North Yorkshire Escape to the Country

Welcome to Escape To The Country.

Now, how about having one of these in your back garden?

This beautiful folly was inspired by, some would argue, one of the

greatest architects of all time, the Italian Andrea Paladio.

But needless to say, we are not in Italy.

So, where are we?

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

Today's house-hunters are looking to swap life in the Med for a cosy life

in the British countryside...

I'm very happy.

Yeah. Oh, oh, was that a very-happy-get-the-cheque-book-out?

Yeah.

..if our houses can convince them to make the move.

I told you roughly exactly what I wanted,

and you've found roughly exactly what I wanted.

THEY LAUGH

Well, today, we are in North Yorkshire,

within the magnificent surroundings of the Castle Howard estate.

And this is their Temple of the Four Winds.

It was inspired by the Italian architect

Andrea Paladio's building, the Villa Rotunda, just outside Vicenza.

But this one was designed and built by the Englishman John Vanburgh.

Now, it was of course during the 18th century that many estates right

across the UK saw an explosion in the business of building follies

just like this one, and that in itself was inspired

by many a young nobleman's trip to Europe on the grand tour,

to immerse themselves in the classical, cultural

and architectural history

that Europe had to offer, and this one is absolutely no exception.

It is of course the perfect place to start our own grand tour of

Yorkshire's property.

North Yorkshire is the largest county in England,

bordered by six other counties and the North Sea.

Within this region lies the North York Moors

and most of the Yorkshire Dales.

At Helmsley, there are the ruins of a medieval castle,

which was besieged during the English Civil War, when,

after a three-month stand-off, Cromwell's men finally succeeded

in blowing up the keep.

In the 18th century, the growing towns

and trade requirements of Yorkshire

gave rise to the development of canals.

The 127-mile man-made waterway of the Leeds and Liverpool Canal

allowed limestone and coal to be transported,

to meet the rising demand for lime,

used in construction and agriculture.

And on Greenhow Hill lie the remains of Toft Gate Kiln,

which was built in the 1860s to produce quicklime.

No longer used for industry,

the canal system now provides a pretty feature in settlements

such as Hebden Bridge.

Originally a river crossing for pack horses laden with

cloth and food, the stone bridge dates

to the early part of the 16th century.

The 1970s and 1980s saw an influx of artists and writers,

and the market town is now filled with artisan shops and cafes.

So whether you're interested in medieval ruins, industrial heritage

or a bite to eat, North Yorkshire has plenty to offer.

Now, currently the average price of a detached property here,

in North Yorkshire, is just under £310,000.

That's some £15,000 below the national figure.

But, that said, it is the most expensive part of Yorkshire

as a whole, and the reason is simple.

Some 40% of this region is covered by not one but two National Parks,

which means it's also therefore the least industrialised part of

Yorkshire. As a result, you get loads of lovely landscape

and loads of wonderful property to choose from,

which is why today's buyers have decided to make a return

to Yorkshire as they look for their brand-new home in the country.

And it was on Yorkshire's turf where Robin and Pauline met 36 years ago,

when Pauline was working as a nurse and Robin, a trainee supermarket

-manager.

-I met her through her brother, who is my best friend.

-He was your best man.

-And he was my best man at our wedding as well.

She was out in Mexico, visiting her parents,

and she turned up in their study one day, and I just thought, "Boom!"

-Oh.

-We have one son, Jack,

who was educated in the UK even though we lived abroad,

and now he works in Canada, hopefully on his way back to Europe.

Despite being born and bred in Yorkshire,

Pauline and Robin spent married life living elsewhere.

For the past decade,

they've been based on the Spanish island of Majorca,

but although benefiting from idyllic surroundings,

they feel that something is missing.

We live in the country.

We don't have people anywhere near us.

We do have neighbours,

but they are an acre, or five, or ten, away from us.

In Majorca, we sit on over seven acres.

We don't need that space.

We've got a very large, sprawling house.

We don't need that now.

I want neighbours, I want to be in a village.

We miss England, family, friends,

all that whole package.

And when it comes to returning back to Blighty, there's only one area

-that really cut it.

-I think once you are a Yorkshire person,

you're always a Yorkshire person.

We've got a very emotional connection with the county.

For me, the countryside is just so beautiful, so green,

and it's undulating, it's interesting.

And for me it's the people, I think, as well.

It's the culture of the Yorkshire people,

which is my DNA, and I miss it.

The plan is that their return to the motherland will also herald a

different way of life.

I want to get involved a little bit with the community,

maybe do some voluntary work.

I would really love to do some voluntary nursing,

cos I used to be a nurse.

Just becoming more of an English community lady, really.

