Taunton & Peak District Home Away from Home

Fantastic!

Families from across Britain are about to try home swapping.

I've got my make-up and I've got some clean knickers.

So, that's what matters.

They don't know each other,

and have no idea yet where they'll be calling home for the next three days.

Oh, wow!

We're going to live on a ship!

Each family will have to suggest local places

for their home swappers to visit,

as well as a favourite restaurant.

I am absolutely speechless!

-I think this is the easy bit.

-OK.

And there'll be scoring each other on the location,

the day out,

and their temporary homes.

Cheers!

THEY CHEER

Only on their return will they get to see who

has been living in their house.

-The mystery...

-BOTH: is about to be revealed!

And find out who has provided the best home swapping experience.

-Cheers.

-Cheers.

We're in the heart of the West Country today,

in the Somerset county town of Taunton.

Our first home swappers are South African born Malcolm

and his partner, Rob, who is an amateur artist and yoga fanatic.

Malcolm is an architect,

and has designed and built their current home himself.

From the outside, it looks like a modest chalet style bungalow.

But all is not as it seems.

When people come in from outside, they literally go,

"Wow, this is incredible."

And I think it is a fantastic space, I love it.

Their uber contemporary home has four bedrooms

spread over three floors...

..a large, open-plan living, dining area and kitchen...

..all around a central glass atrium.

Just introducing this void into the middle,

it means that it can get light down right into the basement rooms.

The gents adore their modern pad.

But there's just one little flaw.

It's not quite finished yet.

I think our guests may do a double-take when they arrive here.

Run the gauntlet to the front door.

-Cos it's not actually that obvious from outside.

-No, there isn't.

It isn't obvious that there's a front door yet.

Nothing minor, then(!)

With decorating still in progress,

a garden that's more mud bath than oasis

and a car port currently doubling up as a builder's yard,

their guests will need some vision.

I hope they would see that it could be amazing.

But, yeah, they probably will be quite shocked.

But the warmth of the house

and the relaxed feeling of the house should come through.

It may not be quite finished yet, but Malcolm is putting a lot of time

and care into creating a perfect, minimalist haven.

The style of the house is crisp and clean and simple.

Lots of light, which at this time of year does mean it does get

quite warm if you don't have windows and doors open.

But for most of the year, it's really wonderful.

The gents have never home swapped before,

but are hoping their guests will be a fresh pair of eyes.

They will need a little bit of vision and imagination,

because it is still a work in progress.

I think they'll like it.

And if they don't, there'll be trouble.

THEY LAUGH

Luckily for them, their fellow swappers are old hands

when it comes to dust sheets and DIY.

Deborah and Les bought this period cottage in the Peak District

village of Bradwell two years ago,

and have recently finished a full-scale renovation.

We moved in in December 2013.

We had no kitchen whatsoever.

Our son, David, and Mary live in America,

and they actually came with our daughter, Catherine,

five days after we'd moved in.

It was Christmas.

And they stayed here and they just basically thought we were crackers!

Their traditionally styled cottage now has four bedrooms,

three spacious reception rooms and a modern kitchen.

And the space is important, as the couple also run their own

recruitment business from home.

Spending so much time together might not work for some couples,

but these two are perfectly in sync.

Well, usually.

There's not a lot we disagree with.

Well, we have been married 40 years, so...

-35.

-We disagree on that!

-Oh, 35.

We've known each other for 40, yes.

Yeah, we've known each other for 40 years.

Their home dates back to the 18th century,

and is packed with period features.

None of the beams were exposed when we moved into the house.

We took the ceilings down, the builder showed us what was there.

He said, do you want me to put the ceilings back? And we said, no way.

No way put the ceilings back!

That was a very big surprise,

but, we feel, makes the property.

And if you thought those beams were good, check out the master bedroom.

So, this was the last ceiling that we took down in the house.

And we were hoping that again it had got beams.

And then we were astounded by the fact that it had,

it had got a king post, which is quite impressive now.

But if their guests decide to stay in one of the spare bedrooms,

they might need to pack their earplugs.

CHURCH BELL RINGS As there's a church just behind the house.

The clock actually chimes from 5:15 in the morning right through

till 11 o'clock at night.

We have got used to the church bells.

It did take some time and you do think at one point,

"I'm not going to be able to live here forever."

But in some respects it's good,

because it does make sure you get up early.

THEY LAUGH

Let's hope their guests enjoy the wake-up call.

