Norfolk Escape to the Country

Welcome to Escape to the Country.

Now, where do you think we've come to,

to find a pretty backdrop such as this?

Well, here's the clue - during the Middle Ages,

this lovely little village was once a bustling seaside port,

but today, the coast is nowhere to be seen.

So what happened to the port?

And where did the sea go?

Well, join me in just a moment and I'll tell you.

Today's house search is all about making an impression.

It seems like one place, that straight away,

as you walk down the drive,

you go, "I want to explore."

But will curiosity catch our couple the house of their dreams?

-It's breathtaking!

-Breathtaking.

That's a phrase I like.

Well, today we are in Norfolk,

North Norfolk, to be precise,

and this is the village of Cley next the Sea.

And despite its name, it's now a mile inland

from the North Norfolk coast, just over there.

But in the Middle Ages, believe it or not,

this was once one of the most prosperous ports in England.

But in the 17th century,

an attempt at land reclamation had the adverse effect

of silting up the river, and the port simply disappeared.

And these days, the silt marshes that surround it

have become an important nature reserve.

Just one of the many highlights that pepper the Norfolk coastline.

Norfolk occupies the northern part of East Anglia,

sharing land borders with three counties,

and a coastline with the Wash and the North Sea.

Those looking to live here

will find many of the great and good have gone before them.

Houghton Hall was built in the 1720s

for Britain's first Prime Minister,

Sir Robert Walpole.

It's a fine example of Palladian architecture.

The nation's most well known Admiral, Horatio Nelson,

was born in the tiny Norfolk village of Burnham Thorpe.

Nelson's father was rector here, and, in 1890,

the admiralty donated wood from HMS Victory,

Nelson's ship at the Battle of Trafalgar,

to be used as part of the All Saints Church restoration.

In the Middle Ages, Norfolk's flat and fertile terrain

made the county the most intensively farmed

and densely populated region in England.

Woodlands were cleared, and as timber supplies ran low,

peat was turned to as an alternative source of fuel.

Over 125 miles of navigable broads and rivers

were created by the peat-digging,

which provided essential channels

for communication and commerce

throughout the 16th century.

It wasn't long before tourists headed

for the tranquil waterways,

and with the coming of the railways in the 19th century,

the influx of holiday-makers grew in earnest.

Boat-hire companies began offering visitors trips afloat.

And along the coast, resorts such as Cromer flourished.

So, whether you love naval history,

following in the footsteps of Victorian seasiders

or just messing about in boats,

Norfolk is a great county to head for.

Well, for a county that doesn't have any motorways running through it,

Norfolk has long prided itself on being a remote and peaceful place,

pretty much as you can see,

and despite the recent widening of the A11,

making the whole region much more accessible,

property shopping here is still relatively inexpensive.

To give you a clearer idea of what I'm talking about,

currently, the average price of a detached property here is £277,000.

That's £33,000 below the national average.

So, for today's buyers wanting to move to the country,

it's a great place to start,

because not only have they got some fabulous landscape to explore,

they're also blessed with some stunning coastline.

Today's buyers are Alan and Paula from Mill Hill, London,

who met online through a shared love of dogs.

Al actually had a picture of his dog on his profile,

and I quite warmed to his dog first,

then Al, and that was five years ago.

We currently have two German shepherds, Bear and Brax. One's six,

one's two-and-a-half. Bear's come together nicely now,

all the hard work has paid off.

Brax, on the other hand, is just chaos.

In fact, that's what we should have called him!

And that's not the only chaos that's come into their lives.

Alan recently suffered a work-place injury to his hamstring

in his job as a police officer.

My injury was sustained at work

through running on a fitness test,

and the fact that it's become such a devastating injury

has turned everything upside down.

The injury's actually been quite life-changing.

It's restricted a lot of my ability to work as a police officer.

And as a result, Alan is taking early retirement

at the age of 48 on medical grounds.

With Paula able to relocate her work as a private ambulance driver,

the couple see it as a chance to find a new rural setting

and move out of the London home

that Alan has had for the last 23 years.

We've chosen to go to Norfolk

because of its fantastic countryside,

it's great for the dogs.

There's a pub around the corner in most places,

which we don't have, believe it or not, here.

The beaches are fantastic. The walking's amazing.

I just don't think you can get better than that.

These keen volunteers also see the move

as an opportunity to engage more with their new local community.

We've both worked for the local Ambulance Service

on a voluntary basis as first responders,

which is something we really want to get back into in Norfolk.

I've always enjoyed volunteering.