We really want to do things like join the rambling society

and pick sloes and your brambles in autumn.

Maybe do a cooking course together.

-Yeah.

-Of good Yorkshire cooking.

It's a great cuisine.

And these things we just don't have in Spain, so we're raring to go.

But most importantly, it's about finding their forever home.

We've moved so many times, probably about 13 times,

and hopefully this will be the last, so this will count.

This really is the full circle, we feel.

Home is home.

Robin and Pauline are open to living anywhere in the North Yorkshire

countryside that is within reach of a market town,

but before we start looking at houses,

I'm welcoming them back to Yorkshire

to discuss the type of property they are hoping to find.

-Hello, Pauline.

-Hello.

Very nice to see you.

Hello, Robin, nice to see you.

Well, guys, welcome back to Yorkshire.

Cos this is where it all started for you, isn't it?

-It is.

-Mm-hm. I know you were both born here,

not a million miles away from where we are at the moment.

Do you feel that draw of the old home country?

Oh, yeah, definitely.

I can't wait for it. I'm almost yearning for colder days,

rainy days, where you just batten your hatches, stay in or wrap up,

go out for a lovely walk.

So there is something about the seasonal aspect

to living in the UK that's obviously tempting you as well.

Yeah, definitely.

Really very much so.

Now, you've already had a chance to look online

at the sort of properties that might work for you.

Can you describe your ideal Yorkshire home?

Well, I love sort of traditional old buildings,

which have either been renovated and they're really nice inside,

big reception rooms, I love halls with stone floors.

We love to cook, so a good kitchen is important for us.

-Mm-hm.

-I mean, currently you've got seven acres in Majorca.

-Yeah, we have.

-Do you need seven acres here?

Certainly not. We'd like a decent garden.

We have dogs, we want somewhere we can stretch our legs a bit,

but we certainly don't need the size of that.

Let's talk about the budget, then, Robin.

How much do you want to spend on this move?

Well, about 700.

£700,000, I mean, it's a meaty sum of money.

Yeah, and our first house in Yorkshire was 13,000.

13,000, wow, how times have changed.

-And we were delighted with it!

-Yeah, loved it.

-Well,

let's hope we can find you something

that you will be equally as delighted with this week.

-So, I think we should get going.

-Brilliant.

-Yes!

Pauline and Robin have a budget of up to £700,000 to find their home

back in Yorkshire.

They'd like a traditional building with large reception rooms,

a big kitchen, a reasonable-sized garden for the dogs,

and somewhere with community on their doorstep.

We've selected a great choice of houses to show them,

each offering a different take on their wish list.

After every viewing, I'll be asking them to guess the price

before I reveal it.

Our final property will be the Mystery House,

where we'll be pulling out all the stops to pull on their heartstrings.

We are starting our search in the small village of Harome.

Located in the Ryedale district of North Yorkshire,

its name simply means "stones".

And there are stone-built period homes throughout the village,

many of which are listed.

The local church was completed in 1862 and designed by

Charles Barry Jr.

The son of the architect responsible

for the rebuilt Houses of Parliament,

he evidently shared some

of his father's Victorian Gothic influence.

Facilities in the village include a country hotel serving meals,

from where it's just a six-minute walk

to the property we've come to see.

Well, I don't think anything is quite as quintessentially English

in terms of its architecture as a thatch, so how about that one?

Impressive, I like it.

On the outside, so far so good.

-Yeah.

-The nice thing about this one is that it's only 13 years old.

Really? Doesn't look it, does it? It looks like a very old property.

And as a result, it's got modern proportions,

which you don't always find in what looks like a period property,

particularly with a thatched roof.

-Lovely.

-Come on, let's have a look inside.

-Come on.

This modern-build character property has been thatched with reed,

an alternative material to straw,

although the ridge will need attending to every 20 years or so.

Pauline and Robin have said they want to downsize,

but let's see if that plays out as we start our tour.

Very grand big door.

-Oh.

-Come on into here.

-Oh.

-There.

What do you think?

Nice first impression.

-I'm drawn towards the kitchen.

-Are you? I was going to give you

a choice as to whether we went that way, into the living room first,

or that way, into the kitchen,

but you've probably answered that question.

-Much obliged.

-Right, come on, then.

Let's have a look in here.

Mm.

-Your thoughts?

-It's quite...

-..smallish, I think.

-You see, I was waiting for the "small" word.

Yeah, it's smaller than what we had envisaged.

I mean, it's a beautifully done kitchen, that's for sure,

but for us it's just not the space we're after.

I mean, you have got quite a big utility area through there -

coat/boot room, dog room.

-Yeah.

