Yorkshire Dales Escape to the Country

At 1,237 feet above sea level, this is England's highest freshwater lake,

but what's it called and where exactly am I?

I'll reveal all in just a moment.

Today's house-hunt is a feast for the eyes for two brothers.

Wow.

You just can't get away from that view.

-It is quite something.

-It's stunning.

And, as they say, watch out for the quiet ones.

Can you hear that? Yeah.

Nothing.

That's wonderful.

Today, we are in Yorkshire and this body of water behind me is Malham Tarn,

a freshwater lake that covers some 158 acres right here in the heart of

the Yorkshire Dales.

Designated a National Park back in 1954,

the Dales are just one of 15 national parks around in the UK.

Now, some 20,000 people are lucky enough to call this park home,

and later on in the show I'll be meeting some of the rangers responsible

for looking after this truly beautiful landscape.

Located in the north of England,

North Yorkshire spans some 3,340 square miles.

It is England's largest county, with around 40% consisting of National Parks.

Most of the Yorkshire Dales National Park is located

within the county boundaries.

Its vast network of footpaths makes it a haven for hill walkers and

includes a long stretch of the 268 mile Pennine Way.

The natural force of its rivers is evident

at Aysgarth Falls, Wensleydale.

This triple-flight waterfall stretches for almost a mile,

providing a much-loved beauty spot.

The market town of Skipton lies on the National Park boundary and boasts

one of the most complete and best preserved medieval castles in England.

The Leeds and Liverpool Canal also passes through Skipton.

Completed in 1816 for transporting cargo from coal to cloth,

it's the longest canal in Britain at 127 miles.

The industrial heyday has long gone,

but it provides a popular route for holiday-makers.

So if you're seeking sublime solitude and beautiful landscapes,

you can't go wrong with making a break for North Yorkshire.

There are some 8,000 households within the National Park,

but it is estimated up to a quarter of those aren't permanently occupied, as the area

has become increasingly popular as a choice for second homes.

And it's easy to see why when you take a look

at the average price of a detached home across North Yorkshire,

which at £282,000 is some £19,000 below the national figure.

But today's buyer isn't looking for a temporary fix,

he's after a permanent move here.

So let's find out why he wants to call the Dales home.

Today's buyer, Steve, has lived in Claygate, Surrey for almost three decades.

His younger brother, Richard, is just four miles down the road in Surbiton.

But despite living so close,

the age gap meant the siblings didn't grow up together

and were estranged for many years until finding each other

through social media.

We really are like peas in a pod.

It's remarkable.

I never saw Richard for over 20 years,

and Richard saw me on Facebook

and I received this e-mail notification and it was Richard.

We met, having not seen each other for 20 years, and it was like 20 minutes.

It was just absolutely amazing.

We both know what we like, spookily similar in almost every way.

We could be twins, even, in some respects.

The resemblance and the likeness and everything,

the personal traits that we have, it's quite uncanny,

the amount of times we've gone,

"Come on, you're joking, you don't really like corned beef, chips with egg on top?"

His favourite meal. My favourite meal.

Steve, like Richard, spent many years in the military.

He now works for gas and oil company, but with retirement on the horizon,

he is looking to leave the Surrey commuter belt to return to his Northern roots.

I was born and bred in Yorkshire,

and as a Yorkshire person, you always,

you never lose the longing. Yorkshire never leaves you.

And I just wish to go back there.

And the part of Yorkshire that I'd most likely love to move to are the Dales.

And there are several Areas of Outstanding Beauty, Natural Beauty, in the Dales, as well,

so it's going to be good for Steve, I think, to live amongst that

and to get out and about and visit places that he's never seen before.

And when it comes to making the move,

who better to help than his long lost brother?

The reason I've asked Richard to help me out with the move to Yorkshire

is that we are very much alike as far as our personalities go, our likes, our dislikes, etc.

So I think he will be a great help to me

making a decision. Should I be hesitant on something,

he will be able to give his experience and his advice, which will help me

make that correct decision.

The hope is that Steve's new home in Yorkshire will offer a complete change of lifestyle.

I need that little bit of isolation, and also I'm very much into self-sufficiency.

If there is a wooded area that I can cut down and

then re-plant, then I can use that with the heating in the house.

If I have a stream, I may well construct a kind of water wheel, maybe, to generate some electricity.

And probably plant my own vegetables and things like this.

I envisage myself living a good life up there, a more natural life.

