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00:00On Escape to the Country, we take our house hunters' wish lists very seriously.
00:06It has everything for you and then some.
00:08That's a strong statement.
00:12We know just the sort of thing that goes down well.
00:15But look at that for you.
00:17Amazing view.
00:18It goes on and on and on.
00:19On and on and on.
00:20Yeah, exactly.
00:21You can see a long way.
00:22And when it does, we might burst into song.
00:25I like the fact it goes in, out.
00:27Shake it all about, yeah.
00:30There's really only one way to describe it.
00:33It's just so quiet and tranquil.
00:35The escapes of the country.
00:37See, we did that.
01:00The southwest counties of Somerset and Devon must have been at the front of the queue
01:05when all the best features were being dished out.
01:07Coastline, hills, and mile after mile of countryside.
01:13They've got it all.
01:15For 88 days of the summer, there really is no place quite like serene Somerset.
01:21But for the other five days, well, things really hot up
01:24as hundreds of thousands of music fans descend on Glastonbury
01:28to see some of the biggest pop and rock stars in the world.
01:32So if that's your thing, great.
01:34If not, I've got one word for you.
01:36Earplugs.
01:39Reaching out into the sea from the southwest of the British Isles,
01:42Somerset and Devon cover almost a tenth of England's land area
01:46and are packed full of lush countryside,
01:49benefiting from the abundance of water from the coastlines
01:53as well as the wetlands of the Somerset Levels.
01:56The benefit of living here is hundredfold, really.
02:00We've got Blackdown Hills over there, Pontock Hills over there,
02:0445 minutes to the coast.
02:06You've got fast trains to London if you need to get to London from Taunton.
02:10All in all, it encapsulates a lot of things that people want from life.
02:14And, of course, one of the most important things in life is community.
02:19Especially here, because we're quite a few little towns,
02:22everyone does know each other, which is really nice.
02:24You walk down the road, you're going to say hello to someone,
02:27or your mum's going to say hello to some auntie you didn't know existed.
02:32Understandably, some people want to keep it to themselves.
02:36I don't want to tell you how wonderful it is
02:38because we don't want everybody to move here.
02:44Somerset is a perennial favourite for an escape to the country,
02:47for good reason, and today's couple have decided
02:50to jump on this county's beautiful bandwagon.
02:55Steve and Louise have lived in the London Borough of Hillingdon for 18 years.
03:00It's one of the busiest areas in the country,
03:03with an average 8,700 vehicles on its roads every day.
03:08It's getting more and more built up.
03:11There seems to be building everywhere.
03:13It was great for commutes.
03:15We used to be able to just always get the train to London when we wanted to.
03:19But now, I don't want to go into London.
03:22The boys are growing up.
03:23I want to go the other way.
03:25They have grown-up sons, one of whom will make the move with them.
03:28Not quite sure how he feels about that.
03:32They'll also be joined by their dog, Willow,
03:35and eventually Steve's dad in the future.
03:38Moving south-west will put them closer to Louise's dad.
03:41My dad moved down to Devon some years now,
03:44so we're often going down there.
03:46I think that's where our love for Devon and Somerset comes from.
03:50Steve will be changing career,
03:52but Louise will continue to work in the south-east.
03:55I absolutely love my job, so I don't want to leave my job.
03:58So I'll be commuting, so splitting my life 50-50.
04:03Any spare time Steve has will be spent fishing, golfing,
04:07or in their new garden oasis, which they're buzzing about.
04:12So when we move, we'd really love to get into beekeeping.
04:16What we'd really like to do is actually have a hive,
04:19maybe somewhere I could have a nice pond.
04:22This is probably one of our biggest things to get away from, really,
04:26is we really want to bring nature into our garden.
04:32For their maximum budget of £650,000,
04:35Steve and Louise want a detached, characterful property
04:39with three bedrooms to accommodate visiting family,
04:42plus an annex for Steve's dad.
04:44Louise wants to be within a three-and-a-half-hour drive
04:47of her job in south Buckinghamshire,
04:49and they'd love a garden to attract wildlife, hopefully with a pond.
05:01Steve and Louise have decided that busy Uxbridge is no longer for them,
05:05but the Somerset borders definitely are.
05:09Now, I grew up not far from here,
05:12so I can certainly vouch for the area.
05:14Whilst Somerset is a great place to be any time of the year,
05:17now is the perfect time to really show it off.
05:21Our first house would involve about a two-hour and 40-minute commute for Louise.
05:26It sits to the middle of Somerset, in the village of Hewish Episcopi,
05:30on the outskirts of Langport town, which is where I'm meeting the couple.
05:35Hi guys, how are we?
05:36Really good, thank you.
05:37Are you excited?
05:38Very.
05:39Are you excited, Steve?
05:40Of course.
05:41We try and act cool.
05:42We try and act cool.
05:43No, we don't play it cool on Escape, OK? We want excitement.
05:45Are you feeling a bit nervous?
05:46A little bit.
05:47A little bit?
05:48In an excited way.
05:50Now, I actually grew up near Somerset, so I'm very familiar with this area.
05:53Yes.
05:54What has attracted you to this area?
05:56So, my dad lives in Torquay, in Devon.
