Cornwall Escape to the Country

Local legend has it that nearly 900 years ago,

the heir to the English throne was buried on this very beach.

I'll be back in just a moment to tell you where I am,

who he was and how he came to be here.

Today, it's a case of his versus hers.

In one corner, a giant man cave...

Wow, is this all mine?

This is just for you.

And in the other, a she-grotto.

I am going to turn this into a girl cave.

-Mine is bigger than yours.

-Oh!

But can we deliver their shared dream home?

-You're quite emotional.

-I am.

I am. That's amazing.

Today, I'm in Cornwall, in Falmouth.

And this is Gyllyngvase Beach, where William Adelin,

son of Henry I and grandson of William the Conqueror,

is said to be buried. Now, the story goes that on 25th November 1120,

William and his companions set sail from France on board the White Ship.

Disaster struck and the ship hit rocks

with only two of the passengers surviving.

Sadly, the future king wasn't one of them.

So this is believed to be his final resting place,

so much so that this beach takes its name from the legend -

Gyllyng - meaning William and vase - meaning grave.

I'll be back on this beach a little later in the show.

Not to hunt for his final resting place,

but to look for a very different kind of treasure.

The county of Cornwall is an English peninsula with the Celtic Sea off

its northern coast and the English Channel to the south.

The River Fal journeys for 11 miles through the county,

rising at Goss Moor near St Austell and flowing south to the sea.

The mouth of its estuary was once fiercely guarded against invasion

from France and the Holy the Roman Empire

by a pair of castles built under Henry VIII.

St Mawes on the Roseland Peninsula and, a mile across the water,

Pendennis, near Falmouth.

This and other sites can be taken in along Cornwall's spectacular and

varied 300-mile section of South West Coast Path,

encompassing hundreds of beaches and rocky headlands.

Historically, the area's main sources of income were fishing,

farming and mining.

Many of Cornwall's pretty costal villages have lost large

fishing fleets from their harbours but at Portloe, two full-time

working vessels continue to bring in lobster and crab.

The county's soil and terrain is often unsuitable for growing crops,

making cattle and sheep farming a necessity.

From the 17th century, newly-developed breeds of sheep

helped support a successful wool trade,

and flocks in the fields remain a common sight to this day.

Disused copper and tin mines

have become an iconic part of the Cornish landscape.

Ore-bearing rocks provided an increasingly lucrative trade

from the Middle Ages until foreign competition sent the industry

into decline in the 19th century.

So, whether it's breathtaking coastal paths,

industrial heritage or rural landscapes you're looking for,

Cornwall is an incredible county to spend a few days or many years in.

Of course, every English county is special in its own way but Cornwall,

which was once a separate country,

is unique because it's never officially become part of England,

as there's never been a specific Act of Parliament to state that it has.

In fact, in a recent survey, 44% of the county's residents said

they consider themselves not British but Cornish.

Don't worry, though, because if you're thinking of moving here,

I'm sure you'll be welcomed here with open arms

and properties come with a fairly welcoming price tag too.

The average cost of a detached property here in Cornwall

is £277,000 -

that's around £23,000 less than the rest of England and Wales.

So, let's meet today's couple and find out why they want to move to

this terrific county. Or is it a country?

Today's house-hunting duo are actually divorcees,

but after splitting up with each other nearly a decade ago,

Nick and Julie from near Basingstoke, Hampshire,

rekindled their relationship for a second time,

following the death of a family pet.

The family dog died and Nick came to hold my hand

and, luckily, he's been there ever since.

It makes everything complete.

As much as anything can be perfect, it's perfect.

The pair are now planning on giving marriage another go,

but for Nick, starting again means moving away from the tough memories

of their former home.

As far as going back to the family home is concerned, after ten years,

it is mixed emotions, I think. It is somewhat strange, I must say,

to come back to the, I suppose, the matrimonial home again.

That's a slightly strange situation.

I'm coping with it, it's one of the reasons why I'd like to go move

somewhere different. I'd actually probably like to move to a different

house, even if it was relatively local.

But they're not staying local.

Instead, they want a fresh start in the countryside,

several counties away.

We'd like to move to mid-Cornwall,

between St Austell and Truro.

We've got a number of friends down there

and we just feel we could make a fantastic life for ourselves down there.

It's got natural beauty, its coastline is absolutely sensational.

We enjoy every moment we spend down there and just feel as though

it's the right location for us.

We've gone away to cottages together three times in the last year

and it's been fantastic.

To think that this could be every day of our lives is unbelievable.

It doesn't get any better than that, does it?

Losing a family pet may have brought Nick and Julie back together,

but their other canine companions are a big consideration in the move.

We've got two dogs to take with us down to Cornwall -

a nine-year-old Labrador and a nine-month-old English Pointer.

That's very much the sort of walking aspect of things and keeping us fit,

come rain or come shine.

I can't wait for the day when I actually get down there

to a lovely beach

where we just let the two dogs out and away they go.

That will be absolutely fantastic.

Relocating is the realisation of a dream that Julie thought was lost for good.

I would never be making this move on my own.

I thought that my dream had finished when the marriage finished

because I didn't think anyone else would ever come along in my life

that would want to fulfil our dream, my dream.

Moving to Cornwall and being with Nick will be the ultimate goal

and something that's going to make us so happy

and hopefully put all the sadness behind us.

For Nick, there's no time like the present.

It feels very much like a fresh start.

It's something I'm... I'm excited about it.

Our children, they're 20 and 22 so, to use a cliche,

we're going to be reaching empty-nest syndrome before too long

anyhow, and coupled together with what's happened to us on a personal

side, what a fantastic time to do it.

We are fit and healthy. We either get on with it or wait for the next

crisis to arrive. I don't want to do that.

Nick and Julie want to concentrate the property search in the coastal

area between St Austell and Truro.

But before I start showing them houses,

we're meeting in the county to discuss the move.

Well, Nick and Julie, welcome to Cornwall.

