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Escape to the Country Season 26 Episode 1
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FunTranscript
00:00Making a country escape may start with a dream, but it can be serious business.
00:14It's time to ask those tough questions. What's really important to you?
00:19Sometimes a new location seems strangely familiar.
00:23This feels like coming home.
00:26So be careful what you wish for, because we might just find it.
00:34Could be it.
00:35I know. We'll have to go cry in the woods now.
00:56Today, an escape that offers green countryside and sandy bays all to yourself, yet has a friendly face right around the corner.
01:16And if hills are alive with the sound of music, these ones are singing to the soul.
01:22We're off to Argylland Butte.
01:25Every now and then you find yourself somewhere so beautiful that if you were a painter, you'd paint it.
01:32If you were a writer, you'd write about it. If you're Sir Paul McCartney, you'd compose a number one hit and sing it to the world.
01:41That's what he did about this place, Kintyre, in Argylland Butte.
01:45Are there actually bagpipes on the beach or is that just in my head?
01:51Comprised of two historic counties on the west coast of Scotland is the Unitary Council area of Argylland Butte, which includes the remote Kintyre Peninsula.
02:03Stretching for 30 miles, it enjoys secluded bays, breathtaking scenery and neighbours who look out for one another.
02:11Yeah, everyone's so supportive, everyone helps each other. It's a good, strong, old-fashioned community.
02:17It's more or less an island life, really, because, you know, it's 130 miles to Glasgow and so once you're down here, it's just like living on an island, really, isn't it?
02:27Yeah.
02:28A 100-mile long-distance path takes in the very best the peninsula has to offer, from castles to coastlines.
02:36It stretches from Tarborough right down to Campbelltown and down to the Mullican Tire at South End and all the way back round.
02:43But many a local will tell you, to truly appreciate the beauty of this place, you need to stop a while and soak in the stillness.
02:52The ability to be somewhere quiet, just to listen to the water.
02:57For one half of today's couple, Argyllum Butte feels like a home away from home, but then again, it would.
03:12He's been here more than 50 times. The other half has visited just once, but once is all it took for her to want to call it home too.
03:22So you don't really like living in towns, do you?
03:25No, yeah, I prefer the countryside and wherever I've lived, it's been pockets of countryside and lots of towns and I want to reverse that and have pockets of towns and lots of countryside.
03:39My home, as you can see, got neighbours very close by on both sides.
03:45After meeting online a year ago, Sarah and Gordon hatched a grand plan to move from their separate homes in the Cheshire towns of Northwich and Widness to start a new life together on the Kintyre Peninsula.
04:00He introduced me to the area in January, stopped off at Gretna Green, did a hand fasting ceremony, which was really romantic.
04:07And then you brought me to your favourite place in the world?
04:10Oh, it's like a second home to me and it does feel like home.
04:17Gordon makes furniture from reclaimed materials and is after a proper workshop with no near neighbours to disturb.
04:25This room is currently the conservatory but I'm using it as a workshop to set up a furniture design business and I'm sure you're not supposed to use selfies as a workbench.
04:40Sarah dreams of a self-sufficient garden and throwing herself into art.
04:45So I'm a quirky part-time artist and hopefully I'll become a quirky full-time artist and be inspired.
04:52It's going to be an explosion of creation.
04:56Gordon and Sarah have a budget of up to £250,000 to buy a character property.
05:04They'd like one to two bedrooms, somewhere for Sarah's art studio, a workshop or space to build one and a garden to grow veg.
05:12They prefer more rural locations and are happy to take on a project.
05:23I love how ambitious this move is.
05:26They want to live off the land and they want to start two new careers and creative ones.
05:31They're sort of doing that thing of living or starting to live the dream they've always had but people aren't brave enough to do it and they're doing it.
05:45Before we get stuck into property details, I'm meeting up with them on one of the best beaches on Kintyre, Carradale Bay.
05:55Do I really need to ask either of them why they want to move here?
06:00Gordon, this is a bit of a tell me I want to live in Scotland without tell me I want to live in Scotland situation.
06:05Look at this place. It's awful isn't it?
06:09Can you pinpoint what it is about this area in particular that just thought this is it, this is where we want to be?
06:16For me, no I can't. I just can't.
06:19But also I feel like this move is really brave in terms of the change of lifestyle also you're both looking for.
06:26Absolutely.
06:27This is not just about moving your current life here, is it?
06:30No.
06:31This is a brand new start for us, isn't it?
06:33It is, yeah. Yeah, absolutely.
06:35It's the first time you're buying together.
06:37Yeah, it is.
06:38Yeah.
06:39And we do have slightly different tastes.
06:42Slightly.
06:43You said that really hesitantly but really pointedly as well.
06:46No, we don't.
06:47We joke about it.
06:48We do joke about it.
