Exmoor Escape to the Country

This stunning landscape so mesmerised one of our most influential poets,

that he would happily spend from dawn to dusk exploring the local

moorlands, sometimes covering 30 miles a day.

But who was this wandering wordsmith and where am I?

We'll find out in just a moment.

Today, I'm joining a couple of newlyweds on their journey to find

a forever home for the whole family.

I can see the potential there.

Yeah, I can see that suiting your parents.

-Self-contained.

-We don't have to see them when we don't want to!

After putting our property finding skills to the test,

it looks like they're ready to put down roots.

Where would the Christmas tree go?

-That side or that side?

-SHE LAUGHS

That means you've moved in when you make that decision.

That's great.

Today we're on Exmoor and I am on the Coleridge Way,

which is a 50-mile walking trail

that traces the steps of the Romantic poet Samuel Taylor Coleridge,

who used to live in Nether Stowey, not far from here, for about three

years, right at the end of the 18th century.

He would spend days exploring this wild and beautiful countryside and

it was during that time that he wrote his two masterpieces,

Kubla Khan and The Rime Of The Ancient Mariner.

Even after 200-plus years, it's still pretty inspiring.

Exmoor National Park sits on the north coast of Devon and Somerset,

stretching across the two counties.

It covers almost 270 square miles

and is made up of huge expanses of open moorland,

deep wooded valleys and dramatic coastline,

including the highest sea cliffs in England.

This beautiful landscape has also inspired the work of poet

William Wordsworth and RD Blackmore,

whose novel Lorna Doone was based on local legends.

The picturesque hamlet of Malmsmead marks the entrance to the Doone Valley

and the view of its grade two-listed packhorse bridge is one of

the most photographed in Exmoor.

This national park is home to diverse wildlife but is also a

living and working landscape scattered with towns and villages.

Two of the most popular are the Devon coastal village of Lynmouth

and the town of Lynton, perched 500 feet up on a cliff.

The twin resorts, nicknamed Little Switzerland, are connected by a

water-powered cliff railway enabling visitors to enjoy a boat ride in

the harbour below before gliding up the cliff side

to take in the spectacular views of Exmoor and its coastline.

The lion's share of Exmoor national park sits within the county of

Somerset. And here you would spend on average around £319,000 for

a detached house, which is pretty much on a par with the national figure.

However, things change pretty radically if you want to buy inside

the national park itself.

Here, estate agents estimate a 10% to 20% surcharge to get a nice rural

property inside the park,

but if you want a rural property inside the park near the coast,

then that figure shoots up to 50%.

So let's meet today's buyers and find out where they want to live in

this beautiful, but surprisingly expensive corner of England.

Newlyweds Matt and Daisy met six years ago at their local cricket club.

They bought their first home together two years ago,

a terraced cottage in North Marston, Buckinghamshire.

It is a perfect first house, but we do have a lot of stuff.

We both have quite a few hobbies,

and they generally come with bits and bobs, and the dog.

So she comes with quite a lot of stuff.

Whilst we do love being in the village and having people close by,

having neighbours, having a pub just four doors down,

we like being away from it all.

We like the fact that we can escape.

Until recently, Matt's job as a quantity surveyor

has tied him to a London commute,

but a new role has offered him the flexibility to work from home.

And with Daisy about to complete her masters degree in zoology and

wildlife conservation, it's the perfect time to make the change.

We are particularly drawn to Exmoor for a couple of reasons.

Daisy's family are all from there

and still live in that area and we go down there quite often.

We absolutely love the area.

It's the stunning scenery,

the activities you can do down there and we go for long walks with the dog

and we don't have to worry about putting her on the lead because we

can just let her run free in the fields.

With a countryside move on the cards,

it has prompted them to think about the future.

I'd really like to get maybe a job with the national park or maybe one

of the wildlife trusts down in Devon or Somerset.

We want a different lifestyle.

We want to have some land where we can keep some, hopefully horses, and sheep.

I really want to get back into riding again.

We'd also like to get a chicken straightaway.

Got to have your eggs.

Along with dog Bramble, a horse and the chickens,

there are two other family members

that need to be factored into the move.

We are in a fortunate position,

where my parents are looking to downsize

and they are looking to travel the world a bit more,

to see both my brothers, who live in different countries,

so we made a decision as a family that they would come in with us on

this move, with the intention of having a separate annexe or cottage,

if possible, on the property.

Matt's dad has experience in the construction industry

and Daisy and Matt are happy to get stuck in, too,

which could come in very useful on the search for their forever home.

