Welsh Borders Escape to the Country

This largely rural river is relatively unaffected by pollution

and home to more than 30 species of fish.

Parts of the waterway also form a very unique boundary.

Find out which river it is

and exactly where I am, in just a moment.

Today, our search for a country home scores full marks from him...

-Ten out of ten so far.

-I like that!

-Yeah.

-Wow.

..and it also pulls on her heartstrings.

-Are you OK? TEARFULLY:

-Yeah...

THEY LAUGH

It's good when you find somewhere you love.

It's so moving.

Today, we're in the southern Welsh Borders and I'm on the River Wye,

a Site of Special Scientific Interest and Conservation.

The river begins its journey in the moorlands of central Wales before

travelling over 100 miles through Powys and Herefordshire before

ending up at the mouth of Gloucestershire's Severn estuary.

Now, on this side of the river, we have England and on this side,

we have Wales making this point of the River Wye

a perfect natural boundary.

Today, we're in the southern section of the Welsh Borders,

taking in the English counties of Herefordshire and Gloucestershire

along with the Welsh county of Monmouthshire.

Once a hunting ground for Tudor kings,

Gloucestershire's splendid Forest of Dean is now home to the country's

largest area of mature oak,

thanks to Lord Nelson who had 30 million acorns planted

due to his concerns about the need for timber for shipbuilding.

The tranquil outlook of the River Wye at Brockweir belies its past

as a busy shipping centre.

The quay here was the last tidal stop for boats travelling upriver.

After which, large vessels would have to transfer their cargo to

smaller, shallower barges which were then hauled onwards by teams of men.

And at the market town of Monmouth,

the River Wye meets with two other waterways.

Over the River Mono sits the only surviving fortified medieval bridge

in Britain, built in the late 13th century

with a gatehouse added as part of the town's defences

in the 14th century.

It was also in the 14th century that Henry V was born in the town's

castle, immortalised by his campaigns against the French

including a remarkable victory at Agincourt.

He remained known as Harry of Monmouth

and is considered by some to be the country's greatest ever monarch.

So whether you're interested in legendary leaders,

lush valleys or ancient woodlands,

the Welsh Borders is a fantastic region to head to.

As well as some stunning countryside,

this part of the UK offers some very attractive property stock.

Do bear in mind, if you're after a Gloucestershire postcode,

the price of a detached house here on average is £26,000

below the national figure.

Across the border into Herefordshire and the price drops,

it's 30,000 below the national average.

And if you want even more for your property pound,

then head into Monmouthshire, where you get the biggest bargains.

So what about today's buyers?

Which corner of this gorgeous countryside

are they looking to call home?

Let's meet them and find out.

Peter and Karen from the outskirts of the city of Bristol first met at

their local pub as teenagers.

I was only 16 and Pete was 18 and I just looked across the bar

and he was by a snooker table and I remember thinking,

"God, he's so quiet and lovely."

I think it was love at first sight.

I had to get him round a bit, he never noticed me, like I'd seen him.

-I fell.

-Oh, did you?

The pair went on to marry and now have three sons and four grandchildren.

Karen stayed at home looking after the family

whilst Peter set up his own plumbing business.

And although they've seen big life changes,

they've never moved very far from the spot

of their Bristolian teenage rendezvous.

I've lived in Bristol 61 years

and from the house we're in now,

I've never moved any more than four miles away

and we've moved about seven times.

They may not have gone far, but Bristol has certainly moved on.

It's just going mad. And it's a really big city now and it only going to get bigger.

Noisy, constant noise, haven't we, from the traffic?

Just a constant droning of the motorway, the M4,

and of course next to that, you've got the ring road.

There's literally hundreds of cars, isn't it,

-come past here in the mornings?

-Yeah.

Peter is looking to cut down on his plumbing work and they're both

looking for a bit more peace and quiet so they have decided to change

the habit of a lifetime and finally move away from Bristol.

The place we are looking to move to is the Welsh Borders

and we really like Ross-on-Wye and sort of Monmouth way.

It's got it all, in a small area,

and we can still come back and see our family so it's just perfect,

-isn't it?

-We love the Welsh Borders because we went to Ross-on-Wye last

year on my 60th with our children and grandchildren and we done kayaking

down the River Wye because if we do go there,

we probably will buy some kayaks, won't we?

Yeah.

