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00:00But to set down roots in the countryside, it pays not to rush things.
00:05Can you go inside?
00:06No, no, you just have to decide right now.
00:11There are big choices to be made.
00:14The size of the land is quite shocking, really.
00:18I'm thinking it was going to do all the work.
00:21And decisions that could lead to a whole new way of life.
00:25Suddenly it's become very real that everything changes.
00:30MUSIC PLAYS
00:52Which do you prefer?
00:54Woodland? River?
00:55Or perhaps a quaint Cotswold stone town or village?
00:59Oh, decisions, decisions.
01:01Well, why not join us on a Gloucestershire and Herefordshire escape, a captivating region that has them all.
01:08And it's positively blossoming.
01:14MUSIC PLAYS
01:14It's a gorgeous time here in Gloucestershire because all the trees are putting out their lovely little leaves and the lovely little birds are making little baby birds.
01:23And there's a palpable sense of excitement in the air, although there is a little rain forecast, but I'm not worried, partly because I have this, and also because it's said I am the sunshine presenter and it never rains on my shows.
01:36It's the same.
01:37MUSIC PLAYS
01:39Our escape adventure will take us to Herefordshire as well as neighbouring Gloucestershire, a county so famous for downpours, it inspired a nursery rhyme.
01:48You know, the one about Dr Foster and the puddle?
01:50But clouds in this county come with silver linings, from the glistening River Wye to the verdant Forest of Dean.
01:58And you're never far away from a sunny outlook.
02:04Well, I've lived here 37 years. I think it's a lovely community. It's very easy to get out to all sorts of exciting places. The River Wye is quite near.
02:14Cheltenham's not far, Shooksbury.
02:16We're on the edge of the forest, Dean. It's a beautiful place to visit. Lovely walks, places to take the children like Beech and Hearst.
02:23And with substantial village homes and peaceful riverside retreats on offer, it's no wonder escapees come from far and wide to seek their own property pot of gold at the end of this region's rainbow.
02:38Our show is available for viewing all around the world, including the country where our buyers today are living, Germany.
02:46And I was thinking about how to translate escape to the country into German, which would be Flucht aufs Land.
02:53But my preference would be mein Traumhaus auf dem Land. My dream house in the countryside.
03:02Hello, I'm Andrew.
03:04And I'm Beate. And we currently live in Heraldsburg, which is close to Nuremberg in southern Germany.
03:09After living in a rented home near Nuremberg, Germany, for the last four years, Andrew, Beate and her 11-year-old son, Johan, are ready to return to the UK to be closer to friends and family.
03:24Well, of course, I'll miss my friends in Germany, but I have got friends in the UK.
03:28My dad also lives there, so it'll be nice to spend more time with him.
03:32I can also go to some Leicester City football matches. Leicester City are my football.
03:36However, it's not Leicestershire, but in and around Gloucestershire, where they've set their sights.
03:44The Gloucestershire area is very pragmatic for us, because I've got a new role in Birmingham, and it's a hybrid job, so I need to go up a few days a week.
03:52So I'm pretty close to the M5.
03:54And I quite like the way it looks, the landscape. It reminds me of Germany, where we're from now.
03:59And we're undulating scenery, a mix of rivers, meadows, forests. It's very much like what home leaves. It's home for me.
04:08I miss the top coat.
04:09And I think what you're also looking forward to is the crisps, salt and vinegar, which aren't available in Germany.
04:16Yeah, so they're his favourite.
04:17Andrew and Beata have up to £600,000 to buy their Gloucestershire home.
04:27They're after three to four bedrooms, an office and a room for Andrew's large record collection.
04:33They'd like a manageable garden, a location with a nearby pub, and are open to viewing addresses in both Gloucestershire and Herefordshire.
04:42I love the fact that Andrew and Beata are coming to this part of the countryside because, as she says, it reminds her of the German countryside down in the south.
04:56And I'll have to take that on her word because, although I lived in Germany for six years, to my shame, I barely left the city limits of Berlin.
05:04I was in my 20s, so it's understandable.
05:07But it's such a big move, having done that, to move from Germany back to England.
05:11So if you can find a landscape that reminds you of home, all the better.
05:20Before heading to the first house option, I'm making my way to meet Beata and Andrew for introductions in a pretty rural spot,
05:27which I hope compares favourably to the German countryside.
05:33I'm so excited to be here with you guys, largely because I can practice my German.
05:37Herzlich willkommen zurück nach England.
05:41Vielen Dank.
05:42Oh, I got it right.
05:43That's very good.
05:44You don't speak German, do you, Andrew?
05:45I don't speak German, no.
05:46I always welcome you very warmly back to England.
05:50It's wonderful, isn't it, to be back?
05:52Back in Britain, back in the communities, back in the countryside.
05:56I'm excited about that.
