Cumbria Escape to the Country

Welcome to Escape To The Country where today I'm in Cumbria,

one of the most picturesque and historic counties anywhere in the British Isles.

These ruins behind me are those of Egremont Castle, one of the most important towns in Cumbria.

But it's also famous not just for these beautiful old ruins, but also for the art of gurning.

If you don't know what that is, stick around on Escape To The Country and I'll show you.

-Ooh!

-In today's show, I'll be helping a couple leave suburbia

to start a new life in a part of the world famed for its poetic scenery.

-Have you, have you noticed Tony, look!

-Yeah.

I'll be showing them some exciting properties in dramatic settings that they just can't quite believe.

Tears of joy, I hope?

It's just amazing.

And there's the mystery house, which is almost too good to be true.

This is the art of gurning, or pulling funny faces,

a tradition in Cumbria that dates back to 1266,

and it's here in Egremont that the annual world championships still take place.

But there's plenty more to this area than gurning.

Cumbria is England's most north-westerly county, situated

on the west coast, with Durham and North Yorkshire to the east.

It's home to the Lake District National Park, famed for its

dramatic and wild mountain ranges, and stunning Lakeland valleys.

But it's not all remote for some community life. The traditional market towns of Penrith

and Kendal offer tourists and locals a welcome stop-off with plenty of individual shops and eateries.

And to the west of the county there are 93 miles of coast to explore.

But we're interested in property, and in Cumbria it's characterised by solid stone cottages, quarried from

local limestone with slate roofs, all to be found nestled in beautiful countryside.

Now Cumbria's glorious landscape is full of some fantastic properties,

but of course they do come at a price.

Your average detached will set you back around about £273,000,

six% above the national average. But if property is your thing,

set within beautiful picture postcard scenery, there is an awful lot on offer.

For a truly stunning setting look no further than this four bedroom

Lakeland farmhouse at the foot of the Dunnerdale Fells.

Inside it has retained the original beams,

open fireplaces and stone floors. £1.3 million is the price tag,

but how could you put a price on waking up in a bedroom with a view like that?

Or, if you like your history, this former 16th century

four bedroom Tudor hall is on the market for 598,000.

Whilst sympathetically updated in the kitchen, many original features,

such as the beautiful oak panelling, remain intact.

Or for just under 300,000 you could buy this three bedroom barn conversion.

It has a contemporary feel with solid oak flooring,

and to the back of the property there's a secluded lawn garden.

There are plenty of great properties on offer in Cumbria, so today's buyers shouldn't be disappointed.

Jenny and Tony have been living in their five bedroom house

in Macclesfield, Cheshire, for over 20 years.

Having both recently retired, and with their grown-up daughters about to fly the nest,

they're keen to make the most of their new found freedom.

Our reasons for moving to the country is that we're not

restricted any more by jobs and children's schooling.

We love being able to walk in the country, to walk the dog.

I love the sea particularly.

I don't like to be enclosed with lots of buildings roundabout,

and also traffic seems to be getting worse as you get more towards the cities,

so the country is really where we would love to be.

Cumbria is a perfect choice for them as far as walking

and open spaces go, but what are they looking for in their new property?

This is my kitchen, and we've had many happy meals around here.

It's a priority for me, feeding people, really.

I love cooking, so I would really like to have a lovely kitchen

where we move to, perhaps with a range cooker.

But while Jenny cooks up a feast, Tony's vegetable plot needs to grow in size to keep up with the demand.

So this is the vegetable plot, with also a small fruit patch.

As you can see, it's a little bit cramped,

so I'm really looking forward to moving to a new house

which will give me a lot more scope for growing more fruit and vegetables.

And, keeping with the simple things in life, Jenny has another request.

This is my utility room.

It's a glory hole, and I have to go up and down stairs to it,

so it makes laundry even harder work than it normally is.

So I would love a utility room off the kitchen in my new property.

As far as the location goes, they'd love to be close to

the coast, but at the same time, they don't want to be too remote.

The sort of dream lifestyle that we're looking for is get involved with the local community a bit,

be nice to have a local pub, we'll go and meet people, to make new friends.

We also enjoy eating out, so to be near some really nice restaurants,

that'll be nice as well.

So with no time to lose, we've invited an estate agent around to give them a current valuation.

This is a five bedroom detached property in an ideal location for schools and local amenities.

For this reason we would value the property at £365,000.

With that in mind, how much do they have to spend on their new home?

If we find our perfect house with three bedrooms,

a good size kitchen, good flat garden and a view,

then our budget really is 400,000.

Now it may be that Tony and Jenny's requirements are fairly ambitious.

They want three bedrooms at least,

preferably a nice big farmhouse kitchen with a utility room attached,

and some outside space for some vegetables and somewhere for the dog to play.