As well as taking up kayaking,

they're hoping for a new rural lease of life for the other interests.

We've always cycled, we love it, absolutely love it.

Every Sunday, we go out for about ten or 15 mile ride.

Our cycle rides around here aren't very nice, are they, really?

-No.

-So it'll be nice to go somewhere and do a different route.

My main hobby is gardening, it always has been.

I am never happier than if I am out pottering around.

Very big part of my life, gardening.

And I feel as though we'll be able to design a new garden that we'll

enjoy as much as this one, won't we?

We're really excited about moving, the next chapter in our lives,

we can't wait.

Peter and Karen are open to living anywhere in the Welsh Borders

with good road links back to Bristol for family,

friends and Peter's plumbing business.

But before we start looking at houses,

I'm meeting them in their chosen region to find out more about what they want from their move.

Karen, Peter, lovely to see you.

-Hello!

-Welcome to the southern Welsh Borders.

What attracted you to this gorgeous part of the world?

It's just heaven on earth but like 50 miles from where we're living

now so what could be better?

It's part of our plan to downsize and start enjoying ourselves

and doing something that we want to do.

And, Peter, I understand there's some urgency in the move?

Yeah. We've sold our house and we have got to be out in three,

-four weeks' time.

-Yeah.

-And what kind of property are we looking for?

Detached, probably with nice views.

We don't mind a challenge to a house.

-No.

-If we are busy doing something then we are at our best, aren't we?

-How many bedrooms would you like?

-Three.

-Three. Yeah.

-No more, no less.

-No.

-So three-bedroom property.

-Yeah.

-Maybe a bit of a project.

-Yeah.

-Could be, yes.

-Garden size?

What would you like to see there?

I'm looking for about an acre.

If it is a blank canvas and I can do something with it,

that would be all the better.

And the style of property, is that important to you?

We don't like brick faced houses.

-No.

-And we don't like low ceilings, dark beams.

Nothing when the floors all wonky, we like character.

But then again, we wouldn't mind a brand-new house.

-You know, we're quite flexible, aren't we?

-Yeah.

What about the views surrounding this property?

-How important are they?

-Very important.

-Yeah, very important.

We live on top of a hill now so we're used to views.

And, Peter, what about the commute because you're still going to be

-working?

-Yeah. I will be travelling back to Bristol.

-What kind of distance would you like?

-40 to 50 miles.

-Yeah.

-And what's your budget for this move?

Well, we can stretch to 500,000.

-Yeah, yeah.

-But if it needs work doing,

it is going to have to be like 450.

We've only got a few weeks to get you moved so let's get searching.

-Come on.

-Yeah.

-Let's not waste any time.

For a maximum purchase price of £500,000,

Karen and Peter would like a detached property

with three bedrooms and a good-sized garden

that's within commuting distance of Bristol.

They'd like some views and are happy to take on some work

if the price is right.

We have three incredible houses lined up to show them and at each,

they'll be getting the asking price before I reveal it.

The final tour will be our Mystery House which will give them a surprising

twist to their wish list.

We're starting our Welsh Borders search in Llangarron,

a small village in the English county of Herefordshire.

The large village of Whitchurch is around a six mile drive away

and has an historic inn serving food,

as well as a village store with coffee shop.

There's also a garden themed cafe and an intriguing clocktower

built in Victorian times by Amelia Panter

to commemorate her siblings and serve the local community.

But back in Llangarron,

along from the church down a peaceful lane

is the house we've come to see.

Karen, Peter. Here we are, property one.

Fabulous cottage.

Wraparound garden.

-Initial thoughts?

-Very nice.

-Yeah.

-So far so good.

-Beautiful, yeah.

-Ten out of ten so far.

-Oh, I like that.

-Yeah.

-Wow.

-Ten of ten so far?

-Ten out of ten.

-Yeah. Come on, I can't wait!

Come on, let's get in there, you can't wait, can you?

Thought to date from the early 1900s and built from local stone

with a Welsh slate roof,

the stable-style front door opens into a very welcoming,

bright and airy kitchen.

In you come.

THEY GASP

My God.

Is this how you would have your kitchen, this kind of...?

Yeah, our kitchen is this colour.

And the worktops are beautiful.

You wouldn't need to do a thing with this, this is our colours.

This hard floor, it's similar to what we've got in our kitchen.