-Downstairs loo, etc.

I mean, you have got a separate dining room across the hallway.

Let's have a quick peek in the living room.

-OK, after you.

-Let's go forth.

-Darling.

-So a downsize too far so far for these Yorkshire returnees,

but let's see what they make of the rest as we head to the rear,

where a sizeable reception room offers triple aspect.

Mm!

Lovely. Very nice room.

-Nice and light.

-Big enough?

I think the size is big enough for me.

I would like a little bigger room.

-Yeah.

-I must admit.

There may be some readjusting from those Mediterranean proportions of

Majorca to those of a typical Yorkshire country home,

but upstairs there is one more bedroom than they asked for.

There are four in total, each with its own en suite.

A corner room is filled with light from two aspects

and comes with its own shower room.

Behind this is another guest room,

also with an en-suite shower room.

A fully tiled family bathroom features a roll-top bath

and shower cubicle,

and this also acts as a Jack and Jill en suite

for the largest bedroom.

Then there's the room we've earmarked for them.

Now, because all of these bedrooms have en suites,

trying to pick a master...

..is anyone's guess, really.

I've gone for this one. It's perhaps not the biggest, but it has a very,

very generous en suite, with a very funky shower arrangement.

I think in terms of proportions...

-Nice sizes.

-..it kind of works.

Quite unusual to find a house with four bedroom en suites.

The joy of this one to me is what it offers you upstairs, in particular.

Yeah, you can tell the house has a lot of love in it.

It's been very well made. It feels warm, it feels well insulated,

-lived in.

-OK,

let's just finish off in the garden and we'll talk about the price,

because we are reintroducing you to the property market here,

so it will be interesting to see what you make of this one.

So a mixed response to our first Yorkshire offering,

and outside, the grounds are a good deal more modest

than the seven acres

they are used to. An integrated double garage is found to the front,

whilst at the rear there is a secluded south-facing patio

and a large lawn, surrounded by mature shrubs and trees.

I am taking seriously this idea that you want it to be a little more

manageable, but size wise, Robin?

I think it's a bit too shrunk.

-Is it? OK.

-For me.

It's nicely done, it's got some lovely things in it,

but with that the dogs I think it would be a bit too tight.

I find it quite manageable. You know,

as we get a bit older, we'll want to do less and less.

But of course you would do, sorry to interrupt,

cos it's me that's managing it.

THEY LAUGH

I can see this is a debate that's gone on for some years.

I'm going to park that one for just a moment because I really

want to get onto what you think this might be on the market for.

Oh, erm, I would say probably 695.

695, yeah.

I think we're pretty up there.

Mm-hm.

I'm going to go for 600.

Well, I can happily report that you're both a little bit

out of touch on this occasion,

because this is on the market for £578,000.

-Crikey, that surprises me.

-I'm very surprised, yeah.

-Very. A great start, I think.

-Yeah, I'm very optimistic.

-Very good.

-Right, then, off you go, have a look around,

see what you get for your money. I'll find you a little bit later on.

-Thank you.

-Thanks, Jules.

This recently built thatched home

is an impressive £120,000 below budget,

yet offers a country kitchen and breakfast room

and two further reception rooms, all with underfloor heating.

Plus, there are four en-suite double bedrooms, and the low-maintenance

garden is south facing.

-Mm.

-So dining room, I presume.

Mm, wouldn't use it as a dining room though, would we?

Or would we have it as a snug?

Maybe a snug, yeah.

Yeah? I mean, I love the views out the front.

I mean, that is Yorkshire for me.

Across the fields, out onto the woods.

-Beautiful.

-Scale-wise, some of the rooms, we'd need a bigger size.

That's what we're after. But it's very light.

I love the finish of it.

Somebody's really cared for this house.

It's been done very nicely downstairs and upstairs.

I like the garden.

I love the idea of having a few mature trees in there.

Garden size, it's nice, yeah.

But I need something larger.

For us, I think, you know,

coming back to England, looking for that quintessential house,

we're more into something old-ish, something that, perhaps,

has been renovated inside...

..and got a bit more soul, a bit more character.

Right.

We've got to get cracking, chaps.

-All done?

-Yeah.

-Yeah.

Excellent, OK. So, that was the first one.

Well, good job there's a few more on the list, I suppose.

-Come on, let's go.

-Thanks very much.

-Thanks.

With a landscape rich in agriculture,

Yorkshire is a culinary heaven,

perfect for savouring local produce,

which hasn't had to travel far from ground to plate.

And staying in the village of Harome,

just a stone's throw from our first property,

keen cooks Pauline and Robin have come to the 14th-century

Star Inn for a cookery lesson.