When we moved into this house,

the garden was pretty much just a flat piece of rubble area,

so with the help of my parents, we've redesigned the garden,

we've brought about seven tonnes of soil in, to level it off.

Daisy often finds me out there of an evening, after work,

watering the plants and vegetables.

I think sometimes she thinks I'm more taken by the garden than

spending time with her inside.

Matt and Daisy are happy to look at properties anywhere in and around

Exmoor with good access to bridleways.

I'm meeting up with them in the middle of the national park to find

out the finer details of the move.

Welcome to Exmoor, guys, although this is a bit of home from home for you,

isn't it? You were born here?

Yes, I was born in Barnstaple, just up the road, and have got family,

-over the moor.

-It's quite an unusual move,

because your mum and dad are coming, Matt,

we need to find somewhere for them to live,

but in terms of the house for you, what are you looking for?

What's the dream parameters?

For us, we would really like a detached property.

We, at the moment, are in a terrace,

so we would really like some more space of our own.

Maybe with some land for a horse or two.

How many acres are you looking for?

Ideally, somewhere in the region of one to one and a half,

-that would be the minimum.

-What about the location?

Are you looking to be at the edge of a village, or out in the sticks?

We are quite easy, to be honest,

we love the rural setting and we love being in Exmoor,

so that would be perfect, but at the same time, if it was in a village,

we're not worried. We're used to village atmosphere.

In terms of the style, are you looking for modern or old?

Not a new-build.

Although some are done very sympathetically.

We understand that. Something with a bit of character.

Obviously you can get more for your money than in Buckinghamshire,

which I think is one of the most expensive counties in the country.

-Yeah.

-So, your budget, tell me about your budget,

because we are combining a bit of money from your mum and dad.

-Correct.

-They are going to be there six months out of the year, is that right?

-Ideally!

Yes, and they're going to be taking some of the equity out of their house,

contributing it alongside ours,

to hopefully get a nice little property that they can come back to.

-So you're putting the lion's share in?

-Yes.

-So what's our budget?

What are we actually looking at?

625 is sort of our maximum.

Well, it's a challenge, you've given us a challenge, I have to admit.

But it's a beautiful area and there are some lovely properties and all of them have these amazing views.

So, let's get in the car and show you the first one.

Follow me.

Combined with the capital from Matt's parents,

Daisy and Matt have an overall budget of £625,000

to buy a detached character property.

It should have at least three bedrooms as well as

a self-contained annexe,

ideally in a separate dwelling, for Matt's parents to live in while they

are in the UK.

They also need a minimum of an acre of land for Daisy's

horse and animals.

I've got a great selection of rural properties to show them,

with plenty of space for the family, as well as the animals.

But before revealing the price of each,

I'll be asking them to take a guess.

Our final property will be our mystery house, thrown into the mix,

to test where their priorities lie.

So, is this, literally...

Did you come on childhood holidays here,

are you really familiar with the whole area?

My summers were normally a couple of weeks at home and then I would spend

a week with my nan in Wales, a week with my auntie in Woolacombe

and then a week here.

So is it atmospheric to come back?

Does it feel...

Always, every time we came back, it felt like coming home.

Our search begins in the North Devon hamlet of Charles

on the south-western edge of Exmoor.

Part of the parish of Brayford,

the main village is just two miles away and has a great community feel

with regular farmers' markets and a number of events

hosted at the village hall.

The village got its name when the River Bray,

which runs through its centre, was forded.

This has since been replaced by a bridge which is now an access point

for the thousands of visitors to the national park.

Back in Charles, in a serene setting,

I'm hoping our first property will appeal to Matt and Daisy.

Come in, come in. This is your garden and, potentially, your house.

-House number one.

-Wow!

-Lovely.

-Yeah.

-I really like it.

-Really nice.

I love the cream sort of white exterior to it.

It's very quaint and very cute.

Definitely the style we're looking for.

-Is it?

-Yes. Yeah.

-Very much.

-That's good.

-It's a beautiful setting.

Let's go and see inside.

The original part of this property dates back to the mid-17th century

with the main living areas to the front.

An extension to the rear has added a library area

to the main living room,

an office, and a utility room,

with a back entrance leading to the kitchen.

Come on in. Kitchen, the heart of the home.

-It's lovely.

-Really nice.

-Lovely room.

-I really like it.

-I love the range.

-It's not a huge kitchen but because it's knocked

through into the kind of dining room/breakfast room,

it feels much bigger than it perhaps is.

I think it's functionable.

You've got plenty of work space to do all your bits and bobs.

We'll go into the sitting room next.

Lovely room here. Very cosy.

Mind your head. Matt, how tall are you?

-Six foot four.

