'd like to move somewhere that's actually more village-y

so that I can get to know people a bit better.

I just want that more close community feel, I think.

It's not just the house location.

The layout of her current home has become an issue

as it's on lots of levels.

What's more, she's also feeling the pinch with the size of the garden.

I really like gardening.

I just get this real feeling of satisfaction

when it's looking nice.

Yeah, I suppose I'd like to grow some vegetables as well

like everybody else does, and maybe a chicken or two.

You're a vegetarian!

I wouldn't eat them.

I just want the eggs.

Drawn to both countryside as well as the coast,

Della has earmarked specific places she would like to have access to.

The area I'm looking for is around the area of Lyme Regis,

the old rope-making town of Bridport and Charmouth.

It has the Jurassic Coast,

so it's great for walking on the beach and walking on the cliffs

and things like that.

We'd be able to go out, cream teas,

long walks, enjoy the beaches,

so the sooner she moves, the better so far as I'm concerned.

Della's townhouse is already under offer,

so this exciting new chapter is imminent.

And her friend's support and advice

will be vital in pinpointing the perfect place

for her new life in the country.

Jenny's coming because she is the sensible head.

I'm practical. My interest...

I'm ruled by my heart.

I've known Della a long time,

so I think my role is she'll know what she likes

and I can worry about what she needs.

-I think that sums it up, yes.

-Absolutely.

As Della wants to enjoy the best of the countryside and coast,

she would like to be situated between the historic towns

of Lyme Regis and Bridport.

So, with her location locked down,

it's time to meet her and hear more about her hopes

for this new home.

-Ladies, welcome to Dorset.

-Thank you.

It's quite bright and breezy up here. Look at the cliffs. Amazing.

-This could be your home, Della.

-It could, yes.

-And, Jenny, you're here to be an extra pair of eyes.

-Yes.

My ambition for today is to be analytical and dispassionate.

Very good. And you're more heart-led, are you?

I'm afraid I am, yes. My heart will rule my head at all times.

-You'll be like, "I love it! Where's the chequebook?"

-Yes.

So, what exactly are we looking for?

Tell me about the ideal property here.

Looking for something with two bedrooms, at least.

A nice size garden, cos I have a very small garden at the moment.

And in terms of location,

do you want to be in a town or out in the middle of nowhere?

I'd like to be out in the countryside,

but I do need access to public transport

for when I get too old to drive.

And what are your worries about Della?

I don't want her to make a mistake and be unhappy.

I want her to buy the ideal home.

Gosh, you're a force to be reckoned with.

-Yes!

-You're going to keep her under control.

-Oh, yes.

I shall sort her out.

Wonderful. OK.

In terms of the style of the property,

-do you have any particular desires there?

-I have... No.

I'd quite like something that has a bit of character,

but I'm not really that bothered.

Although, I really don't like thatched houses.

-Don't like thatched?

-No.

-Anything else you don't like?

I don't want it to be attached to something.

-I want to be able to walk around it.

-What is the budget?

Well, about 350 would be great. I can go to about 380.

I do have some more money in the pot,

but I want to use that for the bucket list.

-Ah, your travels. Yes. How lovely.

-Yes, yes.

Well, we've got three lovely properties to show you,

-and no time like the present, so follow me.

-Thank you.

With £380,000 to spend, Della is after a character property

that has at least two bedrooms to accommodate guests.

She'd like a large garden

and to be well-connected to transport links.

We've cherry picked some of Dorset's most desirable properties

which seem to meet her brief,

however the price of each house won't be revealed

until the end of each tour.

Our final offering will as always be the Mystery House,

which will challenge Della

to reconsider her strong property preconceptions.

Our first offering takes us to the northwest corner of Dorset

to the village of Thorncombe,

which is just under ten miles from Lyme Regis on the coast.

Nearby is the historic market town of Chard,

just over the border in Somerset.

From the late Middle Ages,

it flourished as a centre for the wool trade,

and its wealth over the centuries is evident

in its hamstone architecture.

The high street features many 17th-century listed buildings

which are now home to a range of amenities.