05:59Lots of holidays in Somerset, Devon, when I was a kid,
06:03and with our boys as well, we used to take them away a lot.
06:05So you've got a lot of happy memories in the south-west?
06:07Yes, yeah, definitely.
06:08And what about you, Steve?
06:10I think the green open spaces, the people are so lovely as well, you know.
06:16Yeah, that's true.
06:17They're always warm and welcoming, and yeah, we've got lovely memories here,
06:22so we just want to make some more.
06:24Now, you're planning on commuting, aren't you?
06:26Yes.
06:27A couple of days a week, so you might be moving to the countryside.
06:30Yeah.
06:31But losing your wife for three days a week.
06:33Yeah.
06:34Perfect.
06:35Nice and quiet.
06:37Nice and quiet.
06:39We've got this vision, so whatever obstacles come up, we're going to find a way.
06:44That's the attitude we need because, you know, it's a big change.
06:46It is.
06:47Moving from a big city like London to somewhere like this after, you know, 18 years.
06:51Definitely.
06:52We've got lots to see, lots to do.
06:53Yeah.
06:54Are you ready?
06:55Yes.
06:56Yes, more than ready.
06:57Come on, right, let's go.
06:58Follow me.
07:02The town of Langport was important for its cloth trade during the medieval period.
07:07Today, it offers a range of independent stores, some small and some old.
07:14Throughout the summer, many of them are adorned by community flags.
07:18There's an annual festival that lasts over a week and this year's theme celebrated the river.
07:24Only a couple of minutes upstream is the house we're here to see.
07:32And here we are, our first property.
07:36Very pretty.
07:37It's got a bit of character.
07:38A lot of character.
07:39Yeah.
07:40I like the fact it goes in, out.
07:42Shake it all about.
07:43Yeah.
07:44The views are amazing.
07:46So, we're very remote here.
07:47I mean, this, you know, couldn't be further from London.
07:50How does it feel being in this kind of peace and quiet?
07:53It sounds lovely.
07:54Perfect.
07:55Yeah, I can't hear the drum of the A40 in the background, so.
07:59I'd be worried if you could.
08:01Really good hearing.
08:02This is the sort of thing we're looking for, yeah.
08:04I like the outhouse as well.
08:05I like a little man cave to escape to, so.
08:09I'm looking forward to looking inside.
08:11Well, it might be a gin palace, actually.
08:13Well, I like gin.
08:15Shall we go and have a look inside, see if you actually like it?
08:18Yeah, shall we?
08:19Right, go on then.
08:22This property dates back to the early 1900s and was originally two farm cottages
08:28that were both extended by the previous owners.
08:35Now, this they have as a snug at the moment, but, you know, could be used for anything.
08:38Come on through this way.
08:40To the very sizeable dining area with these gorgeous mullion windows.
08:46And I love the exposed stone on the walls as well.
08:49That's blue lias, which is a local stone.
08:51So, you can see it all around.
08:53Yeah.
08:54Lovely.
08:55It gives character, doesn't it?
08:56Yeah.
08:57It would feel at home.
08:58It feels natural.
08:59Quite quickly in a place like this, yeah.
09:00Yeah, the cottage is absolutely amazing.
09:01Yeah, has a lot of character.
09:02A lot of character.
09:03This is what we're after.
09:04Yeah.
09:05Do you want to have a look in the kitchen?
09:06Yeah.
09:07My favourite room, obviously.
09:08Come on through here.
09:09It feels quite small, but I like the fact that I could stand in the middle.
09:14You've got the sink, oven, work surface in between.
09:17So, it kind of would work in terms of preparing meals, things like that.
09:20Are either of you keen cooks?
09:22I do the cooking.
09:23I do the eating.
09:24OK.
09:25What are you going to do when she's not here?
09:27Take away.
09:29I don't know how many people deliver around here.
09:32He can cook.
09:33He just prefers me to cook.
09:34Right.
09:35When I'm not around, he won't have any choice.
09:37So, yeah, he'll have to cook.
09:38Right, shall we go and have a look at the living area?
09:39Yeah.
09:40Right, this way.
09:45Now, this is such a gorgeous space.
09:49It's nice, yeah.
09:51Nice?
09:52Nice, Louise.
09:53This is blooming lovely.
09:54Look at it.
09:55No, it is lovely.
09:56Really lovely.
09:57It's a great size.
09:58Yeah.
09:59I mean, they've got a huge piano in the corner, so...
10:01Yeah, I mean, if you take that piano out, you've got even more room.
10:04Again, the original fireplace, with the brushed lyre stone, local stone.
10:09So, I'm after character, we're after character.
10:12There's something about the stone lyre.
10:15OK, the combed lyre's over there.
10:17Yeah.
10:18It's just something that's not sitting right with me with it.
10:20Oh.
10:21I'm not sure.
10:22It's quite industrial.
10:23It's not very pretty.
10:25OK.
10:26What about if you painted it?
10:28I'd take it away from it, I'm not sure.
10:31Hang your TV over it.
10:32Exactly.
10:33Could do that.
10:36This house overflows with character, which is maybe a bit of a shock for Louise.
10:42From a practical perspective, the ground floor also offers a cloakroom,
10:46a decent-sized utility, and an attractive garden room to observe the wildlife.