Now of course they do have £400,000, but in a popular part of the country

like this, it may not be quite enough.

We've decided to focus our search

to the south of Cumbria, around the town of Kendal.

Not only will Jenny and Tony have the Lake District

National Park on their doorstep

but they'll be in striking distance of the coast.

Over the course of two days I'll be taking them to see a selection of Cumbrian properties,

but I won't be letting them in on the prices straight away.

And last on our tour is the mystery house, which today is a property with a unique twist.

-Well, Jenny, Tony, welcome to the Lake District.

-Thank you.

-Thank you.

What a fantastic spot you've decided to come and live in.

Couldn't be better, it's absolutely stunning this morning, really lovely.

-Now you've got 400 grand or so to spend...

-Yeah.

We want a property for you, but also for your two daughters.

They've technically left home, but they aren't going to fly that far, are they?

Hopefully they'll come home sometimes.

-And of course the dog.

-Yes.

-Yeah. The dog's important.

This is a very popular part of the country,

so it may be a bit of a challenge to fit everything you want in.

-But who knows?

-Who knows?

-Plenty of property out there,

-I've got lots to show you, so shall we?

-Yeah.

-Yes, great.

-Come on, then. Look at that!

-Beautiful!

-Absolutely stunning.

Jenny and Tony have a budget of £400,000.

Keen cook Jenny is after a country style kitchen,

big enough for entertaining all of her friends, and a utility room.

They need a minimum of three bedrooms

for when their daughters come to stay,

and a garden big enough

for a decent sized vegetable plot for Tony.

Now it's obviously a beautiful part of the world, this, but why did you pick it, what does it mean to you?

Well, I was at college in Lancaster many years ago, and we knew each other then, we were engaged.

So when Tony used to drive all the way up from the south we often

used to sort of explore this part of the world, and we loved it.

Recently we came in August, and Tony walked across Morecambe Bay,

and we rediscovered the area really, and thought gosh, this ticks a lot of boxes for us.

So we really have caught you on the cusp. I mean the iron's hot, isn't it?

-Yeah, it is really.

-I think it is.

Our first property is to the east of Kendal,

seven miles from the market town of Sedbergh.

Although officially in Cumbria, Sedbergh is set on the edge of the

Yorkshire Dales, so there's great walking to be had for Tony.

And for Jenny, the town provides a focal point for rural life,

with a post office, book shop and a chemist.

Property number one is set in a beautiful location, so time to see what Jenny and Tony make of it.

Right, guys, well, this is where we're going to start.

My goodness me, it's cold. We'll get in there as soon as possible, I promise you.

But what do you think of this as our first property?

-Well...

-It's lovely.

-It's impressive I think. It's lovely stonework,

-really like the stonework.

-Is this a barn conversion?

It is a barn conversion, and it's actually set into the hillside, the hill rises up behind it, so,

-in terms of the geography, it's arranged over three floors.

-Yeah.

Bearing in mind that it's built into a bank, so we've got

the ground floor, most of the bedrooms everything are down here.

-Right.

-So it's all a bit upside down, but it does mean that

as you go higher your living areas, etcetera, make the best of all of these lovely views.

-I bet it's for the views.

-Exactly.

-Yeah.

-That's exactly it. Well, let's go inside out of this cold and have a look.

Ah, come on in, come on in. Grab the door.

There we go.

Right, follow me through here.

-This is probably the biggest room down here.

-Wow.

-OK.

-Yeah.

-Nice window.

Yeah, very much part of the old sort of barn construction as you

can see, they've basically glazed a big, you know, double doorway.

And also, having the light.

-So often these places can be really dark with tiny little windows.

-Yeah.

And that's a really important thing to us, having the light.

I mean as a bedroom, this is probably the lightest one, certainly on this floor.

You've also got an en suite in here.

I mean I'm thinking of your daughters, coming back from uni.

Oh, yes, yeah. Having some space.

-They could have their own thing down here.

-Yes, yes.

So that would work well for them, this particularly would...

Yes, it would, they'd love it, absolutely.

This is a four bedroom property.

On this floor there are another couple of options for the girls.

There's a fairly compact double, and a small single, currently used as an office.

There's also a modern and neutral family bathroom.

-All very straightforward, but it's the living space upstairs where this house gets really exciting.

-Ooh.

Oh, wow. Well, this is different.

Gosh, this is nice. It's lovely.

-Beautiful, isn't it? What a lovely room.

-It's a lovely room.

Look at that view!

That's really beautiful.

That is a painting in itself, isn't it, there.

Yeah, you've got a little mezzanine floor up there.

Potentially a study.

-Yeah, yeah.

-Gosh, I didn't expect this.

No, no, it's...