Of course, most home swappers get to choose where they go.

But our two couples are on our magical mystery tour.

I really hope that we're going to be by the sea, actually.

Well, I'm taking swimming trunks, just in case.

Oh, God, did I pack them?

-Have you got yours?

-I'm fairly sure I did. Let me just see.

They've left the destinations up to us.

I've got my walking boots downstairs, so...

Best put them in.

It might be wallowing with pigs!

So, with the essentials packed, it's time for the big reveal.

I'd love to know where we're going. Where are we going?!

For Rob and Malcolm, a trip to the Peak District.

-Oh!

-Oh, wow.

-Wow.

I have only ever been through the Peak District.

-I've only driven around, so, yeah.

-Wow.

-Well, that's got mountains... Well, sort of mountains. Peaks.

-Peaks.

-Water.

-Water. Lots of nature, I hope.

-Yeah!

And what will Deborah and Les make of Taunton?

-Oh, Taunton!

-Somerset.

-We have friends that moved down there, didn't we?

-Cider country.

-Yeah. Sounds good.

-Sounds good.

-Right, you got the keys?

-I've got the key.

So, with a few hours' drive ahead of them,

out swapping adventurers say goodbye to their homes and hit the road.

Peak District, here we come!

Les and Deborah are heading 200 miles south to the bustling town of Taunton

in the heart of Somerset.

This West Country county is packed with historic towns and cities,

including the beautiful Bath, home to Britain's only natural thermal spa,

and Wells, with its 12th-century Gothic cathedral.

The county also boasts more than 500 ancient monuments,

including Glastonbury Tor.

Looking out over the Somerset Levels, it shares its name with

the world-famous music festival which draws 135,000 revellers every year.

If you prefer walking to dancing, then head for the peaceful scenery

of the Quantock Hills, which run for 15 miles inland

from the Somerset coast, ending just a couple of miles north of Taunton,

where Deborah and Les are about to get their first glimpse

of the project house.

-SHE LAUGHS

-You are joking.

-We've come from one renovation to another!

-Wow.

SHE CHUCKLES

Yeah, we know what this is like.

Well, they're smiling so far.

Pretty impressive front on it, though, when it's finished.

-Is it finished?

-It might be finished!

At least it's not a tent, which is a bonus.

-It's not a houseboat.

-No, that's a bonus.

-It's not a caravan.

It looks a fairly substantial house,

but I'm just intrigued to see what's inside it now.

While they hunt down the front door,

up north, Rob and Malcolm are winging their way to Bradwell

in north-west Derbyshire.

This landlocked county is in the heart of the East Midlands.

And what it lacks in coastline,

it more than makes up for with the rugged beauty of the Peak District.

The UK's first national park,

the Peaks draw more than 8 million visitors every year,

lured by historic market towns such as Ashbourne and Bakewell,

and beautiful rolling pastures,

which have been farmed for more than 4,000 years.

The park also boasts jaw-dropping moorland

and more than 2,000 miles of pathways,

making it a haven for climbers, cyclists and walkers.

The mining town of Bradwell is right in the heart of the park,

just 15 miles west of Sheffield.

It has a population of 1,500,

and now Rob and Malcolm are joining the ranks for a couple of days.

And what did you say about work in progress, Malcolm?

-Oh, yes! Good, good.

-HE LAUGHS

They've got more slates than we have. What is that?

No, those are artificial concrete roof tiles.

It's much more civilised, though.

And they've actually got plants. We haven't even got that far.

Er, excuse me! I've got a little garden out the back.

First impressions are good.

But Rob's not quite feeling warm and fuzzy yet.

It's so much colder up here than it is down south!

Jackets are necessary.

-These are jackets we wear in winter in Somerset.

-I'm slightly shivering.

Such a southern lily.

I've got my flat cap, so I can look... It's too small!

I hope that doesn't change your accent!

-DERBYSHIRE ACCENT:

-What d'you mean?

What you talking about?!

No, Rob, don't. You can't do that.

You'll alienate lots of people.

While they go native,

down in Somerset, Deborah and Les have found their way into the void.

Oh, very different to ours.

Not what I expected from the outside.

That's good for the light.

I would not like to have to clean that glass.

I'm not sure about the doors.

They look a bit...

as though you're walking into an office.

Maybe it is an office?

Not sure that's quite what Malcolm was going for.

I don't particularly like the stairs being off at that angle,

but I like the openness, I like the height.