This is really exciting because this is a fresh start for both of you,

-isn't it?

-This is something we've always dreamed about and now it's

actually happening, against all the odds, really.

It's amazing.

So, when you were married for the first time, Nick,

was this something that you'd planned?

At the back of your mind, you imagined heading down to Cornwall at some point.

We hadn't got as far as planning it but we certainly imagined it

and, over and above that, we certainly hoped it would happen.

Now it's the opportunity to have fresh beginnings.

We think that's quite important.

The children now are 20 and 22 - they won't be around forever.

Let's go and do something that we want to do

and do it our way rather than what everybody else wants us to do.

How well do you know Cornwall, the pair of you?

Very well. Very well indeed.

Well, Nick's better at geography than I am.

Yeah, it's fair to say it's not an accident we picked on the area we picked on.

We have a number of friends and connections down here.

It's an area we know quite well. Lots of lovely rolling countryside.

Fantastic coastline. That's where we'd like to be if possible.

What about the house that you would like to live in down here?

-Tell me about that.

-A large kitchen.

We have two large dogs so they need somewhere to dry off and live.

Three bedrooms minimum.

Four if possible,

so all our friends and family can come and stay with us.

And a big garden for the dogs as well.

I understand, Nick, that you've got something quite specific on your

wish list. It wouldn't be a man cave by any chance, would it?

-Yeah, it could be, you know, Ginny.

-A man cave is essential.

I think the man cave often benefits both parties in the relationship.

-Doesn't it?

-Absolutely.

-Absolutely.

-And what about local village life?

Do you want anything specific about the local village?

Need a pub for the community, I think that's important.

That's where you get to meet people, isn't it,

and start to get involved in the community.

So a pub is good.

And what about doing any work to the property?

Are you prepared to get your hands dirty, knock a few walls down?

Nick's not very good at DIY.

I can't see that happening.

Generally, we'd like to have something we could move into now.

-We don't want a complete renovation.

-Now, let's talk about the budget.

Just remind me of what we're working with for this search.

We're working with a maximum of 750.

-And what timescale are we looking at?

-By the end of the week.

OK.

I know you've had lots of short breaks here in Cornwall,

but it's time to take those holiday hats off,

get your house-hunting hats on

-because we've got properties to show you. Ready?

-Fantastic.

Yep. Let's go.

For a maximum budget of £750,000,

Julie and Nick would like a large kitchen,

a dog-friendly boot room,

an enclosed garden,

as well as some private space for Nick.

They're not after a project

and would like to have a village pub nearby.

We've got a wonderful variety of houses to tempt them with.

And at each,

I'll be asking them to guess the asking price before I reveal it.

The final property is our Mystery House and it's one that could really

turn the search on its head.

So, Julie, what's this story about you and a fortune-teller?

So she said, "You've had a very unhappy last few years

"but all that's going to change.

"You will rekindle a relationship, all your problems will go away

"and you will live happily ever after."

I was nodding and she said, "Yes, so somebody you already know that's

"been in your life and you will end up moving and living by the sea."

So you're getting married again. Who proposed this time around?

I proposed. It was my turn to propose so, yes, I proposed to Nick.

Does this feel a bit like you are looking for your first home together again?

So, I was sort of out of the matrimonial home for ten years,

then coming back in, I don't like it terribly much.

It's a bit dead man's shoes, you know?

Whether we move to Cornwall or anywhere else,

we'd have to go and start somewhere else.

The next house will be our retirement home together.

-That's our view, I think, isn't it?

-That's the idea.

-Our forever home.

Our last home.

The village of Veryan

is the starting point for our Cornish property search.

Well-located for nearby towns,

this rural community with a 13th century church, a pub,

post office and stores,

and a parish hall hosting a range of activities, is also known

for its peculiar collection of thatched round houses.

There are five in total at the entrances to the village,

built by a 19th-century parson and local landowner.

And it is rumoured their circular design was to stop

the devil from hiding in the corners.

Our first house lies in the heart of the village

and dates from around the same time.

-So here we go. Very pretty thatched cottage.

-Wow.

-It is very pretty, isn't it?

-Chocolate box.

It's what you would see on a postcard.

Picture perfect. I love chocolate box houses.

I'm slightly nervous about the thatch,

only because you worry how often they need repairing or re-thatching.

Certainly for prettiness, it does look super.

Well, it's going to be looking absolutely pristine in just

a very short while because it's about to have a lot of repair work

done to it so that's all about to be done

so it will be looking as good as new pretty soon

and as long as you're regular with your upkeep and you take

care of it, then this thatch should outlast the two of you, I'm afraid.

That's encouraging. It's sort of encouraging.

-Why don't we go in and explore?

-Let's do that, yeah, great.

Originally built in the 19th century, a front porch

and kitchen were added in the 1970s.

Further extensions were made by the current owners in 2009.

Currently run as a holiday let, an entrance lobby

leads into the kitchen with an open-plan dining room.

Well, you said you wanted a nice kitchen.

-And this is certainly a nice kitchen.

-It's lovely, isn't it?

Room for a nice big table.

Yeah, timbers are nice, aren't they, as well? The cabinets.

The current owner has added on this lovely extension

and garden room that really opens it up.

-With all that beautiful green oak.

-Really, really nice.

-Yeah.

This sense of open-plan living,

-is this the kind of thing you were hoping to find?

-Yes.

-Yes.

-No complaints, that's for sure. It's very nice.

-It flows, doesn't it?

It's nice.

You can spill out and feel like that's your kitchen as well.

We haven't got the low ceilings. I'm not bumping my head, am I?

-It's not dark.

-It has that sort of character feel but not ancient.

-Shall we go and see if we can find you a man cave?

-Is there one?

-Is there one?

-Go and have a look. See what we find.

-OK.

Back across the entrance lobby,

we find the rest of the reception spaces.

-So, into the older part of the house and it's cosy.

-Isn't it just?