A 15-minute drive away back in Thorncombe

and just a short stroll from the community-run village shop

is house number one.

And as you can see, built in 1997,

and it's a fairly simple two-up two-down sort of property.

It looks very charming.

I mean, obviously we know

-there's a compromise about it being attached.

-Yes.

But we thought that the village was enough of a kind of bonus

to sort of maybe think about it.

Jenny, what are your thoughts?

I think the development is charming. It looks picturesque.

It looks like an old Dorset village, but it's got the modern features.

-Mm.

-Yes, that's the good point about it.

-Mm.

-Great.

Yeah, Della could have the garage and I can back on the drive.

I like the fact you're already planning that.

-Oh, yeah. Yeah.

-It's got to fit both of you really, hasn't it?

Where do we put my car? Where's my bedroom?

-Oh, absolutely. She'll choose her bedroom, yes.

-Yeah, yeah.

Let's look inside.

I'm pleased that Della is open

to seeing more of this semidetached modern cottage

as its been sympathetically designed to reflect the traditional style

and uses building materials found in the local area.

The setting and character exterior have got us off to a good start,

but let's see what Della makes of the inside.

-So, a little hallway into the kitchen.

-Wow.

This is just what you're looking for.

-Those colour tiles are what I've got in my house now.

-Aw, sweet.

-Yes.

Nice room for a table. Really nice.

It's a good lot of work space,

and you do have a sort of downstairs loo just around here

-in a sort of little boot room.

-Oh, that's good.

I think it's very versatile space.

There's plenty of room.

There's room to use it as a kitchen/diner,

or you could take out the table and have a comfy armchair.

-Let's go back and look at the other wing.

-After you.

Over here, you've got the sitting room.

Those proportions, essentially it's the mirror image

-of the kitchen in terms of size.

-Yes.

Nice and light again because you've got windows at both ends

-and a fireplace central point.

-What about you, Jenny?

What do you think about this living space?

I think the living space is excellent.

I can see Della's furniture in here

and I can see it being a very usable and warm and friendly place.

-Yeah, it does have a friendly feel, doesn't it?

-Yes, yes.

You don't really notice you're attached inside the house.

No, and the good thing about it

is you're only attached on the kitchen side, so that's a bonus.

With downstairs covered,

we'll head upstairs to where there are three bedrooms.

There are two comfortable doubles of equal size and a small single,

all of which make use of a three-piece family bathroom.

But we're heading to one of the doubles currently used

as the master.

What do you think of the sleeping accommodation?

What do you look for in a bedroom?

Somewhere to sleep, somewhere to lay my head.

-Right.

-That's it, really.

-OK.

-But no, it's a good size.

You can walk around. Is that a fitted wardrobe over there?

You've got a wardrobe there. The other room has a wardrobe too,

-and there's space here for some extra bits and bobs.

-Yes.

It's a nice big and bright room, isn't it?

-You can have the other one, Jenny.

-Yes.

That doesn't mean to say that I won't have this one

-if this one is better.

-Oh, OK.

So, the sleeping accommodation

-is not the most important thing for you.

-No.

Actually, what's more important is the living space

and the garden, to be honest.

-So, this passes the muster.

-Yes, it does indeed.

-Yeah.

-Let's go in the garden then.

Outside and to the rear of the cottage,

the conservatory flows into the well-maintained garden,

which has a good level of privacy,

and beyond the trees, backs onto open fields.

The all-important garden. Is this big enough?

-This is big enough, yes.

-Great.

There's room for me to have some vegetables

and room for me to just potter.

Yeah, it's great. Nice and peaceful.

And, Jenny, are you kind of at peace with the garden layout?

I like the garden layout.

I like the fact that you've got access from the garage

and from the side of the house,

so it's easy to bring things around

when you've got bags and bags of compost to bring around.

-You can get the car nice and close to the garden.

-Mm.

-So, practical head on again.

-OK, yeah.

Now, the price.

That's the all-important element we haven't talked about.

What do you think this is on the market for?

-350,000.

-Mm-hm.

-What do you think, Jenny?

