Dorset Escape to the Country


Dorset

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The rock found below the surface of this southern isle is arguably more

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famous across the world than the beauty of the rugged scenery above.

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So, where am I, and what lies beneath?

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I'll tell you in just a moment.

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Today, I'm with a couple who are selling up in suburbia

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in search of a better quality of life in the countryside.

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I'm struggling to think of something in this room

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that I'm not in love with.

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-Ooh!

-Yep.

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And, with time of the essence, they're not messing about.

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-Wow.

-Seriously, get your chequebook out now!

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Today, I'm in Dorset, and this is the Isle of Portland,

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at the southernmost point of the county.

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Now, the island's unique limestone bedrock,

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known as Portland Stone, was first quarried back in Roman times,

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but has since been used to construct some of the world's

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most iconic buildings, from St Paul's Cathedral in London,

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to the United Nations headquarters in New York.

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Now, later on, I'll be back on Portland,

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getting up close and personal,

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and experiencing this world-famous stone, but first,

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let's take a look at what else this wonderful county has to offer.

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The county of Dorset lies in the south-west of England,

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with the English Channel lying off its southern shore.

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Known as the Jurassic Coast, the 95 miles of rugged coastline,

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stretching from Swanage into the neighbouring county

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of East Devon, is England's first World Heritage Site.

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These layers of sedimentary rock reveal 185 million years

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of the Earth's history.

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At the Dorset-Devon border sits the port town of Lyme Regis.

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Nicknamed the Pearl of Dorset,

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it's a popular starting point for sailing, diving,

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and fossil-finding trips, its cliffs crumbling into the Jurassic seas.

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Further along the Dorset coast, in a sheltered bay,

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Georgian houses line the beachfront at the seaside town of Weymouth.

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The golden sands and shallow waters here make it an ideal spot

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for families seeking a traditional seaside getaway.

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And it was a favourite of King George III, who holidayed here

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for nearly 15 years at the turn of the 19th century.

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Today, his visits are remembered by the Osmington White Horse,

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a carving of the King on horseback.

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Those more interested in history than beach life might prefer

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to visit the romantic ruins of Corfe Castle.

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Standing over a gap in the Purbeck Hills, the former royal palace

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and fortress was built in the 11th century by William the Conqueror.

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Now owned by the National Trust,

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it receives over 200,000 visitors a year.

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So, with a mix of dramatic coastline and picturesque towns and villages,

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and unspoiled countryside, with not a motorway in sight,

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Dorset really is the perfect place

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for those looking for a countryside escape.

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Well, there are no two ways about it -

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buying here in Dorset comes with a hefty price tag.

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The average cost of a detached home here is around £357,000.

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Now, that's about £57,000 above the national figure.

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Buyers, it seems, are willing to pay a premium for the beauty of

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Dorset's stunning coastline and countryside,

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a landscape that has been an inspiration to

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some of our greatest authors, from Thomas Hardy to Jane Austen.

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So, as one of today's buyers is a would-be writer,

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they're certainly going to find themselves in good company.

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Two years ago, Chris and Kate bought their first home as a couple -

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a four-bedroom semi in Reigate, Surrey -

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but their adventure together started long before.

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We first met through mutual friends,

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when Kate was at university in Birmingham.

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He was a very slow mover in terms of making his move, so ten years after

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we met, I think he finally plucked up the courage to ask me out.

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-Ten years of groundwork.

-Yeah!

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I think I was perhaps confident that...

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the feelings may have been mutual.

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But, yeah, I was a bit worried... "A bit worried"?

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A lot worried about taking the initial, sort of, step, I think.

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Chris grew up in close proximity to the countryside in North Wales

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and Cheshire, whilst Kate, born and bred in Reigate,

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is used to more suburban surroundings.

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When I grew up here, it was a lovely,

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very community-driven sort of town,

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and I think over the last 30 years, more and more people have moved here

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who commute into London, so it's sort of lost its sense of community,

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and it's incredibly busy, it's got bigger.

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It was on a recent holiday away from the hustle and bustle of

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the commuter belt that the idea of moving came about.

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I was queueing to get a coffee in a coffee shop, and the gentleman

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in front of me was having a conversation with the guy serving.

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And it was going on and on,

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and I remember sort of looking at my watch and thinking,

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"Come on, you know, we've got places to go and things to see."

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And then I thought, "Hold on a minute, what am I doing?

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"I'm on holiday. There's no need to rush."

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And I thought, "This is just the London in me

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"wanting to do everything at 100mph."

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I thought, "This is what it's about, these moments of life,

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"not the rushing around all the time."

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Not too far from Kate's family and friends in Surrey,

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they've decided Dorset is the perfect place for them to

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set up home, and, although Kate is looking to slow things down,

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Chris will be taking his fast-paced job with him.

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So, I'm a paramedic.

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I've been in the Ambulance Service for about seven years now.

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You know, it can certainly be a challenging job, but you know,

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it's very rewarding at the same time.

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I originally started working for London, so, you know, driving round

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the big city, lots of traffic, and people everywhere,

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and then the move out to Surrey was a big change already,

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so I think the move to Dorset won't be quite as big a shock.

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You know, certainly you have to be more wary of, you know, other road

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users, in terms of, like, horses, foxes, badgers, I don't know.

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Kate's hoping that the change of scenery will also offer

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inspiration for her hobby.

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I'm a sort of secret writer.

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I've always wanted to be a writer, and then I don't really have a lot

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of confidence in it,

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so, for me, this gives me an opportunity to hopefully be able to

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carve out some time for me to write in a quiet and peaceful environment.

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With their house on the market, and Chris's new job due to start

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in just six weeks, they're well on their way to making the big move.

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Although they'll be leaving Kate's family behind,

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their pet Labrador, Dolly, will definitely be coming with them.

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I think a lot of this move is also about Dolly,

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so we want to be somewhere where we can fling the door open and

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go straight out into the countryside, or, you know,

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hopefully, for me, near the seaside.

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We're lucky here there are lots of green spaces,

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but they're often quite manicured parks,

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they're not necessarily very dog-friendly.

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I'd love to be able to just jump in the car and be five minutes

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away from the beach, and just walk her there in the mornings.

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That would be amazing.

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As Chris's job will be based in Dorset,

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we're keeping our search within the county borders.

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Ideally, he and Kate would like to be near the sea,

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but they're happy to look anywhere.

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I'm catching up with them

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to find out exactly what's on their property wish-list.

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Well, Chris and Kate, here we are, in a very sunny Dorset today.

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But why did you decide this was the part of the country that

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you wanted to move to?

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I was very keen to live by the coast - I always have been -

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and I think when we started to look at the south coast,

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this was perhaps more affordable than a lot of the counties towards

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the east of here, so we're hoping to get a bit more for our money here.

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Let's talk about the actual property itself. What are you after?

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We're really flexible about it, actually.

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I mean, there's only the two of us and our dog,

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so we're happy to look at anything from two bedrooms upwards.

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I'd like an area to be able to work in,

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but I'm just as happy if that's a summerhouse in the garden,

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but parking is quite an important one, because Chris obviously does

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shift work, as a paramedic,

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and so we really don't want him having to park two or three

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roads away if it's two o'clock in the morning,

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-so that's sort of a key want for us, isn't it?

-Yeah, I think so.

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That makes sense. Chris, what are you looking for, with this home?

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-I'm even more flexible, really!

-Are you?

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If I can have a wood burner, I'll be happy, so...

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Little bit of a garden for the dog? Not too big?

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Yeah, just somewhere that she can go out.

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What does your new home actually look like? What's its style?

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I like something with a bit of character.

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If it's sort of quirky or unusual, I'm going to be really interested.

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-I think if it's like a conversion...

-Absolutely. I would love that.

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How important is it for you two to be close to neighbours,

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and have a community next to you, or is the idea that, actually,

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you want to be a little bit more remote?

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We'd like to be close to other people, really,

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again, particularly because I work shifts, and you could...

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Also makes it a bit easier to meet people if you're in

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a smaller community or in a town, and I think that's one of

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-the things we're really keen to make sure we do straightaway.

-Yes.

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So, let's remind ourselves of your top budget,

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and, ideally, what you want to spend.

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-Top budget would be £350,000.

-Yep.

-And ideally?

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I think we'd prefer to stay around 325 if we can.

