Shropshire Escape to the Country


Shropshire

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At almost 1,800 feet above sea level,

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this was once the site of the highest coalfield in the country.

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And boasts incredible views of the surrounding countryside.

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But where have I come to experience such a breathtaking vista?

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We'll find out in just a moment.

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Today, an escapee is taking her best friend along to help her find a

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great British country pad, where she can create some great British bakes.

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Actually, Yolanda won't have to do anything in this kitchen.

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I think she could just move straight in here.

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And the sweet smell of success just gets better and better.

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I think it's a home rather than a house that I'm viewing.

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-That's right.

-And I think that's what I was looking for.

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It's certainly very strong.

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Today, I'm in Shropshire, in the Clee Hills.

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I'm standing on top of the twin-topped Brown Clee Hill,

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which boasts two summits -

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Abdon Burf and Clee Burf.

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A rich mineral source, having been mined for coal, lime and iron ore

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since Roman times, these hills have also been

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a source of inspiration for numerous writers and poets.

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With sweeping views on a clear day like today, you can actually

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see the Welsh mountains to the west, and the Cotswolds to the south.

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In fact, the vista is a real reward for anyone who is prepared to

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make the journey up.

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Landlocked Shropshire is one of England's largest counties.

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And borders Wales to the west, as well as Herefordshire

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and Worcestershire on the English side.

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Around a quarter of the county is given over to the

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Shropshire Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty,

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where the undulating land features tree-top peaks

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and agricultural troughs.

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Sitting in a valley amongst these hills and close to Wales

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lies the small town of Clun.

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Here, tightly-packed cottages spill onto narrow lanes.

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And the 15th-century stone packhorse bridge, which the

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town was built around, arches gracefully over the River Clun.

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The Norman St George's Church displays a squat tower,

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typical of border churches.

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With a design that would have no doubt

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allowed for defence in times of trouble.

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In architectural contrast, and just outside the Shropshire Hills,

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is the medieval market town of Ludlow.

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Described by poet Sir John Betjeman as "the loveliest town in England."

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The whitewash buildings with decorative timber beams

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and leaded windows give the town its distinctive character.

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There's many an artisan shop to be found behind the attractive facades.

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Ludlow has a reputation for fine food and drink.

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And top-grade local produce can be found in the farmers' markets here.

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So with all that on offer,

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from stunning rural backdrops to beautiful and elaborate

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architecture, both old and new, Shropshire is well worth the trip.

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Whether a short visit or a lifetime stay.

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Despite its attractive rural reputation, Shropshire can be

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a real bargain for those looking to move to the country.

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With the average detached house price

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coming in at around £34,000 below the national figure.

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East of the county tends

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to be more expensive the closer you get to Birmingham.

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So, if you want your money to go that little bit further,

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head towards the Welsh border.

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Attractive country villages like Newcastle

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and Clun in the southwest are particularly good value for money.

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Considering their location within the picturesque Shropshire Hills.

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So which part of this gorgeous county has today's buyer

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set her heart on? Well, let's meet her and find out.

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When health care management consultant and former nurse Yolanda,

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from London, decided to take on the challenge of moving up north,

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she knew just the person to help her find her dream home.

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Her lifelong friend, Joy.

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We start off with being family friends, in the sense of my

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parents and Joy's parents

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knowing each other in Nairobi, in Kenya, East Africa.

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Her mum and my mother were very, very good friends.

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We always say Joy is like a sister.

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Yolanda's a very caring person.

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Always putting other people in front.

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She's always actually there to help me.

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Yolanda has lived in England for 40 years

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and after recently slowing down her working life, plus family

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losses last year, she now wants to spread her wings and move on.

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I feel I'm at that stage in my life

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when it's come together quite nicely.

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I'm reaching my retirement.

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I'm getting over the loss of my parents.

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Now is the time for me to say what's important for me.

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And, hey, go for it.

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So, after 30 years in her three-bedroom Victorian

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terrace in Enfield, Yolanda is now looking ahead to this new

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chapter in her life. But when it comes to the move north,

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her knowledge of her chosen location is rather limited.

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I would like to move to Shropshire. Particularly Ludlow.

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Quite a few years ago, I actually went for a weekend course there.

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It was such a lovely town. You know, everything appealed to me.

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Since I've become interested to move to Shropshire,

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I bought a book to read about Shropshire generally.

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So I can see that it's quite an interesting county.

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I know it's known for its beauty and views, things like that.

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As well as taking in the scenery,

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Yolanda is also hoping to expand on her love of cooking when she moves.

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She may even try her hand at selling her home-baked goods and preserves.

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I became interested in baking accidentally.

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Just trying to bake a loaf of bread.

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That grew from there.

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I actually then went on to do a course. Then I just got hooked.

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I want it to be a way of life.

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And if I can make money out of it, hey, I'm happy.

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She also wants to put her skills to worthwhile causes.

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It's almost like,

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"How can I contribute to the community with what I do?"

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Even if it is doing something voluntary.

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You know, baking for, say, elderly people,

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working with children in that way...

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But more in the creative way.

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It's obvious which room in her new house is going to

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be at the centre of her new life.

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The kitchen is so important to her, cos she loves cooking.

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And she needs this kitchen

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where she can experiment and just have a good time.

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'I would love to be able to grow herbs and have, like,

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'a kitchen garden.

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'My little dream would be that my kitchen doors open onto

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'a little garden.'

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So, with her work winding down, a buyer secured for her house,

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and a pocketful of dreams for her country escape,

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Yolanda is looking forward to a happy future.

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It's nice to be able to be part of a new community and tell a new story.

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I came across this lovely postcard, I've got it somewhere,

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where it says, "You're the author of your own story."

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So I think the time has come for me to tell myself my own new story.

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-I think I'm bringing my heart...

-Yes.

-..and head.

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I'm hoping two heads will help.

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Yolanda loves the market town of Ludlow in the south of the county.

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But to give her the country life

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she's after, we're concentrating

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our quest away from the town and in

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the neighbouring rural villages.

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Before we start the search for Yolanda's foodie haven,

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I'm meeting her and Joy in the county,

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to make sure I'm across her exact property requirements.