Having found each other after all these years, Steve's move will leave the brothers further apart again,

but they're certainly not planning on letting the distance grow between them.

I intend to visit with my other half quite often, actually.

It's a lovely part of the world.

It's somewhere that I'd love to live as well.

I'm really pleased that he's asked me to join him on this venture

and journey of discovery in finding someone new to live.

It's an area that I'd really love to live in as well,

when I come to retire, which is obviously quite some time away!

LAUGHTER

Steve is keen to be within the Yorkshire Dales region of the county,

but before we start looking at houses,

I'm meeting him and Richard on Yorkshire soil

to find out just what this move means.

-Hello.

-Hello, Steve, Richard, welcome to Yorkshire.

-Hi.

-Or should I say welcome back? Because this is home, isn't it?

-Indeed.

-You were both born here, weren't you?

Yeah, we were born in the east of Yorkshire, which is still Yorkshire.

-Yes.

-Yes, absolutely.

I left Yorkshire when I was 15 and I've hardly been back since,

and to be back here now today is just,

and where we are, is just absolutely fantastic.

So, Richard, brother, best friend, confidant,

is that the role you're going to be playing over the next few days?

Indeed, yes. I'd like to think my presence here

would be able to impart a little bit of advice

and see him possibly in the right direction to making the correct purchase.

So what is it exactly you're looking for in your next property?

I'm looking for a detached property,

with a little bit of isolation, because I'd like some privacy.

I'd like a bit of land with it,

maybe a wooded area, because I'm real fond of an open fire,

so I can maybe chop my own wood and re-plant trees and things like this.

Trying to be self-sufficient?

Well, yes, a little bit, I think, yeah,

because I think the more you can be, then the better it is for everybody.

Ideally, how many bedrooms will you be after?

2-3 bedrooms, I guess.

Just some space if my brother comes to visit with his partner,

or my daughter and her husband and children come up.

Right, I want you to remind us,

how much have we got to spend on this move?

Maybe 480,000-500,000.

So, 500,000, ideally, is the top threshold?

Pretty much, yes, pretty much, yes.

Well, we do have some splendid properties to show you two,

-so should we get started?

-Yes, please.

-Absolutely.

-Come on, let's hit the road.

-OK.

Steve is looking to fulfil his dream of a return to Yorkshire

with a budget of £500,000.

He wants a detached property with some land, ideally partly wooded.

He'd like 2-3 bedrooms and a secluded location

within walking distance to a village community.

We've picked three very different houses to show Steve,

all with his wishlist in mind.

After each tour, it'll be time to guess the asking price.

Lastly, we will be viewing the Mystery House,

which could be a lesson to us all.

Our Yorkshire Dales house-hunt is kicking off

in the village of Starbotton.

Two miles away is the larger village of Kettlewell, located over the River Wharfe.

Known as the start of some of the best walking in the Dales,

this village is largely built from local limestone,

and offers a great selection of ramblers' rest points, including a hotel,

pubs and places to enjoy a welcome cup of tea.

Two miles upstream is Starbotton.

Here, the striking Dales backdrop includes a 400-year-old pub

and quiet country lanes.

And it's tucked away at the end of one of these

that we find our first house.

So, we've brought you to the heart of the Dales

to show you our first property, and it's this one.

-Amazing.

-Nice.

Well, it looks quite large, which is kind of what I was looking for.

Proximity to other properties,

a little bit closer than what I was expecting.

But so far it's very quiet around here,

so maybe that won't bother me too much.

It looks a very traditional Yorkshire Dales house.

It's off the beaten track, very quiet.

I think this looks quite promising.

Shall we start our first tour?

-Let's do that.

-Yes, please.

-Thank you.

Let's see if the outside promise is fulfilled inside this detached stone house,

which was, in fact, built in 1965 on the site of a former barn.

And perhaps reflecting its more modern origins,

it has an unexpected layout, with stairs from the entrance hall

leading up to the main living space.

So, starting off upstairs,

you've got this sort of big, open entrance which leads into...

..our sitting room, that in a way, I think, dominates the whole house.

It's lovely, isn't it? It's a fair sized room, isn't it?

-And there's a fire.

-Got a multi-fuel burner there.

This is not what you'd expect, is it?

-Not really.

-No.

-I didn't know quite what to expect, but I'm pleased with what I've seen.

And the size of this room is quite deceptive from the outside.

-Yeah.

-I think the use of the large windows,

as well, gives it lots of light,

which is something I like, and the view.

-Well, what else can you say?

-Yeah.

