North Devon Escape to the Country

This impressive mansion was once

the longest-surviving monastery in the country.

That was until the King donated it to the keeper of his wine cellar.

Find out the identity and the location

of this rather extravagant gift in just a few moments.

On today's show, our rural properties are initially met

with some quietly positive reactions.

-You're smiling, so I'm smiling, really.

-Yes. No, this is lovely.

-This has hit the spot.

And as we progress, our house-hunting couple's enthusiasm increases.

-BOTH:

-Wow!

-Two wows!

Today, I'm in Devon, right in the far north-west of the county,

at Hartland Point, and this is Hartland Abbey.

Built in the 12th century,

the original building that stood here was used as a monastery

by Augustine monks until 1539.

And it was the very last monastery in the country to be abolished under

Henry VIII's religious purge,

when the building was gifted to the rather aptly named William Abbott.

Now, William was the head of Henry's wine cellar, and although these

days the much evolved Hartland Abbey is open to the public,

the descendants of Abbott still live here.

And there's plenty more to raise a glass to in this stunning part

of the West Country.

Devon is located to the south-west of England

and shares its borders with Cornwall, Dorset and Somerset.

The north of the county is distinguished by its rocky coastline,

with a mix of stony and sandy beaches running along the shore.

Close to the coast, the hills of the Exmoor National Park

shape the countryside, which is home

to wild Exmoor ponies, the oldest British pony,

a listed rare breed with less than 1000 left worldwide.

Within the park are the twin villages of Lynton and Lynmouth.

At sea-level, Lynmouth's coastal home sits staggered on the hillside,

overlooking the pebbly beach and harbour, with a 19th century

funicular railway leading up to Lynton.

Here, the narrow lanes are brimming

with artisan shops and places to eat.

Moving west, the coastal footprint changes.

There is the town of Croyde,

with its long stretches of golden sands and grassy dunes,

as well as Woolacombe,

which provides a sheltered bay for surfers.

With a blend of land and sea

both offering captivating natural scenery,

along with towns and villages full of character and charm,

North Devon is a real treat in England's rural landscape.

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

just over £310,000 - that's around 25,000 above the national figure.

However, here in the more rural northern part of the county,

you will get more bricks and mortar for your property pound,

when compared to the south. That being said,

those sea views in desirable coastal towns like Croyde and Woolacombe

will command a premium. So, let's meet today's buyers

and find out why they're set on finding their very own patch

of this stunning Devonshire scenery.

It wasn't exactly love at first sight for beauty therapist Jackie

and her semi-retired maths tutor husband, Barry.

They live in Camberley in Surrey.

We met in a wine bar in Kew.

-She was drunk and I wasn't!

-SHE LAUGHS

Six months later, we were at the same wine bar,

both of us were at the same wine bar.

She tried to avoid my gaze for about three hours, but eventually,

I nabbed her at the bar and the rest is history.

That was 26 years ago and they've been happily married for 24 years,

even though they have their differences.

He's the steady influence in the relationship.

Jackie is very lively,

unpredictable, very sociable, vivacious,

I think most people would describe her.

The opposite of me, of course.

The couple have lived in their five-bedroom 1930s home

with their two daughters for ten years.

But things are set to change, as they've decided to head west.

Well, the move's come at quite a good time,

because our elder daughter is moving off to London.

Lara, our youngest daughter,

is about to go to university, so now seemed a good time to actually

make a move such as this,

when we don't have to consider schools or jobs.

I think another feature that we probably could do without now

is the house is a little bit big for us, really.

You know, the maintenance of it and we don't need as many rooms,

so we can downsize a bit.

And they've chosen Devon as the place they'd like to settle.

Well, we had several holidays in the West Country over the past few years

and we've fallen in love with North Devon, really.

We just love the beaches and the people are just very friendly

and of course, the countryside's great.

And it's just breathtaking, it takes your breath away.

To have that on your doorstep,

what can be better, to wake up to that every morning?

As well as taking their dog, Rufus, for country walks,

our buyers are also looking forward to some downtime with a bit of work

thrown in for good measure.

I think it would be good to spend more time doing what we want

to do for once, rather than what we need to do as a family.

At the moment, I work as a mobile beauty therapist

and it's something I can take with me wherever we land up living.