Here, chef and proud Yorkshireman Andrew Pern has held a Michelin star

for 13 years, in recognition of his modern Yorkshire cuisine.

You've got an inspirational garden here, I must say.

What have you actually got growing here?

Growing in the garden this time of year, I mean obviously,

we're into the darker months if you'd like.

We've got some of the brassicas down at the far end. The red curly kale.

We've got some pumpkins, some squashes.

We have here 15 varieties of apple within the garden,

all native to Yorkshire.

And the world-famous rhubarb from Yorkshire.

And what are we cooking today?

Today, we are cooking a saddle of venison from local estates,

-from where we are here.

-Lovely.

Everything grown here is used solely in the restaurant's kitchen.

This is the venison. Very healthy.

You see there is no fat in there at all, really.

-No marbling at all, no.

-No, exactly. With it being without fat,

it doesn't baste itself, the meat,

so you need to undercook it a bit more,

so a sort of rare, medium rare, is about right.

But you'd recommend that at home as well, the same principle?

-Definitely.

-Andrew sprinkles ground black pepper on the meat before

rubbing in a little salt and placing it into a hot pan.

Two or three minutes each side.

Then in goes a dash of sherry to caramelise it.

OK, so for the sauce... going to reduce down some port.

Splash of red wine. And here we've got some orange zest,

which is slightly caramelised.

And joining the meat are baby leeks and carrots to char in the pan.

Tip him up under here, and we're all ready to go.

-OK?

-Smells fantastic.

-It does.

Once a good handful of kale has cooked down,

the dish is ready to be plated

for Pauline and Robin to sample.

Reduced mulled wine is squeezed onto the plate, along with some parkin,

which is a type of fruit cake and a local speciality.

Next, it's the venison and veg and creamy kale.

-Mm.

-Nice?

-Wow.

-Perfect.

-That is lovely.

-Do you see what I mean about the rich flavours?

-Mm.

-It's like comfort food at its best, isn't it?

-That is so good.

-Fantastic.

-That's all right. That's what I'm here for.

-Thank you so much.

Thank you for visiting. I hope you find somewhere nice in the area.

-Thank you.

-I do, we'll be back.

So, after an authentic taste of home-grown Yorkshire fare,

we're back on the house-hunt.

We're taking our search to the village of Pickhill.

Located in the Hambleton district of North Yorkshire,

in Victorian times, brick and tile houses grouped around an irregular

hollow, which later formed the village green.

To the north-eastern side,

the village church dates to the 12th century and

features Norman arches at the door and entry to the chancel.

Facilities here include a country inn with restaurant

that's just a short distance from the house we've come to view.

Right, come in and have a look at this, because this is quite unusual.

-That's lovely.

-Very nice from the outside, this.

-Very nice.

-This is the old bit.

So this is about 1780.

You can probably just about make out the original positioning

of the front door there. And then, rather cleverly, they've added

effectively as much again to the left,

graced with that fabulous oak porch.

And the whole thing now forms a courtyard property behind it,

-so it's a U-shape.

-Oh, OK.

-Mm.

-All right? Only recently finished, so it's all brand-new.

-It looks great from the outside.

-Yeah, looking forward to seeing it.

-I think this could...

-I do.

-..ring a few bells.

-I'm hoping.

-Are you?

-Yeah. Let's have a look inside.

-Come on.

-Come on.

A promising arrival,

and we start our tour inside this recently renovated

period home via a bright central entrance hall.

We're heading into the newer wing, where a kitchen/breakfast room

opens out to a dining area and sunroom.

So, I'm hoping that this is the sort of kitchen...

..that you were thinking of. Look, the thumbs are up.

Come over here because, again,

you get the idea of how they've created this U-shaped arrangement,

this sort of dining area, family space up there too...

-Yeah.

-..connecting it to this rather lovely kitchen,

-which I think is kind of you.

-It's really nice.

-I love it.

-You want me to buy it now?

This is exciting.

-It's beautiful.

-Yeah. Very pleasing to the eye.

It's giving you modern proportions in terms of the kitchen.

-Yeah, very modern.

-And the way this sort of family wing works.

And this is what we're searching for.

This flow for us I think really fits...

-Yeah, it works.

-Works.

-Mm-hm.

-No, I'm...very happy.

-Yeah.

Oh, was that a very-happy-get-the-cheque-book-out?

Yeah, OK.

Well, if you like this, I think you'll love the rest of it.

Let's go and have a look at the 18th century, that's through here.

Let's go back in time.

So, a great start, thanks to the spacious rooms

in the newer part of this home.

Back across in the original half,

two areas have been knocked together

-to provide a generous reception room.