05:57And a bit of, therefore, also a smaller community living where I can get involved, whether it's a parent governor or being at the local church council or just helping out at the local cafe or play group.
06:09Because I'm working remotely, so I want to get out outside of work to be, to have some social interaction, really.
06:16What about you, Andrew?
06:16What are you looking forward to being back in England?
06:19Seeing friends and family, being able to go to live football again rather than just watching it on television.
06:24And there is good football in Germany, I hear.
06:26There is, but Rovenham's my team.
06:28There's my father's team, my grandfather's team, and my eldest son comes with me to the game.
06:34So going to the football with my son is quite important as well.
06:37Ah, well, you've come at a beautiful time of the year.
06:40Spring sunshine, blessing our house hunt.
06:43Shall we get going and see some houses?
06:44Yes, please.
06:45Yeah, come follow me.
06:51Our first appointment of you is in the Gloucestershire hamlet of Aylford.
06:59Around a mile and a half down the road, the village of Blakeney has post office services and a convenience store.
07:06There's restaurant dining at the King's Head and a takeaway fish and chip shop, too.
07:12Buses include a route to the town of Chepstow, which stops not far from the rural property proposition I'm putting to Beata and Andrew.
07:20Here we are, house number one.
07:26What a lovely setting.
07:27It is.
07:28I know that you wanted a countryside location.
07:30Does it have a little German feel to it?
07:32It does.
07:33Trees, little stream at the bottom of the valley.
07:36And I love that you can see it's been extended and changed, so it doesn't look just like one long house, but it's quirky.
07:41I love the fact that when you look from the house, you see trees and you feel it in the country.
07:47Can we go inside?
07:48No, no, you just have to decide right now.
07:51No, let's go.
07:55Set high on the bank of a river valley, this stone cottage has been in the same family since the 19th century when it was built.
08:02The current occupant has added an extension and a conservatory, and the main door takes us via a utility-cum-boot room into the kitchen.
08:16I like that you can sit in the kitchen already.
08:18It's a good start.
08:19You can have your breakfast straight away.
08:21But it's got workspace, which is great.
08:23And you've got a lovely view when you're washing the pots, which is...
08:26You do the washing, don't you?
08:27I do now, apparently.
08:28Well, the great thing about this property is it's all facing the view, so it's all windows this way.
08:35Ideally, a bigger kitchen, but you can always extend it that way and make the utility room smaller.
08:40Anyway, let's continue the tour.
08:42This is the living space.
08:43So there's a conservatory here.
08:45You can look at that later.
08:46But this is the historic part of the house.
08:48Basically, this is the width of the house, so it's quite simple, the layout.
08:52Even though it's long, you still see two parts of the room to it.
08:55You've got a dining area and a living area.
08:57I think it's a little smaller than what we expected or what we were looking for.
09:03I think ideally you would want some space where you could put your hi-fi up, couldn't we?
09:06We used to have a hi-fi.
09:07That's very retro.
09:09Oh, it's very retro.
09:10I've got a massive collection of vinyl.
09:11Really?
09:12It's good.
09:16Completing the ground floor and back off the entrance is a small shower room.
09:21Then stairs from the reception room lead us up to the home's three bedrooms.
09:25At one end is a good-sized double, which, like all the bedrooms, has an aspect to the front overlooking the valley.
09:32There's a smaller guest bedroom and a family bathroom tiled in a neutral pallet.
09:39Then at the other end is the principal en-suite.
09:43This whole end of the property is the main bedroom.
09:50And then through there you've got an en-suite toilet and shower and then a sort of dressing room.
09:56I like the two windows.
09:57It makes it really light in here.
09:58Yeah.
09:59In the big wardrobe space.
10:00And I like the fact it's en-suite.
10:01I actually quite like that room.
10:04I do like that room.
10:05Good.
10:06Yeah.
10:08So we can go out into the garden and also we can talk about the price.
10:11Mm-hmm.
10:11You lead the way.
10:13The garden comprises two-thirds of an acre with wooden and stone outbuildings that have electricity.
10:25There's also a paddock.
10:27The property backs onto Forestry Commission land where they'd be free to explore with their dog.
10:32The owners who grew up here, they used to just get sent out in the morning in the holidays and they'd go all the way down the valley and the mum would blow a whistle.
10:46But it was time for them to come back for supper.
10:48Excellent.
10:48And it's a good-sized garden.
10:49It's manageable but it's big enough.
10:51And you've got your greenhouse which you want to grow your tomatoes and such like.
10:54Maybe some courgette or something.
10:56So yes, that's me.
10:56And Johan, is he kind of your assistant or does he...?
11:00His is to actually do the lawn mowing.
11:02So he earns his pocket money by mowing the lawn.
11:05Yeah, he likes that.
11:07And talking about money, what do you think it's on the market for?
11:13525?
11:14Okay.
