Somerset Escape to the Country

350 million years ago,

this tranquil headland was the site of erupting volcanoes.

Fast-forward to the 20th century,

and the sound of explosions once again echoed along the coastline.

So, where am I?

What happened here?

Find out in just a moment.

Today's house hunt takes us on a journey of excitement and surprises.

I think if it had a title it'd be, "ta-da!"

-because you don't expect it.

-No.

There's plenty of emotion...

-Wow, it's beautiful.

-Oh! Gosh.

..and very good reasons to celebrate.

New life.

Today I'm in Somerset and this is Sand Point,

a peninsula looking out over the Bristol Channel,

in the north of the county.

Now, as part of coastal defences

during the Second World War,

experimental weapons were tested right along this stretch of shore,

but today the coast itself is a protected site,

whose Carboniferous limestone rocks reveal hundreds of millions of years

of history, and ancient life forms preserved as fossils.

So, now, this largely unsung Jurassic coast

is a peaceful place to soak up some incredible views,

and it's just one of the many beautiful places

this county has to offer.

The county of Somerset sits in England's South-west peninsula,

banded to its north by a 45-mile stretch of coastline

that flows from the Severn estuary, and out into the Bristol Channel.

Along its shore you find Victorian seaside towns such as Clevedon,

whose Grade-I-listed wrought and cast-iron pier

reaches more than 300 metres over the Severn estuary.

Somerset's aquatic themes continue inland.

Blagdon Lake in the Chew Valley was man-made

at the turn of the 20th century by damming the River Yeo.

As well as providing a primary source of water,

it's also a Site of Special Scientific Interest

that attracts a vast range of wildlife.

The geology underpinning parts of the county

has influenced much of its attractive architecture,

most notably the Georgian buildings found in Bath.

And in Frome, one well-preserved medieval street

features a leat running through it, which is an ancient stream.

Whether coast or inland, history or mythology,

including ancient sites like Glastonbury Tor,

it's clear to see how Somerset's captivating heritage

continually draws new residents.

When it comes to property in the region,

the average price of detached homes here in Somerset

is pretty much on a par with the rest of the UK.

However, the closer you get to Bristol,

be prepared to dig deeper into those pockets.

For example, in North Somerset,

you'll need to fork out around £50,000 more for a similar property,

whilst Bath and North East Somerset command prices

some £200,000 more than the national figure.

So, the more rural you go away from the cities,

the more value you'll get for your money.

Let's meet today's couple,

who are after a country escape for their growing family.

Stay-at-home mum Rachel and her husband Kai who works in recruitment

currently live in the Surrey commuter town of Guilford.

Me and Kai met in 2007.

We had a long-distance relationship for about a year,

and we got married in 2012 and we've got two gorgeous children now.

And it's since the arrival of two-year-old Emmy,

along with Zach, who's three,

that the time to move has an added urgency.

Zach is due to go to school this year, so I think

if we didn't commit now to moving,

then we would actually have to commit to Guilford for longer.

And Rachel knows first-hand just how beneficial a rural childhood can be.

I was brought up in Lancashire in the countryside.

When I was a young child, you know,

we'd be grass-sledging in the fields with my cousins.

We would spend every day outdoors,

and I just think that's really important to take, now, forward

for my children. I just want them to experience what I did.

Kai currently works in London,

but the hefty commute and demanding hours

are taking their toll on his family life.

The move for me will allow me to set my own business up and be

far more flexible with my time.

It's going to change my lifestyle dramatically.

I'll be so much more involved in the kids' day-to-day.

I might even get a lie in every now and then,

-which is a difference, but...

-Maybe.

Family is the big push behind this move.

Kai grew up in Wiltshire,

and Rachel's parents now live in the West Country,

so they're keen to make tracks to Somerset,

which will bring them nearer to their loved ones.

I think every time we travel to the Southwest

to see your parents or my parents, we instinctively think,

"This is where we need to be."

Just being part of the children's lives,

just the grandparents and their cousins,

and their aunties and uncles being there with them more often

is just priceless.

In between that all-important family time,

Kai is also hoping for the opportunity

to indulge certain passions that have fallen by the wayside.

I used to be the sportiest guy in the world,

and now I just haven't done anything in about four or five years.