06:49You're more traditional character, aren't you?
06:51I like to be surrounded by things that make me smile whereas Gordon likes.
06:56I like contemporary clean life but the compromise, I think we are so opposite but we do compromise and we fit each other very well.
07:05And I think it's going to be the same with the house as well.
07:07Well this is why we're here isn't it?
07:08Yeah.
07:09To find our compromise.
07:10And that's why you brought me in to stand right in the middle to sort you two out.
07:13That's why you're the referee.
07:14Right, certainly sounds like you're both raring to go.
07:16Oh absolutely.
07:17Let's get on with the house hunting.
07:18Yeah, fantastic.
07:19For our first house we're staying on the coast and heading to the tiny hamlet of Runa Heron.
07:30A mile and a half south at the village of Tain Loan you can catch a 20 minute ferry ride to the community owned island of Ghir.
07:39Near the ferry terminal there's also a tea room serving food and homemade cakes.
07:44A bus runs south to the shops and services of Campbelltown 20 miles away and just a short way along the same coastal road in the other direction is the house we've come to see.
07:57Ooh.
07:58Ooh.
07:59I like that.
08:00I got a ooh.
08:03That is a pretty house.
08:05It is.
08:06Isn't it?
08:07Yeah.
08:08Absolutely.
08:09That is lovely.
08:10With some very pretty views.
08:11Absolutely beautiful.
08:12It's very chocolate boxy isn't it?
08:13Absolutely.
08:14And you can really zhuzh it up as well.
08:15Yes.
08:16Yeah.
08:17Which you know, we can rely on an artist to do that.
08:18Yeah.
08:19Absolutely.
08:20But let's see what you can do inside.
08:21Definitely.
08:22Okay.
08:23Let's go.
08:24Located on a designated area of panoramic quality and originally a school, in recent years this provided accommodation for the principal teacher after a new school building was erected next door.
08:38A central front entrance leads to a hall with a reception room to each side.
08:43But we'd start in this living room.
08:46Look at the size of this.
08:47Wow.
08:48Oh, I can imagine the evening lighting here.
08:50Yeah.
08:51Oh, I can see a reading seat there.
08:55Maybe a little art as well.
08:56Yeah, lovely.
08:57A lovely, exactly, window seat.
08:59Yeah.
09:00All right, the little corners in, but it's not too much character for me.
09:03Because they're quite clean lines, but there are bits of character.
09:07It's not plain white.
09:08Yes.
09:09You've got detail.
09:10Yeah, yeah.
09:11But not too much detail.
09:12No, nice big doors as well.
09:14It just feels, yeah, very welcoming.
09:17And on the other side, another reception room, which is currently a dining room.
09:21Oh, okay.
09:22But they're both adaptable rooms.
09:23Yes.
09:24And that's good when we've got the kids coming up to stay, so they can have their own room to hang out in.
09:29Great.
09:30Fantastic.
09:31You will have to share a kitchen though.
09:32It's not a two kitchen place.
09:34Lead the way.
09:35Okay.
09:39The hall leads to the back of the house, where there is a utility and boot room, as well
09:43as the kitchen, with sliding doors out to the garden.
09:49Such a bright kitchen at this end of the house.
09:51Really bright.
09:52It is.
09:53I do love those lights.
09:54Absolutely.
09:55And you've got these skylights.
09:56Yeah?
09:57That's fantastic.
09:58Absolutely fantastic.
09:59It is.
10:00It's a good space as well.
10:01Good size.
10:02And then there's lots of worktop space.
10:03I know it's a bit of a cliche when people say we can put our stamp on it, but it's true.
10:07It's a good base.
10:09Yeah.
10:10Great.
10:11Great.
10:12It's a good place, which we'll fight about.
10:14Yeah.
10:15That's fantastic.
10:16I like the fact that I can watch you and see what you're up to in the...
10:20Keep an eye on me.
10:21...in the workshop.
10:23We'll get to the outside space in good time.
10:27Completing the ground floor is a cloakroom, and next to this, stairs leading to the sleeping
10:32quarters, reached across a large landing.
10:36And then this is like a room in itself, before you get to the rooms.
10:42We start in the largest of three bedrooms, located at the front of the house, with an aspect
10:48towards the coast.
10:50I think you'd make this your main one.
10:52Absolutely.
10:53Yeah.
10:54I mean, look at that.
10:55Amazing.
10:56It's fantastic.
10:57It really is.
10:58The dimensions are great, and you can see artwork on these walls.
11:02It's got a nice feeling, hasn't it?
11:04So go and have a look at the other bedrooms, explore the rest of the house, and then I'll
11:08meet you outside.
11:09Fantastic.
11:10Next to the main bedroom is the family bathroom.
11:15And on the other side, still at the front of the house, is another good-sized double room.
