North Devon Escape to the Country

The riverbed that runs through this great Victorian aqueduct

was the birthplace of one of England's most famous

fictional animal heroes.

Find out who he was, and what county I'm in,

in just a few moments.

On today's show, we're challenged to find

the perfect rural hideaway with lots of land.

And it seems the more remote, the better.

I'd just love to be stuck in the middle of nowhere. I love it.

-It's really pretty.

-It's really pretty.

'And there's much more to love when we uncover

'a potential home that may deliver the dream.'

With this property, you also get over two acres of land.

JULIE GASPS

Yay!

Oh! Oh, my goodness!

Don't, you're going to start me off!

Today I'm in Devon,

and behind me is the Beam Aqueduct, or Canal Bridge,

as the author Henry Williamson called it in his classic novel,

Tarka the Otter, published back in 1927.

Williamson's accurate description of the River Torridge

and the surrounding countryside now form the 180-mile Tarka Trail,

so along with the chance of spotting an otter,

you also get to explore a landscape that has hardly changed

since the book was written all those years ago.

Lying in the South West Peninsula,

Devon shares land borders to the west and east,

with the Bristol Channel to the north

and the English Channel to the south.

The South West Coastal Path spans each shoreline,

65% of which is designated Heritage Coast, noted for

its natural beauty, wildlife, and historical significance.

The seaside village of Combe Martin, up on the north coast,

is widely thought to have the longest village street in England,

and holds the record for the longest street party in the country.

And what a picturesque backdrop for the celebration, sandwiched between

the Exmoor National Park and an award-winning beach.

Further west, along the coast,

Clovelly sprang up as a fishing harbour.

Much of it is inaccessible to cars,

making the muddle of cobbled streets a delight to explore on foot.

The steep gradient here

meant goods were traditionally delivered by donkeys.

Although the donkey work is now done by sledge,

the much-loved animals are still a popular sight in the village.

Devon also boasts many architectural gems.

The 12th-century Hartland Abbey was the last monastery seized

under the Dissolution of the Monasteries.

It was subsequently given to the keeper of Henry VIII's wine cellar

by the king himself, in the 16th century -

a lavish gift bestowed upon the aptly-named William Abbott,

whose descendants still live here today.

So, whether it's historic buildings, remote moorland,

or quaint seaside vistas, Devon is a wonderful place

for a temporary - or more permanent - rural escape.

The average cost of a detached home here in Devon is around £310,000.

That's £23,000 above the national average.

But don't forget that that figure includes the property hot spots

of Salcombe to the south and Croyde to the north,

where homes can often sell for double the national average.

Move further inland and you get more for your money,

particularly around the market towns of South Moulton and Tavistock.

So, with that in mind,

let's meet today's buyer, and find out where they'd like to settle.

Pharmacist Julie from Shoreham-by-Sea in West Sussex

is about to embark on a complete change of lifestyle,

and has set her sights on relocating to the West Country.

I've wanted to move westwards for quite some time now.

I just think it's a dream of mine, and I can achieve it.

As children, we used to go caravanning and tenting

down in Devon, so I just feel I've grown up with that countryside,

and I've got a genuine love of it.

And helping her to realise this dream

is good friend and work colleague, fellow pharmacist Morella.

I think it's wonderful to be able to do something

that you've always wanted to do. That's really important in life.

I think, basically, I'm just there to support her,

and if I see something that I think would be right,

I would actually say what is right and what I think is right.

I tend to go by my heart rather than my brain,

and I'm hoping Morella will be the brain in this, this, erm...

Absolutely.

Moving will of course mean leaving behind the three-bed end-of-terrace

that's been Julie's home for the last 15 years,

and though she's enjoyed living there,

she's now after a more peaceful pace of life.

Shoreham, I feel, is definitely becoming more busy.

Lots more traffic coming through.

I hanker after the country life.

I've just come back from a week's holiday in Devon, and, erm...

I just felt I'd come home, as it were.

It's a slice of heaven, in my eyes.

By turning her holiday destination into a permanent address,

Julie hopes to expand on her hobbies,

spend more time with her dogs

and maybe even add some livestock to the list.

She's so in love with animals.

Everything in her life is around animals,

so, yeah, it's very, very important to her.

I'd like to be able to get more animals, some chickens,

-maybe adopt...

-A horse!

-Adopt a donkey or two.

-Goats.

-Goats.

-Everything.

THEY LAUGH

With so much to look forward to, there's just one downside,

and that's leaving local mates behind.

Well, of course I'll miss them. But I'm quite sociable, and I think

I can make new friends, as long as there's a nice pub nearby.

-And we can come out and visit.

-Yeah.

Yeah, I'm obviously hoping friends will come and visit.

I've never seen Devon, but I'm excited to go,

and I could get the Devon bug, and want to move down there myself.

Julie wants us to focus our house search in the north of the county,

where she hopes to get the best value for her property pound.

And before we start the search, I'm meeting up with the two friends

in the county to find out even more about the specifics of this move.

Welcome to Devon.

So, Julie, why are you making this move here?

It's been a dream of mine for several years now.

And there's always some reason why I can't make that actual move,

but as I'm getting a bit older, I've just got to fulfil my dream,

and I'm the only one that can make that happen.

So what is it about Devon in particular

that makes you dream of living here?

It's just so peaceful. I mean, the views, look behind us.

It's such varied countryside, you've got the sea,

you can get from the north coast to the south coast in an hour.

It's just so beautiful and, most of all, it's quiet.

Morella, interesting, because you've never been to Devon before.

No, I haven't. It's really lovely, on first view. It's really lovely.

-I love it, yep.

-So you must be quite excited

that Julie's able to pursue this dream now.

I'm really happy for her. That's what she wants to do, so hopefully,

-she'll find what she wants.

-And what kind of person is she?