Recently I've really started to enjoy getting out on my bike,

so to have an opportunity to do that,

surrounded by amazing scenery, would be absolutely incredible.

All in all, they are both full of optimism

about their decision to create a more balanced,

family-focused lifestyle.

Definitely got concerns about the move,

but I just think the good is definitely going to outweigh that.

I don't have any concerns. Really looking forward to it.

Primarily we'll be basing our search in the north of the county,

concentrating on tranquil pockets

that also offer easy access into Bristol or Bath

for Kai's business needs.

I'm meeting up with Rachel and Kai

to discover more about the priorities

for their upcoming country move.

Well, Rachel and Kai, welcome to Somerset.

So, what is it about this county that you want to move to?

It's just a beautiful place.

I mean, it's just stunning scenery,

and it's close to our parents as well,

which is quite important to us.

Any particular part that you're looking for?

I think from my point of view I would love to be

within commuting distance of the city.

As my business grows and develops,

I would like the opportunity to maybe take it

into a city and grow it further.

So, your list of requirements with this new home,

what exactly are you looking for?

My ideal property would probably be something with character,

with the opportunity to make it modern

or if it's already modern inside.

What's paramount is downstairs space.

I just love entertaining space, just maybe a play room.

How many bedrooms are you after?

Ideally four, but I think we are open

to the possibility of just having three.

If I've got a spare room or study that I could use, that'd be fine,

but ideally if there was an outhouse

or something like that that I could convert.

So, you don't mind a little bit of a project if it's on the cards?

Yeah, we're quite excited about that, I think.

Now, here's a cheeky little question for you.

Who's going to make the final decision for this move?

We're very much a team...

-We're 50-50.

-..but me.

But you! Remind us of your budget, please.

Ideally our budget is £475,000.

If we found the ideal property,

I'm sure we can stretch a little bit further.

We do have three magnificent homes lined up to show you.

Oh, yes. Shall we get started?

-Yes.

-Love to.

-Come on, then.

-Thank you.

With a maximum budget of £475,000,

Rachel and Kai would like a home

with a minimum of three bedrooms,

plus office space and a large kitchen.

They want a good-sized garden and, ideally,

a central village location with

well-respected primary schools to hand.

We've lined up a trio of countryside homes

that aim to give our couple and their young ones

the new life they desire,

but they won't know the price tag of each until the end of the tour.

We'll finish our property hunt with the mystery house

that might bring the dream even closer to home

than they ever imagined.

What's the first thing you think you're going to do

once you've made the move?

Just spending quality time together and enjoying each other's

company more, and hopefully relying on the grandparents to babysit.

Is that on the cards, do you think?

A little, yeah.

I think it would just be nice to just be able to go out

once in a while. We don't have that back in Guilford.

That important fourth bedroom.

-Yes.

-Absolutely. Hit the nail on the head.

To kick-start our house search,

we're heading to the village of Congresbury.

Within a half-an-hour-drive of Bristol,

it's in a prime location for Kai's future business plans.

In the village itself are independent shops and a few pubs,

plus a wide range of local sports activities

that are sure to satisfy Kai and the children.

The local church of St Andrews

dates all the way back to the 15th century

and shares its name with the village primary school,

which our couple will be pleased to know has a good Ofsted rating.

Congresbury was named after St Congar,

who was said to have performed three miracles here.

And our first property is just a short stroll

from the centre of the village.

Wow. Very nice.

I hear some good sounds behind me.

What do you think of our first home?

-It's beautiful.

-It's got a really nice feel.

Beautiful windows there.

It's got a great look.

Very positive comments on the outside.

Let's see what you think as we make our way inside.

Thank you.

This former barn was converted in the 1980s.

The ground floor has a large living space

with a separate dining room next door.

We are heading straight into the heart of the home.

So, I'm going to start off with our kitchen.

It's nice. Nice space, you'd be able to fit

quite a big table in here and entertain quite nicely.

Yeah. It's lovely. Very traditional.

There are probably some things I would like to change,

but that's quite nice.

I like to be able to put my own stamp on somewhere.

Yeah. How do you like the idea of looking out the kitchen window

-into the garden?

-Gorgeous.

Yeah, it's really nice, actually.

While you're doing the washing up.

You can keep an eye on the children playing out in front.

We seem to have got off to a good start.