11:22Again, you can see straight across, can't you?
11:28The final bedroom, number three, is at the back and has space for a double bed or creative
11:34endeavours.
11:35So far, so good on the internal layout.
11:39And outside, there's a quarter of an acre of garden.
11:42This includes the detached outbuilding Sarah spied from the kitchen, which is set up as
11:47a workshop with additional storage, ideal for Gordon's furniture business plans.
11:53You have a lot of space out here, don't you?
11:57I can see where the garden vegetables are going to go.
12:00Absolutely, yeah.
12:01Yeah.
12:02It's lovely.
12:03Shall we talk about the price of the property?
12:05How much do you think it's on the market for?
12:08I think it is offers over $240.
12:14OK.
12:15And I'm going to say offers over $215.
12:19Over $215?
12:20Yeah.
12:21For offers over £245,000.
12:25Ah, OK.
12:26So it is...
12:27So you were closer.
12:28Top of budget.
12:29Yeah.
12:30It's a lot of house, isn't it?
12:31It is.
12:32So that doesn't surprise me, actually.
12:33It is.
12:34It is.
12:35This detached, sizeable former schoolhouse provides two reception rooms, three bedrooms
12:40and a separate workshop in the garden.
12:43Located in an area of panoramic quality, there are wonderful views of countryside and coast.
12:51There is lots of space in this house.
12:53I can definitely scope out one room straight away for an artist's studio.
12:58The light's amazing for me.
13:00And the environment is really inspirational as well.
13:04The views really just blew us away.
13:06And I'm really looking forward to seeing what the sunsets look like on this west side.
13:11It's an amazing house.
13:12Yeah.
13:13And there's space out here as well.
13:14And the workshop for me.
13:15It's incredible.
13:16Absolutely beautiful.
13:17House number one is definitely a contender.
13:32Gordon and Sarah are looking to live a rural and largely self-sufficient life after their move to Kintyre.
13:39But to make a go of their plans for furniture making and artwork businesses, they need access to community and facilities.
13:47With fewer than 5,000 residents, Campbelltown may seem on the wee side.
13:53But boosted by sales of herring to Europe in the 19th century, it grew to become what is now the fourth most populous settlement in Argyll and Butte.
14:03And the largest town on the Kintyre Peninsula.
14:06I moved here from Tarbert, just about a wee hour up the road.
14:09So, to me, this is the big city.
14:11Because Tarbert only is a very small place.
14:14The cinema is brilliant.
14:16Oldest purpose-built picture house in Skokings.
14:19Oh, it's beautiful.
14:20The tickets are cheap and they've got a pay-it-forward scheme.
14:22It's really nice.
14:23You can buy a ticket for someone who doesn't have enough money.
14:26For those who are looking to follow in Sir Paul's musical Kintyre footsteps, the town holds several annual music events,
14:35including a songwriters' festival.
14:37Although the locals are already singing Campbelltown's praises.
14:41It's just a nice place to live.
14:43It's very relaxed.
14:45It's got lots to do.
14:46It's really never a dull moment.
14:48That's the best way I would describe it.
14:50Whiskey Week at the end of May is when the three local distilleries celebrate the historic and continued importance of the drink in the area.
14:59Back in the 1800s, Campbelltown was known as the whiskey capital of Scotland.
15:04At one time, there were up to 37 operational distilleries.
15:07And the reasons for that, good supply of water, great supply of barley.
15:11And a couple of hundred years ago, the majority of distilleries were in remote rural areas because they were far away from the excise man, the tax man.
15:19So you could hide a little bit of what you were doing for yourself.
15:22Someone who's drawn to the town is landscape painter Joseph Loganbill.
15:28Here he is.
15:29Hi, Joseph.
15:30Hiya.
15:31Is he?
15:32Hi, I'm Sarah.
15:33Nice to meet you.
15:34Hi, I'm Gordon.
15:35Hi, Gordon.
15:36Beautiful artwork.
15:37Hey, thanks.
15:38Yep.
15:39I love being out here painting and friendly people come along and say hello, which is great.
15:43I've noticed your accent isn't from here.
15:45Whereabouts are you from?
15:46So we emigrated from Kansas nearly six years ago, a wife and three girls.
15:51Okay.
15:52And my wife's dad is an organist at Glasgow University.
15:55Oh, wow.
15:56So we're kind of wanting to be in the Argyll and Butte proximity and found the house we wanted and it's not crowded.
16:03And yeah, so it's been a really good move for us.
16:06So I'm a part time quirky artist.
16:08So in terms of visiting the galleries and getting inspiration and meeting other artists like yourself, other particular galleries that you could recommend to us?
16:17So I show here locally in Campbelltown at Coastal Design.
16:20Okay.