-Six foot four, OK.

You can stand up inside.

This is the living space.

You've got that extension at the back,

which was put on by the previous owner.

-It's a lot bigger than I thought it would be, actually.

-Much, yes.

-And then around the corner there's actually a little office as well.

-Perfect.

-Just what you need.

-Yes.

I love the fireplace as well.

It's beautiful. So, where would the Christmas tree go?

That side or that side?

-SHE LAUGHS

-That's one for you to decide now.

That means you've moved in when you make that decision.

That's great. So, no negatives so far?

-Not so far.

-It's cosy.

Let's look upstairs.

Matt and Daisy seem to be warming to this place.

Upstairs, the extension has provided bathrooms for each of the three

double bedrooms. Two en-suite and one as a family bathroom.

They use this as the master bedroom.

This is the one you'd use because it's got an en-suite and a walk-in

-wardrobe.

-It's big enough,

especially head height-wise for Matt, but still doesn't feel like

really big and it feels cosy.

I love these character beams that add a bit more flavour to the property.

Yeah. Ticks a lot of boxes from our side, definitely.

-Yeah.

-Obviously, there's another two people involved in it.

Let's go and tackle that head-on.

Perfect.

Outside, Matt and Daisy would inherit some lovely plants in the beautiful garden,

which has been well looked after by the current owner,

who runs a plant nursery.

There's also a small annexe on the site, which has a living room,

kitchenette and bedroom in the converted loft.

But, my suggestion for housing Matt's parents would be the

partially converted outbuildings on the other side of the garden.

So, just bear this bit in mind.

It has a larger footprint than the existing annexe and is in a more

secluded spot with its own garden area beside a pretty pond.

Come up here, then you can survey your whole domain.

So, it's a little bit complicated.

But this is the property you probably want to convert

for your parents.

-OK.

-It goes out quite a bit away on the side.

On the other side, there's a studio and it's got electricity in it.

So, you'd obviously have to get planning permission to convert it.

But this was actually a row of workers' cottages.

Part of the oldest bits of the property.

-So, I can't imagine it would be that difficult to get planning permission to convert.

-Yes.

-Looks a good-sized space, doesn't it?

-Very good, yes. You can see the potential in it.

I can see that suiting your parents really well, actually.

You can see that this is all their garden.

It has a separate gate there.

This would be a perfectly self-contained area.

Yeah. We don't have to see them and we don't want!

So, what do you think about the land aspect?

Obviously, I don't think there's room for the horse on here.

Ah! But...

On the other side of the road,

there is a three-and-a-half acre paddock...

-Oh, wow!

-..that belongs to the property, too.

-Perfect.

-Yeah. That wasn't expected.

-I'll get my horse on there.

-Didn't expect that at all.

-No, I didn't.

It's a lovely size as it is but that's definitely a massive bonus.

-Bonus - yeah.

-How much do think this whole little bundle of loveliness

-costs?

-I'm going to say 600.

I'd go, to be cheeky, I think, 590.

Well, I'm afraid you're both wrong.

Hm.

This property is on the market for

£525,000. SHE LAUGHS

-Really?

-Wow!

-I wasn't expecting that, to be fair.

No, really wasn't.

Go and poke inside these outbuildings to see whether

that's going to work and have a look at the pastures new.

Perfect. Thank you so much.

-Thank you.

-Go explore.

Aw! I feel like we've given them a wedding gift.

It's so beautiful and it could work.

An amazing £100,000 under budget,

this three-bedroom detached cottage

would make a wonderful home for them,

and there's a substantial separate building

for Matt's parents, too,

which could be developed, subject to planning consents.

The property comes with just over three acres of paddock,

and is right on the edge of Exmoor.

-Lovely space.

-You could fit a bedroom in here.

Yes, you could definitely see the potential in it.

With our budget, we thought we would have to settle for an annexe adjoined,

so having that separate property, a little bit further away,

would be a benefit for both of us.

The main house is beautiful.

Really nice flow through the spaces.

The land is perfect.

There's plenty of room there for both Matt and I to have a horse.

Definitely get some stables down there easily.

We saw round this house, we saw round the other plots.

-Yeah, I think we've seen everything.

-Yes, I think we've seen all we can.

-Is it a contender?

-Yeah.

-Yeah, definitely.

-I think so.

-Shall we not bother with the other ones?

I think it would be fun to see the others.

Let's go.

With over 400 miles of bridleways within its borders,

Exmoor is a haven for horse riders.

Its winding, woodland trails and tumbling river valleys provide some

of the best riding in the UK.

Lucky visitors may catch a glimpse of the famous wild red deer,

or the native Exmoor ponies roaming freely on the moor.