-365.

-365.

OK, so, that's interesting,

because this property is actually on the market for...

-Brace yourselves.

-Oh, dear.

-..329,950.

-Oh, that's a good surprise.

Yeah.

So, actually you'd have money under your initial budget to put into...

-Round the world trip.

-..bucket list.

-Yes.

-Yeah.

Armed with that important information,

why don't you go have a snoop around and I'll see you out the front?

-Great. Thanks very much.

-Thank you.

Under budget by £50,000,

this charming cottage with three bedrooms

gives Della that large garden she's after.

Situated in the centre of a village and with countryside views,

both she and Jenny seem to be pretty impressed with the location

and living spaces the property provides.

Good, favourable first impressions.

It's new but it looks old,

so it has all the advantages of a new house,

but you still have a traditional look about it.

The space is just what I need.

I don't want anything too large anyway,

and it's got this cottage-y feel.

It's got a really nice kitchen, so, yeah, it's good.

I think it's a well-located house

in a nice development close to the village,

so there's lots of amenities here.

There's enough community here.

We've seen people walking up and down the road and passing by,

so I think she'll get the community spirit

that she's looking for.

Well done, ladies. Seemed like you were having fun.

So, Jenny, if you pull the door,

and we're going to go straight onto the next house.

-Good. Thank you.

-Looking forward to it.

In the heart of the Dorset countryside

just outside the historic county town of Dorchester

lies the 750-acre estate of Kingston Maurward College.

Built in 1720,

the estate was sold on to the local council in 1947

when it became an educational institution.

At that time, it was used to teach soldiers returning

from the Second World War about self-sufficient food production.

Today, the site comprises a working farm, formal gardens

and the impressive house,

which caters for 850 full-time students

who attend a range of agricultural and horticultural courses.

As Della is keen to create her own garden oasis once she moves,

we've arranged for her and Jenny

to meet the head of horticulture, Joanna Jeffery, for a guided tour.

So, it's not just professional training that you're giving.

It's also for people who just want...general interest

to improve their gardening skills.

That's right, yes. Yes, for domestic gardeners as well.

And some people who are changing careers

who are keen amateur gardeners, they love their gardens

and they want to turn it into a way to earn money,

so we see plenty of those as well.

Let's hope you find somewhere down here

and you can come along and take some courses.

-Oh, that'd be great.

-That would be really good.

-Yeah.

Dorset is obviously very famous for Thomas Hardy.

Has he had any connection to this estate at all?

He was brought up as a child

in a village at that end of the estate - Bockhampton -

and of course his heart is buried at Stinsford Church,

which is at the far end of the lake.

So, though he is in Poet's Corner, his heart is in Dorset.

-As it always was.

-Yeah.

The impeccably maintained Grade II formal gardens

extend to 35 acres and were created

by the last family to own the estate, the Hanburys,

between 1915 and 1922.

But rather than laying them out

in the Arts & Crafts style of the time,

they were designed using classic Italian Renaissance principles.

The result is a series of self-contained rooms

partitioned by hedges,

with each zone featuring a centrepiece

such as a water fountain or statue.

Joanna is taking Jenny and Della to the Red Garden room,

that features a lily pond surrounded by box hedging

which neatly frames delicate red salvias.

So, why is it a purely red garden? Isn't that unusual?

Well, Lady Hanbury, who designed the garden,

also had a sister garden in Northern Italy called La Mortola,

and all the foliage is red and the plants we planted here are red,

and that linked to that sort of Mediterranean style.

So, we see the ponds, the symmetry,

the wisteria climbing over the summer house.

So, the plants you've got in here now,

are they the same kinds of plants that Lady Hanbury would've planted?

They're certainly in the spirit

of what she would've planted, in the colour.

As well as historic gardens,

the lawns are home to that great 19th-century sport, croquet.

As Della is keen to embrace all that country life has to offer,

there's the chance for her to have a go

under the expert guidance of one of the team players, Bob Field.

Try and get it in the front of that hoop.

-That'll do fine.

-Definitely not hard enough.