16:21And up at Tarbert at Old Library Gallery, even up at where I live at Moosdale, there's a group of painters that get together every Monday and a little local church hall and they enjoy having a, you know, coffee and they just enjoy working together and they do some nice work too.
16:40Campbelltown has scope for Sarah and Gordon to get creative with their new life plans.
16:46Oh, little houses over there.
16:48I don't want to live in one of those rooms.
16:50Yeah.
16:52Now back to finding the house that inspires them to set up a Scottish home together.
17:04Our next offering is in the coastal village of Carradale.
17:08The population of a little under 600 as well as a regular influx of tourists is served by a village hall, a golf course, a community shop with post office and a bar and restaurant.
17:22From there, it's about a mile and a half to Portree Bay, where on a no through road is the property we have lined up for Sarah and Gordon.
17:32Ooh.
17:33Do you do that with every house?
17:34Oh, no.
17:35Especially this one.
17:36Only the good ones.
17:37Wow.
17:38It's calm.
17:39It's a stillness.
17:40It's lovely.
17:41It is.
17:42It's gorgeous.
17:43Absolutely gorgeous.
17:44I actually feel...
17:45I feel so calm.
17:46I feel great.
17:47Mm-hmm.
17:48I do, yeah.
17:49So you're feeling calm and at peace out here.
17:51This...
17:52This feels like coming home.
17:53This is lovely.
17:55Excited.
17:56You haven't even seen most of this.
17:57I know.
17:58That's the thing.
17:59We just have the driveway.
18:04Sarah may already be sold on the driveway of this bungalow, built in the mid-1960s and set in its own coastal plot of around a third of an acre.
18:15Wait until she sees inside as we step up into the home via a glass-paned extension.
18:22Into a sunroom.
18:25Then on to the main reception room with views to the coast.
18:30Ooh.
18:31And then you come into this.
18:32Oh, look at that.
18:33Oh, look at that.
18:35That is great.
18:38Yeah, um...
18:40I went away.
18:41Yeah, it's...
18:42The view is incredible.
18:43You wouldn't get tired of that, would you?
18:45It's wonderful.
18:46It really is.
18:47Yeah.
18:48And I like the fact you've got the window at the side there as well.
18:51So you've got that dual aspect.
18:52Dual aspect.
18:53That's great.
18:54That's exciting.
18:55And it feels...
18:56You're a bit giddy.
18:57I'm not at home.
18:58Yeah, again, it's that feeling sort of like, yeah, it's...
19:00Yeah.
19:01It's a different feeling to the first one.
19:02I feel like he's willing to move in.
19:04You are.
19:05Yeah, yeah.
19:06Shall we go and have a look at the kitchen before we get onto the views?
19:08Yes.
19:09OK.
19:10Yeah.
19:11Accessed directly from the reception room is a kitchen and breakfast room that faces inland.
19:17There's plenty of worktop space.
19:18Yeah.
19:19Potential again.
19:20Absolute potential.
19:21Feels like an artist's home to me.
19:22I don't know why, but it does.
19:23And you're sort of hugged by all those trees in here.
19:26I know.
19:27It feels nice.
19:28It does.
19:29Actually, the house gives you a hug as well.
19:30It's not just outside.
19:31Yeah.
19:32It's wonderful.
19:33There are two bedrooms with this property.
19:34OK.
19:35Go and explore, and then we'll take in more of the view outside.
19:38Lovely.
19:39Great.
19:42There I was, thinking they looked right at home in the first property, and now we're
19:48here.
19:49Look at them.
19:50They are beaming, they are relaxed, and they feel very much at home.
19:56The first of this bungalow's two bedrooms has a corner aspect, again, hugged by the trees.
20:02Next to this is the family bathroom with a bath and electric shower.
20:07Then, back on the side of the home facing the sea, is a large double room that could
20:12be Gordon and Sarah's.
20:14Oh, my goodness.
20:16Look.
20:17The view again.
20:18Look.
20:19We've got a dual view.
20:21Oh, my word.
20:22It feels as if it's on your lap.
20:24It's right there.
20:25And then we've got the room.
20:27Yep.
20:28The loft level above has also been fully boarded.
20:33And with a gable end window providing good light, Sarah could adopt this as a studio.
20:39This property feels like one of those artists in residence places.
20:44So I can see why Gordon and Sarah are so excited.
20:48As soon as they walked in, they could feel that too.
20:52Exciting times.
20:53I know.
20:54Do we have to leave?
20:56There is still the question of the asking price to address outside in the garden, where
21:01the wraparound plot featuring many mature trees includes options for spots to erect a workshop.
21:09And there's attached storage.
21:11This is really naughty of you.
21:13Yeah, by giving you everything you want.
21:15Yeah.
21:16Oh, gosh.
21:17Please tell me off more.
21:19It's wonderful.
21:22No, it is.
21:23What do you think this property is on the market for?