Also downstairs, off the kitchen, is a room

currently used as a bedroom with its own en suite,

that could be turned into a study.

But, in the opposite direction we find the sitting room.

So, as you can see, we just walked through a dining room, there.

Or I could say dining room/play area.

Yes. Yeah, I definitely think that would be better used

designated for the kids, I would say.

And then this could be your room.

That's really cosy. It's lovely.

Is this a working fire?

-That's a gas fire.

-OK.

It's very practical, especially with little ones.

I love the window aspect onto the garden.

I'm just wondering if we could make it even more open.

This house isn't listed,

so you could definitely look at making adjustments.

Yeah, I can already see certain things

-that I could possibly do to the property.

-All right,

well, let's see how we fare upstairs with the bedrooms.

-OK.

-I'll lead the way.

Kai and Rachel are so hard to read.

Although some modernization might be needed,

this home has so much potential for a young family.

Upstairs there are three further bedrooms.

One currently being used as a study

could work perfectly for a little one,

and there's also a snug double,

plus a family shower room.

Here's the master bedroom.

-How does it feel?

-It's nice.

I mean there's built-in wardrobes and I think you could fit

quite a sizeable bed there and things.

-It feels light.

-Yeah.

Come on, talk to me, Kai.

Talk to me. A bit small, is that what you were going to say?

-Yeah, a little bit on the small side for me.

-He's so polite, isn't he?

It's nice the way they followed through

the same wood as the kitchen and stuff.

Yeah, let's go downstairs.

We can talk about the price,

and whether there's any room for you to have a study perhaps outside.

-OK.

-OK.

The size upstairs might be a bit more squeezed than they'd hoped,

but moving outside, we'll find out

if the garden will bring them back round.

The entire grounds lie to the front of the property,

and they are a good size, clearly well-loved.

However, some adjustments may need to be made

to make the space a little bit more child-friendly.

So, we do have a rather beautiful front garden here.

I just think it'd probably make sense to take all this back,

just give us a bigger space out here.

I'm actually quite fond of the pond,

but I think with a three-year-old and a two-year-old,

it's probably safer that we do something else with that,

-I would say.

-Yeah.

-You've actually got the garage, here,

which is made of stone.

Next door to it is actually a carport.

-OK.

-Now, Kai,

what you could do is convert the garage and make it into an office.

I think certainly if we've got electricity to the garage,

I think it'd be a really easy process just to convert that.

How easy is it going to be to price this one?

I would think it's roughly around 460.

I'd probably go a little bit higher than that, probably 465,000.

OK. The asking price is right on the top of your budget.

£475,000.

However, they're happy to negotiate.

Yeah. It's a great property, I'm quite excited by it.

Do you want to have another look around on your own this time?

-Yes, please.

-Please do.

-Thank you.

On budget at £475,000,

this 1980s barn conversion

has all the potential for a family home

with a large kitchen/diner and four bedrooms.

A detached garage could become Kai's private study

and the garden is beautifully maintained.

First impressions of the house, really good.

Certainly has a bit of potential.

The only thing that lets it down slightly for me,

I would say, is the upstairs space.

It feels a little bit claustrophobic.

I love the garden. I think the aspect,

especially from the front room and everything, I think it's beautiful.

Honestly I'd like it to be a bit bigger.

So, there you have it.

That's our first property.

How are you both feeling?

Really interesting first property.

I think it gives us a lot to think about.

-Good.

-Yeah, I'm pleased with it.

Excellent. And we've got another one lined up to show you.

-Thank you.

-OK.

Covering 1,600 square miles,

Somerset contains a wide variety of different habitats,

from the thick wooded heathland of the Quantock Hills,

to the wide stretching wetlands of the Somerset levels.

In fact, the county is home to over 2,000 local wildlife sites.

Our couple will be keen to get out and about

with their two young children once they've moved.

To learn more about their new surroundings,

they're meeting nature and wellbeing manager Jolyon Chesworth

from the Somerset Wildlife Trust at the Quants Nature Reserve

in the Black Down Hills.

-What an amazing office you've got.

-Gorgeous, isn't it?

The sun's out, the birds are singing.

It's a shame we didn't bring the kids.

They would have absolutely loved it here.

Yeah, these places are great for kids.