So, with their girls on the cusp of flying the nest and their house

on the market, it's the moment for Jackie and Barry

to say goodbye to Surrey and look to a new life in Devon.

I just feel now is the right time, you know,

we're young enough to go off and start a new adventure,

the girls are going off on theirs and then they'll be able to come and

stay and visit whenever.

We'll look forward to seeing them,

you know, we'll get a place that's big enough

to entertain them when they want to come

and I think it will be a win-win, really.

Jackie and Barry have asked us to concentrate our search

in areas which give them access to the coast,

particularly the beaches of Woolacombe and Croyde,

which they love.

And before we kick-start our search,

I'm meeting them in the county to make sure I know

exactly what's on their property wish list.

-Welcome to Devon...

-Thank you.

-..Jackie and Barry.

So, tell me about the house that you're looking for.

We'd like a character property, so, something older.

We're not fixed on what type of age, whether it's Victorian or '30s,

but just as long as you look at it

and you can see it's a character property.

Let's move inside - what must it have?

Four bedrooms,

a lovely kitchen/dining area with plenty of space to entertain,

and a utility room.

Somehow, a cosy feel about it.

Something will tell us, you know,

we belong there. I'd like an en-suite.

-OK.

-Because as a child,

I spent ages waiting for my three sisters to finish

in the bathroom. Yeah, and a space for parking.

We want parking for, maybe three or four cars would be great.

What about location?

Um, ideally it would be lovely if there was a few shops there,

but at the bare minimum, a local pub.

It sounds like you're both quite flexible about what you want.

We are quite open-minded, cos, hopefully, we won't move again.

We've lived in lots of different places,

so, you know, you learn to be flexible.

And remind me of your budget.

We're looking, um, up to about 600,000.

If you found us something really special, then we could go up to 650.

Which means, you know, I'm only listening to the 650, by the way?

-Yeah.

-You know, which is a nice-sized budget.

-We've got three properties lined up for you.

-Great!

-Let's not waste any time.

-Excellent.

-Let's go.

For their top budget of £650,000,

our buyers are hoping for an older property full of character,

with a great kitchen-diner,

offering fantastic entertaining space, plus a utility room.

They'd like four bedrooms and Barry's dreaming of an en-suite.

Outside, they want a pleasant garden and they'd like to be close to

amenities, not too far from the coast.

We've selected a trio of properties for Jackie and Barry to visit

and only after they've completed a tour of each house

will they discover its price.

The final visit to the Mystery House will give them a unique opportunity

to experience a very British rural retreat.

For our first house, we're heading to the village of Bratton Fleming.

It's around half an hour's drive

from the beaches of Woolacombe and Croyde.

Set on a hillside just south-west of Exmoor National Park,

there's a good chance to become part of the local community here.

There is a village hall, a sports club and St Peter's Church,

which was built in the mid-1800s

on the site of an older place of worship.

Locals are also served by a village store and a traditional pub,

all just a stone's throw from our first property,

on the edge of the village.

And at the end of a private no-through lane

is house number one.

-Wow!

-Very impressive.

-Don't you think?

-And it's old. Lots of character.

Plenty of parking.

-That's taken care of.

-Yeah.

-Absolutely.

The house is certainly old, it dates back 200 years.

It's a converted barn. And I'm hoping the location,

which is of course the one thing we can't change...

-Yeah.

-..is spot on for you, because while it looks really rural,

it's only 300 metres from your local village.

-Yeah, best of both worlds, I think.

-Absolutely.

-Exactly.

-Let's see inside.

-We're dying to see what's...

-You just want to get in, don't you?

-Yeah!

-We do, yeah.

-All right.

-I think it's a good match.

-Let's just get in.

This attractive stone barn was once part of a farm.

We are entering through a small porch

and starting our tour in the kitchen.

-Lovely.

-Get your approval?

-Kitchen-diner.

In that case, it's fine by me.

Yes, the kitchen is the thing you asked for?

-Yes. Well, I've spotted a washing machine.

-Mmm.

Which means, you know, there's no utility room.

-Ah, right.

-Ah-ha!

-But it's not a deal-breaker.

Good. Let's go forwards.

Next door to the kitchen-diner is a separate dining room

and off that, a more recent addition to the property -

added just 15 years ago is a large sitting room with a wood burner.

