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00:00Today's escape to the country is positively blooming.
00:06Yeah, the flower archway.
00:08It is the Rose Arch of Dreams.
00:11Yes.
00:12That is straight out of my vision book.
00:14We have properties through the ages.
00:16I think it looks really, really neat.
00:18Really, really tidy.
00:19He just loves the fact it was built five years ago.
00:21No, that's true.
00:24And gardens that go on for miles.
00:27I know you didn't want a lot of lawn.
00:31And I am going to hold my hands up.
00:33And I'm giving you a lot of lawn.
00:36For a young couple itching to set up home together.
00:40I can see the grin on your face.
00:41You're just, yes.
00:42Is the tear in your eye hay fever or tears, real tears?
00:46It's a pleasant mixture.
00:57This East Anglian county is famed for its low-lying Fenlands...
01:17..that give rise to big skies.
01:21It is, of course, Cambridgeshire.
01:25There's a term in the property business called the Goldilocks Zone.
01:29Somewhere not too far from a city or a town.
01:32Commutable territory.
01:33Not too expensive.
01:35In other words, somewhere you will find the perfect porridge.
01:39Unbreakable chairs and really comfy beds.
01:42Somewhere just right.
01:44Just like Cambridgeshire.
01:46Today we're exploring the countryside along Cambridgeshire's borders...
01:52..with Hertfordshire and Suffolk.
01:56The pretty villages of Great Shelford and Little Shelford...
02:00..were recently named as some of the country's most desirable commuter hotspots.
02:05I've lived here all my life.
02:07I love that it's such a strong community.
02:09I love that it's all really accessible.
02:11I don't drive myself, so I get the train everywhere.
02:13And I love that you can go to London, you can go to Cambridge...
02:16..and whatever you want to do, you can be able to find it.
02:22The town of St Ives, not to be confused with its Cornish namesake...
02:26..sits on the banks of the River Great Ouse.
02:29Its lively market town atmosphere and waterside location draw many a home buyer.
02:35There's lots of green areas, lots of wildlife as well around here as well.
02:38And it's great, very nice atmosphere, everyone's so lovely too...
02:41..and such a happy place to be.
02:47Right, time to get this show on the road.
02:49Before we do that, we need to meet today's young couple...
02:52..who've asked us to help them escape to the country.
02:55Hi, I'm Lauren. Hi, I'm Lewis.
02:59We're currently living in Stevenage with my parents...
03:01..and we're looking to buy our first forever home together.
03:06We've been sort of going between each other's parents' houses for a little while now...
03:09..and I think we're both kind of ready to sort of have our own space...
03:12..start making our own lives together.
03:14Lauren works in marketing and Lewis is an actuary.
03:23Both commute to London several days a week.
03:26It's really important for us to have greenery around for health reasons.
03:30We've both had some horrible things happen in our lives.
03:33So for us, we find the countryside really healing and calming.
03:37Lauren has a clear vision regarding the colour scheme...
03:41..for the couple's new rural sanctuary.
03:44As you can see, I really like the colour pink.
03:47So when we have our future house, I am hoping to have a pink front door...
03:51..if Lewis will let me.
03:53Thoughts, Lewis?
03:55Er, I think...
03:57..it wouldn't be my first choice, I have to admit.
03:59A few little touches I'm not too opposed to, OK?
04:02That would be fine.
04:03Lauren and Lewis want a detached property...
04:09..but they will consider a semi.
04:11It must blend character with a contemporary interior...
04:15..and have four bedrooms, a decent sized garden...
04:18..and close to a station with links into London.
04:21Their budget? £750,000.
04:24What's exciting is that this is Lauren and Lewis's first house together...
04:37..and they're so sure about wanting to escape to the country...
04:41..wanting that peace and tranquillity...
04:43..and only dipping into the busyness of London...
04:46..when they have to work.
04:48Before our canter around Cambridgeshire commences...
04:54..I'm meeting Lauren and Lewis on the banks of the River Great Ouse.
05:02Well, Lauren and Lewis, this is exciting.
05:04We're all buying our first house together.
05:06Because I'm that involved already.
05:08We'll have a spare room for you, if you like.
05:10Listen, you called me. You called me.
05:12But you've known quite early on, right?
05:14This is what you want to do. This is the plan.
05:16Yeah. Yes.
05:17Yeah.