-Mm.

Wow. It's a nice big room, though, isn't it?

-Lovely.

-Yeah?

-For such an old property.

-Oh, look at the fire.

-Yes, you see.

Oh, yeah. And I like the simplicity of that fire, too.

-Yeah, it is.

-Yeah.

-And I love the height of the windows.

When you're sitting down, you've just got a clear view outside there.

No, lovely. You've done well.

-Yes?

-Mm-hm.

-I could see you here, actually.

-Yeah, I like it.

The remainder of this wing provides more reception space.

There's a study with doors out to the rear courtyard,

and a games room.

The ground floor also has a utility room next to a cloakroom.

Back in the sitting room, stairs lead up to the five-bedroomed

accommodation.

The largest of the guest bedrooms sits under the eaves.

Then there are two further good-sized

bright and comfortable guest doubles,

and a smaller single bedroom.

The family bathroom comes with a corner shower and bath,

which just leaves the final bedroom, the master.

So, this is five of five.

This is yours.

-Oh, lovely.

-That's very nice.

Yeah, very nice. Absolutely ideal for us.

And this is the master because it's the only one with en suite, in which

-you've got a roll-top bath.

-Mm-hm.

-And I'm a bath man.

So that suits me just fine.

I'm thinking - get rid of the cupboard

and maybe make next door into a dressing room.

-Ah, the smaller box...

-Yeah.

-And go through to that?

-Yeah.

-They're only stud walls up here.

-Yeah, that's what I thought.

-Bearing in mind this is the newer extension.

-Yeah.

-Yeah.

So it could all be done in time.

So you have a bit more room, cos it is a little bit...

Maybe play guess the price first...

THEY LAUGH

Yeah, let's see what it's going to cost you

before we start redesigning it.

I'll take it as a good sign that Pauline already has designs

on this one.

And outside, we really get a sense of the geography of this property,

with the U-shaped layout cradling a rear courtyard...

..which opens onto further landscaped gardens.

Feels a bit sort of Mediterranean, dare I say it.

-Yeah.

-I think it does, yeah.

-A bit of a sun trap.

And you've got a bit of green space there for the dogs.

-Yeah.

-Mm-hm.

-You've got a dedicated barbecue area up there.

-Yeah.

-And then more bits of seating,

as you can see, summer house up there, and so on.

-Yeah, it's really quite something. It really is.

-So,

let's have a think about how much this rather inviting house might be,

-Robin.

-I think you've gone over budget on this one.

-OK.

-I think 749.

-OK.

-I hope.

-Way over budget.

-But, you know...

-Yeah!

..doable, I'm sure. OK, 749.

Mm-hm.

I am going to go for a more hopeful 650.

650. You are both wildly wrong, I'm afraid.

-Lovely.

-Because this could be yours for...

..£565,000.

Right, well, let's shake on that one, then, Jules.

Can I have a seat?

You may indeed.

-Oh, my word.

-Shocking.

-Comfortably under budget.

-Mm.

-I think you've found a real gem here.

-Robin.

-Darling.

THEY LAUGH

Well, I'm going to give you plenty of time to look around here,

and I will find you somewhere in this sprawling complex

-a little bit later on.

-Lovely, yeah.

-Thanks very much.

-Thank you so much. Really like it.

-It's all right.

-Thanks, Jules. Brilliant find.

-Absolute pleasure.

-Go on, off you go.

-Thanks.

-Take your time.

We shall give you as much time as you need because,

well, let's be honest,

you can't really rush a good thing.

Sitting well below their maximum budget of £700,000,

this extended 18th-century brick-built home

has a beautifully fitted

open-plan kitchen/breakfast room as well as a large reception room and

dedicated dining area.

There are five bedrooms including the master en suite, and the house

centres on a very private rear courtyard.

Plus, it's in the heart of a pretty Yorkshire village.

Mm. Nice little study-cum-snug.

It's lovely, isn't it? Lovely.

I love the fireplace and the beam across the top.

Oh, yeah. Well, I have to say,

as soon as I walked into the house, I just thought,

"Mm, this is a contender."

It's lovely and warm, it's got a welcoming feeling.

And then when I turned the corner into the kitchen, it was just like,

"Hello, this feels like it could be home."

I thought the kitchen had a wow factor to me.

I like the way it ran off to a dining area

and a bit of a snuggy thing

that I can just see us - TV there, and dinner on your knees,

which everybody loves. Brilliant house.

I can't really fault it.

-After you, madam.

-Thank you.

-There we go, Robin.

-Thank you, Jules.

Well, without wishing to be too technical, I would say that was a...

..fairly successful house tour.

-I think you're right.