This room also has a mezzanine level, used as a study,

with double doors out to steps that lead down to the garden.

-BOTH:

-Wow!

-Two wows!

This is where you can see that this is a barn conversion.

No, it's quirky, but it's a nice quirky.

-Mmm.

-You've got the original beam.

No, it's really inviting and warm.

-It's lovely.

-So, on this floor, there are also two bedrooms.

Right. OK.

And then the master is actually downstairs rather than upstairs,

-so...

-Oh, OK. Upside down.

-That's where we'll head.

The two bedrooms on this ground floor level

include a pretty single room and a bright double.

Then downstairs we find a shower room

that serves another double bedroom.

The fourth and final room is the master.

-I think it's a good size.

-Yeah. Yeah, that's big enough.

And Barry, have you spotted...

-the

-en-suite? No, I haven't, no.

I couldn't sort the utility but I've looked after you with this property.

-OK, great.

-Preferential treatment!

-There is an en-suite.

-Excellent. No, this is good.

And this goes straight out onto a courtyard

on the other side of the house,

so you have your own private sunbathing area or...

-Yeah, well, we like to sit out and...

-Have a morning coffee.

-Yeah.

Well, let's go and see the rest of the outside space

-that the property has to offer.

-OK.

And that'll give you a little bit more time to think, I think.

-Yeah. Yeah. Great.

-Let's go.

Back outside, there's the terrace we've already seen,

which takes us to a lovely large garden

surrounded by mature trees and bushes.

-It's beautiful, isn't it?

-It is very good, yes.

Hidden behind all of there is a little vegetable patch.

Next to the courtyard is the garage and a sizeable outbuilding

that's currently being used as a gym, a store,

but is fully plumbed-up, so you could, with a few adaptations,

use it for something else. Could you make use of that?

I could use that to work from home in my beauty work,

or maybe holiday let or something like that.

And you also have 1.75 acres of land

-on the other side of the road.

-Oh!

-Great for the dog.

-Yeah.

-Oh, yeah.

You've got your own private park.

-We've got our own little area!

-That belongs to you.

Well, not a little area, big area.

-Quite a big area.

-It's beautiful.

What is this property on the market for?

I think it might be somewhere near the top of our budget, really.

-The top of our top budget. Erm...

-Of course.

-I don't know. I'll say 650.

-I really don't know.

-OK.

-I'd go for 625.

It is at the top of your budget.

It's actually on the market

-for £660,000.

-Oh.

-Ouch!

-And I'm led to believe an offer...

-You'd hope that would be negotiable.

-Exactly - would be all right.

-It's a contender.

-On the list.

-All right.

-Have another look around.

-Thank you.

-And I'll meet you in a bit.

This striking converted barn may be £10,000 over

Jackie and Barry's top budget,

but a deal could be struck

and the property doesn't need any work.

Dating to the 1800s,

it has all the character they're looking for

and the requested kitchen-diner.

Although there may not be a utility room,

there are the four bedrooms they want

as well as an en-suite with the master.

Outside, the fabulous grounds

include an option for Jackie to work from home

and the village location is ideal.

-Oh, this is a nice room.

-Yeah, good size.

Yeah. I can see one of the girls liking this.

Straight off, house one oozed character, it was full of it.

You almost didn't know which way to look, because each way you did look,

there was something that caught your eye.

This house is nice, flowing feel to it.

The rooms link well together.

I think it'd be a good place to live in.

The quirkiness of it was exactly what we're looking for.

The upside down aspect of the house, I think, is really nice.

It's not anything we've ever thought about or lived in

and it just adds to its charm.

-Is it still on the list?

-Definitely, yeah.

-Absolutely.

But you're keen to see more, aren't you?

-Of course.

-Yes.

-"Of course!"

-But great start.

Let's go!

Devon's open countryside and rugged northern coastline has long provided

inspiration for writers such as Coleridge, Charles Kingsley

and, more recently, Henry Williamson.

A soldier, farmer and writer,

Williamson penned over 50 books in the last century,

including the celebrated Tarka The Otter, set in North Devon.

To learn about how the landscape inspired his literature,

Jackie and Barry have come to meet Tony Evans,

a long-standing member of the Henry Williamson Society,

at the author's house in the village of Georgeham.