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Well, Yolanda and Joy. Hello, ladies. And welcome to Shropshire.

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-BOTH:

-Thank you.

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Now, Yolanda, you've brought Joy with you,

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who's one of your dearest friends.

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-So are you more like sisters than friends?

-We are. I think.

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A sister's job is also to be honest, isn't it, Joy?

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Oh, yes. That's why I'm here.

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Tell me about the actual property itself.

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What does it look like to you?

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Quite basic...in the sense of requirements.

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But my non-compromise was my kitchen.

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-You want a decent kitchen?

-Yeah.

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And it's not so much the decent kitchen,

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but it's the layout of the kitchen,

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in the sense I would love it to open onto a little garden.

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Because I love growing herbs and stuff like that.

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I'm looking really for a minimum of two bedrooms.

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My lounge I would love to maybe be slightly open-plan.

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I'm looking for some contemporary inside, with light.

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Are you prepared to take on a little bit of work?

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I think as long as it's something interior, I would be open to that.

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But not necessarily structural.

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Joy, final question to you.

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How honest are you going to be with this house hunt?

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I have told Yolanda that I am going to be very honest.

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-Head and heart.

-That's correct.

-Perfect.

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Right, so remind us of your budget for this move.

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It's £300,000.

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Well, we do have some splendid properties lined up

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to show the two of you. So, shall we get started, ladies?

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-That'd be lovely. Thank you.

-If you want to follow me.

-Thank you.

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For a budget of £300,000, Yolanda is open to the style of property,

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as long as it's bright with a contemporary feel inside.

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She wants the kitchen to be the star,

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with a door opening onto what will become her kitchen garden.

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And the house should have a minimum of two bedrooms.

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A shed and garage would be a bonus,

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and easy access to local

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amenities and foodies' paradise

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Ludlow is a must.

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We've selected an enticing mix of beautiful properties to consider.

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But I'll only reveal the attached prices after we've toured each one.

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The third and final visit to the Mystery House will require

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Yolanda to think big.

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And if she does, she could be presented with a dream come true.

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We're beginning our tour of Shropshire in the rural

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hamlet of Lower Down. It's around half an hour from Ludlow

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and a short drive from the small village of Lydbury North,

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where amenities include a shop, a church, a 17th-century pub,

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and a village hall.

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A mile outside the village is the splendid 18th-century

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Walcot Hall, a fabulous example of Georgian architecture.

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Ten minutes away, and surrounded by beautiful countryside,

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is our first property.

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This characterful terraced cottage

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that once belonged to the Walcot estate.

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There's actually four properties in total here.

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And the middle section is yours.

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OK.

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And this little bit of land, this parcel of land is also yours, here.

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-Oh.

-A-ha.

-What do you think? It is the first house that you've seen.

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Mm-hm. I like it as a house, yeah.

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And I would love to see inside, because for me,

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the home, you know, the house to the home.

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-Shall we start our tour?

-Yes, thank you.

-That would be lovely.

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Through the gate.

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The row of houses here were originally

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farm labourers' cottages, built in the mid-19th century.

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This one started life as two stone cottages

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but was converted into one in the 1980s.

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It's full of charm, even though

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it could benefit from a lick of paint in places.

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I'm taking Yolanda straight to what's the most important

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room in the house for her.

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So, quite a good hallway.

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Downstairs cloakroom.

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But this is the room that I really wanted you to see.

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-Wow.

-Is this what you had in mind?

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Certainly not what I had in mind, but it would work for me

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in the sense of size, layout.

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And the fact that it opens onto the garden.

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If it's possible to open that door and window to the garden,

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I think that would work quite well.

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-Great idea.

-Yes.

-Do you get that warm feeling?

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Does this say it's worth the, what, 200-mile journey from London?

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YOLANDA LAUGHS

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I'd like to see what else the house offers.

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But I certainly could work with the kitchen.

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So far, so good. With a few tweaks.

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So let's see what you make of the sitting room next door.

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Now, I'm calling this our sitting room.

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Or shall we rename it the snug?

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I'd agree. It looks very comfortable.

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And welcoming. It's got that nice, homely, comfortable feel.

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And there's the fact that it's got a burner as well, which is nice.

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-It's big enough...

-Absolutely, yeah.

-..for one person, isn't it?

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-I think you could squeeze a few friends in.

-Yes, exactly.

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-If Joy and the family came to stay.

-Sofa bed.

-Yeah.

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We're going to head upstairs.

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Let's see how many friends and family members you'll be

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allowed to invite, whether we can squeeze them in.

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'A stairway in the kitchen leads to the first floor, where there's

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'a family bathroom with an oak parquet floor, and three bedrooms.

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'There's one that could be used as a double at the front,

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'another in use as a study and guest room at the back of the house,

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'and also at the back is the master.'

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-How does it fare?

-Size wise, as a bedroom, it's fine for me.

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It's just one of the things I'm noticing is storage space.

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So I would need to see whether I'd need to use another room.

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-Exactly, have your own bedroom...

-Dressing rooms.

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For your dressing room, absolutely, Joy.

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I think it's a very good-sized bedroom, really.

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And the fact that it overlooks the garden is nice.

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I didn't mention that they've converted the attic.

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-Oh, have they?

-Yes.

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-Wow.

-So you have a fourth bedroom up there.

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-So we're not lacking upstairs either, are we, on space?

-No.

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-In fact, there's probably more space upstairs.

-Yes.

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Outside is not lacking either.

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There's a garage which has been turned into an art studio

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with an adjoining workshop.

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Then there's the pretty front garden.

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And the small plot of land opposite we saw earlier

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with its stunning views.

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Which just leaves the back.

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So, the final piece of this house hunt,

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which has to be the kitchen garden.

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-Yes. Perfect size.

-Yeah?

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Definitely, isn't it?

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Because it's not too big and it already has its vegetable plots.

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-You could just build on that, couldn't you?

-Mm.

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I think it's perfect.

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Yeah. Definitely. I wouldn't want anything bigger than this.

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So, we've got to try and put a figure on our very first property.

