North Wales Escape to the Country

Welcome to Escape To The Country.

This ruinous and windswept former royal stronghold

perched high on this hill was built originally to last for centuries,

but instead just decades after it was completed

it fell into the state you see behind me.

But what happened to it and where are we?

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

Today our house-hunting pair are eager to relive childhood memories

in a country that's captured their hearts.

Even though that enthusiasm may be kept under wraps.

-Is this one doing it for you?

-Yeah.

-Is this Jane being excited, John?

-Yeah.

-Yeah, I never get excited.

-THEY LAUGH

Just so I know what to look for. That's OK.

But it's not long before encouraging signs

become more obvious.

-I'd love to stay here.

-Yeah.

-Well, you might own it. Who knows?

-Yeah.

-Who knows?

Well, today we are in North Wales amidst the ruins

of the once impressive fortress of Castell Dinas Bran,

or Crow Castle in English.

It's thought it was built sometime around about 1260

by a royal prince of Powys,

but following Edward I's invasion of Wales, well,

it was abandoned and then deliberately destroyed

putting it out of use forever in 1277.

Later on in the show I'll be back here

taking a closer look at ongoing efforts to preserve it

in this stunning, if harsh, landscape.

North Wales is made up of six Welsh counties

with the Irish Sea running along its coastline.

The area is home to Wales' most recently designated

Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, the Clwydian Range.

This expanse of beautiful heather-clad moorland

and limestone cliffs cascades into the striking Dee Valley.

It's one of only eight protected landscapes in Wales.

In the heart of the Dee Valley is the village of Glyndyfrdwy,

once the base of the 15th century ruler, Owain Glyndwr -

the last native Welshman to hold the title Prince of Wales.

The village hall serves as a memorial to him

and also houses artefacts he was connected to.

It was opened by Edward Prince of Wales in 1934.

Closer to the English border is the attractive town of Llangollen

on the banks of the River Dee,

over which is an historic 14th-century bridge.

The town's steam railway was opened in 1862,

and its picturesque ten-mile route through the Dee Valley

is classed as a Site of Special Scientific Interest,

ending its journey in the town of Corwen,

where Owain Glyndwr is once again remembered.

So, with magnificent natural beauty

and man-made creations that includes charming architecture,

North Wales is a real draw for both visitors and escapees alike.

Now, average house prices across all of Wales are an impressive

£100,000 below the national figure for both England and Wales,

which means you certainly get a lot more value for money here

that you do over the border in England.

But when it comes to North Wales, well,

prices here can be surprisingly expensive,

and that's because of some really good transport links to major cities

like Chester, Liverpool and Manchester.

And, of course, coastal hot spots

like Conwy in the north and Abersoch in the west

also come with a premium attached

because of their popularity with tourists.

So, what about today's buyers?

What's attracted them to this part of the world?

Well, let's meet them and find out.

Jane and her husband John from Congleton, in Cheshire,

met 28 years ago on a night out.

We first met in a nightclub in Manchester.

I was on a hen party.

My friend really fancied her and I knew she was looking at me.

The next day I said,

"No, I definitely won't be marrying that one,"

-and here I am, what, 26 years later?

-SHE LAUGHS

They were married in 1989 and now have a ten-year-old son, Jordan.

They've lived in their five-bedroom house for 24 years

but have always had a yearning to be somewhere more rural,

particularly somewhere that stirred their souls

when they were growing up.

When I was a child we used to go to Wales every year.

Most of my memories are, you know,

that sort of area around Snowdon and the Conwy Valley.

We used to go for long walks walking all day in the hills.

John's introduction to North Wales was quite different.

He was admitted to hospital there when he was just three years old.

Times were tough,

but he did find some solace from the surrounding Welsh scenery.

I developed TB through a fractured spine

from a fall I had when I was a child.

They transferred me to Abergele in Wales for five years,

and then once I was able to move around,

I was able to explore the wonderful forest

within the hospital grounds and the farmland.

It didn't really feel like hospital. It was my home as I know it.

And...yes, it brings back happy memories.

John has retired from his job as an electrical engineer

and Jane's hoping to slow things down

in her job as a neo-natal nurse,

but they do have plans for making a living from home when they move.

We'd like an annexe.

And just do holiday lets, or if that wasn't enough,

work part-time so there's less stress.

Yeah, it'll take the pressure...

Yeah, maybe not going out to work as much

and enjoying family life more, more time with Jordan.

More time with Jordan. Mm.