05:18I've always wanted a cottage and I've always wanted to live in a village...
05:21..and have a characterful home.
05:23So that's something we talked about quite early on, didn't we?
05:25And we just wanted, like, a calm countryside life for our future...
05:28..and future children as well, hopefully.
05:30I've got a Pinterest board of literally my dream house.
05:33So, yeah, I have in my mind the sort of house that I want...
05:36..and everything on our kind of wish list we agree on as well, which is great.
05:40That was going to be my next question.
05:42Because it is your first house together.
05:45I think we're sort of looking for similar things.
05:48There's nothing on there that screams,
05:49oh, I'm definitely not OK with that.
05:51I feel like we're very much opposites attract.
05:53He's the analytical mindset.
05:55I'm the fashion, marketing girlie, a bit more creative.
05:58It sounds like the perfect combo to me, actually.
06:00Let's go house hunt.
06:02We start in the Cambridgeshire village of Yelling,
06:07four and a half miles from the town of St Neots,
06:10on the main train line to London.
06:12Despite the shouty-sounding name, Yelling is a peaceful village,
06:16home to just over 300 people.
06:18The focal point is the village hall that also serves as the local pub,
06:23with the nearest shop a six-minute drive away in Papworth.
06:32The first property we're showing Lauren and Lewis
06:34is this quintessential thatched cottage built in the early 19th century.
06:39Originally a row of six farm workers' cottages,
06:43today it's a stylish semi-detached family home.
06:48So you've got this lovely driveway with the double garage.
06:51Yes.
06:52Perfect.
06:53And then...
06:54Oh, look at that.
06:55Wow.
06:56It has the thatch, so I'm happy.
06:58I was trying to win you over with the double garage.
07:00Before we got to the thatch room.
07:02That's it, yeah.
07:03No, it's lovely.
07:04It looks very pretty from the outside.
07:05I like the archway.
07:06The flower archway is really cute, isn't it?
07:07Yeah, the flower archway.
07:08The rose arch of dreams.
07:10Yes.
07:11That is straight out of my vision board.
07:13It's picture perfect.
07:14Mm-hm, yeah.
07:15And so we thought we'd start there.
07:17Yes, yeah.
07:18Ideal, ideal.
07:19And then see how it goes.
07:20Yeah, it's stunning.
07:21Let's have a look inside.
07:22Let's head in.
07:26I happen to know that Lewis, whilst not against thatched roofs,
07:31is not quite as in love with them as Lauren,
07:33but I'm hopeful that the interior of this cottage
07:36will appeal to his more modern aesthetic
07:39and also provide Lauren with all the period charm she's after.
07:45So you come through the beamed hallway.
07:46There's an office there.
07:47Mm-hm.
07:49Look at this gorgeous parlour room.
07:51That's what I would call it.
07:52Oh, nice.
07:53Nice and bright and light.
07:54Yeah, it's lovely.
07:55And then look at this space.
07:56Oh, that's very nice, isn't it?
07:57It's really bright as well, isn't it?
07:58It's really bright as well, isn't it?
07:59It's actually really bright.
08:00It's a triple aspect, which is rare.
08:01Mm.
08:02Especially in a cottage.
08:03Yeah.
08:04I like this cottage.
08:05Yeah, it's so light.
08:06Yeah, it's beautiful.
08:07It's lovely and bright, isn't it?
08:08Absolutely stunning.
08:09And the ceiling's amazing.
08:10Excellent.
08:11It really feels very homely in here, which is lovely, doesn't it?
08:14Yeah, it does.
08:15So we've got these two reception rooms, and then you have this gorgeous bonus space, really.
08:21Wow.
08:22Which can be anything leading into the kitchen.
08:25There's so much you can do.
08:26Yeah.
08:27Beautiful.
08:28The space is lovely, isn't it?
08:29You know, you don't have to have a table.
08:30You could have sofas in there, and it becomes your summer reading room with a bar.
08:34A little snub or something.
08:35Yeah, with a bar, absolutely.
08:36Yeah, it's your summer space, I think.
08:38Mm-hm.
08:39And then you're into this really light kitchen again.
08:42All of this is underfloor heating, by the way, on the ground floor.
08:45Oh, wow.
08:46It looks lovely.
08:47It feels nice.
08:48Nicely modernised, isn't it?
08:49Yeah.
08:50And that's kind of the thing I wanted.