So, you've got this huge space as your sitting room,

next door to that, you've got your kitchen.

Quite like the open-plan feel. Do you?

-Yes, I do. I'm very much open-plan.

-Yeah.

-Yes, yes.

-On this level, you do have the master bedroom with a separate shower room.

Well, this is fine.

You need to be on this level to take advantage of the views.

So, first impressions?

-So far, so good.

-Yeah?

Yes. I think it's excellent so far.

A great reaction,

and back on the ground floor, we find a family bathroom and two further bedrooms,

a good-sized guest double and a smaller room that is currently

used as an office, making a total of three.

Located below the upstairs living area is a further reception room.

This is a perfect kind of office for me.

-Absolutely.

-Can you hear that?

Yeah. Nothing.

LAUGHTER

-That's wonderful.

-And that's what you want.

-Absolutely.

-That's what you want.

And certainly, the quietness of this room

would give you the perfect environment to work with a bit of a view.

A promising response to the upside-down layout of this detached stone house.

Outside, there is an attached garage,

as well as a low-maintenance patio garden to the rear, with timber shed.

Plus a large decked balcony giving elevated views out to the National Park.

That's your view, that's your vista.

-Beautiful.

-Absolutely stunning.

So, boys, this garden, this is enough for you, then?

It's more than enough, yes.

Occasional barbecue, something like this, I mean, that's sufficient.

Yeah. Just one more thing to tell you,

there is a parcel of land that is being sold separately to this property,

it's literally just up the road.

-Wow.

-It's an acre, so if you did want to purchase that, it would be around the £3,000 mark.

-OK.

-So, we've got to talk money on this home, our first property.

It is in the National Park.

-It is.

-What do we think it's on the market for?

I'm inclined to say...

-..460.

-OK.

-Richard?

-I was thinking 485.

I think you're going to be surprised by this.

The asking price is £425,000.

-OK.

-Wow, that's very, very good.

I'm quite lost for words, actually, with the value of that.

That makes a change. But...

LAUGHTER

Why don't you go and take a look at that land, first of all,

just in case it might interest you?

-Yes.

-No, absolutely, that's a good idea.

-And have a think and come back here.

-Shall we?

-Absolutely, Rich, yeah, absolutely.

-Off you go, guys.

-Thank you very much, Nicki.

-You're welcome.

-After you.

-Thank you, Rich.

At £75,000 below Steve's top budget,

this detached 1960s house provides

upside-down living with an open-plan area on the upper floor and a total

of three bedrooms.

There is a low-maintenance garden,

plus the option of further land,

and it's in a quiet spot in the heart of Yorkshire Dales.

Not quite sure what I'd do with it, but...

Quite a steep incline.

It's worth consideration, absolutely.

Yeah. But then if you look behind, look at the view.

Well, it's stunning.

I was very impressed, not only with the location, but also the amount of rooms. It is very well-kept,

very well maintained and there is room for potential, as well.

It's a possibility.

I think this property is stunning.

The features are lovely, it's decorated well throughout.

If I had the choice, I'd probably live here myself.

Well, that was certainly a good start, I think, here in the Dales.

-All right, gentlemen?

-Hi, Nicki.

Happy? Have you seen enough?

-Yes.

-OK.

-Yes.

-Absolutely.

-Head off?

-Brilliant.

The breathtaking terrain of the National Park

is ideal rambler territory,

with over 1,400 miles of public footpaths threading through the landscape.

But for those wanting to experience

an altogether different kind of tour,

there is a more unusual and rather exhilarating way

to absorb the scenery - on a motor trike.

Proud Yorkshireman and trike enthusiast Jason Richards has been guiding

tourists around the Dales for the past three years,

and today he's offered to show Steve and Richard one of his favourite routes.

Why a trike over any other form of transport?

The trike is a vehicle I love, and I love to drive,

it's an absolute pleasure.

But we have a saying, "See, feel and experience the Yorkshire Dales like never before".

When you're on a Yorkshire trike tour,

you feel part of the environment,

as you're not cocooned in a bubble, as you are in a car.

So all your senses work in perfect harmony,

and it's just an absolute delight.

One more question, can we have a go?

We certainly can.

We're going to take you around this area, let's get you loaded up, saddled up, and let's go for a tour.

The boom trike Jason rides is part of the Mustang family,

and handbuilt in Germany.

Tours range from full days to shorter trips, like today.

They're heading south through picturesque Skyreholme,

an old Norse name, meaning "bright water meadow".