And they've got plenty of hobbies to keep them busy

in their downtime too.

I've got my music.

I have another hobby on the side, you know, boat-building.

Model boats, that is. Not the big ones.

That keeps me busy.

I do enjoy cooking. I spend quite a lot of time in the kitchen.

And even when Jordan could barely sit up,

he was grating carrots and got involved in all the cooking.

So, with their house on the market

and Jordan in his last year at primary school,

this family unit is excited about getting the wheels in motion

on their move.

Hopefully it'll be the last move we'll make.

We want to make it our forever home where we'll be happy forever.

Jane and John have asked us to concentrate our search

between the Conwy Valley and Llangollen.

And before we begin our house hunt,

I'm meeting them in North Wales to ensure I'm across the finer details

of their property wish list.

Jane, John, welcome to Escape To The Country,

and welcome to North Wales.

This is a part of the world that both of you know very well.

What kind of a property have you been thinking about?

We're looking for a large cottage with large kitchen.

The bigger the better. Four to five bedrooms would be nice.

-Wow.

-You know, a decent size.

-Wow. What about outside?

I'd say about an acre, but John wants more than that.

-Two to three to be right, really.

-Two to three acres.

What are you going to do with them?

Well, you know, might have the odd garden party.

THEY LAUGH

Invite some famous friends around.

I was going to say, this is a very different kind of life

-to what it is in Congleton at the moment.

-Yeah.

-Yeah.

I know you're a keen musician. You've got

a music studio at the moment.

-You clearly want one of those as well.

-Yes.

And you and I share a peculiar passion for building model ships.

-That's right.

-So you need a studio for that as well.

-Yes.

-Both little boys, aren't we?

-We are indeed. Absolutely.

I also gather you want some holiday let potential.

-Yes.

-Yeah.

We stayed in a couple and we've got the idea.

I mean, we speak to the owners

and they tell us all about what's involved,

what they can earn a year and, you know,

it's something that we'd like to think about, you know,

for when I'm retired and for when Jane retires.

You know, just something to support the pension pot.

And I suppose that leads us very nicely on to talk about

how much you want to spend on this endeavour, Jane.

Well, if there's work to be done, about 550,000.

If it was all completely perfect

and we didn't need to spend anything, about 600.

Well, we've got some good weather. Not always the case in North Wales.

And three, I think, really interesting properties to show you,

including of course our Mystery House,

so let's go house hunting.

Come on then.

For their top budget of £600,000,

Jane and John are looking for a character property

with spacious living quarters.

Cook of the pair Jane would like a great kitchen

and they want four to five decent-size bedrooms.

They're also hoping for a property that comes with land

but are at odds as to exactly how much.

We've chosen three fantastic and contrasting properties

for them to view, but they'll only find out how much each one is

after they've completed each tour.

The final visit will be to our mystery property,

which may need some lateral thinking

but could well be the home our buyers have been waiting for.

Is it rather strange then coming back here

having been a sort of child patient, John?

You know, my heart is with Wales, really,

because I never knew I was going to come home.

I just grew up in hospital all those years,

and it was one day my father came to see me on a Sunday,

went straight into the consultants, said, "I want to take him home."

That time I came home, and that was a shock to me.

So, your dad took you back out of Wales

really against your expectations, I suppose.

Yes, yes.

You know, met all my relations that

I didn't realise I had when I went back to Manchester.

We're kicking off our journey around North Wales

in the village of Melin-y-Wig in the county of Denbighshire.

A good selection of amenities are just over six miles away

in the larger village of Cerrigydrudion

in neighbouring Conwy.

In the 18th century, the legendary engineer Thomas Telford

built a road between London and Holyhead

that passed through this village which was the main route to Ireland,

and Queen Victoria was said to have stopped off here

on her way to the Emerald Isle.

The village has a primary school

and a selection of cafes and watering holes to choose from,

and is surrounded by unspoilt countryside.

Just under 15 minutes away

is the equally rural landscape of Melin-y-Wig.

Well, look at that for a setting.

-Absolutely fantastic.

-Yes, lovely, isn't it?

-And there is property number one.

-Yes.

-I love the stonework.

-And the Welsh slate.

-Yeah.

As you probably might've guessed, it was an old farm.

You've got this old collection of farm buildings that go with it.

-This has six acres.

-Wow.

-THEY LAUGH

Got to be careful what you wish for, mate. You see?

But it also has this ruined barn here

which has planning permission on it to be turned into a dwelling.

So, what do you think?