-Er, so, that's...

-I mean, the wow for me is the glass.

Well, Rob did say the void had wow factor.

Both couples have left their guests a home swap manual packed with

local info and tips to help them find their way around their homes.

"OK, you've made it past the building site. Congratulations and thank you.

"Enjoy your house as much as we love it,

"even though it's still being completed." Yes.

Good, I'm glad it's not finished yet.

"We designed the house ourselves." Interesting.

"For the most part it runs itself."

Ah, right. So, it's an eco-friendly one.

Armed with the building site bible,

they head upstairs to the open-plan living-dining-kitchen area.

Oh, this is a nice room.

Oh, yeah.

I like the floor. It's lovely. Yeah, and the kitchen.

All the way through.

Ah, that's a better reaction.

I think... I feel as though they might be younger than us.

I don't know why I get that feeling.

Not just because it's more modern than ours, but is it a bit stark?

There's something just a bit too clinical.

I can't put my finger on it.

I think it's possibly the work surfaces and the white...

Maybe it's the...the units.

And the kitchen top.

Hmm. It doesn't sound like the house has won them over just yet.

Up in Derbyshire, the gents are heading inside to warm up.

Right.

-Oh, wow! Nice floor.

-That's good.

-It's nice.

Oh, God, I thought that was a real dog!

Down, boy(!)

I was dreading it being cold, cold out here. This is amazing.

It is the summer, after all.

And having braved taking their coats off, they spot the manual.

"Hello and welcome to our cottage, which has been our home for 18 months."

-OK, so they have done a renovation.

-Similar time.

"When we brought the property in 2013,

"it had fallen into disrepair and we stripped it back to the

"original stone shell and renovated it throughout.

"The renovation inside is almost complete."

Well, so is ours. Almost!

The renovation looks pretty complete to me.

Yes, this looks more complete than ours.

They head off to give the renovated cottage the once over.

-I'm going to try this out.

-I saw this.

-This looks... Oh, my God.

-Whoa!

-THEY LAUGH

Oops-a-daisy!

-Oh, jeepers.

-You're such an old man, aren't you?

-Oh, yes.

Bring me my slippers and my pipe.

While they make themselves at home,

Les and Deborah are on the hunt for cosiness in the bedrooms.

Sparse.

I can't decide in certain rooms

whether it is finished or it's not finished.

Oh, dear.

You can't really get a feel for what they're like as people.

Maybe that's how they like it?

I think the look they were going for is "minimalist".

I don't think it's very welcoming.

I feel as though it's very serviceable.

Well, this is going swimmingly. Ahem!

What will the masters of minimalism make of Debs and Les's bedroom?

-Oh, my God.

-Oh, brilliant.

That's the king post that they were talking about.

Do you feel like we've been very derelict in our preparation?

Yes, this is like a hotel in a house.

This is hotel-like in comparison.

But it seems Rob's feeling a chill again.

This time, it's the soft furnishings.

I'm slightly unnerved by the...

Looks like an eye looking out at us.

-Hello-o-o!

-No!

Get away from me!

While the boys pillow fight in Bradwell...

Let's have a drink, shall we?

..down in Somerset, Deb and Les have resorted to wine.

That was an interesting tour.

Yeah, from one finished renovation to one part done.

I never thought we'd see that time again.

Here's to Taunton.

-Cheers.

-Cheers.

It'll all seem better after a good night's sleep.

Up in the Peaks,

their guests are feeling warm and cosy by the wood burner.

Now we've got his and his chairs.

Ah, yes. Chin-chin.

-Welcome to our new home from home.

-Yeah.

Next morning,

the sun's shining as our swappers get ready for a day's exploring.

In their cottage in the Peak District,

Malcolm and Rob are getting acquainted with the local alarm clock.

-Oh, I haven't seen the house from this angle.

-BELLS CHIME

Oh, wow. It's lovely. The chiming of the church.

The chimes are lovely, yes. Did you hear it in the night?

I started hearing it at six in the morning.

I didn't hear it at all!

It seems the early start has given Malcolm time

to do a little detective work.

-They're the original floor plans.

-Oh, OK.

So there's a picture of what it used to look like.

So, the front door was a window. This was this room.

-Wow!

-That's this room.

He's hopeful they might be sympathetic to his ongoing project.

They've obviously seen the potential in this property

and so hopefully they will see the potential in my home.