10:52Upstairs, four bedrooms sit alongside the family bathroom.
10:57This is a good size.
10:58It's all right, isn't it?
10:59Loving the windows, again.
11:01Just have a look at that view out there.
11:03Yeah.
11:04Looks amazing.
11:05It's the sort of thing we're after.
11:06Erm...
11:07Oh, what's that, Steve?
11:08Go on, have a look.
11:09Another door there.
11:10It's a cupboard, isn't it?
11:11No, it's not a cupboard.
11:12Oh, it's an en-suite.
11:13Oh, OK.
11:14It's an en-suite.
11:15That's surprising, yeah.
11:16Didn't expect that.
11:17No.
11:18What are you saying?
11:19Could you see yourselves in here?
11:21Yes.
11:22Possibly.
11:23Still hesitant.
11:24Possibly.
11:25Is that...
11:26Is that combed...
11:27Has that combed liars really put you up?
11:31I'm just thinking about it at the moment.
11:33OK, all right.
11:34Still processing.
11:35Still processing.
11:36All right, still processing.
11:37I've got you.
11:38I've got you.
11:39Well, if one feature can make all the difference, I have a game-changer up my sleeve.
11:44Outside, there's already a vegetable patch, a summer house, stroke gin palace, and the
11:51option to acquire three acres of land.
11:54But most impressively, this house comes with its own stretch of river.
11:59Absolutely gorgeous.
12:01You'd own half of this.
12:02Really?
12:03The river itself.
12:04With, wait for it, Steve, fishing rights.
12:06Fantastic.
12:07Didn't think you could own a river.
12:09Well, there you go.
12:11There's a gate here, and do you see that big field behind?
12:14The current owners also own that field.
12:17No.
12:18Yes.
12:19And buying that is negotiable.
12:23Oh, OK.
12:24I mean, it's beautiful.
12:25The river.
12:26It's just so quiet and tranquil, yeah.
12:28The nature that would attract.
12:29The escapes of the country.
12:31See, we did that.
12:34You could fit a lot of bees in three acres, so what might it all cost?
12:41I'm thinking around £625,000.
12:44OK.
12:45Steve?
12:46I'm going to go for £640,000.
12:50OK.
12:51Well, you're both wrong.
12:52That doesn't surprise me.
12:54But in a good way, because it's actually on for £599,950.
12:59I was going to say that.
13:00Well, that exact amount.
13:02You certainly get a lot for your money.
13:04I think it's a really good price.
13:07This early 20th century property delivers four bedrooms
13:11and is absolutely chock-a-block with characterful features
13:15like mullion windows and exposed stone.
13:18The summer house could perhaps be replaced by an annex
13:21and they'll attract all kinds of wildlife
13:23with fruit trees, fields and even a river.
13:26There's a lot to mullion over.
13:28I'm here all week.
13:32There's a lot to like about it
13:34and one of the things I'm not quite sure about is the combed lice.
13:37It's something I could come around to.
13:39It offers that character
13:41and because it's part of the original cottage and feature,
13:44it's not something I would want it to hide.
13:47The kitchen was a little bit small
13:50but it did have a utility room
13:52so maybe we could work around that.
13:54Ideally we would like something with the annex
13:57but appreciate it has the opportunity
14:00that we could put an annex in as well.
14:14Moving from London to the countryside
14:16will be a big change for Steve and Louise.
14:18It's quite a nice place.
14:20But Somerset is full of market towns like Wellington
14:24which has everything they'll need for their new lives here.
14:27It's a town which has a huge amount to offer.
14:31You'd be hard-pushed not to find something you want to do
14:34sports-wise, arts-wise, community-wise.
14:39It's an old-fashioned town
14:41but with a very forward-thinking town council.
14:45The arts and culture scene in Wellington
14:47is surprisingly vibrant for such a small town.
14:49Within the arts centre itself
14:51we've got a number of different organisations.
14:53You've got the Pantomime Society,
14:55you've got the operatics group who do musicals,
14:57you've got the theatre group who do plays.
14:59There's a ukulele group,
15:01there's a singing group with reminiscence learning.
15:04There's so much to do
15:06and you could basically be out every night of the week
15:08which is pretty much what I end up being.
15:11The town gave its name to the Duke of Wellington
15:14and there's an obelisk to celebrate his victory at Waterloo.
15:17Visible from the M5,
15:19it's seen by many as the marker of the start of the South West.
15:26The High Street offers a wide range of independent shops
15:29and places to eat.
15:34For nature enthusiasts Steve and Louise
15:36the town's community farm should be of particular interest.
15:39So they're meeting its founder Adam Lockyer.
15:44What's the main purpose of the community farm?
15:47So we've got several objectives.
15:49Firstly, growing and supplying fresh local vegetables into the town.
15:53Secondly, to provide opportunities for people to come and volunteer
15:57and provide the physical and mental wellbeing benefits
16:01of being out in nature and growing.
16:04Also to provide for nature,
16:06so at least 25% of the area that we're growing vegetables in
16:10we target for nature alongside the rest of the land surrounding it.
16:14And how many volunteers do you have working for you?