-It looks quaint.

-Can't wait to get in.

-Yeah? Come on then.

This farmhouse is built from locally-quarried stone

and is thought to date back around 200 years.

There's been a farm on this land since at least the 17th century.

We're heading through the entrance hall and up into the kitchen/diner.

-There you go.

-It's lovely. I love the fireplace.

It's really, really nice, but I was hoping maybe a little bit bigger.

Could you forgive it that?

It's got potential to expand,

cos we have got a bigger kitchen than this.

Everything has its errors of compromise.

Maybe on this one the kitchen is one of them.

And of course, easy for me to say, cos I've seen what's on offer here.

-You haven't. So, follow me. Let me show you the rest of it.

-OK.

We're stepping just across the hallway into the dining room

which is one of two reception rooms.

Now, this to me is where this property really starts

to come to life.

-Yes.

-It's a better size for a dining room.

-Yeah?

-Mm.

But the living room is through here. Come and have a look at this.

Again, you step down into it. Isn't that lovely?

-Yeah, love that.

-Oh, yes. This is nice, isn't it?

-Stunning.

-This is lovely, yes.

Are we selling this to you, Jane?

Lounge and dining room-wise, yes.

Kitchen-wise, we'll have to change some of it.

-Yeah?

-Mm.

I'm not sensing a great deal of enthusiasm, Jane.

That's what I'm driving at, I suppose.

Well, Jane is definitely keeping her cards close to her chest,

but hopefully the rest of the house will elicit

a more positive response.

Also downstairs there's a utility room

and a family bathroom.

Then an enclosed stairway leads up to the first floor

where there are four bedrooms,

each with its own distinctive character.

There's a double with wooden floors and a feature window,

another slightly larger double

and then there's a snug child's room,

which leaves just the master.

-And then this is your bit.

-All right, yes.

-Bigger than what we've got at home.

-Yes. Nice size.

Is there much more storage than what's in the corner there?

You've got storage there.

You've got storage in some of the other bedrooms as well.

The house, I agree,

maybe short on its immediate storage -

clothing storage, shall we say -

but, you know, the six acres that it comes with

-is littered with all sorts of outbuildings...

-Mm.

..and loads and loads of space,

and that's really what we're going for here.

-So, bear with us, all right?

-OK.

-Come on, let's go outside.

-OK.

Back downstairs, a door from the utility room takes us outside

where we can fully appreciate what's on offer here.

Let's get to the main event, shall we?

It's pretty much all that you can see that way.

-Includes this huge breeze block barn.

-Mm.

That's very useful, that.

There is also a strip of paddock behind it,

and it includes that static caravan up there too...

-Yes.

-..which is all powered and watered, as it were.

Mm, it is lovely.

We know, this is what we see, this is what I've got in mind,

or the options that are available.

And then what would you do out here with the lets?

-Do the...?

-Log cabins or something like that.

Something like that out there.

-Key thing of course is going to be the price.

-Yeah.

-I guess about 525.

-525. Yeah.

I think it's way below budget. I would say...

-He's hoping.

-..495.

You're both, I'm afraid, absolutely way off.

On this occasion I'm afraid it's £465,000.

-Ooh!

-There you go.

-Scaring me then, thinking, "Oh, no."

-465.

-OK.

Now, the current estimate on doing up the barn there

is about 150,000, which would take you more or less to your 600,000...

-Yeah.

-..of course.

-Quite surprised, really.

Yeah. Go and have a closer look at that barn and I will come

and find you a little bit later on.

-Thank you.

-Off you go.

-Thank you, Jules.

This fabulous farmhouse with all its land and outbuildings

has rung in at more than £100,000

under Jane and John's budget.

It offers them the character and space they want

and also the right number of bedrooms.

Outside, the acreage and barn give them plenty of options

to have a holiday let business with a stunning view.

Right, Jane. What do we think of this?

-Big, isn't it?

-Mm.

-Plenty of space.

Be nice to have sections of workshops

with different aspects of work.

A dust-proof area.

I'm quite impressed with the house, really.

You know, it's got great potential.

If we go ahead with this, this is what I would be looking at,

you know, to improve things for our way of life here.

Overall, I think it's a good package,

with the money that would be left in the budget

to make it how we want it.

The main thing I'd want to do is make the kitchen bigger,

so a bit more kitchen/dining room area.

-Got it all planned out then?

-Yeah.

-Can you reimagine it as something else?

-Yes, we can.