The community, certainly in rural Norfolk

is driven by people being decent human beings.

So, therefore, you've got people who are coastguards,

community responders,

or even people who just knock on doors

to make sure their neighbours are OK.

Time is of the essence when it comes to finding the right house.

With marriage planned for later in the year,

the couple want to be in their new home before the wedding.

It will be great to find a house before we get married,

so that once we are married, we can move in,

rather than all the upheaval afterwards.

We're going to have a new house.

We are going to be Mr and Mrs.

We will have somewhere that we can spend time together,

and being retired, it means that we have a whole lot more time together.

Paula and Alan want to concentrate on the area

near the North Norfolk coast,

centred on Fakenham.

But before we start looking at houses,

I'm meeting up with them in the county

to hear more about their hopes for the move.

Well, guys, welcome to Norfolk

and you've picked a beautiful week of weather to come

and find your new country home.

Now, it was a love of dogs

that brought you both together, wasn't it?

-It was.

-That is a passion that I also share.

And they are an important part of the family, and it's clear that,

you know, we need to accommodate them fully.

Absolutely. I mean somewhere to run at home.

We're looking for somewhere to take them out to the beach,

within reasonable distance, but, yeah,

I mean, they're a massive part of our, well, they are our family.

Now, location, what would be a kind of viable proximity to the coast?

Ideally, for me, no more than sort of 30 minutes from the coast.

So, give us an idea of the spec of this particular new home.

Well, that'll be me.

-Go on, then!

-I think the main thing for me is some land,

sort of up to an acre for the dogs.

-Yeah.

-So they, you know, they've got the space,

you don't have to necessarily go out

two or three times a day walking them.

Definitely a large kitchen-diner.

We both like to cook.

I think one thing that we either definitely need

or the potential to build

is, like, a man cave, with storage, so...

Oh! Now, listen you've got the opportunity now to go for space,

which of course is what you don't have in your current property.

And what about bedrooms?

How many of those do you think you'll need?

We're going anything from three bedrooms upwards.

So we're looking at a couple of extra bedrooms

just to accommodate the, not extended family,

immediate family when they come with Mum, for me,

and your daughter's in Kent.

In Kent, so I think an annexe would be an absolute bonus for us.

You know, it's not essential, but would be a real nice added bonus

for them to be able to come up and stay

and have their own space,

-as well as spending time with us.

-So, it's a big move.

But how much are you going to spend on this new endeavour?

I think it's going to be a top whack of £600,000.

So that's all rather exciting.

-Very.

-I'm going to drag you around Norfolk now

and find you a home for the future.

-Shall we go?

-Lovely. Fantastic. Thank you.

With a budget of up to £600,000,

Paula and Alan are looking for a property

with up to an acre of dog-friendly land,

located no more than 30 minutes from the coast.

They'd like a large kitchen-diner, and at least three bedrooms,

ideally with guest accommodation in an annexe.

Plus, they're keen to have an option

of some self-contained space for Alan.

We've got three very different propositions for them,

all with their wish list in mind,

and at each, I'll be getting them to guess the price

before I reveal it.

Our final tour will be our Mystery House,

which could just be a 21st-century solution to an age-old problem.

We're kicking off in the outskirts of Foulsham.

Now a large village with stores, a pub and an active community,

the village sign is a reminder of less fortunate times.

In 1770, a gun powder store ignited,

starting a fire which devastated most of the village,

leaving only the Church tower standing.

This can still be seen across the surrounding countryside,

and just under a mile away,

we find our first house amongst a collection of former farm buildings.

Now, there are five here in total,

but the one I want you to think about is that one.

So the key thing I suppose really to unpack

is how do you feel about having some near neighbours?

I think I have to see inside to be convinced,

-because it's obviously, is quite close-knit to everybody.

-Yeah.

But we'll see.

What does Al think?

Proof of the pudding. Let's see.

I think this is a sumptuous feast.

It's certainly very different from where you are at the moment.

Come and have a look.

-OK.

-OK.

Thought to date from the late 19th century,

the barn was originally used as a cattle shed.

It was converted into a holiday home in the 1980s,

but has been fully renovated and extended in the last 12 months.

Laid out over one floor,

we're starting our tour in the entrance hall.

There! What do we notice first of all then, Paula?

Space and the garden.

Yes! You can see a glimpse of what's going on through there.

Rather cleverly, they've created this sort of link,

this kind of atrium,

with these fabulous reclaimed scaffold boards as flooring.

Yeah, it's nice and rustic.