11:16And I've got 550.
11:18So 550,000 pounds.
11:19Yeah.
11:20This is on the market for 575,000.
11:23Oh, interesting.
11:24You can see the prices probably slightly higher than you thought because of the location.
11:28Yeah.
11:28And the land, it's got a good plot size.
11:30Yeah, yeah.
11:32Comfortably within Beata and Andrew's £600,000 budget, this extended stone house has a kitchen
11:40breakfast room, a multifunctional reception room and three bedrooms.
11:45There's a large garden without buildings and valley views.
11:48This is the conservatory.
11:54Oh, that's nice and airy, isn't it?
11:55I mean, you can see yourself sat here, coffee or whatever, reading on a Sunday morning and relaxing.
12:04Fantastic location.
12:06It really gave you that wow feeling because you can take the dog, you can just go out.
12:10I see the potential in the house, happy to do a bit of renovations, a bit of changing.
12:18The location is more important.
12:20You have that great combination of living peacefully, but if you want to, you can enjoy community.
12:28Beata and Andrew are looking for options to get stuck into local life when they return to the UK.
12:43The small Gloucestershire market town of Newent could help them get back into the saddle.
12:50Local horse hero and two times Olympic gold medal winner, Vallegro, is celebrated in sculpture in the historic timber framed market hall.
12:59Look what's on in Newent. Let's have a look.
13:04Food and drink in July.
13:05And with over 50 groups to get involved with, there's even more worth championing.
13:10Newent's a fantastic place. It's got such a great community feel to it.
13:15We've got the Newent chill out, which is for people of all ages and runs as a youth session in the evenings.
13:20We've got some fantastic cafes within the town, really fantastic places to go and grab a bite to eat.
13:26It's very small here. It's very compact, but it's community.
13:33I've just started a supper club. We did a curry club and then there's going to be a tapas night.
13:39It's very, very important, community get-together.
13:43Cyclists can take in the beautiful surrounding countryside on the 19 to 28 mile Newent Loop,
13:50and walkers can enjoy the landscaped lake park.
13:53Well, we found Newent really by mistake some 35 years ago.
13:59Stopped off one evening on the way back home, and thought what a wonderful little market town it was.
14:05People were very friendly, easy going, and stayed ever since.
14:11One place our buyers can expect a warm Newent welcome is micropub The Cobblers.
14:17I think I could give you a drink. Let's go and get one.
14:20Where landlord Graham Rushton is a refreshing source of local knowledge.
14:27This is a lovely pub. How did you get to run that?
14:30Well, what am I was when myself and my partner Nicky moved to Newent ten years ago?
14:35We stumbled across this pub, started drinking here, and we drank here for many, many years.
14:40When the landlord decided she wanted to retire, I came up with this crazy idea of buying a pub, running a pub.
14:46Something that I'd never done before.
14:47And I suppose it brings you right into the art of the community, doesn't it?
14:51It does. We've got some real good regulars and various groups like Royal Bridge Legion and the Rotary Club.
14:56Use the back room for meetings and band practices and stuff like that.
15:00Why Newent? What do you like about this area so much?
15:03It's a fantastic place. Good location to get round many places.
15:07You're not that far away from South Wales.
15:09You've got Gloucester, you've got Hereford nearby if you want a bigger city.
15:13There's a fantastic bus service called the Daffodil Line,
15:16where you can go from Newent as far down as Ross on White and all the way up to Lidbury and all points in between.
15:24And we get a lot of people coming in to visit the pub from, you know, from Herefordshire, other parts of Gloucestershire.
15:31It's in a cracking part of the country.
15:34Yeah, and we love it here.
15:37The couple seem to have enjoyed their pint-sized taste of Gloucestershire life here in Newent.
15:42Now to find a home in the area they can raise a glass to.
15:45For our next viewing, we're making our way to the Wye Valley village of Brokwyr.
15:58Set on the eastern and English bank of the River Wye, facing the nation of Wales on the opposite side,
16:04one incoming church minister remonstrated that 19th century village life here revolved around beer houses and gambling.
16:12Thanks to the present-day locals rallying to buy the last remaining pub, it's still an ongoing concern.
16:21And given there's also a community-owned shop and cafe staffed by volunteers,
16:26Beata and Andrew's respective desires could potentially be well met.
16:35So we thought this would be perfect for you.
16:37You can help out in the pub. I can help out in the shop.
16:40And this is the property, so it's not the whole thing, half.
16:43I mean, the location is just wonderful, isn't it?
16:46Uncomparable, really. It seems idyllic.
16:48This is the River Wye, down here.
16:50Oh, right.
16:51OK.
16:51Yes.
16:52We've got this incredible landscape.
16:55That is Wales.
16:56This is England.
16:57And then beyond that is the Forest of Dean.
16:59Oh.
17:00Amazing.