She's quite instinctive. She'll walk into a place,

and she'll know if it's the right place for her.

Well, let's talk about the right place,

about what you imagine from it, and also what you need from it.

Well, I don't mind if it's fairly isolated,

I don't mind if it's near a village.

I feel that I'm quite good at making friends.

I'd like preferably a detached house with some land,

and that's top of my list, the land aspect,

because I'm just mad on animals, and I'd love to have a horse

or some chickens, etc.

I want to live a bit of the good life, really, I think,

maybe grow my own veggies as well.

So, we've got to have room for all the animals.

What about for the friends when they come to stay?

Minimum two bedrooms, maybe three would be good.

Like most people, I want a big kitchen,

the heart of the house.

-This is a really big life change for you, isn't it?

-Mm-hmm.

What do you think, Morella,

that Julie's not going to compromise on in this search?

I think that the land's important,

because of the animals that she wants to have.

-I think that's probably the only thing.

-Mmm.

-Yeah.

If the property didn't come with much land,

as long as there was some land nearby that I could maybe rent,

that would be a good compromise.

So, Julie, remind me of the budget

that we're working with on the search.

Erm... I've got £350,000.

Any wiggle room on that for the right property?

Maybe for the dream property, yes.

-Yeah, maybe a little bit more.

-OK.

Well, it's a great budget for this part of the country.

We've got some fantastic properties to show you, so are you both ready?

-Yeah.

-Yeah.

-Let's go house-hunting.

Julie has confirmed that she's happy to stretch her budget

to a maximum of £375,000.

And for that figure, she's looking for a detached house

with two to three bedrooms and a large kitchen,

not forgetting land to keep some animals.

She's after a tranquil, rural setting,

with easy access to both coast and countryside.

We've got some wonderful houses lined up,

all in beautifully appealing settings,

but the price tags won't be revealed until the end of each tour.

Our final property is the Mystery House,

which will challenge on look, lifestyle, and location.

-You've already got your dogs.

-Yep.

And you have got plans to have a bit of a menagerie.

Yes. Yes, definitely chickens.

And any other waifs and strays that need rescuing, you know.

The odd lamb, maybe, or... I can just see myself as being

that eccentric old lady with lots of animals around her.

We are starting our house tour in Central Devon,

just over a mile from the small town of North Tawton.

Surrounded by unspoilt Devon countryside, the centrepiece of

North Tawton is a Grade II-listed clocktower, built in 1887

to commemorate Queen Victoria's Golden Jubilee.

The town has a great range of shops, pubs, and restaurants,

alongside a number of other establishments that may suit Julie,

or even her dogs.

And when it comes to walking them, there is no shortage of places

to explore, with the Tarka Trail passing straight through the town.

Just a five-minute drive away,

in a rural setting, we find our first house.

So, this is the one I've brought you to see.

It is a three-bedroom detached period property.

It was all part of a former mill,

so it has all been converted into various houses.

-The detached part here was the old granary.

-I like.

-In terms of the style, what do you think?

-No, I really like it.

I love the stonework.

-Yes, really like it.

-What about you, Morella?

Can you imagine Julie in something like this?

Yeah, possibly.

How do you feel about the location?

The location is good in terms of surroundings.

The only thing I'm a bit worried about

-is the noise of the road behind.

-There is a road there.

It is not like an A-road that you would find in a busy town, there

will be certain times of the day when it is used more than others.

-Sure.

-But we can't get away from that fact that it's there.

-No, no.

-Means you are well-connected, though.

Yes, yes, true.

Well, why don't we take a look inside and just see if,

once you've had a look at the house, if the feel of the house

perhaps overcomes your reservations about the road.

Yes, great.

OK?

The historic pedigree of this detached property

has been protected by a Grade-II listing.

But its conversion from an industrial granary into a home

is a successful blend of character and contemporary,

perfect for 21st-century living.

So, straight in.

It's all open-plan.

Let's take a look through here at the kitchen.

You've got a nice, country style kitchen, with lovely views

-out over the fields.

-Yes.

-What do you think of the style of the kitchen?

-Yeah, I like it.

Does open-plan grab you? Is that something you'd considered?

Yes, definitely.

It is quite nice, because the kitchen is separated off.

It is also very practical, because you have got a downstairs bathroom,

-and a really good-sized utility room.

-Mm-hm.

What do you think, Morella?

It's nice, but I think it's a little small. A bit tiny.

Just wander through and take a look at this, because of course,

this is what the house is all about. It's all these original features.

The old uprights, original beams, stone wall.

Lovely fire.

-How does the fire grab you?

-I love that fire, yeah.

That's brilliant.

-That's really cosy, isn't it?

-And the seating area here.

You've got the patio doors there out into the garden. Love it.

This is a nice-sized room, though. It is a really good space.

I like this room.

-Can you hear the road?

-No, not at all.

It gets quiet and peaceful.

OK, well, downstairs, as I say, it is just this really big, open-plan,

lovely space to live in. There are three good-sized bedrooms

upstairs, so shall we go and explore those?

-Great, yes.

-Yes.

Despite initial concerns, Julie seems to be warming

to this unique property. Upstairs, there are three bedrooms

to choose from, two of which have built-in storage,

and make use of a half-tiled family bathroom.

And that leaves just the master suite.

So, upstairs you really get huge ceiling heights, fantastic,

and you've got the old A frame up there.

Amazing. Absolutely amazing.

Second sitting area in there, or dressing area, then you have got

-your en-suite bathroom.

-Yes.

-What do you think?

-Yeah. It's got everything, hasn't it?

-A bedroom with an en-suite is really good.

-Yeah.

-I've never had one of those.

-Yes, that would be nice.

And you've got a lovely view out over the farm's fields.

Yes, wake up to that every morning.