Getting more excited by the second.

Wait till you see what's through here.

Come and look at this.

-There you go.

-Oh, wow!

It's nice and open plan.

It's got this lovely intimate feeling,

but nonetheless, lots of space.

But you've still got that barn feeling, haven't you?

Yeah. Yeah.

-Very nice.

-At the moment, they've got their dining table in here.

But there obviously is your sort of kitchen-living room to go with it.

Yeah. I think it works well.

There's enough room for two of us.

Me doing the donkey work and Paula cooking.

That's the rule.

But I'm also thinking about you two with two great big German shepherds.

I mean, this is such a practical arrangement,

-with the floor.

-Fantastic flooring for the dogs, yeah.

It also has the addition of this new extension.

You could even sort of make this your living space

and keep that more as a kitchen-diner.

-Yeah, a nice sort of family room.

-Yeah.

Because you've got obviously access out there

through, what, a number of double doors in this property,

out to the garden.

It's got four bedrooms in total.

Three of them are the other side of that entrance atrium.

The other one is through that door there,

with downstairs loo, et cetera.

So, we're thinking, not quite an annexe...

But it's split from the rest of the...

Yeah, fantastic!

There's plenty of space for Paula's daughter and Alan's mum to visit,

with two further guest rooms off the entrance hall,

one with a sky light window

and another with windows out to the garden.

And both served by a family shower room.

Bedroom number four is the master, with en suite facilities,

as well as a walk-in wardrobe, currently used as a home office.

So all in all, the interior here adds up to an excellent option.

This, you walk straight into it and it's breathtaking.

-Breathtaking!

-That's a phrase I like,

but I'm thinking that, really,

-the next thing we need to tackle is the outside space...

-Outdoors.

..because let's be honest, that's what this move is all about.

-Shall we go outside?

-Definitely.

-Right.

Well, it doesn't get much better than breathtaking

and outside, in the half acre rear plot,

there's bags of room for two energetic German shepherds

to explore to their heart's content,

as well as something that might put a smile on Alan's face -

a slab foundation with power and water.

It did have a much bigger log cabin on it.

So I'm thinking that the man cave...

Man cave! Yeah.

..could be bespoke, Al.

More than excited. I see the potential there.

But in terms of space for the dogs...

-Oh, plenty.

-Want to see the rest of it?

Definitely. Yeah.

This large and level lawn is both private and spacious,

with wonderful far-reaching views across the Norfolk countryside.

It's a nice size, and it's nice it's not just a paddock,

so it makes it more of a garden, as well,

rather than just a flat paddock.

The potential of this one,

in terms of satisfying the lifestyle that you have described to me,

is there. The question is, is it...

..the right price?

£600,000, you've got.

Make me an offer for property number one.

I'm going to go for £525,000.

525. Yeah.

-Al?

-I'll probably go a little bit lower and say 515.

Well, here's the thing.

You're spot on!

Oh, look at that!

I like the house, I like the land.

The house itself is really nice.

Very nicely done and laid out.

Go and have a look at those bedrooms

and I will find you a little bit later on.

-Lovely. Thank you.

-Off you go.

-OK.

£75,000 under budget,

this 19th-century barn conversion offers single-storey living,

with an open-plan kitchen and reception area at its heart.

There are four bedrooms, including an en-suite,

whilst outside, there is half an acre of land

overlooking open countryside.

Oh, well...

-Visitors, isn't it?

-Yeah.

I can see straight away.

Yeah, you could use it as an annexe, couldn't you,

cos it's got its own sort of an exit?

Yeah. It's almost like a Tardis, isn't it?

There's so much in here for what deceptively seems a small space,

it's almost annexed, but without being annexed.

When I walked through the door,

the thing which struck me amazingly was light.

It's bright. It's airy.

It's just homely. First initial impression, I like it.

Really nice rustic floor that runs right the way through,

which is ideal for the dogs.

And then we go through to the back garden,

which is absolutely perfect.

There's some variety in it. You've got some hedging,

you've got some shrubs and you've got some trees.

I think the best thing for me, I've got somewhere down the garden

where there's no limit to your dreams.

Build what you want to build and put a smile on your face.

Well, I think we've all recognised the potential of this one,

but there are plenty more properties to tempt you with.

-OK.

-Ready for lunch?

-Absolutely.

Come on!

The county of Norfolk,

with its distinctive coastal and inland habitats,

has long been a focus for nature conservation.

In 1926, it was the first county to have a dedicated Wildlife Trust.