That is, have you noticed, Tony, look, look, look!

Jenny, I love it! I mean, you wanted a bit of, a bit of this.

-It's certainly rural.

-It's like a painting!

-Yeah, it's lovely.

I mean, you're obviously dominated by this wood burner.

-Yes, cosy.

-Multi-fuel wood burner, which is going to be very very cosy.

Really got a lot of character, that.

-It's tremendous.

-Certainly got character.

And light, it's light. It's super.

-Very nice.

-If you like this space, wait till you've had a look in here.

-Wow.

-Now then Jenny,

what about this?

-Ooh, wow!

-Come on in, come on in.

-Gosh.

-What do you think of that?

-Oh, yes, range cooker.

-There you go.

Yes, decent, decent cooker.

-I like the colours.

-Yes, I like the colours.

-The tiles are beautiful.

Now I know that utility rooms are quite important to you.

-Mm, yes.

-Where's the utility room at home at the moment?

It's downstairs, and I have to keep going down there to get the washing.

It makes it hard work, I curse it all the time.

-If it was on the same level as the kitchen, that'd be good.

-That would be wonderful.

We have got you one, it is on this level, it's right next door.

-Come and have a look at this.

-Oh, wow.

Now then, Jenny.

Wow, this,

-this ticks the box.

-Yeah?

Gosh.

To be honest, it's as big as some cottage kitchens.

I was going to say, you could have a dance in here!

Now then, top floor is all about you, because that is something

of a sort of master suite. Come with me.

Right, lead on.

Last but not least, your own little floor.

Ooh, gosh. This would make a lovely study, wouldn't it?

-Yes, it would, yes.

-Nice area.

-Yeah.

It's not over yet. Have a look in here, because this, albeit not the biggest

master bedroom in the world, is technically the master.

-Would this work?

-Ooh.

Yeah, yeah. We might have to... we've got a big bed!

It's a little smaller than we've got at the moment, perhaps, isn't it?

-Yes.

-But we could make it work.

-Yes.

-The upside is you've got an en suite in there.

-Oh, good, right!

Well, I get the sense that as as an overall proposition this place is kind of working.

It's lovely, it really is.

-It's got better and better.

-It's got a terrific amount of character, yes.

It's certainly a possibility, yes.

The master bedroom may not be as big as they were hoping for, but offset that against this impressive

reception room and the stunning views from the garden, I think it makes this house a real contender.

Ah, some nice bracing,

-mountain weather for you both!

-Lakeland weather.

-Lakeland weather.

Now the garden as such is pretty much what you can see.

-So it's not acres and acres.

-No.

-Mm.

I don't know how much of a garden project you really want to take on.

We didn't want huge, did we?

No. I mean, I was looking ideally for a small plot for vegetables and fruit.

Yeah.

-I guess it may be, it may be possible somewhere, but...

-So you've got a bit.

-Yeah.

I suppose you could argue that your garden is all around you.

Yes, yes, it is.

I mean, beautiful views all round.

Now before we get totally soaking wet and frozen to death,

let's have a very quick but focused thought

about how much it's going to cost.

You've got 400 grand to spend.

What do you think this little lot is worth?

Well, bearing in mind the amount of space in there, I'd have thought it was a bit above that.

I'd have said 425.

425, yeah, that's not bad.

Yeah, I'd say 425 to 445, really.

-So if it was 399,950...

-Oh, really?

Oh, right!

-That'd be really cool, wouldn't it?

-Yes, it would.

-It would! Bang on.

-Bang on the budget.

-That's incredible.

-Really good.

You've got 50 quid change to take your wife out for dinner!

Yeah, we'll spend that.

-Have a look around, I'll catch up with you later.

-Get the hair dryer! OK.

-Go and see if this is going to be the place for you.

-Thanks.

It has to be said that if you can sell a property

on a day like this you can sell it in any conditions. The wind's got up, the rain is lashing down.

It's bang on the budget, 399,950.

Is it for them? Who knows? When they warm up it might be!

The price tag of this barn conversion has definitely taken Jenny and Tony by surprise.

For just under £400,000, you get four bedrooms, a large galleried reception area with character beams.

The garden is admittedly a bit small, but its location

means it has some priceless views of the Yorkshire Dales.

And despite the weather doing its best to put them off, I don't think it has.

You can have that as a separate, almost like a little telly area.

-Yeah.

-And then this is cosy round the fire. I'd love it.

-Yeah.

-Absolutely super.

I think this lounge absolutely sells it.

It's so wonderful. It'll be difficult to better it, really.

It's quite stunning when you enter it because of the height of the ceiling.

Terrific amount of space there.

We did say that we would like to be within walking distance to a shop, and we are a bit away

from a village, we'd have to get in a car, so we'd have to think about that carefully.