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Joy, what do you think this is on the market for?

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I think this property is on the market for 225.

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-OK.

-I would say a bit higher. 235.

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OK, well, it's slightly above your estimate.

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The asking price is £245,000. It has come down slightly.

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By a few thousand. It's been on the market for about ten months.

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So I think now you two should have a little look on your own this time.

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-Yep.

-Fully explore and

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I'll catch up with you at the front when you're ready.

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-That's lovely.

-Thank you.

-Thanks, ladies. Off you go.

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This 19th-century stone cottage

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is on the market

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£55,000 under Yolanda's budget.

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It gives her a kitchen ideal to

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make the heart of her home.

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And it has direct access

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to the garden.

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There are double the number

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of required bedrooms.

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And outside is already set up

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as a little kitchen garden.

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Plus there's the bonus of a garage,

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currently arranged as an art studio.

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This is a nice room. What would you do with this room, Yolanda?

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It would be lovely to convert into a quiet room for meditation

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and yoga or something.

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-Yes, that's a good idea.

-Really nice.

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This property surprised me. Because it kind of fitted in

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with what I had a vision for a country cottage.

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I also like the little kitchen garden.

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But for me, it would be a project.

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I would need to do quite a bit to put my own mark on it.

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I think she could live in the house, cos it's perfectly liveable in.

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But the first thing she should do with it

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would be to redesign the kitchen

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to make it into her dream space.

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I could see myself living in this particular cottage.

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But one of the things I'd need to think about is

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how remote it is for me.

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Particularly as I'm on my own as well. So, yeah.

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-Have we seen enough?

-Yes.

-Yes, come on down.

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Right, Joy, you close the door.

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That's it. Our first property.

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Little bit of a project, it'd be fair to say.

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-Yes.

-Absolutely.

-Got you thinking?

-Definitely.

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Right, I've still got more to show you. Shall we hit the road?

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Thank you.

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Yolanda and Joy are keen to broaden their somewhat limited

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experience of Shropshire.

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And a good place to start is the county town of Shrewsbury,

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which has some 660 listed buildings,

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including the striking red sandstone 11th-century Shrewsbury Castle.

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To the east of the town is another historic marvel, Weston Park,

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which was built in 1671.

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It was a family home until 1986, when it was gifted to the nation.

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The grand house and its estate has changed hands numerous times.

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And our ladies are meeting chief executive Colin Sweeney

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to get a potted history of its past.

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This house itself was the inspiration of Elizabeth Wilbraham,

0:16:550:16:59

who drew her inspiration from Palladio's Books Of Architecture.

0:16:590:17:03

So you have quite a classic Renaissance style

0:17:030:17:07

facade to the house.

0:17:070:17:08

Elizabeth Wilbraham was a member of the English aristocracy.

0:17:080:17:12

And is now commemorated as the first female architect.

0:17:120:17:16

She designed Weston Park for her family,

0:17:160:17:19

but in her day, women were barred from architecture.

0:17:190:17:22

And so she became known as the mystery designer

0:17:220:17:25

behind some 400 buildings attributed to her.

0:17:250:17:29

Are there any unique features to the house?

0:17:290:17:32

The house is quite an unusual design.

0:17:320:17:35

The south side of the house actually was the original front of the house.

0:17:350:17:38

So I think this is quite unique in that context,

0:17:380:17:41

cos as you can see now, we have a Victorian terraced garden here.

0:17:410:17:46

And it was in the 1860s that the family decided

0:17:460:17:49

they wanted a different type of entrance to the house.

0:17:490:17:52

And it was shifted onto the east side,

0:17:520:17:55

where there's this wonderful porte-cochere.

0:17:550:17:58

What's that?

0:17:580:17:59

Porte-cochere meant that it was this sort of

0:17:590:18:02

flat colonnaded section that

0:18:020:18:04

comes out so that carriages could come and sweep in underneath.

0:18:040:18:08

It's almost like a porch, really.

0:18:080:18:10

And people could get out of the carriage without rain

0:18:100:18:13

coming down on them.

0:18:130:18:14

The estate covers 1,000 acres and is surrounded by a five-mile wall.

0:18:170:18:22

Behind the walls of the main house are fabulous

0:18:220:18:25

collections of furniture.

0:18:250:18:26

Including Chippendale pieces as well as fine art.

0:18:260:18:30

Amongst other treasures is a collection

0:18:300:18:32

by 17th-century Flemish Baroque artist Van Dyck.

0:18:320:18:35

What a beautiful room.

0:18:370:18:39

-I like the chandeliers.

-Lovely table.

0:18:390:18:43

Look at those beautiful paintings. They're by Van Dyck.

0:18:430:18:48

Outside, the formal grounds include the Pleasure Gardens,

0:18:480:18:51

which were designed in 1765, during the Georgian period,

0:18:510:18:55

by the celebrated landscape architect Capability Brown.

0:18:550:18:59

Yolanda and Joy have come to learn more from head gardener, Martin Gee.

0:18:590:19:03

They're meeting in the Walled Garden,

0:19:030:19:05

part of the four-and-a-half acre kitchen garden.

0:19:050:19:08

What's growing in this particular garden?

0:19:100:19:12

We've got two orchards. This one behind me is a mixed orchard.

0:19:120:19:15

With damsons, plums, pears, greengages and quinces.

0:19:150:19:18

On that side of the pathway, we have apple varieties.

0:19:180:19:21

What we call heritage varieties of fruit trees.

0:19:210:19:23

Which have been known to grow here at Weston

0:19:230:19:26

or in the Staffordshire, Shropshire area

0:19:260:19:28

over 100 years ago.

0:19:280:19:29

One of the heritage varieties here is the Top Hill pear,

0:19:300:19:34

which Yolanda and Joy are picking to take to head chef, Guy Day.

0:19:340:19:38

He uses them to make a sweet and savoury tart

0:19:380:19:40

for the estate restaurant,

0:19:400:19:42

housed in the 18th-century granary barn.

0:19:420:19:45

-Hello there.

-Hi.

-I'm Yolanda.

-Hi, Yolanda.

-I'm Joy.