But the RSPCA,

more usually associated with helping and protecting domestic animals

has opted to open one of only four wildlife centres

in the UK in East Winch.

Since animal lovers Paula and Alan

want to contribute to their community

after their move by volunteering,

we've sent them to meet centre manager, Alison Charles,

to get some background and lend a hand with her latest admissions.

So, can you tell us a bit about the sort of history of the place?

We started in 1992, and it's a purpose-built hospital

for all sorts of wildlife.

So we have seals, swans, ducks, geese, everything.

All orphaned, injured.

But we've got lots of orphaned birds in,

and I'm hoping you're going to help me feed them.

So would you like to come and have a look?

That would be fantastic. Yes, please.

80% of cases at the centre are birds,

brought in by the public for a variety of reasons,

from habitat loss due to felled trees, to cat attacks.

Many of these sick and injured charges need regular hand-feeding

up to every 20 minutes, with a preparation

originally designed for rearing parrots.

So, it's really important that you take it slowly.

We try not to get it on their feathers

because it gets caked on their feathers,

and then we have to pick it off at a later date.

OK.

Poor bird, it's absolutely caked in it!

You're going to have to wipe that off before it gets hard!

Well, perhaps Alan will have more joy

giving the insect feeders their daily mealworms.

With hundreds of birds to clean, feed and administer medication to,

there's always plenty to be done.

-There you go!

-Do you have lots of volunteers helping out?

Yeah, we have some volunteers,

but just not enough volunteers, as you'd imagine.

It would be lovely to have lots of volunteers, but we haven't.

Speaking of which, come and give us a hand,

-and we'll go and release some ducks.

-Yeah, love to.

-Fantastic.

-Come on, then.

-Yeah. Thank you.

There are currently 250 ducks at the centre,

some of which are now ready to be released back into the wild.

This will be done in small batches in a variety of locations.

But before taking today's chosen group to their new natural home,

they're checked for healthy flight feathers,

a good weight and overall fitness and mobility.

-Yeah.

-Do you see, there, she's got all her feathers?

-Oh, yeah.

-That means she can go.

The boxed ducks are now ready to be taken to the release location.

I know it's good to release them, but do you get sad when you...

-No, not at all.

-Don't get attached to any of them?

No. The good times are releasing them.

It's just brilliant. You know they came in as tiny little ducks.

I mean, it is, it's quite amazing.

This will be the ducks' first venture into the wild

as independent adults,

so it's important the site has a good natural supply of food,

as well as shelter from predators.

The next release, we'll do somewhere else.

And we just keep moving them around and round Norfolk.

Point it in that direction of the river, open up the box,

hopefully, it will take that nice little route down.

-Hopefully.

-OK, let's go. Oh!

Fingers crossed this is home sweet home for these rescued ducks,

but it's time to turn our attention to finding the perfect location

for Paula and Alan's country escape.

We're taking our search to the coast at Cromer.

In the Victorian era,

the coming of the railways made this town a fashionable seaside resort,

with a string of hotels and a magnificent pier springing up.

Miles of esplanade are a great place to enjoy a coastal constitutional,

whilst the maze of lanes behind the beach are a shopper's delight.

Amidst the souvenirs and boutiques is the county's tallest church,

St Peter and St Paul, with a tower reaching 160 feet.

And just a mile-and-a-half inland,

mindful of Paula's wish for a house set in its own private plot,

is the property we've come to see.

In trying to learn the lessons of our first property,

as you can see, it is surrounded by a bit more land.

The whole thing is very dog-proof and we've got you this,

late 1920s villa.

It does need a bit of TLC.

That's where we put our marker on it.

A chance to personalise it, I think.

You could certainly personalise it.

What I like about it, from your point of view,

is it's got a bit more space out here.

We're just going to have to be a bit more creative with it.

We know what you like stylistically now, which is good.

Certainly on paper, it fulfils all the criteria.

It's not something that I would have automatically looked at.

Come on.

Built in 1929,

this detached brick house has been recently rendered

and extended to the side.

An elegant entrance hall leads through to the rear of the home,

where we find the kitchen-breakfast room.

But a much more modern feel to the current kitchen.

Mm.

Yeah. It's not really what I would go for.

Don't mind modern, but a cottagey feel,

and I just feel this is a bit white and square.

The thought would be to do something

that would extend the property that way.

You've also got a utility room around the corner here.

But this is one that is going to require a bit of imagination.

And I think it's quite an exciting opportunity.

I think it's just being able to see past what's necessarily here

and what you can focus on and what you can do.

