Welsh Borders Escape to the Country


Welsh Borders

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This largely rural river is relatively unaffected by pollution

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and home to more than 30 species of fish.

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Parts of the waterway also form a very unique boundary.

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Find out which river it is

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and exactly where I am, in just a moment.

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

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-Ten out of ten so far.

-I like that!

-Yeah.

-Wow.

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..and it also pulls on her heartstrings.

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-Are you OK? TEARFULLY:

-Yeah...

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THEY LAUGH

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It's good when you find somewhere you love.

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It's so moving.

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

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a Site of Special Scientific Interest and Conservation.

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

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travelling over 100 miles through Powys and Herefordshire before

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

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

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we have Wales making this point of the River Wye

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a perfect natural boundary.

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

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taking in the English counties of Herefordshire and Gloucestershire

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along with the Welsh county of Monmouthshire.

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Once a hunting ground for Tudor kings,

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

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largest area of mature oak,

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thanks to Lord Nelson who had 30 million acorns planted

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

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

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as a busy shipping centre.

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

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

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

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And at the market town of Monmouth,

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the River Wye meets with two other waterways.

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Over the River Mono sits the only surviving fortified medieval bridge

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in Britain, built in the late 13th century

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

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in the 14th century.

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

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castle, immortalised by his campaigns against the French

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including a remarkable victory at Agincourt.

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He remained known as Harry of Monmouth

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

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So whether you're interested in legendary leaders,

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lush valleys or ancient woodlands,

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the Welsh Borders is a fantastic region to head to.

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As well as some stunning countryside,

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

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

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

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below the national figure.

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Across the border into Herefordshire and the price drops,

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it's 30,000 below the national average.

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And if you want even more for your property pound,

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

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So what about today's buyers?

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Which corner of this gorgeous countryside

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are they looking to call home?

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Let's meet them and find out.

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

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their local pub as teenagers.

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

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

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

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I think it was love at first sight.

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

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-I fell.

-Oh, did you?

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

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Karen stayed at home looking after the family

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whilst Peter set up his own plumbing business.

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And although they've seen big life changes,

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they've never moved very far from the spot

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of their Bristolian teenage rendezvous.

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I've lived in Bristol 61 years

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and from the house we're in now,

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I've never moved any more than four miles away

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and we've moved about seven times.

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

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

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

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Just a constant droning of the motorway, the M4,

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

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

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-come past here in the mornings?

-Yeah.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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-isn't it?

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

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

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down the River Wye because if we do go there,

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

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Yeah.

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As well as taking up kayaking,

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

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

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

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

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-No.

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

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My main hobby is gardening, it always has been.

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

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Very big part of my life, gardening.

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

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

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

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we can't wait.

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

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with good road links back to Bristol for family,

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friends and Peter's plumbing business.

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But before we start looking at houses,

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

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Karen, Peter, lovely to see you.

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-Hello!

-Welcome to the southern Welsh Borders.

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What attracted you to this gorgeous part of the world?

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

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now so what could be better?

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

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and doing something that we want to do.

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

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

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-four weeks' time.

-Yeah.

-And what kind of property are we looking for?

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Detached, probably with nice views.

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We don't mind a challenge to a house.

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-No.

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

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-How many bedrooms would you like?

-Three.

-Three. Yeah.

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-No more, no less.

-No.

-So three-bedroom property.

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-Yeah.

-Maybe a bit of a project.

-Yeah.

-Could be, yes.

-Garden size?

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What would you like to see there?

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I'm looking for about an acre.

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

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that would be all the better.

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

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We don't like brick faced houses.

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-No.

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

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Nothing when the floors all wonky, we like character.

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

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

-Yeah.

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What about the views surrounding this property?

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-How important are they?

-Very important.

-Yeah, very important.

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

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

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-working?

-Yeah. I will be travelling back to Bristol.

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-What kind of distance would you like?

-40 to 50 miles.

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-Yeah.

-And what's your budget for this move?

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Well, we can stretch to 500,000.

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-Yeah, yeah.

-But if it needs work doing,

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it is going to have to be like 450.