-Hi, Joy.

0:19:450:19:49

-I'll take those.

-We brought you some pears from the orchard.

-Thanks.

0:19:490:19:52

Puff pastries topped with poached pears and fresh thyme.

0:19:520:19:56

The tart is then popped in the oven for around ten to 12 minutes,

0:19:560:20:00

before it's sprinkled with blue cheese.

0:20:000:20:03

It goes back into the oven for a minute or so to melt the cheese.

0:20:030:20:08

A handful of rocket and it's ready for tasting.

0:20:080:20:10

Mm. That's delicious.

0:20:130:20:15

-Very nice. The thyme is a nice touch.

-Yeah.

0:20:150:20:18

Thank you very much.

0:20:180:20:20

Armed with some fresh culinary inspiration using

0:20:200:20:23

locally-sourced ingredients,

0:20:230:20:25

it's time to return to our house hunt to find Yolanda her own

0:20:250:20:29

country pad, where she can perfect her own country dishes.

0:20:290:20:32

For our second offering, we're hopping just over the border

0:20:360:20:39

and travelling south into Herefordshire.

0:20:390:20:42

We're heading to the village of Yarpole, which is

0:20:420:20:44

only a quarter-of-an-hour's drive from Ludlow.

0:20:440:20:47

The leafy village is dissected by country lanes lined with charming

0:20:470:20:50

cottages, and there's also a village hall and gastro pub in its midst.

0:20:500:20:55

I've brought Yolanda and Joy to the heart of the village

0:20:550:20:58

to St Leonard's Church, which has one of the oldest wooden-frame

0:20:580:21:02

bell towers in the country.

0:21:020:21:04

So we have crossed the border, just, into Herefordshire.

0:21:040:21:08

The good new is, there's a bus service through this village

0:21:080:21:10

to Leominster and also to Ludlow.

0:21:100:21:13

About 15, 20 minutes away.

0:21:130:21:14

Do you mind stepping over the border?

0:21:140:21:16

The border is flexible as long as I can get access to

0:21:160:21:19

places like Ludlow.

0:21:190:21:20

-Yeah.

-Yeah.

-Also, this church - it's quite unique, I think -

0:21:200:21:23

has a community shop in it.

0:21:230:21:25

Open seven days a week.

0:21:250:21:27

I'm sure they're always looking for volunteers.

0:21:270:21:30

All the produce comes from the surrounding areas.

0:21:300:21:33

So you'll have this on your doorstep.

0:21:330:21:35

That sounds good.

0:21:350:21:37

Just a few minutes' walk from the church

0:21:370:21:39

and we're in this quiet cul-de-sac.

0:21:390:21:42

And here is our second property.

0:21:440:21:47

Wow.

0:21:470:21:49

Oh, it's beautiful.

0:21:490:21:51

Yes, lost for words. Wasn't expecting that at all.

0:21:510:21:54

-Really?

-Yeah.

-Mm-hm.

0:21:540:21:56

-Definitely.

-Really lovely.

-It's done up beautifully.

-Yes.

0:21:560:21:59

Before we step inside, I'll just add one more little thought for you.

0:21:590:22:02

Because we know you might be keen to catch the bus.

0:22:020:22:04

You've got parking and you've also got a garage.

0:22:040:22:07

-Oh, wow.

-Oh.

-There, you see?

0:22:070:22:09

I think we should step inside, ladies. Don't you?

0:22:090:22:12

-I think so.

-Of course I do.

0:22:120:22:14

This house is full of character.

0:22:140:22:17

And believe it or not, it's a mere youngster.

0:22:170:22:20

It was built in 1993.

0:22:200:22:22

So, let's start off with perhaps the most important room in the house.

0:22:220:22:26

Certainly for Yolanda.

0:22:260:22:28

-The kitchen.

-Wow. Oh, this is lovely.

0:22:280:22:31

-I can see you in here.

-Definitely.

0:22:320:22:34

Now, yes and definitely is much better than

0:22:340:22:36

I got on our first house.

0:22:360:22:38

-Well, we didn't feel it...

-No?

-..in the first house, really.

0:22:380:22:42

-Whereas as soon as we saw this one, we felt...

-It's connecting.

-Yeah.

0:22:420:22:47

-You know, don't you?

-Yes.

0:22:470:22:49

And actually, Yolanda won't have to do anything in this kitchen.

0:22:490:22:53

I think she could just move straight in here.

0:22:530:22:55

The most important, I can see going into what looks like a conservatory.

0:22:550:23:00

-And then the luxury of a garden through.

-Oh, yes.

0:23:000:23:03

-A very positive start.

-Yeah.

0:23:030:23:05

Let's hope it continues.

0:23:050:23:07

I think it might.

0:23:070:23:10

'Just across the hallway is a cosy sitting room.'

0:23:100:23:13

-Wow.

-Perfect.

-Perfect.

-Perfect room.

0:23:150:23:19

I think this space is absolutely fine for Yolanda.

0:23:190:23:22

Cos at the end of the day, I always feel that the space

0:23:220:23:25

downstairs is more important than upstairs.

0:23:250:23:29

-Because you live downstairs, not in the bedroom.

-So true.

0:23:290:23:32

And the warmth, I think it's a home

0:23:320:23:34

rather than a house that I'm viewing.

0:23:340:23:36

-That's right.

-And I think that's what I was looking for.

0:23:360:23:39

That connection of being a home.

0:23:390:23:41

And it's certainly very strong.

0:23:410:23:44

That's delightful news. Let's go upstairs, shall we?

0:23:440:23:47

Thank you.

0:23:470:23:48

'The ground floor has certainly lived up to Yolanda's dreams,

0:23:480:23:52

'and I hope the first floor keeps up the good work.

0:23:520:23:56

'Off a small landing, there's a family bathroom and two bedrooms.

0:23:560:24:01

'One is a double with its own shower room.

0:24:010:24:03

'And opposite that is the master.'

0:24:030:24:05

-Ah.

-Nice.

-I think it's a good-sized bedroom.

0:24:050:24:09

-And it's something that's welcoming.

-Yes.