-So you're feeling quite at home here?

-Yeah.

-Yeah.

-You can't fault it at all.

-The size is perfect.

-Yeah.

-It's homely, it's got character,

it's just the right size.

The kitchen is a part of the original cottage.

What we can see just behind the kitchen, the sunroom,

that was added on by the current owner about three years ago.

I know you love that light...

-Yeah.

-..airy feel.

-Yeah, very important.

-Yeah.

-And then just to the left of the kitchen here,

you've got an additional shower room which the current owner put in

and also a boot room area, utility too.

Peter, you gave the house ten out of ten before we walked in,

-are we still at a ten?

-Definitely.

-Yeah.

-OK, great, well, there's much more to see.

-Let me take you through to the living room next.

-Right.

-Yeah.

Peter and Karen are feeling right at home already.

And tucked under the stairs there's also a useful enclosed pantry,

whilst next to the kitchen is the largest reception room.

And this room wraps round into that sunroom.

So you've got that kind of open-plan but then that feeling of this nice

-snug space to come in the evening.

-Yeah, it is.

-Look at the thick depths of the windows.

-Yeah.

The garden hugs the house, every window has a view.

-Really interesting.

-Either your garden or the fields behind.

-So smiles all round? BOTH:

-Yeah.

Well, there are parts of the property that could be a project for

you because I know you wanted that so,

yeah, we've thought of that too.

See, if you move in and it's all up together,

we'll probably be bored to tears.

So if there is something that you're saying that we could do,

which we don't know what it is going to be...

Well, we'll get to the project in a moment.

-Yeah.

-But before we do that, let's have a look upstairs.

-Yeah.

-Let me show you the three bedrooms that we have got to take a look at.

-Yeah.

-OK.

Well, you can't do better than ten out of ten so let's see if we can

retain those full marks as we head upstairs where a family bathroom serves

all three bedrooms, starting with the room to the rear of the property,

large enough for a double bed with a window to one side looking out

towards rolling hills.

To the front of the property, the smallest of the bedrooms

is currently a nursery which leaves the third

bedroom, a large double.

-Yeah.

-Is that a good...

-Yeah. Yeah.

THEY LAUGH

-Nice size.

-Yeah.

-Three windows in here as well!

It's filled with light and you've got the views as well

which I know you were craving.

Yeah. It is got such a lovely feel about it.

It's like move in, isn't it?

-Yeah.

-So thumbs up all round?

-Yeah.

-We're still at a ten?

Yeah. And I haven't even shown you that little project

-that you can work on as well.

-Yeah.

-Yeah, OK, let's head out into the garden.

-All right.

-Fine.

Heading out by the side door,

it's possible to really appreciate that garden room outlook

and the rear section of the mature wraparound garden.

Backing onto open countryside,

it totals just under three quarters of an acre,

plus I can now reveal this already top scoring property comes

with a bonus of three former stable blocks,

two of which are ripe for refurbishment and the third

which has been beautifully finished as a home office and music room.

Oh, for goodness' sake!

Oh, my God, Pete.

Well, you've got three outbuildings like this but I thought

with the other two, you wanted that project,

what could you turn the other two into?

That could become bedrooms for family, friends

-when they come to stay.

-Yeah!

You know, lovely little places for the grandchildren

to build up those wonderful memories.

-I wasn't expecting this.

-No. Oh, this is amazing.

To have this quality in an outhouse and look at that beam!

This is the original beam, they've stripped back the cedar beams.

This is absolutely fantastic.

-Yeah.

-It really is.

I never thought, ever...

-No.

-That they would have this extra space?

-Are you OK?

-Yeah.

THEY LAUGH

Oh, Karen, it's OK.

It's good when you find somewhere you love.

We can start living.

-I ain't touching you, God.

-OK!

Right, I'm going to get tissues and then let's talk about price.

And then let's maybe grab a cuppa after that as well.

Come on.

After an emotional reaction,

what better place to take a deep breath and pause for thought than in

this beautiful and well-stocked country garden?

Peter, can you see Karen feeling right at home here because she loves

-gardening?

-Yeah, that's her life, gardening.

-Perfect.

-Yeah. It's gorgeous.

-Yeah.

-It really is.

Yeah, I don't know why they want to move really.

It's just so gorgeous.

From every angle, isn't it?

Let's talk about price.