On one side of the valley is Appletreewick Pasture.

On the other, the scarp face of Simon's Seat.

Sites include Barden Tower,

originally the location of a forest lodge belonging to the Norman lords

who owned estates around Craven after the 11th-century Norman conquest.

In the 15th century, it came into the hands of Henry Clifford,

a member of the local landed gentry.

He substantially remodelled it into a fortified house.

The Clifford family own a castle at Skipton,

about 10km from here.

-OK.

-Well, Henry wanted

a place, a shooting lodge, on their land,

where he could stay and enjoy his passions of hunting,

shooting and fishing.

So the Clifford family built Barden Tower, was completed in 1485,

just at the side of the River Wharfe,

and he stayed here through the season and enjoyed his passions of game shooting.

But it's ruins now.

What actually happened to it?

Yeah, it just fell into disrepair, really, in the sort of late 1500s,

going into the 1600s.

It just became one of those white elephant properties

that they didn't keep up,

and it just fell into ruin. Which is a shame, really,

because it's a beautiful house.

-It is.

-Beautiful towers and a beautiful location.

Following the River Wharfe through the Duke of Devonshire's land,

the route reaches Bolton Abbey.

You'll see it through the trees here.

-There you go.

-Oh, right, OK.

Wow.

So here we are, guys, welcome to Bolton Abbey.

-Very impressive building.

-Yes, it's very nice, isn't it?

-Who built it?

-This was built by the Augustinian monks.

When was it built? It looks pretty old to me.

It was completed in 1154.

They were on a pilgrimage, following the River Wharfe,

and they stopped to refresh themselves in this area

and they noticed the cleanliness of the water, of the river water,

and also the abundance of trout in the river.

So they said this would be a wonderful place to worship.

So they enquired to who owned the land,

and the land back then was owned by the De Romille family.

So they approached the De Romille family,

and said, if you grant us permission to build a place of worship on this green pasture land,

we'll be able to guarantee your family has a direct stairway to heaven.

-Masterstroke.

-Really?

-Indeed.

-Fantastic.

The Abbey survived until the 16th century,

when it was destroyed under Henry VIII's dissolution of the monasteries,

but today's three-wheeled tour does not end here.

Jason is taking them to one of his own favourite spots in the Malhamdale village of Ayrton.

-Go in and get a cup of tea and something to eat.

-Shall we?

-Absolutely.

-Marvellous.

And having been refreshed with a good Yorkshire brew...

-Cheers, guys.

-Cheers.

-Cheers.

-Welcome to the Yorkshire Dales.

-Thank you.

..the property search for Steve's dream Dales house continues.

We're heading to the village of Elslack,

close to the Lancashire border.

Three and a half miles away,

the village of Carleton in Craven offers facilities, including a shop,

a choice of pubs, pharmacy and post office.

There's also a former cotton mill, built in 1861,

which is now residential.

But back in Elslack,

we're on a hill next to a reservoir at the outskirts of the village,

where the property we're viewing also has a fascinating former use.

So, gentlemen, we have our next house, with the most amazing view.

What a stunning position.

That's one heck of a swimming pool!

Have we surprised you?

You certainly have. Yeah.

I didn't know what to expect, but this is great.

This used to be the reservoir manager's house.

-Oh, I see.

-The reservoir was built in the 1920s.

It's been decommissioned, so apart from the local fishermen that come for the brown trout,

you only really have sheep as your neighbours here.

-Wow.

-What sort of score would you give it?

-Nine out of ten.

-Would you?

-I think I'd be about there as well.

-Would you?

-Oh, yeah.

-Very promising.

-Let's see if the house is going to continue on that theme.

-Let's.

-Let's go.

Originally built by Yorkshire Water,

the current owners have renovated and extended this detached residence.

An entrance at the far end of the drive takes us through a hall and into

the country kitchen, opening into a garden room.

This is nice. Look at that cooker.

Well, it's bright.

-Yeah.

-Oh, wow, look at that.

You've got your range.

One of the things was a range, was a hope, anyway, but absolutely.

But that view at the end...

That's what I'm waiting to see.

Yeah, I think it's nice, it's set out in, like,

-a traditional farmhouse style kitchen.

-Yes.

I think it's great, and perfect for Steve's requirements.

-Yeah.

-Certainly.

-And you've actually got a utility room next door,

with a bit of a larder going on.

-Oh, excellent.

-Which is always good. So we have our kitchen.

It's got everything you need in it.