0:24:090:24:11

-I'd like saying, "Ah, I'm going to bed now." It's nice.

-Yeah.

0:24:110:24:14

And even though the windows are small and it's a dull day,

0:24:140:24:17

-it's a bright room.

-Yes.

-Isn't it?

-Yeah.

0:24:170:24:19

-I'm really excited.

-Are you?

0:24:190:24:21

And I haven't even shown you everything yet.

0:24:210:24:24

So, how are we doing, in all honesty, so far?

0:24:240:24:27

If you were to score out of ten, from what I've seen,

0:24:270:24:30

I'd be quite happy to give it an eight for now.

0:24:300:24:32

-Oh.

-Yes.

-I think I might be able to improve that.

0:24:320:24:36

-I'm going to try and get it up to a nine. Shall we step outside?

-Yes.

0:24:360:24:40

Sweet dreams all round so far,

0:24:410:24:43

we just need the outdoor space to deliver

0:24:430:24:45

in order to up our score.

0:24:450:24:47

Outside, there's a delightful garden,

0:24:470:24:49

where a paved terrace leads up to a fair-sized lawn.

0:24:490:24:53

Bordered by flowerbeds and sheltered by trees.

0:24:530:24:56

Behind it all are views across a neighbouring field.

0:24:560:25:00

But that's not all.

0:25:000:25:01

There's a workshop and wood store and a vegetable garden,

0:25:010:25:05

which is probably more glad about the rain than we are.

0:25:050:25:09

We have just brought you slightly over the border,

0:25:090:25:12

but only by a smidgen.

0:25:120:25:14

Was it a journey worth making, I wonder?

0:25:140:25:16

For me, definitely.

0:25:160:25:17

Right, well, the final part has to be the price now.

0:25:170:25:20

-Making me nervous. Yes.

-Which could be the tricky part.

0:25:200:25:23

Let's see how you get on.

0:25:230:25:25

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

0:25:250:25:28

I want to stay optimistic but also recognise that it is a really

0:25:280:25:32

good property that ticks more than the boxes I wanted.

0:25:320:25:36

So I would go 295.

0:25:360:25:39

OK. Joy?

0:25:390:25:41

I think I shall go...

0:25:410:25:44

285.

0:25:440:25:45

OK. Well, you are the closest, Joy.

0:25:470:25:50

The asking price is £275,000.

0:25:500:25:53

Ah! Oh.

0:25:530:25:56

-Very good.

-Oh, I wish I'd taken a photograph of that face.

0:25:560:25:59

THEY LAUGH

0:25:590:26:01

-Very good.

-Yes.

0:26:010:26:02

Before I let you go in, you mentioned upstairs eight out of ten

0:26:020:26:06

and I said I wanted to crank that up a little bit.

0:26:060:26:08

-Mm.

-How have we done?

0:26:080:26:10

Oh, for me, it's now a ten out of ten.

0:26:100:26:12

-Well done!

-Oh!

0:26:120:26:14

I'm not going to say anything. I'm going to send you off.

0:26:140:26:17

I think you deserve another look around for that.

0:26:170:26:20

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder

0:26:200:26:22

and this 22-year-old character

0:26:220:26:24

property not only scores top

0:26:240:26:26

marks from Yolanda for its looks,

0:26:260:26:28

but it's also priced a cool

0:26:280:26:30

£25,000 below her budget.

0:26:300:26:33

It comes complete with her dream

0:26:330:26:35

kitchen and a bonus conservatory,

0:26:350:26:37

plus the number of

0:26:370:26:39

bedrooms she wants.

0:26:390:26:40

Outside, the charming garden

0:26:400:26:41

will allow her to create

0:26:410:26:43

her own veggie paradise.

0:26:430:26:45

And the nearby bus means Ludlow

0:26:450:26:47

is just a short hop away.

0:26:470:26:49

As soon as we approached the house, I genuinely felt a raise in energy.

0:26:490:26:54

It was a good energy. So that was really nice.

0:26:540:26:57

And the other immediate thing I noticed was it was more of

0:26:570:27:00

a community set up, which is something I'm looking for.

0:27:000:27:03

I think this house will suit her very well.

0:27:030:27:06

This gives her a good kitchen,

0:27:060:27:08

a good living space in her sitting room, and it has a very nice garden.

0:27:080:27:13

-Seen enough?

-I think so.

-Yes.

0:27:130:27:15

I'm just going to remind you of a little quote that you made.

0:27:150:27:18

-Ten out of ten.

-Yes.

-We're going to leave on a high.

-I think so.

0:27:180:27:23

It's the second leg of our Shropshire search for a house

0:27:280:27:31

with a fabulous kitchen for Yolanda from North London to call home.

0:27:310:27:35

She's supported by her childhood friend

0:27:350:27:37

and has £300,000 in her pocket to try and secure her baker's paradise.

0:27:370:27:43

We've still got a Mystery House with a rather sociable past to come.

0:27:430:27:47

We know there's been a pub here for about 600 years.

0:27:470:27:50

It's a lovely room. It's totally warm and cosy.

0:27:500:27:54

And I'll be winging it

0:27:540:27:56

when I discover Shropshire's underground treasures.

0:27:560:27:59

-That's it. You're flying.

-I'm doing it.

-You're flying.

0:27:590:28:02

This is amazing.

0:28:020:28:03

For Yolanda, this move to Shropshire represents giving her more

0:28:060:28:10

time for herself, and also living the country dream.

0:28:100:28:13

With her best friend, Joy, by her side,

0:28:130:28:16

we showed our ladies two properties yesterday.

0:28:160:28:18

The first one left them a little daunted.

0:28:180:28:21

But the second certainly worked on all levels.

0:28:210:28:24

In fact, it scored an impressive ten out of ten.

0:28:240:28:28

So we finished on a high.

0:28:280:28:29

Today, well, it is a new day.

0:28:290:28:31

New house. And of course, it's mystery property time.

0:28:310:28:34

Now, this beautiful home does need some tweaking

0:28:340:28:38

when it comes to the dream kitchen that Yolanda so desires.

0:28:380:28:41

She says she doesn't want a project.