16:17We've got a regular band of about a dozen people
16:20and we run three volunteer sessions a week
16:23so we usually have half a dozen or so people at any one time.
16:27I'm sure the couple will leap at the chance to get their hands dirty
16:31so they're helping grow a rose to plant some celery.
16:35So here you go, there's a handful for you and a hand trowel for you.
16:39So what we're going to do is we're going to plant each little celery plug.
16:43We're going to plant them about 23 centimetres apart
16:46and you do want to plant them just like that much deeper
16:49than the kind of roots start just to make sure that they're getting enough moisture.
16:53And then you use your little bamboo cane to measure where the next one goes.
16:57You'll have to come back and see them in a couple of months.
17:00We'll come and buy them.
17:03You're doing amazingly.
17:06Many hands.
17:07That's it.
17:09The farm currently grows vegetables on a one hectare patch
17:13which would be a lot of celery to plant by hand
17:16so before their love of nature is fully put to the test
17:20Can you see the difference?
17:23we're getting back to the matter of property.
17:27Having come close with our first house
17:31we're travelling just 10 miles southwest of it
17:34headed for the village of Hatchbeecham
17:36located between Taunton and the medieval market town of Ilminster
17:41where you'll find all the essential shops
17:44plus boutiques and an art centre
17:47along with a grade one listed church.
17:50And when it's time for a break
17:52you can choose from the 16th century pub
17:55or one of the cafes
17:56to build your energy back up
17:58before grabbing a few new plants for the garden
18:01and potentially heading 6 miles northwest to our next property.
18:11Here we are.
18:12What do you think?
18:13Amazing.
18:14It's got a real charm to it.
18:16Really stunning isn't it?
18:17It is an amazing looking building.
18:19It's just that real country cottage picture.
18:23It's big as well isn't it?
18:24Yeah, it looks really big.
18:26Yeah.
18:27This is also blue lias.
18:30No combed lias though.
18:32Are we pleased to hear?
18:33Sounds promising.
18:35So it's also built out of that local stone.
18:37Do you want to go in and have a look?
18:38Love to.
18:39Right, come on then, follow me.
18:42Built around 300 years ago
18:44this detached farmhouse has been owned by the same family
18:47for the last 60 years.
18:50Turning left brings us into the sitting room.
18:54Wow, look at the old beams.
18:56Character there isn't it?
18:58Beautiful fireplace as well.
19:00Yeah, that is amazing.
19:04I mean besides the beams.
19:07Yeah, you wanted character.
19:08Yeah.
19:09You've got the mullion windows here as well.
19:11Also there's a lot of furniture in here.
19:13There's a lot of cabinets, units
19:14and if you sort of take them all out
19:16it leaves you with a lot of space.
19:18We'd have to invest in some furniture.
19:21Okay, so you like this room?
19:23Yeah, I like this room.
19:24Right, we're going to head into the kitchen.
19:25That's definitely one of the rooms
19:26that might need a little bit of modernising.
19:28Okay.
19:30Alongside the living room
19:32there's a handsome study with a cloakroom
19:34and a larger study next door
19:36that Steve's dad could use as his own living area.
19:39On the other side of the house is the kitchen.
19:44Definitely needs some modernisation in here.
19:46But a good size.
19:48The configuration of it is okay actually I think.
19:51This could be like a breakfast bar maybe.
19:53Dining area there.
19:55And then you've got a formal dining room in here
19:57and again one of those humongous fireplaces.
20:00Yeah, it's lovely, yeah.
20:02But also through that door
20:04you've got a really good sized boot room,
20:06larder and utility.
20:08We love a boot room.
20:09Yeah.
20:10That's definitely on the list.
20:12Yeah, you usually have a wet dog
20:14so to towel her off in a boot room
20:16before she comes into the house would be great.
20:19We can see the potential.
20:20That's good.
20:21I'm glad you can see it
20:22because I really think there is a lot here.
20:23I think so too, yeah.
20:25You know, it's work
20:27but we don't mind a bit of work, do we?
20:30Dad, you say that?
20:31Well, I don't.
20:32As in you write the lists and you do them.
20:35It'd be a big to-do list.
20:37So some work to be done
20:39but bags of space
20:41and it's the same story upstairs
20:43with no fewer than five bedrooms to choose from.
20:46Let's see.
20:47Oh, it goes round.
20:48That's a good size.
20:49Yeah.
20:50I like the eaves.
20:53Character.
20:54Again, love that.
20:55And we've got three windows in here as well.
20:57Do a bit of filling,
20:58put a new fresh paint on it,
21:00new radiators.
21:01I'm quite excited.
21:02Happy, yeah.
21:03I mean, it is a lot of house in size.
21:07That's one of the things I thought
21:09outside looking in,
21:10is it too much house?
21:13There are still four bedrooms to see.
21:15Wow.
21:16Unusual, isn't it?
21:18Bean.
21:19Random bean there.
21:21Another good size.
21:22Country living.
21:24The actual shape of the wall there it goes.
21:26Yeah, interesting shape.
21:28Yeah, very interesting.
21:29Makes you wonder, what is the wallpaper covering?
21:31Thinking how we're going to fill a house this big.
21:35Is it potentially too big for us?