Down in Taunton,

Deborah and Les have spotted one area that's ripe for improvement.

-I'd have fun getting to grips with this garden.

-You'd love that, yes.

-Big plot.

-Yeah. A lot of work as well, people don't always realise.

-It's nice to...

-Could be really creative with it.

-Yeah.

And they've also spotted some clues about the host.

I've seen a big copier which I've seen in some companies

that is for copying plans or drawings or stuff.

And they did say they designed the house themselves, so...

-Maybe something...

-Could be something to do with building, then.

Yeah. Building, consulting engineer, architect. Something like that.

Oh, she's good!

Each couple has left their guests some top tips

on things to see in the local area.

Right, let's go for a walk about the village.

A sort of virtual guided tour, if you will.

So, they all leave their borrowed homes behind and head out to explore.

For Rob and Malcolm, it's the village of Bradwell,

nestled in the pretty Hope Valley area of the Peak District.

The village has a heritage of lead mining.

But these days it's a peaceful spot,

popular with walkers who come to enjoy the spectacular scenery

that surrounds the village in every direction.

I would describe Bradwell as a very friendly and pleasant village.

People, once they've arrived here and enjoyed it,

they don't like to leave.

And it's not quite as busy as the other villages in the area.

It's just a little bit off the beaten track.

The winding, narrow lanes are packed with traditional stone houses

and old miners' cottages.

And the pretty Bradwell Brook flows through the centre of the village.

There's a cafe, there's a few shops.

There's plenty of walking, there's hand gliding and paragliding

up on the top of the hills.

So, there's plenty of choice, plenty of things.

A jewel of the area really, that's part of the Hope Valley

and the Peak District.

What more can you want?

As well as the rather noisy St Barnabas Church, built in 1865,

the village also boasts four pubs.

So, plenty of choice if you fancy a pint after a hard day's hill walking.

Residents are also very proud of Bradwell's historic ice cream shop,

which is first stop on Rob and Malcolm's tour.

-In you go, go on.

-Aha!

This family business has been selling home-made ice cream here

for the last 100 years.

I suppose, considering we're in the Peak District, there's Cherry Bakewell.

Ay-ay-ay!

I am definitely going to have one scoop of salted caramel.

-Yep, that's the latest one, actually.

-Oh!

That's the brand-new one.

-Very nice to meet you.

-Thank you, thank you, thank you.

If you feel like sitting somewhere picturesque,

-if you go across the road and sit by the river.

-Yes.

-And watch it trickling underneath the bridges.

-Thank you, thank you.

-Mine is delicious.

-Thank you, bye.

So, while the gents tuck in to their cornets...

-Can I taste a bit?

-Yeah, yeah.

..down in Somerset, Les and Deborah are out and about in Taunton.

This thriving town has something for everyone,

with the North Somerset coast just 15 miles away

and the beautiful Blackdown and Quantock Hills either side.

I like living in Taunton because of the diversity.

There's lots of parks where my son loves to play.

We've got the canal, we've got the rivers, lots of walking,

lots of healthy activities, really.

Just a few miles outside the town

is the West Somerset Heritage Railway,

where steam trains make their way up to the coast,

taking in glorious sights like Dunster Castle.

And Taunton itself has plenty to offer visitors,

with the pretty River Tone sweeping grandly through the centre.

The area's really nice, actually.

Especially when the sun's out like this.

One of the great things about Taunton is they've got

lots of independent retailers,

which all offer an individual offering, which is really good.

The town also has award-winning green spaces,

including Vivary Park,

on the site of the medieval fish farm which supplied Taunton Castle.

These days, the castle is home to the Museum of Somerset,

and Les and Deborah are keen to take a look.

We're in the great hall of the old castle,

so if you'd like to start through those doors...

-I hope you enjoy it.

-Thank you.

-Thank you very much.

Open all year round, the museum is totally free

and takes visitors on a voyage through the county's past,

all within the Grade I listed castle, which was built in the 12th century.

Up in Bradwell, Rob and Malcolm have finished their ice creams

and are turning their thoughts to scoring

as they rate the area out of ten.

I think the area's absolutely stunning.

We drove in and it's just that sort of, you know,

the beauty of the hills and the trees, very green.

-8/10 would be my first instinct.

-Overall for the area?

-Yeah.

-Yeah.

Not bad at all.

And has a morning exploring Taunton cheered up Deborah and Les?

I think the area's a nice, restful place to walk round.