-Yeah.

-Both physically and financially.

Think of it as fantasy renovation.

-What would we do?

-Yeah.

-OK.

-Come and have a look through here.

Well, it remains to be seen whether the undeniable benefits of location

and land will be enough to tempt Paula and Alan

to take on some work here.

Leading off the kitchen is the largest room on this floor,

a reception running the length of the property.

I think the size of the room's great.

I don't think I'd necessarily have it as a lounge-diner.

If you had this as one living area, it's certainly a really good size.

I think it's got potential.

I'm just not sure if it's too much of a big project

to what I would want to do with what I've seen so far.

Once we see the whole potential project,

I think you can put perspective on it then.

Is it going to grow on you?

Potentially.

Well, I think you'll be pleasantly surprised

with what you get upstairs.

-Come and have a look.

-OK.

Well potential really is the watchword here,

and completing the ground floor

is a further good-sized reception room,

located to the other side of the entrance hall,

with access to the garden.

This floor also offers the first of four bedrooms,

and, with access to its own shower room, could provide a guest annexe.

The remaining three bedrooms are found upstairs.

There's a good-size guest double, to the rear,

which comes with dual-aspect windows,

with a slightly smaller double to the front.

These are served by a family bathroom,

which leaves bedroom number four, a very spacious master en suite.

This is a lovely size.

But it also has the benefit of a shower en suite.

Nice rooms. Really, really nice size.

It flows better upstairs than it does downstairs.

Overall, as a four bedroom package,

I think it gives you lots of options.

Big, roomy, en suite.

This must be bigger than what you've got at the moment?

-Yes.

-Yes.

-And one other thing that is definitely bigger

than what you've got at the moment is what's going on out there.

-Yes.

-You can't wait.

-You're itching, aren't you?

-Let's not forget the dogs.

Come on, let's go outside.

So a positive finish to the accommodation on offer

in this detached 1920s home,

and outside, the fully enclosed plot

backs on to open countryside and includes areas of woodland,

a gated driveway and a selection of sheds.

The paved patio provides the perfect spot for a barbecue,

and coming in at over an acre,

there's plenty to please these ardent dog lovers.

Garden-wise, we've doubled the size of what was on offer

at property number one - a whole acre.

Do you think your boys would be satisfied

with all of this to run around in?

I think they would be. Yeah.

-Yeah?

-You try and keep them in.

Let's have a play-around with the price on this one.

I would go for £515,000 again.

I think it's a lot more than that.

I think it's going to be about 585.

Oooh!

THEY LAUGH

Well, let me see.

It begins with a five.

And it ends with zero.

Ooh!

Half a million, on the nose.

£500,000.

It's certainly affordable,

and it gives you lots of scope

to really make this one your own.

Have a wander around the grounds, have a wander around the house,

and I'll come and find you a little bit later on

and see what you're thinking.

-OK.

-Go on, then. Off you go.

-Thank you.

Enjoy.

With £100,000 left in the pot,

Alan and Paula could really make this 1920s villa their own.

With a kitchen-diner and two additional reception rooms,

the property offers four bedrooms and three bathrooms.

Set in its own plot of just over an acre,

there's countryside on the doorstep,

as well as proximity to both town and coast.

Ooooh!

I guess this is more like a shed than a man cave, isn't it, really?

It's good for starters.

I think the good thing about this property is,

it does have quite large rooms, which are good for the dogs.

You know, you're not all sort of falling over each other.

Obviously, we wanted a bigger kitchen,

and I think I've quickly realised in here

you'd have to do a lot of knocking the walls out,

which scares me a little bit.

The potential I can see is maybe extending the kitchen

to accommodate our needs.

The world's your oyster,

as long as it's within reach and its reasonable.

Right, well, that's it. We've got to go.

It is time now to sample the pint of the local.

Look at your face! Can't wait!

Come on!

We're in North Norfolk, helping soon-to-retire police officer Alan

and ambulance driver Paula find a new home

for their budget of £600,000.

They've already seen two excellent options,

but there's still our Mystery House to come,

which could be the answer to their designs on living near the sea.

Oh, it's nice!

-Yeah!

-It is nice!

Straightaway, big grin.

Plus, I take a big historic journey

on the world's smallest public railway.

I love it!

The sights and sounds and smells and history of yesteryear!

Well, when it comes to our properties,

this week is all about the best of three,

as we try and find Al and Paula the first home

that they are going to buy together.

Now one thing has become abundantly clear.