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

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-Come on.

-Yeah.

-Let's not waste any time.

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For a maximum purchase price of £500,000,

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Karen and Peter would like a detached property

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with three bedrooms and a good-sized garden

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that's within commuting distance of Bristol.

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

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if the price is right.

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

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

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

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twist to their wish list.

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We're starting our Welsh Borders search in Llangarron,

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a small village in the English county of Herefordshire.

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

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and has an historic inn serving food,

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as well as a village store with coffee shop.

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

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built in Victorian times by Amelia Panter

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to commemorate her siblings and serve the local community.

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But back in Llangarron,

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along from the church down a peaceful lane

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is the house we've come to see.

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Karen, Peter. Here we are, property one.

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Fabulous cottage.

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Wraparound garden.

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-Initial thoughts?

-Very nice.

-Yeah.

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-So far so good.

-Beautiful, yeah.

-Ten out of ten so far.

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-Oh, I like that.

-Yeah.

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-Wow.

-Ten of ten so far?

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-Ten out of ten.

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

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

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

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with a Welsh slate roof,

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

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bright and airy kitchen.

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In you come.

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THEY GASP

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My God.

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

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Yeah, our kitchen is this colour.

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And the worktops are beautiful.

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

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

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-So you're feeling quite at home here?

-Yeah.

-Yeah.

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-You can't fault it at all.

-The size is perfect.

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-Yeah.

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

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it's just the right size.

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The kitchen is a part of the original cottage.

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

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

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I know you love that light...

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-Yeah.

-..airy feel.

-Yeah, very important.

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-Yeah.

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

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

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and also a boot room area, utility too.

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

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-are we still at a ten?

-Definitely.

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-Yeah.

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

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

-Right.

-Yeah.

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Peter and Karen are feeling right at home already.

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

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whilst next to the kitchen is the largest reception room.

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And this room wraps round into that sunroom.

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

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-snug space to come in the evening.

-Yeah, it is.

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-Look at the thick depths of the windows.

-Yeah.

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

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-Really interesting.

-Either your garden or the fields behind.

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-So smiles all round? BOTH:

-Yeah.

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

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you because I know you wanted that so,

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yeah, we've thought of that too.

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

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we'll probably be bored to tears.

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

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

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

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-Yeah.

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

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-Yeah.

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

-Yeah.

-OK.

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

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

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

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

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towards rolling hills.

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

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is currently a nursery which leaves the third

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bedroom, a large double.

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-Yeah.

-Is that a good...

-Yeah. Yeah.

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THEY LAUGH

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-Nice size.

-Yeah.

-Three windows in here as well!

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

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which I know you were craving.

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

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

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-Yeah.

-So thumbs up all round?

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-Yeah.

-We're still at a ten?

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

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-that you can work on as well.

-Yeah.

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

-All right.

-Fine.

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Heading out by the side door,

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it's possible to really appreciate that garden room outlook

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and the rear section of the mature wraparound garden.

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Backing onto open countryside,

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it totals just under three quarters of an acre,

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plus I can now reveal this already top scoring property comes

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with a bonus of three former stable blocks,

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two of which are ripe for refurbishment and the third

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

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Oh, for goodness' sake!

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Oh, my God, Pete.

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

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with the other two, you wanted that project,

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what could you turn the other two into?

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That could become bedrooms for family, friends

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-when they come to stay.

-Yeah!

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You know, lovely little places for the grandchildren

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to build up those wonderful memories.

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-I wasn't expecting this.

-No. Oh, this is amazing.

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

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

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This is absolutely fantastic.

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-Yeah.

-It really is.

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I never thought, ever...

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-No.

-That they would have this extra space?

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-Are you OK?

-Yeah.

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THEY LAUGH

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Oh, Karen, it's OK.

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It's good when you find somewhere you love.

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We can start living.

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-I ain't touching you, God.

-OK!

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

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

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Come on.

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After an emotional reaction,

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

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this beautiful and well-stocked country garden?

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

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-gardening?

-Yeah, that's her life, gardening.

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-Perfect.

-Yeah. It's gorgeous.

-Yeah.