08:51If it was going for character, like a little bit of modernisation in there.
08:52Yeah.
08:53And that does seem to...
08:54You seem to have done that really nicely here.
08:58The contemporary cottage vibe continues upstairs.
09:02So you've got three bedrooms there.
09:05Mm-hm.
09:06The bathroom, a loo, and then this would be your room.
09:10Wow.
09:11Again, it's just so bright.
09:12It's stunning, yeah.
09:13There's just so much light in here.
09:14Mm.
09:15Bit of a wardrobe.
09:16Yeah.
09:17So I can have that, you can have all that.
09:18Yeah.
09:19Perfect.
09:20There's really no need for arguments over space up here.
09:24In addition to the family bathroom, with its roll-top bath, there's a single bedroom,
09:30another single used as a study, and the fourth and final bedroom.
09:36Oh, nice.
09:37Another really decent side bedroom.
09:38Yeah, this is lovely.
09:39Really nice.
09:40Nice windows.
09:41Yeah.
09:42Nice natural light.
09:43It's just so bright and airy in here, isn't it?
09:44It feels like a good size as well.
09:45It's a good space for sure.
09:46Yeah.
09:47Yeah.
09:48Yeah.
09:49Yeah.
09:50Yeah.
09:51Yeah.
09:52The south-westerly facing garden features a large paved patio, perfect for alfresco dining,
09:53and a generous expanse of lawn to the front of the floor.
09:54Yeah.
09:55The south-westerly facing garden features a large paved patio, perfect for alfresco dining,
10:07and a generous expanse of lawn to the front, which extends to the side and includes a small
10:23orchard of apple plum and cherry trees, as well as some veg plots.
10:28Fancy growing your own veg?
10:29Absolutely.
10:30You want to, don't you?
10:31Yes.
10:32Yeah, yeah, yeah.
10:33Absolutely.
10:34You're green-thumbed, aren't you?
10:35Yes.
10:36It'd be great.
10:37It's lovely.
10:38A wildflower field at the back as well.
10:40Yes.
10:41It's just stunning.
10:42It's beautiful.
10:43Yours to look at, to even walk through because there's a gate.
10:46Yes.
10:47It belongs to the farmer, and yeah, they've sort of just let it grow into a wild meadow,
10:52which is just gorgeous, isn't it?
10:54Yeah.
10:55It's beautiful.
10:56I've mentally moved in already.
10:57I can imagine every room.
10:59I love it.
11:00It's stunning.
11:01I can see the grin on your face.
11:02You're just, yes.
11:03Is the tear in your eye hay fever or tears, real tears?
11:06It's a pleasant mixture of those.
11:09It is time for us to talk about the price of the property.
11:13I'll let you go first.
11:14Um, I have a rough idea.
11:16I think it will be right at the top of our budget, maybe £750,000.
11:21Okay.
11:22I'm going to, I'm going to match it, yeah, it's about £750,000.
11:27I like how you both said about.
11:28Yeah.
11:29About, give or take, plus or minus.
11:31Yeah.
11:32Well, it is now on the market for £675,000.
11:39Wow.
11:40Okay.
11:41Yeah, wow.
11:42It's been reduced in price to account for the fact that the roof probably has about another
11:48five years.
11:49Okay.
11:50And then you get that done.
11:51So they've sort of accounted for that in the price.
11:53Okay, fine.
11:54Yeah, okay.
11:55That makes sense, yeah.
11:56Alright, that's good.
11:57Yeah.
11:58That's doable.
11:59This semi-detached thatched cottage has three receptions, a family kitchen breakfast room,
12:06four bedrooms, a separate study and a detached double garage with guest annex above.
12:12Blessed with a generous garden, it's on the market for £675,000.
12:22My first impression of the house is it's lovely and well kept. It's a beautiful setting.
12:26The garden space in the area around is absolutely lovely. The house itself is really pretty.
12:33It's more, certainly more on the cottagey side than the sort of like the monty side that I personally like.
12:38And yeah, I think Lauren is definitely more leaning towards it than I am a little bit.
12:42I'm still a little bit hesitant, I think, but there's certainly stuff about it that I really, really like.
12:46Yes, it's just beautiful. I can envision myself in this house, I can see my future and kind of see all the rooms and what they would be and how our life would be here.
13:01Well, here you are leaving the picture perfect house.
13:04But I must take you away because we have more to see.
