Shropshire Escape to the Country

At almost 1,800 feet above sea level,

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

And boasts incredible views of the surrounding countryside.

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

We'll find out in just a moment.

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

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

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

I think she could just move straight in here.

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

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

-That's right.

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

It's certainly very strong.

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

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

which boasts two summits -

Abdon Burf and Clee Burf.

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

since Roman times, these hills have also been

a source of inspiration for numerous writers and poets.

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

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

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

make the journey up.

Landlocked Shropshire is one of England's largest counties.

And borders Wales to the west, as well as Herefordshire

and Worcestershire on the English side.

Around a quarter of the county is given over to the

Shropshire Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty,

where the undulating land features tree-top peaks

and agricultural troughs.

Sitting in a valley amongst these hills and close to Wales

lies the small town of Clun.

Here, tightly-packed cottages spill onto narrow lanes.

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

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

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

typical of border churches.

With a design that would have no doubt

allowed for defence in times of trouble.

In architectural contrast, and just outside the Shropshire Hills,

is the medieval market town of Ludlow.

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

The whitewash buildings with decorative timber beams

and leaded windows give the town its distinctive character.

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

Ludlow has a reputation for fine food and drink.

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

So with all that on offer,

from stunning rural backdrops to beautiful and elaborate

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

Whether a short visit or a lifetime stay.

Despite its attractive rural reputation, Shropshire can be

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

With the average detached house price

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

East of the county tends

to be more expensive the closer you get to Birmingham.

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

head towards the Welsh border.

Attractive country villages like Newcastle

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

Considering their location within the picturesque Shropshire Hills.

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

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

When health care management consultant and former nurse Yolanda,

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

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

Her lifelong friend, Joy.

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

parents and Joy's parents

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

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

We always say Joy is like a sister.

Yolanda's a very caring person.

Always putting other people in front.

She's always actually there to help me.

Yolanda has lived in England for 40 years

and after recently slowing down her working life, plus family

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

I feel I'm at that stage in my life

when it's come together quite nicely.

I'm reaching my retirement.

I'm getting over the loss of my parents.

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

And, hey, go for it.

So, after 30 years in her three-bedroom Victorian

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

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

her knowledge of her chosen location is rather limited.

I would like to move to Shropshire. Particularly Ludlow.

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

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

Since I've become interested to move to Shropshire,

I bought a book to read about Shropshire generally.

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

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

As well as taking in the scenery,

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

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

I became interested in baking accidentally.

Just trying to bake a loaf of bread.

That grew from there.

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

I want it to be a way of life.

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

She also wants to put her skills to worthwhile causes.

It's almost like,

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

Even if it is doing something voluntary.

You know, baking for, say, elderly people,

working with children in that way...

But more in the creative way.

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

be at the centre of her new life.

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

And she needs this kitchen

where she can experiment and just have a good time.

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

'a kitchen garden.

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

'a little garden.'

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

and a pocketful of dreams for her country escape,

Yolanda is looking forward to a happy future.

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

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

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

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

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

-Yes.

-..and head.

I'm hoping two heads will help.

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

But to give her the country life

she's after, we're concentrating

our quest away from the town and in

the neighbouring rural villages.

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

I'm meeting her and Joy in the county,

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

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

-BOTH:

-Thank you.

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

who's one of your dearest friends.

-So are you more like sisters than friends?

-We are. I think.

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

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

Tell me about the actual property itself.

What does it look like to you?

Quite basic...in the sense of requirements.

But my non-compromise was my kitchen.

-You want a decent kitchen?

-Yeah.

And it's not so much the decent kitchen,

but it's the layout of the kitchen,

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

Because I love growing herbs and stuff like that.

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

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

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

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

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

But not necessarily structural.

Joy, final question to you.

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

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

-Head and heart.

-That's correct.

-Perfect.

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

It's £300,000.

Well, we do have some splendid properties lined up

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

-That'd be lovely. Thank you.

-If you want to follow me.

-Thank you.

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

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

She wants the kitchen to be the star,

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

And the house should have a minimum of two bedrooms.

A shed and garage would be a bonus,

and easy access to local

amenities and foodies' paradise

Ludlow is a must.