0:28:410:28:43

I wonder if I can convince her otherwise.

0:28:430:28:46

For our last visit, we're travelling to our Mystery House

0:28:490:28:53

and we're border-hopping again.

0:28:530:28:55

This time south east into Worcestershire,

0:28:550:28:57

to the village of Frith Common,

0:28:570:28:59

which is just under half an hour from Ludlow.

0:28:590:29:02

The hilly village has a mix of property styles,

0:29:020:29:04

as well as apple orchards producing local cider.

0:29:040:29:07

A bus leaves from Frith Common every two hours

0:29:070:29:10

to destination, Ludlow.

0:29:100:29:11

But here it's rural, peaceful

0:29:110:29:13

and home to our ultimate destination.

0:29:130:29:16

Now, our final property is, of course, our Mystery House.

0:29:170:29:22

And it is the cottage in front of us.

0:29:220:29:25

-It certainly looks...

-Beautiful garden.

0:29:250:29:28

-..a nice cottage.

-Isn't it welcoming?

0:29:280:29:31

Yes, well maintained.

0:29:310:29:33

Any idea why this might be our Mystery House? Why did we select it?

0:29:330:29:37

Modern kitchen?

0:29:370:29:39

I think kitchen is a good place to start.

0:29:400:29:43

Modern, yes.

0:29:430:29:44

Might need a little bit of work doing on it.

0:29:450:29:48

-Mm-hm.

-But all will be revealed. But that's why.

0:29:480:29:50

Because you were reticent about taking on a project.

0:29:500:29:53

Before we step inside, just behind us, you can see

0:29:530:29:56

you've got parking for three cars, at least.

0:29:560:29:59

And you've also got storage as well.

0:29:590:30:01

-That's good.

-Yeah.

0:30:010:30:03

-Shall we start the tour?

-Yes, that would be great. Thank you.

0:30:030:30:07

Our Mystery House is semidetached to the left.

0:30:070:30:10

It dates back to the early 1900s and, around a decade ago,

0:30:100:30:14

the cottage was extended.

0:30:140:30:16

A path to the front door runs down the centre

0:30:160:30:18

of a beautifully kept garden.

0:30:180:30:20

And once inside, we're headed straight for the sitting room.

0:30:200:30:24

-Now, outside, the cottage looks pretty modern, doesn't it?

-Yes.

0:30:250:30:29

But inside, I mean, it's at least 100 years old.

0:30:290:30:31

And we know there's been a pub here for about 600 years.

0:30:310:30:34

-Wow.

-So parts of the property could date back that far.

0:30:340:30:38

Wow. It's a lovely room.

0:30:380:30:39

It's totally warm and cosy.

0:30:390:30:42

-It's not just a room.

-It's got character.

-Yeah.

0:30:420:30:45

Behind the sitting room and down a couple of stairs

0:30:470:30:49

is the dining room with double doors to the garden.

0:30:490:30:52

Also on the ground floor on the other side of the house is a neat

0:30:520:30:55

double bedroom, a room currently used for storage and a shower room.

0:30:550:31:00

But I know there's one room Yolanda's itching to see.

0:31:000:31:04

And here it's going to take an open mind and creative vision to

0:31:040:31:08

imagine how our Mystery House could be transformed into her dream home.

0:31:080:31:12

You want to have a quick look in there.

0:31:140:31:17

This isn't the luxury kitchen, Yolanda, that you were after, is it?

0:31:170:31:22

-Not necessarily.

-But I do have an answer for you.

0:31:220:31:25

So let's take a look.

0:31:250:31:27

And I'm hoping that answer lies in the conservatory next to the

0:31:270:31:30

dining room at the back of the house.

0:31:300:31:33

The kitchen is just behind us.

0:31:330:31:36

So you could leave that as it is, as a utility room.

0:31:360:31:39

But actually, completely change this into the most wonderful

0:31:390:31:43

kitchen/garden room.

0:31:430:31:44

That would be a good solution.

0:31:440:31:46

-But it does bring up the P word. The project.

-Project.

0:31:460:31:50

So that's why it's our Mystery House, because the merits

0:31:500:31:53

of having that wonderful view, beautiful vista of the hills.

0:31:530:31:58

All of that. But the one thing you'd want to change is the kitchen.

0:31:580:32:01

The kitchen, yeah.

0:32:010:32:02

But it is a really stunning view.

0:32:020:32:04

I'm going to drag you away from that super view.

0:32:040:32:07

We're going to go upstairs now.

0:32:070:32:10

The first floor sits above the dining and sitting room,

0:32:100:32:13

proving a master bedroom suite in the eaves.

0:32:130:32:16

So, look at that fabulous view.

0:32:160:32:18

It's beautiful.

0:32:180:32:20

It's actually a really nice room. Quirky.

0:32:200:32:23

It is. It's unusual. They've maximised the most of this cottage.

0:32:230:32:26

I think as a space it works quite nicely.

0:32:260:32:29

Let's head back downstairs.

0:32:290:32:30

Cos, for the last time, we're going to talk money.

0:32:300:32:33

The doors from the dining room lead to a pretty shingled garden, where

0:32:330:32:37

the attractive rear of the house can be appreciated in all its glory.

0:32:370:32:41

And this is the sort of size garden ideally you were after, is it?

0:32:420:32:45

-Oh, absolutely. Perfect size for me.

-OK.

0:32:450:32:48

Let's see if the price makes any difference.

0:32:480:32:52

Try and work out what this cottage costs.

0:32:520:32:56

Well, although there is a project, I think it's above budget.

0:32:560:33:00

And I'd go for 310.

0:33:000:33:02

I'm going to go for 295.

0:33:020:33:05

The asking price is...

0:33:050:33:06

You're going to be pleasantly surprised.

0:33:080:33:10

..£245,000.

0:33:100:33:13

-Wow.

-Really?

-Yes.

0:33:130:33:14

-My gosh.

-I think it's worth another little look around.

0:33:150:33:19

-Mm.

-Would you like to?

-Definitely.

-Yes.

0:33:190:33:21

Thank you.