It's beautiful. Very cosy, very warm and inviting.

There's lots of windows. A cosy log burner.

Nick, we haven't got you a man cave so much as a man cupboard.

There you go. In you go. Go on, in your cupboard.

I'll go in here then.

-We'll see you later. Bye.

-Bye.

-See you later, then. Lovely.

And then we can just relax in here. Come on, Nick, let's get you out.

-So it's a cosy separate space.

-Yeah, it's nice.

-That's all you need, really, isn't it?

-That's room for me.

-That's good.

-No, it's lovely. It's nice.

-So, come on, guys, what do you think?

What's going on in your minds?

Outside, looking at the roof and everything I thought, oh, gosh,

but it's totally different inside to outside.

-It's very, very nicely finished inside.

-Yeah, it's beautiful.

I don't think anybody could say otherwise. Absolutely not.

I think there's a lot of flexibility with the space.

I know you were hoping for three bedrooms. Haven't got you three bedrooms. We've got you four.

-Oh.

-OK, we'll settle for that.

-Let's take a look.

The immaculate presentation inside this pretty period property has

come as a pleasant surprise to them both.

This floor is rounded off with a handy cloakroom,

then central stairs lead to the sleeping accommodation.

In the original part of the house, it's a large double with

en suite, and another guest room currently used as a twin.

Then, over the kitchen, the third bedroom is large enough for

a double or twin beds

and is situated next to the family bathroom.

Finally, the room that could be Nick

and Julie's makes bedroom number four.

-So the master bedroom.

-Lovely.

-Very pretty.

-Not that big.

-No, it's petite.

This has got a lovely en-suite bathroom.

I'm thinking, where does everything go?

If we were moving lock, stock and barrel with all our stuff

and entourage, I'm beginning to question where everything

-gets stored on a day-to-day basis.

-Are you referring to all my clothes?

-Well, amongst other things, dear.

-It could be all Nick's clothes.

-All mine.

-I do have three wardrobes at home.

Right then, OK. So that fourth bedroom/dressing room...

Chocolate box cottages tend not to come with huge amounts of space.

Yeah. I'm sensing fabulous

-but I'm also sensing perhaps it's a bit on the small side.

-OK.

Well, let's go and explore the garden. Have a chat about outside.

You've got a lovely view from that Juliet balcony so let's go

-and see what it is that we're looking down at.

-Lovely.

Thank you very much.

If Nick and Julie had been feeling the pinch over the sleeping quarters,

let's see what they make of the garden.

With areas of lawn and shrubs to the front and side,

there's also a nearby stream and a paved patio area with seating.

It's a no-nonsense garden. Not much upkeep on it.

It's not quite enough, I don't think, for us.

I think we need more space.

The conclusion is certainly it's got holiday house written all over it,

-the more we've looked at it.

-Nick and Julie, it's come to that time.

-Do you want to guess the price?

-Ladies first, of course.

-Go on, then.

I think this house is on the market, Ginny, for £610,000.

I'm actually going to go a little bit lower.

I'm going to go 575.

Wow, you're both under budget. OK!

You are correct, it is under budget.

It's on the market for £595,000.

Why don't you go in, have another look around

now you know the price, see if that changes things slightly?

Might just change our view somewhat.

Yes, we'll do that. Thank you.

Coming in at £155,000 below their top budget,

this Cornish thatched cottage provides...

I think the house looks so pretty

and as you would expect from a Cornish cottage.

The finishings on the inside are absolutely pristine.

It is beautifully presented.

I love the fact that the walls are clean and white.

I love the timbers.

It's beautiful, from that point of view.

I am slightly concerned where I'm going to put all of our things.

A beautiful holiday home, or a second home,

but not perhaps the main family retirement home.

We done?

We're done, I think. Yeah, lovely.

-More to see, come on.

-Thank you.

-Thank you.

That's lovely, thank you very much.

The Cornish peninsula is resplendent with historical architecture,

microclimates supporting unique gardens, and farming traditions.

With Nick and Julie keen to enjoy everything the county has to offer,

we've lined up a visit to somewhere that combines all of these features.

Caerhays Estate on the coast near St Austell

includes a 200-year-old castle,

magnificent gardens and a working farm.

Estate manager Jamie Parsons is here to fill Nick and Julie in

on the origins of this grand location.

Fantastic place, Jamie. There's got to be so much history, tell us about it.

Yeah, the house here, this was built around 1810.

It was built by the Trevanion family

and the architect was Sir John Nash,

who is also the architect of Buckingham Palace.

It was the Trevanion family who had the house built,

but they went bankrupt in the 1840s and they fled to France

and the Williamses came here and purchased the property,

but unfortunately, all the roof... all the lead off the roof was taken

-to pay some of the Trevanion debts, so...

-Wow!

Yeah, so there was a lot of work for the Williams family to do

before they actually moved in and they do say there were actually

ducks swimming in the dining room when they got here.

It may have taken the Williams family four years

to fully restore the castle, but almost two centuries later,

it's still their descendants' family home.

Much of it remains just as it was in the 19th century

and can be seen by the public on weekday tours,

but it's the impressive gardens that attract the majority of visitors

and it's easy to see why.

Featuring camellias, rhododendrons

and one of only four national magnolia collections in the country,

with around 800 different specimens.

Oh, amazing!

Good gosh! Isn't it? Isn't it amazing?

So, how is it, Jamie, that we've got all these magnolias

at Caerhays in particular?

Well, it all really started around the 20th century,

with Ernest Wilson and George Forrest, the great plant collectors.

They went off to China, plant collecting.

Our first sort of rhododendrons came here in around 1905

from Ernest Wilson, so it really just all stemmed from there.

The Williams family directly sponsored

many of the plant-hunting trips to China,

to the tune of £300,000 in today's money.

The rich acidic soil at Caerhays,

along with its sheltered and wooded location bathed in sea mist,

makes the conditions here very similar

to the Chinese mountain habitat the plants were sourced from.