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

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

The third and final visit to the Mystery House will require

Yolanda to think big.

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

We're beginning our tour of Shropshire in the rural

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

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

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

and a village hall.

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

Walcot Hall, a fabulous example of Georgian architecture.

Ten minutes away, and surrounded by beautiful countryside,

is our first property.

This characterful terraced cottage

that once belonged to the Walcot estate.

There's actually four properties in total here.

And the middle section is yours.

OK.

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

-Oh.

-A-ha.

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

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

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

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

-Shall we start our tour?

-Yes, thank you.

-That would be lovely.

Through the gate.

The row of houses here were originally

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

This one started life as two stone cottages

but was converted into one in the 1980s.

It's full of charm, even though

it could benefit from a lick of paint in places.

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

room in the house for her.

So, quite a good hallway.

Downstairs cloakroom.

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

-Wow.

-Is this what you had in mind?

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

in the sense of size, layout.

And the fact that it opens onto the garden.

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

I think that would work quite well.

-Great idea.

-Yes.

-Do you get that warm feeling?

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

YOLANDA LAUGHS

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

But I certainly could work with the kitchen.

So far, so good. With a few tweaks.

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

Now, I'm calling this our sitting room.

Or shall we rename it the snug?

I'd agree. It looks very comfortable.

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

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

-It's big enough...

-Absolutely, yeah.

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

-I think you could squeeze a few friends in.

-Yes, exactly.

-If Joy and the family came to stay.

-Sofa bed.

-Yeah.

We're going to head upstairs.

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

allowed to invite, whether we can squeeze them in.

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

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

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

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

'and also at the back is the master.'

-How does it fare?

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

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

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

-Exactly, have your own bedroom...

-Dressing rooms.

For your dressing room, absolutely, Joy.

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

And the fact that it overlooks the garden is nice.

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

-Oh, have they?

-Yes.

-Wow.

-So you have a fourth bedroom up there.

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

-No.

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

-Yes.

Outside is not lacking either.

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

with an adjoining workshop.

Then there's the pretty front garden.

And the small plot of land opposite we saw earlier

with its stunning views.

Which just leaves the back.

So, the final piece of this house hunt,

which has to be the kitchen garden.

-Yes. Perfect size.

-Yeah?

Definitely, isn't it?

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

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

-Mm.

I think it's perfect.

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

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

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

I think this property is on the market for 225.

-OK.

-I would say a bit higher. 235.

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

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

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

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

-Yep.

-Fully explore and

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

-That's lovely.

-Thank you.

-Thanks, ladies. Off you go.

This 19th-century stone cottage

is on the market

£55,000 under Yolanda's budget.

It gives her a kitchen ideal to

make the heart of her home.

And it has direct access

to the garden.

There are double the number

of required bedrooms.

And outside is already set up

as a little kitchen garden.

Plus there's the bonus of a garage,

currently arranged as an art studio.

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

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

and yoga or something.

-Yes, that's a good idea.

-Really nice.

This property surprised me. Because it kind of fitted in

with what I had a vision for a country cottage.

I also like the little kitchen garden.

But for me, it would be a project.

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

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

But the first thing she should do with it

would be to redesign the kitchen

to make it into her dream space.

I could see myself living in this particular cottage.

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

how remote it is for me.

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

-Have we seen enough?

-Yes.

-Yes, come on down.

Right, Joy, you close the door.

That's it. Our first property.

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

-Yes.

-Absolutely.

-Got you thinking?

-Definitely.

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

Thank you.

Yolanda and Joy are keen to broaden their somewhat limited

experience of Shropshire.

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

which has some 660 listed buildings,

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

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

which was built in 1671.

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

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

And our ladies are meeting chief executive Colin Sweeney

to get a potted history of its past.

This house itself was the inspiration of Elizabeth Wilbraham,

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

So you have quite a classic Renaissance style

facade to the house.

Elizabeth Wilbraham was a member of the English aristocracy.

And is now commemorated as the first female architect.

She designed Weston Park for her family,

but in her day, women were barred from architecture.

And so she became known as the mystery designer

behind some 400 buildings attributed to her.

Are there any unique features to the house?