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It just gives us a little bit more flexibility.

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-And a little bit left over.

-Absolutely.

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Well, I think we should get a move on.

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Jump in the car,

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because we have some fantastic properties to show you.

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-Brilliant.

-Shall we?

-Thank you.

-Yes.

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Chris and Kate are hoping their budget of £350,000

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will buy them their perfect home in an area of the country they love.

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They like the idea of a quirky character property,

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but one which has enough head height for all six foot six of Chris.

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They would need two or more bedrooms,

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a garden for Dolly the dog, and space for Chris to park outside.

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They'd also prefer to be in a village setting,

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where they can meet other locals.

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I'll be taking them to see the best properties Dorset

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has to offer them for their budget, but before I reveal the price

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of each, I'll be asking them to take a guess first.

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Our final stop will be our Mystery House, a property steeped in history

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and overflowing with character,

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which I'm hoping will really inspire them.

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On our way, one step closer - hopefully - to your next home!

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Absolutely.

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Is it beginning to dawn on you both that it's very close indeed?

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I think so. And actually,

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the six weeks that sounded like quite a long time a few days ago

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-is now beginning to sound like a really pressured timeframe.

-Yes.

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Our first property is in the village of Cattistock in West Dorset.

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A character village with a lively, active community,

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it has a village hall attached to the church, a shop,

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and an award-winning pub.

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The village also plays host to the famous Dorset Knob Throwing

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and Frome Valley Food Festival,

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attracting thousands of visitors every year.

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The property we're seeing

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is situated right in the heart of the village.

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Well, I'm looking forward to showing you around some of our properties.

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Let's kick off with this one, our first.

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-It is a chapel.

-Indeed.

-Fabulous.

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-This is... I have a real soft spot for converted chapels, so...

-Do you?

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I have to admit, I may have looked at this one on the internet, Nicki.

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Oh, OK! All right, how much did you view?

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I looked at a couple of pictures, and that was it, we haven't

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looked really beyond that, we've not viewed anything in person, so...

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-So that hasn't put you off?

-No, no.

-Not at all.

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-We'd be very excited to go in here. And it's a beautiful village.

-Yeah.

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Well, let's step inside and see what you make of our first property.

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Fantastic. Thank you.

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This Methodist chapel was built around 1870 to serve the village.

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It was sympathetically converted into a home about 20 years ago,

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retaining some fabulous character features.

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Right, let me welcome you to your converted chapel.

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-Wow.

-Lovely.

-Very nice.

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You do have the character of the chapel, although, actually, if you

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take your eye away from the doors, this just looks like

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-a very pleasant sitting room/dining room, doesn't it?

-It does.

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You want the character, but you don't want too much character,

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and so, for me, this is actually kind of about the right level.

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It's really nice.

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-What about you, Chris?

-Love it.

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-Well, it's got the wood burner.

-Tick.

-What more do I need?

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-In the centre of the village.

-Exactly, exactly.

-Yeah.

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It'd be nice to see what's under these carpets, maybe, as well.

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Yeah, you never know, there might be some stone floors or...

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-Yes, traditional floors.

-Yeah.

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That'll be a little project for you, won't it?

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We've only been in the house a few minutes.

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That's quite impressive, yeah.

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Let's walk into the kitchen, through, again,

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-these marvellous doors.

-Interesting.

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It's like the big reveal, going through these doorframes.

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-Beautiful.

-Very theatrical.

-Yeah. Very theatrical.

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-Wow.

-Your kitchen. Now, you could class this as a galley kitchen...

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-Yep. It's quite a wide galley kitchen.

-It's generous, isn't it?

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Yeah. I mean, you've got a wonderful range, I love the Belfast sink.

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-It's perfectly big enough for us, isn't it?

-More than enough space.

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If you were entertaining, it's still big enough.

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How is this working now you're actually physically in the house,

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compared to what you saw online?

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-Erm, this seems bigger...

-Yeah.

-..than we expected.

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-The kitchen, certainly.

-Well, I'm looking forward to the invite!

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-Always welcome!

-Right, let's keep going.

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Well, we're certainly off to a good start with this property.

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Kate and Chris seem to like the character and the space on offer

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so far, so I'm pretty confident the upstairs won't disappoint either.

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-Now, how is this for an unusual feature?

-That's fantastic.

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The original lamppost and light from the village itself.

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Wow. That's a really, really nice feature.

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Now, with our chapel,

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we've actually given you more bedrooms than you asked for.

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The largest is the master.

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There's two further single bedrooms, a study, and the family bathroom.

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Oh, that's fabulous.

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-So I could have a writing room inside the house.

-You could.

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-Now, I can't promise you a view, sadly.

-Nope.

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But what I can give you is the small dressing room here,

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-on top of your wardrobes.

-That would be very useful,

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because Chris often goes to work at four or five in the morning,

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so if he's not in here getting changed,

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then it would be slightly quieter,

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and I'm more likely to stay asleep if he's in there.

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It's like this chapel has been designed for the two of you.

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Yeah, possibly. Yeah.

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Well, let's go outside, to look at the space there.

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Quite an unusual set-up.

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I wonder how much you remember when you looked at those

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cheeky details online. We'll see.

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Chris, I'm going to ask you to lead the way. Thank you.

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To the side of the property, there's a small, south-facing

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enclosed garden, with a decked area accessed from the living room.

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The property's also being sold with a separate piece of land,

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which is a seven-minute walk away at the edge of the village.

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If they wanted,

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it could provide Kate and Chris with rental income as pasture land,

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but, with its peaceful elevated position offering views like this,

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I think they might be tempted to keep it for themselves.

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So, unusually, our chapel has this parcel of land.

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So you come up the bridle path, which is looked after by the farmer,

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but you've got access into here, and it's nearly two acres.

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-Wow. I think Dolly would enjoy that.

-Yes!

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Quite what we'd do with it, I can't be certain, but I'm sure we...

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-Yeah...

-Is it a nice problem to have?

-A really nice problem to have.

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-Yeah.

-Yeah, definitely.

-A great project.

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So I'm now going to ask you to put a price on this property, but, Kate,

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how good was your memory when you perused the internet and you saw it?

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I can't remember exactly what it was, but I know it came up

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under our top budget, so I would guess it was maybe about 340.

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Right. Chris?

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-Maybe my memory was a little bit better, then.

-Oh.

-But I would...

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I seem to remember it being 325.

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Well, your memory is right.

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The asking price for the chapel,

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-with the nearly two acres of land, is £325,000.

-That's fantastic.

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If you wanted to buy the chapel on its own, without this land,

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they would be happy to sell that as well,

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and the asking price for the chapel on its own is £295,000.

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-Gosh. That's something to think about.

-Yeah.

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But they have had some serious offers on this land,

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and ideally, they want to sell the two together.

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-Do you two want to have a little explore on your own?

-Yes, please.

0:17:220:17:25

-Yeah, I think so.

-Quite a bit, yeah. Go on up there.

0:17:250:17:27

You'll get an even better view. I'll hang around,

0:17:270:17:30

and then we can walk back to the village when you're ready.

0:17:300:17:32

-Thank you.

-Thank you.

-Off you go.

0:17:320:17:34

So, even though they had an idea of how much

0:17:370:17:40

it was on the market for, it's still come as a pleasant surprise,

0:17:400:17:42

and actually, to stand here and think,

0:17:420:17:45

this could all be theirs as well in addition to that beautiful home,

0:17:450:17:49

I think it's a really good start here in Dorset.

0:17:490:17:52

I'm feeling pretty confident.

0:17:520:17:54

Coming in well under budget, even with the additional land,

0:17:550:17:58

this converted chapel has the character features

0:17:580:18:01

and village location that Kate and Chris were after.

0:18:010:18:05

There's also three bedrooms, a separate study,

0:18:050:18:07

and outside space for Dolly.

0:18:070:18:10

What's up here, then? Does it go to this border?

0:18:100:18:14

-I think it goes all the way over there.

-Yeah.

0:18:140:18:17

And then right up to the top, there.

0:18:170:18:20

The thing is, you'd have to take out a lot of these trees

0:18:200:18:22

if you wanted to put anything sort of substantial up here.

0:18:220:18:25

It's not a massive house, but it's got everything that we need,

0:18:250:18:28

and I love the position right in the middle of the village.

