- 7 weeks ago
Category
📺
TVTranscript
00:00When looking for the right spot to set down roots in the countryside, it pays not to rush things.
00:10Can you go inside? No, no, you just have to decide right now.
00:15There are big choices to be made.
00:19The size of the land is quite shocking, really. I'm thinking I was going to do all the work.
00:25And decisions that could lead to a whole new way of life.
00:30Suddenly it's become very real that everything changes.
00:55Which do you prefer? Woodland, river or perhaps a quaint Cotswold stone town or village?
01:04Decisions, decisions.
01:06Well, why not join us on a Gloucestershire and Herefordshire escape, a captivating region that has them all.
01:13And it's positively blossoming.
01:16It's a gorgeous time here in Gloucestershire because all the trees are putting out their lovely little leaves
01:25and the lovely little birds are making little baby birds.
01:28And there's a palpable sense of excitement in the air.
01:31Although there is a little rain forecast.
01:34But I'm not worried, partly because I have this.
01:37And also because it's said I am the sunshine presenter and it never rains on my shows.
01:42Just saying.
01:44Our escape adventure will take us to Herefordshire as well as neighbouring Gloucestershire,
01:49a county so famous for downpours it inspired a nursery rhyme.
01:53You know, the one about Dr Foster and the puddle?
01:56But clouds in this county come with silver linings.
01:59From the glistening River Wye to the verdant Forest of Dean.
02:03And you're never far away from a sunny outlook.
02:09Well, I've lived here 37 years.
02:11I think it's a lovely community.
02:13It's very easy to get out to all sorts of exciting places.
02:16The River Wye is quite near.
02:18Cheltenham's not far, Joukesbury.
02:20We're on the edge of the Forest of Dean.
02:22It's a beautiful place to visit.
02:24And the lakes.
02:25Lovely walks.
02:26Yeah.
02:27Places to take the children like Beach and Hurst.
02:30And with substantial village homes and peaceful riverside retreats on offer,
02:35it's no wonder escapees come from far and wide to seek their own property pot of gold
02:40at the end of this region's rainbow.
02:43Our show is available for viewing all around the world, including the country where our buyers
02:50today are living, Germany.
02:52And I was thinking about how to translate escape the country into German, which would be
02:57Flucht aufs Land.
02:58But my preference would be mein Traumhaus auf dem Land.
03:02My dream house in the countryside.
03:08Hello, I'm Andrew.
03:09And I'm Beate.
03:10And we currently live in Heroldsberg, which is close to Nuremberg in southern Germany.
03:17After living in a rented home near Nuremberg, Germany, for the last four years, Andrew,
03:22Beate and her 11-year-old son, Johan, are ready to return to the UK to be closer to friends
03:28and family.
03:29Well, of course I'll miss my friends in Germany, but I have got friends in the UK.
03:33My dad also lives there, so it'll be nice to spend more time with him.
03:36I can also go to some Leicester City football matches.
03:39Leicester City are my foot.
03:40However, it's not Leicestershire, but in and around Gloucestershire where they've set their
03:49sights.
03:50The Gloucestershire area is very pragmatic for us because I've got a new role in Birmingham
03:54and it's a hybrid job, so I need to go up a few days a week.
03:57So, pretty close to the M5.
03:59And I quite like the way it looks, the landscape.
04:02It reminds me of Germany where we're from now.
04:04Undulating scenery, a mix of rivers, meadows, forests.
04:08It's very much like what a home leaves.
04:11It's home for me.
04:12I miss the pub culture.
04:14And I think what you're also looking forward to is the crisps, salt and vinegar, which aren't
04:19available in Germany.
04:21Yeah.
04:22So, they're his favourite.
04:26Andrew and Beata have up to £600,000 to buy their Gloucestershire home.
04:32They're after three to four bedrooms, an office and a room for Andrew's large record collection.
04:38They'd like a manageable garden, a location with a nearby pub and are open to viewing
04:44addresses in both Gloucestershire and Herefordshire.
04:52I love the fact that Andrew and Beata are coming to this part of the countryside because,
04:56as she says, it reminds her of the German countryside down in the south.
05:01And I'll have to take that on her word because, although I lived in Germany for six years,
05:06to my shame, I barely left the city limits of Berlin.
05:09I was in my twenties, so it's understandable.
05:12But it's such a big move, having done that, to move from Germany back to England.
05:17So if you can find a landscape that reminds you of home, all the better.
05:25Before heading to the first house option, I'm making my way to meet Beata and Andrew for
05:30introductions in a pretty rural spot, which I hope compares favourably to the German countryside.
05:39I'm so excited to be here with you guys, largely because I can practice my German.