THEY LAUGH

-Nearly, nearly, nearly. Went a bit further, didn't it?

-Gone out.

That's it.

Oh, too far.

-Very good.

-Ooh!

-Wow.

-Nearly went through.

Thought to have been introduced to the UK from France

in the 17th century,

the early version of croquet was originally called paille-maille,

derived from the Italian words for ball and mallet.

OK, we've gone through the first hoop,

so now we've got to go for the second hoop.

-Lovely.

-Oh!

-OK.

-And yellow.

-Nice spin on that.

Lovely shot.

So, how do you find it, ladies?

-I'm finding it really hard.

-It is very hard, isn't it?

-And I'm not going to give up my day job.

-OK.

-It was lovely to see you.

-Thank you very much indeed.

-Bye-bye.

-Good to meet you.

The ladies have certainly been inspired by these surroundings,

but it's time we got back to our property search

to find Della her ideal home and a perfect patch

where she can put her grand garden ambitions into action.

Next, we're hopping across the border into Devon

to the rural village of Smallridge,

which is just seven miles from the seafront at Lyme Regis.

Situated on the edge of the Blackdown Hills,

a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty,

the landscape here is clearly defined

by its agricultural heritage.

In the heart of the village,

clusters of pretty cottages are built around its centre

and there's an active local community

despite it's quiet rural location.

Just off one of the charming country lanes

with its own gated driveway is our second property.

Come on in.

Very different offering here.

So, it's a 1970s bungalow set amongst this beautiful landscape

with some lovely views.

Single-storey, so that's good. What about transport, though?

Well, Axminster is the centre for everything,

so that's got your doctors and shops and restaurants,

and there are buses that go there,

but a lot of the ladies here kind of gather together

if they want to go in and they organise a sort of social taxi run.

-OK, well, that's good, yes.

-What about you, Jenny?

What are your first impressions of this one?

I think it's a nice bungalow.

It's got parking, it's got a nice garden,

so I'm quite anxious to see it.

Shall we scale the drive?

Let's scale the drive.

The practical nature of single-storey living

seems to have struck a chord with Della,

so hopefully inside will target those heartstrings.

Here's the kitchen. And what a view.

-Wow. This is gorgeous.

-This is a lovely kitchen.

-Yeah.

Nice worktops, lovely kind of units as well.

-Tastefully done.

-They're gorgeous, yes.

-Can you imagine having your breakfast here?

-I can indeed, yes.

Shouldn't ask you. Can YOU imagine having your breakfast here?

I can imagine sitting here while Della waits on me hand and foot

and I have croissant and coffee and the whole bit for breakfast.

Yeah, in her dreams.

In her dreams.

I can see myself sitting there

reading the paper with a cup of coffee.

Yeah. Let's have a look at the living room.

Similar-sized room and a similar kind of great big

kind of landscape window looking out over the front garden

and the trees.

-Your furniture, would it fit in here?

-I'll take it as it is.

-Oh, you like these bits of furniture?

-It's very nice, yeah.

Great. You've been struck dumb.

I know. It's really nice.

Wow. Are you excited?

-SHE LAUGHS

-Stop it!

-Oh, no.

-God!

She's going to cry. Aw!

-No, she won't. She'll have a bit of the vapours instead.

-Aw.

She's having a quiet moment to herself

while she composes herself and thinks about it.

In your experience, is that a good thing or a bad thing?

Could go either way.

Do you think you could see her living here?

I think it's a beautiful house in a beautiful area,

and I'm quite keen on her having a sensible bungalow.

-I'm just taken by the views.

-They're gorgeous, aren't they?

-OK.

-Come on in.

Are you excited about the log burner?

-Absolutely. Yes.

-I can see the house is doing something to you.

I'm not quite sure what... SHE LAUGHS

..but I'm going to press on with the house tour.

-Let's look at the bedrooms.

-Thank you.

It's clear that this move comes as a big life change for Della,

which is bringing out her emotions.

Off the main hallway and to the rear of the property,

there is a bright, well-decorated bathroom

which is shared by a couple of good-sized double bedrooms.