-And I think a pretty successful day so far,

which probably means we've all deserved a pint of something local.

How about that?

-Absolutely.

-Come on.

We're in North Yorkshire helping Robin and Pauline

move from Majorca back to the region of their birth.

We've already viewed some great property for their budget

of £700,000,

but there's more to see, including the Mystery House,

which proves that first appearances don't always count.

I didn't expect this.

I really didn't.

Plus, I earn my wings in a World War I fighter plane.

-Clear prop.

-Prop clear.

Well, we have, to be honest,

not a bad start to our final day of house-hunting

here in North Yorkshire,

which means, of course, we have just one more property to come.

Now, having got to know Robin and Pauline just a little bit better,

I'm pretty optimistic at this stage that our Mystery House could embody

everything they've been hoping to find.

But let's face it, it has got

some competition from what we saw yesterday.

So, will it better it? Well, we'll just have to wait and see.

Our mystery property is in the tiny hamlet of Heyshaw.

Located in the Nidderdale Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty

where the River Nidd has been dammed to create a reservoir,

the area includes the town of Pateley Bridge,

which has a wide selection of places to pick up provisions.

But three miles away,

in the stunning surroundings of the Nidderdale countryside,

it's time to unmask our Mystery House.

Well, guys, at long last, I can reveal our Mystery House,

and I'm thinking this is probably more what you had in mind.

Absolutely. Definitely.

100%. Absolutely beautiful by the looks outside.

-What's Robin thinking?

-Yeah, absolute wow.

-Yeah.

I mean, it's a quintessential slice of Dales architecture, isn't it,

-really?

-Yeah, it is.

-It really is.

From here, you can see, it's a building that's sort of evolved

over time but has been beautifully done.

I just love the setting.

Rolling hills, the stone walls, plus, also, a herd of ten alpacas,

which they've got on it. You can just see one.

Yeah, I thought, "That's a strange sheep."

-Yeah, you see them now.

-And they could come with it.

-Good!

-I'd be up for it.

I know you wanted to buy a house, but you might just get yourself

a bit of farming in the process.

Well, if the inside reflects the outside...

Yeah.

-That's a property.

-Let's get in and have a look, shall we?

-Mm.

-Please.

Originally a barn, in 2009,

this stone building was converted into a unique home.

Now, Robin and Pauline SAY they want to downsize, but they may have a

change of heart when they step inside our Mystery House.

-Ooh. Ooh.

-I'm not going to say anything.

-Ooh.

-You tell me.

I didn't expect this.

I would never expect marble floors on the floor of an old barn

up in this part of the world, that's for sure.

Yeah. Travertine all over the place in this particular conversion.

I mean, it's a barn conversion,

but when you walk into this very grand sort

-of dining hall, I suppose...

-Yeah.

..you could be forgiven for thinking you were inside something more

-Georgian.

-Wow, very grand.

Speechless. I can't wait to have a look at the rest of it.

-Yeah?

-Yeah.

-Well, that way, down the steps, is the main living room.

-Yes.

-Mm-hm.

-But we'll save that and we'll go to the kitchen/diner,

which is this way.

A small corridor from this room

passes a utility and ground-floor cloak

and shower room and takes us

to a bright and spacious kitchen/breakfast room.

-Ooh.

-Yeah.

-Very smart.

-Very nice.

-Yeah. That's beautiful.

And the aspects are - window, window, window, you know.

Wow, fantastic views.

Yes, so you can keep an eye on your alpacas.

-There they are.

-As they come nibbling at the window. Yeah.

-Gosh, the views are amazing, aren't they?

-Yeah, I think this is...

-I'm very impressed by this.

-Yeah.

-Happy so far?

-Very.

-Very, very.

-Come and have look through here.

-Mm.

Pauline and Robin have made it clear they like large spaces,

and retracing our steps to the opposite end

of the ground floor, we find

the very generously proportioned living room.

Mm.

That really is something. A lovely size.

I told you roughly exactly what I wanted and you've found me roughly

exactly what I want.

It's just fantastic.

The fire, the way they use the stone, the wooden floors,

the subtle lighting.

I just can't stop thinking I'll have to play guess the price shortly.

-I know.

-You will.

-We don't want to know that bit.

You will, yeah. Let's go upstairs.

There are four bedrooms to explore,

which hopefully will please you as much as down here.

What a fantastic response to our Mystery House so far.

Stairs from the dining hall take us up to the sleeping quarters.

And here, there are three guest bedrooms, all doubles,

and each with an aspect to the front of the property.

And they're all served by a fully tiled bathroom featuring a separate

shower. Finally,

bedroom number four is a large double with a vaulted ceiling

that could be the one for Robin and Pauline.