0:18:280:18:30

That's exactly the kind of lifestyle we're looking for.

0:18:300:18:33

Perhaps upstairs, you know, it's a little bit short on head height,

0:18:330:18:37

but, you know, that's my fault, really, more than anybody else's.

0:18:370:18:41

Erm, but, you know, it's only really upstairs. The downstairs is great.

0:18:410:18:46

This plot is amazing, and I think I would just be blown away if

0:18:460:18:50

I actually owned a piece of land. I think that would be fantastic.

0:18:500:18:53

Well, I think that's a good start here in Dorset.

0:18:550:18:58

-Little bit of a walk now. We'll amble back into the village.

-OK.

0:18:580:19:02

With its awe-inspiring coastline,

0:19:100:19:12

rolling chalk hills, and river valleys,

0:19:120:19:15

Dorset is a haven for hikers, ramblers, and dog walkers alike.

0:19:150:19:19

It offers 2,000 miles of footpaths, bridle ways,

0:19:190:19:22

and byways to choose from.

0:19:220:19:24

However, although the windy cliff tops and dense woodlands are

0:19:240:19:27

attractive for holiday-makers, they also have the potential to be

0:19:270:19:31

treacherous terrain if you get lost or injured.

0:19:310:19:34

The Dorset Search Dogs charity was established in 2006

0:19:340:19:38

to help rescue missing persons in the area.

0:19:380:19:41

With Chris's own experiences of helping those in need,

0:19:410:19:44

and his and Kate's ambition to explore the Dorset countryside

0:19:440:19:47

with their dog, Dolly, we've arranged for them

0:19:470:19:49

to meet chairman Matt Cooke to find out more about the charity.

0:19:490:19:53

Dorset Search Dogs was set up to find missing people,

0:19:550:19:59

vulnerable missing people, throughout Dorset

0:19:590:20:01

and neighbouring counties, and anybody who wants us, really.

0:20:010:20:04

And how does it work, then? Who actually calls you out?

0:20:040:20:07

We get called out by the police, coastguard,

0:20:070:20:10

or neighbouring search and rescue teams. You can't call us directly.

0:20:100:20:13

It has to be coordinated by police or coastguard.

0:20:130:20:17

How often do you find you get called out?

0:20:170:20:20

We get called out about 40 to 50 times per year.

0:20:200:20:23

We're available 24/7.

0:20:230:20:26

We're all volunteers, so it may not mean that we can attend all

0:20:260:20:29

the call-outs, but between us, we do try and get to as many as we can.

0:20:290:20:32

And how do you go about training the dogs?

0:20:320:20:34

Well, we've got two of our guys here, with two of their dogs.

0:20:340:20:37

-We can go and have a look, if you want.

-Great.

-Yeah.

0:20:370:20:40

On average, it takes between 12 and 18 months to train a search dog.

0:20:420:20:47

For the dogs, it's like a big game of hide and seek,

0:20:470:20:50

starting off with the squeaky toy used as a reward.

0:20:500:20:53

-This is Wendy, with her search dog, Hattie.

-Hi, there.

-Hello.

0:20:530:20:56

Hattie's a trainee search dog at the moment,

0:20:560:20:59

but what we do is we wind the dogs up with a squeaky toy,

0:20:590:21:02

run off behind the nearest tree or nearest bush, and the dog goes in.

0:21:020:21:06

Wendy, if you want to give me your search toy.

0:21:060:21:08

This is where Hattie will start getting wound up.

0:21:080:21:11

TOY SQUEAKS, DOG BARKS

0:21:120:21:16

Successful search dogs need to have a high play drive and be agile,

0:21:190:21:23

with plenty of stamina.

0:21:230:21:26

Although any dog could be trained as a search dog, they tend to be

0:21:260:21:29

larger, working breeds, like Hattie, who's a Giant Schnauzer.

0:21:290:21:33

There are also Springer Spaniels, Labradors,

0:21:350:21:37

and Border Collies in the team.

0:21:370:21:39

Woohoo! Good girl!

0:21:390:21:42

The charity has a number of volunteers,

0:21:440:21:46

who help out on training sessions.

0:21:460:21:48

Called dogsbodies,

0:21:480:21:50

they play the role of a missing person for the dogs to find.

0:21:500:21:53

OK, so we've set up a bit of a scenario here.

0:21:530:21:56

We've got Sue, one of our volunteers.

0:21:560:21:58

She's sat on a log, felt unwell, fallen over,

0:21:580:22:02

and she's banged her head. We wouldn't get that full scenario.

0:22:020:22:06

All we would get is a call from a relative,

0:22:060:22:08

saying that somebody hasn't turned up.

0:22:080:22:10

So, Steve would go out as a handler, with search dog, Oscar.

0:22:100:22:14

Oscar is one of our more experienced dogs.

0:22:140:22:16

So, Steve, show us how it's done.

0:22:160:22:18

Are you going to go find? You going to go find?

0:22:200:22:22

Go find!

0:22:220:22:23

Most search dogs are air scenters, which means

0:22:250:22:28

rather than tracking a scent like a police dog,

0:22:280:22:30

they pick up the scent of a human being in the air.

0:22:300:22:34

With a sense of smell thousands of times stronger than that of

0:22:340:22:37

a human, some of the Dorset search dogs can detect human scent

0:22:370:22:41

from 500-800 yards away.

0:22:410:22:45

Once the dog finds their missing person,

0:22:450:22:48

they return to the handler to indicate their find.

0:22:480:22:51

-Good boy!

-Hello.

-Hello.

-Hello, I'm Steve. You all right?

0:22:510:22:54

-Hello, I'm fine, thank you.

-What's your name?

0:22:540:22:57

-Sue.

-Sue. You all right?

-I'm fine here.

-Good. This is Matt.

0:22:570:23:00

He'll sort you out.

0:23:000:23:02

OK, that's the end of the scenario, then. Well done.

0:23:020:23:05

Good boy!

0:23:050:23:08

Now that Chris and Kate have seen the techniques,

0:23:080:23:11

perhaps they'll be tempted to try out training with Dolly

0:23:110:23:14

when they make the move to Dorset.

0:23:140:23:16

We're heading towards the coast for our next property -

0:23:190:23:23

to the market town of Bridport.

0:23:230:23:24

Historically recognised as one of the leading rope-producing towns

0:23:250:23:28

in England, today Bridport is known for its vibrant

0:23:280:23:32

local arts scene, playing host to a range of events and exhibitions.

0:23:320:23:36

There's an array of independent shops and a popular cinema.

0:23:360:23:40

I think the culture on offer here would really appeal

0:23:400:23:43

to Kate and Chris.

0:23:430:23:44

The house I'm showing them is just under two miles from

0:23:440:23:47

the centre of Bridport, in the neighbouring village of Bradpole.

0:23:470:23:51

So you said, ideally, you'd like to be close to the sea.

0:23:510:23:54

Well, we're about five or ten minutes away.

0:23:540:23:57

Well, that would be lovely.

0:23:570:24:00

We try and show our couples different varieties of properties.

0:24:000:24:03

This one is an old cottage with a thatched porch.

0:24:030:24:07

-Beautiful.

-Very nice.

0:24:070:24:08

-The good news is the roof is quite new!

-Yeah.

0:24:080:24:12

-It's definitely got some kerb appeal, hasn't it?

-Hasn't it just?

0:24:130:24:16

We are right on the edge of Bridport so you've got all that

0:24:160:24:19

community there, lots going on.

0:24:190:24:22

-That would been nice for me, I think.

-Yeah.

0:24:220:24:24

They have lots of festivals and things to get involved in.

0:24:240:24:26

So first impressions...?

0:24:260:24:28

Great roof.

0:24:280:24:30

I love the little bit of thatch, so you've got a bit of character.

0:24:300:24:32

-I'm really looking forward to going in.

-Good.

0:24:320:24:35

On that note, we will. Come on.

0:24:350:24:36

This property dates back to the 1880s.

0:24:380:24:41

Originally it would have been a worker's cottage

0:24:410:24:43

for the surrounding land.

0:24:430:24:45

Despite showing its age on the outside,

0:24:450:24:47

I think the interior might surprise them.

0:24:470:24:50

So, we all love this delightful porch.

0:24:510:24:53

-Fantastic.

-You could call it a boot room, or a little dog room.