Paula, at least, is not interested in any sort of projects,

although to be fair to Al,

he's more than excited about the prospect

of creating his own man cave.

Let's not forget, this isn't somewhere for DIY

or a bit of tinkering,

this is somewhere to relax and watch the footy.

So what can we possibly come up with for our final offering,

our Mystery House?

Well, needless to say, this one isn't a project,

not even as far as Al is concerned.

What it lacks in size,

it more than makes up for

in its close proximity to Norfolk's glorious coast

and at the end of the day,

the seaside is what this search is all about.

-One more to come.

-Final one.

Yes! What do you think our Mystery House might offer you?

I'm hoping it's going to be something

that really tugs on our heart strings.

Something that we'll just go, "Oooh!"

It's definitely going to make you think.

Its location...

..might be the thing that comes to the surface.

Oh!

THEY LAUGH

Our mystery offering is in Overstrand.

This coastal village is two miles east of Cromer,

and saw regular visits from Sir Winston Churchill,

who was staying at the Sea Marsh Hotel in 1939,

when a phone call prompted him to return to London.

A few days later, war with Germany was declared.

Today, the village enjoys good facilities,

including a post office and stores, a pub and a cafe, with sea views.

Have you ever explored this bit of the coast before?

I haven't. We haven't actually been this far up, so, no, it's all new.

The English coastal path runs right along here.

There's a myriad of other footpaths and circular walks

that lead off of Overstrand.

So, you wanted coast, mate, how about this?

-Eye-catching!

-Our mystery property is literally two minutes' walk away.

It's about 100 yards up the hill.

-Happy?

-Very.

Come on, let's go and see it.

With Paula making it clear she's not up for a project,

our mystery offering is a 21st-century design,

nestled in its own plot,

surrounded by mature trees.

So this is no project, only ten years old, so it's all brand-new.

And it sits in, it's about a quarter of an acre, this one.

It seems like one place, that, straight away,

as you walk down the drive, you go,

"I want to explore,"

and there's something else lurking

that wants to put a smile on my face.

Oh! Interesting!

So, you're optimistic? Shall we have a look?

-Yeah.

-Definitely. Yes, please.

Built in 2006 to the current owner's specifications,

the house is laid out over two single-storey wings,

fanning out from a double-storey centre.

The wing to our left has the front door,

which leads straight into an open-plan living space.

-It's nice!

-Yeah?

-It is nice!

-Look at the smile on Al's face.

This is all good! Very open-plan,

but still offering you nice sort of compartments.

Obviously, main living room itself in here.

And through those double doors, sort of garden room.

The wood burner is a really nice addition, actually.

-Yeah, it is nice.

-This is just...

straight away, big grin.

It's a nice room, but if it's the only downstairs reception room,

it's just a bit...

-..enclosing.

-Interesting.

Come and have a look at the kitchen area.

I mean, it's beautifully illuminated.

-It certainly works.

-It brings a lot of light in.

It really does. You can see this little landing area here,

which gets you up to the master bedroom,

which we'll explore in just a moment.

Yeah.

The kitchen, I think, is lovely.

It is effectively a kitchen-diner.

I'm not convinced on the size.

I think I have in my mind a nice open-plan kitchen-diner.

That is the kitchen.

This can go down into that other reception area down the other end.

-In the garden room.

-And you have a dining room away from it,

so this becomes the breakfast bar.

Yeah. See, he's working it.

-He is. He's working it.

-Which is great! I'm delighted!

I thought you would lap this up, but actually I'm wrong, aren't I?

You're leading the charge on this one.

It's obviously got to be a bit of horse-trading. Do we have land?

Or do we have location?

Because if you have both, your budget's just gone.

That is the classic conundrum.

-Come and have a look upstairs.

-OK.

There's plenty that should please in this ready-to-move in to home.

With the utility and WC to one side of the kitchen,

the other side leads through into a wing of guest accommodation.

Here, a double at the far end has built-in wardrobes,

whilst a smaller guest room is currently used as a single.

These are both served by a wet room.

That leaves bedroom number three, the master en suite,

located in a mezzanine storey above the kitchen.

So, this really is something of a sort of an eyrie.

There's your landing. They've got a little desk

and then this is your own master suite, really.

En suite in there.

It's not a bad-sized room.

I think the whole place feels a bit small,

unless one of you is outside and one of you is inside,

you can't really get away from each other

if you're going to be kind of living on top of each other.

But you are getting married!

Yeah, I know!

THEY LAUGH

I'm thinking that, really, for the two of you, it would work.

I genuinely think this would be big enough.