What do you think this property, this wraparound garden,

these outbuildings are all on the market for?

Well, I think it is going to be at the top end of our budget

and I would say 485.

-Yeah.

-Karen, what do you think it's on the market for?

-Yeah, I was going to say 490.

-This property, which you love,

is on the market for £447,500.

Well, now you know the price, go and have another look round,

especially those outbuildings,

see what you think you could turn them into.

I'll let you go exploring, now you know the news about the price.

Yeah, thank you.

Price, music to their ears.

Will I be helping them unpack shortly? We'll see.

Coming in more than £50,000 below budget,

this 1900s Welsh Borders cottage comes with a large kitchen

opening into a sunroom, three bedrooms

and outside there are mature wraparound gardens,

plus three former stable blocks that offers scope for a project.

Oh, this would be gorgeous for breakfast.

-Yeah.

-But the sun coming in and...

The only problem is, you come down here for breakfast,

you won't want to go back to Bristol.

When we walked up the drive, it was beautiful.

The peace and quiet just hit me straight away

and then you sort of walked in and it was,

"Oh, my God, I can't believe it."

You just got this lovely, warm, cosy feeling.

It doesn't need to sell itself any more, it's already sold.

This house is everything that we want.

Nice size, perfect for us, little bit of work we could do,

a few little projects.

This could be the one.

-Have you seen enough?

-Yeah.

-Yes.

-Good look round?

-Yeah. Yeah.

-Do we stop the search right now?

Well, I still have another fantastic property to show you and, of course,

the Mystery House, so more adventures to come.

-BOTH:

-Yeah.

-You ready?

-Yes.

-OK.

The landscape of the Welsh Borders includes

the verdant hills of Monmouthshire.

This beautiful natural idyll with its affordable property

prices has much to offer would be escapees after a more rural lifestyle.

Olwen and Richard Vievers decided to move here from Gloucestershire

28 years ago, setting up a small sheep farming business

in the foothills of the Black Mountains.

As Peter and Karen are hoping to make their own move here soon,

they have a few questions about what to expect.

You've done exactly what we want to do.

You're living our dream.

How did you find me people, the local people

when you first came over? Were they friendly?

I mean, the first year I was here everybody local,

whenever they saw me, it was, you know, "How you getting on?

"Are you liking it?" You know,

they were very keen that we should actually like the area.

Our two neighbouring farmers have been very helpful

right from the start so we find that useful.

I mean, sometimes you had emergencies when Richard would be

at work and something went wrong on the farm with the livestock,

all I had to do was lift the phone to my neighbour and as soon as he'd

finished milking he'd be down here.

And if he couldn't sort it,

he'd put you on the phone and another one of his friends

from the next farm would come.

Sheep farming is on the rise in Wales once more,

with a record ten million sheep now in the country,

more than three times the human population.

Olwen and Richard's small grass land-holding has just 40.

Their speciality is breeds producing naturally coloured wool,

which they sell to hand spinners and felt makers.

What type of sheep have you got?

Mostly in this field I've got Corriedales

but I've got a blue faced Leicester cross and a Romney sheep.

It's normally a white breed of sheep but they have recessive coloured

lambs sometimes so you can breed all sorts of different colours.

Olwen chose Corriedales, a breed that originated in the Antipodes,

for their particularly fine fleeces in a variety of naturally occurring

colours. They also lamb relatively easily -

an important factor for these novice sheep farmers.

The lambs are small compared to the size of the ewe when they're born.

So they come out really nice and easily.

Neighbouring farmer Nick Wellington takes on the job of shearing

Richard and Olwen's flock.

The males are shorn around late Spring and early summer and today,

Nick is going to show our couple exactly how it's done.

Now, the art of shearing isn't what you do with your hands,

it's what you do with your feet. You dance.

Pop your shoes.

That's what they're specially made for. So I don't actually...

Bottom of your feet, earth-side, the shoes are flat, if you look at this one so you can...

I can rock. That's how I do that.

Each sheep produces up to three kilos of wool a year.

The females are shorn in December the plan isn't to dye their wool,

so this is when the coats are usually at their cleanest.

Olwen picks the fleeces over for vegetable matter

before folding them up.

There's a routine way.

You always fold them in the same way.

It's always, you roll the sides in

and then you fetch the other side over.

And you can feel the lovely grease in there.