0:24:530:24:56

It leads us straight into the kitchen/diner.

0:24:560:24:59

I love it.

0:25:000:25:03

-Yeah.

-It's really nice.

0:25:030:25:06

I'm struggling to think of something in this room

0:25:060:25:08

that I'm not in love with.

0:25:080:25:10

-Ooh!

-Yeah, it's great.

0:25:100:25:12

-It's been done really well.

-Yeah.

0:25:120:25:15

-It's very much our taste, as well.

-Yeah, very much.

0:25:150:25:18

It's got character, but it's got modern touches to it,

0:25:180:25:23

and you know, it's been brought up-to-date.

0:25:230:25:26

Even things, like I've just noticed the stable doors,

0:25:260:25:30

which would be so useful with the dog, getting her in and out, or...

0:25:300:25:34

-Or keeping her out.

-Keeping her in. Yeah, exactly!

-Yeah!

0:25:340:25:37

So that would be good.

0:25:370:25:39

The current owners have had it about 6-7 years.

0:25:390:25:42

They've done all the work on it.

0:25:420:25:44

-They actually live next-door.

-Oh.

0:25:440:25:46

-This is a holiday let.

-Ah, OK.

0:25:460:25:49

The whole property, apart from that conservatory at the back,

0:25:490:25:52

or utility room, in actual fact, is probably a better word for it.

0:25:520:25:56

It's got a downstairs cloakroom - basic but functional.

0:25:560:25:58

A log store and there's water out there.

0:25:580:26:01

If you're ever going to think of a project,

0:26:010:26:04

and perhaps extending slightly, you've already got the footprint.

0:26:040:26:08

You'd need to get the right planning permission but you could extend

0:26:080:26:11

a little bit further out if you wanted to have a bit more space.

0:26:110:26:14

-Lovely.

-Fantastic.

0:26:140:26:16

It sounds like you could both certainly live in this room.

0:26:160:26:18

Let's see what you make of next-door,

0:26:180:26:21

if I can squeeze past you.

0:26:210:26:22

Thank you.

0:26:220:26:24

Right, reactions for our sitting room, please?

0:26:240:26:27

I still love it.

0:26:290:26:30

THEY LAUGH

0:26:300:26:32

I love the wooden floorboards that have been painted white.

0:26:320:26:35

I mean, it's beautifully done out.

0:26:350:26:37

It's really charming.

0:26:370:26:40

How are the ceilings?

0:26:400:26:42

Fabulous.

0:26:420:26:43

-I wouldn't even think to notice them, really.

-Yeah.

0:26:430:26:47

I think from outside, I was a wee bit,

0:26:470:26:49

"Oh, are we going to have a ceiling-related problem?"

0:26:490:26:52

But, actually, it's like a normal-sized house.

0:26:520:26:55

I wonder if they might be slightly lower upstairs.

0:26:550:26:58

I like that - "a ceiling-related problem".

0:26:580:27:01

That's good. I'm going to use that one again.

0:27:010:27:03

-Let's go upstairs and see if we do have any issues.

-OK.

0:27:030:27:06

The upstairs of the property has a family bathroom and two bedrooms,

0:27:090:27:13

a good-sized double for guests and the master bedroom.

0:27:130:27:17

So downstairs has been a bit of a success story.

0:27:170:27:21

I'm hoping this will be the same upstairs.

0:27:230:27:26

I think we should just buy it now, really. It's fabulous.

0:27:260:27:30

I wouldn't have thought outside that the inside would look like this.

0:27:300:27:33

I think you get all the character and the age outside,

0:27:330:27:37

and then something quite modern and stylish inside.

0:27:370:27:39

-No ceiling issues?

-None.

-No ceiling issues.

0:27:390:27:42

One of the last things I just want to mention

0:27:420:27:44

is when you're lying in bed, if you look out of your window, you can

0:27:440:27:48

see the church for Bradpole, and the surrounding fields as well.

0:27:480:27:52

So even though we're elevated and we do have a few houses around us,

0:27:520:27:56

you do get glimpses of that view.

0:27:560:27:58

-That's really nice.

-Yeah?

0:27:580:28:00

So2 far, it's just perfect for what we were looking for.

0:28:000:28:04

Oh, my goodness, I'm so happy.

0:28:040:28:06

But...a small word of caution, because we are quite close to

0:28:060:28:11

Bridport and we've got to decide how much it's on the market for

0:28:110:28:14

before we get too excited.

0:28:140:28:16

Don't break our hearts, Nicki.

0:28:160:28:18

No, but we're going to head outside and we're going to talk money.

0:28:180:28:20

So...be my guest, off you go.

0:28:200:28:24

Internally this property has a high standard of finish,

0:28:240:28:27

but outside the paved back garden is the low-maintenance space you'd

0:28:270:28:31

expect from a rental property and could benefit from some work.

0:28:310:28:35

Nonetheless, fully enclosed and with side access,

0:28:350:28:38

it would make an adequate space for Dolly.

0:28:380:28:41

Now, at the moment. it's practical, isn't it?

0:28:410:28:44

You could put down a little bit of lawn here and you'll get the sun,

0:28:440:28:47

not in the evenings, but certainly during the day.

0:28:470:28:49

-Again, just somewhere for the dog.

-Absolutely.

-Mm.

0:28:490:28:52

This is workable because there's no doubt plenty of walks on

0:28:520:28:55

-the doorstep because we're in that part of the country.

-Yeah.

0:28:550:28:58

-The tour of the cottage has gone exceedingly well.

-Yeah.

0:28:580:29:02

The final part, obviously, is to try and put a price on it.

0:29:020:29:06

I think, I would say

0:29:060:29:11

this is on for 320.

0:29:110:29:13

I'm going to say a little bit higher.

0:29:150:29:18

I'm going to say 335.

0:29:180:29:19

OK. I'm going to give you two a completely different figure

0:29:210:29:25

-to either of those.

-OK.

0:29:250:29:27

Asking price, £275,000.

0:29:270:29:31

-Wow!

-Seriously, get your chequebook out now.

0:29:320:29:35

Fabulous. Thank you for showing it to us. It's wonderful.

0:29:360:29:39

I think we both probably loved it so much,

0:29:390:29:41

we valued it maybe more than, obviously, it's on for.

0:29:410:29:44

And I was a bit naughty cos I threw in the curveball with Bridport,

0:29:440:29:46

-didn't I?

-You did, you did.

0:29:460:29:48

So I'm guessing, on your own this time,

0:29:480:29:50

you'd like to take a second look.

0:29:500:29:52

-Yes, please.

-Thank you.

-Off you go.

-Thank you.

-Thank you.

0:29:520:29:55

It is a wonderful property

0:29:560:29:59

and you know what they say when you step through the door

0:29:590:30:01

and it feels like home.

0:30:010:30:03

Well, for our couple, they certainly got that feeling.

0:30:030:30:06

For a staggering £75,000 under budget,

0:30:060:30:10

this updated character cottage offers Kate and Chris

0:30:100:30:13

the two bedrooms they need and potential to extend in the future.

0:30:130:30:17

It's close to Bridport town centre and less than

0:30:170:30:20

a ten-minute drive to the sea.

0:30:200:30:22

This is a great little area, isn't it? Perfect for Dolly.

0:30:270:30:30

Yeah, cos if we were bringing her back from the beach

0:30:300:30:32

and she's covered in sand,

0:30:320:30:33

we could just bring her in the back door and clean her off in here.

0:30:330:30:36

One of the things about the cottage is that there aren't

0:30:360:30:39

a huge amount of rooms, but actually the green sizes are really good.

0:30:390:30:42

The way it's decorated, the furniture, the kitchen,

0:30:420:30:46

everything is almost to our taste, really.

0:30:460:30:50

Down to the paint on the walls, probably.

0:30:500:30:52

The real highlight for me with this place would be

0:30:520:30:55

proximity to the beach.

0:30:550:30:57

You know, it's always been a dream that we would be able to walk

0:30:570:30:59

Dolly on the beach and actually here it's completely feasible

0:30:590:31:02

that we could do that.

0:31:020:31:04

That's a really big thing to think about.

0:31:040:31:08

Don't you two look pretty, coming out of the thatch?

0:31:080:31:12

-Well, that was successful.

-It was.

0:31:120:31:14

You look very at home. All I need is my camera.