Open spaces, lots of greenery, nice trees and flowers.

People were friendly.

Nice architecture.

Yeah, nice castle area.

-I think we should give it a score of seven.

-Yeah.

Well, that's a turn up for the books.

And with just a point between them, Bradwell's out in front.

To help our couples really get to see what the local areas have

to offer, they've both been given a special afternoon activity to try.

With a national park on the doorstep,

it's no surprise where the gents are heading.

"I hope you have a head for heights, cos today you'll be making the

"most of the stunning Peak District views by learning to rock climb."

-Oh!

-Fantastic.

-Oh, yes. That is great.

And for Les and Deborah, a proper West Country craft.

OK, Taunton day out.

"We have a great activity in store for you as today you're going to

"be learning the art of cheesemaking right here in Cheddar County."

LES CHUCKLES

Which is good that I don't like cheese, but I like making it.

I'll make it, you eat it.

OK, fine, I'll eat it.

Well, there's a plan.

Malcolm and Rob are travelling just six miles from Bradwell

to the impressive Stanage Edge.

This gritstone crag stretches for 3.5 miles across the Peak District

and is one of the country's most popular spots for rock climbing,

offering a vertical rock face of up to 20 metres in places.

Local climbing instructor Neil Warren has been scaling

these rocks for 14 years.

So what we're talking about is stepping up onto the rock

-until I can then stuff a foot into that crack...

-Brilliant.

..and stand up on it.

But, yes, absolutely, it's all about balance, being balanced.

-I thought we were going up on ropes and...

-No, no, no.

The rope is purely for safety.

Oh, OK. I think the cream tea sounds a much better option.

I'll just watch.

But Rob gets his pre-climb jitters under control

and sets off up the rock face.

Well done. Excellent job.

-Come across to your left now.

-This way, yeah?

He's got up there. He's going very quickly. He's good.

And despite one wrong move...

Ah!

My God.

Well done. Good effort.

Thank God for the rope.

..he soon finds his climbing feet.

That's it. Good man. Spot on. You've got it.

This is actually terrifying.

Now it's Malcolm's turn,

and he clambers up the rock like a mountain goat.

Well done.

Very smooth.

Brilliant.

A brief rest before a little couple of moves

to get you out over the top.

-Yeah!

-Well done.

-Yes!

-Hey-hey!

-Hero.

While they catch their breath,

200 miles south, Les and Deborah are heading

half an hour outside Taunton to Nether Stowey

at the foot of the Quantock Hills.

Somerset is famous world over for being

the birthplace of our nation's favourite cheese, Cheddar.

This local farm has been making award-winning cheddars

for nearly 70 years,

currently under the watchful eye of the general manager Peter Derbyshire.

Hi, Deborah. Pleased to meet you.

This is our milk reception.

We have a fleet of four tankers

and we collect milk from 30 farms in a 50-mile radius of Cricketer,

in Devon and Somerset.

Visitors to the farm can try cheeses in the cafe and shop

but our couple is getting a look behind the scenes,

once they're suited up, of course.

I'm afraid you're going to have to put one of these on. It's a mob cap.

If you can make sure your hair is fully tucked in.

-That'll not be difficult for you.

-LAUGHTER

There was no need for that, was there?

Glamorous!

First up, the tanks.

So these are our cheese vats. We've got four.

They hold 20,000 litres of milk.

So we put the rennet into this tank

and pump it into the vat, stir it in

and then we let it set for 40 minutes.

And when we cut it... This is called a junket,

and when we cut it, we get the curds and whey.

Master cheesemaker Richard Villis

reveals the mysterious cheddaring process.

What we're doing now is we're just trying to get the excess whey off.

So what these guys will do now is they'll start turning the curd over.

-How heavy is it? It looks heavy.

-Yeah, they're about 10-12kg apiece.

If you want to have a go at it, it's lovely and warm.

-And then what we do...

-I can't!

-Yes, we can.

Then we turn over like that.

So what they'll do now is they'll cut down through the middle

and then they'll place on top, so what the curd is doing then,

it's squeezing down on top of each other

so you're getting more and more whey out.

The curds are then broken up,

salted and formed into blocks, ready to mature.

So here we see one perfectly pressed 20kg block of cheese.

At this stage, the cheese is still green, it's still very curdy

and it's going to take three months for a mild,

about four or five months for a medium

and six months plus for a mature.