You just can't believe I've just come from the sheep and it's...

It's all ready, isn't it?

Much of the fleece is sold,

but Olwen saves some to craft beautiful pieces, including rugs,

bags and toys.

Well, it's clever stuff, isn't it, sheep?

They eat grass and they make lovely, soft wool.

It seems Karen and Peter may be dyed in the wool converts to life

in the Welsh Borders.

So let's turn our attention back to their property search.

We're heading over to Wales,

and the village of Llandegfed in Monmouthshire.

The small town of Usk, with a range of shops and services,

is a six mile drive away.

Sitting across a river of the same name,

Usk is thought to mean "abounding in fish" a fact attested to by some of

the local drinking establishments.

But back on the outskirts of Llangdegfed,

in a quiet valley setting, we find our second house.

So here we are at property two.

Now, the original part of this property,

as you can see on the left-hand side, was a two up two down,

built in the early 1800s and it was extended some 30-40 years ago

on the right-hand side. First impressions?

-What do you think?

-It's not a bad house.

It looks a bit like two houses joined together to me.

But...see what it looks like inside and...

Yeah. Nice and quiet.

Shall we go inside, take a look?

Yeah, thank you.

The original early 19th-century stone built part of this cottage

has been rendered to unify it with a modern extension,

and it's an entrance hall in the newer wing that leads us into

the large kitchen.

-Nice, big breakfast-diner.

-Yes, nice and light.

Will this work, to have the grandkids running around here?

Yeah, yeah, very nice.

Yeah. Your island in the middle that you've always wanted.

-Nice size.

-A kitchen's always a communal area in our house.

So this is good, because you'd have the table there as well,

wouldn't you, to sit down?

And you love your garden so that opening up onto the garden...

Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, lovely.

More of the house to see.

Follow me.

Next to the kitchen, there's a handy washroom and utility space whilst,

back across the hall in the older part of the home,

we find a welcoming reception room.

So this was the part that was built in the early 1800s.

Cosy, all cosy and warm.

-Yeah.

-Looks like it's just been done.

Yeah, the whole house has been refurbished in the last four years.

It's all been painted, decorated, new wiring's gone in.

You've got your lovely wood burner.

-Yeah.

-Ooh!

-I can picture us in here, can you?

Mmm. It doesn't do it for me.

It just doesn't do it.

It's just personal preference, isn't it?

Well, there's still more of the house to see and we've got

the garden space to explore as well so, Pete, if I let you lead the way?

Let's head upstairs.

Karen's clearly not yet convinced,

but this home does offer everything on their wish list.

Upstairs, the three-bedroomed accommodation is served by

a family bathroom with freestanding bath tub

and separate shower and an outlook over fields.

The first of the guest bedrooms is large enough for a double

and has two windows on one aspect and a third on another.

There's also a smaller guest bedroom which makes the most of the space.

Then, along a generous landing,

we find a third and largest bedroom which could be Peter and Karen's.

And then into the master bedroom,

which has fantastic views.

You can literally wake up,

look out and watch the sheep grazing first thing in the morning.

Yeah, it's a good size.

Built-in storage is always a good thing.

Nice shaped ceilings. I like things that are a bit different.

So, I'm sensing you like this house but that perhaps part of us is still

-in house one.

-Yeah, this is still a nice house...

-Oh, yeah.

-Well, let's explore the gardens.

There's still a bit more to see of this property.

And then I get the feeling we'll have a lot more to talk about.

So there's all the accommodation they've asked for on the inside

and outside, the good-sized garden

includes large areas of lawn, as well as

pleasantly positioned patio seating which makes the most

of the countryside views.

To the rear of the home, French doors open out from the kitchen,

plus there's a large timber outbuilding and a working well.

It's the first house we've been, we've actually seen a working well.

Yeah, you've always wanted one of those.

-Always, yeah.

-And you wanted somewhere nice and rural

and we can really see in the garden, we got the horses here,

the sheep on the other side.

Yeah, you're not overlooked, which is important.

What do you think this property's on the market for?

I wouldn't put it any more than 400,000.

-Peter?

-I would say more than that.

430,000.

This property is currently on the market for £445,000.

-Oh.

-So, Peter, you were closest on this one.

-Yeah, yeah.

-Now you know the price,

why don't you have another look round and we'll catch up in a bit?