There's so many adventures to be had and places to explore.

Kids spend so much time looking at screens these days,

it's really important to get out and reconnect with nature.

So, we're coming into spring, the flowers are starting to blossom,

we've got bees out and about,

we've got reptiles starting to emerge.

-So, why don't we go and have a look?

-Great, sounds good.

When Kai and Rachel move to Somerset

they'll be sharing their new home with seven species

that are threatened globally.

These include the large blue butterfly,

which is the biggest and rarest blue butterfly in the UK.

-See this here?

-Yeah.

-This is a fungus.

This has actually been used for thousands of years

for lighting fires.

If it's dry and it's broken off, then it can take a spark.

It's also a great little micro-habitat for invertebrates.

It often has little gaps and cracks and splits,

and inside there little invertebrates will live

-and get shelter from it as well.

-Great.

-That's amazing.

The Quants Nature Reserve covers 34 acres,

and is an important site for a variety of birds.

A keen eye in spring may even spot a garden warbler or a nuthatch -

the latter of which has a reputation for being particularly noisy.

This is a great time of year for the birds.

They're all starting to get really busy,

they're marking out their territories, looking for mates,

thinking about nesting,

and there's so much noise around in the natural environment,

like natural noise,

and it's really nice to try and tune that in.

It's really important that we know what's happening on our reserves

in terms of the wildlife. So, one of my colleagues Phil,

he's actually out surveying some of the plants and animals

that we've got on the site. So, you should go over.

I'm sure he'd be pleased to show you around.

Having begun with just 15 members in 1964,

this trust now has over 18,000.

Key to all of this is a dedicated team of volunteers.

Phil Bruss started as one, and now works as a wildlife skills trainee.

So, what makes Somerset such a great place for wildlife?

We've got a great diversity of habitats here.

We've got peat moors, we've got reed beds,

loads of different woodland birds, grasslands like this.

What are you doing here today?

The main reason I'm down here is to look for adders.

Wow. Adders, I mean, aren't they kind of dangerous?

Adders are actually by nature remarkably docile creatures.

They'll only strike if you really force them into a corner.

Adders are actually a species that are in decline,

quite serious decline in this country.

But we know we've got them here,

so we want to make sure that they're doing OK.

-Yeah.

-Does that sound like something

-you'd be interested in helping with, to see?

-Sounds great.

-Yeah, definitely.

-Excellent. Let's go for a walk.

-Brilliant.

Adders are a member of the viper family

and on average grow to around 60cm.

The best time to spot one is in early spring,

following the end of their hibernation.

Any joy?

So, she's... Yeah, fairly mid brown with quite dark, almost black...

Oh, I can see her. I can see her.

-So jealous.

-Yeah, there she is.

Oh, I've got her.

Oh, wow.

As a threatened species,

adders are protected by law,

and their clever camouflage means

seeing one in the wild can be tricky.

Wow, that is tough to spot.

You'd completely miss that, wouldn't you?

What a lucky sighting for our would-be Somerset locals.

And now we've got to get back to finding that elusive home.

For property number two, we're destined

for the village of Peasedown St John.

Sticking to the north of the county,

it's a location that has good transport links to Bath.

This former coal mining village is one of the largest in Somerset,

and the facilities here reflect its size, including a post office,

doctor's surgery and multiple pubs,

offering a variety of live events.

Our next home's central village location means

on-your-doorstep convenience,

and the house itself is just a four-minute walk

from the local primary school.

What do you make of our second property?

Looks big. It looks quite grand.

It looks like it needs a little bit of work doing to it.

Interesting. Looking forward to seeing it.

-Lovely. On that note, let's start the tour.

-OK.

The imposing facade of these two cottages

has clearly caught our buyers' attention.

Originally built in the 1870s for two brothers,

we're here to view the right-hand home.

Inside this semidetached cottage,

there's a wealth of Victorian features,

and our first stop is the inviting sitting room.

I'm going to start off by saying

I think this property is quite deceiving.

From the outside it has a cottagey look,

but it's more than meets the eye.

The fireplace, beautiful feature.

It'd be nice to kind of...

It feels cosy, doesn't it, in here?

Yeah. I'd say if this is the main living space

I would be a little bit concerned.

It feels a little bit like a snug to me.