17:01Great location.
17:01Beautiful setting.
17:02Do you fancy looking in?
17:03Yes, please.
17:03Come on, then.
17:04This semi-detached character property dating to the 1700s has been given a sustainable modern twist with solar panels,
17:15which feed into the national grid and can even generate money from excess electricity produced.
17:21They also power the underfloor heating in the kitchen slash breakfast room, where our tour of the currently unoccupied home begins.
17:31It's a great size.
17:33You've got a nice kitchen, lots of work surface.
17:35Open space, sitting to eat here.
17:38Yeah, you've got plenty of room here for a lovely, nice, big dining table.
17:43Yeah.
17:43Our dining table would fit perfectly.
17:45Fits perfectly.
17:46Well, hold your horses, because actually you've got two reception rooms.
17:49Oh.
17:50Let's continue the tour.
17:51Excellent.
17:51Good.
17:54There's an additional utility, and as well as a spacious kitchen and breakfast room, there are two further reception rooms,
18:02one of which is in an adjacent wing, with French doors and period features.
18:07I love it.
18:09Going out, again, towards the nice sunny spot, because it's a good size to feel cosy in.
18:15And then you've got that other reception room there, which could be a diner or could be another TV room.
18:19Yeah, exactly.
18:20Or your Hi-Fi.
18:22Yeah.
18:22Good vibes.
18:23So why don't you two go and explore the rest of the house, and then when you're done, find me in the garden.
18:27Well done.
18:28Go explore.
18:29Andrew could certainly find a fitting home for his entire record collection in the final reception room.
18:39You can have your Hi-Fi here.
18:41Well, you've got to fit nicely there, aren't you?
18:42It would.
18:43And you can close the doors, so you've got your own space.
18:45A ground-floor cloakroom is tucked away by the foot of the stairs, which leads to the four-bedroom accommodation above.
18:56At the back of the house is a double, partly set into the eaves.
19:00Good size again.
19:01Yes.
19:02Nice size.
19:03Good to be Johan's room.
19:04And this leads directly into a second, smaller bedroom with a built-in wardrobe.
19:11It can be fun to play his Xbox or his games and such a thing.
19:15So it gives them their separate space.
19:17It does.
19:18Yeah, that could work.
19:19Good room.
19:20Yeah, like that one.
19:23To the front, bedroom three also has a built-in wardrobe.
19:28Good storage, so guest room.
19:31Yep.
19:32Or office, because you've got the light coming through.
19:34Yeah, so I can put my desk here and work from here.
19:38Next to this is the family bathroom, fitted with contemporary sanitary wear and a skylight window.
19:47The final bedroom for them to peruse, again with an aspect to the front, is the principal.
19:55Lovely beams.
19:56I like the space at the top, and I like the windows.
19:59You see the garden.
20:01And this one is ensuite.
20:03Oh, nice big shower.
20:06And light.
20:07Yeah, that's well done.
20:08I like that.
20:08That's the feature room, isn't it?
20:10Where do you want to put our bed?
20:12That way.
20:13Oh, that.
20:13Oh, you could go that way, couldn't you?
20:14You've got the stocky side.
20:15You want to see outside, don't you?
20:18Look, if we are here.
20:19I'm on the wrong side of the bed, so you need to come over here.
20:22All right, I see.
20:23No.
20:23That'd be better.
20:24Why?
20:25You are there.
20:26You are by the door to save me if anything happens.
20:29Like the bed, I'm feeling this tour could go either way.
20:39Perhaps what's on offer outside will clinch things.
20:43Despite the slope of the valley, there is a level area of lawn.
20:48Across the lane, up from the house, is a further plot planted with fruit trees.
20:53And below, there's parking, plus a valley vista that's enough to have anyone waxing lyrical.
21:01And just around the bend, there is Tintin Abbey, which is a very famous ruin that Wordsworth wrote his ode to Tintin Abbey.
21:08So it's a very historic place around here.
21:10I like the fact that you've got the nice flat area, which is good for your arm for his football goal and his trampoline.
21:16How much do you think it costs, this one?
21:18I knew you'd ask that.
21:19Considering where we are, and what you said, I'd definitely go higher now.
21:25Let's say 585?
21:28Ah, 575.
21:31575,000.
21:33So this is actually on the market for 600,000.
21:37It's a location here that counts, really, isn't it?
21:39And the property itself is beautiful because it's got its four bedrooms and loads of potential you can do in there.
21:49The price is a guide on this semi-detached 18th century cottage, so if interested, Beata and Andrew could certainly chance an offer.
21:58There's a kitchen breakfast room and two further reception rooms, as well as four bedrooms.
22:03A good-sized garden with valley views and an edge of village location, offering a community-run pub, shop and cafe.
22:11That completes the package.
22:14A bit of quirkiness is what Beata likes.