0:31:140:31:17

-That's it. Let's hit the road, shall we?

-Definitely.

0:31:170:31:21

It's the second day of our search with Chris and Kate who,

0:31:310:31:34

with a budget of £350,000,

0:31:340:31:37

are looking to swap their four-bedroomed semi

0:31:370:31:39

in Reigate, Surrey, for a character home down in Dorset.

0:31:390:31:42

With Chris's new job starting in just six weeks,

0:31:420:31:46

there's no time to lose.

0:31:460:31:47

Still to come,

0:31:470:31:49

it looks like our Mystery House might be working its magic.

0:31:490:31:52

I'm a little bit emotional.

0:31:520:31:55

-Are you?

-Mm, a little bit.

0:31:550:31:56

And I'll be reaching new heights on the Isle of Portland.

0:31:580:32:01

Go on, all your weight through that leg. Go on, push, push, push.

0:32:030:32:05

My heart, Will, is racing!

0:32:050:32:07

NICKI CHUCKLES

0:32:070:32:09

With Chris starting a new job in literally a matter of weeks,

0:32:110:32:15

both he and Kate are after a new life, as well as a new home.

0:32:150:32:19

And I think yesterday's house-hunt was pretty successful.

0:32:190:32:23

Today, of course, it means our mystery property,

0:32:230:32:26

which is going to offer our couple over 1,000 years of

0:32:260:32:30

history and potentially everything they want.

0:32:300:32:33

So, where's the catch?

0:32:330:32:35

Well, I'm going to be using every penny of their budget.

0:32:350:32:39

But first, I'm going to show them a home that,

0:32:390:32:41

with Kate's creative flair, could be a real contender.

0:32:410:32:46

What's more, it's in the most beautiful village location.

0:32:460:32:50

For our next offering,

0:32:530:32:54

we're heading to the idyllic village of Sydling St Nicholas.

0:32:540:32:58

Ancient thatched houses line the banks of Sydling Water

0:32:580:33:01

in this picturesque, sleepy village.

0:33:010:33:03

Often described as one of the prettiest in Dorset, Thomas Hardy

0:33:030:33:07

featured the location in his short story, The Grave By The Handpost.

0:33:070:33:12

Visiting walkers and cyclists can explore the country lanes

0:33:120:33:15

and numerous public footpaths.

0:33:150:33:17

And if you're looking for a pit stop,

0:33:170:33:19

you could call in at the local pub.

0:33:190:33:22

Wandering through the village, we find our next property.

0:33:220:33:25

So, we've brought you to probably one of the most beautiful villages

0:33:270:33:31

that I've been in in a long time, without it being a tourist trap,

0:33:310:33:35

because in the heart of this village is our property.

0:33:350:33:39

-Wowzers.

-Wow.

0:33:400:33:42

That's what do you think about when you think of Dorset, isn't it?

0:33:430:33:46

-Something like that.

-Yeah.

0:33:460:33:47

-That's the picture postcard, isn't it?

-Yeah, it is.

0:33:470:33:49

This house was last thatched in 2002.

0:33:490:33:52

There's a little bit of work being done on the ridge between.

0:33:520:33:55

so that's sort of joint ownership between the two properties

0:33:550:33:57

cos it is semidetached.

0:33:570:33:59

-So you're going to get about 30 years out of it.

-OK.

0:33:590:34:02

-I think it looks beautiful. Yeah, I can't wait.

-Yeah?

0:34:020:34:05

-Shall we take a look inside?

-Yes, please.

0:34:050:34:08

This grade-II listed property dates back to the late 17th century

0:34:100:34:14

and is typical of the traditional thatched cottages in the area.

0:34:140:34:18

Inside, there's a host of original features.

0:34:180:34:21

So, as you come in, you've got this hallway - with beams.

0:34:210:34:25

I'm looking at Chris now, just to see...

0:34:250:34:27

Yes, we're in action there. No problems with beams.

0:34:270:34:29

And then we come into this wonderful sitting-room.

0:34:290:34:33

Dominated by...

0:34:330:34:35

-Inglenook.

-Beautiful inglenook fireplace.

-Yeah. That's amazing.

0:34:350:34:39

And then you've actually got a bread oven

0:34:390:34:41

-just tucked away in the corner there.

-Wow.

-It is quite awesome.

0:34:410:34:44

Now, the owners of this property, they do have

0:34:440:34:47

quite a lot of furniture and knick-knacks, beautiful things,

0:34:470:34:50

but take those away and actually look at this space,

0:34:500:34:53

being dual aspect, you get quite a lot of light,

0:34:530:34:56

-but it's bigger than it first appears.

-Yeah.

0:34:560:34:58

It's quite a big room, really, yeah.

0:34:580:35:01

Yeah, it's charming, it's really charming.

0:35:010:35:03

OK, right, still more to show you.

0:35:030:35:05

So, Chris, if you wouldn't mind leading the way, thank you.

0:35:050:35:07

So, you have a separate dining room.

0:35:120:35:14

I can even offer you a wood burner. Always goes down well with Chris.

0:35:140:35:18

Look at that smile. I'm going to take us next door to the kitchen.

0:35:180:35:21

Now, not the largest of kitchens, is the truth.

0:35:250:35:28

However, you've got everything that you need here.

0:35:280:35:31

Got a view outside into your garden.

0:35:310:35:33

You've got access, which is going to be so important for the dog.

0:35:330:35:36

That wall, with the right permission,

0:35:360:35:38

because obviously we have to bear in mind that this is a listed building,

0:35:380:35:41

if you took that down, cos it's not a supporting wall

0:35:410:35:44

by the looks of it, and open it out,

0:35:440:35:46

I know it's going to be a project

0:35:460:35:47

but I think it would transform the kitchen/diner.

0:35:470:35:50

I think that would make a lot of difference.

0:35:500:35:53

It is quite...small, really,

0:35:530:35:56

but perfectly formed, everything we need.

0:35:560:35:58

Maybe just a little bit of love.

0:35:580:36:01

And opened out would probably fit better for how we live generally,

0:36:010:36:04

-so I think that's something we could definitely do.

-OK, right.

0:36:040:36:07

Well, we've still got more to show you.

0:36:070:36:09

We're going to head upstairs.

0:36:090:36:11

Although in its current state

0:36:140:36:15

this house isn't quite to their taste,

0:36:150:36:18

I'm pleased to see Kate and Chris are remaining open-minded

0:36:180:36:21

and that they might even consider doing some work.

0:36:210:36:24

As we head upstairs, there's a family bathroom

0:36:240:36:27

and a small double bedroom at the back of the house

0:36:270:36:29

as well as two larger double bedrooms to the front.

0:36:290:36:32

Now, I'm wondering if this is going to be

0:36:330:36:35

a little bit more of a challenge for lovely Chris.

0:36:350:36:38

-I clear it, Kate clears it.

-Yup.

-Ooh...

0:36:380:36:42

Chris takes off the top of his head. Oh, no!

0:36:420:36:45

Well, OK, I can come up with a solution.

0:36:450:36:48

-We have three doubles upstairs.

-Oh, wow.

-Three?

-Yeah.

0:36:480:36:52

This is at the moment the master,

0:36:520:36:54

but perhaps next door might be more suited to your needs, shall we say?

0:36:540:36:58

From the outside, I wasn't expecting three doubles, so that's great.

0:36:580:37:02

It's just whether you can cope with the ceilings.

0:37:020:37:04

-I can, so...

-SHE LAUGHS

0:37:050:37:07

That's fine.

0:37:070:37:08

Maybe a crash helmet just for me when I'm upstairs.

0:37:080:37:13

Let's pop outside, have a talk, see what conclusion you two come to.

0:37:130:37:19

-OK.

-Mind your head, Chris.

-Yeah.

0:37:190:37:21

I've got the plaster ready.

0:37:210:37:22

Outside, there's a good-sized lawned garden

0:37:250:37:28

and access to a more recently built large garage

0:37:280:37:31

which could be converted into a creative hub for Kate.

0:37:310:37:34

So...

0:37:370:37:38

Looking back, you really can see your cottage from here, can't you?

0:37:380:37:42

Yeah, it looks absolutely beautiful.

0:37:420:37:44

I am going to be honest when it comes to the garden.

0:37:440:37:46

I think it's really ready to be loved.