Look, I know that the garden is almost as important to you

as the house itself. You have got all these plans

for the animals that are going to join you when you live here,

so let's take a look at that,

and then I need you both to start thinking about price as well.

OK.

Mindful of Julia's desire to have more animals,

I hope the large garden to the rear

will give her ample space for her plans.

Mostly laid to lawn,

it lies right next to open fields, with far-reaching views.

So, a good-sized garden.

It is about a quarter of an acre.

And you get a lovely view of the property from here,

-see all its character.

-It is lovely.

In terms of the garden, it is a little bit on the small size,

but it is a lovely garden.

Let me just talk to you about what the possibilities are

with the land, because, of course,

it looks out onto the farm's fields behind us.

And we have been told that there could perhaps be some negotiation

with the local farmer to get some extra land.

-So, that's an option there.

-Oh, OK, yeah.

Let's move on to guessing the price,

because that might change things, it might clarify a few things for you.

What do you think this is on the market for?

-Who would like to go first?

-Julie.

Oh, that's nice of you, Morella(!) Go on, then, Julie.

I think it's under.

I am going to go for £340,000.

-OK. Morella?

-I think about £330,000.

Morella is bang on.

-It is actually...

-I find that unbelievable!

It is actually offers in excess of £330,000.

-But that is certainly the guide price.

-OK.

-OK, so you were both pretty close with that.

-Yes.

You know the market round here for sure.

Why don't you go back in, take a look around, just admire

those features, and just spend some more time in it?

-OK.

-Come and find me when you're ready.

Very comfortably below budget for offers over £330,000,

our first property is a detached Grade II-listed former granary,

with some interesting character features.

It comes with the requested three bedrooms, a spacious, open-plan

living and dining area, and with a quarter of an acre plot, there is

a decent amount of garden to keep a few small animals.

From the outside, I did like the look of it,

the stonework and the wood cladding.

Inside, it's got the period features, the beams,

the wood-burning fire, and it's all in very good decorative order.

The outside of the house is really important,

because of the amount of animals that she would like to have.

I don't think it is quite big enough, but it is a nice garden.

The third room's a bonus. She did say that she would be

quite happy with two bedrooms, but the third room is quite good.

I want this to be my forever home.

I need to feel that it's the right place, but not quite right.

-Hello.

-Hello.

-Have you seen enough?

-Yeah, I think so.

-We've got more to explore.

-Great.

With their origins in medieval war horses

bred from stock brought over after the Norman conquest,

Britain's working horses, whether drawing carts

or tilling the fields, were once a common sight across the country.

However, during the first half of the 20th century,

oil-fuelled vehicles like tractors came to be seen as cheaper,

faster, and less demanding,

and so the nation's equine labour was slowly replaced.

But rising concern for the environment,

along with nostalgia for our agricultural heritage,

means some farmers are bringing horses back to the land.

We're sending animal-lover Julie along with Morella

to meet traditional farmer Ben May.

He's offered to show them how he uses shires to work

his 60 acres of Devon countryside.

-Hello.

-Hello.

-Welcome to Lower Upcott Farm.

Thank you, Ben. Thank you for having us.

So, what methods do you use here?

Well, we actually use our horses a lot to do our farm work,

so we do our haymaking with the horses and we do all our

sort of muck-spreading in the winter and then the rolling

and the harrowing in the spring.

And then we do a whole lot of horse logging work,

both on the farm and commercially.

I suppose it's a little bit like a 1940s farm, but we kind of

like to think we're the best of the past and the best of the future,

and that's how we try and do things.

So, Ben, why do you use these traditional methods?

I think it's that connection with the land that I like.

It means that sometimes you can get on the land just that much earlier

and you don't damage the land so much.

But, at the end of the day, it's a way of life.

How many horses do you have?

We've got six horses.

They're all different ages, so we've got some youngsters coming on.

Tom here is 17, so he's starting to get a little bit older.

I think Tom's getting a little bit keen to get on with some work,

so shall we move on and do some horse logging?

-Yeah.

-Yeah, let's go, let's go.

-OK. Come on, boy.

Shire horses are more manoeuvrable than tractors,

can deal with boggier and steeper terrain

and don't leave ruts in the land.

Ben and his horses often work for organisations like

The National Trust in environmentally sensitive locations.

Tom's task today is shifting some felled timber.

The woodland at the farm is mixed and includes some large oak,

along with smaller trees like ash, willow and hazel.

Over. Good boy, walk on.

As Ben is keen for his farm to be as self-sufficient as possible,

much of the wood is used to heat the farmhouse

or turned into charcoal.

And, whoa.

But Ben also uses offcuts in the farm workshop,

where he has another traditional technique

that Julie and Morella can turn their hands to.

So, I've got a piece of hazel here that's come up from the woods.

And we're going to make a parasol mushroom.

So, if you'd like to sit down and have a go,

and I'll just show you what you need to do.

If you put your two feet on each side of this,

then that's a vice for you, so it means you don't have to hold

the piece of wood while you're doing the work.

A draw knife is used to shave the end of the hazel pole,

which will form the stalk of the mushroom.

It's the same basic tool that was used in medieval times

to make chair legs.

Turn the piece of wood around.

And then keep going effectively until you've got a bit of a point.

Oh, that's great, Julie. Good stuff. Why don't you have a go, Morella?

-Your turn.

-Love to.

-BEN LAUGHS

Using the wood from his mixed woodland,

Ben makes a range of cottage crafts,

from furniture to signs and decorative items.

That's it. Good stuff. I think that's great. What I'll do now is...

I'll just take this out and we'll put it together.

We've got this here, and then that goes on here.

-So, there we go.

-Great.

THEY LAUGH

-Thank you very much.

-Pleasure!

One handcrafted garden mushroom completed, it's time to turn

our attention back to finding Julie her own piece of Devon countryside,

as we get back to our house-hunt.