21:38And the next one is a two-for-one.
21:41Oh, my goodness.
21:43OK.
21:44I think if you had somebody with kids come to stay,
21:47they could have a room each
21:49and still be in the same room.
21:51Yeah.
21:52Steve seems to like all the space,
21:54but I'm getting the impression
21:56it's Louise who does the cleaning.
21:58Like the kitchen,
21:59the bathroom would benefit from a modern suite,
22:01but the garden is utterly timeless,
22:03and there's also a garage with workshop or log store.
22:07What do you make of this garden?
22:09Beautiful.
22:10It's fantastic.
22:11I mean, it is so cottage-like
22:13with the roses, the honeysuckle,
22:15a lot of cottage plants going on here,
22:18and the potential to plant more as well.
22:22It's got a nice balance of shrubbery.
22:24Bearing all that in mind, price?
22:27Well, I actually think the house is fantastic,
22:30so I am going to go top end at £650,000.
22:36OK. What about you, Louise?
22:38I was thinking exactly the same, £650,000.
22:41Well, it gives me great pleasure to tell you
22:43that you're both wrong again,
22:45and again in a great way.
22:46Oh, my gosh.
22:47Because it's actually on the market for £600,000.
22:49Really?
22:50Well, I'm blown away with that.
22:53Yeah.
22:55Dating back to the 1700s,
22:57this farmhouse has enormous rooms throughout,
23:00meaning one side could be used by Steve's dad
23:03as his own accommodation.
23:05Upstairs over-delivers with five bedrooms,
23:08and Louise loves the large established garden.
23:11When I walked round the corner and saw the house,
23:14it was a wow factor.
23:16It was a lot of house for our budget.
23:19I was very impressed.
23:21This is the sort of thing I had in mind from the start,
23:25a country cottage with the plants.
23:28Yes, it needs updating and modernising,
23:31but I think with a bit of hard work,
23:34that isn't beyond reach.
23:37It just seems a big place to take on
23:39in comparison to what we have now,
23:41so just trying to come to terms with that,
23:44for me, you know,
23:46it's quite hard to envisage
23:49kind of us in that house at the moment.
23:58Having travelled around the county
24:00and with two house viewings under our belts,
24:02we're going to take a breather
24:04in some of the beautiful countryside
24:06that Steve and Louise will soon be calling home.
24:11Right, how are we feeling?
24:13Yeah, good. Very good.
24:15I think the longer we're here, the more real it feels
24:18and the more comfortable we are about being here,
24:20and we're just looking forward to a new challenge, really,
24:23and moving to this beautiful part of the world.
24:26It's a bit lovely, isn't it?
24:28How are you feeling about your commute
24:30now that you've spent some time here?
24:32Are you a bit nervous about it
24:33or encouraged that that's the right decision?
24:35I've driven down here a couple of times,
24:37so just to get a feel for it.
24:40I think that's why I've set the three,
24:42three-and-a-half-hour window,
24:44because for me, that feels manageable.
24:46And how does it feel, the thought of going back to London
24:48now you've spent a little bit of time here?
24:50Yeah, we're not looking forward to that.
24:52We'd love to go home and see Willow and the boys.
24:55I think we'd like to go home and pack, wouldn't we?
24:58Pack and come straight back.
25:00Hopefully it'll be for a short term,
25:03and hopefully we'll be living in our new home
25:06in the not-too-distant future.
25:08And we've got even more tomorrow.
25:10We've got the mystery house, guys.
25:12You know we love to throw a spanner in the works with that one.
25:15So get a good night's rest.
25:17We'll see you in the morning.
25:19See you then.
25:28MUSIC
25:36Property prices in this area are roughly the same as the UK average,
25:40and the cost of a detached house in Somerset
25:43is within £1,000 of the national figure
25:46at an average of £439,000.
25:50Hop over the border into Devon,
25:52and they leap nearly £50,000.
25:55But if you avoid the coast
25:57and stick to the middle of the county,
25:59they're very similar at £441,000.
26:04For those who are more used to city life,
26:06it can be quite a cultural shift,
26:08so it's worth taking advice from locals.
26:13We have different issues here in the countryside
26:15than you might have in more urban places.
26:17You know, getting stuck behind tractors, for example.
26:20If you're not from the south-west,
26:22you might have a perception that it's idyllic, it's beautiful,
26:25you're on holiday, but the reality of living here
26:27can be really, really challenging for different groups of people,
26:30and we don't have access to the same sort of infrastructure you have in cities.
26:34For those who are ready to take the plunge,
26:37there are gorgeous properties available throughout the area,
26:40like this beautiful semi-detached cottage made of white lyrestone.
26:45It has a cosy living room, two bedrooms,
26:48and out in the manicured garden, a shepherd's hut,
26:51ideal for guests or a holiday let.
26:54Marketed at £399,950.
27:00Or, for just £250,000,
27:03this two-bedroom cottage offers the best of countryside living on a budget.
27:07Period features include exposed beams,
27:10plus a fireplace, and the landscaped garden backs onto allotments.
27:17And for those looking to rent,
27:19this two-bedroom property in a rural location on a hillside
27:23enjoys extended views across Devon for £700 a month.