Does it? Yeah. Well, the good news is, Kai, it's not.

-OK.

-That's the great thing.

You've got this as your sitting room,

and then next door to us across the hallway is another room.

I'd say it's slightly larger than this.

If the kitchen is big enough to have a dining table,

it means you could have two reception rooms.

That would work much better, having two separate spaces,

-plus the kitchen.

-Yeah. Good. Good.

So, I think we're all agreed it's not the largest of sitting rooms,

but it's beautiful, isn't it?

-It is.

-Yeah, it's nice. Original features.

This home certainly doesn't fall short of space.

As well as the two reception rooms at the front, there's an office,

and opposite that, a play room.

Sandwiched between the two is a shower room.

The office is a fair size for Kai's business needs,

and as we move through the house,

I'm sure our couple will come to realise this home's full potential.

So, you walk through the play room,

which I guess is going to be perfect for your young children,

-into this kitchen.

-Wow.

-It's impressive.

-That's beautiful.

-Didn't expect it at all.

No. It's very exciting when you walk through, it's just...

-It keeps giving.

-Yeah. I think if it had a title it'd be, "Ta-da"!

-Because you don't expect it.

-No.

Even those windows, the panoramic view that you get is, you know,

-incredible.

-It's getting better, this house tour, shall we say?

It's improving with each room.

-Would that be fair?

-No, definitely. Yes, that's definitely fair.

-I'd say so.

-Hopefully that will continue upstairs.

It would seem the kitchen might have swung this tour in our favour,

and I'm not surprised

for it's a bright and sociable area,

where a close eye can be kept on the children playing outside.

Upstairs are four good-sized bedrooms -

a smart guest bedroom

plus two smaller rooms that would suit Zach and Emmy,

and they all make use of the family bathroom.

So, this is one of four bedrooms upstairs.

-It's big.

-Yeah, it's got a nice outlook.

It's got dual aspects,

which just makes it feel a lot bigger, doesn't it?

Now, you're being very polite.

Have you fallen in love with it?

I think, first impressions, we haven't,

or I haven't fallen in love with it, personally.

All right, well, let's head back outside.

Let's see if the garden meets your requirements,

and also we have got to talk about money.

Try as it might,

it seems as though this wonderful home isn't managing to win over

our couple, but the children are bound to like the garden,

which has plenty of space for playing and socialising.

This would be our absolutely ideal garden, definitely.

Loads of space, the kids can run around.

I can see you playing football with Zach here

and it's got room for a play area.

-It's beautiful.

-It's got a lot of privacy as well.

Everything that you wanted.

-I would think so, yeah.

-Let's see if we can put a price on it.

I'd like to say £455,000.

-OK.

-I would think it's £470,000.

OK. It is a little bit over that, I'm afraid.

In actual fact, the asking price is £500,000.

-Oh, wow.

-Now, they are happy to have a conversation with you.

Tell me what's going through your minds now.

I do love the property.

I don't know whether I love it enough

to want to stretch ourselves beyond our budget.

Fair comment, fair comment.

Why don't you go and have another look around again anyway.

Get out of the rain, and I'll see you in a few minutes.

-Thank you.

-Thank you, Nicki.

Over budget, but open to offers,

this Victorian cottage has no less than four reception areas,

plus a large sociable kitchen and four bedrooms,

all providing plenty of room for their family,

plus a guest room and space for Kai's office.

At the moment I've got mixed feelings

about the property, to be honest.

I think Rachel might suggest that

it's more her type of property than mine.

I love the kitchen and the garden.

I think that was the best part about the house.

I just don't think, necessarily, the house is for us.

I think it needs a bit too much work doing to it,

and I don't think financially we are able to do that.

Have you seen enough?

-Yes.

-Yeah?

-We have, yeah.

Two very different properties today here in Somerset, and guess what,

we got another house to show you tomorrow, the mystery.

-Great.

-Come on.

We're in Somerset, helping Kai and Rachel from Guildford in Surrey

to find a home for them and their two young children.

With a strong budget of £475,000,

they're looking for a house that will bring an end to Kai's commute,

and the start of a new family life in the country.

Coming up, our mystery house is in a prime position.

The other side of that shed is the primary school.

Wow, that's very exciting.

-Is it too exciting?

-No.