13:08It's exciting.
13:09Have we won him over?
13:10I think so. I think so.
13:12Have we won you over?
13:13Well, almost.
13:15That was the most I was going to get, right?
13:17We'll get there.
13:18Teetering on the Cambridgeshire Hertfordshire border, but officially in Hertfordshire, just, lies the market town of Royston.
13:39I've lived here for 12 years and I've lived and worked all over Hertfordshire. I wouldn't be anywhere else.
13:46Although we're a small market town, there is loads going on all the time. The community spirit is amazing.
13:53I think we've got more events going on than most other little towns in the area.
13:58Royston is home to nearly 17 and a half thousand people and serves several more thousand folk living in the popular outlying villages such as Melbourne, Littlington and Bassingbourne.
14:10There's so many amazing walks nearby. There's the heath. There's little country lanes, country walks. It's just so, so beautiful. Like I couldn't pick a better place to want to live.
14:19It's very well connected, equidistant between the A1M and the M11, both less than a 15 minute drive away.
14:29I think we are so well positioned. We're between two airports, Luton and Stansted. We've got great train lines into London.
14:3740 minutes you can be in London, 15 minutes you're in Cambridge.
14:42Many of the buildings in the centre of Royston date back to the early 1600s when King James I chose to build a country retreat here.
14:51King James pub, the vase of excellent wine, spears and spirits.
14:56Looks nice to glass wine on a sunny day. Excellent.
14:59His hunting lodge, the Old Palace, still stands on Kneesworth Street.
15:04Just a few doors up is one of the newest arrivals to Royston, Mitre, a restaurant serving up world cuisine.
15:12We've been here six months and it's been wonderful six months and people are very, very nice and very welcoming.
15:18Royston is a wonderful place. It's a beautiful small town, very secure, safe place for kids and families. A lovely place to live in.
15:30There's a plethora of eateries and watering holes in the town, with everything from your morning latte to your post work pint covered.
15:39Hiya, how are you? Hi, nice to meet you. Nice to meet you, I'm Lewis.
15:42Hi.
15:43Cookie Nomad is a cafe, co-working and event space that was set up by Emma Nankivel and a couple of her old school friends in 2022.
15:53And Emma's kindly agreed to fill Lauren and Lewis in on Royston life.
15:57It's a really lovely community feel around here actually. It's a market town so it does get a lot of kind of traction from outside the area as well.
16:06I've actually been born and raised in Royston, moved away for a few years but came back.
16:10Really good schools as well. Yeah. If ever you're looking at that sort of further down the line, it's got really nice kind of family community as well.
16:18Yeah. I find it offers a real good like work life balance, offers a real nice kind of relaxed atmosphere.
16:24It's not too like busy, you're not kind of expected to kind of be constantly going. It's very chilled, very nice way of living.
16:30Sounds idyllic. Yeah.
16:33Yeah.
16:35Sounds dreamy but we have work to do, finding Lauren and Lewis their perfect family home.
16:41We're heading to the village of Kirtling now, right on the Cambridgeshire border with Suffolk.
16:57The nearest station with direct links to London is in Cambridge, a 30 minute drive away.
17:02And the 300 or so residents have access to several footpaths from which to enjoy rural walks, a village hall and a pub.
17:12A few minutes walk from which sits our second property, a modern, spacious, detached family home.
17:22Well, here we are.
17:24Earlier on, it was a house for you, Lauren.
17:27This is the house for Lewis.
17:28Not that you're not moving in together, but this, I've gone for the other side now.
17:33I do like that.
17:34It looks lovely.
17:36I like the porch.
17:37Yes.
17:38It's a house with character but it was only built in 2020.
17:42Wow, okay.
17:43Fine, fine.
17:44If you have any worries about a thatched roof, I'm feeling like a newly built roof five years ago.
17:50Yeah.
17:51Should be alright.
17:52Clay tiles, oak porch, oak windows.
17:55Yeah, I think you're alright.
17:56I saw all the right things, to be fair.
17:57Yeah.
17:58Yeah.
17:59Absolutely.
18:00I do like it, yeah.
18:01I feel like it's still got plenty of character and it still looks from the outskirts very homely,
18:04doesn't it?
18:05Yeah, I really like the look of it, to be honest.
18:07I think it looks really, really neat, really, really tidy.
18:10He just loves the fact it was built five years ago.