-It really is.

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

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It's just so gorgeous.

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From every angle, isn't it?

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Let's talk about price.

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What do you think this property, this wraparound garden,

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these outbuildings are all on the market for?

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

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and I would say 485.

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-Yeah.

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

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-Yeah, I was going to say 490.

-This property, which you love,

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is on the market for £447,500.

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

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especially those outbuildings,

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see what you think you could turn them into.

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

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Yeah, thank you.

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Price, music to their ears.

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

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Coming in more than £50,000 below budget,

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this 1900s Welsh Borders cottage comes with a large kitchen

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opening into a sunroom, three bedrooms

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and outside there are mature wraparound gardens,

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

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Oh, this would be gorgeous for breakfast.

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-Yeah.

-But the sun coming in and...

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

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you won't want to go back to Bristol.

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When we walked up the drive, it was beautiful.

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The peace and quiet just hit me straight away

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and then you sort of walked in and it was,

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

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You just got this lovely, warm, cosy feeling.

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

0:17:150:17:18

This house is everything that we want.

0:17:180:17:22

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

0:17:220:17:25

a few little projects.

0:17:250:17:27

This could be the one.

0:17:270:17:29

-Have you seen enough?

-Yeah.

-Yes.

-Good look round?

0:17:300:17:33

-Yeah. Yeah.

-Do we stop the search right now?

0:17:330:17:36

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

0:17:380:17:41

the Mystery House, so more adventures to come.

0:17:410:17:43

-BOTH:

-Yeah.

-You ready?

0:17:430:17:45

-Yes.

-OK.

0:17:450:17:47

The landscape of the Welsh Borders includes

0:17:520:17:54

the verdant hills of Monmouthshire.

0:17:540:17:56

This beautiful natural idyll with its affordable property

0:17:560:18:00

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

0:18:000:18:05

Olwen and Richard Vievers decided to move here from Gloucestershire

0:18:050:18:09

28 years ago, setting up a small sheep farming business

0:18:090:18:13

in the foothills of the Black Mountains.

0:18:130:18:15

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

0:18:150:18:19

they have a few questions about what to expect.

0:18:190:18:22

You've done exactly what we want to do.

0:18:220:18:25

You're living our dream.

0:18:250:18:27

How did you find me people, the local people

0:18:270:18:29

when you first came over? Were they friendly?

0:18:290:18:31

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

0:18:310:18:34

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

0:18:340:18:36

"Are you liking it?" You know,

0:18:360:18:37

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

0:18:370:18:40

Our two neighbouring farmers have been very helpful

0:18:400:18:43

right from the start so we find that useful.

0:18:430:18:45

I mean, sometimes you had emergencies when Richard would be

0:18:450:18:48

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

0:18:480:18:51

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

0:18:510:18:54

finished milking he'd be down here.

0:18:540:18:56

And if he couldn't sort it,

0:18:560:18:58

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

0:18:580:19:01

from the next farm would come.

0:19:010:19:03

Sheep farming is on the rise in Wales once more,

0:19:030:19:06

with a record ten million sheep now in the country,

0:19:060:19:09

more than three times the human population.

0:19:090:19:12

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

0:19:120:19:16

Their speciality is breeds producing naturally coloured wool,

0:19:160:19:20

which they sell to hand spinners and felt makers.

0:19:200:19:23

What type of sheep have you got?

0:19:230:19:25

Mostly in this field I've got Corriedales

0:19:250:19:27

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

0:19:270:19:31

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

0:19:310:19:35

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

0:19:350:19:39

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

0:19:390:19:43

for their particularly fine fleeces in a variety of naturally occurring

0:19:430:19:47

colours. They also lamb relatively easily -

0:19:470:19:51

an important factor for these novice sheep farmers.

0:19:510:19:54

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

0:19:540:19:58

So they come out really nice and easily.

0:19:580:20:01

Neighbouring farmer Nick Wellington takes on the job of shearing

0:20:010:20:06

Richard and Olwen's flock.

0:20:060:20:08

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

0:20:080:20:12

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

0:20:120:20:15

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

0:20:170:20:20

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

0:20:200:20:23

Pop your shoes.