And later, I'll be finding out about a pioneering twist

on Somerset's yoghurt production.

It's exciting to think we might be changing the great British palate.

You know when you meet a couple,

and you really want to deliver the home that they so crave?

And that's how we feel with Rachel and Kai,

and I think yesterday we got pretty close to that,

although there were a few obstacles in the way.

So, today, the pressure is on.

Now, we know this move is all about

them spending more time together as a family,

and I'm feeling pretty confident that the mystery house

can deliver that in spades.

For our final property stop,

we're border hopping over to Wiltshire,

and our destination is the village of Broughton Gifford.

So, it really is time for our mystery house,

but I thought before we actually see the property itself,

I would show you the village. It's rather beautiful, isn't it?

-It's stunning.

-Yeah.

-Absolutely picturesque, yeah.

And it has a real feel of community,

because here you've got everything you need day to day.

Not only do you have a primary school with a good Ofsted rating,

it is practically next door to our mystery house.

-Oh, my goodness.

-Shall we go and take a look?

-I'd love to.

With the location getting the seal of approval,

I'm optimistic that this last home could provide Kai and Rachel with

everything that they've been looking for from this move,

and it's found just under a mile away from the village common.

So, our final property is, of course, a pretty exciting one,

the mystery house.

Looks fantastic.

It looks good. Looks really close to the primary school as well.

Kai, the whole point of this move was that

you could spend more time with Rachel,

but also to see the children, isn't it?

So, you can take them to school in the morning

and you can pick them up.

-I can pick them up as well.

-Having a school so close by,

and us both being able to take the children to school,

I just think that would be great.

-Let's see if it could be your future home.

-Thank you.

Not everybody would relish living right next door to a school,

particularly those working from home.

Not only have we moved our couple out of Somerset,

we've placed the primary school right in their back garden.

Fortunately, they don't seem at all fazed.

At around 200 years old,

this semidetached Georgian cottage

is one of the oldest properties in the village,

originally built to serve the main manor house that dates back to 1622.

As such, it's chock-full of character.

So, let's see what you make of the inside of our property.

Come on in.

-Wow, it's beautiful.

-Oh!

Gosh, that's the reaction that we always hope for.

Yeah, it just...

I don't know, I can just see myself being here, straightaway,

and just being in the village, it just feels right.

Kai, are you getting that same feeling?

The pressure is on you now.

Yeah, I think I look at it a little bit more practically, but when I...

When I look at everywhere, it's just... You can see quality,

sort of thing, which is important.

I'm going to point out that remarkable fireplace.

Beautiful, beautiful feature.

Is it a real fireplace?

It is, multi-fuel.

And if you like this, I think you're going to love what's next door.

Great.

Such an emotional reaction in the very first room speaks volumes.

Fingers crossed the positivity continues.

I know the kitchen is a very important space for the two of you.

-It's beautiful.

-It seems quite a social space,

because you've got this space here, haven't you?

Yeah. You've also got an additional reception room next door.

The other thing you might want to consider is that wall,

whether you could actually take that down, which wouldn't be a huge job.

-Yeah, open it all up.

-Yeah.

-And really open it up.

I love the aspect onto the garden and all the windows.

It's so light and it's just got...

The garden looks amazing.

Wonderful. Right, let's go upstairs.

It feels as though something very special could be happening,

as our couple almost seem dumbstruck, but in a good way.

Upstairs has all the room they requested for their family,

plus guests, with four bedrooms.

One is decorated for a young girl,

and two smaller rooms would be perfectly adequate for children.

The family bathroom features a roll-top bath,

and we're heading for the master,

where we can discuss this house's full potential.

What I'm going to tell you straightaway is,

even though it's a cottage, there are four bedrooms.

That's music to my ears.

Very happy about that.

Beautiful fireplace there as well.

Next door, the smaller bedroom,

you could look at making that an en suite and then, if money allows,

you might want to consider going up into the loft

for an additional bedroom up there.

It's just exciting that you can actually add to the property.

Yeah, but you've got enough for a guest to come,

if you don't use that other bedroom as your office.

OK. Interesting.

And the reason I say that is we've got something else

-to show you outside.

-Great.

It's fantastic that Rachel and Kai

are up for developing this house interior to make it work for them.

However, outside will probably hit the mark just as it is.