Leading us into this modern extension,

which I think makes the downstairs of this property.

Oh, it's beautiful.

That is really nice.

If this was going to be my house, I would spend most of my time in here, I think.

How would you feel living here with no neighbours?

-Very happy indeed.

-Would you?

Absolutely. To come here, with this tranquillity and the peace,

would be pretty near-perfect.

From what I've seen so far, I think, and knowing Steve as well as I do,

I think this is impressing him to the max right now,

and I could see him definitely living here.

-Oh, right, well...

-Let's see the rest!

-..let's hope the rest delivers!

'No pressure, then,

'but I have every confidence in the rest of the ground floor, where,

'back from the entrance hall,

'we find a classic reception room next to the kitchen.'

So here is your sitting room, again,

been built so you have these magnificent views.

-That's something, isn't it?

-That is a view to die for, yeah.

You don't need a TV or anything in here, do you?

-You don't, do you?

-You can just look at the window. Wow.

So bringing it back inside, you love a fire, don't you?

-Oh, it's a beautiful fireplace.

-And then next door to this, you've got another sitting room, smaller.

They use it as an office, again with that aspect.

So this is the downstairs, so are we still liking what we're seeing?

Very much so, yeah, yeah, so far.

Yeah? OK. All right.

On that winning note, we'll continue.

-OK.

-Upstairs.

-Thank you, Rich.

-Thanks.

All good so far, and I'm not expecting the upstairs to disappoint,

with this house delivering three good-sized doubles,

all served by a family bathroom and separate WC.

A guest room above the kitchen enjoys double aspect windows,

whilst another above the ground floor office has those splendid reservoir views,

as does bedroom number three, a very well-positioned master.

Wow!

-You just can't get away from that view.

-I know.

-You wouldn't want to get away from that view.

-You always look this way with this house, for that reason.

-Yeah.

-It is quite something.

-It's stunning.

-And a really good size.

I was just about to say, it's a good-sized room, as well.

-Yeah.

-We keep talking about that vista.

I think it's time to explore it a little further, don't you?

-Yes, please.

-Thank you.

This former reservoir manager's house keeps on delivering,

and outside there's all the splendid isolation Steve's could long for,

with an extensive one and three quarter acres of grounds.

It includes areas of woodland,

where the current owner's hens enjoy their life outdoors,

alongside seasonal bluebells.

A garage sits next to the house, whilst at the edge of the plot,

a disused works building has current planning permission to be turned into

a one-bedroom holiday dwelling,

giving Steve further scope for visitors,

or even a source of income.

They've had a quote, it's going to cost between £25,000 and £30,000 to convert it.

And the view you'd have from that would be fantastic.

It would be amazing. You could actually charge between £12,000 and £18,000 a year rent.

That would be a great addition to your estate.

-Yes, absolutely.

-That's really got you thinking now, hasn't it?

Well, it certainly has. Even more exciting, yes.

How much would you say this house is on the market for?

OK, um, 490.

I was going to go with 485.

Gosh, you're both very close.

The asking price, and it has just gone on the market,

is £495,000.

-Very close. That's good. That is really good news.

-That is.

-For a property like this.

-Yeah?

-This is quite unique.

-It is.

-It's not just the home, it's where the home is. Yeah.

And this is... Meets my criteria.

Do you fancy having another look at the house?

I think I'd like to do that. Shall we have another wander?

Come on. OK, let's go.

-Thanks, guys.

-Thanks a lot, thank you.

-See you in a minute.

Yes! I don't want to say too much, but both of them love this property.

Steve, as soon as he walked in, you could just see his face.

The smile... He looks at home.

I was a little worried at the beginning that we might be too isolated,

but within seconds, no, this is where he wants to live,

and this is the way he wants to live his life.

This former reservoir manager's house offers Steve a country kitchen

opening onto a garden room,

three double bedrooms and a large plot of versatile land.

With planning permission for a one-bedroom dwelling,

there's scope for income as well

as all the beautiful solitude Steve could hope for.

It's certainly nice.

-It's brilliant actually, yeah.

-But look at the view.

-Look at that.

-It's beautiful.

-That's stunning.

It's a great place.

I'm amazed by the location of this property.

It's superb, absolutely superb.

It's quiet. The scenery is beautiful.

I couldn't really ask for anything more.

This house is absolutely stunning.

It's well appointed, it's well decorated, the layout's fantastic,

the views are spectacular.

I could see my brother, Steve, living in this house without a doubt.