0:20:230:20:24

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

0:20:240:20:28

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

0:20:280:20:32

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

0:20:320:20:35

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

0:20:350:20:39

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

0:20:390:20:43

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

0:20:430:20:46

Olwen picks the fleeces over for vegetable matter

0:20:460:20:49

before folding them up.

0:20:490:20:51

There's a routine way.

0:20:510:20:53

You always fold them in the same way.

0:20:530:20:55

It's always, you roll the sides in

0:20:550:20:57

and then you fetch the other side over.

0:20:570:21:00

And you can feel the lovely grease in there.

0:21:020:21:05

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

0:21:050:21:09

It's all ready, isn't it?

0:21:090:21:11

Much of the fleece is sold,

0:21:110:21:13

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

0:21:130:21:16

bags and toys.

0:21:160:21:18

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

0:21:180:21:21

They eat grass and they make lovely, soft wool.

0:21:210:21:23

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

0:21:230:21:27

in the Welsh Borders.

0:21:270:21:28

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

0:21:280:21:32

We're heading over to Wales,

0:21:360:21:38

and the village of Llandegfed in Monmouthshire.

0:21:380:21:41

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

0:21:410:21:44

is a six mile drive away.

0:21:440:21:46

Sitting across a river of the same name,

0:21:460:21:49

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

0:21:490:21:54

the local drinking establishments.

0:21:540:21:56

But back on the outskirts of Llangdegfed,

0:21:560:21:59

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

0:21:590:22:03

So here we are at property two.

0:22:030:22:06

Now, the original part of this property,

0:22:060:22:08

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

0:22:080:22:11

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

0:22:110:22:16

on the right-hand side. First impressions?

0:22:160:22:19

-What do you think?

-It's not a bad house.

0:22:190:22:22

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

0:22:220:22:25

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

0:22:250:22:28

Yeah. Nice and quiet.

0:22:280:22:30

Shall we go inside, take a look?

0:22:300:22:31

Yeah, thank you.

0:22:310:22:33

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

0:22:340:22:38

has been rendered to unify it with a modern extension,

0:22:380:22:42

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

0:22:420:22:45

the large kitchen.

0:22:450:22:47

-Nice, big breakfast-diner.

-Yes, nice and light.

0:22:470:22:51

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

0:22:510:22:53

Yeah, yeah, very nice.

0:22:530:22:55

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

0:22:550:22:59

-Nice size.

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

0:22:590:23:03

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

0:23:030:23:06

wouldn't you, to sit down?

0:23:060:23:07

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

0:23:070:23:10

Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, lovely.

0:23:100:23:12

More of the house to see.

0:23:120:23:13

Follow me.

0:23:130:23:15

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

0:23:160:23:20

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

0:23:200:23:23

we find a welcoming reception room.

0:23:230:23:26

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

0:23:260:23:29

Cosy, all cosy and warm.

0:23:290:23:31

-Yeah.

-Looks like it's just been done.

0:23:310:23:34

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

0:23:340:23:37

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

0:23:370:23:41

You've got your lovely wood burner.

0:23:410:23:43

-Yeah.

-Ooh!

-I can picture us in here, can you?

0:23:430:23:46

Mmm. It doesn't do it for me.

0:23:460:23:49

It just doesn't do it.

0:23:490:23:50

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

0:23:500:23:53

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

0:23:530:23:55

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

0:23:550:23:58

Let's head upstairs.

0:23:580:23:59

Karen's clearly not yet convinced,

0:23:590:24:02

but this home does offer everything on their wish list.

0:24:020:24:05

Upstairs, the three-bedroomed accommodation is served by

0:24:050:24:09

a family bathroom with freestanding bath tub

0:24:090:24:11

and separate shower and an outlook over fields.

0:24:110:24:15

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

0:24:150:24:18

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

0:24:180:24:22

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

0:24:220:24:27

Then, along a generous landing,

0:24:270:24:29

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

0:24:290:24:33

And then into the master bedroom,

0:24:330:24:36

which has fantastic views.