22:16So I know that that will have gone right up there in a flagpole, gone, yep, quirky, I like quirky.
22:22So it got me in.
22:24Very romantic, wasn't it?
22:25Very romantic, yes.
22:31But then you've got to look at it pragmatically.
22:33This house is at the top of our budget, and we mean there's quite a bit of work that we'd have to do just to make it how we want it.
22:39And I think that bit requires a lot of thought.
22:56The bridge at Brockweir makes it just a short trip between England and Wales,
23:00but after two viewings, how's our search doing with bridging the gap between Germany and the UK for my buyers?
23:09Oh, it's so lovely by the river.
23:12And we've lucked out with the weather today.
23:14Oh, it's beautiful, isn't it?
23:15Are you feeling excited that it could actually happen, that when you go and see feet on the ground, the properties,
23:20it somehow feels a bit more real?
23:22Yes, it's not only the property that comes with it, it's the whole life that comes with it,
23:26because we're moving our whole life, new jobs, new house, new schools.
23:32Suddenly it's become very real that everything changes.
23:36Yes.
23:36Have you been speaking to Johanna? How's he feeling about it?
23:38We can ask him directly.
23:39Ah, yes, the wonders of technology. Can we call him on the phone?
23:42Shall we give him a call?
23:43Yeah, do.
23:44Let's see whether we can dial him in.
23:48Ah, there he is.
23:50Hello.
23:51Hi, I'm Alistair. Nice to meet you. I've heard a lot about you.
23:55Are you looking forward to moving back?
23:57Definitely. England feels like home.
24:00We've been thinking about you, Johanna. You've not been left out of the discussion.
24:05All good things that you gave me on the list that I had to look for.
24:09I haven't seen Johanna's list. Where have you been keeping that?
24:11In my head.
24:12Oh, good place.
24:13What about you, things you don't want?
24:16I mean, I don't like it in packed areas, so villages and countryside is the best areas.
24:24Rather close to a city, but definitely not in a city.
24:27Well, luckily, your mum and Andrew chose to come on escape to the country, so we won't be sending you to a city.
24:34Very good news.
24:35Oh, it's lovely to meet you. Thanks very much.
24:38Thank you very much.
24:39What an incredibly eloquent son you have.
24:41Thank you. He's better than me, I guess.
24:44So charming.
24:45I think he would have done better on the show than Wolframs, definitely.
24:48Next time, you bring him along.
24:52Also, it's Auf Wiedersehen to Haus Tours for now.
24:55We'll be heading into Mystery Territory for my final property tomorrow.
25:00But it's not in a city.
25:13The average cost of a detached house in the UK is a little over £440,000.
25:19But choose Gloucestershire and you may need to pay significantly more,
25:24as that figure rises to over £516,000.
25:29If you want your budget to go further, consider neighbouring Herefordshire,
25:33where the average sale price for detached properties is £441,000.
25:38And here's a taster of what's available in the area at the moment.
25:45This towering home was built in the 19th century as part of a scheme
25:49to beautify the Herefordshire town of Ross-on-Wye.
25:52And the striking Grade 2-listed one-bedroom property
25:57appears to have achieved its ambitions.
26:00There's also a very fetching view from the roof terrace.
26:04The guide price is £350,000.
26:07This four-bedroom detached home in a Herefordshire hamlet
26:11has the region's classic black-and-white exterior
26:14with timber-clad extensions.
26:16It's recently renovated and offered at a guide price of £450,000.
26:23Back in Gloucestershire, would-be tenants might consider this
26:27detached three-bedroom farmhouse that comes with a large carport.
26:31It has contemporary interiors,
26:34surrounded by fields and panoramic views,
26:36for rent at £1,850 per calendar month.
26:40Ah, wunderschönes Frühlingswetter.
26:47That's beautiful spring weather,
26:50greeting our second day of house hunting
26:51for Andrew and Beata's big return to the UK.
26:55And we are staying in the Wye Valley for our mystery house,
26:59but this property really pulls out all the bells and whistles
27:02on the land front.
27:07We're nipping over the county border to Herefordshire,
27:09for a mystery property in the Wye Valley village of Walford.
27:15Set on a strategic crossing point of the river,
27:18once guarded on the opposite bank by a medieval castle,
27:21we're just a couple of miles from all the facilities
27:24in the town of Ross-on-Wye.
27:26The village itself has an active working community
27:29that includes a family-run timber yard founded in 1945.
27:34And while this Walford doesn't have a Queen Vic,
27:37it does have a pub serving chef-devised meals
27:40packed with local produce.
27:42So we've come a little further north,
27:47we're closer to Ross-on-Wye,
27:48and this is a little village called Walford.
27:51Do you know the show EastEnders?
27:52Did you ever come to England?
27:53I've heard of it, but I haven't watched it.
27:55That's all set in Walford, but not this Walford.