While our two amateur cheesemakers continue their tour,

in the Peak District, Rob and Malcolm

are discovering that what goes up must come down.

What we're now going to do...

I'm just going to jump, aren't I?

Step yourself down and lean yourself down and out.

-OK, there's another ledge there.

-There's another ledge.

It's all right! There's a ledge, look. Hello.

-I'm a lot more of a wimp than I thought.

-I've got you.

Push yourself, all your weight onto the rope. That's it.

And remember to walk down.

Keep nice, wide feet. Going quick enough there?

Faster if you want.

Malcolm's turning out to be a bit of a pro.

That was absolutely fantastic.

Brilliant fun.

The same can't quite be said for Rob, though.

ROB WHIMPERS

-It's happy days again.

-Oh!

Oh, God.

-I can't find it.

-That's it.

You need to get your hands on the edge is better.

Imagine you're slowly easing yourself into a swimming pool.

OK? That's it. Brilliant. That's it in there.

-That's the one.

-Well done.

-Well done.

That was terrifying.

OK, terrifying on the way up,

terrifying on the way down.

Of course, he makes it safely back down to the ground.

Wow. This is incredible.

-That was fun.

-It was, eventually.

Excellent, Rob. Well done.

-Thank you.

-Pleasure.

-Well done.

All limbs are intact, but the nerves are shot to pieces.

See the hand?

When Neil said, "Just step over the edge," I was kind of like,

"You must be kidding! I'm not stepping over the edge."

That second where you just go, "OK, whoa,"

then it became really enjoyable.

THEY LAUGH

While they head back to the cottage to recover,

Deborah and Les are learning the fine art of cheese tasting.

This is a traditional Cheddar so it's Cheddar cheese

but it's bound in cloth...

-Right.

-..and the cloth is sealed with lard,

so it's quite distinctive.

I've got to be honest, that's my favourite.

That definitely needs a red wine to go with it.

It certainly does, yeah.

It's a cheese farm, not a vineyard, Les.

That's the end of their adventure into the world of cheese

and both couples are heading home from their afternoon activities.

On the way, they stop off at a local estate agents

to see how prices compare to home.

-That one is incredible.

-Yes, it is. It is...

-That one, there.

-..remarkable.

Look at the view they've got from their house.

Church cottage and holiday let. But look at the price tag.

-Ah!

-Yeah, I know.

If you are thinking of moving to Derbyshire,

a terraced property could cost around £84,000,

with prices rising to the region of £108,000 for a semi

or upwards of £210,000 if you're looking for a detached house.

In Somerset, you'll need slightly deeper pockets.

That looks nice.

700,000.

What? These are plots. That's a barn.

So 600,000 for a Grade II listed detached barn conversion.

In Somerset, a terraced house costs around £130,000,

a semidetached is in the region of £159,000

and a detached pad could cost you around £279,000.

Now to round off the day

and hopefully bag themselves some extra points in the scoring,

each couple has recommended a local restaurant for their guests to try.

Rob and Malcolm have popped just half a mile down the road to

an award-winning country pub on the edge of Bradwell.

It's named after Samuel Fox,

the man credited with inventing the umbrella,

who was born in the village 200 years ago.

-Table for two?

-Yeah, of course.

We've got one just over there for you.

And, over a glass of bubbly, the boys wonder about their guests.

-I hope they have a good night's sleep. It'll be warm.

-Yes.

-It will be warm.

-I'm sure they'll enjoy it. I hope they have.

-Yeah.

Even though it's a building site!

Well, they'll have got used to that now.

-They probably won't even be noticing the building site now.

-Yeah.

Well, you never know.

They've sent Deborah and Les

to a restaurant with a continental flair in the heart of Taunton.

-This one here for you. Take a seat, please.

-Thanks.

-Where are you sitting? Here?

-I don't mind.

And their starters come with some unusual decoration.

That's mine, thanks.

-And the scallops.

-Thank you. That's very good.

-What's that?

-It's a flower. It's a viola, same as yours.

We grow them in our hanging baskets if you want any at home.

Want to try some?

I don't like scallops. We've only been married 35 years!

Well, I forget these things from time to time.

Keep up, Les.

Up in the Peak District, Rob and Malcolm's mains

have also come with a floral twist.

-There you are.

-That looks glorious.

They are locally sourced flowers.

And the lamb.

-Is that good?

-It's amazingly good.

-Yours looks pretty good as well.

-Yeah, it's cooked the way I like it.