21:25I think it's for offers over £240,000.
21:30I think it's overall budget, babe.
21:32Mm-hm.
21:33So I think this is going to be offers over £260,000.
21:40£260,000.
21:41It's actually on the market for offers over £215,000.
21:48£215,000.
21:49Oh, wow.
21:50That is amazing.
21:51Yeah.
21:52All that for that.
21:53Incredible.
21:54I've not often seen people look and feel the way you have done in that house.
21:58Yeah.
22:01Could be it.
22:04I know.
22:05I think we'll have to go cry in the woods now.
22:09Wow.
22:10This detached 1960s bungalow has the coastal location thereafter, with a sunroom and main reception
22:18set up to bring in those views.
22:20There are two bedrooms and a plot of around a third of an acre.
22:24It's on the edge of a village with a beach on the doorstep.
22:28It's got a studio written all over it, hasn't it?
22:30Yes.
22:31Wonderful.
22:32The lights.
22:33Yeah.
22:34It's just everything that I was really looking for.
22:38It's got the views, it's got the quirky feel, the garden surrounding it.
22:43It's just amazing.
22:45The house doesn't have an outbuilding, but there are so many options to build.
22:49That would be a nice first project for us.
22:51It will be, yes.
22:52Yeah.
22:53It's not good.
22:54Yeah.
22:55Yeah.
22:56Yeah.
22:57Yeah.
22:58Yeah.
23:00Yeah.
23:01Yeah.
23:02Yeah.
23:03Yeah.
23:04Yeah.
23:05Yeah.
23:06Yeah.
23:07Yeah.
23:08I think it's just great.
23:09heart of Campbelltown at Scotland's oldest independent distillery. Director of Sales
23:15and Marketing David Allen is set to give us a taste tour. David, what I've done is I've
23:22brought you customers, regulars, because they are looking for a house not too far from here.
23:28And I thought, look, we've seen a couple of houses. Should we go celebrate the day? Fantastic.
23:33Yeah, why not? So you have three whiskeys that you make here. That's right. We have
23:38our triple distilled non-peated whisky. So it's the lightest style of whisky that we produce
23:43at the distillery. We refer to it as a breakfast whisky. It's one you start off with. With
23:49complex. Why not? Why not? Yeah. And then we have what we're known around the world for.
23:54It's 80% of production, lightly peated, quite a complex, more robust whisky. And then on
24:00to more peated, more smoky whisky. Which is your favourite? Oh, that's like ask me to pick
24:06my favourite child. Yeah, we all have a favourite child on any given day, we know that. I have
24:13a soft spot for long row, so I'm going to pick long row for my dram today. It's lovely,
24:18that's very smooth. It doesn't burn at all. So have you got any sort of, other than Sonali,
24:24obviously famous people that come, that come here just for their whisky? Um, no Sonali might
24:31be the most famous, I think, yeah. Great! Let's start live, right? Yeah. And what, you know,
24:37we should also do a little toast, because today, by the way, first day of house hunting, two
24:42houses they liked, one they absolutely loved. Thank you. Well, we may be on our way to picking
24:53our favourite dram, but I wonder which house will be top of the barrel as our search continues
24:59tomorrow. Despite its astounding natural beauty and huge coastline, house prices in Argyllam
25:18Butte remain favourable when compared to Scotland as a whole. The average price of a detached home
25:25is just over £305,000. That's £42,000 lower than the Scottish average. And with a look
25:34at the Kintyre Peninsula in particular, here's a selection of other properties also available
25:39at the moment. This two-bedroom terraced stone cottage offers charm and character, with views
25:47of the countryside, plus a peaceful garden. It's on the market for offers over £124,500.
25:55For space inside and out, it would be hard to rival this five-bedroom, four-bathroom detached
26:04home. Become the host with the most with its generous accommodation. That's if you can tear
26:11yourself away from magnificent views of the Kilbranen Sound. Offers over £445,000 are invited.
26:20And to experience why Gordon's been on holiday to the area more than 50 times, you might consider
26:27a stay in this one-bedroom shepherd's hut on a farm. It sleeps up to two guests and dogs
26:34are welcome too. Priced at £135 per night for a minimum two-night stay.
26:41The day after our house hunters appear to have found the one is always an intriguing experience,
26:54especially when it centres around a mystery house. They are going to love its location.
26:59They will be obsessed by the view of that, I have no doubt. But will the amount of work that they will
27:07inevitably want to put into it be an adventure too far for?
27:13We're starting today not far from where we left our house tours yesterday, just to the north of the
27:19village of Carradale.
27:20You can't not come to this on a day like today, can you?
27:29Since you both absolutely loved this side of the peninsula yesterday, I thought I'd bring
27:35you back here this morning. If you're on to a winner, don't change it.
27:39Did you sleep?