27:32Steve and Louise asked us to find them a property with an annex,
27:36and the first two houses didn't quite deliver,
27:39but the mystery house, it's got an annex,
27:43but it's also got what I like to call a super shed,
27:47and it's a whopper.
27:50For our final offering, we're hopping over the border into Devon
27:53and heading to the village of Roo, near the banks of the River Ex.
27:57Just the other side of the water is Thorverton,
28:00which, during the Second World War,
28:02provided accommodation for American artillery troops involved in D-Day.
28:0680 years later, the village has lost none of its charm.
28:11For many years, it was one of the only places to cross the Ex,
28:15and so once had five coaching inns.
28:19Of which two remain to this day.
28:24While Steve and Louise discover potential dog-walking routes,
28:27I'm off to prepare the mystery house,
28:30which is our only property in Devon,
28:32and is also the newest home in our line-up.
28:37Look at this property, nestled into the hillside.
28:41It's a whole lot of house, but there's so much more. Come with me.
28:45This mystery package consists of a well-presented four-bedroom family home,
28:50plus an annex in the making,
28:52and that super shed, previously a farm shop.
28:56The property also once supplied locally grown strawberries to jam makers.
29:04Included with the house is this huge workshop, garage, farm shop, man cave, anything really.
29:12Now, the super shed needs imagination and more than a lick of paint,
29:17but it's actually bigger than the house.
29:20It needs a bit of work, but if Steve and Louise can see past the cobwebs and the leaves and the dust,
29:25this place has masses of potential.
29:34Hello! Welcome to your mystery house!
29:38And I'm really excited to show it to you because it has everything for you.
29:42It has everything for you, and then some.
29:45That's a strong statement.
29:47I know. I'm confident. Not just a stunning house.
29:50Turn around, look at those views.
29:52Amazing.
29:53I mean, you know, you want a quieter pace of life, you want the south-west, here it is.
29:58This is it.
29:59This is it.
30:00This is it.
30:01This is it.
30:02This is it.
30:03This is it.
30:04This is it.
30:05This is it.
30:06You want the south-west, here it is.
30:08Yeah, that view is stunning.
30:10Shall we go and have a look inside?
30:12Yes.
30:15The house was built in the 1950s and is a mahogany timber frame construction.
30:20We're passing through the hall into the dining room.
30:25Come on in.
30:26Oh, this is nice.
30:28Yeah, very different on the inside to what you see initially on the outside.
30:32I love the style of windows.
30:35But look at that view.
30:36Amazing views.
30:37Yeah, I mean, it goes on and on and on, doesn't it?
30:39On and on and on.
30:40You can see a long way.
30:41Yes, you can.
30:43Okay, so you like it?
30:45Yeah.
30:46Kitchen?
30:47Pretty, yeah.
30:52This is a decent-sized kitchen.
30:54It's pretty good, isn't it?
30:55Yeah, I can see a range over there.
30:57I like the sink as well.
30:59It's nice, isn't it?
31:00I love the fact the tiles come through as well,
31:03so it's nice and easy to keep clean with the dog.
31:06Yeah.
31:07And they've squeezed in a wine rack, which is always a bonus.
31:11There are kind of people like this, Steve, hey?
31:13Yeah, I really like it.
31:15I'll let you in on a little secret, Steve, because I know you love them.
31:18It's got a boot room.
31:19I love the boot room.
31:21It's got a boot room.
31:22I'm happy.
31:23I do spoil you.
31:24Yeah, see, look at that.
31:25Look at his face.
31:26He's so happy.
31:28Downstairs is winning them over
31:30and also has a utility room off the kitchen
31:33as well as a sitting room with striking parquet flooring.
31:36Upstairs, they'll find three bedrooms
31:38with the largest benefiting from fitted wardrobes
31:41and an ensuite shower.
31:43It's in good decorative order as well, isn't it?
31:45Yeah, I think we'll have to lose the lime green.
31:48Yeah, the colour scheme's not to our tastes.
31:50I like the dark wood.
31:52So, yeah, dressing table there, bed there.
31:55Looking out the window at the trees.
31:57Yeah.
31:58Perfect.
32:00The ensuite backs onto the smallest bedroom
32:02and at the far end sits the family bathroom
32:05plus the remaining bedroom.
32:09Oh, no, another nice size room.
32:11Definite room for Charlie.
32:13Definite Charlie room.
32:15Yeah.
32:16Charlie's their youngest son, by the way.
32:18For Steve's dad, there's already an annex,
32:20although it needs some welcoming touches
32:22and perhaps a new loo seat.
32:26Interesting.
32:27Yeah.
32:30Look at that lovely view.
32:31Amazing.
32:32Goes on forever, doesn't it?
32:33Come on, then.
32:37Oh, wow.
32:38That's a fair size.
32:39I wasn't expecting this.
32:40No.
32:41That'd be perfect for a bedroom, wouldn't it, for an annex?
32:44Yeah, or a living space.
32:46The wood looks nice, actually.
32:47Do something with the stairs, but...
32:49Yeah.
32:50And he's got his little...
32:51He could have a cup of tea out there.
32:54I am pretty confident about who this final surprise
32:57is going to appeal to most.
33:00Hello.
33:01Hello.