We'll certainly keep this one in mind, it certainly deserves some serious thought from us.

If you can picture yourself in a house, that's really important.

And actually I can. I just think it's got tremendous potential.

Right, Jenny, Tony, come and brave the weather.

Now then, I think that was quite a good start, really.

Yes, I think it was quite a positive start.

Can it get better?

Well, it might get wetter, and it might get colder!

But yes, it can get better. Come on.

For our next property, we're just dipping our toes over the border

into Lancashire, on the outskirts of the village of Warton, and only a short drive from Morecambe Bay.

Warton is a small village with its own post office and a couple of pubs to choose from.

The church of St Oswald dates from the mid 14th century.

Apparently, a local family, the Washingtons, paid for the tower, who it transpires were the ancestors

of George Washington, the first president of the United States.

Our second house is just ten minutes from here, in a street of pretty stone cottages. More rain!

-You want to...

-Up you come.

Oh, my goodness me. Come on, Jenny.

Now then. I'm going to keep this brief cos it's pouring down,

-but what we've got here is very much a village cottage.

-Yeah.

-Right.

-Now as you can see it's been much extended.

-You get that bit...

-Right.

-And you get this bit as well, which is the new bit.

This is about four years old. What do you think?

-It's cute.

-It's very quaint. Yes, I mean I like it.

-It's secluded in the front.

-Front garden. Yes, I like it.

Well, it's in. Positive.

Right. Let's not labour it, let's get out of the weather. Come on.

-Ah, right. Come on, get out of that weather.

-Thank you.

-Can you grab the door, Tony?

-Yeah, sure.

Right.

-This is all new extension.

-Right.

-Everything from this wall, that way.

-Gosh.

To give you an idea. It used to be a two up, two down cottage.

-Yes.

-But it's a lot bigger now, it's basically doubled in size.

-Right.

Essentially. But let's start in here, let's see what you think of this, Jenny.

-Yes, yes.

-It's not a huge farmhouse kitchen.

No, but it's nicely done.

-Cosy.

-Very nicely done, actually.

-It is quite small.

-Mm.

-Yes.

But it is right next to the dining room, which is through here.

Right.

-This is nice, it's a very attractive room, isn't it?

-Nice living room, isn't it?

-Good proportions, I suppose this would have been the main room as you came in, wouldn't it?

-Exactly.

That would have been the front door.

-Yes.

-And you can see that huge old fireplace.

-Beautiful, lovely fireplace. Fabulous.

-Yes.

And a multi-fuel burner sat in there, so as a dining room,

to entertain family and friends...

-Very, very cosy.

-Very attractive, yeah, very nice.

Very cosy. And also the floor's lovely, isn't it?

-Mm, yes.

-Original floorboards.

-Yes, you can see that.

-Creaking away.

Let's explore this extension through here.

-This is the main living room.

-Oh. Ooh, this is a good size.

Yes, it is.

-It's lovely, isn't it?

-And you get a free cat.

Oh, she's very chilled. Typical cat.

-I like the French windows there too, yeah.

-Yes.

You're getting a sense of how the ground floor works here, this is pretty much it.

Kitchen, dining room, living room...

But you've got nice two rooms off the hallway, which is a nice balance, isn't it?

There's a downstairs cloakroom

at the end of the corridor, so that's a nice addition.

We haven't got the utility room.

-No.

-But, you know, who knows?

-C'est la vie.

-C'est la vie.

I just won't need to do any washing.

Send it out.

-You'll have to do some, because we've got four bedrooms for you.

-Gosh.

-Gosh, right.

-Yes, four.

Let's go and explore those and see what you make of that.

Admittedly, some compromises do have to be made with this place, but it's in such a great location

I'm hoping Jenny and Tony think that they're worth making.

Upstairs, there's a bright and shiny new family bathroom.

And bedroom wise, the first is small, but it has a neat window seat

with a great view, and there are also two good-sized doubles.

But then there's the master.

-But this is you.

-Oh, right.

Come on in.

This is nice.

-Yeah?

-Yeah, it is lovely.

-Lovely. Love the fireplace.

-Yeah.

-Isn't this lovely, nice cast iron fireplace, probably Victorian.

-Yes, we'd say Victorian.

-Good.

-The en suite's a bonus.

-Yeah, go and have a look in there.

-It's really nice and bigger than what we've seen so far.

-Oh, yes.

That's absolutely fine.

That's beautifully done, isn't it? It's a really good size, actually.

It's quite rare in a cottage this small to have something that big.

-It is.

-It is, I wasn't expecting an en suite at all.

-Ah, you see?

-So that's a plus.

You don't get utility but you do get an en suite.

I'd much rather have a utility room in there as well.