27:40No.
27:40I slept really well, by the way.
27:43Oh, that's good.
27:44Yeah, good for you.
27:45Please fire you.
27:46No.
27:47What kept you up?
27:48The fact that both houses had what we'd asked you for, really. I guess I was wrangling with
27:56the first house was very you, the second house was very me. You're sort of sitting on the
28:00fence until you see the mystery house.
28:01I know.
28:03What do you want to see?
28:04I'd like something that pokes us off the fence.
28:06I'm assuming what you really want is this view on a daily basis. Let that thought wash
28:12over you. Take in the view. Enjoy it. It's a glorious day. And I'm going to go and check
28:17on the mystery house. I'll send you the address. Come and find me. You know your way around.
28:24It's great.
28:26Well, they won't have far to come because the mystery house is located just a few metres down
28:31the shore road, looking out on that spectacular view.
28:35The water's there and the mystery house is right here. Look at it. A gorgeous cottage.
28:42Unfortunately, one of the mysteries of the mystery house is no one knows where the front
28:48door key is. That's all right. We can adapt. I'll take them round the back.
28:52But the real mystery that I'm not going to tell them until the end of our tour is that although
28:59this period stone cottage with more recent timber side extension is in need of updating, we have
29:06tried to factor that into their £250,000 budget. So bear that in mind and see what you think
29:14the asking price might be.
29:16Now, Gordon and Sarah say they want to do work. They're willing to do it. But how much are
29:21they willing to do? And you can see immediately it almost needs a couple that has the creativity
29:27that they have.
29:28So let's see whether this mystery seaside cottage will get those creative juices flowing or trigger
29:35artist block.
29:37You found us.
29:38Amazing.
29:39Wow.
29:40By us, I mean me and the mystery house. She's been waiting for you.
29:43It's stunning. It is so pretty. And then look at this. Oh, yes. It's wonderful. It's
29:49absolutely stunning. This. This. Look at the lintels. Look at the stonework. I love the extension
29:58as well. Yes. It's time to ask those tough questions. What's really important to you and how much work
30:06you want to put in?
30:07OK. Because that is really the core of the mystery house. It needs your love, care and
30:14attention.
30:15OK. It needs your brain. With my buyers suitably prepped, we're taking that back door through
30:22a bootroom come utility and via the galley kitchen to really enjoy this cottage's crowning
30:29glory, the view from the reception. I thought I'd take you into this living room first. Is that
30:35just a picture or is that a window? Because it's knocking at the window and asking if we can play
30:42out. If you want that, then find something to do with this. That's what I'm battling with, yes. It is. It's definitely
30:48quirky. Yeah, it does. Yeah. And it does. My point of view, it does need work. Yes. But that's good. I mean, that's it. This is your everything space, really. It is. Yeah. There's a separation of the kitchen, but it flows into here. Yes. You could have a table in here. We could work with it. Yeah, absolutely. Yeah.
31:03Downstairs loo. I say downstairs. It's the bathroom. Yeah. The loo. OK. That's quite large, though. It's got my cogs wearing away. Absolutely. I can feel the history as well. Can you? Absolutely. Yeah. It's breathing it out, isn't it? It really is. Let me take you to one of the bedrooms. OK. You start to see how the house feels. Yeah. Thank you.
31:25From the reception room, a ship's ladder provides access to the attic with potential for conversion. Then to one side in the extension is the larger of the two bedrooms, which has dual aspect windows. And in the footprint of the original cottage is bedroom number two.
31:43I like this one, even though it's the slightly smaller one, because I think the view is...
31:51That is beautiful, isn't it? Yeah. It just draws your eye, your mind, your emotions, your creativity and everything out there, doesn't it? Your imagination. It's... Yeah.
32:03What do we want in here? We just want the bed, don't we? That's right. Yeah.
32:06I'm looking at the space rather than the decor. It's... Yeah. And I think the space will have to change.
32:12Yes. But that's something that you're keen to do anyway, isn't it? So if we walked into somewhere where we didn't need to do anything, you wouldn't find something.
32:19I'd still do something. Yeah, that's right.
32:21Is he knocking down walls?
32:24Yes. Yes.
32:25Yeah.
32:25Well, why don't you go and do some of that planning?
32:27OK.
32:28And it's time to make some decisions, really.
32:30I know.
32:31I know. It's the business end of our search.
32:33It really is.
32:35Right, OK. Thank you.
32:37Let's go. Thank you.
32:39Here's the kitchen.
32:42It's wee.
32:44It's...
32:44It's a wee. Good job.
32:46We can live with it for now and then...
32:48It's a galley.
32:49Yeah. It needs to open up.
32:51Yes.
32:52Of course, those plans will cost money and although the garden surrounds the home, boasting an orchard, woodshed, greenhouse and a beautiful selection of shrubs and flowering plants,
33:05there's no obvious place for Gordon to work on his sustainable furniture.