But we have got lots more to show you,

so take one more look at that view, take it in,

imprint it on your minds.

-Let's get going.

-Lovely view. I love it.

-Come on.

Wales is proud of its many regional delicacies,

and as Jane is such a keen baker,

we've sent her and John to sample a Welsh delight available

in the market town of Llanrwst.

Here in the shadow of Snowdonia National Park

are the Tu Hwnt Ir Bont Tearooms, next to the Inigo Jones Bridge.

Hwnt Ir Bont means beyond the bridge in Welsh,

and Tim Maddox took over the tearooms with his wife

12 years ago.

The tearooms was built in 1480,

the bridge about 100 years after the tearooms.

The building wasn't actually a tearooms originally.

It was the local courthouse for the area.

Then if we move on several centuries,

it fell into disrepair a few times.

Eventually it was bought by the town.

It was repaired and turned into a tearooms in the 1930s

and it's been a tearooms ever since.

It's great, you know. It's the landmark for this area.

-It's lovely.

-Yeah.

What sort of food do you make in the tearoom?

We make all of our own food in the tearooms -

everything apart from the jam and the bread.

We make our own scones, which we're renowned for.

We make our own bara brith, which we've won awards for.

What is bara brith?

It's a really moist, rich cake, so it's got a great shelf life.

It lasts well once it's been cut.

It literally translates into speckled bread.

Traditionally, it used to be taken away in lunchboxes

for the miners or the people that worked in the forestry

or just general workers.

Bara brith may be a Welsh delicacy,

but it can be found as far away as Argentina.

In 1865, when Welsh settlers sailed to the South American country,

they took the cake with them and it's still enjoyed there today.

Now, something that sounds that good has surely got to be road-tested,

and Tim's wife Ayla has invited Jane and John

back to their nearby house to bake some of the traditional Welsh cake.

Now, everyone's recipe differs slightly,

and Ayla inherited hers when she took over the tearooms.

OK, first of all we take our mixed fruit,

and this, you can see, it's been soaking in tea overnight.

And the fruit that we've got here, we've got currants,

we've got sultanas,

we've got raisins and we've got mixed peel.

Breakfast teabags have been steeped in boiling water

and dark brown sugar.

Self-raising flour and mixed spice are added

and it's all given a good stir.

-That's lovely. I love spicy stuff.

-You like that? Yeah.

And that's what makes the lovely smell

when it's cooking as well.

Do you want to have a go?

So, how many of these do you have to make a day?

Um, at the moment we're making around 100, 150 a day.

-Wow.

-During the summer months when we're really busy

the numbers go up.

Two whisked eggs are then added to the mixture.

And then final ingredient is the marmalade.

And what the marmalade does is it's like adding the tea,

adds moisture as well as flavour so it keeps the loaf lovely, rich.

A final stir and the fragrant mixture

is spooned into lined cake tins and popped into the oven

for an hour to an hour and a quarter.

And when the bara brith is baked,

it's down to the tearooms to meet Tim for a tasting session.

But the cake supposedly tastes even better

after it's rested for a few days.

-Thank you.

-John.

Thank you, Tim.

-That's really moist.

-Mm.

-You can really taste the fruit.

Lovely and soft and fresh.

-Mm.

-Yeah, juicy fruit in it.

Thank you very much. That was wonderful. It was a lovely time.

-You're very welcome. It's nice to meet you both.

-Really enjoyed it.

-It's been wonderful.

-I wish all our guests made their cakes with us.

THEY LAUGH

-And you must take this one back for your son so he can have a try.

-Oh.

-Thank you very much.

-Oh, lovely.

-Yeah, no problem.

Appreciate it very much. Thank you.

So, now we've whetted their appetites,

it's back to the house hunt for Jane and John.

For our next destination,

we're on our way to the village of Llanddoged,

situated in the Conwy Valley our buyers know and love,

and only a mile and a half from the amenities of Llanrwst.

Just outside the town is Gwydir Castle,

a fortified manor house

said to be one of the most haunted properties in Wales.

The town has a primary and a secondary school

along with plenty of amenities, including dining pubs.

Back in Llanddoged is our second property,

which majors on the house for Jane over the land for John.

-Now...

-That is something.

This is a very different proposition...

-It's more my cup of tea.

-..to our first one.

-Is this more your cup of tea?

-Yeah.

-It is, yes.

It's an old rectory.

It is technically a semi, believe it or not.

-That white bit isn't yours, but the rest of it is.

-Yes.