18:12Yes.
18:13That's true.
18:14Yeah, that's it.
18:16Shall we head in?
18:17Yeah.
18:18Let's do it.
18:19Let's go.
18:21The house was built by the present owner, who used highly effective floor, wall and roof insulation,
18:28high performance double glazing plus low energy lighting throughout, to result in a B rating
18:34for the property's environmental impact. The average rating in the UK is D. Similarly,
18:41high standards were also applied to the interior, which just oozes contemporary country living.
18:49And here we are.
18:51Wow.
18:52You get a feel for the house as soon as you come in.
18:55Not what I expected.
18:56Yeah, that's it.
18:57Really?
18:58No, it was great though, but yeah, I don't know.
19:00It's much bigger and more open planned straight away than I expected.
19:03I love the space.
19:04The fireplace there is exceptional, isn't it?
19:06I really like that.
19:07That's really cool.
19:08Beautiful.
19:09Lovely open staircase as well.
19:10Yeah, I love that.
19:11Oak.
19:12Yeah, I love that.
19:13I love a bit of oak.
19:14That is gorgeous.
19:15Family room here, just everybody's in.
19:17Like, adults around the outside, kids messing around in the middle.
19:20Yeah, yeah.
19:21No, it's lovely.
19:22Spot on.
19:23Onto the kitchen.
19:24Let's go.
19:25Can't wait.
19:26Let's have a look.
19:27So this is the utility with the downstairs loo, door to the garage.
19:31Excellent.
19:32Yeah.
19:33Into this huge space.
19:35This kitchen is amazing.
19:37I approve.
19:38That island is spectacular.
19:40Yeah.
19:41That's lovely.
19:42Yeah.
19:43It's really well done.
19:44So much space.
19:45This is the perfect size to be honest.
19:46Fun cooking.
19:47If we've got people over.
19:48I feel like I like the open plan of it as well.
19:51Because we do love hosting.
19:52Especially you with your big family as well.
19:54Yeah, this is really high up on my list.
19:57Yeah, this is really good for me.
19:59You prefer this one already a bit more, I think.
20:01I think so.
20:02Yeah.
20:03I don't know if it's obvious.
20:04We, I mean, you know, I'm about to ask you for a game of cards.
20:08Exactly.
20:11But.
20:12Yeah.
20:13Go upstairs.
20:14Go and discover that.
20:15See if the space works for you.
20:17And then meet me outside.
20:18Cool.
20:19Sounds good.
20:20We'll see you soon.
20:21Looks like Lewis is totally on board.
20:25I don't know why I'm whispering.
20:26It's been obvious to all of us.
20:30The space on offer downstairs is replicated upstairs with four generous double bedrooms.
20:36This one being the largest.
20:39Oh, wow.
20:40Very spacious in here.
20:41It's lovely.
20:42This bedroom is massive, isn't it?
20:43And the views are stunning.
20:44Fields.
20:45Yeah, it's beautiful.
20:48Let's have a look at the en suite.
20:50That's really nicely done as well.
20:51It's nice to have an en suite as well.
20:53That was something that was missing in the last house and it's quite nice to have.
20:59There's another double, also with an en suite, at the rear of the property and a third double next door.
21:05This shares a luxury family bathroom with a separate bath and shower with the fourth and final double set up as a twin.
21:13Oh, wow.
21:14This room's a really nice size as well.
21:16Nice and bright and airy again.
21:17It's enormous, isn't it?
21:18Yeah.
21:19How are they so big?
21:20It doesn't look like there'd be this much space in here, but it's fantastic, isn't it?
21:26That's 2,800 square feet of living accommodation dealt with.
21:31Time to tackle the garden, which might be more modest in size, but is just as exquisitely designed.
21:41This is a lovely, lovely space and that's barbecue.
21:44That little...
21:45I don't know what to call it, but it's just...
21:47It's not little.
21:48Yeah.
21:49It's not little.
21:50It's the centrepiece of the garden that is made for entertaining this garden.
21:54Yes.
21:55Yeah, definitely.
21:56We could do that.
21:57There's a nice little area for vegetables there and, yeah, I feel like it's the perfect size, to be honest.
22:02Right, let's talk money.
22:03Yeah.
22:04Okay.
22:05How much do you think this property is on the market for?
22:09I am going to guess £725,000.
22:16I'm going to go £630,000.