Yeah. I think we need to look at the whole property first

before I can rule in or out.

Final judgment is reserved

until they've seen everything on offer here,

which, outside, includes a sweeping shingle drive,

leading to a very secluded quarter-acre plot

of well-established gardens surrounding the house.

Plus, there's a double garage,

greenhouse and a large timber shed.

I appreciate it's not as big as the man cave that we have discussed

if you were going to build something bespoke,

but this one's ready to go in the sense that it's lined,

-it's carpeted, it's powered.

-It just needs disco lights!

I think there's plenty of room here, and, then, of course,

you've got the beaches and walks around here.

It looks nice and safe, which for me is quite a biggy.

Fantastic! There's no maintenance that you need to do.

I'm satisfied that Al...

..thinks that coming here was a good idea.

I'm a bit more concerned about you, though.

Let's talk about the price and see if that has...

-an influence.

-I'm going to go for 565.

-565. Al?

-I'm going to go 585.

It's on the market for 555.

-Wow!

-Yeah, wow!

At last, a wow in the Mystery House from Paula.

I'm more than pleasantly surprised.

Go and explore it without us, and see what space you have got.

-OK.

-Go on, then. Off you go.

-Lovely. Thank you.

-Brilliant.

Sometimes it is a hard sell,

but I am convinced this property in this location

could really work for them. I think Al knows that.

He's just got to persuade Paula.

Below budget at £555,000, this modern,

architect-designed house has open-plan living,

a garden room and three bedrooms,

including a guest wing and master en suite.

It's in a secluded location,

close to village amenities and just minutes from the beach.

First impressions of this property was, wow, it's brand-new.

Something to walk in to and live.

I think it's a lovely house.

It's a lovely layout, but for me, it's just a bit too small.

Although this house is fantastic,

it's a really nice house and it is close to the coast,

I think I'm more leaning towards going further inland

and being able to get that bit more land around the house.

Right, guys, that's it, I'm afraid.

We've given you some really interesting options,

but you've got to make some sort of a decision.

There's a lot riding on the next few months, isn't there?

-There is. New home.

-Mm.

New marriage. Who's for a new ice cream?

-Go on, then!

-Come on, then!

The coming of the railways in the mid-19th century

changed the county of Norfolk.

Shorter journey times and cheap excursions

gave the working class affordable holidays

for the first time, and new coastal resorts sprung up.

Then in the 20th century,

the era of motorised cars and buses

meant railways were seen as costly and unnecessary,

heralding the closure of many under Dr Richard Beeching,

an engineer and chairman of British Rail.

But some communities and individuals fought back.

The Wells and Walsingham Light Railway

was born out of a passion of one Norfolk local.

Royal Navy Lieutenant Commander Roy Francis

set about reinstating a service

on four miles of closed Great Eastern line.

Using reclaimed track,

he created what is now the longest narrow-gauge public railway

in the world.

Over three decades since the line took its first passengers,

it's still a family business.

I've come to meet managing director, Nick Champion,

who's going to help me indulge my passion for steam.

-Hello, Nick.

-Hi, Jules.

-Nice to see you.

-Nice to see you.

This all looks rather industrious this morning.

Well, thank you and welcome to the Wells and Walsingham Light Railway.

-Come and show me round.

-Yeah.

Oh, this is lovely!

What's the distinction between a narrow gauge and a normal railway?

Well, it's the size, really.

This is a diminutive railway, as they say.

It's the space between each wheel, I suppose.

This is ten and a quarter inches, which is usually seen in gardens.

So we are quite rare, but my wife's grandfather, who founded us in 1982,

decided it was the largest gauge possible, man-portable,

meaning they didn't need any machines,

which they didn't have, to lay it.

So he and four or five others laid 7,000 sleepers

and all this rail for four-and-a-half miles.

It was an extraordinary feat.

But the tracks themselves hold an even more astounding story.

We were really lucky with the rail in 1982,

because as the channel tunnel was being ready for opening,

they used a light railway to take away all the spoil.

And that rail originally came from America in 1915

and was built for the Somme offensive of 1916,

so it's just celebrated its 100th birthday.

So your four miles of track once ran through the Somme.

It certainly did. And it was built exactly for the offensive

so it would take the munitions up and troops up, and the wounded back.

Every time I sit on these rails, I think about some of the people

that travelled on the rails. Those rails have carried people to war.

I find that really moving.

It's rather sobering to think of the story of the rails here,

in sleepy, peaceful North Norfolk.