Our property search is heading to the hamlet of West Anstey.

A picturesque hamlet right on the edge of the Exmoor National Park,

this is a rural location with all the walks,

woodlands and wildlife you could hope for.

And when it comes to local amenities,

the small town of Dulverton is a five-mile drive away,

just over the border and into Somerset.

There's a good mix of local businesses,

including a post office, takeaways and pubs,

along with an interesting array of shops.

But it's a short drive into the surrounding countryside

where we find the house I want Julie to see.

JULIE GASPS So, this is what I brought you to see.

Oh! GINNY LAUGHS

-Oh, my word.

-Come on closer.

Take a proper look!

THEY LAUGH

-I like this, Julie.

-Oh! Wow.

This looks really lovely.

-That's a brilliant, positive reaction.

-Oh, yeah.

-And the view, look at that!

-Yeah.

-It's a fantastic view, isn't it?

-Oh, it's amazing.

I take it this meets with approval.

I like the look of this house.

Quite an interesting, quirky layout that...

I have a feeling it might suit you.

I guess the really outstanding feature is...

-The view.

-That's amazing.

-The view is gorgeous.

-Stunning.

-QUIETLY:

-And it's quiet.

-It's fantastic.

-It's so quiet.

-You look quite emotional.

-I know, it's lovely!

-THEY LAUGH

The house looks really nice.

The garden's pretty as well, isn't it?

I couldn't have asked for a better reaction to the outside,

so why don't we go in and explore and see if we can keep that

-very big smile on your face?

-Yes, please.

Well, that's exactly the response I was hoping for.

The breathtaking location is a clear winner,

but I wonder what they'll make of the house.

It dates back to 1870 and is actually a former schoolhouse,

until it was lovingly converted under its old slate roof.

-So, we come straight into the entrance hall.

-Oh!

Now, this would have been the old kitchen in the old house.

From this large hallway, which is doubling up as a snug,

the ground floor of the property is split into two halves.

In the right-hand side, which is the original part of the building,

there's also a sitting room and stairs up to the first floor,

but first for us is the newer extended wing

over on the left-hand side.

The extension through here was done 15 years ago,

so actually, there's a fantastic-sized kitchen-diner

that I'm sure you'll be looking forward to seeing.

Hey, I like this!

-Look at the smile!

-I like this, Julie.

What do you like about it?

-It's really nice and warm.

-I love it.

-She likes it.

-JULIE LAUGHS

-She likes it!

-THEY LAUGH

What do you like about it, Julie?

Well, it's not just a square box. I just love the units.

It's a bit quirky, cos you've got to step down. It's just lovely.

-You've got a little courtyard there.

-I love it.

There's another entrance through the side to the back of the house.

In there is a boot room, a downstairs bathroom,

so if you were out with the dogs, you can come in and get rid

of your dirty, muddy boots and clean the dogs off in there.

I'm a bit overwhelmed, I have to say.

JULIE LAUGHS

I've just got a really good feeling.

-It's nice to see such big smiles on your faces.

-Yeah.

-Really like it.

Well, we've still got more to explore.

Let's wander through into the sitting room.

-This is nice.

-It's nice, isn't it?

We've a second log-burning stove and some nice views.

-Oh, it's lovely.

-It's really bright and cheerful.

It's small, but it's perfect for what I want.

-It's cosy, isn't it?

-Oh, lovely.

-Are you still getting that nice feeling?

-Yes.

-Mmm.

-Just as excited!

-SHE LAUGHS

-Are you?

-I love it.

JULIE LAUGHS

Good.

'I think it's safe to say that this property is really tugging

'on Julie's heartstrings,

'as the ground floor rooms have obviously resonated with her.

'I just hope the feeling continues upstairs.

'Here there's a bright family bathroom and three bedrooms.

'All are comfy doubles and two feature double-aspect windows,

'allowing the light to flood in.

'And those beautiful views across lush farmland draw you in

'as soon as you step inside the rooms.

'That leaves just one more bedroom to see, and that's the master.'

-You can see the character of the property here.

-Yeah.

-It's nice.

It's nice, isn't it?

-The views are superb, aren't they, really?

-Yeah, I really like it.

What are you looking worried about? You look really worried!

THEY LAUGH

-What's going through your mind?

-I'm...waiting for something to be wrong!

-Are you waiting for the "but"?

-Yes.

-OK!

It's just been so lovely so far.

Although Julie's a little anxious,

I'm confident the outside space will also deliver,

so we're heading downstairs to throw open the door

and explore the garden.

It's mostly laid to lawn, framed by beech hedging,

but what hits you straight away has to be that incredible vista

across deeply rural Devonshire fields.

But if we take our attention back to what's on offer with this property,

I've got something else to reveal.

The sunsets are just over there in the west,

-and they're apparently absolutely beautiful.

-Perfect.

I'll have a west-facing back garden.

-Yeah.

-So, you've probably noticed the barn,

the old barn there in the corner with the stables.

You're probably going to need that, I'd have thought,

cos with this property you also get over two acres of land.

JULIE GASPS

-Oh!

-Oh...!

Oh, my goodness!

Don't, you're going to start me off!

Oh, my goodness.

My heart's going like mad.

I'm just so excited about it!

-I'm just praying the price is OK.

-OK.

-So, would you like to go and explore the rest of the land?

-Yes, please!

-THEY LAUGH

Beyond the stable block are three paddocks currently used for horses.

But with two acres of land,

there should be enough room for even more animals.

-I could have sheep as well!

-THEY LAUGH

That's more than enough. That's fantastic.

Morella, you know Julie well.

Is this the kind of place you could see her being?

I think this is a place that she would find herself at home.

And now comes the difficult bit,

cos I have to ask you to guess the price.