So, this is the master.

-Ooh.

-Also, you have got a walk-in wardrobe.

-Oh, wow, lovely.

-Yes.

-Oh, I like that.

And through that door -

en-suite shower room, to the same spec as you've got down...

-Oh, lovely.

-Very nice.

-Lovely.

-It's really nice.

-Mm.

-Happy?

-Very.

-Really nice.

-OK.

Is it raining? Let's take our chances.

Come on, let's have a quick look outside.

So, lots to appeal to our couple on the inside,

and this impeccably finished barn conversion is situated

in almost three acres, where there's patio seating,

a double garage, and paddocks.

Look at the audience that have come to greet our final part of the tour.

Hello, boys and girls. So, now we're going to test you on its...

..its market value.

-Who's going to go first, then?

-Nitty-gritty time.

You're looking at me, so I better.

Yeah, go on, then, Robin, off you go.

OK. I am hoping... I think you've put me way over here.

-Yeah.

-But I say...

-..735.

-735, yeah.

-A hopeful 700.

A hopeful £700,000.

Well, your optimism, madam, has been rewarded

cos this is £700,000.

That's a good price for this specification, and here.

-Wow.

-With, let's face it, the best part of three acres.

To be fair, I think the alpacas are by separate negotiation.

-Mm-hm.

-But it's all doable.

-Whoa.

-We'll be talking a lot tonight, that's for sure.

-Yes.

-I'll bet you will.

Well, I suggest you start that conversation right now.

Off you go. Go and enjoy it.

-Yes, definitely.

-I will catch up with you...

-We'll go down there, I think.

-..a little bit later. Wherever you like.

Shall we have a look down there? Come on, let's go down.

-Thank you very much and well found.

-Thank you!

-That is our pleasure.

-Woo!

-Well, there we go.

You know that old thing about being in the right place

at the right time? This is one of those moments.

Hitting everything, including the budget,

our surprising Mystery House offers a large kitchen/diner and three

further reception rooms.

There are four bedrooms, including a master en suite.

Plus, it comes with almost three acres of land,

all in a stunning location within

the Nidderdale Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

I'm really struck by this house.

I think it's a wonderful place.

I honestly think that this could be our homecoming,

cos we've found a house here that is really what we're after.

I feel very lucky.

I have to jump in a bit on this one.

-Yeah, I could see this being our new home.

-Mm.

-Hello, Pauline.

-Hello.

-How are we doing?

-Lovely. Very nice.

-You don't want to leave, do you, really?

-Not really, no.

-I don't blame you.

It's absolutely gorgeous.

And, look, a splash of sunshine to top it all off.

-Mm.

-Good signal.

-So,

we have bombarded you

with information and properties this week.

You now need to go and make some sort of sense of it.

Perhaps over a pint?

-Yes, please.

-Come on, then.

-I'll have a half.

-Oh, yeah.

Yorkshire has many attributes,

but a lesser-known one is its place in aviation history,

and here on the outskirts of York is the Yorkshire Air Museum.

I've come to meet museum director Ian Reed

to discover more about this fascinating homage to aviation.

Well, Ian, this is my idea of heaven,

getting to walk under the wings of a heavy bomber, and surrounded by this

fabulous collection of aircraft.

-What a place.

-Thank you.

-I mean, many people, I think,

have always assumed that aviation begins with the Wright brothers

at the start of the 20th century.

But Yorkshire has its own story to tell.

Well, yes, I mean, the Wright brothers were the first

powered flight, but they weren't the first aeroplane, by a long way.

50 years earlier, over there, is the Cayley glider.

Sir George Cayley, a very well-known Yorkshireman,

renowned throughout the world as being the inventor

of the modern-day aeroplane.

In 1853, Cayley's glider,

the world's first manned aircraft, dubbed the governable parachute,

took to the air. It's rather nice that you've got

Cayley's version over there

and you've acknowledged that transition through

to the Wright Flyer above us.

I mean, it is quite a contraption, isn't it?

Yeah. I mean, a lot of the things on the Wright Flyer actually came

directly from Cayley's notes.

And at Kill Devil, in 1903, when the Wright brothers first did

their first 120ft hop,

afterwards, when they met the press, they actually acknowledged that,

you know, the inspiration had come

from the work of Sir George Cayley,

-the Yorkshireman.

-What I've always been staggered by with the story of

aviation is the way that it evolved so much within just a century.

I mean, there's the Wright Flyer, what, 1903.

We've got Cayley over there, 1853,

and yet we're stood next to this beautiful Halifax bomber,

the only one of its kind in the world, I gather.