0:24:360:24:38

You can literally wake up,

0:24:380:24:40

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

0:24:400:24:43

Yeah, it's a good size.

0:24:430:24:45

Built-in storage is always a good thing.

0:24:450:24:47

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

0:24:470:24:51

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

0:24:510:24:55

-in house one.

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

0:24:550:24:58

-Oh, yeah.

-Well, let's explore the gardens.

0:24:580:25:01

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

0:25:010:25:03

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

0:25:030:25:07

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

0:25:070:25:11

and outside, the good-sized garden

0:25:110:25:13

includes large areas of lawn, as well as

0:25:130:25:16

pleasantly positioned patio seating which makes the most

0:25:160:25:19

of the countryside views.

0:25:190:25:22

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

0:25:220:25:25

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

0:25:250:25:29

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

0:25:290:25:32

Yeah, you've always wanted one of those.

0:25:320:25:34

-Always, yeah.

-And you wanted somewhere nice and rural

0:25:340:25:37

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

0:25:370:25:39

the sheep on the other side.

0:25:390:25:41

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

0:25:410:25:43

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

0:25:430:25:46

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

0:25:460:25:49

-Peter?

-I would say more than that.

0:25:510:25:53

430,000.

0:25:530:25:55

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

0:25:550:26:00

-Oh.

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

0:26:000:26:03

-Yeah, yeah.

-Now you know the price,

0:26:030:26:05

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

0:26:050:26:08

Yeah, lovely, thank you.

0:26:080:26:10

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

0:26:120:26:17

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

0:26:170:26:21

wood-burning stove and three bedrooms.

0:26:210:26:24

There's a timber outbuilding and a working well.

0:26:240:26:27

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

0:26:270:26:30

If you like, this is a

0:26:300:26:33

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

0:26:330:26:35

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

0:26:350:26:38

-Yeah.

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

0:26:380:26:41

-Yeah, that's good.

-The house is nice.

0:26:410:26:44

Nothing needs to be done on the house.

0:26:440:26:47

Yeah, this could definitely be a contender.

0:26:470:26:49

It is a nice house.

0:26:490:26:51

It could be made to how we wanted it.

0:26:510:26:55

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

0:26:550:26:59

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

0:26:590:27:04

We fell in love with the first property.

0:27:040:27:06

So property two's offering lots,

0:27:060:27:08

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

0:27:080:27:12

Hello!

0:27:120:27:14

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

0:27:140:27:18

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

0:27:180:27:20

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

0:27:200:27:22

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

0:27:220:27:25

Yeah.

0:27:250:27:26

Lots to sleep on tonight and think about.

0:27:260:27:28

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

0:27:280:27:32

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

-Well... Tomorrow is another day!

0:27:320:27:36

-Yeah.

-Yeah, yeah,

0:27:360:27:37

We're in the beautiful southern Welsh Borders

0:27:500:27:53

helping Peter and Karen from

0:27:530:27:54

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

0:27:540:28:00

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

0:28:000:28:03

but there's still the Mystery House to come.

0:28:030:28:05

We've got the best of everything here.

0:28:050:28:08

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

0:28:080:28:10

Yeah, really good feel about it.

0:28:100:28:12

Plus, I'm drumming up interest in traditional music

0:28:120:28:15

in the Welsh part of the region.

0:28:150:28:17

Oh! Ha-ha!

0:28:170:28:19

That's gorgeous. I love that.

0:28:190:28:22

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

0:28:240:28:27

after an incredible day of house-hunting yesterday

0:28:270:28:30

and a very emotional connection to property one

0:28:300:28:33

from my house-buyers Peter and Karen.

0:28:330:28:35

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

0:28:350:28:40

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

0:28:400:28:43

Well, that offer has yet to be accepted,

0:28:430:28:46

so there's everything to play for.

0:28:460:28:48

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

0:28:520:28:55

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

0:28:550:29:00

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

0:29:000:29:03

Something bought newish, or...

0:29:030:29:05

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

0:29:050:29:08

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

0:29:080:29:11

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

0:29:110:29:14

THEY LAUGH

0:29:140:29:16

-It's a mystery!