I'm going to say 375.

I'm thinking 385, 90 maybe.

Let me put you both out of your misery.

Julie...

-You are absolutely spot-on.

-Oh!

-Wow! I'm so happy!

-THEY LAUGH

I am so happy.

It's on the market for £375,000,

and there could potentially be a small amount of negotiation

on that price as well.

Oh!

JULIE LAUGHS

That's brilliant!

Now, I know the land has always been

something that really matters to you,

so I would normally say go back in

and have another look around the house,

but why don't you just go and explore the land?

-Will do.

-OK, off you go. Go on!

This is absolutely brilliant. I'm so thrilled for Julie.

You can see the emotion in her. It's making me feel emotional.

She just seems to have found somewhere

that has really struck a chord with her heart.

It's wonderful.

Hello.

Oh, beautiful.

This is perfect.

On budget with a price tag of £375,000,

this proposition is indeed a perfect match to Julie's wish list.

A detached Victorian property,

it has three bedrooms and the large kitchen-diner she wants

along with a sitting room featuring views out to the garden.

A whopping two acres of land should be more than ample

for chickens and rescue ponies.

And the stunning, peaceful location seems to be spot-on.

I loved this house right from the word go.

I like the outside, the views are just stunning.

Inside, the kitchen, it's got lots of features,

the lovely bare wood, the wood-burning stoves.

I could see in Julie's face that she loved it.

It was written all over her face, so...

And then when we went inside, she fell in love even more with it,

and then when she saw the land, that finished it.

The two acres of land is just amazing.

It's just incredible. I'm so happy.

-Have you had a good explore?

-Oh, we have, we have.

-And that smile's still on your face.

-Yes! I want to stay!

Well, you can't, because the search isn't over and there's more to see,

-so I need to drag you away, I'm afraid.

-OK.

-Come on.

It's the start of our second day of property shopping

for animal-loving Julie from Shoreham-by-Sea in West Sussex,

who's chosen to get away from it all in the county of Devon.

With a budget of £375,000,

she's brought her friend Morella along to help her find

a dream country home with some land.

So far, we've visited an ideal house that could prove hard to beat.

I'm just so excited about it.

But still to come,

our Mystery House puts her right in the thick of things

with an alternative outlook and style.

-What do you think?

-It's different.

THEY LAUGH

Different in a good way, different in a bad way?

It looks very attractive, actually.

And I'm joining the harvest when I visit a traditional Devon orchard

and then enjoy the fruits of our labour.

It's so sweet and zingy and fresh-tasting.

It's the second day of our house-hunt here in Devon

and what became clear yesterday

was the land is as important to Julie as the house itself.

Well, we'll be putting that to the test with our Mystery House,

which will offer Julie a slice of village life

in the heart of a thriving community.

But first, we're off to see a property that would allow Julie

to put her own stamp on her home here in Devon.

How will she feel about a challenge like that?

To start the day we're heading closer towards the north coast

and our destination is just outside the village of Parkham.

Being a small rural place,

there aren't too many amenities in the village

but there is a thatched 13th-century cob-walled pub

and a 14th-century church.

The village is less than a mile from the next house,

and so within walking distance for Julie and her dogs.

Passing through agricultural farmland,

off the beaten track and up an unadopted road,

we come to the property we're here to see.

Here we go.

It's a very, very pretty 19th-century cottage.

What do you think?

-Yeah, I love it.

-It's really pretty.

-It's really pretty.

The fact that it's detached, is that a positive?

That's a positive, definitely. I'm more than happy so far.

What do you think of the location?

Yeah, it's lovely. Really peaceful. It's lovely.

You're 20 minutes' walk from some very beautiful beaches

and from the coast,

so here you really do have the best of both worlds -

you've got coast and you've got countryside.

How does that sound?

That sounds fantastic.

We are up a real old country lane here.

A good chance you might get snowed in when that snow comes.

That's what I want.

-THEY LAUGH

-I love the snow.

I'd just love to be stuck in the middle of nowhere.

Why don't we go and take a look inside the house?

-I think we're off to a really good start with this one.

-Yeah.

Originally starting life as two separate cottages

in the early 1800s, but later knocked into one,

this pretty property is nestled on the hillside,

looking out over uninterrupted views,

surrounded by a generous garden

with steps that take us down to the patio and front porch.

So we come straight into the kitchen.

What I really love about this house

is that it's so snug and so cosy with lots of character.

You've got a friend there in the corner.

I know - you and your animals!

-Is he staying?

-THEY GIGGLE

Sadly, he's not.

I like the units. I like it.

What do you think, Morella?

You're quiet, you're quiet.

-I mean, it's a nice little kitchen.

-It's got everything. It feels nice.

So I'm quite happy with it, actually.

-It's cosy, isn't it?

-Yeah.

Let's go off and explore the rest of the downstairs.

A long, wide property, this home is just one room deep.

On the ground floor, the kitchen leads to two reception rooms.

Right next door to the kitchen is the first of these,

currently used as a cosy snug with a stove.

Then neighbouring this is the main living room,

which has a big feature fireplace.

Wow!

Oh, Morella, look at that.

-What a lovely fireplace.

-A bread oven.

-Yeah.

-It's welcoming.

That is, isn't it?

-And it's cosy, as well.

-It's beautiful.

-Yeah.

So just imagine getting snowed in -

you'd have every excuse just to sit by this fire day after day.

I'd love it.

It feels really nice and warm, homely.

It's got a very nice flow through.

I can see myself here.

The fact that Julie is picturing herself here is

a really encouraging sign.

Upstairs, there are three equally charming bedrooms

and the family bathroom.

One of the bedrooms is a good-sized double,

another is slightly smaller with bunk beds.

And, finally, the one where Julie might sleep.

So this is the master bedroom.