27:58I know that pub culture is very important to you, Andrews, right?
28:01It is, because when you move away from the UK,
28:05you miss it and you realise that it's different
28:08and it's quite important, I think.
28:10Well, it's got a great pub.
28:11Yep, it's good.
28:12And, most importantly for you two, the Mystery House.
28:15Why don't you explore the village a bit and I'll meet you there.
28:18Great.
28:19As well as the pub, there's a village hall.
28:24Buses run to Ross-on-Wye from stops on the main road
28:27from where it's just a short walk
28:29or drive up a hillside track to my mystery offering,
28:33where I've gone ahead.
28:35This one is just perfect for kids and even a nanny.
28:40Meet Tom, Gerry, Barbara and Margot.
28:44This is a good place to be a goat.
28:46I mean, great views, great food,
28:48nice sunshine.
28:49And the good thing is that if Andrew and Beata buy this place,
28:54then they might be able to have the goats as part of the deal.
28:57Ready-made lawnmowers.
29:02This property is a registered smallholding
29:04giving permission to keep livestock.
29:08So, as well as a substantial house,
29:10the mystery here is the four acres of land,
29:13half of which is wooded.
29:14And with part of the long-distance Wye Valley walk
29:18running through the plots...
29:19No, you shouldn't worry, I'm not lost.
29:24..I'm keeping up the element of surprise
29:26for that little bit longer.
29:32Now, that walk was not all in vain.
29:35No.
29:35The reason I brought you through that woodland
29:37is because it will belong to you.
29:40Oh, wow.
29:41If you choose to buy our mystery house,
29:45which is here.
29:46Oh.
29:48Look at that view.
29:49Yes.
29:49The mystery is really because of the land.
29:52Yes.
29:53And it's much more of a kind of farmstead sort of idea.
29:57Two acres of woodland, two acres of fields.
30:00I mean, the size of the land is quite shocking, really.
30:05I'm thinking it was going to do all the work.
30:06I quite like chickens and animals,
30:08so I wouldn't mind, especially working from home,
30:11I would have time to look after them, wouldn't I?
30:13Can we go and look at the house?
30:14Yes, please.
30:14The home on offer is a stone cottage built in 1760
30:22and remodelled in the 1930s
30:24to add a front veranda as well as brick extensions,
30:28all of which has been rendered and painted.
30:33Approaching down the hill,
30:34we enter at the back and into the Country Kitchen Diner.
30:39With view out over the valley.
30:41That's very different, isn't it?
30:43It is.
30:43So much different.
30:44That's why I'm looking at the view
30:45rather than the kitchen at the moment.
30:46Yeah.
30:47So this is much more a country cottage,
30:49but you do got a big sort of washing room,
30:52boot room, utility room through there.
30:54You've got this seating area plus the country feel.
30:57I love it.
30:57It's cosy.
30:58It's really cosy, but really practical too.
31:01I want to see more.
31:02Ask and you shall receive.
31:04LAUGHTER
31:04LAUGHTER
31:05Exiting through the dining area,
31:08we cross an entrance hall.
31:10So this is the original front door,
31:13but as in most country properties,
31:14nobody uses the front door.
31:16To check out the sitting room.
31:18I like that it's squarer.
31:20Yes.
31:20Cos I like square over than long and thin.
31:22Right, too.
31:23Yeah.
31:23It's got that cosy feel to it.
31:24Yes.
31:25And the view.
31:26And again, it's all about the view.
31:28Yes.
31:28Yes.
31:29So you go and explore upstairs,
31:30and when you're done, I'll meet you out front.
31:32Great.
31:32Let's do that.
31:33There are three bedrooms upstairs,
31:39starting with the one that could be Andrew and Beata's.
31:43I think that is the master bedroom,
31:46with the exposed stone.
31:48And you've got good use of the bits
31:50on the other side of the fireplace
31:51to put your storage in.
31:52I think you might bring me coffee in the morning.
31:54I think I might, yes.
31:55Then I can sit in the bed
31:57and just enjoy my coffee.
31:58Looking at the river,
31:59look, you can see the river from here.
32:00There's also a box room used for storage,
32:06a fellow vinyl collector by the looks of it.
32:09And next to this is the family bathroom,
32:11which is fully tiled.
32:13Then completing the upstairs is bedroom number three.
32:18It's a decent size.
32:19Look at the view again.
32:21Having that view to the front, it's lovely.
32:23Yes.
32:24And, yeah.
32:24It's a big, big positive for the house, isn't it?
32:27It is.
32:28It is.
32:30That's the cottage,
32:32but it's also ready to go
32:34for a self-sufficient good life,
32:36complete with hencoops and workshops,
32:38or perhaps an idyllically located
32:41work-from-home office,
32:43or two.
32:45You've got this big space out the front,
32:48lovely views.