And how old is this one?

This one was planted around 1957.

Our oldest magnolia was Magnolia stellata

-and that was planted in 1897.

-Wow.

-They are a fair old age, some of the plants here.

-Aren't they just?

So, how do you look after them, to get them looking like this?

They pretty much look after themselves.

The only real problem we have is slugs and snails,

rabbits, they will completely ring-bark them, and deer.

Early spring may be prime magnolia season,

but it's also lambing time at the estate farm.

This year, as usual,

the flock of Dorset sheep is keeping farm manager Hamish Ross very busy.

So, how many are born here every year?

We have about 700 lambs a year, out of about 500 ewes.

500 ewes?! Gosh! 700 lambs!

And how old are they now?

These are about ten days old.

This one is a little bit older.

Why is it important for you to farm sheep here at Caerhays?

The sheep suit the ground.

It's quite harsh and we have a lot of clifftop ground,

which you can't do anything else with.

Right, OK.

So it's just the best way to manage the land.

Hardy animal, to cope with the climate.

How long does the bottle feeding process go on for?

-These will be weaned at about a month old.

-Yeah.

So they've got another couple of weeks to go yet.

When a ewe gives birth to more than one lamb,

she can struggle to feed all her offspring.

Since a number of triplets were born this year,

bottle feeding them reconstituted dried sheep's milk

ensures that all the lambs get enough.

And how often do you have to feed them?

We bottle-feed about four times a day.

Four times a day?!

You obviously need a few hands to help you.

I can't imagine.

As they get older, you feed them less

-and get them onto hay and...

-Solids.

Solids, yes.

Well, thank you, Hamish, I've really enjoyed it

and I think this lamb did too...

-No, pleasure.

-..and it's been a perfect experience.

Well, it's time to leave the lambs and this wonderful estate

as we continue our search for Nick and Julie's own home and garden

here in Cornwall.

Our house-hunting is heading to Lower Porthpean,

a Cornish coastal hamlet.

A little over a mile away,

the larger village of Charleston provides plenty

of traditional Cornish fare, from cream teas to pasties.

Built between 1790 and 1810, for the export of copper and clay,

30-40 shiploads of clay continue to depart from this harbour every year.

The rocky coastline has proved treacherous to seafarers

over the years but it's also the prime draw of the region

and a spectacular backdrop for the house we've come to see.

So, I've brought you straight to the

back of this lovely 1930s detached house. But this is the main event.

-Some view, isn't it?

-Some event.

It's stunning. It is stunning.

That little gate there takes you straight onto the coastal path.

-Does it, really?

-Wow.

-It does. So you can walk for as long as you want

to walk on there and you've got the spectacular views down over

St Austell Bay, the Gribben peninsula.

-Yeah.

-It's a beautiful setting.

It's gorgeous.

-I agree.

-I think it's a pretty house.

-Do you?

-Yeah.

Can I drag you away from the garden and the view?

-Already?

-Yes.

Wait till we see it from the inside.

Come on. Follow on.

This is impressive.

This 1930s property has been extended and altered over the years

with a rendered brick exterior and Cornish slate roof.

A hallway accessed via the rear terrace

takes us through to a semi- open-plan wing housing the kitchen,

dining room and sun lounge.

This is a good place to start.

Let's check out the views from in here as well.

-Lovely.

-That's a lovely room, isn't it?

Takes full advantage...

-It does, doesn't it?

-..of the location.

-Yeah.

-It's got that open-plan, airy feel.

And, as you say, really takes advantage

of this fantastic position.

-Yeah.

-And then if we do a quick swivel around...

here we have the kitchen.

So, this would be the main entrance into the house, actually,

the door back here, so you would be coming in

-through that entrance hall into the kitchen.

-Yeah.

What are your thoughts?

Yeah...

-Very big-size, usable area.

-Yes.

We'd probably want to play around with it a little bit,

try and make a bit more of it, maybe...

I don't know what opportunity there is

to open things out so that we've got one major room in here,

but certainly potential.

My mind's already racing as to what I can do and how I can play around

with this to make it right for us.

While this is a great space to live in, there is another one.

So let me just wander through here and I'll show you the main

-living space.

-That's great.

-Oh.

-OK. Fantastic.

A great start.

And across the hallway is even more reception space.

So here we are, in the cosy sitting room.

-This is lovely, isn't it?

-Yes, very nice.

Decent-sized room. Sizeable room, decent high ceiling.

Coal fire burning away in winter.

What we're lacking, Nick, so far is your man cave.

You're going to find me one, I've just got a feeling.

I've got an idea for one.

So just off the entrance hall is a little downstairs

toilet and utility room.

Behind this wall is an integrated garage.

I don't know how important the garage is to you.

If it's not that important, it would be a relatively simple job,

with the right planning permission, to convert that into your man cave.

OK. Well, if you can convince me of that, that will be good news.

My head is spinning in trying to work out a plan at the moment,

in terms of how to make it work for us, for modern contemporary living.

So you're imagining yourselves here?

-Well, yes...

-It... It's a curveball for me, to be perfectly honest.

It is, it is. I wasn't prepared for the view...

-So it's a curveball for you, as well?

-..the location. Absolutely.

The house is very pretty

and it's something we would never have considered.

There's something special about this house and I think it has a very,

-very nice feel to it.

-It does. It does.

Well, credit to you, you've achieved.

-You have.

-Great.

Shall we go upstairs and see if we can carry on with this momentum?

Let's go and investigate.

The incredible views and generous proportions of this 1930s home

have certainly opened Nick and Julie's eyes to its potential.

Stairs in the central hallway take us to the three bedrooms upstairs.

There is a good-sized guest room and another slightly smaller bedroom,

both with double aspect windows to take advantage of the views.

These rooms are served by a family bathroom but I think it's the large

master en suite that will really capture their imagination.

And here we are in the master bedroom.

-This is more like it.