33:02You OK?
33:03Yeah, good.
33:04Have a nice look around?
33:05Yeah, it's looking good.
33:06Oh, you look a lot happier.
33:07It was the boot room, wasn't it?
33:09That's what it was.
33:10Well, I've also got this to show you.
33:12OK.
33:13Which comes with the house.
33:15Oh, right.
33:16I feel like you might want a bit of a project, Steve.
33:19It looks like one.
33:21What do you reckon, Louise?
33:22Yeah, I'd like to look inside...
33:24Yeah?
33:25..and find out a bit more.
33:26Shall we go and have a look?
33:27Yes.
33:28OK, come on, then.
33:30Now, there's a knack to opening this door,
33:32and if you get it wrong, the bus escapes.
33:36Whoops!
33:40Like I said, needs work here.
33:43Definitely needs work, doesn't it?
33:46Not much, though.
33:47Look at his face!
33:48I'm excited by it.
33:49It goes on.
33:51So you've got this massive room,
33:53you've got another room there, another room there,
33:55then it goes round and you've got this space again on that side.
33:58With the right permissions, this could be turned into a dwelling.
34:01There's loads of space behind.
34:02You could build a whole house here.
34:04It's not like you've got to shove your dad down here.
34:06No, just shove you down there.
34:08I might stay here for weeks!
34:10I'd be happy to be down here.
34:13The grounds of this property are also massive,
34:16and as well as two acres of garden,
34:18there are two additional paddocks.
34:22So this is quite a lot to consider, isn't it,
34:24when we're thinking about the price?
34:26Yes.
34:27Have you got any idea?
34:28I'm going to stick with my £650,000.
34:30OK.
34:31Yes.
34:32Stevo?
34:33£640,000.
34:35OK.
34:36Cross my fingers.
34:38And your toes.
34:39And my toes.
34:41So, it offers over £650,000.
34:45OK.
34:46Yeah, I'm really warm to it.
34:48It's grown on you, hasn't it?
34:49It has, yeah.
34:50I love the man cave.
34:51You do?
34:52I know your face.
34:53And the boot room.
34:54And the boot room, of course.
34:57For offers over £650,000,
35:00this 1950s home and farm shop
35:02has stunning views across the countryside
35:05that can be enjoyed from around the house.
35:07There are three bedrooms in the main home,
35:10plus annex potential for Steve's dad
35:12and a super shed to keep Steve busy.
35:15Originally, I thought character would be more important,
35:18but after looking around the house,
35:20I thought of ways of getting round that
35:22and adding character to the building.
35:24Some of the church-shaped windows
35:28that carry throughout the property,
35:30the lovely stone floors and parquet flooring,
35:33the range in the kitchens,
35:35there's a lot that appealed to me.
35:37I could see us living here quite easily, yeah.
35:40I think with a few minor changes
35:42and looking through at the finances
35:45so we could sort out the annex,
35:47then, yeah, I think it's a real possibility
35:51that this is a good house for us.
35:59Louise and Steve certainly aren't alone
36:01in wanting to escape the city for a new life,
36:03and they could take inspiration from Vicky and Ed,
36:06who made the same move ten years ago.
36:09The couple swapped their flat in London
36:11for a crumbling concrete cow shed in Somerset,
36:14and they've turned it into their perfect home,
36:17a project so ambitious it was featured on Grand Designs.
36:22On our first day of building,
36:24we had to start to clear away a couple of feet of old cow muck.
36:28There was a very basic shell that we tried to...
36:31Chucked in some walls and made it a house. Yes.
36:34And now there's no stopping them.
36:37We've built an annex for my father.
36:39We've built new workspace for Ed, an entertaining space.
36:43A holiday cabin.
36:44Ed will build anything he can at any time.
36:47Yes.
36:49Vicky has set up a Pilates business in her home studio,
36:52and when Ed's not building,
36:54he caters events they host, like weddings.
36:57And as if all that wasn't enough,
36:59they've found time to get married and raise a family.
37:03More eggs! Nice!
37:06In comparison to what we would have been able to provide
37:09for our family in London,
37:11this is just completely and utterly different.
37:14Every single day, I am so excited to be here,
37:17and I still can't believe it.
37:19Without exaggeration, every single day.
37:21I mean, a lot of days I don't get much work done
37:24because I spend a lot of my time just staring at what we've done.
37:27Ed does get quite distracted.
37:29Talk about building a new life in the country.
37:33Literally.
37:34I can't wait to meet this couple
37:36and find out how their adventure's going.
37:39Hello!
37:40Hello!
37:41Good, thank you. How are you?
37:42Good, I'm good. Thanks for having me.
37:44You're very welcome.
37:45Most welcome.
37:46What was it like moving to the countryside
37:48and actually building your own home?
37:50Really good fun.
37:52You got the same answer?
37:53No, it was quite a lot, but when I think back to that time,
37:56we were so focused on what we were doing
37:58that it just consumed everything.
38:00Didn't really feel stressful back then.
38:02That's nice.
38:03It was, yeah.
38:04Back then.
38:07As well as running the businesses,
38:09raising children and growing veg,
38:11the family also have a shedload of livestock,
38:14so I'm helping them with the fluffiest part of their chores.