-Washing, over the sink! So that's pretty much it for the interior of this place.

-Yeah.

Let's have a look at the garden and finish it off, and then we'll think about how much it might cost you.

-OK.

-That'd be great.

-That'd be good.

-Follow me, back to the rain.

Right, out you come.

Ah, good old weather.

Very typical sort of little cottage garden that you'd expect

in a village location like this, with a property of this sort.

You've obviously got patio area there, you've got shed,

a little gate out there to the main street again.

I mean, once I'm outside the garden's a little bit bigger than I thought.

Yes, it's the vegetable problem again, isn't it?

-Yeah. I mean...

-We'll have to get an allotment.

There isn't an obvious place.

How much lawn would you be prepared to give up for your vegetables?

Mm, probably...

a patch about that area the other side of the path there. Would do it. Yes, yes.

-Yeah.

-So actually, if that would turn into a nice,

-maybe raised beds or something.

-Yes.

-Possibly, yeah.

-It is, it is actually bigger than you think, this garden.

-Yeah.

All right. Well, let's have a think about how much this house might be of interest to you, then.

I mean, I might be a bit on the harsh side, but I'd say 375.

Yeah, I'd even say perhaps even a bit less than that, 365.

365. Well, I suppose in some ways you've sort of

split the difference. It's actually on the market for 369,950.

-Oh, right.

-OK.

-So how does that sound?

-Mm...

Yeah, that sounds realistic.

-It's a very different proposition, this is talking about village life.

-This is village life.

-The other is rural.

-Yes.

And we did say that we wanted to be in a community, so again this might have another box to tick it.

-Possibly.

-Have another look around, I'll catch up with you later.

-Yes.

-OK, thanks.

-Thank you.

-Can I have the brolly?

-Sure.

Thank you very much indeed.

Being well under budget, this village cottage has a price tag just shy of £370,000.

It has four bedrooms, two spacious reception rooms, and it's been stylishly refurbished throughout,

but the garden isn't the biggest.

But with the coast being so near, will that be enough to make them see past its size?

I wonder if that wall might come down.

There is the possibility of knocking that wall down and extending through into the dining area.

-To make a big kitchen diner.

-All the way through.

That would make a lovely big room, wouldn't it?

I like this house, it's very well proportioned, it's got a nice feel about it.

There was a lot more space than I thought there'd be from the outside.

Particularly the garden perhaps is a little disappointing, I would have liked something a little

larger, but overall I think there are some definite positives, particularly being in the middle of a village.

-Have you seen enough, do you think?

-Yes, yes, we have.

-It's been good.

-I like the front door colour.

-Good...

It's not over yet, we've seen two, there is one more to come of course,

-and a few more other little bits and pieces...

-I know.

-..in the area.

-Come with me.

-Exciting.

As the afternoon sun slips over the horizon, day one of our property search draws to a close.

Tony and Jenny from Macclesfield in Cheshire are looking for a house in Cumbria with a budget of £400,000.

They're looking forward to retirement in one of the most tranquil landscapes.

So far they've viewed two properties.

-It's got better and better.

-It's got a terrific amount of character.

But still to come, we surpass ourselves with the mystery house.

I just can't get over it, it's just incredible!

Tony is a keen walker, and it's one of the driving forces behind their move to Cumbria,

home to England's largest national park.

And with around 2,000 square miles to explore, Tony has his work cut out,

so we thought we'd make a start by arranging to meet a local expert,

Stephen Lee, who's been mountaineering for 35 years, and most recently scrambling.

-Steve, very nice to see you. Let me introduce you to Tony.

-Hiya, Tony.

-Hi, Steve.

As you can see, look, he's got all the gear, sticks and everything, boots and all the rest of it,

very, very keen walker. I love being in the great outdoors as well, but I've never heard of scrambling.

-What's it all about?

-Well, scrambling is like walking but a bit more difficult.

A bit more of a challenge,

-definitely occasions when you might need to use your hands to help yourself balance.

-OK.

A bit of climbing here and there, and just making our way up the rocky ridge above us.

So it's kind of walking but a bit more interactive with the environment?

Yeah, it's a lot more hands-on, quite literally.

-How do you feel about that?

-Good, I'm looking forward to it.

-Right.

-Perhaps you'd better have one of my sticks.

-Thank you, you're very kind. Right then.

-Let's go up there, shall we?

-OK.

-After you.

'We're scrambling up Raven Crag, a rocky outcrop on the Egremont of Home Fell near Coniston,

'as it's suitable for beginners.'

-Now we might just stop here a moment, folks.

-How you doing?

Doing great, thanks.

You can see ahead that it gets a bit more steep now, and it's a good place to put a helmet on.

-OK.

-Cos it's an essential part of scrambling equipment.