0:33:210:33:22

Our striking Mystery House is priced

0:33:240:33:27

£55,000 below Yolanda's budget.

0:33:270:33:29

Leaving plenty of cash

0:33:290:33:31

in the kitty to create a fabulous

0:33:310:33:32

kitchen for our keen cook,

0:33:320:33:34

subject to the right approval.

0:33:340:33:36

There's also the open-plan

0:33:360:33:38

living space she wants.

0:33:380:33:39

And just the right

0:33:390:33:40

number of bedrooms.

0:33:400:33:41

Outside provides a manageable

0:33:410:33:43

garden with spectacular views.

0:33:430:33:46

I really liked the Mystery House.

0:33:460:33:48

The location is wonderful.

0:33:480:33:51

The view from the back of the house is really beautiful.

0:33:510:33:54

I really like the sort of bijou cottage approach to the house.

0:33:540:33:58

The other thing I loved is the contained garden.

0:33:580:34:00

And although inside, when I first saw the kitchen, it was quite small,

0:34:000:34:04

having discovered the price, it allows me

0:34:040:34:07

to take on that little mini project. Which is great.

0:34:070:34:11

Beautiful. Right, talking of beauty, here are my ladies.

0:34:110:34:15

-Have you seen enough?

-Yes, definitely.

-Yes, we have, thank you.

0:34:150:34:19

Three houses down and we've got a really good idea of what's

0:34:190:34:24

available in the area.

0:34:240:34:25

Excellent. You've got some thinking to do now, haven't you?

0:34:250:34:28

We have a lot of thinking to do.

0:34:280:34:29

-And you two have probably got quite a lot of chatting to do.

-Yes.

0:34:290:34:32

So let's take you somewhere where you can have a chat on your own.

0:34:320:34:35

Then, Yolanda, you can tell me what the outcome's going to be.

0:34:350:34:38

-That's fine.

-Thank you.

0:34:380:34:39

Shropshire is known as the birthplace

0:34:460:34:49

of the Industrial Revolution.

0:34:490:34:50

But many centuries before that, below the surface of the

0:34:500:34:54

region's rolling hills, men were hard at work mining underground.

0:34:540:34:58

Countrywide, a vast number of mining heritage sites exist,

0:34:580:35:02

including Snailbeach Mine, near Shrewsbury.

0:35:020:35:05

Here a team of volunteers make sure the memory of Shropshire's

0:35:050:35:08

industrial past is kept alive.

0:35:080:35:11

Specialist mining bookseller Mike Moore,

0:35:110:35:13

a director of the Shropshire Mines Trust, is one such volunteer.

0:35:130:35:18

The building over there was the earliest building on site,

0:35:180:35:21

which dates back to 1790. Which is a pumping engine house.

0:35:210:35:25

-For pumping water out of the mine.

-And this building in front of us?

0:35:250:35:29

This one dates to 1872.

0:35:290:35:31

It was actually a winding house

0:35:310:35:33

for allowing the cage to be lowered down into the workings.

0:35:330:35:37

-So what was actually mined here?

-Lead ore.

0:35:370:35:39

Lead was used very particularly for drains, for guttering,

0:35:390:35:44

for sealing roofs and probably military uses as well.

0:35:440:35:48

And do we know how much lead was actually produced here?

0:35:480:35:52

We understand from records that it was 10%

0:35:520:35:55

of all lead produced in the UK at that time.

0:35:550:35:58

That's a huge amount.

0:35:580:36:00

It was described as the richest mine per acre of ground in Europe

0:36:000:36:04

at that time.

0:36:040:36:05

Today, Shropshire Council is responsible for this site.

0:36:050:36:09

And money has been spent on restoring

0:36:090:36:11

and preserving the buildings

0:36:110:36:12

so visitors can learn about the mine's history.

0:36:120:36:15

I'm kitted out and I'm getting the chance to see the mine myself.

0:36:150:36:19

We're entering via a tunnel known as Day Level.

0:36:190:36:22

If you look up, you can see the shaft and daylight above us.

0:36:240:36:26

About 90ft up there.

0:36:260:36:28

-Is that how high it is?

-It is that high.

0:36:280:36:30

This was an access tunnel to get into this part of the mine,

0:36:300:36:35

where the men were loading cages.

0:36:350:36:36

And because they got to about 1,600ft,

0:36:360:36:39

it was a long way in and out of the mine.

0:36:390:36:41

So, if you were assigned this as a job, I'm taking it might

0:36:410:36:44

be slightly easier than the miners who were even further below ground?

0:36:440:36:48

To say it's easier, bear in mind one of these trucks full of iron

0:36:480:36:52

ore would be incredibly heavy.

0:36:520:36:54

So it might be younger people whose job would be to push trucks out

0:36:540:36:58

rather than actually working, labouring,

0:36:580:37:01

operating the machinery, hand-drilling and all that.

0:37:010:37:06

At its height, this mine

0:37:060:37:08

was producing around 3,000 tonnes of lead ore a year.

0:37:080:37:12

And it wasn't easy extracting it.

0:37:120:37:14

Up until 1881, they would have used chisels like this.

0:37:140:37:19

And basically,

0:37:190:37:20

they would've been driving these into the rock with a sledgehammer.

0:37:200:37:23

-Everything done by hand?

-But done by hand.

0:37:230:37:25

After 1881, they went on to use drills such as the one over there,

0:37:250:37:30

to actually drill into the rock in order to set their explosives.

0:37:300:37:34

What does it actually look like, lead, when it comes out?

0:37:340:37:38

Lead ore, or galena is...

0:37:380:37:42

This is galena in its raw state. There you go. It's very heavy.

0:37:420:37:47

Gosh. I mean, look at the colour of it. It's exquisite.

0:37:470:37:50

I wasn't expecting it to look like this.

0:37:500:37:52

And it is very heavy.

0:37:520:37:53

'Now I've seen the beautiful raw product,

0:37:530:37:56

'my next stop is to go further into the mine

0:37:560:37:59

'to a former working area.

0:37:590:38:01

'Back outside, I've had a quick change of gear and another

0:38:010:38:04

'volunteer, Mike Worsfold, a mine explorer, is going to be my guide.