Williamson produced his work on the grounds here in this rather modest

writing hut, which owes its origins

to the success of his most famous novel.

Now, in 1927,

Tarka The Otter was published and with that he won a prize of £100,

which enabled him to pay the £125 that the local butcher required

for this field, and in 1929, this wonderful writing hut was built.

And what happened after he died?

The Henry Williamson Society was formed.

With the support of the Williamson family,

money was raised to restore the hut

to its former glory, as you might say.

My son and I have looked after the hut until it was sold last year.

And the chap who bought it,

he's hoping to make it into a writer's refuge,

and also last year, it was granted Grade II listed status.

This writing hut is one of the smallest

Grade II listed buildings in the UK.

It's not open to the public,

but can be enjoyed by members of the society.

This is the very table that Henry Williamson wrote Tarka The Otter,

which he had down in the village, and after he built his writing hut,

he brought it up here, and this lovely old chair.

This wonderful view,

this is what Henry fell in love with and on a clear day you can see

the hills of Exmoor over to the north and the tors of Dartmoor.

Williamson's fictional otter, Tarka, grew up in the nearby River Taw

and in 1992, a 163-mile walking and cycling trail was opened,

taking in some of the local scenery the writer so loved.

It was given the name the Tarka Trail.

After visiting the author's historic hut,

the next stop for our couple is to join the trail between the towns of

Braunton and Barnstaple, where they can take in some of its highlights.

The trail sits in North Devon's biosphere reserve,

one of 651 sustainable reserves worldwide designated by Unesco.

Aiming to connect people and nature,

this one was the first of only four such sites in the UK.

Jackie and Barry have stopped off at the reserve's wildlife wetlands

to learn more from biosphere coordinator Matt Edworthy.

What are the wetlands?

Well, they're owned by the Environment Agency

and were created in 1996 as part of a flood defence scheme.

And they took material from this site and then the water came in,

filled the hole to create the lake behind us.

And since then, it's been colonised by a whole variety of wildlife.

There's ducks and swans that you can see around here.

Erm, but there are coots as well, and moorhens,

and if we are lucky, and if we were very quiet and stayed out

-of sight, we could even see a heron.

-Will we get to see any otters?

Well, they have been seen here, but the best place to see them

is further down the trail where it crosses and recrosses

the River Torridge, near Torrington.

Our buyers had better not spend too long otter-hunting,

for we've still got the small matter

of finding them a new home to attend to.

For our second property stop,

we're travelling to the coastal village of Combe Martin.

The village sits in a valley on the edge of Exmoor

and is great dog-walking territory.

There's an award-winning beach in a sheltered cove

overlooked by stunning scenery.

It also lays claim to having the longest main street of any

village in the country, stretching over two miles in length.

In a tranquil spot, the village's 13th-century church

sits against a beautiful Devonshire backdrop.

Just outside the village centre, we find our second offering.

This attractive house, which was converted

to its current layout in 1916.

How do you feel about being more coastal?

Didn't expect to get this close.

-Definitely a cottage.

-Yeah.

-So, full of character.

Aside from the house itself, you can't miss this huge double garage.

I've been in, you could fit more than two cars in it and it's also

got a workshop at the back, so it's a really...

-Yeah, that's a big plus, yes.

-Really nice storage space.

The other space that comes with this, this cabin,

which was built for the daughter's sleepovers.

It's fully plumbed-in, it's got a bathroom that's almost finished -

-just things need to be put in place, so...

-Perfect.

..could work if you wanted to keep up the beauty business.

Yep. It's not grabbing me like the first house,

where the rustic charm, really, you could see it.

I think more of that charm, hopefully, will be on the inside.

This whitewashed house has solid stone walls

around 60 centimetres thick.

We're entering through the porch,

which leads to a utility room especially for Jackie.

That takes us through to a large kitchen-diner

with an adjoining pantry.

Most of the units have been carved from a 150-year-old boat.

-Ah!

-Yeah, this is nice.

-Didn't expect this.

-You're smiling, so I'm smiling, really.

-Yes.

-This has hit the spot.

-No, this is lovely. Really lovely.

Very homely, cottagey, yes.

So, this is what you want?