Yeah, lovely, thank you.

Once again, significantly below Peter and Karen's £500,000 budget,

this extended early 19th-century cottage has a large kitchen-diner,

wood-burning stove and three bedrooms.

There's a timber outbuilding and a working well.

And it's all in a very quiet valley location.

If you like, this is a

music sort of room, you could put the sofa down there.

Yeah. Yeah, we've got one that fits, haven't we?

-Yeah.

-And when the grandchildren, round, they can sleep on there.

-Yeah, that's good.

-The house is nice.

Nothing needs to be done on the house.

Yeah, this could definitely be a contender.

It is a nice house.

It could be made to how we wanted it.

But I didn't have this feeling when I walked in.

Seeing this has cemented how we need to go back to the other property.

We fell in love with the first property.

So property two's offering lots,

but I still think property one's on their minds.

Hello!

You've had a good look around the whole property now, and the gardens.

And we've still got, at the end of day one,

we've got the Mystery House to go in the morning,

and I feel we've got lots to talk about, haven't we?

Yeah.

Lots to sleep on tonight and think about.

Yeah. Be fresh for tomorrow, looking forward to the Mystery House.

-Can't imagine what it's going to be.

-Well... Tomorrow is another day!

-Yeah.

-Yeah, yeah,

We're in the beautiful southern Welsh Borders

helping Peter and Karen from

Bristol find their dream rural retreat with a budget of £500,000.

One of our properties has already brought a tear to the eye,

but there's still the Mystery House to come.

We've got the best of everything here.

We've got the water, you got the peace.

Yeah, really good feel about it.

Plus, I'm drumming up interest in traditional music

in the Welsh part of the region.

Oh! Ha-ha!

That's gorgeous. I love that.

It's a very exciting morning here in the Welsh Borders

after an incredible day of house-hunting yesterday

and a very emotional connection to property one

from my house-buyers Peter and Karen.

So much so that, yesterday, they put in an offer on house one.

So where does that leave us today with the Mystery House?

Well, that offer has yet to be accepted,

so there's everything to play for.

So what do you think you're going to see in the Mystery House today?

I think it's going to be something that needs work doing.

I can imagine it'll be run down a little bit.

Something bought newish, or...

We haven't seen anything that's really new, have we?

So, Peter, you're thinking it could be a ruin and Karen,

you're thinking it could be totally brand-new?

THEY LAUGH

-It's a mystery!

-Yeah.

Our mystery offering is in the Monmouthshire village of Whitebrook.

Located along a pretty waterway,

as well as providing the village with a name, until the 19th century,

this was the source of an intensive, water-powered milling industry.

In the early 1700s it became really famous for its paper mills.

In fact the church, the Holy Trinity Church which we passed,

was built in 1835 to serve the mill community.

It's an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, not far from the River Wye,

got a lovely, fine dining restaurant on what would be your doorstep,

because this is the village that is home to the Mystery House.

We've never been here before.

Never, ever, have we? We've just never gone on this road.

-So, yeah.

-This little path here is the path

-that leads towards the Mystery House.

-No!

-Come this way!

A short distance down a single-track private road,

our Mystery House is an 18th-century reminder

of the area's milling history.

It's a former watermill.

Lovely sound of running water.

Total seclusion here.

-Yeah.

-Looks interesting.

-So pretty.

Got the best of everything here.

You've got the water, you've got the peace.

Yeah, really good feel about it.

Yeah, I've got a good feel about it.

Can't wait to see what's up there.

-No, yeah.

-Let's not waste any time. Let's get straight in.

Yeah, lovely.

Built in the 1700s, the conversion to a home was completed in 2013.

Arranged over a total of four floors,

double doors on the ground floor lead into the kitchen-diner.

Then the floor above is dedicated to the main reception room,

which we're reaching via stone stairs

on the outside of the building to start our tour.

So, in you come.

Different, yeah. Looks like a picture on there with those...

I know. Every window looks like a view outside's been painted.

-It's so gorgeous.

-Yeah.

-And the room size?

-Perfect, perfect.

-Yeah, yeah.

Didn't expect this from the outside, to walk into the lounge.

-Peter, can you imagine sitting here in the evening in front of your wood burner?

-Definitely.

It takes that of getting used to, doesn't it, because it's so different?

It's a bit of a shock, really, when you come in, and...