-Yeah.

0:29:170:29:19

Our mystery offering is in the Monmouthshire village of Whitebrook.

0:29:220:29:27

Located along a pretty waterway,

0:29:270:29:29

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

0:29:290:29:33

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

0:29:330:29:37

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

0:29:370:29:40

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

0:29:400:29:43

was built in 1835 to serve the mill community.

0:29:430:29:47

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

0:29:470:29:51

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

0:29:510:29:55

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

0:29:550:29:59

We've never been here before.

0:29:590:30:00

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

0:30:000:30:03

-So, yeah.

-This little path here is the path

0:30:030:30:06

-that leads towards the Mystery House.

-No!

-Come this way!

0:30:060:30:11

A short distance down a single-track private road,

0:30:140:30:17

our Mystery House is an 18th-century reminder

0:30:170:30:20

of the area's milling history.

0:30:200:30:23

It's a former watermill.

0:30:230:30:25

Lovely sound of running water.

0:30:250:30:27

Total seclusion here.

0:30:270:30:29

-Yeah.

-Looks interesting.

-So pretty.

0:30:290:30:32

Got the best of everything here.

0:30:320:30:34

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

0:30:340:30:36

Yeah, really good feel about it.

0:30:360:30:38

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

0:30:380:30:40

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

0:30:400:30:42

-No, yeah.

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

0:30:420:30:45

Yeah, lovely.

0:30:450:30:46

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

0:30:460:30:50

Arranged over a total of four floors,

0:30:510:30:54

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

0:30:540:30:58

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

0:30:580:31:02

which we're reaching via stone stairs

0:31:020:31:04

on the outside of the building to start our tour.

0:31:040:31:07

So, in you come.

0:31:070:31:09

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

0:31:110:31:14

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

0:31:140:31:18

-It's so gorgeous.

-Yeah.

-And the room size?

0:31:180:31:21

-Perfect, perfect.

-Yeah, yeah.

0:31:210:31:23

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

0:31:230:31:27

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

-Definitely.

0:31:270:31:31

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

0:31:310:31:35

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

0:31:350:31:38

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

0:31:380:31:41

The ground floor can be accessed straight from the driveway

0:31:420:31:45

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

0:31:450:31:49

down into the country kitchen-diner.

0:31:490:31:52

Oh, that's lovely.

0:31:520:31:54

Yeah, that is beautiful.

0:31:540:31:57

-Yeah.

-I like this.

0:31:570:31:58

Nice farmhouse table for you to gather the clan around.

0:31:580:32:03

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

0:32:030:32:06

-Yes.

-So when you're cooking away,

0:32:060:32:08

or first thing in the morning making that cuppa,

0:32:080:32:11

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

0:32:110:32:14

The thing I love most about this room is,

0:32:140:32:17

you can hear the sound of the water.

0:32:170:32:19

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

0:32:190:32:22

there's no downstairs toilet.

0:32:220:32:24

Well, you've got a plumber on hand.

0:32:240:32:26

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

0:32:260:32:29

you! Ten out of ten so far,

0:32:290:32:31

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

0:32:310:32:34

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

-Lovely.

0:32:340:32:37

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

0:32:390:32:44

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

0:32:440:32:48

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

0:32:480:32:52

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

0:32:520:32:57

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

0:32:570:33:00

as their own.

0:33:000:33:02

And into what could be your master bedroom.

0:33:030:33:06

Lovely view, first thing in the morning on one side

0:33:060:33:10

-and then to your garden on the other.

-Oh, very nice.

0:33:100:33:14

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

0:33:140:33:16

It flows really well.

0:33:160:33:18

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

0:33:180:33:21

Which is nice.

0:33:210:33:22

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

0:33:220:33:25

but it feels more like a place you'd go

0:33:250:33:27

and spend a week's holiday or something.

0:33:270:33:30

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

0:33:300:33:32

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

0:33:320:33:35

And we've also got to talk price.

0:33:350:33:37

-Yeah.

-So, let me show you the way.

-Lovely.