The house is quite an unusual design.

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

So I think this is quite unique in that context,

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

And it was in the 1860s that the family decided

they wanted a different type of entrance to the house.

And it was shifted onto the east side,

where there's this wonderful porte-cochere.

What's that?

Porte-cochere meant that it was this sort of

flat colonnaded section that

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

It's almost like a porch, really.

And people could get out of the carriage without rain

coming down on them.

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

Behind the walls of the main house are fabulous

collections of furniture.

Including Chippendale pieces as well as fine art.

Amongst other treasures is a collection

by 17th-century Flemish Baroque artist Van Dyck.

What a beautiful room.

-I like the chandeliers.

-Lovely table.

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

Outside, the formal grounds include the Pleasure Gardens,

which were designed in 1765, during the Georgian period,

by the celebrated landscape architect Capability Brown.

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

They're meeting in the Walled Garden,

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

What's growing in this particular garden?

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

With damsons, plums, pears, greengages and quinces.

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

What we call heritage varieties of fruit trees.

Which have been known to grow here at Weston

or in the Staffordshire, Shropshire area

over 100 years ago.

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

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

He uses them to make a sweet and savoury tart

for the estate restaurant,

housed in the 18th-century granary barn.

-Hello there.

-Hi.

-I'm Yolanda.

-Hi, Yolanda.

-I'm Joy.

-Hi, Joy.

-I'll take those.

-We brought you some pears from the orchard.

-Thanks.

Puff pastries topped with poached pears and fresh thyme.

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

before it's sprinkled with blue cheese.

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

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

Mm. That's delicious.

-Very nice. The thyme is a nice touch.

-Yeah.

Thank you very much.

Armed with some fresh culinary inspiration using

locally-sourced ingredients,

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

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

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

and travelling south into Herefordshire.

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

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

The leafy village is dissected by country lanes lined with charming

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

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

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

bell towers in the country.

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

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

to Leominster and also to Ludlow.

About 15, 20 minutes away.

Do you mind stepping over the border?

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

places like Ludlow.

-Yeah.

-Yeah.

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

has a community shop in it.

Open seven days a week.

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

All the produce comes from the surrounding areas.

So you'll have this on your doorstep.

That sounds good.

Just a few minutes' walk from the church

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

And here is our second property.

Wow.

Oh, it's beautiful.

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

-Really?

-Yeah.

-Mm-hm.

-Definitely.

-Really lovely.

-It's done up beautifully.

-Yes.

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

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

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

-Oh, wow.

-Oh.

-There, you see?

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

-I think so.

-Of course I do.

This house is full of character.

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

It was built in 1993.

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

Certainly for Yolanda.

-The kitchen.

-Wow. Oh, this is lovely.

-I can see you in here.

-Definitely.

Now, yes and definitely is much better than

I got on our first house.

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

-No?

-..in the first house, really.

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

-It's connecting.

-Yeah.

-You know, don't you?

-Yes.

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

I think she could just move straight in here.

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

-And then the luxury of a garden through.

-Oh, yes.

-A very positive start.

-Yeah.

Let's hope it continues.

I think it might.

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

-Wow.

-Perfect.

-Perfect.

-Perfect room.

I think this space is absolutely fine for Yolanda.

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

downstairs is more important than upstairs.

-Because you live downstairs, not in the bedroom.

-So true.

And the warmth, I think it's a home

rather than a house that I'm viewing.

-That's right.

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

That connection of being a home.

And it's certainly very strong.

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

Thank you.

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

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

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

'One is a double with its own shower room.

'And opposite that is the master.'

-Ah.

-Nice.

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

-And it's something that's welcoming.

-Yes.

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

-Yeah.

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

-it's a bright room.

-Yes.

-Isn't it?

-Yeah.

-I'm really excited.

-Are you?

And I haven't even shown you everything yet.

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

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

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

-Oh.

-Yes.

-I think I might be able to improve that.

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

-Yes.

Sweet dreams all round so far,

we just need the outdoor space to deliver

in order to up our score.

Outside, there's a delightful garden,

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

Bordered by flowerbeds and sheltered by trees.

Behind it all are views across a neighbouring field.

But that's not all.