-Yes.

-Yeah.

-I wouldn't change anything.

-Perfect room.

-Shall we see more?

-Please.

Just on the other side of the staircase is the sitting room.

Lovely, yes. Very cosy.

You can imagine winter evenings in here.

I like the fireplace very much.

This feels like the winter lounge,

because what they've done is their patio area,

they've turned into a summer room,

and that's because that's south-facing.

But I think this is really captivating on the inside,

whereas outside, I didn't get that vibe

until we walked in and it was, "Wow!"

Yeah, I agree with that, yeah.

-Let's go and see if you're as captivated with the upstairs.

-OK.

Also on the ground floor, overlooking the garden,

is a dual aspect double bedroom

and at the front of the house is a fully tiled shower room.

Then, as we move upstairs, there are three further bedrooms, all of which

make use of a bright family bathroom.

There's a spacious double bedroom,

a smaller room in use as a study,

and we're headed to the room where Jackie and Barry would sleep.

-Welcome to the master.

-Whoa! Big room.

-Wow!

And I can't provide you with an en-suite...

-HE LAUGHS

-That's OK.

-..but there's a sink.

-That's fine.

-But it's a really good size, isn't it?

Really light and airy.

-Look at the views.

-Yeah.

-Brilliant views.

-Well, let's go and see outside.

Before that, though, we'll also go and see that annexe, the cabin.

Oh, right.

Not even the rain can obscure the wonderful grounds here -

extending to around half an acre,

they wrap all around the house with a fabulous outlook.

The self-contained cabin is just at the top of the garden.

It's currently used as guest accommodation,

but could easily become a beauty therapy sanctuary

if Jackie decides to work from home.

Come in!

-Welcome to the den.

-Wow!

-The cabin.

-Wow! It's really nice.

So, this is the main space and then there are two...

bedrooms, really, they've got bunk beds in

which you could use, I thought, as therapy rooms,

and then a bathroom that you just need to plumb in.

-God, it's big, isn't it?

-Yeah. Very unexpected.

-We could have a his and hers house.

-Oh, it's not for the...

-You're...you're out here now, Barry! What have you done?

-I am, aren't I?

I'm, yeah, exiled to here. That wouldn't be a bad thing.

Well, listen, I don't think the rain is going to hold off so let's just

head outside, see what outside space there is.

And then you can tell me how much you think this house is worth.

-Ah.

-Get thinking.

-The tricky bit.

-Right.

Let's brave it.

The plot sits on a slope and down at the bottom of the garden there's a

great view of the back of the house, where we turn our thoughts to money.

How much is this property on the market for?

-You first?

-Yes, erm...

I would say about 600.

-OK.

-Probably 625.

It's actually on the market for...

offers in excess of 500,000.

-Oh!

-Well, that makes it...

-So, half a million.

Oh, that makes it different.

You can have another look around and I'll meet you out the other side.

-OK.

-OK.

This detached house could leave our couple a huge £150,000

in their pockets if they decide they'd like to call it home.

It gives Jackie her all-important kitchen-diner,

complete with a utility room,

and although Barry doesn't get his en-suite here,

the master bedroom does come with a vanity unit.

The fully powered cabin could be ideal for Jackie to work from home,

and the location, near to amenities as well as the coast,

just couldn't be better.

Oh, the cabin undoubtedly was a real plus.

I really didn't expect to see that

on the inside when we walked through.

I think house two is a very nice house,

it's got a lot of good features in it,

but it didn't give me the wow factor that I was looking for.

But it is at a good price, I think.

Being close to the coast is a real plus point.

But this particular location isn't quite right for us.

I'd prefer a more sandy beach

and it's more rugged round this coastline just here.

Penny for your thoughts?

There's a lot of them,

as there's such a big difference with the price.

-Lot to ponder on, really.

-Yeah, bit of a dilemma.

It's the end of house-hunting for today at least, though.

Let's hit the road.

It's the second day of our trip around North Devon,

searching out a country home for Jackie and Barry

from Camberley in Surrey to live out their Devonshire dream.

Armed with a budget of £650,000,

we're looking for a property with the kind of character

that comes with age.

'We've still got a Mystery House in a rather special location...'

So, your back garden is 2,300 acres, basically.