We've arranged for keen horse rider Daisy, and Matt,

to visit a trekking centre near Lynton, to meet Charlie Wilson who,

six months ago, picked up the reins of the long-established business,

with the help of her partner, Chris Waring.

-Hi, Chris.

-Hi.

Welcome to Brendon Manor.

So, is owning a riding school something that you and Charlie have

-always wanted to do?

-Probably more so Charlie.

Charlie's been into horses since, what - the age of six, seven years old.

She's had her horse for 16 years and she's taught me a lot.

I'm learning quite a lot.

And, you know, so far, I'm really, really enjoying the experience.

One of the main aims of this move is to get some land and own some horses

of our own. How difficult is it to look after your own horses?

If I'm honest with you, it's going to take up a lot of your time.

I mean, it's just almost like having children.

They're a 24/7 thing.

But the enjoyment you get out of them, they're absolutely fantastic.

Once you've sort of got that link, and that relationship,

that friendship with them, they're going to be your companion for their lifetime.

Building on the foundations of the existing business,

Chris and Charlie offer a range of tours and treks for people of all ages

and abilities throughout the year.

In the peak season, from Easter till late October,

they have around 15 horses and ponies available to ride.

Today, they've set aside two of the more experienced ones for Matt and Daisy.

So, who do we have here, then, Chris?

We've got Sam. He's our old boy.

24 years old now.

He's been at the centre for quite a few years.

He's just that safe pair of hands we need here,

just to look after sort of the husband, the boyfriend, the friend,

who's sort of been brought along to ride.

So, how do you choose the particular horse for the rider?

For instance, you, Matt, you're a taller gentleman.

So, Sam would be absolutely ideal for you because you've not got a lot

of experience and some have sort of a more zany side to them, I suppose.

We'd put the more experienced rider on those sorts of horses.

It sounds like Matt's going to be on Sam, so who's my horse going to be?

I'll tell you what, we'll introduce you to Charlie.

She's going to be taking you out on a trek today,

and she'll introduce you to your horse, Fudge.

Perfect.

It was Charlie's dream of turning a lifelong hobby into a career that

brought her and Chris to Exmoor,

after falling in love with the landscape on a fun ride just 18 months ago.

She's now in her element, spending six hours a day out on the moor.

So, Charlie, I know this is sort of my dream to be riding over Exmoor all the time.

What's it like for you having a trekking centre here?

It's absolutely amazing.

The views are amazing.

Having all of this space - it's really the only way to ride.

So, how much are you allowed to ride ever Exmoor?

Is it completely open?

Yeah. Most places are open.

There are official bridleways in certain points.

Most of it is open. You get to see the wild ponies.

It's amazing.

It's pretty stunning scenery, isn't it?

This is just the start of it, really.

I'm assuming, across in the distance, is Wales.

Yeah. That's right. Dead ahead is Wales.

If you go to the right, that goes towards Minehead and Porlock.

To the left, that's Lynton and Lynmouth.

It's just a beautiful spot.

Thank you so much having us today, Charlie.

It's been spectacular.

You're very welcome and hopefully the house search will go well and we'll see you here soon.

With Daisy chomping at the bit to make the move down to Exmoor,

it's back to the search to find her and Matt their home here.

In a bid to get them as much space as possible,

we're breaking away from the national park border and heading to the small village of Meshaw.

It's just a ten-minute drive to the larger village of Witheridge that

centres on the parish church and has a couple of pubs, shops,

a post office and a tea room.

It's equidistant from Exmoor and Dartmoor national parks and is

conveniently positioned along the Two Moors Way,

the 103-mile walking route that runs between them and the oldest regional

footpath in Devon.

The next house I want to show them is just over a mile from Meshaw.

House number two.

-This is the annexe.

-OK.

Which is co-joined with your neighbour, which is over the other side.

And then this is your house.

I like it. Looks a lot more traditional farmhouse.

-Yes.

-It's a more modern property and it's more of a shared space.

Yeah. We've got the entrance - it's a nice drive.

And nice drive down to it.

-Shall we have a look inside?

-Sounds good.

-Excellent.

This 18th-century farmhouse is larger than our first property

and would provide Matt and Daisy with growing room.

The current owners have lived here for 20 years and inside it's very

much a modern family home already.

Come in.

Mind your head here.

Into the kitchen.

-It's large.

-Yes.

-Lovely size, isn't it?

-It's a really nice space.

Really big. I really like how it flows into the dining room.

-Yeah.

-There is a utility room on the other side of the house,

which looks sort of like a through boot room, so the dogs...