0:33:370:33:40

Some very positive reactions from both Peter

0:33:420:33:45

and Karen to aspects of this home's interior.

0:33:450:33:48

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

0:33:480:33:51

arranged over two levels,

0:33:510:33:52

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

0:33:520:33:57

timber outbuilding and areas of lawn.

0:33:570:34:00

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

0:34:000:34:03

Yeah, this definitely would be a project.

0:34:030:34:05

Lots of scope for what we could do.

0:34:050:34:07

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

0:34:070:34:12

I would definitely do that here.

0:34:120:34:14

Time to talk about price.

0:34:140:34:16

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

0:34:160:34:21

I think it's 465,000.

0:34:210:34:24

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

0:34:240:34:26

I will go 460.

0:34:260:34:30

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

0:34:310:34:39

THEY LAUGH

0:34:390:34:40

Good job I went lower, then.

0:34:400:34:43

-And a lot of house for your money.

-Yeah. Yeah, it is a lot.

0:34:430:34:45

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

0:34:450:34:48

-is on the market for?

-OK.

0:34:480:34:50

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

0:34:500:34:52

Yeah. Lovely. OK.

0:34:520:34:54

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

0:34:560:35:00

this 18th century mill conversion could give Peter and Karen

0:35:000:35:04

a stunning and spacious country kitchen,

0:35:040:35:07

a further generous reception room and three bedrooms,

0:35:070:35:10

including an en-suite.

0:35:100:35:12

It's in a peaceful waterside location which is part

0:35:120:35:16

of an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

0:35:160:35:19

Can't fault the house, lovely property.

0:35:190:35:23

I would still give it ten out of ten.

0:35:230:35:26

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

0:35:260:35:31

the kitchen's gorgeous.

0:35:310:35:33

I love the house. It's got character.

0:35:330:35:35

Love the garden.

0:35:350:35:37

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

0:35:370:35:40

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

0:35:400:35:44

maybe a flight of stairs too many, maybe?

0:35:440:35:47

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

0:35:470:35:50

-Yeah.

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

0:35:500:35:54

-Sounds good.

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

0:35:540:35:57

-Yeah.

-OK, lovely.

0:35:570:35:59

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

0:36:050:36:09

and Welsh traditions.

0:36:090:36:11

Whilst some customs on the Welsh side have historically struggled

0:36:110:36:15

against enforced Anglicisation and the spread of the Methodist Church,

0:36:150:36:19

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

0:36:190:36:24

or Welsh.

0:36:240:36:26

In Monmouthshire, the magnificent Tredegar House,

0:36:260:36:29

now in the hands of the National Trust,

0:36:290:36:31

has been home to makers of traditional Welsh folk instruments

0:36:310:36:35

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

0:36:350:36:38

the man at the forefront of the musical craft revival.

0:36:380:36:42

Marcus, you work in such an inspiring place.

0:36:420:36:45

What instruments do you actually make here?

0:36:450:36:47

Well, we make early percussion instruments of several periods.

0:36:470:36:52

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

0:36:520:36:56

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

0:36:560:37:00

Where do you learn these skills from?

0:37:000:37:03

I bought an old concertina from an antique shop

0:37:030:37:07

and pulled it to pieces,

0:37:070:37:10

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

0:37:100:37:13

What makes you so passionate about traditional Welsh music?

0:37:130:37:17

It plucks at the heartstrings.

0:37:170:37:20

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

0:37:200:37:23

It just gets inside you.

0:37:230:37:25

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

0:37:250:37:28

which is a move forward in my view.

0:37:280:37:31

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

0:37:310:37:36

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

0:37:360:37:39

or tabwrdd, to a centuries-old design

0:37:390:37:42

found nowhere else in the world.

0:37:420:37:44

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

0:37:440:37:48

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

0:37:480:37:54

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

0:37:540:37:59

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

0:37:590:38:03

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

0:38:030:38:06

-Absolutely, yeah.

-These drawings only resurfaced

0:38:060:38:10

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

0:38:100:38:14

to the drums used in the time of

0:38:140:38:16

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

0:38:160:38:20

Prince of Wales, in the 15th century.