'..and I'll be going bottoms-up whilst feeling the burn.'

-Well...

-Ah!

You OK?

Yesterday was interesting.

Barry and Jackie liked house number one, but weren't bowled over by

property two, even though they loved its character.

Today, we show them our Mystery House and I think it has the charm

that they're looking for, inside and out.

The test will come with its location.

Just how important is that factor for the both of them?

Let's see how we get on.

For our Mystery House,

we're travelling to the hamlet of Arlington,

the most remote location of all our properties.

Just over two miles away from Arlington

is the rural village of East Down.

Here, there is a pub and a village hall,

along with fantastic terrain for dog walking.

A few minutes' drive away is the Arlington Estate,

owned by the National Trust.

Here, dense woodland leads to our third and final property,

which is lucky enough to call the estate home,

and I hope this prestigious address

will make up for its remote location.

Welcome to the Mystery House.

-Wow!

-Wow! That is different.

-Lovely.

Are you wondering what the mystery is?

Well, its location, perhaps.

Spot on. So, what you have here is this beautiful cottage,

which dates back to the 1690s.

It's in its own grounds,

but it's also set within the Arlington Estate,

which belongs to the National Trust.

So, your back garden is 2,300 acres, basically.

What about the house itself?

Big house, certainly, and it's got lots of character.

-Yeah.

-It's certainly unique.

-Let's go inside.

-Great.

This beautiful cottage may date back to the 17th century,

but it's had later additions in the Victorian and Edwardian eras,

as well as more recently.

It was originally topped with a thatched roof.

Come in.

-Wow!

-Gosh, that is different.

-Beautiful, isn't it? Yeah.

-I love it.

And what you can see through there

is the most recent addition to the building. Ten years ago,

the current owners built what they call a garden room but it's actually

got a slate roof on it and it's been so tastefully done.

Yeah, it looks light and airy from here.

It takes your breath away, it's very unusual.

I'm glad you like it so far. Let's go and see the kitchen.

'Just next door and down a couple of steps,

'I wonder what Jackie's going to make of the kitchen's style.'

That's an original range, one of the first...

-Does it still work?

-Yes, it does. Yeah.

-Yeah? Great.

-No utility room.

-No utility room.

But perhaps you could erect something here.

Something, yeah, in this space.

Yeah, it's pretty... There's a lot of space there.

You've got really nice views onto your garden here.

Yeah, I was just thinking that.

I can't imagine there's many kitchens in England

-that have got a view like that.

-Yeah, it's really nice.

It's not quite to my taste,

but space-wise, that's not a problem at all.

Good. Let's go upstairs.

But before we head up,

down on this floor, there's also a cloakroom

and another large reception room with doors to the garden.

Moving upstairs, off a long, narrow hallway,

there's a family bathroom featuring a roll-top bath.

Of the four double bedrooms,

one has a feature fireplace and a large sash window,

another is up in the eaves, a third enjoys the views and, lastly,

there's a rather spectacular master bedroom.

-Oh, wow!

-What a room!

-Beautiful!

It's so lovely and light and airy.

-Another fireplace.

-Have you spotted the en-suite?

Oh, this is the en-suite? Oh, extra... Extra bonus.

-I'm looking after you, Barry.

-Lovely, thank you.

-Brilliant.

-But in many ways,

it's exactly what you asked for, is it not?

Well, it's more than we asked for, actually, yeah.

Cos I didn't expect anything this big.

Well, let's go and see outside,

because you to have your own set of grounds.

-As well as the other...

-Exactly, as well as the other 2,000 acres!

'Our Mystery House just keeps on giving.

'Outside, there's a double garage, plus plenty of room for parking.

'There's also a stone outbuilding

'and over half an acre of land with a stream running through it.'

-You're overwhelmed, aren't you?

-I am. I am.

It's so different than anything I've ever seen before, really,

let alone expected today.

That's why they call it the Mystery House.

-Yep.

-How much would set you back?

-This is so unusual, it's so hard.

I'll just say 600.

-OK.

-I'll say...575?

Jackie's really pulled it back, she's spot on.

-Wow.

-It's on the market for £575,000.

-Well done, Jackie.

-Mmm!

-Yeah.

-We've got to really think about this one, I think.

-Absolutely.