It's nice and bright and airy. What do you think?

First impressions, yeah, good.

I like it. I do like the fitted wardrobes.

I can see I could maybe change a few things in here,

reveal the floor again.

Yeah, I think make my mark on this, as well.

-It's a really nice-sized room.

-Mm-hm.

I guess you wouldn't have to do that immediately.

-No, I mean, it's liveable as it is at the moment.

-Mm, perfectly.

There's nothing that she has to change straightaway,

because it all looks quite... It looks quite nice, doesn't it?

Mm-hmm.

Now one thing that I've realised about you is that,

as much as the house has to be great,

it's the outside that matters, just as much.

Let's not keep you in suspense any longer,

let's go and explore outside.

Back through the house and outside, steps lead up to an extensive garden

and the first of a number of lawn terraces.

As you can see, it's long and it's narrow,

-but it is actually quite a good size.

-Mm-hm.

OK, so you've got the area down at the bottom

that you could easily keep chickens in.

Then you've got the stepped areas here with some amazing views

from the area up at the top where there's a pretty garden swing.

It is long and thin.

I'm not sure whether it's big enough.

I'm not going to be able to spring a surprise on you like yesterday.

However, the farmer who lives just down the lane

manages and farms all the land around here

and there could be a conversation to be had with him

about potentially leasing some land.

I always felt that as long as there was that possibility,

I wouldn't rule it out, definitely.

There may not be acres, but I'm glad Julie is keeping an open mind

regarding the potential here.

'And up a few more small steps is a vantage point

'that might persuade her further.'

-The climb is worth it, isn't it?

-Mmm.

It's really pretty.

That's beautiful. That's idyllic countryside, isn't it?

-It's just.... Yeah.

-It is lovely.

So what do you think this one is on the market for?

I think, although it hasn't got the land,

I think because of the location,

I think I'm going to be optimistic and say 360.

-I would have said that, as well.

-OK.

-Well, you can both...

-You can say that.

I think around that price, I think she's right.

I'm sorry to say that you are both wrong, unfortunately.

-It actually on the market for less than that.

-Wow.

It's on for £315,000.

-That's quite a drop, isn't it, to what we thought?

-Wow!

-Wow, now that puts...

-Things into perspective.

-Yeah.

Wow, that's amazing. 315.

Yeah, that is such good news.

That gives me a nice little bit of money

to do what I really want to do.

A lot to see, a lot to think about at this point.

Why don't you wander back inside?

-Start thinking about where you could put your own stamp on it.

-OK.

-Off you go. Come and find me when you're ready.

-OK, thanks.

What a fantastic reaction.

I really thought that yesterday was all sewn up.

We'd seen that property. Julie was so emotional about it.

But now I think there could be a battle on the cards.

A huge £60,000 below budget,

this detached 19th-century property could be another contender.

It has a cottage kitchen, two reception rooms,

three bedrooms and a garden that wraps around the property.

And the location is in a blissful spot,

offering a great deal of privacy and calm.

I was amazed with the price. That was such good news to the ear.

It's really thrown the cat amongst the pigeons.

Um, I really like it.

After yesterday, I didn't think anything would beat that,

but I can see such a lot of potential here,

lots of different things that I could do.

How about if we could maybe knock through here

to open up this space into a kitchen-diner?

It'll make it a nice space if you take that wall down.

That's definitely a possibility.

-It's not something that you have to do straightaway, is it?

-No.

I think Julie has got more potential of making it her own here.

It's a little bit remote, and that's what she likes.

So, er...I think, ideally, this could be the place for her.

I'm just admiring this beautiful courtyard garden.

There's so much going on with this house.

There is so much you could do with it, yeah.

How are you feeling?

A bit overwhelmed again.

Guess what?

You've got the Mystery House to see next. Come on.

Just 50 years ago, the county of Devon had one of the highest

concentrations of traditional orchards in the country

and the area was once known as the cider capital of England.

But now that a significant proportion of our apples

are imported, or commercially farmed,

many heritage varieties are under threat,

along with the wildlife which depends on these orchard ecosystems.

So to find out about the importance of preserving

our traditional orchards, I've come to meet Ed Nicholson,

head ranger of the Killerton Estate, near Broadclyst,

where the apple harvest is in full swing.

Just walking through here on this beautiful sunny day,

surrounded by apple trees,

you would be forgiven for thinking that small orchards like this

are alive and well and thriving here in Devon,

but sadly that's not the case, is it?

No, not really.

Across the region we've lost about 90% of the orchards

here in the south-west.

How is that happening?

Obviously, the demand for apples is still there -

people want to eat them, they want to drink apple juice,

they want to drink cider.

They do, the demand's higher than ever, really.

To harvest apples from these sorts of trees, basically,

is very labour-intensive.

So what we're doing, we're just sticking to a few mainstream

varieties that are easy and less complex to grow

and all these traditional trees are just disappearing.

To a greater or lesser degree, yeah.

Why is it important that orchards like this,

these smaller orchards, thrive?

These are a really special habitat.

You can just feel it on a day like this,

it's a magical place to be.

So calm, so peaceful, and yet they're just so right for wildlife.

Basically, we use 100% of the fruit that's in these orchards.

Only 50% of it goes for humans,

50% of it, we leave behind for the overwintering birds,

the insects and all of the cycles that go on with that.

These particular trees, they're very old,

they're quite gnarly and basically they've got

a lot of lichen in there, they've got a lot of interest from

the mosses on there and they're just a great habitat.

How do we ensure then that things don't get worse

and that small orchards like this are there

for future generations to enjoy?

Go and taste and experience your local varieties.

Then, if you've got a bit of ground,

they do say five trees makes an orchard.

So, you know, get five trees, plant your own traditional orchard.

I've got one, they're on the way!