To our right, you've got a brand-new two-bed cottage,

-or holiday let, depending on how you decide to use it.

-Right.

But I really hope when we get through the door

this flicks a few more switches.

-Yes.

-Come on. Let's have a look inside.

-OK.

This handsome stone property was built in 1829

and was renovated to a very high standard

from a near derelict state 15 years ago.

-Let's start in here. There you go.

-Oh, it's nice, isn't it?

-Yes.

Yeah.

You'd like it like this but you'd like a beam on your fireplace,

-which you could easily change.

-Yes, that's...

-And a brick...

-That's cosmetic, really.

-There, something like...

Now, the kitchen in the last property

was one of the big sticking points.

Tell me what you think of this one.

-Ey up.

-THEY LAUGH

And Jane's domain is found just across the hallway.

-Yeah, that's more like it.

-Wow. Yes.

-Yeah?

As you can see, the kitchen extends right the way through

that lovely oak archway into this sort of atrium

that runs across the full length of the property

and comes out the other side, of course, of the living room.

So, come on, Jane.

You know, we're putting out all the stops. Is this one doing it for you?

-Yeah.

-Is this Jane being excited, John?

-Yes.

-Yeah, I never get excited.

-THEY LAUGH

Just so I know what to look for. That's OK.

If this is excited Jane, that's all right with me. Yeah.

Is it exciting you there, mate?

It is, yes. As we go along, yes, it's improving.

Also on the ground floor there's a utility room and a cloakroom,

and then there's an added bonus.

In the basement, accessed by a hatch in the atrium is a cellar

in use as a gym as well as for wine storage.

Then upstairs on the first floor there are four bedrooms,

three of which have en suites.

There's a colourful master, a bright double, a smaller room

currently used as a dressing room, and lastly on this floor

there's a third double which, like the others,

has its own en suite.

And on top of all of those en suites,

there's a stylish family bathroom.

One floor up, there's an attic office

and yet another double bedroom.

But if all that wasn't enough,

there's still the adjoining self-contained cottage to see.

-Wow. That's brilliant. I could stay here.

-Could you?

-Yeah, definitely.

-Excellent.

-Yeah.

-That's what I was hoping you would say.

-Yeah, most definitely.

-Yeah?

-Yeah.

-Modern kitchen. Nicely appointed.

And that lovely oak staircase gets you up to two further bedrooms

and a family bathroom.

-This is as good as next door.

-Absolutely. Yeah.

-I mean, take your pick, really.

-Yeah, no. I'd love to stay here.

Well, you might own it. Who knows? Who knows?

-If you can afford it.

-Mm.

-Yeah. Come on then. Open the door, John.

-Get your thinking caps on. What's this one worth, eh?

-Yeah.

Outside, there's also a workshop in a carport

with a large room above it,

and finally a summer house from which to enjoy

the landscaped garden.

Well, I did promise you a big property

when we started the tour here.

-Perhaps a little more than you were expecting, even so.

-Yes.

Definitely.

-We haven't got all that land for you to play with.

-No. No.

But I don't think that's really what's on offer here

in terms of the sort of lifestyle it can offer you.

This is about you in a lovely, sumptuous family home.

You've got these views here.

This is about the house amongst all this beauty.

What do you think this one is on the market for?

I'm looking at 480.

480? Ooh!

-He'll be sorry.

-THEY LAUGH

OK, Jane.

Um, 560.

I like where you're going with that, however...

he's almost right.

-He's almost right.

-Really?

It's 495.

-Right.

-Wow.

Well, I think now is the perfect time

for you to go and have another look inside.

-Off you go.

-OK.

-Thank you.

-I'll come and find you later.

-OK, thanks, Jules.

This former rectory has surprised us all

with its price tag -

more than £100,000 below our budget.

It's got the featured kitchen

keen cook Jane wanted

and just the number of bedrooms

they're after,

along with options

for John's hobby rooms.

But best of all,

this property has a beautifully

appointed holiday let

that's ready to go and it could

give Jane the career break

she's dreaming of.

The property may not come

with acres of land,

but the garden is beautifully

designed and boasts rural views.

I like this property because it's got all the main things

that we were asking for.

The kitchen is the main thing that I go for in a house,

and the kitchen has got the wow factor.

It's more exciting, this house.

It's more like what we're looking for.

It's quirky, it's cute.

The more I go around it, the more ideas I've got of what I could do.

This house has got a really lovely, warm, homely feel about it,

and I could see all three of us living here very happily.