Here we find a large-lawned garden with a paved patio area.

Then, at the far end of the lawn,

lies a surprise that I think could seal the deal for our mystery house.

This house tour has gone so well,

and I'm hoping the chalet, there, will be the icing on the cake,

because you need an office.

-I know.

-I don't want to give you the bedroom, I want to give you that.

It's got electricity, it's got Wi-Fi, perfect.

Wow, it's amazing.

I can't believe it. It looks a big space in there as well.

And what's lovely about this garden is, in the summer,

you're going to hear the children,

because literally the other side of that shed

-is the primary school.

-Wow.

That's very exciting.

-Is it too exciting?

-No.

-I just want to move in.

-Don't get emotional already,

because we've got the big bit to do now.

So, for the final time,

what are we thinking this property is on the market for?

Probably say 450,000.

-OK.

-I'm going to take a guess at £420,000.

OK. The asking price is...

£425,000.

-That's massively under.

-Exciting.

That's brilliant. That gives us, you know...

Gives us kind of a pot of cash to be able to

put our own mark on the property.

So, does it feel like, potentially, your next home?

-Yes.

-I could see us moving here. Yeah.

How exciting.

Right, we can all break into smiles now.

Under budget by £50,000,

this Georgian property combines character features

with modern living.

It has an open plan kitchen/diner and two reception areas.

Upstairs there are four bedrooms and outside boasts a large family garden

with a fully-powered timber office,

all ready to host Kai and his business.

Just, I think all the emotions of looking for a house

and wanting to find somewhere perfect

for me, Kai and the children,

I think it's all like a mountain,

and finally we found somewhere hopefully that we want to live

and everything just materialised.

I love the fact that the school is very close,

and I can be more involved in the kids' lives,

taking them to school, picking them up.

It's more than a contender, it's...

I think it's going to be our next home.

I'm wondering have we ended on a high with this property?

-Without a doubt.

-Yeah?

-Definitely.

-Brilliant news. Shall we go and have a chat?

-Yes, please.

The southwest of England is home to almost 40%

of the country's dairy cows, which produce milk, butter,

and of course world-renowned cheeses.

But on this 400-acre dairy farm in Somerset,

diversification has led to something rather unique,

thanks to a pioneering idea of farm owner Judith Freen.

I mean, this is such a wonderful sight to see, isn't it?

Happy cows grazing.

It is stunning. We've got 100 of the actual Guernsey cows,

and with all their offspring,

that's the baby calves going through to the fat cattle,

it's about 320 on the farm.

And what's so special about the Guernsey cow?

The Guernsey cows produce a beautiful whole,

very high butterfat milk. The primary product of the milk

then goes into the yoghurt and you can taste the flavour in it.

Now, I want to talk to you about this very special yoghurt.

It's yoghurt with a twist, isn't it?

It's a whole milk product.

I don't take the fat off so you don't have to add the sugar.

So the primary product is just whole unadulterated and very, very tasty.

You get all the goodness.

-You get all the goodness, you can taste the grass.

-Wow.

Judith took over the farm in 1984,

although it wasn't until 2005 when she decided to diversify

with a unique range of flavours, using vegetables rather than fruit.

So, this is where the magic happens, is it?

It certainly is, that's right.

The fact that it's in a glass jar, that, to me, is quite unusual.

I think it is very unusual, and it's 100% recyclable.

All right, here we go, so this is?

This is carrot and turmeric.

OK. Here we go.

-Mmm.

-Do you like that one?

It's sweeter than I thought it was going to be.

And you can hear the slight surprise in my voice.

Yeah, I thought you were very surprised, weren't you?

Because naturally I thought it'd have more of a vegetable taste.

And then we go on to our beetroot yoghurt.

Fantastic colour.

What a vibrant colour.

That tells you beetroot straightaway.

Let's see how we get on with the taste.

Mmm. Now that's much more beetroot,

but again it's not overpowering.

I like the fact, also, that you can actually see

little bits of beetroot in it as well.

Yeah, what we wanted to do is create something visually that

not only was the right colour,

but that you could actually see the vegetables as such.

The great thing is you're still looking at new flavours, new tastes,

-aren't you?

-We are, yes.

Hoping I can help you with some of those.

I'll have one last little bit and then...