There are over 6,000 different apple varieties in Britain

and the estate here is home to around 100 of them,

with at least 70 in this orchard alone.

12 tonnes of the fruit are used to make cider for the estate,

mostly collected by community groups and volunteers.

'I'm told that it's only after I've joined the harvest,

'with Ed and Molly, that I'm allowed to taste some.'

You have one of those, I'll have one of these.

-By the time we fill these up, we should have enough.

-OK.

-Molly's pinched an apple.

-She helps to pick them.

Basically, we want everything that's nice and firm,

that's reasonable to eat.

-OK.

-We don't want anything that's mouldy.

Unlike eating apples, cider apples are picked from the ground,

for it's at the point they're ready to drop

that they have the highest sugars and starches needed

to make sweet cider.

I guess if most of us were asked to name

a few varieties of apple,

we could probably come up with four or five.

You've got an awful lot more than that growing here, haven't you?

There are, yeah. Each area would have its own

and they'd often be named after where they were born.

Basically, two varieties that came from the estate here,

Killerton Sweet and Killerton Sharp.

What's the ratio, then?

Is that going to get me a decent amount of cider?

Almost a pint.

-That's OK, that'll do.

-That'll do for a start.

I don't need more than a pint!

'I add my somewhat slim pickings to the apples collected earlier.'

How many's in the bag?

There's probably about 300kg in there.

'That's a hefty weight of apples to shift

'so Ed fires up the tractor.

'I help him fix the bag in place before we transport the fruit

'down to the estate's 200-year-old cider press.'

Oh, my goodness me.

That is a press, isn't it? Wow!

Yeah, quite a beast, isn't it?

But, yeah, this is where we turn all the apples into the juice

which we then ferment into the cider.

-I'm guessing it's not going to do that on its own?

-It's not.

As ever, we rely heavily on our volunteers.

So...are you ready, guys?

No pesticides or chemicals are used,

just pure unadulterated fruit - and a whole lot of elbow grease.

The juice is fermented for about six months before the cider is ready

but my mouth is watering now.

'So I'm going to sample some of the raw juice direct from the press.'

That's delicious.

It's so sweet and zingy and fresh-tasting.

I've never tasted apple juice as good as that before.

-This is very raw, raw apple juice.

-Cheers.

The 50 acres of orchards on this estate may now be

a drop in the ocean compared to the numbers that once existed in Devon.

But it's encouraging to witness and taste how every drop

of the produce grown here

is supporting the local wildlife and fruit-growing heritage

that was once so prevalent across the county's fertile landscape.

Julie, how do you feel? Off to see the Mystery House now

after seeing a couple of properties that have caused

-quite a strong reaction.

-Yes.

In a way, I'm hoping I don't like the Mystery House,

because it'll just confuse me all the more.

What would your heart absolutely sink at the thought of?

Brand-new.

Brand-new. New.

Yes, yeah.

I want character.

-So something very modern is not for you.

-No. No.

Who knows? I might fall in love with a modern property.

Julie shouldn't worry, for we haven't got a new build lined up,

and it is full of character, but not in the way she might expect.

Another twist is the location. To get there,

we're making our way to the village of Bratton Fleming.

A large village, close to both the coast and the countryside,

Bratton Fleming is set on a hillside,

right on the fringes of the Exmoor National Park,

so plenty of walking opportunities on the doorstep.

Residents are served by a church dating back to the mid-19th century,

a village shop and pub.

There are lots of ways to get to know the local community.

Since Julie will be moving out to Devon on her own,

it's this potential social connection that's prompted

our choice for the mystery property.

It lies right on the main street,

smack bang in the centre of the village.

So the Mystery House...

..is right here in front of us.

-It's an old schoolhouse.

-It's a chapel.

Yeah, it was attached to the chapel,

which is a separate building on the right.

The schoolhouse on the left dates back earlier to 1881.

What do you think?

It's different.

Different in a good way, different in a bad way?

No, it looks very attractive, actually.

What do you think, Morella?

I think it looks lovely.

It's really interesting from the outside.

It's not as remote as Julie wanted,

but I think you have to see the inside

to see whether it's going to be a good thing or not.

I think you're going to be in for a pleasant surprise

when we open the door.

-Really?

-Come on.

'Despite being in the heart of the village,

'they both seem impressed by the outside of our Mystery House.'

Converted in 2007, the interior is a prime example

of historic character and contemporary design combined.

Renovated to a high standard,

it also features a unique inverted layout.

It's an upside-down house.

-Oh, is it?

-Which means the main living space is upstairs.

-Shall we head straight up?

-Yeah.

The main living area may be upstairs

but the majority of the accommodation

lies on the ground floor and includes four bedrooms,

two bathrooms, and a kitchen-diner.

To really set the scene

'of what this unique property has on show, we're starting up at the top.'

So, up here is the main...living area.

They took full advantage of the space.

It is so bright, light, airy. Vaulted ceilings.

Original beams.

It is a wow!

-It is definitely a wow!

-I love it!

The windows are lovely.

-It's amazing.

-Gorgeous, isn't it?

-Yeah.

Could you imagine yourself here, though?

No, but I could.

OK.

So it's a double house search.

If we were house-hunting for you, what would appeal to you?

Something like this.

Well, sadly, we're not. Julie, this is your Mystery House.

I've got a lot of hysterical laughter at the moment.

It's different.

It is certainly different.

I mean, it is beautiful.

The Mystery House has clearly thrown Julie a curveball.

The four bedrooms downstairs lead off a central hallway -

three of which are light and bright and vary in size.

There is also a modern tiled bathroom,

and down a small step, we come to the master bedroom.

It has an en-suite bathroom just attached there.

And the nice high ceiling,

it gives it that really bright, airy feeling in here.

-It is certainly bright.

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

Could you imagine yourself in here, Julie?