Now, I know on paper this wasn't technically

what you were looking for, but have we sold it?

-Probably.

-Probably?

-Yeah.

-You can't tease me with that.

There's one more property of course for you to see.

That's our Mystery House tomorrow morning.

But in the meantime, come on. Let's go.

It's the second and final day of our trip around North Wales

searching out a spacious family house

so Jane and John from Congleton in Cheshire

can call the country they love home.

And with a top budget of £600,000,

they want somewhere with a fantastic kitchen for Jane and land for John.

Still to come, our pair will have to get thinking

when we introduce the Mystery House.

-Are we going to persuade you that this one might work?

-Might do.

Or is number two still near the front of your mind?

No, you might persuade me.

And I'll be visiting some remarkable ruins

with breathtaking 360-degree views.

Fabulous. Absolutely fabulous.

Well, when I first met Jane and John,

they gave me a shopping list as long as my arm.

They wanted lots of acres,

lots of holiday lets and a property with lots of bedrooms,

and I think we pretty much got there with property number one,

but for a couple who, let's face it, aren't giving that much away,

well, their reaction said it all at property number two.

It didn't have everything they wanted,

but they've fallen in love with it,

so what can we possibly come up with for our final offering,

our Mystery House?

Well, going back to their original brief,

it's got loads of land and loads of business potential,

so will it put a cat among the pigeons?

Let's see.

Our journey to the Mystery House takes us to the hamlet of Prion

back in Denbighshire,

which is just outside the village of Llanrhaeadr

where the nearest amenities are to be found.

Here, the narrow village streets

are flanked by rows of stone cottages.

There's a handsome church, a pub to serve locals

and a primary school.

Nearby are the ruins of King Edward I's

13th-century Denbigh Castle, with views across the Vale of Clwyd.

Back in Prion, in an equally spectacular rural setting,

is our Mystery House.

-There it is.

-Wow.

-Looks good.

-Looks good, yes, from here.

But why have we brought you here? Why is this our Mystery House?

Now, everything else we've shown you so far

has had a holiday let element to it.

This one has none of that.

It is essentially an equestrian property with about 4.5 acres,

maybe just under.

With this one, I think it gives you, again,

lots of possibilities in terms of yurts, shepherd's huts,

log cabins, whatever.

And of course they make the best of the views

over to the Clwydian Range,

cos that's your land running down there.

So, that's why we've come to this one.

It also has this former chicken coop

which is now a fairly messy sort of workshop,

-but I think you get the idea, John.

-Yes.

You could certainly improve that.

Are we going to persuade you that this one might work

or is number two still near the front of your minds?

-No, you might persuade me.

-Good. Let's see if we can. Come on.

This country home is 400 years old, with later additions.

It has a background as a farm.

The house is accessed via a bright conservatory at the front,

which leads us into a cosy snug full of rustic charm.

But we're heading to the kitchen which is just next door,

and I know it's the room the cook of our pair is most keen to see.

There we go, Jane.

I like it, but I would've liked it a bit bigger

so I could get a table in.

In terms of making it bigger, the utility room is behind me.

It would be quite a number, I suspect,

-to try and combine these.

-Right.

-But as it stands, it's a classic country kitchen.

-It is.

It is classic, but I do think it's a bit on the small side.

However, in the living area, there is a dining end.

-Come and have a look at this.

-OK.

There's also a little study area in there, sort of purpose built.

So, there we go.

I think this room is gorgeous as a family space, actually.

Oh, this is nice, yes.

-This is the nicest lounge of the three houses.

-Yes.

-It's got a really homely feel about it.

-Cosy.

-Yeah.

-Yeah.

Downstairs has had much more attention paid to it

over more recent years than upstairs,

which is a little older in feel.

However, there's still lots of space up there.

-Potential.

-So, let's complete the picture in your minds.

-OK.

Follow me.

Also on the ground floor and behind the kitchen,

there's a shower room.

Then moving upstairs and off a long, narrow hallway

are four double bedrooms, all at the front of the house

and all served by a tiled family bathroom at the back.

There is a beautifully bright bedroom nearest the stairs,

a slightly smaller one but just as bright,

and a third next door.

So, that just leaves the largest of the four.

It's lovely. I like the beam across the slope on the roof.

-It has its merits.

-Yes.

-Yeah.

-It's nice.

I could see myself living here.

Now, bear in mind, we've come here not just because of the property

but also because, importantly, it offers you that land

-that you spoke so highly of when we first met.