You have dogs. Dog.

Branwell can just go straight through without getting the house dirty.

What do you think of the vibe, though? How does it compare with the last one?

They're both really nice in different aspects.

The style of it is a lot more modern but still country.

Let's go on to the sitting room.

-Mind the step.

-Thank you.

Come on through. They've obviously cut through to join all the space into one big one

but it mirrors the fantastic inglenook there,

with a little creamery on the side where they used to curdle the cream,

and then over there the bread oven.

Oh, wow! This room's definitely got a bit more character than the kitchen itself.

Yes, definitely.

It's a really nice space. Really big.

Through there you've got a small study, sort of snug.

Through these double doors you've got a semi-hexagonal conservatory,

with doors out into the garden.

-Lots of light coming in.

-Let's go upstairs,

because obviously the bedrooms are important.

Upstairs, there are four double bedrooms of fairly equal sizes,

with built-in storage, one with an en suite, and a family bathroom.

A nice big landing.

-Lots of space.

-And then this is the master bedroom.

Probably about the same size.

Obviously more modern decor, with a little en suite through there.

The doors are a little bit low.

I'm sure we can change them, put them a little bit higher, but, yeah,

I can definitely see this has a really good space upstairs.

I think you can probably get a bit more out of the house in terms of

-longevity.

-Yeah.

Wonderful. Well, the inside seems to be scoring highly.

Let's what happens when we go outside and look at all the options there.

Perfect.

Some positive feedback from Matt and Daisy but I sense it all hangs on

what's still to come - the living space for Matt's parents.

Across the courtyard, there's a large barn,

one end of which is currently used as a gym, with a wet room.

The other end houses a workshop with a loft area.

If Matt and Daisy wanting to convert it to living quarters,

they would need to get residential planning permission.

But I want to show them the four-and-three-quarter acres of land,

which includes two paddocks and a large garden.

Now, one thing this property does have - a cracking field.

It's a really nice size.

Really big. A really nice field.

Easily separate this off into paddocks for the horses.

Yeah, definitely. There's a nice lot of land here to work with.

Feels this property is a bit more coherent in the sense you've got the

land attached and your parents would be sort of opposite but a little bit

separate. Do you think you could make it work for your parents?

Yeah, I think we could easily. There's the scope to turn it into

potentially a nice little two-bedroom annexe there.

Of course, you need money to do that.

What do you think this big portion of land, and property,

is on the market for?

I'm probably going to say 575.

Daisy?

I'm going to go a bit lower. I was going to say 545.

545.

OK, your skills are warming up.

It's on the market for £550,000.

-Yeah, a good price.

-Yeah.

Yes. Definitely leaves money in the budget to develop the outbuilding.

Good. So, there's a lot to look at in this property and I know we've

been whizzing round. So,

take a stroll round and I'll collect you when you're done.

-Perfect.

-Brilliant. Thank you.

-See you in a bit.

This substantial character farmhouse has four bedrooms in the main

property and the potential to create a separate two-bedroom annexe in the

existing outbuildings, subject to the necessary consents.

A plot approaching five acres gives Daisy plenty of space for keeping

animals, and all this less than half an hour's drive from Exmoor.

A really nice, large space here.

Yeah. It would make a lovely kitchen-diner.

Then a break-through to the existing barn there and turn it potentially

-into bedrooms.

-A bit of a project.

Yes, definitely.

In terms of the house size,

I definitely feel it's something we can grow into.

There's a lot of potential, a lot of scope here.

The land is just superb.

The location of this property isn't maybe as desirable as the first

property. However, you wouldn't get as nice, flat land as this in Exmoor,

so there's a silver lining.

You surveying your kingdom?

-Yes.

-Good.

Well, I'm going to have to draw a close to this one.

I know it's sort of tickled your fancy but time to draw a line

under today and get ready for tomorrow.

Yeah, I think we need a drink and some time to mull over today.

That's always a good idea, isn't it, after house-hunting.

I'm in the West Country with buyers Matt and Daisy from Buckinghamshire,

who have set their sights on an outdoor life in Exmoor.

For £625,000,

they're looking for a character property was separate space for

Matt's parents, who will be staying with them for half the year.

They've already seen two great properties but still to come,

our mystery house offers a different perspective on multi-generational living.

They had to put this fence here because the horses would come up and put their heads through the window.

I'd let them do it. I'd take the fence down.

And I find out about a local, culinary delicacy, that's making a comeback.

Are you shucking, right?

-This is shucking.

-This is quite an art.

Look at that, it's huge!

Beautiful day here in Exmoor -

the second day of our house-hunting with lovely Matt and Daisy.