Well, let's see more. Let's head down to the kitchen.

The ground floor can be accessed straight from the driveway

via double doors, but we're taking the internal stairs

down into the country kitchen-diner.

Oh, that's lovely.

Yeah, that is beautiful.

-Yeah.

-I like this.

Nice farmhouse table for you to gather the clan around.

I'd say, to be quite honest, this is ten out of ten.

-Yes.

-So when you're cooking away,

or first thing in the morning making that cuppa,

and then you've got the doors out, and there's the water.

The thing I love most about this room is,

you can hear the sound of the water.

Only thing I'd probably be a bit worried about is,

there's no downstairs toilet.

Well, you've got a plumber on hand.

I think I know a very good plumber that might be able to sort that for

you! Ten out of ten so far,

and we've only seen two of your four floors.

-Let me show you the way to the rest of the house.

-Lovely.

The three-bedroomed accommodation is arranged over the top two floors.

On the uppermost floor is a large attic bedroom with en suite bathroom

on the floor below this there's the family bathroom.

Next to which there is the smallest bedroom, currently used as a study,

whilst Peter and Karen might choose to use the third and largest bedroom

as their own.

And into what could be your master bedroom.

Lovely view, first thing in the morning on one side

-and then to your garden on the other.

-Oh, very nice.

Our bedroom furniture would go right in here, wouldn't it?

It flows really well.

Yes. Good. I think the rooms are very big, aren't they?

Which is nice.

I don't know. It's a beautiful place,

but it feels more like a place you'd go

and spend a week's holiday or something.

Well, let's explore more and, of course,

the garden which I know is of particular interest to you.

And we've also got to talk price.

-Yeah.

-So, let me show you the way.

-Lovely.

Some very positive reactions from both Peter

and Karen to aspects of this home's interior.

But I've yet to show them the gardens which,

arranged over two levels,

include a stream, a wooded backdrop as well as a raised stone sun terrace,

timber outbuilding and areas of lawn.

Karen, I'm thinking this could be a real project for you.

Yeah, this definitely would be a project.

Lots of scope for what we could do.

Yes. I mean, I've always wanted a natural wild flower garden.

I would definitely do that here.

Time to talk about price.

What do you think this property and these gardens are on the market for?

I think it's 465,000.

Oh, that's what I was going to say!

I will go 460.

This Mystery House is currently on the market for £450,000.

THEY LAUGH

Good job I went lower, then.

-And a lot of house for your money.

-Yeah. Yeah, it is a lot.

Why don't you have another round now that you know what the property

-is on the market for?

-OK.

And, well, we've got a lot to talk about later.

Yeah. Lovely. OK.

Once again leaving £50,000 to spare in their budget,

this 18th century mill conversion could give Peter and Karen

a stunning and spacious country kitchen,

a further generous reception room and three bedrooms,

including an en-suite.

It's in a peaceful waterside location which is part

of an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Can't fault the house, lovely property.

I would still give it ten out of ten.

It's done beautifully, neutral colours, woodwork's amazing in there,

the kitchen's gorgeous.

I love the house. It's got character.

Love the garden.

But, to me, I just think it's too big for us.

A property with bags of character, a bit of a project with the garden,

maybe a flight of stairs too many, maybe?

Hi! Have you had a good look round, then?

-Yeah.

-Is it time for a cup of tea or a glass of wine, maybe?

-Sounds good.

-And a bit of a chat about where we go from here.

-Yeah.

-OK, lovely.

The culture of the Welsh Borders is a fascinating mix of both English

and Welsh traditions.

Whilst some customs on the Welsh side have historically struggled

against enforced Anglicisation and the spread of the Methodist Church,

recent years have seen a strong will to revive all things Cymraeg,

or Welsh.

In Monmouthshire, the magnificent Tredegar House,

now in the hands of the National Trust,

has been home to makers of traditional Welsh folk instruments

for over 30 years. I'm meeting Marcus Butler,

the man at the forefront of the musical craft revival.

Marcus, you work in such an inspiring place.

What instruments do you actually make here?

Well, we make early percussion instruments of several periods.

We make concertinas, we make some small harps as well.

We really turn our hand to any request if we think we can do it.

Where do you learn these skills from?

I bought an old concertina from an antique shop

and pulled it to pieces,

looked at it, thought, "I could do that", and so I did.