We're going to investigate the slightly larger of the two.

Are you two going to arm-wrestle over who gets which bedroom?

-No, I'll get the best one.

-OK.

She thinks.

The truth of the matter is when she moves in,

she says to the removal men, "Put the spare bed in there."

-I'm stuck.

-And then you're done.

-Mm.

-Yeah.

-And are you liking the inside of the house?

-Yes.

-Good.

I don't want to set her off again. Let's going to the garden.

-Quick.

-Off you go.

Attached to the garage but accessed from the rear garden

is a secluded garden room,

where perhaps Della could admire the fruits of her gardening labours.

Oh, that's nice.

With its own little WC.

Southwest-facing, the garden enjoys the afternoon sun

and takes in those gorgeous views over rolling hills.

Along with established borders,

there's also a patio where she could wine and dine outside with Jenny.

-So, the garden is the right size?

-The garden is great, actually.

What you need is something just to keep your interest

and have just a few veggies around and be good.

What do you think of the garden, Jenny?

My view is gardens are to be looked at,

not to work in, so for me, ideal size.

And you'll have noticed,

on the top of the roof facing the setting sun,

-solar panels.

-Mm.

Now, these are great because in a good summer,

they would bring in about £600 to £700 back from the grid,

which means that the current owner lives here without any energy costs.

That's amazing. Yeah, that's really good.

The thing that you need to know now is how much this property costs.

355.

-OK. What do you think, Jenny?

-345.

345.

OK, so you're both wrong in this instance.

This house is on the market for £312,000.

Wow.

-God, I could afford lots of taxis, couldn't I?

-Exactly.

-You can put that £40,000 into a taxi kitty.

-Yeah, absolutely.

-I need to have another look around inside now.

-Go. Go.

-Enjoy.

-OK.

-Don't let me stop you.

Were those tears of joy or were they tears of frustration?

I'm hoping the former. I guess we'll find out.

A huge £68,000 under Della's budget,

this bungalow with two bedrooms seems to have delivered the goods

inside and out and certainly pushed some emotional buttons.

Set on the edge of a village,

it benefits from beautiful views over open countryside.

It's a beautiful setting.

Lovely views. Nice proportion.

Lovely sunny rooms.

It's just a great house.

Perfect for me, but maybe my heart is ruling my head.

I think it's great for Della.

It's got everything that she needs.

I think that a sensible-size house

with a sensible-size garden is the way forward for her.

I think it's definitely worth trying to find out

a little bit more about the area,

and if that was good, then, you know, I'd tell her to go ahead.

Whether she listens to me is another thing.

-There we are. Two houses done today.

-Yes.

-Both quite interesting, I think.

-Very, very different.

-Very different. Thought-provoking?

-Indeed, yes.

Right. Let's go and find a place where you can provoke your thoughts.

-Thank you.

-Thank you.

It's the second day of our house hunt

with Della from Newbury, Berkshire,

who's joined by her best friend, Jenny.

With a budget of £380,000,

she's hoping to fulfil her long-held desire

of moving to Dorset.

Coming up, our historic mystery property

is clearly giving off some spine-tingling vibes.

It's not haunted, though?

Not haunted that I know of. Boo! THEY LAUGH

And I get to sample a Victorian seaside delicacy

which is making a comeback to Britain's southern shores.

-It's an aphrodisiac.

-Are they really?

-Yeah.

Come on. Bring it on.

Day two of our property search here in Dorset,

and it feels like being on the ground has made everything

a bit more real and a bit more emotional for Della.

It's like the focus has come in

and she now may have to buy one of these houses and live in it.

And the Mystery House is interesting,

because in two important ways it's not what she's looking for,

but in other ways it's the classic Dorset country property,

so it'll be interesting to see how she responds.

What do you think the Mystery House is going to be?

Could be thatched.

Cos that was one thing I absolutely didn't want, so...

So, thatched, one thing.

What about you, Jenny?

What do you think we might be showing for the mystery?

We saw such different properties in different areas yesterday.

I've got absolutely no idea

-what you might have up your sleeve for us today.