32:49You feel really nestled in the trees
32:51and the landscape here.
32:52Obviously, it's a challenge, the big land.
32:54The house is quite different
32:55from the other ones we've shown.
32:57And I think they could really put their mark on this one.
33:03Whether or not my buyers are ready
33:04to take on this small holding
33:06may well come down to what they have to pay for it.
33:11You found me in the great acreage of the mystery house.
33:14I can see why it was picked as a mystery house
33:17because it has done its job of going,
33:20oh, it's just then it's the lifestyle
33:22what you're looking for and what you want
33:24and you've got to think about that.
33:25How much do you think this costs?
33:27Well, because of the land,
33:29I'm going to go higher up towards our budget.
33:32So I'm going to go around 585.
33:35I'm going 600 because of the land
33:38close to the village, due to the river.
33:41Well, I'm sad to say, Andrew,
33:43that your wife is spot on.
33:45This is on the market for £600,000.
33:50And one thing I think is worth flagging up
33:52is this is quite a sluggish market,
33:54so there's a chance that you could put in an offer.
33:57Yeah.
33:58Yeah.
33:58You can always try.
33:59This registered small holding offers a three-bedroom cottage,
34:06four acres of land and an elevated position
34:09giving far-reaching views of the Wai Valley.
34:13It's on the edge of a village with a pub
34:14and just a couple of miles from the country town of Ross-on-Wai.
34:21There was the house in the valley with goats and greens
34:25and all the romantic ideas you have flowing through your mind
34:29when you see something like this.
34:31So, yes, my heart says, I want to live here.
34:37I need to put my pragmatic head on here.
34:40How is this actually going to work?
34:41Do we really want to look after animals?
34:43I've not even thought about what it would mean
34:45to have so much land and the work that would be involved.
34:50Das war's.
34:51Das Geheimnishaus.
34:53Sounds kind of weird in German, a mystery house.
34:55It does, it does.
34:57It sounds a bit more sinister.
34:57Anyway, that's all done.
35:02Let's have a little rest and then you can chew things over
35:05and then we can talk about where we go next.
35:06Brilliant.
35:07Come with me.
35:07The countryside can be very empowering
35:24and it certainly is for Claire who made her escape to Herefordshire six years ago.
35:29My name is Claire and I moved here to rural Herefordshire from North London.
35:37And I live here with my dog Fred and a variety of other animals, including four sheep.
35:44Here come the sheep, four chickens and a cat called Mr. Shax.
35:51This is the exciting moment every morning when I go and see if I've got any eggs.
36:02Yes, this one.
36:05Fantastic.
36:06Something for breakfast.
36:07Previously a journalist living in the capital, Claire's home now is a registered smallholding
36:15with an orchard, livestock and a vegetable garden.
36:19When I was in London, this was my dream where I needed to have somewhere I could grow plants.
36:25She continues to write from her rambling four-bedroom Victorian brick house
36:31where I've come to find out how the move has influenced her and her work.
36:38Hello.
36:39Hi, Claire.
36:39Lovely to meet you.
36:40Thanks for having me.
36:41Do come in, do come in.
36:43What a beautiful home.
36:44Well, thank you so much.
36:45Oh, I love all these floor tiles in there.
36:49A lot of this was here when I came, the floor and the units and everything,
36:53but I've done quite a lot of work decoratively.
36:55Yes, very tasteful.
36:57Yes, all these old beams were salvaged and put in by the previous owner.
37:01Oh, so they're not original.
37:02They're not original, but they look real authentic, I think.
37:04Yeah, they do, yeah.
37:05So I know you moved from quite a kind of glamorous job in London.
37:08You were in magazines, is that right?
37:10Well, that's right.
37:10Well, yes, I worked for most of my career as a magazine journalist
37:13and then I've always meant to move to the country
37:16and then I thought the time has come.
37:19I grew up around here in Malvern,
37:21which is about a 50-minute drive away
37:24and my family are originally from Wales, which is quite close.
37:28And it just makes me feel more rooted.
37:30Do you find that being here is more conducive to writing?
37:33Do you get more writing done?
37:34Yes, well, I find what I'm writing about has changed, rather,
37:37because these days it's more kind of mythical, folkloric, witchy-type books,
37:41which I think is informed quite a lot by the surroundings
37:44because Herefordshire is a land rich in folklore and, you know, goings-on.
37:49And is your garden a reflection of that?
37:51Yes, it is.
37:52I've made a garden based on five elements.
37:54There's fire, water, earth and air
37:55and then in the centre there's a spiral which represents spirit.
37:58Can we have a peek outside?
38:00Yes, of course.
38:00I'd love to show you.
38:01Either way.
38:02This looks amazing.
38:09Well, there's a lot here already.
38:11I've just sort of redesigned it to my own whim.