-Right.

There's a chance you might slip over and you want to make sure you don't bang your heads.

-OK, is yours ready, Tony?

-Yeah.

-Right, yeah, let's give it a go.

I have to say this does make a very, very welcome change, doesn't it, Tony, to running round houses?

It does, it's nice to get out in the fresh air, get some exercise, lovely.

'The summit of Raven Crag is 1,000 feet above sea level,

'although we're only going to attempt to climb halfway up.

'The volcanic rocks that make up this crag record nearly 500 million years of geology.'

Well, shall we have a bit of a breather, do you think?

Yeah, here's a good spot.

Absolutely glorious.

I mean, Steve, what do you think, having lived here,

are the real advantages to this part of the world?

You can be somewhere like this in a 30-minute drive.

You can wake up, look out of the window and think, "I've got today off,

"it looks great in the hills," and then pack the car and away you go.

He's got the rest of his life off, he's retired!

THEY LAUGH

I'd thoroughly recommend it then.

-Be a good way of keeping fit in my retirement, hopefully.

-Absolutely, yeah.

Well, I have to say I could stay up here all day long, it is absolutely terrific,

-but it's not going to help us find you a house, is it?

-That's true.

-We've got one more to come. Can you show us the way down, Steve?

-Certainly I can.

-Come on, then.

Well, at long last it's time for me to reveal the mystery house to Jenny and to Tony.

Now, it's perfectly clear that they are downsizing, but the mystery house

wouldn't be the mystery house if it didn't have some kind of surprise.

The point is, it's bigger, much bigger.

The mystery house is a little further off the beaten track,

it's right on the coast in the small village of Silecroft.

Dominating the village skyline is the mountain of Black Combe, perfect walking territory for Tony.

It's a quiet rural village, but there is a small train station, so Jenny and Tony

shouldn't feel completely out on a limb.

Well, at long last it's time to show you the mystery house.

Now, Tony, how do you feel about a project?

THEY LAUGH You've got to be joking!

That looks a bit more than I could take on, I think.

We've seen one barn conversion, I thought perhaps you'd fancy putting your mark on another.

-Yeah...

-It is a bit of a project, and you would need somewhere to stay while you did it up, in fairness...

but the good news is, that comes with it.

THEY LAUGH

-My heart was sinking!

-Oh, right!

-Gosh, that is amazing.

-Wow.

-Wow, yeah.

-I mean, what you've got again is

technically a semi-detached, OK, because there's a property there...

-It's not a problem.

-And there's one here.

-So you've got that similar kind of community feel that we saw in our very first property.

-Yeah.

-OK.

but at its core, what we've got here is a possibly 17th-century old mill.

-Wow.

-Oh, wow.

-It's exciting, it really is.

-It is very exciting.

-I'm itching to get in and have a look.

-Yeah.

Well, come on, let's have a look.

'And the surprises aren't over yet. Wait till they discover the mystery that's tucked away in the kitchen.'

Wow, yeah, hasn't it got character? It's terrific.

Oh, the hall is just fabulous.

-Yeah.

-Now you did want a nice big kitchen, didn't you?

-Yeah.

Go on, go in there.

-Go on, Tony.

-Thanks.

In you go.

-Wow, this is...

-Oh, gosh!

-In you go!

-Oh, that is terrific!

-Oh, wow!

Just about brings tears to my eyes.

Gosh, that is amazing, that is really amazing.

That is stunning, actually.

That is stunning.

-Jenny, you're lost for words.

-I am!

THEY LAUGH

-It's just...

-What a wonderful room.

-I don't think I've ever been in such a beautiful kitchen.

Terrific, yeah.

You, you've really, really done well on this one!

Oh, I just can't get over it, it's just incredible!

-Is there a tear there, Jenny?

-Yes, it's a tear!

THEY LAUGH

-Oh...

-Tears of joy, I hope!

It's just amazing.

I think the mystery house has really lived up to its... Our expectations.

-Yeah, terrific.

-It's beautiful, really beautiful. Look at those cupboards!

Well, no, these are not cupboards.

-That's where the mill was.

-That contains the old mill working.

-Wonderful.

-Come and have a look.

-This is the guts of the mill, isn't that just extraordinary?

-That is.

It's like a museum piece, isn't it, really?

It's a beautiful thing, I think, to have. It's stunning, really.

But it is of course a working kitchen.

-Mm, lovely.

-At its heart you've got this great big island which has an electric range cooker in it.

-Everything in this house is electric, including the heating.

-Right.

-OK.

Just to be able to work here and look at that,

and you've got your table there, you can just imagine entertaining here, couldn't you?

-It's just wonderful, absolutely amazing.

-Terrific.

Well, it's got all sorts of things. Come through here, cos there is a utility room.