-Nice size. A lovely-sized room, isn't it?

Plenty of light, windows on two sides.

-That's good.

-Another lovely view.

-A quick peep in there.

-Thank you very much.

-Ah, it's an en suite.

-En suite.

-Oh, yes.

Oh, it's much bigger than I expected.

This is doing the job as a bedroom, for sure.

-Very much so.

-So how are you feeling at this point, then?

I'm feeling as though the downstairs bit is still buzzing, in terms of...

I've got this floor space going around in my head and working out

what's going to happen.

Well, you'll have plenty of time to take it all in but let's just go

back outside to the garden

because it is definitely the big wow-point in this house.

And you're going to have to start thinking about what you think

-it's on the market for.

-It's a tricky one, this, isn't it?

Yes, it is.

So we've got approval for this home's generous interiors,

and the exterior certainly doesn't disappoint.

To the front of the property,

a drive providing parking for several cars leads to the

integral garage and is fringed with shrubbery.

There's a further area of garden to the side and then, of course,

the rear garden with those stunning sea views.

What about the size?

I know you wanted a big garden, but is it big enough?

Yes. Yes, it is.

I think taking some of the shrubs back, do a little bit of tidying up,

it would make it seem bigger.

And, of course, the joy is that you've got the coastal path there,

so your garden is extended to the beach, really, isn't it?

And you've got the best kind of garden in the world

because everything through that gate is beautiful,

-but you don't need to look after it. It's wonderful!

-Got to be good!

Now comes the tricky part.

We need to know what this house is on the market for.

I could be miles out here.

650.

I'm going to say 675.

You're both wrong, I'm afraid.

-Oh.

-Yes, you are. It was on the market for £750,000,

it's been reduced and is now on the market for £710,000.

-OK.

-I would say you would have enough left in the budget there

to do the things that you would potentially like to do.

Yeah. As I say, lots of vision on my part to be done.

-Yes.

-Off you go. Take a look.

-Can we not go that way?

No, I'm going to stay here and enjoy the view,

you go and look at the views from the house.

-OK.

-No problem. Thank you.

-Call me when you're ready.

At £40,000 below their top budget,

this 1930s house with coastal views provides...

This house has thrown the two of us because it's something that we would

never have normally considered,

we would have driven past not knowing what it was hiding

out the back here with the view and the location,

the size of the rooms.

Really, really good. It's all there.

I'd pretty much given up on the idea of front-line seafront and my head

is spinning at the moment. But, yes, I think we could do this.

Yes, we'd definitely have to do some work,

that would be important that we do that but, yes,

it's a distinct possibility.

You've come to tear me away from the lovely view, haven't you?

We have. We have, sadly.

-It's sensational.

-I hope this house has taught you that you should never

judge a book by the cover,

cos you wouldn't have looked at it and you'd have missed out on this.

-That's true.

-Come on. Time to leave it.

We're in the coastal county of Cornwall

helping Nick and Julie from near Basingstoke, Hampshire,

make a fresh start by the sea with their budget of £750,000.

So far, we've shown them some great property but there's more to see.

And I have very high hopes for our Mystery House.

So this is the topsy-turvy living space.

You really do get a panorama from here, don't you?

In line with the trees.

Yeah, it's a Mystery House, isn't it?

Plus, I rekindle a childhood passion

as I search for treasure in the sand.

It's great to do, isn't it?

-It is good fun.

-It's relaxing.

It's quite compulsive and kind of an addictive hobby, really.

It's the second day of our search here in Cornwall and we certainly

gave Nick and Julie plenty to think about yesterday,

but today is a whole new house-hunting day.

And while the weather may not be particularly kind to us,

we do have two fantastic properties lined up,

including the Mystery House,

which could quite literally turn Nick and Julie's world upside down.

But before that, we are off to the hamlet of Ruan High Lanes,

where our next house is located.

Nestled in the picturesque Roseland Peninsula,

the coastal village of Portscatho is around five minutes' drive away.

Here it's possible to enjoy a drink with a sea view

from either the cafe or public house,

and pick up provisions from the butcher's

or the bakery and delicatessen.

Back in Ruan High Lanes,

our next property is one of a cluster of converted farm buildings.

So, Julie, a little birdie told me you quite like barn conversions.

I love barn conversions.

Stunning, isn't it?

-What a building.

-It's beautiful.

It's five old farm buildings that were all converted in 1998.

This one right in front of us, the largest,

is the one I'm bringing you to see today.

Beautiful. It is an amazing building.

I'm getting over it just at the moment. It's just amazing.

Would you like to go inside?

-I'd love to go inside.

-Sooner rather than later, please.

-Come on.

Originally built as a stone barn in 1868,

a private front door leads into the home,

which is currently run as a holiday let.

So, straight in through this fantastic entrance hall

into just a rather small living space.

-Wow.

-That's a living room, isn't it?

It's lovely. It's huge.

It's full of character.

You've got the size, haven't you?

-It's imposing, isn't it?

-You've got lots of character in here,

which I know you were both keen on, but you have, quite unusually,

a lot of space as well.

It's fabulous.

-Is it too big? I mean...

-No, no!

-..is this a space you could use?

No. It depends if we've got 14 other rooms of this size!

That might be a problem!

Well, funnily enough...!

You might just need to follow me this way because...

-the man cave.

-You mean this isn't it?

Just... I'll explain. Lead on. Come on.

Lying to one side of this main reception room

is indeed a potential den for Nick.

It's a cave, it's a chasm, it's a cavern.

It's enormous, that's for sure.

Wowee, is this all mine?

This is just for you.

-A lovely room.

-Sign on the door, by invitation...

Only!

Wowee.

What another stunning reception room!

-We're doing very well, here.

-So far.

-Just say so good.

-It's a lot of space.

-So far, so amazing.

-We've got the man cave. Tick for that.

-Yes, big tick.

-Kitchen?

-Yes.

Thank you.