0:38:040:38:09

'We're going to another level of the mine known as Roberts Level.'

0:38:090:38:13

We can go down about 500ft from here to the water.

0:38:130:38:17

The water is about, well, it's well over 1,000ft deep.

0:38:170:38:21

If you're up to it, we'll teach you how to descend on a rope,

0:38:210:38:23

at least to start to go and explore further down.

0:38:230:38:27

You've got all the gear on.

0:38:270:38:28

How far will I be going down?

0:38:280:38:30

Not very far the first time.

0:38:300:38:32

Years ago, not only were miners risking their lives every day,

0:38:320:38:35

they were working by candlelight too.

0:38:350:38:38

Without a harness, they would have used steep wooden ladders to

0:38:380:38:42

go further down to extract the lead ore.

0:38:420:38:44

But today, mine explorers use safety ropes to abseil down

0:38:440:38:48

and investigate where the miners used to work.

0:38:480:38:51

Exactly what I'm about to do.

0:38:510:38:53

-Are you ready?

-Right. Go through?

0:38:530:38:56

Yep, go through there.

0:38:560:38:57

Face down or face up. Whichever suits you.

0:38:570:39:01

'Easier said than done.'

0:39:010:39:02

Now, just lower yourself

0:39:020:39:04

until you're actually sitting in your harness.

0:39:040:39:07

Take your feet off the rail now.

0:39:070:39:09

And just hang there and be comfortable.

0:39:110:39:14

Woo! Right.

0:39:140:39:15

-And that's it, you're flying.

-My goodness. I'm doing it.

0:39:150:39:17

You're flying.

0:39:170:39:18

This is amazing.

0:39:180:39:20

-It does feel controlled.

-That's the main thing.

0:39:200:39:23

But I'm not going fast. These rock faces are wet.

0:39:230:39:28

Keep going down a bit more.

0:39:280:39:30

'Well, what a treat it's been meeting volunteers dedicated

0:39:300:39:34

'to keeping an integral part of the country's industrial heritage alive.

0:39:340:39:38

'And with such an exhilarating, dynamic twist.

0:39:380:39:42

'And all this hidden from view deep under ground.

0:39:420:39:45

'So, if I don't make it back to the surface, you know where to find me.'

0:39:450:39:49

So, it's decision time for Yolanda here in Shropshire.

0:39:520:39:55

But has she been tempted by any of our properties?

0:39:550:39:59

Let's find out.

0:39:590:40:00

Well, Yolanda and Joy,

0:40:030:40:05

it seems like London's a long way away from us here in Shropshire.

0:40:050:40:09

Let's cut to the chase

0:40:090:40:10

and actually talk about the three properties that we showed you.

0:40:100:40:14

Have we got close with any of them?

0:40:140:40:17

Yes, there were three interesting properties.

0:40:170:40:19

The second one, the house won me over.

0:40:190:40:22

And then of course today, when I saw the mystery property,

0:40:220:40:25

I was quite taken aback because I thought, "Really nice."

0:40:250:40:29

But I was also surprised by my own response of not having

0:40:290:40:32

the ideal kitchen but not being phased by it.

0:40:320:40:37

Because I think I like the whole set up even more than house two,

0:40:370:40:41

-I think.

-Do you?

-Yes, definitely.

0:40:410:40:43

If I could only move this and take it a bit closer to Ludlow.

0:40:430:40:48

So, for me, I've become acutely aware that the location

0:40:480:40:52

nearer to Ludlow is important to me.

0:40:520:40:55

I think that reality has kicked in, in the sense

0:40:550:40:58

some of the things I've noticed is the driving on the country lanes.

0:40:580:41:01

And also the fact that there's no street lighting,

0:41:010:41:04

and what that means actually living here long term.

0:41:040:41:06

So suddenly the location has also become equally important,

0:41:060:41:10

as much as the property.

0:41:100:41:12

It's such a valid point, isn't it?

0:41:120:41:14

If you're travelling around country lanes at night

0:41:140:41:17

-and you're not used to that, it does make a difference.

-Yeah.

0:41:170:41:20

Joy, did it surprise you that all the properties were way under

0:41:200:41:24

Yolanda's budget?

0:41:240:41:25

Yes, it did surprise me. And I was, I think,

0:41:250:41:29

most surprised by the Mystery House.

0:41:290:41:31

Leaving aside the kitchen,

0:41:310:41:33

I really did think it would have been more than the asking price.

0:41:330:41:37

And I think that's probably my favourite.

0:41:370:41:40

So what is the conclusion?

0:41:400:41:42

This experience has been extremely valuable for me.

0:41:420:41:45

To confirm that yes, I'm ready to move out of London.

0:41:450:41:49

But two, it's what is that halfway house for me to be comfortable

0:41:490:41:53

and start a new life.

0:41:530:41:55

So I need to either up my budget and move towards Ludlow, or maybe

0:41:550:42:00

settle for less, that would allow me that sort of access to Ludlow.

0:42:000:42:04

I do want to say a big thank you to the both of you.

0:42:040:42:07

Cos it has been such a wonderful few days.

0:42:070:42:10

And I'm glad we've got you, I think,

0:42:100:42:12

quite a few steps closer to that home.

0:42:120:42:14

-Thank you very much.

-Thank you. Thanks a lot.

0:42:140:42:17

Even though we haven't secured a house sale here in Shropshire,

0:42:200:42:23

I think the last few days have proved invaluable for Yolanda.

0:42:230:42:28

Since viewing our three properties in their different,

0:42:280:42:30

various locations,

0:42:300:42:32

she now realises what she wants is to be in or near a market town.

0:42:320:42:36

And Ludlow certainly has stolen her heart.

0:42:360:42:40

There, she's going to have all the comforts of living within a thriving

0:42:400:42:43

community but still have the glorious Shropshire countryside

0:42:430:42:48

right on her doorstep.

0:42:480:42:50

So, that's it from me. And I'll see you again on Escape To The Country.

0:42:500:42:54

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0:42:560:43:00

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0:43:000:43:04

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