There is absolutely no doubt that myself and my partner would be coming up

to visit Steve on quite an annoyingly regular basis!

Look at these handsome fellas!

Have you seen enough?

We have, yes, absolutely.

Have we ended the day on a high?

-We have.

-Totally.

-Excellent.

-Good.

-Literally on a high.

Good. Yeah, we're very high.

But remember, I do have one more house to show you tomorrow.

-Oh, I know.

-Our Mystery House.

-I know.

-Right, let's hit the road.

-OK.

We're in North Yorkshire, where Steve from Claygate, Surrey,

is hoping to return to his Yorkshire roots and find his dream house in the Dales.

Brother Richard is on hand to help with the decision of spending

his £500,000 budget.

So far, we've seen two wonderful properties,

but the Mystery House is still to come and promises to give us all an education.

-Wow.

-So, that's all of yours, yes.

That's nice. OK.

Plus, I'm finding out why, all in all,

North Yorkshire is not another brick in the wall.

That doesn't look too bad, does it?

-Right, next one?

-Possibly that.

Look at me, offering stones to you here!

Well, after yesterday,

the Mystery House has a lot of work to do if it's to top our second property,

but I think it's in with a chance.

Now, although it does have neighbours and a style that perhaps Steve

wouldn't consider normally,

what it does offer is a sense of space and a real connection with the Dales

that's going to be hard to ignore. So, let's see how we get on.

So, how are we feeling, both of you, after yesterday?

Um, tired, because I didn't sleep very well.

And last night over dinner, I was giving Steve the benefit of my wisdom,

trying to allay any fears that he may have over making what is a massive decision.

What would be the nightmare scenario?

If Steve didn't choose to move to one of the houses that we've seen.

Oh!

-Yeah.

-I think we have to leave it there, don't we?

I couldn't sum it up better myself.

No.

Our Mystery House is in the village of Greenhow Hill.

Three miles away, the market town of Pateley Bridge provides a very traditional

high street where bunting adorns shops from butchers to fishmongers and

the sweet-toothed are catered for by the oldest sweet shop in England.

A few minutes' drive away is Greenhow Hill,

thought to be the first planned village in the country,

with records from 1613 showing plans for miners' cottages

as well as stabling for the oxen and horses working the local mines.

Our Mystery House sits on the main route from the centre, opposite farmland.

Gentlemen, we have our final house for you.

It's very church-like.

Well, you'd be right, there is a religious connection here.

It's a former Sunday school, but you do have stained glass.

It has a slightly religious feel to it, doesn't it?

-It certainly does.

-Is that a good thing or a bad thing?

-It's not a bad thing.

-No?

-I like it.

-It gives it character as well.

-Definitely.

-It separates it from the rest of the properties.

It will be interesting to see what it looks like inside.

Come on, then, let's start the tour.

This former Sunday schoolhouse, built in 1885,

has been converted in the past few decades.

A porch front door takes us into an impressive open-plan interior.

So, come on in.

-You've got your dining room here, a kitchen and living space.

-OK.

This is the main body of the house.

Quite unusual, the layout.

You wouldn't think it would look like this

when you walk through the front door. Not what I expected at all, to be honest.

-I'm not blown away, but...

-Right, OK.

-..but it's, it's pleasant.

They've also incorporated the L-shaped seating area so that it is open-plan,

but through the door is, in actual fact, the original kitchen

when the house was converted, and it's huge,

so you've got a massive utility room,

plus you've actually got a downstairs bedroom with an en suite.

-Oh, really?

-And a boot room, so in actual fact,

this is quite a substantial property.

OK, sounds like it.

-Interesting.

-So-so in this room so far?

-Yes, so-so, so far.

-Let's show you the sitting room, which is actually behind us.

Just through here.

So, you've got the double doors opening up so you can have a bit of privacy if you wanted to.

-Very cosy.

-It's cosy, yes, and there's another fire as well, there.

I think the room's got character.

I think it's quite nice.

Oh, that's good. I'm going to keep working on that one.

-Let's head upstairs.

-OK.

In addition to that ground floor en suite bedroom, upstairs,

a mezzanine has been added to provide space for three further bedrooms.

To the front of the home, above the sitting room,

a charming guest room sits under the eaves, with an outlook through an arched window.

Looking out over the back is a further double,

again with feature window.

These are both served by a shower room.

And then at the other end of the landing, above the kitchen,

is bedroom number four, the master en suite.

-Do you like the room?

-Yeah, the room's nice.