0:38:200:38:23

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

0:38:230:38:27

or the barrel. These days we use birch ply,

0:38:270:38:30

which is a high quality plywood,

0:38:300:38:32

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

0:38:320:38:36

Oh, wow.

0:38:360:38:38

Once the plywood is cut and glued,

0:38:380:38:40

hoops made from steamed strips of locally sourced ash

0:38:400:38:43

are used to affix a circle of cut goatskin

0:38:430:38:46

-in a process called lapping.

-It's what we call a tucking knife.

0:38:460:38:50

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

0:38:500:38:55

just tuck it underneath the flesh.

0:38:550:38:58

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

0:38:580:39:01

Keep on going.

0:39:010:39:02

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

-Yeah.

0:39:020:39:05

That's ripping it apart off there!

0:39:050:39:08

THEY LAUGH

0:39:080:39:09

These drums are double skinned,

0:39:120:39:14

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

0:39:140:39:18

It takes around two days to complete a drum.

0:39:180:39:20

The larger the size, the deeper the pitch.

0:39:200:39:23

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

0:39:230:39:28

of the globe seeking out its resonant tone.

0:39:280:39:31

It's probably the sort of natural,

0:39:320:39:35

earthy sound that you get from these type of skins.

0:39:350:39:37

This sort of sound would have been heard through the valleys

0:39:370:39:41

and villages all over Wales.

0:39:410:39:43

This tradition has to live on, you know.

0:39:430:39:46

Especially the traditional tabwrdd,

0:39:460:39:48

we're probably the only maker in the world.

0:39:480:39:50

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

0:39:500:39:53

that we want to carry on and pass on.

0:39:530:39:55

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

0:39:550:40:00

That's a natural, traditional hemp rope.

0:40:000:40:04

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

0:40:040:40:07

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

0:40:070:40:10

And that is a complete traditional Welsh tabwrdd.

0:40:100:40:14

-Well, if...

-OK, go for it.

-If I can, really?

0:40:140:40:17

-Go for it.

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

0:40:170:40:21

I love that.

0:40:210:40:23

I'm not quite beating my own drum,

0:40:230:40:25

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

0:40:250:40:29

called Helar's Ysgfarnog, or Hunting The Hare.

0:40:290:40:32

JIG PLAYS

0:40:320:40:34

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

0:40:410:40:44

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

0:40:440:40:49

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

0:40:510:40:55

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

0:40:550:41:00

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

0:41:070:41:10

-Yeah.

-How're you feeling?

0:41:100:41:12

-Good.

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

0:41:120:41:17

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

0:41:170:41:21

From the outside, it looked perfect.

0:41:210:41:23

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

0:41:230:41:27

It had that feel about it.

0:41:270:41:29

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

0:41:290:41:32

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

0:41:320:41:35

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

0:41:350:41:40

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

0:41:400:41:43

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

-Dying to ask.

0:41:430:41:47

You put an offer in.

0:41:470:41:48

Yeah. We put an offer in and they refused.

0:41:480:41:51

We went back with another offer and they accepted.

0:41:510:41:55

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

0:41:550:41:59

Yay! We're moving!

0:41:590:42:02

-Oh, congratulations.

-Thank you, thank you.

0:42:020:42:05

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

0:42:050:42:08

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

-Yeah.

0:42:080:42:11

We've thoroughly enjoyed it.

0:42:110:42:13

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

0:42:130:42:17

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

0:42:170:42:20

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

0:42:200:42:22

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

0:42:220:42:26

THEY LAUGH

0:42:270:42:29

Oh, fantastic. To a new home.

0:42:290:42:33

-ALL:

-Cheers.

0:42:330:42:35

We showed Karen and Peter three fantastic properties and,

0:42:390:42:43

after the first one won their hearts,

0:42:430:42:46

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

0:42:460:42:49

corner of the world will soon be their new home.

0:42:490:42:52

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

0:42:520:42:55

If you would like to escape to the country

0:42:570:42:59

in England, Northern Ireland, Wales or Scotland

0:42:590:43:02

and need our help, you can apply online at...

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