-Yeah.

Come on. Let's have a look at it and see what you might do with it.

As well as the acreage that comes with this one,

there's a stable block at the side of the house with three stables.

So, our Mystery House is certainly giving our pair food for thought

as they'd have to employ some creative thinking

to turn it into the business they're after.

We've now seen what this offers you on the inside.

Now let's take a look at the outside, the land element.

-So, about 4.5 acres or so.

-Right.

And the boundary is that big hedge at the bottom.

-And then back up. And it includes this black tin shed here.

-Mm.

And that little white stone building as well,

which I'm guessing might have been the old privy once...

THEY LAUGH ..to this place.

Yes, at the moment it's an equestrian property,

but with the right planning permission,

you could go for something potentially here

that would give you that holiday let business,

and all of it overlooked by the beautiful Clwydian Range.

So, Jane...

I reckon it's about 550.

We're still below budget, way below budget,

and I'm looking at spot-on 500.

-Spot-on 500?

-Mm.

-He's annoyingly good at this.

-Is he?

But for 50 quid, mate, you are spot-on.

-It's on at 499,950.

-OK.

Yeah. So, there you go.

Mm. You've done brilliant. It's been fantastic what you've shown us.

Good. Go and have a wander around

and I'll catch up with you a little bit later on.

-OK.

-Thank you.

-Thank you, Jules.

Our detached Mystery House has come in

well under Jane and John's top budget and would leave them

just over £100,000 in the kitty

if they decide to go for it.

It's got the charm and character

they're after and enough rooms

to give John a choice of homes

for his instruments and boats.

And outside there's enough land

and outbuildings

with potential to turn this home

into the small business venture they're after.

-Good size for a double bed, but...

-Be all right for visitors.

..it's a bit stuck for storage space, really.

You could build a cupboard around the corner there, couldn't you?

-You're thinking of putting your clothes in that?

-Yeah.

-I was thinking of my model boats.

-Oh, right.

Of course.

The Mystery House is fantastic. Lovely.

You've got 360-degree views all around you. It's gorgeous.

Yeah, the Mystery House has given us

thought to think about what we wanted again.

The only thing that we're not really very happy with

is the kitchen, really,

but we could probably do a bit of an extension somewhere

cos there's plenty of land,

and there is the potential with the holiday let side of it.

I could see myself living here, me and Jane. I was imagining that.

You know, it's something I'm going to think about, really.

I've not ruled it out.

That's it, I'm afraid, guys. There's nothing more to see.

Our house tours are over.

-Your job now is to go away on your own and think about it.

-Yes, it is.

-Ready for that?

-Yeah.

-Yeah.

-Come on then.

-Let's go.

Wales has castles and ancient ruins

scattered across its stunning landscape,

giving a glimpse into the country's chequered past.

In fact, there are an estimated 600-plus castle sites

perched on vantage points,

most but not all of which were built by English lords

as fortifications at a time of unrest between the two countries.

I believe one of the most fascinating of these

is Castell Dinas Bran outside Llangollen,

overlooking the Dee Valley.

Sitting within the Clwydian Range,

it's currently two decades into a project to preserve it.

David Shiel works for

the Clwydian Range and Dee Valley Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty,

and is one of the senior countryside officers.

His role includes landscape conservation

and he's going to tell me more about the castle's history.

It was established by Madog ap Gruffydd in the 1260s

as part of the defences of this border area with the English.

The Welsh were at odds with the English at that time.

But the castle itself was famously short-lived. What happened?

We know that Edward I's armies came up the valley in 1277,

and at that point it looks like the castle was abandoned

by the Welsh and burned,

probably to sort of render it useless to the English.

I guess this is amongst a rare bunch of surviving Welsh castles

built by a Welsh prince.

That's what makes it special.

It's a Welsh castle, and particularly in this part of Wales,

very few remain.

It must really suffer the ravages of the elements

being perched on that hill.

It does, and we basically want to stop it disappearing,

you know, stop the ravages of time taking its toll.

Welsh-built castles tended to have simpler designs

than their English counterparts,

relying more on the rugged terrain of the landscape

around them to act as natural defences.

The spot Dinas Bran is in certainly means climbing up

to the castle is no easy feat,

but it's definitely worth the effort when you reach the top.

Fabulous. Absolutely fabulous. Gosh.

Now, the history of Dinas Bran is dominated by the medieval story,

but I gather there's a much older history associated with this site.