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

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

We have just brought you slightly over the border,

but only by a smidgen.

Was it a journey worth making, I wonder?

For me, definitely.

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

-Making me nervous. Yes.

-Which could be the tricky part.

Let's see how you get on.

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

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

good property that ticks more than the boxes I wanted.

So I would go 295.

OK. Joy?

I think I shall go...

285.

OK. Well, you are the closest, Joy.

The asking price is £275,000.

Ah! Oh.

-Very good.

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

THEY LAUGH

-Very good.

-Yes.

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

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

-Mm.

-How have we done?

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

-Well done!

-Oh!

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

I think you deserve another look around for that.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder

and this 22-year-old character

property not only scores top

marks from Yolanda for its looks,

but it's also priced a cool

£25,000 below her budget.

It comes complete with her dream

kitchen and a bonus conservatory,

plus the number of

bedrooms she wants.

Outside, the charming garden

will allow her to create

her own veggie paradise.

And the nearby bus means Ludlow

is just a short hop away.

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

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

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

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

I think this house will suit her very well.

This gives her a good kitchen,

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

-Seen enough?

-I think so.

-Yes.

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

-Ten out of ten.

-Yes.

-We're going to leave on a high.

-I think so.

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

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

She's supported by her childhood friend

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

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

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

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

And I'll be winging it

when I discover Shropshire's underground treasures.

-That's it. You're flying.

-I'm doing it.

-You're flying.

This is amazing.

For Yolanda, this move to Shropshire represents giving her more

time for herself, and also living the country dream.

With her best friend, Joy, by her side,

we showed our ladies two properties yesterday.

The first one left them a little daunted.

But the second certainly worked on all levels.

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

So we finished on a high.

Today, well, it is a new day.

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

Now, this beautiful home does need some tweaking

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

She says she doesn't want a project.

I wonder if I can convince her otherwise.

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

and we're border-hopping again.

This time south east into Worcestershire,

to the village of Frith Common,

which is just under half an hour from Ludlow.

The hilly village has a mix of property styles,

as well as apple orchards producing local cider.

A bus leaves from Frith Common every two hours

to destination, Ludlow.

But here it's rural, peaceful

and home to our ultimate destination.

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

And it is the cottage in front of us.

-It certainly looks...

-Beautiful garden.

-..a nice cottage.

-Isn't it welcoming?

Yes, well maintained.

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

Modern kitchen?

I think kitchen is a good place to start.

Modern, yes.

Might need a little bit of work doing on it.

-Mm-hm.

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

Because you were reticent about taking on a project.

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

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

And you've also got storage as well.

-That's good.

-Yeah.

-Shall we start the tour?

-Yes, that would be great. Thank you.

Our Mystery House is semidetached to the left.

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

the cottage was extended.

A path to the front door runs down the centre

of a beautifully kept garden.

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

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

-Yes.

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

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

-Wow.

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

Wow. It's a lovely room.

It's totally warm and cosy.

-It's not just a room.

-It's got character.

-Yeah.

Behind the sitting room and down a couple of stairs

is the dining room with double doors to the garden.

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

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

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

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

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

You want to have a quick look in there.

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

-Not necessarily.

-But I do have an answer for you.

So let's take a look.

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

dining room at the back of the house.

The kitchen is just behind us.

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

But actually, completely change this into the most wonderful

kitchen/garden room.

That would be a good solution.

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

-Project.

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

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

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

The kitchen, yeah.

But it is a really stunning view.

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

We're going to go upstairs now.

The first floor sits above the dining and sitting room,

proving a master bedroom suite in the eaves.

So, look at that fabulous view.

It's beautiful.

It's actually a really nice room. Quirky.

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

I think as a space it works quite nicely.

Let's head back downstairs.

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

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

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

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

-Oh, absolutely. Perfect size for me.

-OK.

Let's see if the price makes any difference.

Try and work out what this cottage costs.

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

And I'd go for 310.

I'm going to go for 295.

The asking price is...

You're going to be pleasantly surprised.

..£245,000.

-Wow.

-Really?

-Yes.

-My gosh.

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

-Mm.

-Would you like to?

-Definitely.

-Yes.