Now I know this is an important space for you, Jenny.

-Oh.

-So you've got one.

Oh, yes, plenty.

And it's great that you've got room for a really big fridge.

Well, to be honest I think if that was in there,

-in the kitchen, it would spoil it.

-You're right, it would spoil it.

-Very good.

-Wonderful.

Now this is pretty much it for downstairs.

-Right.

-Upstairs, let's see what you make of that.

'I'm not sure if it can get any better.

'Jenny has already been moved to tears and she hasn't seen the lounge yet,

'which unusually is on the first floor.'

-Nice wide stairs, aren't they?

-Lovely, lovely staircase.

-Very nice.

-And what do you think of this little room?

-Little?!

-Come on in.

-I think that's the understatement of the series.

-Oh, wow.

-Come in, come in!

-That is... That again is... What an amazing lounge!

-Amazing place.

-It's a ballroom!

-Beautiful, absolutely beautiful.

-It's just, it's just...

-Yeah, that is stunning.

They have done it so beautifully. I wouldn't... You know, if they left their decor I would be very happy.

Well, you never know, it's all negotiable.

There's more to this room than just this bit, because over here, what we've also got...

-Oh, wow!

-is a kind of dedicated study arrangement.

-Oh, gosh.

-Well, isn't that good!

-Yeah?

-Yeah.

-It's incredible. A den.

-Yeah that's, that's lovely, even with a curtain that you can draw across.

-Shut yourself away.

Yeah. That's really useful.

Just what we need, we wanted a study and this would... This would do really well.

Now, this whole property's arranged over three floors.

We've seen two of them, but of course bedrooms are going to be important.

-You wanted three, we've got you four.

-Wow. Great.

-Come and have a look at these.

'There are two smaller-sized bedrooms, perfect for when Tony and Jenny's daughters come to stay.

'There's also a large double which would make a good guest room, and a family bathroom

'which has been quite cleverly split into two, depending on your preference for a shower or a bath.

'And then there's a room for them.'

-And this is the master bedroom as currently arranged.

-Right.

-You can take your pick from any of the bedrooms up here!

-Yes, yes.

None of them have an en suite, in fairness.

-Right.

-But you've got your separate shower and bathroom.

-There are two bathrooms, aren't there?

-There are.

-It's not a problem.

-No, not really.

-It's a lovely size room though.

-It is, it is. Lovely wardrobe.

-You've got loads of storage. You've also got a sea view.

-No!

-Have a look through that window.

-Really?

-Yeah. The sea is but five minutes away, through there. Yeah.

Let's see. Oh. That's the icing on the cake.

Yeah, terrific, that.

-Lovely.

-Oh!

-No, it's a lovely room.

-So it's all working, then, this house?

-It certainly is.

-Certainly is.

-Beautiful house.

-It's just incredible.

-It really is.

-Perfect.

-It's just incredible.

Good. Right, well there's plenty of options outside as well.

I don't think we've been able to offer you the kind of outside space that'd complete the dream package.

But here, we might just have done it.

-Great.

-Come and have a look.

-Look forward to that.

So back where we started, out in the kind of courtyard area.

-Lovely.

-Now, of course, there's the barn,

which you thought you were going to be getting.

-Oh, yeah.

-Which you do get. I mean, that's all part of it.

-That's extra.

There's something that will keep you busy through here.

COCK CROWS

Sounds of the country.

Now, then, Tony,

-this would be your own little domain in the garden.

-Lovely.

-This really is just ideal, I think.

-Absolutely fabulous.

Lovely lawned area there, fruit trees in there already.

-This stream arrangement is all part of the waterworks that would have once fed the mill, of course.

-Yeah.

So it's all nicely retained by this stone wall. You've also got that wood store arrangement,

which is behind the barn, so plenty of room for firewood.

-Yeah, lovely garden.

-Wonderful.

-But this isn't all of it. Come and look at this.

Now, last but not least...

-Oh!

-You've got this little area.

-Wow.

-There's a sunhouse.

-That's lovely.

-You've got a lovely walled-garden effect there as well.

-Yes.

-Yeah, you have.

I think this is one of the prettiest aspects of the property, through here.

-It is, it's lovely.

-It's a real old-fashioned type garden, isn't it?

-Beautiful.

-Well, it's lovely because actually in a way you kind of get a garden each.

-Yes.

-Yeah.

-You can have the industrial vegetable area over there...

-Yes, the orchard.

-And you can have this.

-Yes.

-Now, I'm afraid that's it.

-You mean...

-You mean that's all?

-That's all there is to this mystery house, I know it's not much.

-OK.

-Only joking.

-But...

-No, it's perfect.

-For what there is...

-It's incredible.

-How much do you think it's worth though?