I could imagine sleeping here.

-But not living?

-No. Maybe not.

What is it about it which is not appealing to you?

-Erm...

-SHE SIGHS

It's not cosy.

Um...I think I like the cosy feeling.

It is very white and that can be a bit cold, I think.

No, it is not to my taste.

The stark, clean lines may not be suited to Julie,

but I have a sneaking suspicion that Morella might be sold.

Back at the step and right at the end of the corridor,

'we come to the final room on our tour.'

The second wow factor part of this house, I think, is here -

the kitchen-dining space, with its vaulted ceiling.

-Yep.

-And more beams.

-Hey! That is a wow!

-Oh, this is nice, isn't it?

-It's been nicely done.

-It has.

-Very well done.

-Obviously very contemporary,

but I think they have managed to get that blend of the old features.

-That's lovely.

-It is lovely. I can't deny it's lovely.

So, what do you think, as Mystery Houses go, Julie?

It's pretty much on the spot, I think, as a Mystery House!

I mean, it is such a beautiful finish.

It has got this contemporary feel,

which I know isn't your cup of tea, necessarily,

but I do think it is combined with the original features

really beautifully.

It is very well done.

There's still more to see. So, let's head outside and see

-if the garden can sway you more in the direction of this house.

-OK!

Well, one half of the pair is impressed,

but sadly, not the one who is actually buying.

'Stepping out into the sunshine, the rather compact back garden

'is the last place to see.'

Ta-da! Here it is!

ALL LAUGH

That is the other mystery!

-You could definitely keep a chicken or two in here.

-Yes!

You could.

Morella, I can just tell, from your face,

that this house really appeals to you.

-It might not be...

-To Julie's taste, yeah.

No, I think it's lovely.

You can sit outside and have a coffee.

A little barbie. It's a small garden,

but it's really pleasant, isn't it?

OK, I am going to put you on the spot.

Your budget is £350,000,

going up to £375,000, if you needed to.

What do you think this one is on the market for?

You go first.

-Erm...360?

-Julie?

I am going to go 340.

OK, you are both wrong, I'm afraid.

But Julie, you are most wrong, out of the two of you.

It is actually on the market for £375,000,

so not too far off, Morella.

And it is a beautifully finished house in a fantastic location.

-So...

-Yep, it's... I won't deny, it's a lovely, lovely house.

-Yes.

OK, I think, for Morella's sake, you just have to go back inside

and have another look around!

-And just take your time.

-Another look in the kitchen!

ALL LAUGH

At £375,000, the Mystery House is an incredible contemporary conversion

of an original Victorian schoolhouse.

Featuring a topsy-turvy layout, it has four bedrooms,

a spacious living room, as well as a large kitchen-diner.

And the property lies right in the middle of a desirable village.

As a Mystery House, it lived up to its name.

It certainly gave me a surprise!

SHE LAUGHS

The conversion from an old school is just amazing.

The design is incredible, especially upstairs.

The windows, all the features, it is just...

It is stunning.

I love this house. It's gorgeous.

This isn't the type of house that Julie would live in.

It's too modern for her.

It is not warm enough, as in, it is too white,

but I love it.

I think it's gorgeous.

An amazing house. Incredibly well-furnished and designed.

I can't see myself living in something like this,

but beautiful nonetheless.

Well, that is all the houses seen,

so I guess it's time for you two to have a chat

-and for you in particular, Julie, to do some thinking.

-Yep. Yep!

It has been a lovely few days

and it is fantastic that a couple of properties

seem to have really struck a chord with Julie.

I can't wait to hear what she is going to do next.

-Hello!

-Hello.

-Hi!

Well, the end of the search here in Devon.

I think that two houses really seemed to stand out for you,

but I have got no idea where your thoughts lie at this moment in time.

So, put me out of my misery.

I am not really sure where my thoughts lie, either!

The house with the land is a definite.

I fell in love with that. It was wonderful.

And then, this morning, I was sent into confusion

with the cottage.

That was lovely, as well,

and I am really torn between the two, at the moment.

I have really got to, I think, go back and see them

and weigh up the pros and cons for both of them.

Well, that is a great, fantastic, promising start.

So, just talk me through what the pros and cons are

on the two of them, for you.

The house with the land - the land is a huge, huge bonus.

And the kitchen there was particularly lovely.

The boot room, for the dogs, that was great.

I guess the main con there was the price.

The cottage today hasn't got the land.

However, hopefully,

I will be able to get in touch with the farmer,

to see whether there is some way I can rent some land from him.

The actual cottage, I felt was lovely.

It had a lot of potential.

A few things needed doing,

but as it is quite below budget, that gave me the funds to be able

to make those changes, yeah.

So, where do you go from here?

-Tomorrow, we are going to go back...

-Yeah.

-..and have a look at both,

with the surrounding areas.

And hopefully come to a decision

as to which I'd like to pursue.

That is a brilliantly positive,

you know, position to be in at the end of this search.

It is absolutely fantastic to have not one, but two potentials.

Morella, do you have a gut feeling as to which one of the two

you could most imagine her in?

I don't know. I think I particularly like the one with the land.

But obviously, at the end of the day, it's Julie's choice.

But she could live in either of them.

She likes both of them.

Well, this is a fantastic note to leave you on.

It has been wonderful being part of your search here.

I just really hope that, when you go back and explore more,

one of them stands out for you and becomes your home here in Devon.

So do I.

I'm so grateful. Thank you very much for all your help.

It's been wonderful.

It is the end of our search here in Devon

and it is wonderful that Julie has found not just one,

but two properties that she can imagine living in.

We really hope that one of them

will become her new home here in Devon

and wish her lots of luck with her move to this beautiful county.

Join me next time, on Escape To The Country.

If you would like to escape to the country

in England, Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland

and need our help, please apply online, at...