-Beautifully presented.

-Absolutely stunning.

I'm starting to make a mess of it already.

Talking of mess, check out Les and Deborah's dessert.

Here's your dessert. Lovely raspberry Eton mess.

-Wow.

-This looks good.

-Ooh!

-Wow.

Oh, it's like an episode of MasterChef.

Now our swappers must turn their thoughts to scoring again.

Having already rated the local area out of ten,

now they're scoring their day out,

including the afternoon activity and evening meal.

The rock climbing, loved every minute of it.

Could have done it right from six o'clock in the morning

till six o'clock at night. How do you feel about that?

I enjoyed the climbing, yeah.

Definitely an adrenaline buzz, so worth the panic at the start.

The food was absolutely delicious.

Overall, I think I would give the day out a nine.

-I would as well.

-Yeah.

-Quite easily.

It's nearly full marks in Bradwell.

What about their guests in Taunton?

I really enjoyed today.

I never realised how physical handcrafted cheesemaking is.

The cheddaring experience was really, really good

and we had a really good night tonight.

Yeah, I really enjoyed my food tonight

so I think, in all, we'd like to give the day out a ten.

Bingo! Full marks for the cheese and wine.

And that means, at the end of day two, it's neck and neck.

It's morning on the third and final day of our home swappers' trips,

and both couples are getting ready to say goodbye to their borrowed homes.

In Bradwell, Rob and Malcolm are feeling inspired by the garden.

We could easily, you know,

buy a job lot of beautiful herbs and flowers and arrange them.

I actually like this. I think it's cottage garden planting, isn't it?

Down in Somerset, Deborah and Les are feeling hot under the collar.

Do you think the other people will find that our house is too cold

-compared to this very hot house?

-They may do.

I did leave a fire ready to be lit if they were cold.

Now our swappers must say their goodbyes

and hand back their borrowed homes.

So after a few finishing touches...

What did we call them before? Dear mystery swappers?

-Guests.

-Well, they're not our guests.

-No, hosts.

..they're on the road.

-This has been good.

-It has, yeah.

Home swapping is a great way to get to know a new area

but it also saves you money.

A good quality B&B could set you back around £160 for two nights

in the Peak District

or £130 in Taunton, Somerset.

Our swappers are back to the sights and sounds of home.

BELLS PEAL

And now they finally get to see their mystery guests

and hear what they honestly thought of their houses.

This could be interesting.

Prepare yourselves, Malcolm and Rob.

-OK, the moment of truth.

-Whether they liked the house.

-OK.

-Right, ready?

-Press that button.

'Hi, I'm Deborah. I'm 56 years old. This is my husband.

'Hi, I'm Les. I'm 59 years old.

'Deborah and I have been married for 36 years.'

-A man and a woman. We got that right.

-We got that right.

'You are joking.

'We've come from one renovation to another.'

At least they have a sense of humour.

-'Is it finished?

-It might be finished.'

They're brilliant, actually. Really brilliant.

-And laughter rather than tears.

-Nervous laughter.

-At the beginning.

'I would not like to have to clean that glass.

'I'm not sure about the doors.'

I must admit, I do sort of know what he means about the doors.

-I like them.

-They're nice.

-I really like the grain.

They're not typical for a house, though, are they? Are they?

-No, but I find the vast majority of doors in houses absolutely vile.

-OK.

'I don't particularly like the stairs being off at that angle.'

There's no accounting for taste.

I think the staircase is absolutely stunning.

Theirs is an off-the-shelf staircase.

-Are you feeling a bit outraged?

-Yeah.

-The hackles are rising a little bit.

-OK.

'Oh, this is a nice room. Is it a bit stark for you?

'There's something just a bit too clinical.

-'I can't put my finger on it.

-The work surfaces.

'Maybe it's the units.'

Well, Northerners tell it like it is.

-It doesn't...

-Fair enough. Call a spade a spade.

-'Sparse.

-Just a spare room with a bed.

'Yeah. I don't think it's very welcoming. It's very serviceable.'

I enjoy the cleanliness, the simplicity, the...

-..starkness, I suppose.

-They don't feel at home and,

actually, having seen their house, I completely understand why.

It's kind of like chalk and cheese, really, isn't it? Day and night.

Fair enough. We enjoyed that and we enjoy this, too.

Well, that went well...I think.

Now it's Deborah and Les's turn.

-How do you feel about watching this?

-Intrigued.