Yesterday we did extremely well.

Two bull's-eyes, really.

So we could just kick back and relax but we don't do that on this show.

We've got a mystery house that is right slap bang in the middle of Exmoor National Park,

which is exactly what they wanted but, and here's the but,

they do have to share a roof with Matt's mum and dad.

Our mystery house takes us to Brendon,

a hamlet in the heart of the national park.

Surrounded by Exmoor's beautiful open moorland,

it's just four miles from the dramatic North Devon coastline,

and the popular town of Lynton.

Being one of only three houses in the hamlet,

our mystery property enjoys a peaceful,

rural setting with fantastic walking and riding directly on its doorstep.

Now, we have brought you right into the middle of Exmoor National Park.

-How exciting!

-Yes.

This is obviously a farmstead,

and this is the property that we have to offer you.

-It's really nice.

-Absolutely beautiful.

Yeah. Somebody's looked after it really well.

It's a remarkable property, a remarkable spot.

Of course, you know Exmoor,

but this is dark sky heavens, no street lights,

so at night you can see all the stars.

This property is interesting because it goes back to about 1850 as

the workers' cottage part of the farmstead.

The challenge is that you and your parents will be living under the same roof.

-Yep.

-OK.

That's something we had already considered, so it's not a massive shock,

and it's definitely not a no.

And it does come with some land as well, so...

This is the little front garden.

It would probably be your garden.

But there's potential to make another garden for Matt's parents,

and lots of land for the horses.

Perfect. Excited to go and see more.

Let's look inside.

The current owners have updated the property in the last five years.

Although it's ready to move into,

it's currently used as a holiday let and perhaps lacks that homely feel,

meaning Matt and Daisy will need to use their imaginations.

Come on inside.

You can see what a high spec they've done this cottage up to.

It's a fantastic quality.

They've uncovered this whole fireplace,

put in in the big double log burner.

And next door, in the dining room, there's another log burner,

so you'd be toasty warm.

Wow! We'd be hot.

A lot of light coming in, which is really nice as well, from the windows.

South-facing, all the windows.

The garden's south-facing.

Let's have a peek at the kitchen for you guys.

The kitchen's a bit smaller than the other ones we've shown you,

but a fantastic view out over the horses' paddock,

so you can watch your horses as you're washing up.

It's nice. They had to put this fence here because the horses would

come up and put their heads through the window.

I'd let them do that. I'd take the fence down.

No, it's nice.

I think it's a functional size, isn't it?

Definitely, yeah.

It's something we should surely want to update but we could

definitely live in it for the time being.

You have got four bedrooms, all really nice, very freshly decorated.

I'm not going to show you them, because I think more important is to show

where Matt's mum and dad might go.

So we're going to go up to look at their bedroom.

They were clearly excited by the location,

but I'm not sure whether they are sold on our Mystery House just yet.

Although they would be under the same roof as Matt's parents,

there is the potential to separate the property,

giving everyone their own space.

At one end of the cottage,

a recent two-storey side extension

houses a large utility room and shower room on the ground floor.

And a bedroom upstairs.

With its own entrance and staircase,

this could easily be used as a self-contained annexe.

So we have come through an adjoining door from the other house.

-Yes.

-But of course, there is a separate entrance.

So you could close that up.

-OK.

-And this is the bedroom

of the annexe, as it were.

And you could put a... There is a little shower and a toilet here

upstairs. But you could also put a little en-suite here,

so this could be a whole, self-contained upstairs.

Yes, yes. I mean it would limit them to one bedroom.

Yeah, there is only space for one bedroom.

Because you are in the Exmoor National Park,

you can't really go up.

-Yes.

-I can see you are processing this all.

Let's look downstairs, because that will make the puzzle make more sense.

And you can also look where we can push out into the garden.

Perfect.

Although this space would need some work to make it a viable option for

Matt's parents, the main house is ready to move into,

with four good-sized double bedrooms

for Daisy and Matt, and their guests,

and a large, modern family bathroom.

They could focus all their efforts on converting the annexe.

Come on in here. As you can see, this at the moment, was a garage.

They have turned it into a sort of sunroom with these doors.

But what we were thinking is that, you know,

you've got all the water here,

but you could turn this may be into a kind of kitchen, sitting room, diner.

Then put a conservatory out through there.

They did mention that, if there is scope for a conservatory,

they would really like it.

That's something they had in their last house.

Again, it would have to be with planning, but you know,

a conservatory is not such a big deal. It wouldn't be impinging on anyone's view.

I think it is a good space. I think, adding the en-suite upstairs would make a big difference,

-wouldn't it?