Have a think inside and I'll meet you at the front.

Our Mystery House has rung in £75,000 below the top budget.

Despite this, it's managed to go above and beyond

our buyers' expectations

and really offers a unique living experience.

The character here is undeniable

and there's also a great choice of living spaces,

perfect for entertaining guests.

There are just the number of bedrooms they want,

plus Barry gets his en-suite.

Outside, the extensive grounds sit within an exclusive estate,

and although the house is remote,

it's not too far from the nearest town

or the much sought-after beaches.

Oh, this is lovely.

-Isn't it?

-Cor, how bright is this?

Look at the view in the garden.

And you can go out, sit out there - winter sun, as well.

During the winter time, you'd probably sit out here.

The moment we walked through, there was lots of wood, the beams,

two fireplaces and it just had that lovely cosy feeling.

I could imagine a winter evening sat in front of the wood log burner,

you know, hot fire going.

I was really surprised by this property.

When we walked in, the rooms were all much bigger than we thought -

positively. Erm...

The kitchen was large, the lounge area was large, bedrooms were large,

it just went on and on. So much to think about, in a positive way.

Well, Sonali, you've really given us food for thought.

Shall we go and find somewhere

-and have a cup of tea so we can have a good chat about...

-Mmm.

-Yeah.

-..all three houses?

The county of Devon has an historic connection with the sea -

maritime explorers Sir Walter Raleigh

and Sir Francis Drake were both born here

and the water still forms

an important element in Devonshire life.

But today, it's more likely

to be enjoyed for sport and leisure activities.

The small fishing village of Appledore in North Devon

holds an annual regatta,

a maritime celebration which centres on the beautiful coastline,

and I'm lucky enough to be here during the week of the event.

'I've come to meet regatta secretary Peter Reveley,

'to find out more about this historic feature

'which has been running for 130 years.'

How did it start?

Er, it was a big sea-faring port

with a large home port of sailing vessels

and it was just the fun from the... the sailors having, you know,

-like a busman's holiday, I suppose.

-Who takes part in the regatta here?

Well, regatta day, the main event, is principally, er, rowing,

sliding seat rowing, like, similar to the Olympic rowing.

Er, that and sailing. And we have clubs from all over the South West.

The regatta takes place every summer and includes all kinds of events,

both traditional and contemporary -

from pilot gig boat races to the world championship crab competition

and even walking the greasy pole.

So, what's happening today?

Well, today is a pilot gig estuary race.

Er, it's about two miles out and two miles back.

-OK.

-It's an endurance race.

They'll start from over here and go to one of the estuary buoys

called Middle Ridge Buoy, which is the next to last one

before you get to the sea.

A pilot gig is traditionally a 32 foot long boat

that's five foot wide and made of Cornish elm.

They were first built as working boats,

with reports of rescues dating back to the 17th century.

Originally, they were built to take the pilots

out to sea, to the sailing ships that were coming up

either the Bristol Channel or the English Channel,

and there used to be several pilots in a port and the first one to

-get out there would get the job, so they would earn the money.

-Wow.

The traditional name for these boats is a gig,

but these are called pilot gigs because they transported the pilots.

They were skilled local men who knew the lay of the water,

so could advise the captain how to steer the ship safely into harbour.

There'll be some novices as well as experienced people,

and we have a handicap system that sort of tries to level it all out

so that we get a fair result in the end.

-Thank you very much, Peter.

-OK, thank you.

Nice to hear about the regatta.

-I'll go and meet some of the racers.

-OK.

-See you.

-Thank you. Bye.

'There are six clubs competing in today's race,

'including two local rivals -

'Appledore Gig Club and Torridge Gig Club.

'I'm meeting Jeff Sharp, one of the founders of Team Torridge.

'He's been pilot gig racing for nine years.'

How did you get into gig racing?

I got into it really just by wandering around on the quay here

and seeing some boats going out and thinking,

"Yeah, that looks good. I can try that."

-And this is your boat for tonight?

-This is our boat for tonight.

-She's called Will-to-Win.

-Will-to-Win, yeah.

-I hope you've got that.

-Absolutely.

Yeah, we have. We hopefully will win.

I have won this race once before, but, er...

-Have you?

-But it's tough.

-Good luck for today.