05:43Welcome back to England.
05:47Oh, I got it right. That's very good.
05:49You don't speak German, do you, Andrew?
05:50I don't speak German, no. I'm sorry.
05:52I always welcome you very warmly back to England.
05:55It's wonderful, isn't it, to be back? Back in Britain, back in the communities, back in the countryside.
06:01I'm excited about that. And a bit of, therefore, also smaller community living where I can get involved,
06:07whether it's a parent governor or being at the local church council or just helping out at the local cafe or playgroup.
06:14Because I'm working remotely, so I want to get out outside of work to be, to have some social interaction, really.
06:21What about you, Andrew? What are you looking forward to being back in England?
06:24Seeing friends and family, being able to go to live football again, rather than just watching it on television.
06:29There is good football in Germany, I hear.
06:31There is, but Rotherham's my team. There's my father's team, my grandfather's team, and my eldest son comes with me to the game.
06:39So I go into the football with my son. It's quite important as well.
06:42Ah, well, you've come at a beautiful time of the year. Spring sunshine, blessing our house hunt.
06:47Shall we get going and see some houses?
06:49Yes, please.
06:50Yeah, come follow me.
06:56Our first appointment of you is in the Gloucestershire hamlet of Aylford.
07:00Around a mile and a half down the road, the village of Blakeney has post office services and a convenience store.
07:11There's restaurant dining at the King's Head and a takeaway fish and chip shop too.
07:17Buses include a route to the town of Chepstow, which stops not far from the rural property proposition I'm putting to Beata and Andrew.
07:26Here we are, house number one.
07:31What a lovely setting.
07:32It is.
07:33I know that you wanted a countryside location.
07:35Yes.
07:36Does it have a little German feel to it?
07:37It does. Trees, little stream at the bottom of the valley.
07:41And 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.
07:47I love the fact that when you look from the house you see trees and you feel it in the country.
07:52Can we go inside?
07:53No, no, you just have to decide right now.
08:00Set 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.
08:08The current occupant has added an extension and a conservatory, and the main door takes us via a utility-cum boot room into the kitchen.
08:21I like that you can sit in the kitchen already. It's a good start. You can have your breakfast straight away.
08:26But it's got workspace, which is great.
08:28And you've got a lovely view when you're washing the pots, which is...
08:31You do the washing, don't you?
08:32I do now, apparently.
08:35Well, the great thing about this property is it's all facing the view, so it's all windows this way.
08:40Ideally a bigger kitchen, but you can always extend it that way and make the utility room smaller.
08:45Anyway, let's continue the tour. This is the living space.
08:48So there's a conservatory here. You can look at that later, but this is the historic part of the house.
08:53Basically, this is the width of the house. It's quite simple, the layout.
08:57Even though it's long, you still see two parts of the room to it.
09:00You've got a dining area and a living area.
09:02I think it's a little smaller than what we expected or what we were looking for.
09:08I think ideally you would want some space where you could put your hi-fi up, couldn't we?
09:11You still have a hi-fi. That's very retro.
09:14Oh, it's very retro. I've got a massive collection of vinyl.
09:17Really? It's good.
09:18Yeah.
09:21Completing the ground floor and back off the entrance is a small shower room.
09:26Then stairs from the reception room lead us up to the home's three bedrooms.
09:32At one end is a good-sized double, which like all the bedrooms has an aspect to the front overlooking the valley.
09:38There's a smaller guest bedroom and a family bathroom tiled in a neutral pallet.
09:46Then at the other end is the principal ensuite.
09:49This whole end of the property is the main bedroom.
09:54And then through there you've got an ensuite toilet and shower.
09:58And then a sort of dressing room.
10:00I like the two windows. It makes it really light in here.
10:03Yeah.
10:04And the big wardrobe space.
10:05And I like the fact it's ensuite.
10:07I actually quite like that room.
10:08I do like that room.
10:10Good.
10:11Yeah.
10:12So we can go out into the garden and also we can talk about the press.
10:16Mm-hmm.
10:17You lead the way.
10:23The garden comprises two thirds of an acre with wooden and stone outbuildings that have electricity.
10:30There's also a paddock.
10:32The property backs onto Forestry Commission land where they'd be free to explore with their dog.
10:38The 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.
10:51But it was time for them to come back for supper.
10:53Excellent.
10:54And it's a good sized garden.
10:55It's manageable but it's big enough.
10:56And you've got your greenhouse which you want to grow your tomatoes and such like.
10:59Maybe some courgette or something.
11:01So yes, that's me.
11:02And Johan, is he kind of your assistant or does he...?