0:37:460:37:50

We quite enjoy working in the garden in recent years,

0:37:500:37:52

so this would be great because we could really, you know,

0:37:520:37:55

turn it into something really exciting.

0:37:550:37:57

Can you afford, then, our thatched cottage?

0:37:570:38:01

What price are we going to put on it?

0:38:010:38:03

It might be a cheeky one, but I'm going to say 310.

0:38:030:38:07

Right.

0:38:070:38:08

I was going to be even cheekier.

0:38:100:38:14

Ooh.

0:38:140:38:15

I would probably say 250.

0:38:150:38:18

THEY GASP

0:38:180:38:19

-That's very cheeky!

-Very cheeky, but...

0:38:190:38:22

Is that cheeky and hopeful, I'm wondering?

0:38:220:38:25

Probably.

0:38:250:38:26

-Well, sadly...

-You'll be disa...

0:38:260:38:28

Yeah, you are going to be disappointed.

0:38:280:38:30

Kate's closest, but she's still not quite on the money.

0:38:300:38:33

-Kate said 310.

-Yep.

-Asking price - £320,000.

0:38:330:38:38

-OK.

-Wow.

0:38:380:38:39

So, you've got three really good sized doubles, that's why.

0:38:390:38:42

-It's a really good family house.

-Yes.

0:38:420:38:45

So probably now is the right time for the two of you on your own

0:38:450:38:49

to have a real look and see if it's a project that you want to take on

0:38:490:38:52

and whether it will give you that dream home.

0:38:520:38:55

-OK. Will do, thank you.

-Thank you.

0:38:550:38:56

This Grade II listed thatched cottage

0:39:020:39:05

is packed with period features.

0:39:050:39:07

It would give Chris and Kate an extra bedroom,

0:39:070:39:09

but would require a bit of updating to suit their needs.

0:39:090:39:13

There's a good-sized garden with a garage

0:39:130:39:15

and it's set in a stunning village location.

0:39:150:39:18

I think the thatch certainly appeals.

0:39:190:39:22

It obviously makes for a beautiful-looking house.

0:39:220:39:26

Certainly a contender, but I think it's going to be a little bit of...

0:39:260:39:31

thinking and vision to see what we could do with it.

0:39:310:39:35

I'm not worried about doing any work to it but, you know,

0:39:350:39:37

it's obviously in a very nice village so the price reflects that,

0:39:370:39:41

so it does put us very close to our top budget.

0:39:410:39:45

I think it's something that we would think about

0:39:450:39:47

if we could get it for the right price, but if it was at full asking,

0:39:470:39:51

I'm not sure it would be the right place for us.

0:39:510:39:54

Right, our thatched cottage.

0:39:550:39:58

Little bit of a project for the two of you.

0:39:580:40:00

I wonder if you're going to rise to the challenge.

0:40:000:40:03

Oh, you're not giving anything away today, are you?

0:40:030:40:07

Right, well, we've seen this one. Let's make a move.

0:40:070:40:09

The Isle of Portland has long been renowned for its durable

0:40:160:40:19

and hardy limestone bedrock,

0:40:190:40:21

used for building across the UK and abroad for centuries.

0:40:210:40:25

But in recent years, it's also become popular

0:40:250:40:28

in the world of outdoor pursuits.

0:40:280:40:30

Today, Portland is known as one of the UK's top spots

0:40:300:40:33

for rock climbing.

0:40:330:40:35

With four miles of almost unbroken cliffs,

0:40:350:40:37

there are over 1,000 climbing routes to choose from

0:40:370:40:41

and with breathtaking views of the English Channel,

0:40:410:40:44

it's the perfect location to don a harness for a lesson

0:40:440:40:47

from local climbing instructor Will Moy.

0:40:470:40:50

Will, this is a truly remarkable spot here.

0:40:500:40:54

I mean, that rock face is something else.

0:40:540:40:56

-It's amazing, isn't it?

-Tell me about the geology of it.

0:40:560:40:59

So this is Portland stone and so it's a sedimentary rock,

0:40:590:41:03

which has been formed by layers and layers of tiny crustaceans

0:41:030:41:06

over a long period of time that's been squeezed together

0:41:060:41:09

and now it's been pushed up and created this island

0:41:090:41:12

-and left this amazing rock for us to climb on.

-It is...

0:41:120:41:15

Amazing is a good word for it because just standing here,

0:41:150:41:18

you can see just so many layers.

0:41:180:41:20

-Is that where it's been compressed?

-Yeah, absolutely.

0:41:200:41:23

So, essentially, it's built on layers

0:41:230:41:26

and sometimes you get those layers at an angle

0:41:260:41:29

and on Portland most of the time, it's actually horizontal, flat.

0:41:290:41:32

So that's why it's really great for us to rock climb on.

0:41:320:41:35

It means that we've got lots of handholds to climb on,

0:41:350:41:37

and lots of little edges to put our feet on.

0:41:370:41:40

So who could actually attempt to climb a rock face of that size

0:41:400:41:43

and stature, if you like?

0:41:430:41:44

Well, that's the great thing about Portland, really.

0:41:440:41:47

There's a grade for everybody.

0:41:470:41:48

So starting from really young, so maybe five, six, seven years old,

0:41:480:41:52

all the way up to 70s and 80s can get up there,

0:41:520:41:54

if they're fit and willing.

0:41:540:41:56

-Really?

-Yeah.

0:41:560:41:58

-I'm nervous but I'm looking forward to it.

-Great.

0:41:580:42:01

-We'll give it a good go.

-Thank you.

0:42:010:42:03

The seam of limestone I'm going to be climbing

0:42:030:42:06

is around 50 foot high.

0:42:060:42:08

It sounds daunting but Will assures me it's a good distance

0:42:080:42:11

for a beginner like myself.

0:42:110:42:14

-So we've got the harness on.

-Yeah.

0:42:140:42:16

-Helmet on.

-Helmet on. What next?

0:42:160:42:19

-So this is the rope here that you're going to be climbing on.

-Yeah.

0:42:190:42:22

The rope's here just to safeguard you, all right?

0:42:220:42:24

So it's just in case you want to come down

0:42:240:42:26

or if you fall off the rock, it's there to help you, all right?

0:42:260:42:29

So, the idea is we need to tie you in. All right.

0:42:290:42:32

With this knot here, so let me just do this for you.

0:42:320:42:35

-So I'm going to be controlling this end of the rope.

-Yeah.

0:42:350:42:37

As you climb up, my job is to take the rope in.

0:42:370:42:40

All right, so it's always there ready to catch you.

0:42:400:42:42

I know I'm in good hands, Will.

0:42:420:42:44

-It looks an awful long way up.

-OK.

0:42:440:42:47

So the idea, obviously, you've got lots of handholds and footholds

0:42:470:42:50

to place your hands on. Sometimes it's difficult to find your way,

0:42:500:42:53

so you do have to feel around sometimes

0:42:530:42:55

-to find the best place.

-Yeah.

0:42:550:42:57

So the first tricky move is getting your feet up on to this one,

0:42:570:43:00

-then across to here.

-OK.

0:43:000:43:02

You've got an excellent handhold up here.

0:43:020:43:04

-As soon as you can get your hand up to here, the better.

-OK.

0:43:040:43:07

So...

0:43:070:43:08

-This is where my first foot goes.

-Yeah.

0:43:080:43:11

Can you reach right up?

0:43:110:43:13

That's it. Bend your knee a bit that way. Perfect.

0:43:130:43:16

Right.

0:43:160:43:17

VOICEOVER: Climbing is a great full body workout.

0:43:190:43:21

Using both the upper and lower body,

0:43:210:43:24

you work your abdominals and leg muscles,

0:43:240:43:26

whilst all the reaching and stretching for holds

0:43:260:43:29

improves flexibility and agility at the same time.

0:43:290:43:32

Will, the fact that you've got that rope is so reassuring,

0:43:320:43:35

I can't tell you.

0:43:350:43:37

Right, Will, next bit?

0:43:370:43:38

OK, so I would go out to the right a little bit.

0:43:380:43:41

-Can you see those ledges you've got?

-Yeah.

0:43:410:43:44

Well done.

0:43:450:43:46

My heart, Will, is racing!

0:43:460:43:48

-OK. You're almost at the top now.

-Yeah.