22:19Oh, my gosh!
22:20Oh, wow.
22:21I overwent on the last one, so now I'm unsure.
22:25Yeah.
22:26And maybe a bit low, but, yeah.
22:30It is on the market for exactly the price that Lewis guessed.
22:34Oh, wow.
22:35Okay.
22:36£725,000.
22:37That doesn't surprise me.
22:38And only been on for two weeks.
22:40Oh, wow.
22:41Okay.
22:42Yes.
22:43This modern, detached family home offers a huge living room, a sleek, stylish, open-plan kitchen
22:52diner, four roomy double bedrooms, two of which are ensuite, and a beautifully landscaped
22:58rear garden.
22:59It's on the market for £725,000.
23:05I feel like it still has a lot of nice character in there.
23:07The staircase itself is beautiful.
23:09I would say it's maybe a little bit too modern for me.
23:13That being said, I'm not against it by any means.
23:15It's beautiful.
23:16It's high-spec.
23:20It's so well done, I think.
23:21There's so much attention to detail in there as well.
23:24The kitchen space is amazing.
23:25There's loads of open space.
23:26The bedrooms are huge.
23:27It's just so bright and airy.
23:29The views are amazing.
23:33The view from the master bedroom of just rolling fields and horses and sheep, it's stunning.
23:38Waking up to the view every morning, it's just amazing.
23:40We're winding up our day just a couple of miles from our second house at Branches Park, a 1500-acre estate that's been restored to its former glory and is now run as a private events venue.
24:06I'm being very anti-sonarly and bringing you to a wedding venue.
24:12What for?
24:14It's just nice to know where they are, just in case.
24:18Wedding venue aside, let's talk about the living venues that we have seen today.
24:24In the houses we were viewing, we said how peaceful and quiet it was and how calm and serene we felt.
24:30It's exactly what we want really, isn't it?
24:32Yeah.
24:33You're not buying a flat together, which is probably what most couples, and maybe that's my own experience because I was the same age buying my first property with my partner.
24:42Yeah.
24:43You're not doing a stepping stone property.
24:45You're not going, oh, let's get an apartment or something.
24:47No.
24:48You're going all in.
24:49You're already buying the family home.
24:51Yeah.
24:52And possibly a home that you could be in for decades, really, it sounds like.
24:55Yes.
24:56Yeah.
24:57And growing into the house, growing as a family in the future as well, that's really important for us.
25:01Do we need to go see a mystery house?
25:03Oh, yeah, because I think we're sort of split in the middle a little bit.
25:07Yeah, it is.
25:08Leaning more towards one for each of us, so I think maybe that third one might sort of stick us together in the middle somewhere.
25:15I'm very excited to see the mystery house.
25:17Let's see what we can do.
25:19If you're thinking about buying in and around the Cambridgeshire borders, here's the lowdown on property prices.
25:39Presently, the average cost of a detached home in the UK is just over £437,000.
25:46In Cambridgeshire, that figure rises to just over £485,000.
25:53And in neighbouring Hertfordshire, to the south, however, it doubles to more than £950,000.
26:04Of course, there are properties to suit all budgets.
26:07We've cherry-picked a few more that are also on the market now.
26:11This characterful 18th century Grade II listed cottage features a cosy reception,
26:18a newly fitted kitchen, two bedrooms, a modern shower room and a courtyard garden.
26:25It's on the market with a guide price of £289,000.
26:30For offers over £475,000, you could own this handsome, detached Victorian property,
26:37with a bright sitting room, a second larger reception, a vaulted kitchen breakfast room and four bedrooms.
26:45Outside, enjoy a paved patio and a manicured lawn with a summer house, ideal for hobbies or a teen retreat.
26:52Just over the eastern county border in Suffolk, renters can find this Victorian terraced cottage with an open-plan living dining room,
27:04modern shaker-style kitchen, two double bedrooms and a courtyard garden.
27:09Available for £1,390 per calendar month.
27:14Yesterday was a day of two halves, a home for Lauren, a home for Lewis, both almost right for both of them.
27:26It is time to properly test them with the mystery house.
27:29This is a couple who know what they want.
27:31However, if a property doesn't fit their personal picture-perfect vision down to a tee,
27:38but has the potential to, are they willing to come together and put the work in?
27:45Our mystery house lies in the village of Wentworth, four and a half miles west of the Cambridgeshire Cathedral city of Ely.