11:05His is to actually do the lawn mowing.
11:07So he earns his pocket money by mowing the lawn.
11:10Yeah, he likes that.
11:12And talking about money, what do you think it's on the market for?
11:17525?
11:19Okay.
11:21And I've got 550.
11:23So £550,000.
11:24Yeah.
11:25This is on the market for £575,000.
11:28Oh, interesting.
11:29You can see the price is probably slightly higher than you thought because of the location.
11:33Yeah.
11:34And the land, it's got a good plot size.
11:35Yeah.
11:36Yeah.
11:39Comfortably within Beata and Andrew's £600,000 budget, this extended stone house has a kitchen breakfast room, a multifunctional reception room and three bedrooms.
11:49There's a large garden with outbuildings and valley views.
11:58This is the conservatory.
11:59Oh, that's nice and airy, isn't it?
12:00I mean, you can see yourself sat here at your coffee or whatever and reading on a Sunday morning and relaxing.
12:09Fantastic location.
12:11It really gave you that wow feeling because you can take the dog, you can just go out.
12:16I see the potential in the house, happy to do a bit of renovations, a bit of changing.
12:24The location is more important.
12:26You have that great combination of living peacefully, but if you want to, you can enjoy community.
12:34Beata and Andrew are looking for options to get stuck into local life when they return to the UK.
12:50The small Gloucestershire market town of Newent could help them get back into the saddle.
12:55Local horse hero and two times Olympic gold medal winner, Valegro, is celebrated in sculpture in the historic timber framed market hall.
13:05Look what's on in Newent. Let's have a look. Food and drink in July.
13:10And with over 50 groups to get involved with, there's even more worth championing.
13:15Newent's a fantastic place. It's got such a great community feel to it.
13:20We've got the Newent Chill Out, which is for people of all ages and runs as a youth session in the evenings.
13:25We've got some fantastic cafes within the town, really fantastic places to go and grab a bite to eat.
13:31It's very small here, it's very compact, but it's community.
13:38I've just started a supper club, we did a curry club, and then it's going to be a tapas night.
13:43It's very, very important, community get-together.
13:48Cyclists can take in the beautiful surrounding countryside on the 19 to 28 mile Newent Loop,
13:55and walkers can enjoy the landscaped lake park.
13:59Well, we found Newent really by mistake some 35 years ago.
14:04Stopped off one evening on the way back home, and thought what a wonderful little market town it was.
14:10People were very friendly, easy going, and stayed ever since.
14:17One place our buyers can expect a warm Newent welcome is micropub The Cobblers.
14:22I think I could give me a drink. Let's go and get one.
14:25Where landlord Graham Rushton is a refreshing source of local knowledge.
14:32This is a lovely pub. How did you get to run that?
14:35Well, what happened was when myself and my partner Nicky moved to Newent ten years ago.
14:40We stumbled across this pub, started drinking here, and we drank here for many, many years,
14:45when the landlord decided she wanted to retire.
14:48I came up with this crazy idea of buying a pub, running a pub, something that I'd never done before.
14:52And I suppose it brings you right into the art of the community, doesn't it?
14:55It does. We've got some real good regulars and various groups like Royal British Legion and the Rotary Club.
15:01We used the back room for meetings and band practices and stuff like that.
15:05Why Newent? What do you like about this area so much?
15:07It's a fantastic place. Good location to get round many places.
15:12You're not that far away from South Wales. You've got Gloucester, you've got Hereford nearby if you want a bigger city.
15:17There's a fantastic bus service called the Daffodil Line where you can go from Newent as far down as Ross on White and all the way up to Lidbury and all points in between.
15:29And we get a lot of people coming in to visit the pub from, you know, from Herefordshire, other parts of Gloucestershire.
15:36It's in a cracking part of the country. Yeah, and we love it here.
15:40The couple seem to have enjoyed their pint-sized taste of Gloucestershire life here in Newent.
15:47Now to find a home in the area they can raise a glass to.
15:56For our next viewing, we're making our way to the Wye Valley village of Brockweer.
16:03Set on the eastern and English bank of the River Wye, facing the nation of Wales on the opposite side,
16:09one incoming church minister remonstrated that 19th century village life here revolved around beer houses and gambling.
16:20Thanks to the present-day locals rallying to buy the last remaining pub, it's still an ongoing concern.
16:27And given there's also a community-owned shop and cafe staffed by volunteers,
16:31Beata and Andrew's respective desires could potentially be well met.
16:40So we thought this would be perfect for you.
16:42I can help out. You can help out in the pub. I can help out in the shop.
16:46And this is the property, so it's not the whole thing, half.