-No.

-And you've already tested me on having an attached one.

-Yeah.

So, I hope this one isn't too testy.

For our final property,

we're heading back into Dorset to the village of Uploders,

which is just three and a half miles

from one of Della's favourite towns, Bridport.

But closest to the property lies the charming village of Bradpole,

which at its heart has an attractive Victorian village hall.

The local community also has useful amenities,

including a post office and a local pub.

Just a five-minute drive away

and back in the pretty village of Uploders is our mystery property.

As Della currently lives in a modern townhouse,

we couldn't resist showing her

a traditional Dorset chocolate box property.

As we were driving over,

your superhuman powers of deduction were correct,

because the Mystery House is, as you suspected, a thatch.

Right.

You can see it's an L-shaped property.

-You are this part of the L.

-Right.

And this thatch is two months old.

-I was going to say, it looks very new.

-Yeah.

What are your objections to thatch?

I think it's always the hidden cost that if you buy somewhere,

and then you think, "Oh, I've got to spend however many thousands

-"doing the roof up."

-So, it's the money.

It looks very pretty, though.

Let's have a look.

Dating back around 300 years,

our mystery thatch is thought to have originally been a cow shed.

Renovated four years ago by the current owners to a high spec,

the interior is a sympathetic mix of traditional meets modern.

-This is nice.

-It's lovely, yes. Light cream.

Lovely units. Nice worktops.

And a nice little eating area here.

A nice little eating area. How is it for size?

It's a good size. I'll just check if I can stand under the beam or not.

-Oh, yes. There's a good foot clearance there.

-Easily.

-I can't wear my high-heeled shoes, but never mind.

-Or your top hat.

-No.

This is by far the oldest property we've shown you.

It goes back to the 1700s.

But the inside, it's probably the newest in terms of decor.

-It's not haunted, though?

-Not haunted that I know. Boo!

THEY LAUGH

-OK, so...

-It looks very nice.

-Thumbs up for the kitchen?

-Thumbs up for the kitchen, yes.

Given Della's original aversion to thatches,

so far she's reacted surprisingly positively.

Also on the ground floor adjacent to the kitchen

is a sleek shower room.

And this is the sitting room.

Really built around the amazing fireplace.

Yeah, that's a beautiful fireplace.

-Nice floor too.

-Mm.

Jenny, is this getting the seal of approval?

Yes, yes. I think that's Della's sofa and this is mine.

-Oh, my God. We've gone to separating sofas now.

-Oh, yeah, yeah.

-Not content with bedrooms, it's also the sofas.

-No, no, no.

Well, we haven't seen the bedrooms yet, have we?

-Only a hop and a skip away.

-May not get my seal of approval.

-Follow me.

Mind your head.

Up on the first floor,

there are two well-presented double bedrooms,

one of which is currently used as a single.

Both rooms have access

to a luxurious Jack and Jill bathroom,

featuring a roll top bath.

Up until now, Della has been less concerned

about the size of the bedrooms,

so fingers crossed she likes the master.

This is very spacious, actually,

cos you could have all the chests under eaves,

and plenty of wardrobe space.

Very charming.

Above the wood,

you have got all the kind of snug warmth of the thatch,

which, apart from anything else,

is an extremely good insulator, so...

And what's interesting about the thatch,

it's not hanging down over the window,

cos sometimes they are and make it very dark.

-Yeah, yeah.

-Have you seen enough up here?

-Yes, that's fantastic.

-That's fine.

-Thank you very much.

Let's go and explore the garden and the price.

Outside, the entire garden lies to the front of the property.

Within the grounds, there is a greenhouse and vegetable patch,

as well as a detached studio or home office.

With the house pretty much receiving positive reactions all round,

I wonder if Della could see herself rolling up her sleeves

and getting green-fingered in this stunning and secluded setting.

How are we doing for size?

Well, sometimes you just look at a garden and think,

"Actually, it's better not to have flowerbeds

"and just let it be natural,"

and then that saves even more work, doesn't it?

-I know I keep changing my mind.

-I know, exactly.