27:53As well as having a direct train link to London, Ely has all the amenities Lauren and Lewis could need,
27:59including twice-monthly farmers markets, vintage markets and the popular Foodie Fridays,
28:06held through the spring and summer months.
28:11Wentworth Village is a ten-minute drive from Ely, in the middle of the East Cambridgeshire countryside.
28:18The mystery house is only a hundred metres away.
28:22Cool.
28:23But isn't this what you're after? This.
28:26Every morning, in the evenings, whenever you want, it's this piece that you're after.
28:30Absolutely, yeah.
28:31This tranquility is just, it's lovely.
28:37Whilst Lauren and Lewis explore the village with its Bookshare bus shelter,
28:42I'm taking you for a sneak preview of the mystery house, an idyllic, detached, thatched cottage.
28:51So far, it's been a house apiece.
28:55They're both happy with two different houses.
28:57This is a property for both of them, the mystery house, because it is a house for the future.
29:04This might be their first home together, but this search has never been about finding them a starter home.
29:14No, no.
29:15From the off, it's been about finding their forever home.
29:18And this property, whilst just perfect for the two of them now, has the potential to expand.
29:25It can adapt with them as a family.
29:28This property dates back to the 1500s, but it's not listed, which means they have freedom to create any extra space that they need.
29:37In short, it's a property that can grow along with them.
29:47Well, welcome, welcome to the mystery house.
29:49Wow.
29:50That is beautiful, isn't it?
29:51Your own little haven in Cambridgeshire.
29:54It's beautiful.
29:55It's stunning.
29:56It's newly roofed and ridged.
29:58Like, that thatches brand, brand new.
30:01OK.
30:02So you don't even have to think about it.
30:04Yeah.
30:05It's so beautiful, isn't it?
30:06So, it feels very private and very secluded already, which I really like as well.
30:10It's like our space.
30:11Yeah.
30:12Our own space.
30:13Yeah.
30:14I like that.
30:15Yeah.
30:16Same.
30:17Me too.
30:18I will not make you wait any longer.
30:19Let's go.
30:22This cottage has been beautifully maintained by the vendors and still leaves scope for Lauren and Lewis to make their mark.
30:30So you've got the hallway, the cupboard under the stairs.
30:33Oh, lovely.
30:34Oh, it's so nice in here.
30:35Yeah, it's very pretty.
30:37Imagine just snuggling up here with the fireplace on.
30:39It's so cosy.
30:40Through this dinky door.
30:45Oh, wow.
30:46There's a second reception used as a shared office.
30:50It's lovely in here.
30:52Oh, this is plenty of space, isn't it?
30:54Look at this.
30:55Look at that oak window sills as well.
30:56Oh, I really like that.
30:57And the beam.
30:58Nice beam as well.
30:59I like the size of the door as well.
31:01Yeah.
31:02It's very cute.
31:03It's like a hidden secret.
31:04It's quite different to the space of the second house yesterday.
31:07Yeah.
31:08Do you see yourself in here?
31:09Yeah, I do, to be fair.
31:10Yeah.
31:11It's a slightly different vision, but that's not necessarily a bad thing at all, I don't
31:15think.
31:16We're heading back through the main entrance hall to the rear.
31:20So with this house, you've got the kitchen.
31:23Wow.
31:24Through to a utility room.
31:28Okay.
31:29I would ask for that coffee machine.
31:31Wow, that looks great.
31:32As part of the deal.
31:33That is proper.
31:34I like the kitchen services and the worktop.
31:36That's good.
31:37Oh, wow.
31:38Into this space.
31:39This is beautiful.
31:40It's so nice and light.
31:41Wow.
31:42It's a really nice space, isn't it?
31:43Really big.
31:44Oh, perfect.
31:45There's loads of people around it.
31:46Yeah, and great because it looks out onto the garden.
31:49Yes.
31:50The owners, before they decided to move, were planning a huge extension.
31:55Okay.
31:56A sort of double-sized living room and an extra bedroom on top at the back.
32:00Okay.
32:01They were then thinking about an orangery that goes further into the garden, but you could
32:06really add to the house if and when you needed it.
32:10Okay.
32:11Okay.
32:12That's good to know.
32:13But the point is, it's adaptable to what you need.
32:16Mm-hmm.
32:17It doesn't have to change at all in the first few years, does it?
32:19No.