16:48I mean, the location is just wonderful, isn't it?
16:51Uncomparable, really. It seems idyllic.
16:53This is the River Wye down here.
16:55Oh, Wye. Okay.
16:56Yes.
16:57We've got this incredible landscape.
16:59That is Wales. This is England.
17:01And then beyond that is the Forest of Dean.
17:04Amazing.
17:05Great location.
17:06Beautiful setting.
17:07Do you fancy looking in?
17:08Yes, please.
17:09Come on then.
17:13This semi-detached character property, dating to the 1700s,
17:17has been given a sustainable modern twist with solar panels,
17:21which feed into the national grid and can even generate money from excess electricity produced.
17:28They also power the underfloor heating in the kitchen slash breakfast room,
17:33where our tour of the currently unoccupied home begins.
17:36It's a great size.
17:37You've got a nice kitchen, lots of work surface.
17:40Open space with sitting to eat here.
17:43Yeah, you've got plenty of room here for a lovely, nice big dining table.
17:47Yeah.
17:48Our dining table would fit perfectly.
17:50It fits perfectly.
17:51Well, hold your horses because actually you've got two reception rooms.
17:55Let's continue the tour.
17:56Excellent.
17:57There's an additional utility and as well as the spacious kitchen and breakfast room,
18:04there are two further reception rooms.
18:07One of which is in an adjacent wing with French doors and period features.
18:12I love it.
18:14Going out again towards the nice sunny spot,
18:17because it's a good size to feel cosy in.
18:20And then you've got that other reception room there,
18:22which could be a diner or it could be another TV room.
18:24Yeah.
18:25Exactly.
18:26Or your Hi-Fi.
18:27Yeah.
18:28Good vibes.
18:29So why don't you two go and explore the rest of the house
18:30and then when you're done, find me in the garden.
18:33I will do.
18:34Go explore.
18:38Andrew could certainly find a fitting home
18:40for his entire record collection in the final reception room.
18:44You can have your Hi-Fi here.
18:46That would be good.
18:47It would fit nicely there.
18:48It would.
18:49And you can close the doors.
18:50So you've got your own space.
18:53A ground floor cloakroom is tucked away by the foot of the stairs,
18:57which leads to the four bedroom accommodation above.
19:01At the back of the house is a double, partly set into the eaves.
19:05Good size again.
19:06Yeah.
19:07Nice size.
19:08Good to be your own room.
19:11And this leads directly into a second, smaller bedroom
19:14with a built-in wardrobe.
19:17It can be for them to play his Xbox and his games and such like.
19:20Yeah.
19:21So it gives them their separate space.
19:22It does.
19:23Yeah, that could work.
19:24Good room.
19:25Yeah.
19:26Like that one.
19:28To the front, bedroom three also has a built-in wardrobe.
19:32Good storage.
19:34So guest room.
19:35Yeah.
19:36Or office.
19:37Because you've got the light coming through.
19:39Yeah, so I can put my desk here and work from here.
19:43Next to this is the family bathroom, fitted with contemporary sanitary ware and a skylight window.
19:49The final bedroom for them to peruse, again with an aspect to the front, is the principal.
20:01Lovely beams.
20:02There's a lot of space at the top and I like the windows.
20:04You see the garden.
20:07And this one is en suite.
20:09Oh, nice big shower.
20:11And light.
20:12Yeah, that's well done.
20:13I like that.
20:14That's the feature room, isn't it?
20:15Where do you want to put our bed?
20:16That way.
20:17Oh, that.
20:18Oh, it could go that way, couldn't it?
20:19Because you want to see outside, don't you?
20:23Look, if we are here.
20:24I'm on the wrong side of the bed, so you need to come over here.
20:27I see.
20:28No.
20:29That'd be better.
20:30Why?
20:31You are there.
20:32You are by the door to save me if anything happens.
20:41Like the bed, I'm feeling this tour could go either way.
20:45Perhaps what's on offer outside will clinch things.
20:48Despite the slope of the valley, there is a level area of lawn.
20:53Across the lane up from the house is a further plot planted with fruit trees.
20:58And below there's parking.
21:00Plus a valley vista that's enough to have anyone waxing lyrical.
21:06And just around the bend there is Tintin Abbey, which is a very famous ruin.
21:10Wordsworth wrote his ode to Tintin Abbey.
21:13Ah.
21:14So it's a very historic place around here.
21:16I like the fact that you've got the nice flat area,
21:18which is good for your arm for his football goal and his trampoline.
21:21How much do you think it costs, this one?
21:23I knew you'd ask that.
21:26Considering where we are and what you said, I'd definitely go higher now.
21:30Let's say 585.