-That would make a lot of difference to it.

Let's look outside, when you talk about, sort of, that aspect as well.

Outside, there is a lovely lawn garden surrounded by a stone wall

with direct access to five acres of pasture.

Let me explain a bit about the land.

Basically, this whole field is yours.

And it actually goes up into a fair chunk of that woodland as well.

-Perfect.

-What we were thinking is that if you

put a French door in there,

brought the conservatory out right to the edge,

you would have quite a big area of living room for your parents,

subject to planning, of course.

And then you could step down and make this their garden.

Yes. Very nice, good space.

What do you think this big parcel of land and property is on the market for?

Considering that the annexe is attached,

but then there is quite a bit of land and we are on the Exmoor National Park,

so that does push the price up a bit.

I'm going to go...

525?

Same as the first property.

I'd probably say about 560.

560.

So, in this case, you are both wrong.

-Surprise.

-Yeah.

But unfortunately, this is in the other direction,

this is actually on the market at 625.

-Oh, right.

-Wow.

-Completely wrong.

-Yeah.

-Because the Exmoor National Park commands quite a premium.

-Yeah.

-Yeah, it does push it up.

I guess I was being a bit hopeful.

I know there is a lot to think about, so why don't you nosy around inside

-and I will see you out in the garden?

-Perfect.

This Mystery House has four bedrooms in the main house and the potential

to create a self-contained annexe in the extension

with its own entrance and garden.

Subject to planning permission.

It might be right at the top of Matt and Daisy's budget,

but it is right in the middle of Exmoor National Park.

And with five acres, it is the largest plot they've seen.

Really good size space, isn't it?

-Yeah.

-Get rid of the sink.

Yeah.

-Lovely views, as well.

-Yeah.

Beautiful views. The location is absolutely perfect.

Riding out on the moor would be not a problem.

And the land that comes with it as well, absolutely...

-Really good.

-Being in the national park is definitely a benefit for Daisy and myself.

However, the fact that the annexe might not be ideal for the parents is really going

to be a deciding factor in our move.

All done with the Mystery House?

-Yes, indeed.

-Yes, we are. That's the lot.

I've showed you all the houses we have our sleeves.

So let's find somewhere to sit, relax, and think through them all.

Perfect.

Back in the 19th century,

the Exmoor coastal village of Porlock was famed for its oysters.

The opening of the railway from Minehead to London in the 1870s meant that

oysters brought out of the sea during the day were on London

restaurant tables that evening.

Yet overfishing by trawlers led to

the demise of these once teeming oyster beds.

By the turn of the 20th century,

the industry had all but died away.

Almost 120 years on,

a local community initiative has reintroduced oysters back into the

waters of Porlock Bay.

I've come to meet Roger Hall to find out more about the project.

What a lovely spot.

I've never been to Porlock before, I'm delighted to be here.

And I'm particularly delighted to be here because you are instrumental in,

kind of, resuscitating oyster trades here?

I did not even know oysters grew in the Bristol Channel.

Yes, apparently, back in the 1800s it was quite a big business here.

All was going well until the 1890s,

when apparently all these boats from Colchester and Whitstable turned up,

where we now know that their oyster beds were nearly fished out,

and they simply dredged all the oyster beds in the Bristol Channel

out, destroyed all the seed oysters in the process,

and that was the end of oyster fishing.

Until we came along a few years ago.

In 2012, the parish council set up a scheme to encourage new projects and

businesses of benefit to the local community.

In line with its heritage.

After a successful trial, oyster farming was brought back to Porlock Bay.

Today, Roger and his co-director, David Salter, are waiting for the tide to go out

to measure their latest batch of oysters.

It looks like I'm just in time to join them.

David. Hi, David.

-This is Alistair.

-Hi, Alistair.

Nice to meet you. One of my colleagues.

So what's the actual logistics of getting them out of the water?

They are presumably... Do they grow like mussels?

Do they attach to things?

Different to a mussel, where the mussel grows a beard,

the oyster is just in a big shell.

So we put the oysters into big, heavy plastic sacks.

And then strap them down onto metal trestles, so they are in the water,

and they are being fed once they are under the water,

all the waves and the nutrients are going over them.

But then they expose them at certain times of the day,

that's when we can work on them or harvest them.

But that exposure actually toughens them up a bit.

It makes their meat a little bit thicker and stronger,

so you get more muscle in it.

It's much chewier oyster, more flavour.

Nice.

Although the oysters are just 300 metres away,

the Severn estuary has the second highest tidal range in the world,

at just over 12 metres,

which helps to keep the water clean but makes access limited.