0:43:500:43:54

So if you can climb a few more steps.

0:43:540:43:56

VOICEOVER: The popularity of climbing in the UK

0:43:570:44:00

is currently on the increase.

0:44:000:44:02

Membership with the British Mountaineering Council

0:44:020:44:04

has more than doubled in the last 15 years.

0:44:040:44:07

Go on, all your weight through that leg. Go on, push, push, push.

0:44:070:44:10

Well done.

0:44:100:44:12

I can't believe I'm practically at the top.

0:44:120:44:15

And, turning around,

0:44:150:44:17

having the confidence just to look at that spectacular view...

0:44:170:44:22

it's worth it.

0:44:220:44:24

Right, better get down now.

0:44:240:44:26

VOICEOVER: I can see why people get addicted to climbing.

0:44:260:44:29

The feeling of reaching the top is just exhilarating.

0:44:290:44:33

And little steps down on the rock now, then.

0:44:330:44:35

-Just small steps, yeah.

-Yeah, little steps.

0:44:350:44:38

VOICEOVER: With sport climbing on the up, it's been shortlisted

0:44:380:44:41

for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.

0:44:410:44:44

NICKI SIGHS Terra firma!

0:44:450:44:47

Whoa!

0:44:470:44:49

And with over 500 indoor climbing walls now in the UK and Ireland,

0:44:490:44:53

it couldn't be easier to get started.

0:44:530:44:56

I can't believe I did it.

0:44:560:44:57

Yay!

0:44:580:45:01

But, when it comes to my climbing career,

0:45:010:45:03

I think it's best I leave it to the experts and stick to house-hunting.

0:45:030:45:07

Great that we've been able to show you characterful properties

0:45:120:45:16

that have all been under budget by quite a bit.

0:45:160:45:19

-Yeah.

-And in beautiful locations as well.

-Yeah.

0:45:190:45:22

Yeah, I mean the villages that we've been seeing

0:45:220:45:25

while we've been driving around are just spectacular.

0:45:250:45:27

So it's only made you want to move here even more, I'm guessing.

0:45:270:45:30

Yeah. I don't think there was any doubt before,

0:45:300:45:32

but there's definitely none now.

0:45:320:45:34

Now, on our way to our Mystery House.

0:45:340:45:38

-Very excited.

-Have we left the best till last?

0:45:380:45:41

I think this is the one that I'm actually the most excited to see.

0:45:410:45:45

So I'm really looking forward to it.

0:45:450:45:47

Our last stop is Maiden Newton,

0:45:500:45:52

just two miles down the road from where our search began.

0:45:520:45:56

The large village lies on the confluence of the rivers

0:45:560:45:58

Frome and Hook, surrounded by the chalk hills of the Dorset Downs.

0:45:580:46:03

The village centre, marked by the remains of a 15th-century

0:46:030:46:06

market cross, has a selection of local shops and places to eat

0:46:060:46:10

and is served by a train station with routes to London and Weymouth.

0:46:100:46:14

The buildings are a mix of old and new,

0:46:140:46:17

some dating back to the 17th century.

0:46:170:46:20

The village church is said to have the oldest original

0:46:200:46:22

wooden church door in England.

0:46:220:46:24

Just a two-minute walk around the corner,

0:46:240:46:27

our Mystery House sits on the banks of the River Frome

0:46:270:46:31

on a rather notable site.

0:46:310:46:32

Now it's not every day I can show our couples

0:46:360:46:40

a property that is right next to 1,000-year-old mill.

0:46:400:46:44

Mentioned in the Domesday Book,

0:46:450:46:47

-that is how old this whole area is.

-Wow!

0:46:470:46:50

The good news is your property isn't 1,000 years old.

0:46:500:46:53

It's only about 100 years old.

0:46:530:46:55

I'm in love.

0:46:550:46:57

-It's beautiful, isn't it?

-Lovely.

0:46:570:47:00

Now, this is community living because you've got a few properties

0:47:000:47:03

here that have already got families living in them.

0:47:030:47:05

But I'm going to take you to your house and see what you make of that.

0:47:050:47:08

-Ready for the mystery tour?

-Absolutely.

-Happy, Chris?

-Yes.

0:47:080:47:12

This impressive three-storey terraced building is the largest

0:47:140:47:18

property we've seen so far.

0:47:180:47:20

The current owners have spent 18 months renovating the house,

0:47:200:47:23

as well as restoring the neighbouring mill

0:47:230:47:26

to its former glory.

0:47:260:47:27

Come out of the rain.

0:47:270:47:29

Leave our umbrellas behind.

0:47:290:47:31

-Crikey!

-You've got your kitchen here,

0:47:330:47:36

you've got your wood burner,

0:47:360:47:38

-which we've got to get out of the way for Chris.

-Yeah.

0:47:380:47:41

Dining area and then we've got our sitting room too.

0:47:410:47:44

It's lovely. It's really nice.

0:47:440:47:47

I love the floor, the tiles on the floor.

0:47:470:47:50

I love the open-plan living.

0:47:500:47:52

I think that really works for kind of our lifestyle.

0:47:520:47:54

Fantastic kitchen.

0:47:540:47:56

It is Grade II listed,

0:47:560:47:58

but by association because of the old mill

0:47:580:48:01

because that has so much history and heritage.

0:48:010:48:03

We all love downstairs. Let's see what we make of the next floor.

0:48:030:48:07

Just off the open-plan dining area is a useful utility room with

0:48:090:48:13

downstairs toilet, completing the accommodation on the ground floor.

0:48:130:48:17

This being our Mystery House,

0:48:170:48:19

it does have a slightly unconventional layout.

0:48:190:48:22

There's a further sitting room and a bathroom on the first floor,

0:48:220:48:25

which is where we're heading next.

0:48:250:48:27

Right, pleasing start to our house tour.

0:48:290:48:31

I'm feeling confident on the next floor.

0:48:310:48:34

I love the look.

0:48:370:48:39

I'm a little bit emotional.

0:48:390:48:41

-Are you?

-Mmm, a little bit.

0:48:410:48:43

This is like everything we would ever want.

0:48:470:48:50

You're making me go now.

0:48:500:48:51

That's not the whole point! I'm meant to be taking you around.

0:48:510:48:54

Could you see yourselves living somewhere like this?

0:48:550:48:58

-May already be seeing ourselves.

-THEY LAUGH

0:48:580:49:01

In our wildest dreams, I think. Yeah.

0:49:010:49:03

This, for me, would be a house we might never leave

0:49:030:49:07

as opposed to I think some of the others where maybe we've thought,

0:49:070:49:10

"This is great, you know, and in a few years,

0:49:100:49:12

"maybe we'll move on to something else."

0:49:120:49:14

-But this feels more like a house we'd stay in. Oh!

-OK.

0:49:140:49:18

I'm going to take you upstairs and show you what else there is.

0:49:180:49:21

-Are you ready for this?

-Yeah.

0:49:210:49:23

Can we improve on that reaction upstairs?

0:49:230:49:26

You've got some work to do. Right, let's see.

0:49:260:49:28

I'm not sure this viewing could get any better -

0:49:320:49:35

at least not where Kate is concerned.

0:49:350:49:37

Also on the first floor is the family bathroom.

0:49:370:49:41

Heading up to the top floor,

0:49:410:49:43

there's an additional shower room and three sizeable bedrooms,

0:49:430:49:46

all with gorgeous exposed beams and high vaulted ceilings.

0:49:460:49:50

I'm confident we won't have any ceiling-related problems

0:49:500:49:53

with six foot six Chris here.

0:49:530:49:55

So...

0:49:570:49:59

On our second floor now,

0:49:590:50:01

we can't just do, you know, the normal layout, can we?

0:50:010:50:04

This is a fantastic sized room.

0:50:040:50:06

Absolutely enormous.

0:50:060:50:08

There's a great feeling of space through the whole house.

0:50:080:50:10

Even just coming up the stairs and the landings.

0:50:100:50:13

I love the beams.

0:50:130:50:14

Chris likes the high ceilings, I guess.

0:50:140:50:17

No, my head is not going to be bashing those in a hurry.

0:50:170:50:21

And we talked always about you having two bedrooms,

0:50:210:50:23

but three is a bonus, isn't it?