It's nice and airy, nice and bright.

With the en suite as well, that's very useful.

-Yeah.

-I'm not blown away by it. I like the built-in wardrobes,

they're great for saving space.

Apart from that, I just see it as just a bedroom with an en suite.

OK. All right, well there's still something else I'd like to show you

before we do guess the price, but we are going to head outside.

-OK.

-OK.

-Have I left the best till last?

-Let's see.

-Well, that would be my choice.

A surprisingly lukewarm response to the very characterful

and well-finished interior of this detached former schoolhouse.

And outside, our mystery proposition gives Steve an outlook over glorious

Dales vistas with the lion's share of the garden found to the rear of the property.

There is a paved terrace and a large area of lawn,

along with a chicken run and vegetable plot.

A pathway leads to extensive off-road parking

and a double garage.

Next to the quarter-acre garden,

there's a one-acre paddock surrounded by dry stonewalling and featuring

two timber stables with power and lighting.

Wow.

So, that's all of yours.

That's nice. OK.

It's relatively low-maintenance, which is good. Excellent.

So, we're now, for the final time,

going to try and put a value on our Mystery House.

OK. I'm thinking...410.

OK. Richard?

460.

The asking price is actually slightly higher than that, £475,000.

-OK.

-I think the price reflects the size of the house,

because it is quite a substantial house here, plus an acre of land.

I think that's probably why it's in that bracket.

Still under your budget, though.

I'm still going to ask you to take a look again, just together this time,

now you know the price.

-Sure.

-Then when you've seen enough,

go and check out that view on the top of the Dale,

-it is quite magnificent.

-Indeed.

-Then I'll meet you out the front.

-OK, thank you.

-Thank you.

-Thank you.

£25,000 below budget,

our mystery property comes with an open-plan kitchen and living space,

a further reception room and four bedrooms, two of which are en suite.

There's over an acre of land

and stunning views of the Yorkshire Dales.

-Look at that!

-That's pretty impressive, isn't it?

That's a view. That is certainly a view.

I could stand here all day and look at that.

The Mystery House from the outside, for me, looked quite appealing.

It's done up nicely, quite well appointed.

Plenty of space, but didn't really do it for me.

And I don't think it did it for Steve, either.

A little bit disappointed, unfortunately.

There's over an acre of ground at the back,

there's quite an extensive garden,

but it still didn't entice me into even

thinking of purchasing this.

Right, gentlemen, so that is it for today,

so we're going to go somewhere quiet, have a chat and, Steve,

you're going to tell us what your next move is going to be.

-Absolutely. OK.

-Exciting.

The magnificent 680 square miles of the Yorkshire Dales National Park are

looked after by a dedicated team of 18 rangers who work alongside a large

number of volunteers to protect and conserve the environment

for the benefit of both wildlife and visitors.

Phil Richards is the area ranger for Wharfedale and Littendale, and I'm joining him on

the job today to help out with one of the current restoration projects.

-Hi, Phil.

-Hi, Nicki.

-Good to meet you.

-Good to meet you. Welcome to the Yorkshire Dales.

Thank you. Thanks for picking me up in the 4x4.

One of the most distinctive and oldest man-made features of the Dales landscape

are the dry-stone walls, all maintained by the team of rangers.

Explain to me the role of a ranger.

Our main focus is looking after the rights-of-way, public rights-of-way network.

So that involves repairing the footpaths, stiles, bridges, all that type of work.

And it's important that people can come out and enjoy this beautiful

landscape, but at the same time,

it's respecting that landscape, so we need to make sure that when people

come out here, you know, they do both of those things.

And what are you currently working on here in the park?

One of the projects I'm working on is

repairing the bridleway up on the moors, so it's a case of airlifting

materials in aggregate, using a helicopter.

-Oh!

-Which is quite exciting.

Yes, I'll say.

But, of course, these areas are quite inaccessible,

so the only way to get materials up there to these places is by using...

using airlifting, airlifting them up.

Another of Phil's projects that's nearing completion is the replacement of

an old wooden stile with a stone one.

So, Phil, what have we got going on here?

Well, we're just repairing this stile.

We've rebuilt most of it, actually, so it's a case now of finishing it off.

We need some more stones just to finish the job off,

so what we're trying to do is also improve access but at the same time,

get back what would have been originally here, which was a stone stile.

This looks a lot easier to get over than the wooden ladder behind me.

So, how many a year would you need to replace the stiles?

It can be well into the hundreds of stiles that are repaired.