Thank you.

Our striking Mystery House is priced

£55,000 below Yolanda's budget.

Leaving plenty of cash

in the kitty to create a fabulous

kitchen for our keen cook,

subject to the right approval.

There's also the open-plan

living space she wants.

And just the right

number of bedrooms.

Outside provides a manageable

garden with spectacular views.

I really liked the Mystery House.

The location is wonderful.

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

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

The other thing I loved is the contained garden.

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

having discovered the price, it allows me

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

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

-Have you seen enough?

-Yes, definitely.

-Yes, we have, thank you.

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

available in the area.

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

We have a lot of thinking to do.

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

-Yes.

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

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

-That's fine.

-Thank you.

Shropshire is known as the birthplace

of the Industrial Revolution.

But many centuries before that, below the surface of the

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

Countrywide, a vast number of mining heritage sites exist,

including Snailbeach Mine, near Shrewsbury.

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

industrial past is kept alive.

Specialist mining bookseller Mike Moore,

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

The building over there was the earliest building on site,

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

-For pumping water out of the mine.

-And this building in front of us?

This one dates to 1872.

It was actually a winding house

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

-So what was actually mined here?

-Lead ore.

Lead was used very particularly for drains, for guttering,

for sealing roofs and probably military uses as well.

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

We understand from records that it was 10%

of all lead produced in the UK at that time.

That's a huge amount.

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

at that time.

Today, Shropshire Council is responsible for this site.

And money has been spent on restoring

and preserving the buildings

so visitors can learn about the mine's history.

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

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

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

About 90ft up there.

-Is that how high it is?

-It is that high.

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

where the men were loading cages.

And because they got to about 1,600ft,

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

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

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

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

ore would be incredibly heavy.

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

rather than actually working, labouring,

operating the machinery, hand-drilling and all that.

At its height, this mine

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

And it wasn't easy extracting it.

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

And basically,

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

-Everything done by hand?

-But done by hand.

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

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

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

Lead ore, or galena is...

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

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

I wasn't expecting it to look like this.

And it is very heavy.

'Now I've seen the beautiful raw product,

'my next stop is to go further into the mine

'to a former working area.

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

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

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

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

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

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

at least to start to go and explore further down.

You've got all the gear on.

How far will I be going down?

Not very far the first time.

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

they were working by candlelight too.

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

go further down to extract the lead ore.

But today, mine explorers use safety ropes to abseil down

and investigate where the miners used to work.

Exactly what I'm about to do.

-Are you ready?

-Right. Go through?

Yep, go through there.

Face down or face up. Whichever suits you.

'Easier said than done.'

Now, just lower yourself

until you're actually sitting in your harness.

Take your feet off the rail now.

And just hang there and be comfortable.

Woo! Right.

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

-My goodness. I'm doing it.

You're flying.

This is amazing.

-It does feel controlled.

-That's the main thing.

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

Keep going down a bit more.

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

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

'And with such an exhilarating, dynamic twist.

'And all this hidden from view deep under ground.

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

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

But has she been tempted by any of our properties?

Let's find out.

Well, Yolanda and Joy,

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

Let's cut to the chase

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

Have we got close with any of them?

Yes, there were three interesting properties.

The second one, the house won me over.

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

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

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

the ideal kitchen but not being phased by it.

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

-I think.

-Do you?

-Yes, definitely.

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

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

nearer to Ludlow is important to me.

I think that reality has kicked in, in the sense

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

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

and what that means actually living here long term.

So suddenly the location has also become equally important,

as much as the property.

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

If you're travelling around country lanes at night

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

-Yeah.

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

Yolanda's budget?

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

most surprised by the Mystery House.

Leaving aside the kitchen,

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

And I think that's probably my favourite.

So what is the conclusion?

This experience has been extremely valuable for me.

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

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

and start a new life.

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

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

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

Cos it has been such a wonderful few days.

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

quite a few steps closer to that home.

-Thank you very much.

-Thank you. Thanks a lot.

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

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

Since viewing our three properties in their different,

various locations,

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

And Ludlow certainly has stolen her heart.

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

community but still have the glorious Shropshire countryside

right on her doorstep.

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

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