0:50:230:50:25

Three's brilliant because we can have a sort of designated

0:50:250:50:28

guest room that kind of doesn't get touched so it's always ready

0:50:280:50:31

for people to come and stay and I can have a writing space.

0:50:310:50:35

The weather is a little inclement, but I think it is worth going

0:50:350:50:38

outside just to have a look at that garden and that outside space.

0:50:380:50:41

-Yeah.

-Yes, please.

-Right, we'll head back.

-Thank you.

0:50:410:50:44

Back on the ground floor,

0:50:470:50:48

there's a garage to the front of the property

0:50:480:50:50

offering a fantastic double-height space.

0:50:500:50:52

Then there's a generous lawned back garden.

0:50:520:50:55

Right...

0:50:550:50:57

We can cheat a little bit out here,

0:50:580:51:01

because if you don't want to, we don't need to go out in the rain.

0:51:010:51:04

We can stand under this canopy

0:51:040:51:06

and see the full effect of your garden.

0:51:060:51:09

There's a few things I've always wanted in a dream house.

0:51:090:51:12

One is a door in the middle, which this has.

0:51:120:51:14

The other is a walled garden.

0:51:140:51:16

Oh...

0:51:160:51:17

It's like we knew.

0:51:170:51:19

It's fabulous, and this canopy is so substantial,

0:51:190:51:23

we could come out here even in those rainy summer days

0:51:230:51:26

and still barbecue.

0:51:260:51:28

So we're going to have to now try and put a final price

0:51:280:51:32

on our Mystery House.

0:51:320:51:35

-It's got to be 350 plus.

-Mm-hmm.

0:51:360:51:39

I think, I'm really hoping not

0:51:390:51:41

but I think it might be slightly over our budget

0:51:410:51:44

and you're pushing us a wee bit.

0:51:440:51:46

I'm going to say 375.

0:51:460:51:49

OK, well the asking price is...

0:51:490:51:52

for offers over £350,000.

0:51:520:51:57

-We need to save more money.

-We can really see it.

0:51:580:52:01

They are looking for offers just over.

0:52:010:52:03

-But I think it's down to your negotiation skills.

-Yeah.

0:52:030:52:06

This could be the perfect home.

0:52:060:52:08

Yes, why don't you have another look and decide if it is?

0:52:080:52:12

Because it is a lot of money, I do appreciate that.

0:52:120:52:15

I'm going to join you because I'm not staying out here in the rain,

0:52:150:52:18

however beautiful this garden is.

0:52:180:52:20

-Off you go.

-Thank you.

0:52:200:52:22

Certainly gone very well indeed, but why not?

0:52:230:52:26

It is a splendid property.

0:52:260:52:28

Taking their budget to the limit, this fantastic character property

0:52:300:52:34

satisfies everything on Kate and Chris's wish list and more.

0:52:340:52:39

There's an extra bedroom that Kate could use for a writing room,

0:52:390:52:42

the living space is practical and modern but with period features

0:52:420:52:46

and there's a private enclosed garden,

0:52:460:52:49

all within walking distance to the village centre.

0:52:490:52:52

This might be a really nice writing room for me

0:52:530:52:55

with the view out over the garden.

0:52:550:52:57

That's a nice, big, wide window, that one, isn't it?

0:52:570:52:59

Yeah, and these amazing ceilings, so it feels so airy, doesn't it?

0:52:590:53:05

From outside it looked fantastic, already.

0:53:050:53:07

But as you come through the door and just open out into this fantastic,

0:53:070:53:12

open-plan living space...

0:53:120:53:15

Yeah, I think we both really kind of got that feeling.

0:53:150:53:19

I got a bit emotional when we came upstairs

0:53:190:53:22

and I think that's because this is sort of the house

0:53:220:53:25

that you always dream that you might have

0:53:250:53:27

and I'm not sure that I thought that was

0:53:270:53:30

something that would be achievable on our budget.

0:53:300:53:32

I think we would do anything we could to probably buy this house.

0:53:320:53:35

Well, I think we've finished our tour of Dorset

0:53:370:53:40

on a high with our Mystery House.

0:53:400:53:43

-Definitely.

-Very successful.

0:53:430:53:45

What are you going to do next, I wonder? Let's make a move.

0:53:450:53:48

Chris, you grab the door, we're going to duck this way and let's go.

0:53:480:53:51

Well, we've certainly had a very pleasant few days here in Dorset

0:53:590:54:02

with Chris and Kate.

0:54:020:54:04

Now we know our couple need to move quickly,

0:54:040:54:07

the big question is,

0:54:070:54:08

are they going to move into one of our properties?

0:54:080:54:10

Let's find out.

0:54:100:54:12

Well, Chris and Kate, what a delightful few days

0:54:180:54:22

we have spent with you driving around Dorset.

0:54:220:54:25

It's been great, hasn't it?

0:54:250:54:27

-It's been fantastic.

-Yeah. Really wonderful.

0:54:270:54:29

At what point do you think as you were looking around the properties

0:54:290:54:32

did you suddenly think, "This is it, this could be our new home?"

0:54:320:54:35

FIRE CRACKLES

0:54:350:54:36

Excuse the fireworks going off in the background.

0:54:360:54:38

I think it happened in possibly two of the houses.

0:54:390:54:42

Definitely the Mystery House.

0:54:420:54:45

The mill cottage was just amazing and I think, you know, I mean

0:54:450:54:49

I reacted quite emotionally to it

0:54:490:54:51

which I had not really done I think in any of the other houses.

0:54:510:54:54

Um, and possibly the cottage that we saw in Bradpole,

0:54:540:54:57

as well, was something that we would definitely consider.

0:54:570:55:01

Why the Mystery House? Why does that one work for the both of you?

0:55:010:55:04

I think just the proportions were certainly one of the things

0:55:040:55:09

that really had that wow factor, definitely.

0:55:090:55:12

That's exactly it, wow factor.

0:55:120:55:14

I think that house had it.

0:55:140:55:15

It really was that kind of moment where you have a really gut...

0:55:150:55:20

A gut feel of "This place is amazing and incredible."

0:55:200:55:23

So where are you going to go next?

0:55:230:55:26

Definitely going to do a second viewing as soon as we can.

0:55:260:55:29

And we're going...

0:55:290:55:30

We've got a few little things that we want to iron out,

0:55:300:55:32

just a couple of questions about the property.

0:55:320:55:35

And then it's the check on the finances,

0:55:350:55:38

conversation with the owner because I think we need to understand

0:55:380:55:41

what they're looking for when it says "in excess of."

0:55:410:55:43

-Yeah.

-Um, and then, you know, take it from there.

0:55:430:55:47

Oh...

0:55:470:55:48

This is all sounding really promising.

0:55:480:55:52

I think in our entire lives, it's probably the nicest house

0:55:520:55:56

we've ever walked around.

0:55:560:55:58

You know, we'd never viewed a house that's affected us

0:55:580:56:01

quite as much as that one did.

0:56:010:56:02

So, if we could have it, I think we'll do everything we can to.

0:56:020:56:05

I can so see you two in that property.

0:56:050:56:08

You just seem to fit.

0:56:080:56:10

You really do.

0:56:100:56:11

It's been our pleasure, thank you,

0:56:110:56:13

and, well, enjoy the rest of your lives here in Dorset.

0:56:130:56:16

-Thank you very much, it's been brilliant fun.

-Thank you.

0:56:160:56:20

Well, I've loved showing Chris and Kate around Dorset.

0:56:260:56:30

Such a different collection of homes

0:56:300:56:32

and only one of them at the top of their budget.

0:56:320:56:35

That house, our mystery property,

0:56:350:56:38

well, it certainly brought tears to Kate's eyes.

0:56:380:56:41

The perfect home for a lovely couple.

0:56:410:56:44

Obviously, they've got a little homework that they need to do,

0:56:440:56:48

get a few questions answered

0:56:480:56:49

and revisit their finances, but hearing those reactions

0:56:490:56:53

and seeing that emotion,

0:56:530:56:55

I'm feeling quietly confident.

0:56:550:56:58

So that's it from, well, at least a rather rainy Dorset today,

0:56:580:57:02

and I'll see you again in another part of the country soon.

0:57:020:57:05

If you would like to escape to the country

0:57:080:57:10

in England, Wales, Northern Ireland, or Scotland and need our help,

0:57:100:57:13

you can apply online at...

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