What makes you so passionate about traditional Welsh music?

It plucks at the heartstrings.

If it makes you cry, it must be good music.

It just gets inside you.

There's more Welsh music now than there ever was,

which is a move forward in my view.

Marcus now works with a team of three Artisan instrument makers.

David Cox is showing me how they make the traditional Welsh drum,

or tabwrdd, to a centuries-old design

found nowhere else in the world.

So how do we know this is how the drum was always traditionally made?

The drawings were discovered by the Rev Meredith Morris from the Cwmbran

Valley. He was a traditional Welsh maker, round about the 1920s,

something like that, but these go back to about 1400.

So this is a real bit of traditional Welsh history here.

-Absolutely, yeah.

-These drawings only resurfaced

around a decade ago but are now thought to be identical in design

to the drums used in the time of

Owain Glyndwr, the last native Welshman to hold the title,

Prince of Wales, in the 15th century.

Well, basically, this is what we call the shell of the drum,

or the barrel. These days we use birch ply,

which is a high quality plywood,

for drum making. It's got a natural bend in it.

Oh, wow.

Once the plywood is cut and glued,

hoops made from steamed strips of locally sourced ash

are used to affix a circle of cut goatskin

-in a process called lapping.

-It's what we call a tucking knife.

So if you get that excess skin and then, with the end of the knife,

just tuck it underneath the flesh.

Don't be afraid of it. Just push it in there, that's it.

Keep on going.

-I'm just checking I'm doing this right.

-Yeah.

That's ripping it apart off there!

THEY LAUGH

These drums are double skinned,

meaning there's a drumming surface on both the top and the bottom.

It takes around two days to complete a drum.

The larger the size, the deeper the pitch.

This one will sell for around £250 with musicians from all corners

of the globe seeking out its resonant tone.

It's probably the sort of natural,

earthy sound that you get from these type of skins.

This sort of sound would have been heard through the valleys

and villages all over Wales.

This tradition has to live on, you know.

Especially the traditional tabwrdd,

we're probably the only maker in the world.

I wouldn't say a dying art, but it's an art

that we want to carry on and pass on.

The barrel and hoops are assembled and tensioned together using rope.

That's a natural, traditional hemp rope.

It's similar to what would've been used in the 1400s.

And then you'll end up with something like that.

And that is a complete traditional Welsh tabwrdd.

-Well, if...

-OK, go for it.

-If I can, really?

-Go for it.

-Oh! Ha-ha! That's gorgeous!

I love that.

I'm not quite beating my own drum,

but I am getting to join in with a traditional Welsh jig

called Helar's Ysgfarnog, or Hunting The Hare.

JIG PLAYS

Now to see if any of our houses are singing from the same song sheet

as Karen and Peter's property wish list here in the Welsh Borders.

Well, now, Karen and Peter have seen all our properties and with that

offer in on house one, I just can't wait to find out the latest news.

Well, we're at the end of a couple of great days of searching.

-Yeah.

-How're you feeling?

-Good.

-And you kind of fell in love with house one on the first day.

What was it about that house that was just so special?

From the outside, it looked perfect.

Everything about it. I kept saying, I give it ten out of ten.

It had that feel about it.

You know, don't you, when you walk in and open the door,

and it's, like, uh-oh, it's got something, you know?

The picture - us being there with our family, grandchildren.

I always said, if a house brings me to tears then that's got to be the

-right house. I just couldn't help it.

-Dying to ask.

You put an offer in.

Yeah. We put an offer in and they refused.

We went back with another offer and they accepted.

Really? Oh, my God! I'm so happy!

Yay! We're moving!

-Oh, congratulations.

-Thank you, thank you.

It has been a joy to be on this journey with you

-and I am so glad we found you a new home.

-Yeah.

We've thoroughly enjoyed it.

It's been one of the best things we've ever had happened to us.

It's... It'll live with us for ever, won't it?

Peter, will you do the honours of opening the champagne?

I think this is called for at the end of our adventure here.

THEY LAUGH

Oh, fantastic. To a new home.

-ALL:

-Cheers.

We showed Karen and Peter three fantastic properties and,

after the first one won their hearts,

I'm so glad to hear their offer has been accepted and this gorgeous

corner of the world will soon be their new home.

We'll see you next time on Escape To The Country.

If you would like to escape to the country

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