On the opposite side of the main reception

is a similarly vast kitchen-diner.

Now, Julie, I know you wanted the kitchen

to be the heart of the home...

Oh, my goodness!

More character...

More features, more ceiling.

-More space.

-More space!

That's beautiful, isn't it?

-You look quite emotional.

-I am.

I am. That's amazing.

This is a fabulous kitchen.

It's quite a sociable space, is this what you were looking for?

Yes, you could have parties in here, you wouldn't need to go into

the other rooms. Everything you need is here.

-It's really lovely.

-BIRDS CHIRRUP

We can hear the birds that are nesting in the eaves, I think.

Let's carry on with the animal theme

and talk about your four-footed friends.

At the back here we've got an absolutely enormous

boot room/utility, with a separate toilet as well.

And it's got a separate door.

So you can come in, get the muddy towels out the way,

clean the dogs off, let them dry.

And there's a big enough space there that you could keep them in there

-while they were drying off.

-Oh, that's really, really good.

-That's important.

-Well, let's talk about bedrooms.

-Go on, you can lead on.

-Thank you.

This is going really well.

Continuing the theme of generous spaces,

this barn conversion comes with a total of four bedrooms.

The first is located on the ground floor and is a large double,

next to which is a downstairs shower room.

Upstairs, another large guest room sits beside the family bathroom

with shower. And there's a further guest double.

Then, above the main reception room, is the impressive master suite.

I did warn you that the bedrooms were fairly big.

-Oh, my goodness!

-I wasn't exaggerating.

-Huge.

-Lovely.

-But lovely.

-Airy.

Ceilings, more beams.

Fantastic. Brilliant.

Full of character, cosy, warm, beams...

Yeah, we wanted a big master bedroom and you've got it. Tick!

Great, this is music to my ears!

Actually, just to top it off as well,

we've got an en suite behind us in here.

Just finish us off nicely.

Why don't we wander outside,

and then if you could start to think about the price, please.

We're doing that again?

We're there, we're at that point.

Outside, there's a communal courtyard,

as well as a private south-facing garden

with traditional Cornish stone hedging.

And patio seating located off the main reception.

The property also comes with its own garage

and a car port with log store.

Is this big enough for you?

-Yes.

-In garden terms, yes.

I mean, inevitably, I'd say if there was a bit more garden,

that would be nice.

But we understand it's all about compromise.

The house more than makes up for the garden.

The house is amazing. Amazing feature in itself, isn't it?

I'm getting a good feeling about you two in this one.

-It's nice.

-I love this house.

But I do need to know what do you think it's on the market for.

I think this house is on the market for £735,000.

I'm just thinking it must be close to our budget.

-I'm going to hit 650.

-650?

OK, so, your budget was 750,000.

Well, I'm very happy to say that, Nick,

you're not paying for the drinks in the pub later,

because you're actually bang on.

It's on the market for £650,000.

Wow!

That's... That's very good news.

I'm still smiling. You're smiling a hell of a lot.

Well, I'm sure this is a house you want to go back and take some time

-to look around again, isn't it?

-It certainly is.

-Absolutely.

Off you go, take your time. Come and find me when you're ready.

-Thank you very much.

-Thank you.

-Lead on.

Well, as house tours go,

it just doesn't get better than that, does it?

At £100,000 below budget,

this period barn conversion seems to have won them over.

It has...

I have an idea for this room.

I'm going to turn this into a girl cave.

-Do they have that sort of thing?

-Maybe it's the first.

This could be the very first girl cave.

OK, I suppose I can't argue with that. Mine's bigger than yours.

THEY LAUGH

We might have to swap, then.

For me, it's the best house that I've seen

in six months of searching.

I got emotional coming in here because it is such a stunning room.

It's breathtaking.

It's a kitchen and yet it could be a great hall

with a kitchen, dining room, entrance, everything.

I've never seen a kitchen with so much character.

Overall, I'm really encouraged.

I think it's a lovely place.

It's in a fantastic location.

It ticks...

virtually all boxes.

I think this barn could definitely be my Cornish home.

Our Cornish home.

I'm sorry to drag you away but we do still have the Mystery House to go,

-you know.

-Well, one more.

-Come on.

-OK.

Cornwall boasts a truly magical coastline.

With over 400 beaches accessible by foot,

the county is a beachcomber's paradise,

and many rocky headlands make it a good spot for one treasure in

particular. Sea glass.

Smoothed and frosted by sand and sea,

broken glass that was once rubbish

is now a resource for artists such as Johnny Fuller.

I've come to meet him at his home and studio in Falmouth.

So, talk to me about sea glass, then.

Where is it found?

Well, it all...

comes from the bottling industry, mainly. Ended up in the sea.

Sometimes it could be cargo spills.

Generally, it's our littering which ends up in the ocean.

And it gets tumbled in the sand and it comes out with these lovely,

smooth shapes. And there's something very tactile about them all.

They're completely smooth.

Cos I can remember vividly as a child collecting this on the beach

and thinking it was treasure, my mum told me it was treasure.

How did your love affair with it first start?

From an early age, I always collected it.

We used to have it around the house in jars and pots.

Over the years, I collected so much,

I wanted to put it to a creative use.

This is why I started making pictures.

Johnny completed his Masters at the Royal College of Art in London

but returned to Cornwall to raise his family.

He tries to capture a love of the seascapes in pieces that are both

simple and striking.

A lot of what I make is based on the glass that I've found and where I

found it. So a lot of my inspiration is the tides.

So the circles obviously relate to the circular tide.

This particular colour is probably my favourite.

And is probably hardest to find.

You know, you get lots of white and brown and kind of bottle green

but not these kind of very subtle colours.

And are there better beaches than others to find it on?

Are some a treasure trove? Are there some good spots?

I've got some good spots but I'm not telling you where they are.

-Well, you will take me to one.

-I will do.

-Let me find the treasure of my childhood again.

-Yeah, absolutely.