-Thanks very much, Sonali.

I'll be cheering you on, don't worry.

Good, thank you, bye-bye.

'The race takes place at 6:30pm,

'when the tide is just starting to flood in.

'And I've got a ringside seat aboard Peter's safety boat,

'from where he's going to umpire.

'Not only that, I've been given the honour of kicking it all off.'

-They all lined up?

-Yeah, yeah.

-Let's get this race started!

'Eight boats are competing in the race.

'Each boat has six crew aboard, along with one coxswain.'

And how is the handicap going to work?

If you're over 40, then you get a 51 second handicap to your advantage.

Yeah, exactly.

And if there are ladies in the boat,

they get a 25 second handicap over the men.

But there's some healthy rivalry, isn't there?

Very much so, yeah.

Come on, Will-to-Win!

You're halfway!

Because it's a staggered start,

it's a little difficult to tell how they're doing,

but it looks like Jeff and his team in Will-to-Win have done well.

-Well done! How do you think it went?

-Well, we came second overall.

-Yeah.

-But it was a great race, yeah, really good.

-We're going out for a cooldown, do you fancy coming out with us?

-Of course.

-Always up for some action.

-OK. We're going to climb in the boat then.

-All right, let's go.

-Make way, guys!

And ready to row.

-Nice and slow, guys.

-OK.

-And row!

And forwards, out and in. That's it, that's good!

OK, OK, I've got the rhythm.

-You've got the rhythm? That's you.

-OK. Bit better.

-Well, we're following you.

-Oh, are you?

I don't know how I suddenly became the leader.

That's number six's job.

I know, I really thought number six would be the last person.

-Well, that's all right.

-I forgot, I forgot! How am I doing?

Try and keep your arms straight when you hit the plougher.

Use your legs and your body. That's it, whoa!

-Ha-ha-ha!

-Keep going... Sorry guys, I went...

You keep rowing in time. You got it? Well done. Well recovered.

'I've just caught a crab -

'that's the sporting term for when you lose control of the oar blade,

'a common rookie rower's error.

'This might be a cooldown for Jeff and his team,

'but it's certainly a workout for me.'

Seriously, these guys make it look way too easy.

It is not easy!

-Well, I did...

-Aah!

-Oh...you OK?

Whoo!

-Oh, you've got mine.

-Oh, I think I'm just going to stay here.

-That was great.

-Number six is out, people!

Right, well done, I think that's great.

'Maybe I'll just stick to house-hunting.'

Well, that's the end of our property search with Barry and Jackie.

We've shown them three charming houses

in three very different locations.

But did any of them hit the exact spot?

Time to find out.

-Hello.

-Hello.

-Hi.

-So, what are you thinking?

I'm confused. You've shown us three good properties,

nice in different ways,

and you've helped us to identify things

that we didn't realise we needed.

For example, location is more important

than we thought when we started.

Whilst we did say maybe just a village shop and a pub,

I think we've realised that we want maybe more than that.

So, you need a more thriving village, in a way.

Yeah, possibly, and I think that's an area

you've helped as identify with.

If location's moved up, has anything else in your list gone down or,

actually, is it now all up there and you're just more focused?

We still want the cosy, the character,

but just, it's important it's in the right location for us.

Even if you're not going to buy

one of the three properties we've shown you, did you have a favourite?

I think, yes, it was the Mystery House.

Yeah, I think that was just different.

It was so old and such character.

It's so unique.

So, if I could take the Mystery House

and put it in another location,

do you think you would have gone for it?

-Definitely.

-So, what happens now?

-We keep looking.

Erm, you helped as identify that we prefer it

nearer to the sandier beaches along this coast,

so that's helped us focus on a particular area.

Well, it's been a great couple of days.

Well, it was great for us, too.

And good luck with the search and let us know how you get on.

-We will.

-And thank you for all your help.

-No worries at all.

-Thank you.

It turns out Barry and Jackie liked elements of all three

of our properties, but none of them individually quite hit the spot,

and that was really down to location.

Their hesitation is understandable - this is a major move for them.

Their nest is emptying and this is the very first time

they've had to find a house for just the two of them.

So, their search continues.

And fingers crossed, it won't be too long

before they've found their new home in Devon.

See you next time on Escape To The Country.

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