-Yes. Shall we play it?

-Do you want to?

'Hi, I'm Malcolm. I'm 53 years old. I'm an architect and I've been

'living in Somerset for the last 24-odd years. And this is Rob.

'I'm 49. I'm an actor/artist and massage therapist.

'We've been together for nearly two years, actually.'

I said I didn't feel as though there was a woman in the picture anywhere.

Well, you said there might be but you didn't think it was

-the main owner of the house.

-Yeah.

'It's so much colder up here than it is down south.

-'My flat cap is too small.

-I hope that doesn't change your accent.

-'ATTEMPTS NORTHERN ACCENT:

-What do you mean?'

It's a good job they didn't come in January.

-'Carpets. That's nice.

-I haven't walked on a carpet for, oh, weeks.

-'This looks... Oh, my God.

-Whoa!

THEY LAUGH

'Oops-a-daisy.'

LES LAUGHS

-Funny.

-Hilarious.

-'Oh, my God.

-Brilliant.

'That's the king post that they're talking about.'

People can't stop looking at it at first.

-'Oh, I haven't seen the house from this angle.

-BELLS PEAL

-'Oh, wow.

-It's wonderful.

-Did you hear it in the night?

'I started hearing it at six in the morning.'

It doesn't surprise me that it woke them up.

-BELLS PEAL

-There we go.

-That's the quarter of an hour one.

-Yeah.

Now each couple has seen their guests having a look around their homes,

they're keen to hear how they each scored,

and which swap will come out on top.

First up, Les and Deborah's score for Taunton.

'Open spaces, lots of greenery, nice trees and flowers.

'I think we should give it a score of seven.'

-Wow.

-Quite generous.

-That's very generous.

And now the day out.

'Really enjoyed today.

'I never realised how physical handcrafted cheesemaking is.

'Yeah, I really enjoyed my food tonight.

'I think in all, we'd like to give the day out a ten.'

Whoa. Baby.

It's nice to see them happy.

-Really...

-It's really nice that the restaurant came up trumps.

-Yes.

-Phew.

But here's the big one.

How did they score the house?

'The house is clearly a work in progress.

'We do think it has potential. There are things we like about it.

'It's very bright, a lot of natural light.

'We found the house is far too hot for us.

'There was actually too much dust around as well.

'So for that reason we're going to score the house a four.'

-Which is what I was expecting.

-OK.

-Yeah. There is dust.

It is a building site.

Every time we have guests, they go,

"Where does all this dust come from?"

-You were ready for a four.

-I was ready for a four.

I was petrified it might have been a two.

My! They took that well.

And that's 21/30 for Taunton.

Now for Rob and Malcolm's scores on Bradwell.

'I think the area is absolutely stunning.

'Yeah, we drove in and it's just that sort of, you know,

'the beauty of the hills and the trees, it's very green.

'I would go for an eight.

-'8/10 would be my first instinct.

-Overall for the area.

-Yeah.'

I think that's a fair score, from what they've seen.

And now for the day out.

'The day out was absolutely fantastic.

'The rock climbing, loved every minute of it.

'I enjoyed the climbing, yeah.

'Definitely an adrenaline buzz, so worth the panic at the start.

'The food was absolutely delicious.

'Overall, I think I would give day out a nine.'

I can understand Rob's initial panic, but good for him that he

got over that and hopefully it was worth it.

Last, but certainly not least, the cottage.

'So, scoring the house.

'Interior - amazing, really comfortable, definitely to my taste.

'Exterior - not keen on pebble dash. Apart from that, no complaints.

'I really loved the inside.

'The only thing I would do is put under-floor heating under

'the hard surfaces on the ground floor.

'I would push the house to a nine.'

-Nice to hear.

-A good feeling. A pretty good feeling.

So that's a grand total of 26,

which means the undisputed winner

of today's Home Away From Home crown

is Bradwell.

I think unless you have done a renovation, you don't

appreciate how challenging it is.

It's tough and it gets you down.

Maybe they've had a nice break from their renovation.

It's not a huge discrepancy and it is about fair, because

they walked into a new house that is still going on so, yeah, that's OK.

And after that emotional rollercoaster,

how do our first-time swappers feel about the whole experience?

I feel warm about the fact that someone really liked what

we've done and what we've tried to do for us to have a nice home.

-Would you do a house swap again?

-With a finished house, yes.

Once this place is finished, yes.

MUSIC: Brick House by Rick James