21:33Ah.
21:35575.
21:36575,000.
21:37Yeah.
21:38Yeah.
21:39So this is actually on the market for 600,000.
21:41Ah.
21:42It's a location here that counts really, isn't it?
21:45And I mean the property itself is beautiful because it's got its four bedrooms.
21:48It's got the potential.
21:49And it's loads of potential you can do in there.
21:51Yeah.
21:52The price is a guide on this semi-detached 18th century cottage.
21:58So if interested, Beata and Andrew could certainly chance an offer.
22:03There's a kitchen breakfast room and two further reception rooms as well as four bedrooms.
22:08A good sized garden with valley views and an edge of village location offering a community-run pub, shop and cafe.
22:16That completes the package.
22:18A bit of quirkiness is what Beata likes.
22:21Yeah.
22:22I know that that will have gone right up there in a flagpole.
22:25Gone, yep.
22:26Quirky, I like quirky.
22:27So it...
22:28Very romantic, wasn't it?
22:30Very romantic, yes.
22:31Yeah.
22:36But then you've got to look at it pragmatically.
22:38This house is at the top of our budget.
22:40And we mean there's quite a bit of work that we'd have to do just to make it how we want it.
22:44And I think that bit requires a lot of thought.
22:52The bridge at Brockweir makes it just a short trip between England and Wales.
23:05But after two viewings, how's our search doing with bridging the gap between Germany and the UK for my buyers?
23:15Oh, it's so lovely by the river.
23:17And we've lucked out with the weather today.
23:19Oh, it's beautiful, isn't it?
23:20Yeah.
23:21Are you feeling excited that it could actually happen?
23:23That, you know, when you go and see feet on the ground, the properties, it somehow feels a bit more real?
23:27Yes.
23:28It's not only the property that comes with it, it's the whole life that comes with it.
23:31Because we're moving our whole life.
23:33New jobs, new house, new schools.
23:37Suddenly it's become very real that everything changes.
23:40Yes.
23:41Have you been speaking to Johanna? How's he feeling about it?
23:43We can ask him directly.
23:44Ah, yes, the wonders of technology. Can we call him on the phone?
23:47Shall we give him a call?
23:48Yeah, I do.
23:49Let's see whether we can dial him in.
23:53Ah, there he is.
23:55Hello.
23:56Hello.
23:57Hi, I'm Alistair. Nice to meet you. I've heard a lot about you.
24:00Are you looking forward to moving back?
24:02Definitely.
24:03England feels like home.
24:05We've been thinking about you, Johan. You've not been left out of the discussion.
24:09All good things that you gave me on the list that I had to look for.
24:13I haven't seen Johan's list. Where have you been keeping that?
24:16In my head.
24:17Oh, for gracious.
24:18What about you, things you don't want?
24:20I mean, I don't like it in packed areas, so villages and countryside is the best areas.
24:29Rather close to a city, but definitely not in a city.
24:33Well, luckily, your mum and Andrew chose to come and escape to the country, so we won't
24:37be sending you to a city.
24:39Very good news.
24:40Ah, it was lovely to meet you. Thanks very much.
24:43Thank you very much.
24:44What an incredibly eloquent son you have.
24:47Thank you. He's better than me, I guess.
24:48Exactly.
24:49So charming.
24:50I think he would have done better on the shore than both of us, definitely.
24:53Next time, you bring him along.
24:55Yeah.
24:57Also, it's Auf Wiedersehen to house tours for now.
25:01We'll be heading into mystery territory for my final property tomorrow.
25:05But it's not in a city.
25:14The average cost of a detached house in the UK is a little over £440,000.
25:24But choose Gloucestershire and you may need to pay significantly more, as that figure rises
25:31to over £516,000.
25:34If you want your budget to go further, consider neighbouring Herefordshire, where the average
25:39sale price for detached properties is £441,000.
25:43And here's a taster of what's available in the area at the moment.
25:50This towering home was built in the 19th century as part of a scheme to beautify the Herefordshire
25:56town of Ross-on-Wye.
25:58And the striking Grade II listed one-bedroom property appears to have achieved its ambitions.
26:05There's also a very fetching view from the roof terrace.
26:09The guide price is £350,000.
26:12This four-bedroom detached home in a Herefordshire hamlet has the region's classic black and white
26:19exterior with timber-clad extensions.
26:21It's recently renovated and offered at a guide price of £450,000.
26:27Back in Gloucestershire, would-be tenants might consider this detached three-bedroom farmhouse that
26:34comes with a large carport.
26:36It has contemporary interiors surrounded by fields and panoramic views for rent at £1,850 per calendar month.