Mmm. ..let's see what we can create together.

I'll follow you.

A recent addition to our supermarket shelves,

vegetable yogurts are tipped to be

the next big thing in healthy eating.

Judith thought ahead and asked me to suggest a new ingredient

for us to experiment with today.

Butternut squash.

-Very good idea.

-Has it ever been tried before?

-Not here.

-Excellent.

Prepared it yesterday and I thought I'd add a little cumin.

And what's that? That's an eastern spice?

Yes, yeah, and it's just to bring out the flavour of the squash.

So, we use a base layer,

which is obviously the amazing natural yoghurt.

It smells good.

-Whole milk.

-Fresh from the cows this morning,

the Guernsey milk has been pasteurised and then homogenised,

creating a yoghurt that's very thick and creamy, then we add the puree.

That's about a good concentration, and then just gently hand whisk it.

If you whisk it really hard,

it breaks up those molecules of the yoghurt and makes it very runny.

It's exciting to think we might be changing the great British palate.

-Yep.

-We could be making history.

-How's that?

-That looks really good.

Have I come up trumps or have I let you down?

Right.

Oh, that is really nice.

Is it? I hope I feel the same here.

Let's have a go.

-Ooh, yes.

-Very good, isn't it?

It is. It's got a warm...

-Yeah, yeah.

-..a warm texture.

You still get that yoghurt first, that creaminess,

but you can definitely taste the butternut squash,

and you can also taste the cumin, can't you?

-But it's not overpowering, is it?

-No, not at all.

It's just there in the background.

So, is this a contender for the shelves?

That's what I want to know.

I think we'd have to see what the team thought

-and then we can develop it.

-The future.

Well, what a wonderful house tour

and what a truly brilliant reaction from Rachel and Kai

to our mystery house.

They seemed to love it,

but the big question is are they going to put in an offer?

Let's find out. I can't wait.

Well, I must admit I do feel quite anxious.

I've been wringing my hands, because when I left you

it was on such a positive note.

You loved our mystery house.

I just want to know that there aren't any flies in the ointment.

-None at all.

-Really?

-Yep.

-Yeah.

Nope, no, no, absolutely.

-Actually.

-I was going to say we've already gone away

-and submitted an offer, so...

-That's extraordinary.

So, you've been straight on to the estate agent?

No, we absolutely loved the property.

-It was perfect.

-We're just waiting to hear from them,

so it's very, very exciting.

We really are thrilled.

The first two properties...

PHONE RINGS

Take it.

Hello, Kai speaking.

Yeah, assuming they will take it off the market

and cancel all the viewings.

Brilliant.

-Can he call you back?

-Bye, Joe, take care. Bye-bye.

Can he call you back?

I'm really sweating.

So, put us out of our misery.

Has it been accepted?

They've formally accepted the offer.

Brilliant! Brilliant.

You've sold your house...

-Yeah.

-Oh, my goodness.

..and it looks like you're going to buy the mystery.

-Yes, absolutely. Thank you.

-Congratulations.

-Thank you so much, Nicki.

-Well, well done, you.

-Thank you!

That's such brilliant news.

Honestly, if ever there was a couple

we just wanted to find the perfect home for... We love everyone,

but we really wanted to find you that house. We really did.

I can't believe it. It seems a bit surreal.

-Does it?

-Yeah. Very excited and...

The sun's out, it's a beautiful, beautiful day, beautiful house.

-Perfect.

-Very good.

Absolutely brilliant.

I didn't like to presume, but...

-I've organised this just in case.

-Thank you.

And I think it'd be rude not to,

because this is such a monumental day.

That's so, so, lovely. Thank you.

Thank you so much.

-Wow.

-It's not every day you escape to the country, is it?

No. Thank you.

I think it's cause for celebration.

It is. Rachel, are you going to do the honours?

-Why not?

-There we go.

There's always time for bubbles.

Always. New house,

new life.

To you as a family, and thoroughly enjoying your escape to the country.

-Thank you so much, Nicki.

-Thank you so much.

So, what fantastic news.

I don't think I've ever had an offer accepted

whilst I've been asking them what their plans are.

So, it's a huge congratulations to Rachel and Kai,

and to anyone else out there who has successfully escaped to the country.

I'll see you again soon.

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