Johnny may be keen to keep his hot spots under his hat

but if you've been paying attention,

you'll have a good idea of just where

this treasured hunting ground is.

And, of course, it always helps to bring a four-legged friend.

So, every day is a bring-your-dog-to-work day

-when you're doing this, isn't it?

-Absolutely.

Worldwide, the most common colour for sea glass is bottle green,

closely followed by frosted white.

Rarer finds include cobalt blue - only one in 500 pieces -

whilst pink accounts for just one in every 1,000 discoveries.

Straight away, I've spotted a bit.

A tiny bit. It's that amazing green colour.

It's really smooth. I often wonder where it's come from and how old is.

And how it got there.

How long do you reckon that's been in the sea, being bashed about,

-to get to that point?

-It could be years, I should think.

Sometimes, they have little letters and words on them,

and you can work out what bottling company it might have come from.

-I guess when you look...

-Look, there's a piece.

Oh, that's a lovely shape.

Oh, see, I can see a little theme happening there.

And is that how it happens?

Do you have the design first or do you find the glass,

find the colours, and then start to work it?

It's a bit of both, really. But I'm always looking for glass.

It doesn't always get used, but I can save it for another piece.

Do you take pleasure from the fact that you're recycling something?

Yeah, I do. I think it's nice to find it and remove it from the

beach, but then I'm reusing it in a kind of creative way, so...

One of the oldest man-made materials,

the main ingredient in glass is silica, which comes from sand.

So, perhaps it's fitting that some of it finds its way back to our

beaches. A good time to go sea glass hunting is the first low tide after

a storm. And don't forget to look underneath the pebbles

because that's where it's often lurking.

I'm struggling, Johnny.

I'm not finding much, either.

Yeah, you just don't know day to day what you're going to find, really.

It's...all about luck, I think.

I've got a few small pieces.

-It's great to do, isn't it?

-It's great fun.

-It's really relaxing.

It's quite compulsive. An addictive hobby, really.

I mean, I get e-mails from people from Hawaii, Australia...

What other things could you do with them?

Quite a lot of people make jewellery out of them, rings,

embed them into rings.

Or you could just put them in a jar and put them on the window.

Do you know what I'm going to do with them?

I have a little boy who's going to love some pirate treasure.

So this is Mummy's pirate treasure.

Absolutely. You know that's a stone there, don't you?

It's not, it's pirate treasure, Johnny! Come on, don't ruin it.

There are some members of your family we

-haven't talked about properly. The dogs!

-The dogs.

Yes, our fur babies.

You call them fur babies, love it.

So, finding the right place for them is important?

It is, very much so.

That's the beauty of having dogs, really.

You can take full advantage of the countryside.

When it comes to walks and exercise, dogs give you a good excuse,

that's for sure.

For our mystery offering,

we're heading to the hamlet of Pont-By-Fowey.

Just under two miles away is the ancient fishing village of Polruan.

Known for its boat-building heritage,

it's located on the banks of the Fowey Estuary.

A regular ferry takes five to ten minutes

and is still the fastest way to and from the other side of the water.

There are facilities here, including a grocery shop and cafes.

But we're two miles north-east

along a wooded creek that feeds into the Fowey Estuary.

This is the Mystery House.

Wowee!

You've got National Trust woodland at the back,

and amazing views over the creek,

which is low at the moment but when that's in full flow,

-it looks beautiful.

-Sensational place, isn't it?

-What a spot.

It's amazing.

I know that your dogs are very important to you.

-They are.

-And the dogs are catered for here.

They have their very own dog room, complete with a dog-grooming spa.

Wow!

So you can bring them back off their muddy walks, stick them in there.

Wow, if the dogs were choosing, it's probably this one.

So, I bet you're intrigued, if nothing else, aren't you?

Very much. I'd love to see it.

-Shall we go and explore?

-Yes, please.

-Thank you.

The twist is that whilst our Mystery House caters to their canines with

its dog spa and woodland setting,

it doesn't come with the garden they've asked for.

Originally built in the 1970s from converted pig sheds

but later extended,

the property has been extensively renovated by the present owners.

Currently run as a holiday let and arranged over three levels,

we're starting on the top floor,

where the kitchen and living space

take full advantage of the home's creek-side setting.

So, this is the topsy-turvy living space.

Top of the house - nice, big open-plan space.

You really do get a panorama from here, don't you?

-In line with the trees.

-Yeah, it's a Mystery House, isn't it?

I mean, it's nicely done as well, isn't it? Lots of nice timbers.

-Poshest log cabin in the world here.

-It is like that, it is!

It seems like a place that shouldn't have a man cave.

Maybe it is a man cave. Maybe it's a man treehouse.

Let's take a walk through.

Let's just wander around cos there are some fantastic views,

and it's all about being outside on the deck,

enjoying being amongst the trees. So, let's just wander through here.

Just off the large, open-plan kitchen and dining area

is a treetop-level conservatory.

Now, I don't know if either of you are bird-watchers but if you are,

this is definitely the house to buy, isn't it?

-You'd be in paradise, wouldn't you?

-Gosh, I should think so.

-Can you imagine how it changes through the seasons?

-Yeah,

there's going to be so much flying around out there, that's for sure.

-An amazing location.

-It is, it is amazing.

-It's gobsmacking.

-I've never seen anything like it!

Is it the kind of house that you would like to come and stay in,

or the kind of house you would like to live in?

Hmm, that's a very good point,

because, for a holiday, I'd find this incredibly different.

I'm not quite sure, with the dogs...

that they would enjoy just running around the decking.

It's wow in its own way, isn't it?

We're going to wander through and look at the two bedrooms up here.

They are a good size. And I think we could just have a chat about how you

could reconfigure the space here just to make it work a bit more for

what the two of you need from your home. So, let's go and have a look.

-OK.

-Thank you.

So, some questions over how they may live day to day in this home,

but with a total of five bedrooms

arranged over two of the three floors,

there's certainly a lot of versatile space on offer.