Alan Brown, a member of the permanent way gang

performing daily maintenance, is tightening the fish plates

that join the tracks together,

just as they would have done in France in the First World War.

Do you often reflect on the men that would have originally laid this

across northern France 100 years ago?

Yes, you definitely do because you just think of what they,

how they did it and we know it's a struggle ourselves.

To think how they actually did it is just incredible.

The guys are out there under shell fire, laying it on mud,

laying it through unmentionable things.

The purpose of this line today couldn't be further away

from the grim job of taking troops and munitions to and from the Somme.

I must say, I feel very fortunate to be enjoying the benefits

of narrow-gauge steam in more peaceful times.

Well, I think it's lovely to see that steam pour out the front...

-It's lovely.

-Out of the front of the locomotive out there.

Yes. How fast are we going to go?

We're going to go 300 miles... No! Nine miles an hour.

If you go faster, you don't get to see as much.

-Yeah.

-Here, we've got fantastic wildlife down the line.

Two buzzards, barn owls, you know, brown hares, red kites.

You know, I want people to see that.

It's magical. It really is.

It sort of almost teeters on these tiny rails.

-And yet...

-No teetering at all.

Immediate way of experiencing...

-Yeah.

-..the Norfolk countryside in a way that I've never done before.

Despite Norfolk's flat-as-a-pancake image,

this short route faces several challenging gradients.

Not only that, in the height of summer,

it carries 100 passengers a time.

To pack a punch, this design of locomotive built in the 1980s

features one boiler serving two engines.

TRAIN WHISTLES

It's a technical marvel that's made narrow gauge the system of choice

in challenging situations such as mining.

And it's also a rather evocative way to travel.

It's a very distinctive, and, for me,

a very intoxicating smell of coal,

of steam and water.

-Absolutely.

-And of energy.

I mean, when you think back to the origins of steam.

Such an exciting time in global history.

And it all happened in Britain.

It's heartening to think that a stretch of line

that was abandoned in the '60s

by those now infamous Beeching cuts

is still very much alive and kicking.

I love it! The sights and sounds and smells and history of yesteryear.

I think, when my son grows up, he'll enjoy this.

-I'll bring him back.

-Do.

So, Nick, is this the end of the line?

Yes, Jules, we're now arriving in Walsingham.

And as such, I think it's fitting

that we've talked about the Somme today,

I have a little gift for you, this piece of track was on the Somme.

So, please take it away and think of us every time

you weigh down some paper weight.

I absolutely will, Nick.

Thank you very, very much indeed.

Well, you know, ordinarily I'm a pretty optimistic kind of bloke.

It's a useful trait to have

when you're involved in the business of house-hunting,

but I suspect this week, even my optimism is going to be tested.

Have we managed to find Alan and Paula a home for the future?

I wonder!

Well, I thought I might find you down here.

You gave us the challenge of trying to find you a new home,

hopefully, somewhere near the coast.

We haven't done bad, I think, on balance, in terms of locations.

What kind of conclusions have you reached?

Have we managed to find you an option

that you think you can make home for the future?

I think we need to sit down, as a couple,

and discuss our parameters once again.

It's the fact that there are certain things

which we don't realise that we do want

and what we don't want, and that's exactly where we lie at the moment.

So your wish list may have changed over the last few days?

I think what it has showed me is,

I can't necessarily get the land that I want

that close to the coast.

You are both embarking on a new chapter in your lives.

And you are both, I suspect, still learning about each other.

Yeah. The difference between Al and I is,

I think Al is quite capable of falling in love

with any house he sees,

whereas I'm a bit more tunnel-vision of what I think I want.

So, are you less likely to compromise, compared to Al?

Yeah, I think that's probably quite spot on, actually.

There we are, mate. Look, we've found out something new this week.

Or maybe you already knew.

No, I think we've got to meet halfway,

and that's where we make a house,

as we've seen, into a home.

So your search goes on.

It does sound like,

at the very least, we've helped to clarify

what it is you're looking for.

-Good luck.

-Thanks, Jules.

-Thank you.

-Thank you.

You know, when we start planning our house searches,

we're never entirely sure where we're going to end up,

but as it's turned out this week,

Cromer and its wonderful pier behind me,

featured pretty heavily in two out of three of our properties,

as indeed of the wonderful beaches that stretch out

either side of this famous seaside town.

Now the pier itself was built back in 1901.

It stretches some 500 feet out into the North Sea.

Far enough, you might think,

but I suspect not quite as far as the journey that Paula and Alan

have still got to take. I'll see you next time.

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