Yeah, it's the only bomber version, so it's a fantastic beast.

I mean, when you look at the Wright Flyer above it,

there's only 30-odd years between these two aircraft.

One did 120 feet.

This one flew all the way to Berlin and back at 280mph,

with eight tonnes of bombs and seven crew.

It took a world war to escalate the technological developments of these

fantastic flying machines,

and the advances are really quite remarkable.

Graham Sharp is an aircraft engineer,

and for six years, he's been working on

this SE5A, built around 1917.

Its restoration is almost complete.

To get my hands on a genuine SE5.

-How's that?

-That's fine, is that, yeah.

We can pop some chocks in now.

Yeah. I love that.

Look at that. The Lewis gun on the top.

Why do I know that?

I'm just an anorak, really, for aircraft, I suppose.

The SE5A is a single-seat biplane

and was one of the outstanding fighters

of the First World War.

It was also one of the fastest,

capable of racing through the sky at 138mph.

Can I have a quick peek in the cockpit?

-Help yourself. Have a look.

-Great.

So this is your world.

At how many feet do you normally fly?

Well, probably about 400 or 500 feet.

-Not very high these days.

-And the wicker seat, I love that.

-The wicker seat, yes.

-And the pedals. Very, very simple.

Yeah. No parachute.

I mean, it is on a wing and a prayer, it seems.

THEY LAUGH

I mean, when you're up there, flying around,

do you get a sense of what those young men,

those pioneers of military aviation, were going through?

You do get a sense of it, yes.

Open cockpit, wind in your face, you do.

Apart from being shot at. They were incredibly brave people to do it,

but they were young, that was the thing - no fear.

Graham's been lucky enough to work here with these beautiful aircraft

for ten years, but today he's going to let me sit in the cockpit.

Do you know, there's actually a little more room in here than I was

-expecting, Graham, to be honest.

-It's quite roomy.

Clear prop.

Prop clear.

Throttle up.

Wow.

That's fabulous. This certainly gives you a real sense

of what those early pilots were up against,

flying these very simple machines at great height,

and with great daring!

The sight, sound and smell of a centuries-old engine

firing into life.

This really is an absolute treat.

And to think, thanks to Cayley,

it all started here in Yorkshire.

And with another tick on my bucket list,

it's time to get back to our house-hunters.

Well, we've given Robin and Pauline some really good options this week,

and there are clearly two favourite contenders,

but which one might persuade them to give up the fun and sun of the

Mediterranean and move back to their beloved Yorkshire?

Well, let's go and ask them.

Well, guys, here we are.

It's our final conversation of the week, when we try and make sense of

everything that we have had a chance to show you.

But I think it's fair to say that there are two clear contenders.

Yeah, definitely two.

-Yeah.

-The courtyard house, I totally fell in love with.

But then, of course,

up your sleeve comes the Mystery,

and that threw a spanner in the works,

-didn't it?

-That blew my socks off.

-Yeah.

-Because that is quintessential, you know, Yorkshire,

out on the wilds there, on the tops,

just brilliant place, brilliant place.

It was a classic slice of Yorkshire Dales real estate.

And, you know, beautifully located but also beautifully renovated.

-Really.

-Yeah.

-It was second to none.

Yeah. The location, seeing the rambling hill,

the sheep, the llamas,

the lovely walls.

Even if it was raining, it seemed to win.

-It was...

-It was.

-..fantastic, that house, I must admit.

-Yeah.

So, the Mystery House is your favourite?

Yep. I would definitely say that.

-The Mystery House just tipped it.

-Yeah.

It was all of your budget at £700,000.

What happens next?

So think about maybe putting in an offer?

I could actually see it going this far.

-Interesting.

-I knew you'd get close,

but I didn't think you'd hit the nail on the head.

Well, you have got, you know, a lot to think about.

I wish you all the very best of luck with your deliberations.

Let's drink to those.

-Thank you very much.

-And let us know how you get on.

-Here's to our homecoming.

-There you go.

-Cheers.

-To a homecoming.

-Cheers, darling.

-Cheers.

-Cheers, Jules.

-Cheers, Robin.

Thanks.

You know, in my experience,

there are few counties that elicit the same

sense of pride and belonging as does Yorkshire amongst those who count

themselves lucky enough to have been born and bred here.

And that certainly has been obvious this week as we've helped Robin and

Pauline exchange their home away from home on the sun-kissed island

of Majorca for a home back home here, in Yorkshire.

Now, clearly they still have plenty of talking to do before that becomes

a reality, not least a discussion as to whether or not they really

want to share their new home with a herd of alpacas.

Well, there are worse things.

I'll see you next time.

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