Well, the rock formations here

tell a very interesting geological story

going much further back in time,

and start to paint a picture of what the landscape was like

millions of years ago.

So, how old are these rocks that we're standing on now?

These rocks were laid down around about 415 million years ago.

-415?

-A long time before the medieval armies came up the valley.

-Before any of us were ever thought about.

-That's right.

For all of its pedigree, does it make good castle-building material?

Well, it's easy to quarry,

and they've quarried it out of the moat here

to gather the stone to build the castle,

so in that respect, it's quite good.

It's easily won, but it's quite friable

so the longevity is not great, and that's part of the problem

that we've got in halting its deterioration.

Friable means the rock crumbles easily,

but combine that with the castle's historic destruction,

it's a wonder there's anything left to see at all.

Can you recognise any of the key components

that would've made it function?

Well, you can see that this is the outer wall here.

-The keep, which is the kind of...

-That's the main...

The stronghold of the castle.

And the main hall of the castle were these fantastic windows.

-The des res.

-The des res.

That's the place to entertain.

These ruins are clearly impressive,

but the castle would have been even more so when it was first built

before it was ravaged by both war and the weather.

After the Welsh abandoned Dinas Bran,

it was briefly taken over by the English, whose commander said,

"There is no stronger castle in all Wales."

We've been up here for the last 20 years

trying to maintain the walls as they are.

Trying not to rebuild any of it but just to keep it in the ruinous state

that it is and stop it getting any more ruinous

but doing it in a way where you actually can't tell

that we've been here.

And what are the guys doing over here?

Well, this is the last piece of work still to do,

this last archway, basically to stop it falling down.

Paul Warrand is responsible

for running the conservation work up here.

We've introduced some modern materials.

We've put stainless steel dowels

through either side of the legs of the arch,

and then we've used grout, which is a lime-based grout.

And in terms of the lime that you're using, Paul,

is this as historically akin to what was used originally?

It was.

I mean, the sand is a local sand from the Denbighshire area

and the lime is a basic natural material, so, you know,

obviously we've mixed them together.

It bonds and protects the building.

How long do you think your repairs will last for?

Well, they will see me out,

and I'd like to think that my grandchildren

and great-grandchildren will be able to come up

and see it as well still here for everybody to enjoy.

It is a sobering thought, though,

to think that you've been repairing it for longer

than it was probably lived in.

-Thanks for that, yeah.

-THEY LAUGH

Well, from one wonderful Welsh address to three.

I wonder if Jane and John have come any closer to their country dream.

Well, house-hunting, of course, does take an awfully long time.

Making sense of everything you've seen can take even longer,

but you know what?

This week with these two, I think it's been a fairly quick decision.

Ah, look at this. A scene of tranquillity.

But have we managed to find you a property for the future?

Yes, we really, really liked property number two.

We are thinking of making a second visit.

We're going to bring Jordan with us this time.

We've looked at the schools.

Just doing a little bit more research.

It's not got everything we wanted, but there you go.

That's the way it is.

It is funny, isn't it, how one's wish list can change

once the properties start revealing themselves and all that they offer?

-Mm.

-Has it been a surprise to you, Jane?

-Mm. I thought that John would stick out for land.

-But you didn't.

-You compromised.

-No.

And I did compromise because I like it, the property,

and where it is, the situation.

You know, it's important that

we're still within reach of the local community

rather than being out in the sticks, so to speak.

And what about that separate cottage, Jane?

Because it was under budget, the difference in the price,

then I could maybe leave work earlier

and what I will lose in pension I could make up for

with the holiday let.

I can see Jordan moving into that cottage when he's a bit older.

-THEY LAUGH

-He'll have to pay us.

He will. There you go.

You'll give him a family discount.

Brilliant, guys. Well, look, it's been an awful lot of fun.

I'm really pleased you're going back to have a second look

at our second property.

It's been a real pleasure. Best of luck.

-Thank you very much.

-Thank you, Jules.

Well, there you have it.

We may well be on the verge

of concluding yet another successful house hunt

here on Escape To The Country, and the reason is simple.

You can have a wish list that can stretch from here to the sky,

but at the end of the day,

it comes down to one very simple notion,

that of compromise,

and that is exactly what Jane and John have managed to do

in the heart of the glorious Conwy Valley.

It's long been one of my favourite parts of North Wales,

and as it turns out, it's one of theirs too.

Happy days. I'll see you next time.

Jane and John did revisit our second property

and although they're still considering it,

they've yet to decide exactly what their next move will be.

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