You were like, "I want to move to work hard in the garden."

Now you're like, "Oh, just let it all grow wild."

-Yeah, just sit here and look at the countryside.

-Mm.

-No.

As long as you've got a glass in your hand,

you can sit and watch the weeds grow.

She's the best person to go property shopping with, isn't she?

OK, so, what about the price of this one?

How much do you think the Mystery House costs?

So, I think it's going to be

probably just a little bit over budget,

so I would say...

382.

What do you think, Jenny?

It go lower at 367.

OK, in this instance you are very, very accurate.

It's actually on the market for 365.

Do you know, I was going to say 365 first, and because she had...

Don't change your answer now. You said 367.

Because she didn't go on the five, I decided not to.

My main reservation would be whether I could use those stairs.

Right. Have another go.

-Go in and explore inside.

-OK, thanks very much.

And I'll see you when you come out.

-Thank you.

-See you later.

£15,000 under budget,

our mystery cottage may have converted Della to thatch.

It gives her two bedrooms

and has a lovely garden overlooking open countryside.

And it's within easy reach of the village centre.

It would be a fantastic productive area, wouldn't it,

with the vegetables and fruit trees?

Yeah, it would take a bit of effort to clear it,

but there's a lot of space here.

Location's beautiful, birds singing. Lovely garden.

Love the kitchen. Love the living room.

Upstairs, not quite as light and airy

as I would've liked it.

I'm still not convinced.

It's too pretty and too chocolate boxy for me.

But I'm not buying it.

I'm absolutely charmed by this Mystery House.

I can forgive it its thatch because once you're inside,

you have no idea and it doesn't darken the windows.

And didn't even realise it was attached.

It's just tranquil. It's beautiful.

Just feels lovely and friendly and cosy and warm.

Mystery House all done.

That's all three properties I've showed you know.

Perhaps we should find a place to kind of recuperate

-and think about what to do next.

-Indeed. Thanks very much.

Well, not what I'm going to do next, what you're going to do next.

What I'm going to do next, yes.

Brilliant idea. Let's go and talk about things.

With over 90 miles of coastline,

fishing has been a mainstay of Dorset life for centuries,

and fleets of working boats are a common site

off the county's shores.

The most westerly town along the coast is Lyme Regis,

where its livelihood has been shaped by the man-made harbour

with its famous sea wall known as the Cobb.

I've come to meet John Wason,

who's spent nearly 50 years fishing off these shores.

-You must be John.

-Yeah.

-Afternoon, young man. All right?

-Beautiful day for it.

Yes. Beautiful.

-Are you going to take me on board?

-Yeah.

-Brilliant.

-I'll take you on board if you like.

John's family runs a shellfish business

right on the beautiful harbour, and he's agreed to introduce me

to the edible spoils of these waters.

These buoys here?

And what have we got here, lobster pots?

-Lobsters and crabs.

-Lobsters, crabs.

Just a short distance from the shore and within the harbour walls,

John keeps his lobsters and crabs in pots underwater.

The crustaceans were caught a further mile out

a couple of days ago and I've been entrusted

with the skilled task of hooking a pot out of the water.

That's it.

-So, what's going to come up? Oh.

-Crabs.

They're big crabs, aren't they?

Oh, God, are you going to pick them out?

Oh, blimey.

What happens if they give you a nip? What's the secret?

-HE LAUGHS

-Hold them at the back.

Can I have a go?

You can have a go, but if they get a hold of you,

you'll know all about it.

-So, I shouldn't have a go?

-Cos they really hurt.

So, you go from the back legs.

Oh!

Oh!

HE LAUGHS I am brave and I am manly.

In a good week, John catches an average of 80 crabs and 30 lobsters,

which are enough to stock his seafood store back at the harbour.

Next, it's onwards to unload another pot.

-I might give you a job.

-I know. I'm a good pair of sea legs.

And what's coming up here?

Lobsters.

Oh!

They got a bit more fight in them, the lobsters, didn't they?

Mm-hm.

And how's this for size? Is this a good size?

Yeah, they're a nice size. They're prime size, actually.