33:09This garden almost has this magical quality about it.
33:15I'm wondering if they might think it wouldn't suit a workshop.
33:20Of course, before they can put any plans into place, Gordon and Sarah need to consider what they might need to pay.
33:28Have you come up with a figure yet?
33:30So, the mystery house is a potential?
33:33Yes.
33:34Unfortunately.
33:35Oh, just depending on the price, though.
33:38There's a big hint there.
33:39Time for you to make your final guesses.
33:42How much do you think the mystery house is on the market for?
33:46So, I'm thinking £245,000 offers over.
33:51My guess is, you know, I'm going to be really cheeky.
33:55I'll say offers over £215,000 and I'm going to be way off, aren't I?
34:02Is that because you're sort of factoring in the work that you've got to do within your budget?
34:06So, you'd like it around there?
34:08Yeah, there's certain things that we will need to do straight away.
34:11We need an extra budget.
34:12Yeah, that's right.
34:13That's a bigger room.
34:14It is on the market for offers over £185,000.
34:21Oh, my word.
34:22No.
34:24No.
34:24The price was part of the mystery, but I couldn't obviously reveal that part until right now.
34:29So, I wasn't so cheeky then, was I?
34:31No, you weren't.
34:32You were not cheeky enough.
34:33Sometimes you need to cross the line.
34:36This is exciting.
34:37It is.
34:39I call that a hat trick.
34:42My mystery stone cottage comes in considerably below budget and has a reception room with
34:48a picture-perfect view, two double bedrooms, a versatile attic and a wraparound plot.
34:55It's located right on the coast in a very quiet location.
35:00Your head's wearing, isn't it?
35:02It is, yes.
35:03And it's hurting.
35:06The mystery house couldn't be more special, could it?
35:09I mean, look at what's around us, to be able to wake up to this every day.
35:15I immediately feel relaxed.
35:17Great for the creativity.
35:19View steals the show and it just wants you to come out and play.
35:24And we will be, definitely.
35:26And try to get some work done as well.
35:27This sunny weather has helped Argyllum Butte sparkle, so it's been easy to see why Sarah
35:38and Gordon think that this place is the perfect escape for them.
35:42But you know I like to meet people who've already been there and done that.
35:46Nikki and Cara moved here to Kintyre six years ago with their horse-riding adventure business
35:52already set up.
35:54Hi, I'm Cara.
35:55And I'm Nikki.
35:56And together we set up and run Wilderways Horse-riding Adventures.
36:00Currently now in the Mall of Kintyre on our 100-acre farm.
36:04And we are literally living the dream.
36:07We are having such a great time.
36:08After meeting over a shared love of horses 12 years ago, Nikki and Cara decided to ditch
36:16their jobs as a freelance ecologist and rural surveyor to set up an adventure horse-riding
36:22business together.
36:24I knew our life was going to be full of adventure, but also that probably anything was going to
36:28be possible if I had Nikki at my side.
36:31There was one night we were camping on the beach, we had the ponies grazing at our back
36:34and we just said to each other, God, wouldn't it be amazing if we did this every day?
36:40They've been here on their 100-acre farm at the southern end of the Kintyre Peninsula for
36:46the last six years.
36:47And today, Nikki's made time to show me around.
36:51Hello.
36:51Hello, Sin Ali.
36:52Nice to see you.
36:53Yeah, really nice to see you.
36:55What a place you have here.
36:56I know, isn't it wonderful?
36:57Do you want to come and meet the horses?
36:59Yes.
36:59Let's go down the glen.
37:00There are more than 100 animals to care for on the farm, including four pigs, two dogs
37:09and a total of 22 horses.
37:13Wow.
37:14Look at these horses.
37:16Who's this?
37:17This is Raven.
37:18Hi, Raven.
37:19She's our supermodel, aren't you, darling?
37:22She's the big lady of the herd.
37:24This is the working herd here.
37:26Oh, yeah?
37:26And the other lot?
37:27The babies and the family groups and that sort of thing.
37:30So the up and comings, plus a few elderlies.
37:32So the business sort of came before you got this place.
37:36Yeah, that's right.
37:37We've been running it since 2016, but we used to go and we used to be a bit of a pop-up.
37:42So we would arrive at someone's field with 12 horses and take people out riding.
37:46Oh, really?
37:46Well, just to trailers and you'd go, right.
37:48Off we go, yeah.
37:48It was really difficult because we didn't have any security for the grazing.
37:53And so what sort of thing can people do with the horses?
37:55Kind of adventure trekking.
37:56We go off-road, up the hill, through the rivers.
37:59And then we do beach gallops.
38:00We take the horses in the sea, go swimming in the sea.
38:03How did you pick which part of Scotland to then base yourself in?