26:46Ah, wunderschönes Frühlingswetter.
26:53That's beautiful spring weather.
26:55Greeting our second day of house hunting for Andrew and Beate's big return to the UK.
27:01And we are staying in the Wye Valley for our mystery house.
27:04But this property really pulls out all the bells and whistles on the land front.
27:10We're nipping over the county border to Herefordshire for a mystery property in the Wye Valley village of Walford.
27:20Set on a strategic crossing point of the river, once guarded on the opposite bank by a medieval castle,
27:26we're just a couple of miles from all the facilities in the town of Ross-on-Wye.
27:31The village itself has an active working community that includes a family-run timber yard founded in 1945.
27:39And while this Walford doesn't have a Queen Vic, it does have a pub serving chef-devised meals packed with local produce.
27:47So we've come a little further north, we're closer to Ross-on-Wye,
27:53and this is a little village called Walford.
27:56Do you know the show EastEnders?
27:58I've heard of it, but I haven't watched it.
28:00That's all set in Walford, but not this Walford.
28:03I know that pub culture is very important to you, Andrews, right?
28:07It is, because when you move away from the UK, you miss it and you realise that it's different,
28:13and it's quite important, I think.
28:15Well, it's got a great pub.
28:16Yeah, it's good.
28:17And, most importantly for you two, the mystery house.
28:21Why don't you explore the village a bit and I'll meet you there?
28:24Great.
28:26As well as the pub, there's a village hall.
28:29Buses run to Ross-on-Wye from stops on the main road, from where it's just a short walk,
28:34or drive up a hillside track to my mystery offering, where I've gone ahead.
28:40This one is just perfect for kids, and even a nanny.
28:45Meet Tom, Jerry, Barbara and Margo.
28:48This is a good place to be a goat.
28:50I mean, great views, great food, nice sunshine.
28:54And the good thing is that if Andrew and Beata buy this place, then they might be able to have the goats as part of the deal.
29:02Ready-made lawnmowers.
29:04This property is a registered smallholding, giving permission to keep livestock.
29:12So, as well as a substantial house, the mystery here is the four acres of land, half of which is wooded.
29:19And with part of the long-distance Wye Valley walk running through the plot...
29:26No, you shouldn't worry, I'm not lost.
29:29..I'm keeping up the element of surprise for that little bit longer.
29:37Now, that walk was not all in vain.
29:40No.
29:41The reason I brought you through that woodland is because it will belong to you.
29:45Oh, wow.
29:46If you choose to buy our mystery house, which is here.
29:51Ooh.
29:53Look at that view.
29:54Yes.
29:55The mystery is really because of the land.
29:57Yes.
29:58And much more of a kind of farmstead sort of idea.
30:01Mm-hm.
30:02Two acres of woodland, two acres of fields.
30:05I mean, the size of the land is quite shocking, really.
30:09I'm thinking who's going to do all the work.
30:11I quite like chickens and animals, so I wouldn't mind...
30:14Yes.
30:15..especially working from home.
30:16I would have time to look after them, wouldn't I?
30:18Yeah.
30:19Can we go and look at the house?
30:20Yes, please.
30:21Yeah, it's excellent.
30:23The home on offer is a stone cottage built in 1760 and remodelled in the 1930s
30:29to add a front veranda as well as brick extensions,
30:33all of which has been rendered and painted.
30:38Approaching down the hill, we enter at the back and into the country kitchen diner.
30:44With view out over the valley.
30:46Oh, that's very different, isn't it?
30:47That is.
30:48That's so much different.
30:49That's why I'm looking at the view rather than the kitchen at the moment.
30:51Yeah.
30:52So this is much more our country cottage.
30:54But you do got a big sort of washing room, boot room, utility room through there.
30:59You've got this seating area, plus the country feel.
31:02I love it.
31:03It's cosy.
31:04It's really cosy, but really practical too.
31:06I want to see more.
31:07Ask and you shall receive.
31:09Exiting through the dining area, we cross an entrance hall.
31:15So this is the original front door.
31:18But as in most country properties, nobody uses the front door.
31:21To check out the sitting room.
31:23I like that it's squarer.
31:25Yes.
31:26Cos I like squarer than long and thin.
31:28Right, yeah.
31:29It's got that cosy feel to it.
31:30Yes.
31:31And the view.
31:32And again, it's all about the view.
31:33Yes.
31:34So you go and explore upstairs, and when you're done, I'll meet you out front.
31:37Great.
31:38There are three bedrooms upstairs, starting with the one that could be Andrew and Beata's.
31:48I think that is the master bedroom, with the exposed stone.