-Prime size.

-Yeah, that's prime size lobsters.

The claws of these lobsters were tied together

when they were first caught, so they're easier to handle.

They've got beautiful colours on the bottom.

John has a restricted quota on the number of crabs and lobsters

he's permitted to catch,

however another daily haul is a more abundant sea creature

found around five miles off the coast.

Once a desirable Victorian street food,

today the humble whelk is a less-favoured delicacy here.

Around 95% of whelks caught off the British coast

are exported abroad.

So, basically, they're like giant sea snails.

Well, it is a sea snail, isn't it? Yeah.

They're not like, but they are in fact giant sea snails.

'Tis a giant sea snail.

So, it's a bit like an escargot, like a French snail.

-Yeah.

-Bigger.

-Yeah, bigger.

-They taste better than the French snails.

-Of course they do.

John's sons and grandson, who are also fishermen,

catch a tonne of whelks every day for the Far Eastern market,

but John's weekly yield of around 180 kilos goes directly

to the quayside family stall run by his wife, Claire.

This is my domain. He catches these and I sell them.

-Do you cook them?

-John cooks them.

-Oh, you're the cook, John.

-John's the cook.

-Course I'm the cook.

-And he'll clean them out.

-And I shell them.

I don't think I've ever eaten whelks.

Right, now is the time to be initiated.

-The taste is beautiful.

-They're good for men, actually.

Because of potency?

-Aphrodisiac.

-Do you need that?

-Are they really?

-Yeah.

-Come on. Bring it on.

Low in fat and high in vitamin B12, whelks are simply boiled in water

and best served with a little pepper and white vinegar.

Mmm. That's pretty good.

I'm feeling more manly by the minute.

HE LAUGHS Here's to seafood.

-Yeah.

-Nice meeting you.

-Nice to meet you too. You too.

-Yeah.

Mind your hand. He got nipped. I didn't.

-He did.

-He did.

There are signs that the whelk may be enjoying a revival,

with UK sales up 20% in the last few years.

I'm sure there's no better place to sample them

than here at source caught by a fisherman

who has inspired two generations of his family

to follow in his footsteps.

And you can't deny John works in a spectacular setting.

Despite Jenny's very clear-spokenness,

I'm a little in the dark to know

which of the three houses Della has as her favourite.

My money would be on the bungalow, but let's go and find out.

The summer rain has driven us indoors,

but it gives us a chance to think about the three houses.

I'd be interested to know which was your favourite,

if indeed there was a favourite.

Contrary to everything I said,

an attached thatched cottage was my favourite.

-Ah, the Mystery House.

-Yes.

So, what's going to happen next? What's the next move?

If it hadn't been for the stairs,

I would've actually stayed in that house with my chequebook,

but I think I will now keep watching to see what comes up in that area.

So, it's that area around Bridport nearer the coast.

Yeah, I think that's my favourite now.

And would you consider thatch and attached?

I certainly would, yes.

So, in that sense, it's widened your search remit a little.

It has indeed, yes. It's been enlightening.

Have you also kind of widened your search remit?

I'll go with whatever Della says,

as long as it's got a nice room for me.

-Great.

-I might get her to pay for it too.

-You should. At least a contribution.

-Yes.

-Rent out the bedroom.

Well, I do hope you find somewhere

-because obviously the clock is ticking.

-Yes.

I hope that find somewhere in the area that you want.

Sorry that we didn't quite get it right with our three houses.

But you nearly got it right.

There's always something to be learned.

And enjoy the rest of your time here in Dorset.

-Thank you.

-Thank you.

On a beautiful summer's evening like this,

you can understand how Dorset has swept Della up

under its magic spell, though, I have to say,

I was a bit nonplussed she didn't fall in love

with any of our properties, particularly the bungalow.

I thought that was a sure-fire winner,

and then suddenly the Mystery House came in and snatched the prize,

despite all the drawbacks according to her original wish list.

Nonetheless, I do think we focused her mind

on this beautiful part of the countryside,

and I do hope that you will join us next time

for more Escape To The Country.

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