-It's got to be over our budget.

-Over our budget, I'd imagine. I can't even...

You've £400,000.

-I would have said...

-More towards 500,000 I'd have thought.

I would have said 440, 450 even.

-Easily, easily, easily.

-Go on, then, Jenny, what do you think?

I'd say more like, I don't know, 465 sort of thing like that.

Mm-hm.

OK. It was on the market for the best part of half a million...

-Mm, yeah.

-I can imagine.

-But it is now on the market...

for...

4...

2...

5.

-Oh!

-Really?

Gosh, yeah, that is... that's pretty good.

-Now it's over budget...

-Yeah.

-But you do get an awful lot for your money.

-Oh, yes.

-You certainly do.

-A phrase which is often heard on shows like this, but I think it's true.

-Incredible.

-Yes.

-That is wonderful value for money actually.

-Could you stretch?

-I think we might do...

-I think we have to.

-..for something as stunning as this.

-Certainly, we need to give it very serious thought.

-Yeah, yeah.

-Yeah.

-I mean, you see a place like this, it's a one-off, isn't it?

-It is, it is.

-It's a total one-off.

And it's like living the dream, really, you know,

that you'd never thought you could aspire to a property like this.

-Yes, it's really...

-Oh, Jenny!

-LAUGHTER

-Go on, take some time. Go and enjoy it.

-OK, thanks.

-Thanks.

-I'll catch up with you later.

-HE LAUGHS

-Brilliant! Well, there we are, two very, very happy buyers.

£425,000, yes, it is 25 grand over-budget, but what price the right property for you?

This is as Jenny says something of a one-off, and if they can stretch to it, they won't regret it.

This former mill is on the market for £425,000.

It is over-budget, but you do get a lot of house for your money.

There are four double bedrooms, a huge kitchen cum dining room,

complete with the original mill workings,

a large lounge, a barn, two gardens, and it's only two minutes from the coast.

What more could they want?

I just can't get over this, how amazing this house is.

Yeah. A stunning house, absolutely fantastic.

Absolutely love it. The kitchen, I can see myself in it.

I never ever thought that it would be possible for us to look at a property like this.

It's a dream, really, it's my sort of dream.

-I thought you weren't going to take this on!

-Had to have a peek inside.

-Yes, you've got to see it all. It's certainly one to consider.

-Certainly is.

-Let's get you somewhere where you can have a good old think about it all.

-OK, thanks.

-Thank you.

Well, at long last, it's decision time for Tony and for Jenny.

We've explored a good deal of what Cumbria has to offer, as well as three fantastic properties.

I have a sneaky feeling as to which one they might go for, but do you?

Well, you two, this is it, it's the end of our little journey.

It all started, the barn conversion set within that courtyard development.

What did you make of that, Jenny?

I was very taken with the barn property, particularly the lounge,

and that amazing view was just stunning.

-And you had the kitchen you were after and the famous utility room.

-Yeah, brilliant utility room.

I suppose it made us think whether we wanted a property that was that rural.

-In a way, it was quite isolated.

-OK, so not a bad start.

Well, then we went to that little cottage set within the village. What did you think of that one, Tony?

It had some good features and there was plenty of living space.

-The master bedroom was good, with en suite.

-Mm.

I think the garden disappointed me slightly, in terms of the proportions and the size.

-So we then trawled round a bit more of Cumbria, and we finally ended up at the mystery house.

-Mm.

Well, I think it really knocked us sideways, really.

I mean, it was...in almost every respect, it was absolutely stunning.

-Inside was...

-Amazing.

The rooms were...the main living rooms were absolutely stunning.

Of really tremendous proportions.

I have to say when I first saw that property,

and I saw the kitchen - I mean, it was a great kitchen.

Oh, it was a wonderful kitchen.

You wouldn't want to get out of it. You don't just cook in it, you'd live in it.

It was just so, so homely. It was just totally unique.

I'm now going to ask you what happens next,

but I suspect it will be no great surprise to anybody watching as to what your next move is.

Go on, Tony.

Well, we were really knocked sideways by the mystery house,

and we are very seriously thinking about putting in an offer.

That's very, very exciting.

Guys, it's a wonderful end to this journey.

Thank you for coming on the show, and we wish you all the best of luck.

-Thank you.

-Thank you for all your hard work in finding these properties for us.

It's been a wonderful experience.

You know, in many ways for me, Tony and Jenny's story is a particularly warm one.

For a couple who've cherished the idea of living in this stunning part of the world for so many years,

the thought that they're now going to actually get the chance to live the dream is a wonderful end.

It just goes to show that if you keep looking hard enough, you too can find that perfect happy ending.

I'll see you next time.

If you'd like our help on Escape To The Country, then why not apply online at...