31:53And you've got good use of the bits outside of the fireplace to put your storage in.
31:57I think you might bring me coffee in the morning.
31:59I think I might, yes.
32:01Then I can sit in the bed and just enjoy my coffee.
32:04Looking at the river.
32:05Look, you can see the river from here.
32:07There's also a box room used for storage, a fellow vinyl collector by the looks of it.
32:14And next to this is the family bathroom, which is fully tiled.
32:19Then completing the upstairs is bedroom number three.
32:23It's a decent size.
32:25Look at the view again.
32:26Having that view to the front, it's lovely.
32:28Yes.
32:29And yeah.
32:30It's a big, big positive for the house, isn't it?
32:32It is.
32:33It is.
32:34That's the cottage, but it's also ready to go for a self-sufficient good life.
32:41Complete with hencoops and workshops, or perhaps an idyllically located work from home office.
32:48Or two.
32:49You've got this big space out the front, lovely views.
32:54You feel really nestled in the trees and the landscape here.
32:57Obviously it's a challenge, the big land.
32:59The house is quite different from the other ones we've shown.
33:02And I think they could really put their mark on this one.
33:04Whether or not my buyers are ready to take on this small holding may well come down to what they have to pay for it.
33:16You found me in the great acreage of the mystery house.
33:19Yes.
33:20I can see why it was picked as a mystery house, because it has done its job of going, oh.
33:26It's just the lifestyle you're looking for and what you want, and you've got to think about that.
33:30How much do you think this costs?
33:32Well, because of the land, I'm going to go higher up towards our budget.
33:37So I'm going to go around 585.
33:40I'm going 600, because of the land, close to the village, due to the river.
33:46Well, I'm sad to say, Andrew, that your wife is spot on.
33:50Oh.
33:51This is on the market for 600,000 pounds.
33:55And one thing I think is worth flagging up is this is quite a sluggish market,
33:59so there's a chance that you could put in an offer.
34:02Yeah.
34:03Yeah.
34:04You can always try it.
34:07This registered small holding offers a three-bedroom cottage, four acres of land,
34:12and an elevated position giving far-reaching views of the Wai Valley.
34:17It's on the edge of a village with a pub and just a couple of miles from the country town of Ross-on-Wai.
34:23There was the house in the valley with goats and greens and all the romantic ideas you have flowing through your mind when you see something like this.
34:36So, yes, my heart says, I want to live here.
34:39I need to put my pragmatic head on here. How's this actually going to work? Do we really want to look after animals?
34:48I've not even thought about what it would mean to have so much land and the work that would be involved.
34:53That's all done. Let's have a little rest and then you can chew things over and then we can talk about where we go next.
35:11Come with me.
35:27The countryside can be very empowering and it certainly is for Claire who made her escape to Herefordshire six years ago.
35:34My name is Claire and I moved here to rural Herefordshire from North London.
35:42And I live here with my dog Fred and a variety of other animals including four sheep.
35:49Here come the sheep, four chickens and a cat called Mr Shanks.
35:56This is the exciting moment every morning.
36:01I go and see if I've got any eggs.
36:07Yes, this one.
36:09Fantastic.
36:10Something for breakfast.
36:14Previously a journalist living in the capital, Claire's home now is a registered smallholding with an orchard, livestock and vegetable garden.
36:23When I was in London, this was my dream where I needed to have somewhere I could grow plants.
36:31She continues to write from her rambling four bedroom Victorian brick house where I've come to find out how the move has influenced her and her work.
36:40Hello.
36:41Hi, Claire.
36:42Lovely to meet you.
36:43Thanks for having me.
36:44Do come in, do come in.
36:45What a beautiful home.
36:46Well, thank you so much.
36:47I love all these floor tiles in there.
36:49A lot of this was here when I came, the floor and the units and everything but I've done quite a lot of work decoratively.
36:57Yes, very tasteful.
36:58All these old beams were salvaged and put in by the previous owner.
36:59Oh, so they're not original.
37:00They're not original but they look really authentic I think.
37:01Yeah, they do, yeah.
37:02So I know you moved from quite a kind of glamorous job in London.
37:03You were in magazines, is that right?
37:04Well, that's right.
37:05Well, yes, I worked for most of my career as a magazine journalist and then I've always meant to move to the country and then I thought the time has come.
37:11I grew up around here in Malvern which is about a 50-minute drive away and my family originally from Wales which is quite close and it just makes me feel more rooted.
37:34Do you find that being here is more conducive to writing? Do you get more writing done?
37:39Well, I find what I'm writing about has changed rather because these days it's more kind of mythical folkloric witchy type books and which I think is informed quite a lot by the surroundings because Hertfordshire is a land rich in folklore and, you know, goings on.