Can it, really? I've got my industrial gloves on and I'm ready.

Which one shall we start off with first?

Well, I think this looks a good candidate, actually.

The idea is, is that when you're putting stones in,

to make sure the joints are crossed.

It keeps the wall firm and secure.

These are sturdy, aren't they?

They are sturdy, yeah.

We mentioned before, it's like a jigsaw puzzle, so all these stones,

they interlock with each other and they form a really strong boundary.

There are around 2,000 miles of public rights-of-way within the park boundaries,

all of which need maintaining.

You see the idea is, Nicki, once we've put stones on this side,

you would put some stones, like, a course of stones

on the other side and then when you've done that,

you fill all the middle in with the little filling stones, so you

pack it all tight so it keeps it nice and strong.

-Yeah.

-And watertight, of course.

That doesn't look too bad, does it?

-No.

-Right, next one?

-Possibly that.

Look at me, offering stones to you here!

After lending a hand with an ancient building technique, next,

I'm meeting Rachel Alderson,

to learn how they're using 21st-century technology to encourage visitors to the park.

So, Rachel, as a young rangers officer,

what exactly is your role?

So, I work with 12 to 16-year-olds, young people in the National Park,

and get them outside doing practical work,

so, conservation tasks and general work in the environment.

-I've heard of a new thing called geocaching.

-Yes.

It's a first for me.

Explain what it means.

Geocaching is, simply put, treasure hunting.

You use a GPS receiver and a map and go and find caches like treasure

hidden all around you.

There's about a million caches hidden all over the world.

No, this all-important treasure, you've already

-organised something for me to find, haven't you?

-Absolutely, yes.

-What do I need to do?

So, the GPS is pointing into this corner here, Nicki,

so if you want to have a little look.

This is a typical type of cache that you might find.

What would be in it?

Always a logbook that you're meant to sign, and then inside,

there'll be some treasures as well.

Oh, there are, pens and everything.

When people come, they can take an item from the box,

but they also have to leave something, too.

What about a bit of Escape To The Country rock?

We don't usually suggest leaving food,

just because it's outside, and wild animals,

but I'm sure some walkers would really enjoy finding that.

I wonder who's going to find that.

Is it going to go back in the same spot?

It's going to go back in the same spot for the next person to come and find it.

-Rachel, thank you very much indeed.

-No problem.

I love a treasure hunt, and where better than in one of our gorgeous National Parks?

But what of our property hunt today?

Because I've got high hopes that we may have struck gold.

Well, I think I know which house has stolen Steve's heart,

but let's go and find out for sure.

Well, chaps, it's a long way, isn't it, from Surrey to North Yorkshire,

but is it going to be your home?

That is the big question.

Chances are that it will be my home.

Steve was obviously hesitant

because of the massive move from South to North,

but I think Steve's been quite buoyed by what he's seen and that

decision is going to be forthcoming sooner rather than later, I believe.

So, let's talk about our properties that we showed you.

One, I think, was the winner.

-Am I right?

-I think your intuition serves you well, if it's number two.

-Yes.

-Absolutely.

Yes, yes, yes!

A beautiful house by the reservoir.

Absolutely stunning. It was just amazingly good.

Everything about that house, as Steve has said, ticked all his boxes.

-Yeah.

-And I was really pleased to see the house, from my perspective,

knowing what Steve's requirements were,

because I instantly knew when I saw it

that it was going to satisfy him entirely.

I was extremely pleased and also with my supportive brother, Richard,

his view as well is very important to me as well.

It's exactly the same as mine, so I thank him for that.

-It was stunning.

-A splendid location.

You've done a great job finding that.

So, this is a good sign, this makes me think you might be going back

and having another viewing?

-I think you might be right.

-Yeah?

-Yes.

It's got to be done soon, because it's a case of move or lose.

I'm sure it's going to be very popular for other people viewing.

-I think so.

-It's only just gone on the market, hasn't it?

It has, but I don't think it will be on the market for very long.

Well, I hope it's not on the market for long, because it is your new home!

That's what were hoping for.

-Absolutely.

-I hope you put an offer in and it's accepted and you're moving in very shortly.

-Thank you both.

-Thank you.

And thank you.

Well, we've had a fantastic time here

and I'm delighted to tell you that Steve has put an offer in on our home down by the reservoir,

and the even better news is, it's been accepted.

The perfect way to end our time here in the Yorkshire Dales.

I'll see you again soon on Escape To The Country.

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