On the floor below are three guest bedrooms.

There is a large double with dual aspect.

A second bedroom with a door out to a decked veranda,

and then the smallest bedroom on this floor is currently fitted

with bunk beds.

These are all served by a beautifully appointed bathroom,

featuring a roll-top bath, and a separate shower.

Back on the top floor,

two further bathrooms provide keen twitchers

with bathtub bird-watching,

and serve additional bedrooms.

A double again has treetop views, and direct access to the deck.

And then there's the fifth and final bedroom.

So, it's a good size, isn't it?

-Yes, very generous.

-Yes, it is a good size.

It's almost a shame, though, to have all this space used as bedrooms.

And I think what you could do, potentially, is take that wall down,

join the two bedrooms together to have a nice, big living space.

This could become a cosy, separate lounge.

-Good.

-Let's take a look outside because it is all about the decking,

and being part of the trees.

And start thinking about the price for me as well.

-It's a tough one.

-Lead on, Nick.

-I've no idea.

If Nick and Julie were to go with my plan of converting the bedrooms up

here, they could also use the current study on this top floor as

a spare guest room, as it comes with an en-suite shower.

Outside, for even more panoramic views,

there are decked areas on a variety of levels,

as well as a car port and parking.

But it's the woodland surroundings that are the real highlight here.

-It's a view and a half, isn't it?

-It certainly is.

Even on a cold, grey day like this, it's spectacular.

-It is.

-Of course, there isn't a traditional garden,

but you do have a lot of these lovely decked seating areas.

From a gardening point of view, there's not much of that to be done

cos it's just a garden naturally all around you.

You wouldn't have to mow the lawn on a Sunday, would you?

-Look on the bright side!

-Certainly wouldn't.

There are advantages to that.

Now, I'm going to put you on the spot.

I'm going to ask you what you think this property is on the market for.

I'm going to have a bit of a stab in the dark, to be frank, Julie,

because I've never been anywhere like this before. So...

-700?

-OK.

For the uniqueness, 725, I think.

OK. That's interesting.

You're both quite close to budget. You're both wrong.

It is under budget.

By an AWFUL LOT more than the two of you have just said.

It's on the market for £545,000.

-OK!

-Really?!

I think it's rather a bargain.

I think we should buy it and have a holiday let or something.

Why don't you go off and have a wander? Why don't you go and explore

the dog cave, your doggie-grooming parlour

-that's downstairs.

-We'd better go and do that, hadn't we?

-I think so.

-Come and find me.

-Thank you, Ginny. Thank you.

With a guide price a staggering £200,000 below budget,

this three-storey creek-side house has...

-Wow!

-Oh, my goodness!

Doggie heaven.

Extraordinary.

All set up and ready.

The Mystery House is so spectacular, so unique, such a fabulous setting,

I've never seen anything like it.

I think this house is an absolute gem,

and whoever owns it is doubtless extremely proud of it.

In terms of practicality, I think it's somewhat specialist.

As a home, I think probably there are a few impracticalities.

There are gardens and there's gardens outside everywhere,

but for us, with the dogs, it's not quite what we envisaged.

I would love to come and stay here often,

it would be an idyllic place to take holidays and long breaks in.

Even on a cold, wet day like this,

Cornwall is still such a magical place to be,

particularly when you're up here in the treetops. It's beautiful.

-You're done.

-We are. We are, Ginny.

And that's us done. House tours over.

-So, it's time for us to go and have a chat, I'm afraid. Come on.

-Gosh.

Well, we've certainly shown our escapees some unique

and quite contrasting properties on our search here in Cornwall.

But will one of them have hit the mark?

Let's go and find out. Apparently, there's a warm fire in there.

I need it.

Well, you two have found the cosiest spot in town to chat, haven't you?

-Certainly have.

-So, we've seen all the properties.

Has anything stood out for you?

Yes. For me, the barn conversion did stand out.

The proportion of the place, the position of the place.

-Just what we want.

-It was a stunning house.

It really was. It was everything that I could want in a house.

What about the others? Was there a second runner?

I think there's massive potential in the coastal property with the view.

Surprised as I was,

and probably somewhere I'd never even dreamt of going to look at,

I'd have to say it's still in my mind as a contender,

-albeit perhaps second.

-Yes, yeah.

It's a perfect example of do not judge a book by its cover.

-Because there was that view at the back.

-Such a surprise.

Well, that's brilliant news. I'm absolutely thrilled there

are two properties that have sparked an interest in you.

I've got to ask, what next?

What I'd like to do in particular, I think, is,

bearing in mind that the barn conversion did involve an amount of

share element, shall we say, I'd actually like to meet

our neighbours, to be frank.

I actually think if you're going to share something or other,

it's very important you make the effort to do that.

I think it's really important.

So you're going to go back and knock on the doors and say hello?

Quite possibly. I'm not frightened to do that.

It certainly is going to be one

that we're going back for a second viewing.

Is it too soon to talk about offers?

Um...

No. For me, it's not.

No, I don't think it's too soon. But I suppose I'm somebody that

wants to go away and put my head down and get up again another day,

and then think exactly what that would be.

I think I should leave you in this corner with the fire,

mulling it all over.

And we really hope that we've helped you find the home you're going to

start your new life together once again here in Cornwall.

On behalf of us both, just thank you for helping us try to achieve this.

You're a lovely couple and we wish you lots of luck.

Thank you. Thank you, Ginny.

Well, the weather might be wild,

but we've had a great week house-hunting here in Cornwall.

And once they've had a chance to meet the neighbours,

I really hope that that barn conversion becomes Nick and Julie's

new home here in the county that they clearly love so much.

Join me next time on Escape To The Country.

Julie and Nick returned to the barn conversion

and met with the neighbours. However,

they decided to put an offer on another property in Cornwall,

and it's been accepted.

We wish them all the best with their move.

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