Roger and David have just a few hours over two to four days twice a month

to check and harvest the oysters.

The tide is going out pretty fast, as you predicted.

Yes, it is. We should get down there.

Let's have a rummage, then you can see what we're talking about.

-And go and do some oysters.

-Oh, have you got your thing?

-I've got my shucking knife!

-Your shucking knife! That's it.

I'm told that Porlock Bay oysters

have the best classification for purity in England and Wales.

This is the only Pacific oyster site with a class A rating,

meaning although Roger and David choose to put the oysters through

a thorough purification process,

they can legally be sold or eaten fresh from the sea.

They look like sort of... ghostly sun loungers.

I know!

-That's right, yeah.

-Covered in seaweed.

The sun loungers of past holidays.

A Titanic sun lounger.

Yes.

So what we do, every month, we get down here...

..take the bags off the trestles, shake the bags, turn them over,

give them another shake. That takes a little bit of extra growth off

the shell, and you putting more growth into the meat and the inside.

-OK.

-Also, you clean the seaweed and any silt out,

and that allows the oyster to get more water in so it can feed.

Each of these bags holds 250 oysters.

In total, there are around 80,000 currently growing here in the bay.

Each batch takes three years to grow.

Give them a shake.

Tip it up, and the technical name for that is defrilling.

-Defrilling?

-Yeah.

-So how old are these ones?

These oysters are about 18 months old.

18 months, that's not so old, right?

-No, no.

-So it's shucking, right?

-Shucking.

-This is quite an art.

With their first batch selling twice as fast as expected,

Roger and David are well on their way to resurrecting this local industry.

In five years' time,

they plan to be growing and harvesting

in excess of 300,000 oysters a year.

Oh, look at that, it's huge!

-Nice oyster.

-We have been told that these are the tastiest oysters...

that you can get.

When you say we have been told, have you ever tasted one?

I've tasted a cooked one.

You've never tasted a raw one?

-I haven't yet. No.

-Are you going to taste one too, Roger?

-Yeah.

-Go on.

-OK, OK.

They're beautiful-looking oysters.

That's a good one, too.

-Here you are, Roger.

-Thank you very much.

One, two, three.

Here we go.

That is corking good.

What do you think?

I'm really impressed.

Because I've never had it without vinegar or something on it.

No, it's really nice, just to have them like that.

Here's to Porlock, the home of the oyster.

-To Porlock!

-Well, thank you very much.

With our tour of Exmoor drawing to a close,

it's time to catch up with Matt and Daisy

and find out if any of our three properties were to their taste.

Look. We started by the river and we are finishing by the river.

It's perfect. So it's been a great week.

We showed you three nice houses.

Have any of them jumped out at you?

-Yeah.

-Yeah, I think we can say, we have had a wonderful week,

and seeing those three spectacular properties.

But we do feel that property number one...

Probably our leading lady at the moment.

Oh. Why is she the leading lady?

I think it offers us everything we want, really.

It's got the separate space for Matt's mum and dad,

but at the same time, they are still close enough that

we can all be together.

Obviously it has the land we have always wanted as well.

Paul and Linda, your mum and dad,

became the real deciding factor in the hunt

as we went through the week.

Is that a fair comment?

I think in a way that is correct, yes.

They are, of course, an important factor in the move.

And, it's a place that needs to suit both of us.

Not just Daisy and myself, but them also.

And in terms of what happens next,

I know your mum and dad have sold their house.

-Yes, yes.

-So they are ready to go.

What are the next few steps for you two?

Go back for a second viewing, I think, probably, on the first property.

Yeah, definitely have a second look at that property, with the parents.

-They're going to come this weekend.

-Oh, great.

-They will come and look around with us.

Have a look of the area, because they don't know it too well,

so it will be nice to get them to fall in love with it as we have.

I hope house number one works out.

-Keep us in the loop.

-Definitely.

Yes.

I've come down to the Lorna Doone packhorse bridge,

perhaps the most quintessential slice of Exmoor that we could fit inside your TV screen

to finish off this lovely week down in North Devon and Somerset.

And, I think a great success.

I think Matt and Daisy were pleased with the houses we have shown them

and even though Matt's parents want here, and that added a sort of

level of uncertainty, I think they will buy that first house.

I hope they are, because it would be perfect for them.

And I hope you enjoyed watching us and you will come back for more next

time, on Escape To The Country.

Matt and Daisy went back for a second viewing of property one with

Matt's parents, who saw the potential in the annexe but unfortunately felt it was

one project too far.

They are now taking a break from house-hunting to go on honeymoon,

but will be back exploring Exmoor on their return.

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