38:07What drew you to the area?
38:09Was it this farm?
38:11Yes, it was this farm.
38:12And, yeah, it was this green stuff, to be honest.
38:15The grass.
38:16It's just a lovely place to live.
38:18I mean, listen.
38:20There's nothing.
38:22Nothing but birdsong.
38:23No.
38:27It may be quiet, but caring for so many animals is a lot of work.
38:31So Nikki and Cara run a volunteer programme where people can stay and help out while gaining
38:37experience and new skills.
38:40Malia is here for three weeks before she returns to Germany to continue her studies.
38:46Hi, Malia.
38:47Hello.
38:47Who's this?
38:48This is Echo.
38:49Oh, hi, Echo.
38:51So you've been volunteering for a couple of weeks.
38:53You've got, what, a week to go?
38:54Yes.
38:55What sort of things have Nikki and Cara got you doing?
38:58So, basically, in the morning I just start feeding all the animals.
39:02Then I get my food, my breakfast.
39:06And then we get the horses.
39:07And then either we go on a ride or have a lesson.
39:10And then at the end of the day it's just mucking out and cleaning up everything.
39:16And then I'm done.
39:16I know it's only been a couple of weeks, but what have you made of life here?
39:19No city, really close.
39:21And that's what I really like.
39:23You can hear everything.
39:25The wind and the trees and the birds just singing to be one of the nature.
39:30That's such a good way of putting it.
39:33Nikki, Cara and their volunteers clearly find greener pastures in this corner of Argyle and Butte.
39:39Now to see if we've come up with a house to give free reign to my buyers' imaginations here on the Kintyre Peninsula.
39:50Gosh, they really took on the challenge of that mystery house head-on, didn't they?
39:55Are Sara and Gordon really brave enough to take it on, though?
40:01Let's go and ask them.
40:07Thinking about when you'll move here and you'll be here every day.
40:11Absolutely.
40:12I know.
40:12I can't wait.
40:12I know.
40:13Right.
40:14You know I want answers.
40:15Yes.
40:15What is our plan?
40:17Now that I've come in, meddled, sorted your life out, how are you going to continue this?
40:23OK, so you did leave a bit of a mess behind, unfortunately.
40:26So, next steps, I think we're going to go back to the...
40:30Mystery house.
40:31It's charmed you.
40:33Yes, it did.
40:34It did.
40:35So much potential.
40:37It's incredible.
40:37The views as well, just absolutely.
40:39Is that it?
40:41Was it the views?
40:42That's right.
40:43What do you want from that second viewing?
40:44I guess in your head, you want to kind of map out the work that we probably could do and would need to do.
40:54But again, we've got, hopefully, we've got a good couple of decades left to get it exactly how we want to.
41:01And I've saved you a bit in the budget.
41:03You have.
41:03A lot.
41:04You have.
41:04You've got a bit back in our back pocket to be able to make it exactly how we want it, which is amazing.
41:12Just magical.
41:13It was.
41:13Aww.
41:13I've got everything crossed that you're going to make this happen.
41:18Why wouldn't you make this happen?
41:20I mean, house number two, you know, please don't let anything go wrong with the mystery house.
41:24But if house number two is still a really strong contender...
41:27That's good to hear.
41:29I've got a plan and a backup plan.
41:31Check you out.
41:33What an honour to be part of the process.
41:35Yes, so thank you for making the call.
41:37Yes, thank you.
41:39I want to be the first person you call once it all happens.
41:42Yes, absolutely.
41:42That's the only thing I ask.
41:44Yeah, we've got your chair in the garden, a nice cup of tea, or maybe some of the whisky that we tried.
41:50Ooh.
41:52Another reason to come back.
41:53Every time I visit Argylland Butte, the scenery here takes my breath away.
42:04And this week, our houses did that too.
42:08Gordon and Sarah were taken aback by all three of our properties.
42:12Though I have to admit, after seeing their reaction in house number two,
42:16I wasn't sure if that mystery house would turn their head.
42:21I knew it would challenge them.
42:22But would that view of the Isle of Arran be enough to charm them?
42:27As it turns out, the answer was a very solid yes.
42:30And I'm so excited they're going back to the mystery house for a second viewing.
42:35And I cannot wait to revisit them when they start their new life here on this stunning coastline in Scotland.
42:43See you next time.
42:46After we left them, Sarah and Gordon went for a second viewing on the mystery house.
42:51They're ready to proceed with an offer just as soon as a buyer is found for Sarah's house in Cheshire.
42:57We wish them all the very best for the future move.
43:01If you would like to escape to the country in Scotland, England, Northern Ireland or Wales and need our help,
43:07why not apply online at bbc.co.uk forward slash take part.
43:21For more information, visit our website at bbc.co.uk forward slash take part.
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