38:14In the summer that's all fire and yellows and reds and oranges
38:17and then there's water, earth and air with all the very tall grasses
38:22which will come up later.
38:24Oh, beautiful.
38:27Now, a lot of your writing of late has taken a more elemental turn.
38:31How would you describe your practice?
38:33I'm mostly aligned with druidry
38:35and the sort of connection with nature and the land and the seasons
38:39which is one of the reasons I've created the garden like I have.
38:43Oh, OK.
38:44And my latest book actually is about one of the elements.
38:46It's about water.
38:47It's called The Water Remedy
38:47and it's about how we should care for and appreciate water.
38:51It's about searching for holy wells
38:52and appreciating spa water and springs
38:55and a little bit about the seaside and coast and estuaries which I love.
38:59I notice you've got water right in the middle of your garden here.
39:02Yes, I have.
39:03That's a little pool at the centre of my cosmic spiral.
39:06Ah.
39:06But it's a meditation path
39:07so you walk into the centre and then you walk out again
39:11and it takes a surprisingly long time actually.
39:14Well, I'm a big meditator.
39:15I love meditation.
39:16Can we walk mindfully round your spiral?
39:18Of course.
39:18Claire's path to the countryside certainly seems to have led her
39:23to a life centred on all that nourishes her.
39:27Now to see if any of the houses I've shown my buyers
39:30capture the spirit of what they're looking for.
39:32My presenter's intuition makes me feel that Beata really loved
39:44all the land and the woodland
39:47and the kind of country feel of the mystery house.
39:51But Andrew, probably it was an acre or three too far.
39:56But let's find out what they think about all the houses.
39:58How are you doing?
40:06Doing well.
40:07You good?
40:08Good.
40:08Very good.
40:09Very good.
40:10So has this focused your mind?
40:12What's this week taught you about your move here?
40:15It's taught us that England is for us.
40:17We are coming back.
40:18Yes.
40:20It's also taught us actually it's a lovely area here,
40:23the Wye Valley, Gloucestershire.
40:25And I think the first house is my favourite out of the three.
40:28The land, the garden, the positioning, the quiet was superb.
40:32You just needed to make the house bigger.
40:34And I thought, I was thinking all the time,
40:36what could I do to make it bigger?
40:37How could I do that?
40:37How could I change it?
40:38Beata is the one that stood out for you as a possibility.
40:41I want to love the third house.
40:43My heart says that's mine.
40:45So you love the mystery house?
40:46I do.
40:46The romantic feeling of having your own animals to look after
40:50and being able to just go out in the morning
40:53and walk across your own land.
40:56But the first house had land as well.
40:57When you actually look at the plot size,
40:59it's a lot bigger than your first thing.
41:00And I just think it's easy to manage and work that land
41:03than it is the other one.
41:05And I think that's a factor.
41:07What's the next step for you guys?
41:09The first house, I want to think about a bit more.
41:13The second and the third don't work for me.
41:15But the area does.
41:18The third one in particular is because of the village location,
41:20isn't it?
41:20The amenities are there on your doorstep,
41:22which really help.
41:24OK, so first and third maybe,
41:27but overall you're sold on this Y Valley location.
41:31Yes, absolutely.
41:31And if something comes on that we need to see,
41:34we go on a plane and we come back and we see it.
41:37We have to find somewhere to live.
41:39Work starts for us both over the summer,
41:41new jobs.
41:43So things have to happen
41:44and we have to make them happen.
41:46Well, keep us in the loop.
41:47It's been a real joy.
41:48And if you find somewhere,
41:49let us know and we'll come revisit.
41:52Brilliant.
41:52You'll be very welcome.
41:53Auf Wiedersehen.
41:54Auf Wiedersehen, exactly.
41:55In the end,
42:02I didn't need this
42:03because apparently I am the sunshine presenter
42:05because there was lots of sunshine
42:07on Andrew and Beata's adventures
42:09here in Gloucestershire and the Y Valley.
42:11And I think they have fallen in love
42:13with this beautiful area of the country,
42:15which is great
42:16because in my own experience,
42:18moving from one country like Germany to the UK
42:20is quite a lot of stress
42:22and it's great to have a wonderful prospect
42:25of landscape and livelihood
42:27stretching out in front of you.
42:29So I hope they find the place they love
42:31and I hope you join us next time
42:33for more Escape to the Country.
42:37Our couple went back to the first house
42:39for a second viewing,
42:41but in a huge twist of events,
42:43decided to shift their search closer
42:45to Andrew's family in Yorkshire.
42:47They're now in the process
42:48of buying a barn conversion there.
42:50We wish them all the best with their move.
42:53If you'd like to escape to the country
42:55in England, Northern Ireland, Scotland or Wales
42:57and need our help,
42:59why not apply online at bbc.co.uk
43:02forward slash take part.
43:21Good luck.
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