38:19Oh, look!
38:21Oh, here they come, here they come!
38:23Yeah.
38:24Come on, team.
38:25I had a nana who lived out in the countryside
38:28and she kept chickens, so we always called her nanny chickens.
38:31So whenever I'm around chickens,
38:33it always brings back this lovely nostalgia.
38:35I can imagine.
38:36For nanny chickens!
38:37I love having the chickens.
38:38They're the ones that I take the most interest in,
38:40to be honest with you.
38:41Yeah?
38:42And just love still going to the chicken run
38:45to see how many eggs we've got each day.
38:47It's never not exciting to see what they've laid.
38:50So did you have any experience with livestock
38:53before moving here?
38:54No, none at all.
38:55I mean, I grew up in suburbia.
38:58And we had a cat when I was growing up.
39:00OK.
39:01Bit different then, isn't it?
39:02Bit different.
39:03So how's it been, like, adapting to country livestock?
39:05Yeah, it was a huge change,
39:07but it's been such a good move for us.
39:09You know, our kids growing up here,
39:11especially now that we have children,
39:13it's just such a magical place for them to grow up.
39:15It did take a while to get settled
39:17and really find, sort of, our group of friends,
39:20but now we've got them, it's...
39:22Yeah, this is home, definitely.
39:24Maybe I'll be nanny chickens one day.
39:26Maybe, yeah, you will be, yeah.
39:28It's better than being, like, nanny cow, isn't it?
39:31Nanny pig.
39:33Ed grew up in Somerset, so not such a change,
39:36but having 12 acres of land to establish the livestock
39:40and a substantial kitchen garden
39:42has allowed him to develop his skills as a chef.
39:45Oh, what are we doing here?
39:47I'm picking some parsley.
39:49Oh, yeah, you are.
39:50Lots and lots of flat-leaf parsley.
39:52Oh, what are you going to do with this?
39:54It's a chilli type of salad.
39:56What's that for, just dinner? That's a lot for dinner.
39:59For tomorrow's wedding.
40:00Oh, how lovely. So do you cater it as well?
40:02Yeah, that's my main work.
40:04Cooking is what I've done forever,
40:06but building is relatively new.
40:08So what was it, then, when you and Vicky met
40:10and you were like, shall we move to Somerset
40:12and, like, build a new life together?
40:14That's quite a big deal, isn't it?
40:16Yeah, we'd only known each other six months.
40:18I suggested looking at some land in Somerset,
40:21or in the countryside, to do something on.
40:24And she turned around one day and said,
40:26why don't we just sell up and move down?
40:28Let's go, let's move to the countryside.
40:30Amazing. And do you enjoy it? Do you feel like you're always learning?
40:33Yeah, always learning, and I love it.
40:35It's not a love, it's amazing.
40:37I mean, I swear, it's all right, Ed, I suppose, yes.
40:40No, it is amazing, it's absolutely amazing.
40:43Vicky and Ed are clearly living the dream,
40:46so I just hope Steve and Louise
40:48are a step closer to their own rural escape.
40:51MUSIC
40:54OK, here we are. Yes.
40:56How are we feeling?
40:58Confused. Happy.
41:00Happy, yeah. Lots to consider.
41:02Lots we've learnt.
41:04How are you feeling about all the houses, really, in general?
41:08The first house now, I think, has a better balance
41:11in terms of space there, the river.
41:14And actually, I've come round to the Blue Lionstone,
41:17I can figure out how... Have you?
41:20Oh, Louise!
41:22I can visualise how I could make that work.
41:24Is it cos Steve really wants the river?
41:26I didn't quite know if it would be big enough.
41:30We've still got to build the annex.
41:32I mean, it has a lot of potential,
41:34but also that means a lot of building work going on and remodelling.
41:39So do you think you'll go back for some second viewings? Yeah.
41:42I think we'll definitely go back to house number one,
41:45and probably, while we're down here, we'll do house number three as well.
41:49This has really helped, though.
41:51You know, we found two lovely properties.
41:53It's been a brilliant week, and we couldn't have asked for better, could we?
41:57I know that you guys will end up with the perfect house in the perfect location.
42:01I just wish you both all the happiness in the world.
42:03Thank you very much. Thank you. Pleasure.
42:10I grew up in this region, so it's been such a treat
42:13to give Steve and Louise a tour of this glorious area.
42:17They came with a very specific wish list,
42:20but they've got so much more than they bargained for.
42:23They've been overwhelmed by riverside views,
42:25a five-bedroom character cottage,
42:28and a house with a shed full of possibilities.
42:32I've given up trying to predict what they're going to do next,
42:34but what I do know is that this week has fully cemented
42:37their and my love for the Somerset Borders.
42:41Join me next time on Escape to the Country.
42:44Louise and Steve did return to our first house
42:47and could see how it would meet their needs.
42:50So they made an offer, which I'm thrilled to say was accepted,
42:54and they're hoping to be moved in by the end of the summer.
42:57We wish them every happiness for their new lives in Somerset.
43:02If you would also like to escape to the country in England,
43:05Northern Ireland, Scotland or Wales, and need our help,
43:08why not apply online at bbc.co.uk forward slash take part.