37:54And is your garden a reflection of that?
37:56Yes, it is. I've made the garden based on five elements. There's fire, water, earth and air and then in the centre there's a spiral which represents spirit.
38:03Can we have a peek outside?
38:05Yes, of course. I'd love to show you.
38:07Either way.
38:13This looks amazing.
38:14Well, there's a lot here already. I've just sort of redesigned it to my own whim.
38:18In the summer that's all fire and yellows and reds and oranges and then there's water, earth and air with all the very tall grasses which will come up later.
38:28Beautiful.
38:29Now, a lot of your writing of late has taken a more elemental turn. How would you describe your practice?
38:39Well, it's mostly aligned with Druidry and the sort of connection with nature and the land and the seasons, which is one of the reasons I've created the garden like I have.
38:48Oh, okay.
38:49And my latest book actually is about one of the elements. It's about water. It's called The Water Remedy and it's about how we should care for and appreciate water.
38:55It's about searching for holy wells and appreciating spa water and springs and a little bit about the seaside and coast and estuaries, which I love.
39:04I notice you've got water right in the middle of your garden here.
39:07Yes, I have. That's a little pool at the centre of my cosmic spiral.
39:11Ah.
39:12But it's a meditation path, so you walk into the centre and then you walk out again. And it takes a surprisingly long time, actually.
39:19Well, I'm a big meditator. I love meditation. Can we walk mindfully round your spiral?
39:23Of course.
39:25Claire's path to the countryside certainly seems to have led her to a life centred on all that nourishes her.
39:32Now to see if any of the houses I've shown my buyers capture the spirit of what they're looking for.
39:44My presenter's intuition makes me feel that Beata really loved all the land and the woodland and the kind of country feel of the mystery house.
39:55But Andrew, probably it was an acre or three too far. But let's find out what they think about all the houses.
40:10How are you doing?
40:11Doing well.
40:12Wie geht's?
40:13Good.
40:14Sehr gut.
40:15So, has this focused your mind? What's this week taught you about your move here?
40:20It's taught us that England is for us. We are coming back.
40:23Yes.
40:25It's also taught us, actually, it's a lovely area here. The Wye Valley, Gloucestershire.
40:30And I think the first house is my favourite out of the three. The land, the garden, the positioning, the quiet was superb.
40:37You just needed to make the house bigger and I thought, I was thinking all the time, what could I do to make it bigger? How could I do that? How could I change it?
40:43Beata is there one that stood out for you as a possibility?
40:45I want to love the third house. My heart says, that's mine.
40:50So you love the mystery house?
40:51I do. The romantic feeling of having your own animals to look after and being able to just go out in the morning and walk across your own land.
41:01But the first house had land as well. When you actually look at the plot size, it's a lot bigger than your first thing.
41:05And I just think it's easy to manage and work that land than it is the other one and I think that's a factor.
41:12What's the next step for you guys?
41:13The first house, I want to think about a bit more. The second and the third don't work for me, but the area does.
41:22The third one in particular because of the village location isn't it? The amenities are there on your doorstep, which really help.
41:28OK, so first and third maybe, but overall you're sold on this Wye Valley location?
41:35Yes, absolutely. And if something comes on that we need to see, we go on a plane and we come back and we see it.
41:42We have to find somewhere to live. Work starts for us both over the summer, new jobs. So things have to happen and we have to make them happen.
41:50Well, keep us in the loop. It's been a real joy. And if you find somewhere, let us know and we'll come revisit.
41:56Brilliant. You'll be very well.
41:58Thank you. Auf Wiedersehen. Auf Wiedersehen, exactly.
42:01In the end, I didn't need this because apparently I am the sunshine presenter because there was lots of sunshine on Andrew and Beate's adventures here in Gloucestershire and the Wye Valley.
42:16And I think they have fallen in love with this beautiful area for the country, which is great because in my own experience, moving from one country like Germany to the UK is quite a lot of stress.
42:28And it's great to have a wonderful prospect of landscape and livelihood stretching out in front of you.
42:35So I hope they find the place they love and I hope you join us next time for more Escape to the Country.
42:40Our couple went back to the first house for a second viewing, but in a huge twist of events, decided to shift their search closer to Andrew's family in Yorkshire.
42:52They're now in the process of buying a barn conversion there. We wish them all the best with their move.
42:59If you'd like to escape to the country in England, Northern Ireland, Scotland or Wales and need our help, why not apply online at bbc.co.uk forward slash take part.
43:10We'll see you next time.
43:40Bye.
43:41Bye.
Be the first to comment