32:20No.
32:21I mean, we could definitely move in as is.
32:22Yes.
32:23Upstairs, a family bathroom serves a bedroom with exposed beams that's used as a reading
32:32room, a second roomier double in a newer part of the house, and a third and final double.
32:39Oh, wow.
32:40This is the master bedroom.
32:42Ah, loads of space.
32:44This is stunning.
32:46Again, nice beams in the backdrop.
32:48Yeah, this is beautiful.
32:49Plenty of wardrobe space as well.
32:50Mm-hmm.
32:51Yeah.
32:52Yeah, I really like this.
32:53This is good.
32:54Mm-hmm.
32:55This is really nice.
32:56Yeah.
32:57Love it.
32:58Outside, the garden is the stuff rural moves are made of.
33:04Measuring just over two-thirds of an acre, it comprises a formal lawn which leads to an
33:10orchard, an impressive kitchen garden, a chicken coop, and a 30-foot teepee frame.
33:17Wow.
33:18Look at all that space.
33:19Mm.
33:20The garden space is absolutely massive.
33:21This is amazing.
33:22Brilliant.
33:23Fruit trees there, lovely flowers everywhere.
33:25You can see all the bricks as well.
33:28Gorgeous.
33:29And look, what's that down the bottom?
33:31A chicken coop.
33:32It's our chicken coop.
33:33It's our chicken coop.
33:34It's our chicken coop.
33:35It's our chicken coop.
33:36Aww.
33:37Hello, bud.
33:38We could have chickens.
33:39Hello.
33:40Hello.
33:41Hi.
33:42Oh, yeah.
33:43Do you speak chicken?
33:44No.
33:45Okay.
33:46That's a shame.
33:47That's a shame.
33:48In addition, there's a large, detached workshop and store, presently set up as a games room
33:54and a detached, thatched garage.
34:00I know you didn't want a lot of lawn, and I am going to hold my hands up, and I'm giving
34:09you a lot of lawn.
34:10Mm-hmm.
34:11Everything's just enormous.
34:12There's so much space everywhere.
34:13It's brilliant.
34:14They've done it so well.
34:15Everything's laid out with purpose, and I really like it.
34:17Yeah, it's done so good.
34:18Let's talk about the price.
34:19Mm-hmm.
34:20Okay.
34:21I think we're going to go higher.
34:22I'm not sure if it's in our budget, maybe right at the top range.
34:26I want to say, like, 780, maybe?
34:29Yeah.
34:30I think with the extra bit of land as well, I think £750,000, I reckon.
34:35Mm-hmm.
34:36In a way, you're both right.
34:39Mm-hmm.
34:40Which is strange to say, but they have asked for offers in excess of £750,000.
34:44Fine.
34:45Okay.
34:46Okay.
34:47That's not bad.
34:48Yeah.
34:49This detached, thatched cottage boasts three receptions and three double bedrooms.
35:04The two-thirds of an acre plot includes a detached workshop with store and a separate
35:10garage.
35:11Subject to the relevant planning consents, there's potential to extend the house in the future.
35:16It's being marketed for offers in excess of £750,000.
35:24I love it.
35:25I think it's so beautiful inside.
35:27I just think this is the countryside life that I would just absolutely adore.
35:35Yeah, there's so much going for this house and the aesthetic is absolutely spotter and
35:39I think it's so nice and bright inside.
35:41Yeah, it's delivered.
35:43The decline of the British bee population has become a pressing issue in recent years,
36:04largely due to urban development destroying natural habitats.
36:09In 2023, plans to establish beehives in the North Hertfordshire town of Letchworth Garden City
36:15were scrapped due to a lack of food sources.
36:19In response, Gareth Towson, a contractor with the council's ground maintenance team, created a bee corridor, a connected route of foraging spaces to support bees and other pollinators.
36:33Hi Gareth.
36:34Hello, how are you?
36:35I'm really well, how are you?
36:36Yeah, good, thank you.
36:37Together with a colleague, Gareth launched the Bee Part of It initiative, urging the community to transform available areas into bee-friendly habitats.
36:48There's so many people on board with it, schools doing wildlife areas, friends of groups that look after parks, volunteers that look after parks and residents planting up their gardens, shopkeepers with planters and hanging baskets.
37:07It's been fantastic, it really has.
37:08It sounds like you really got the word out there.
37:11Yeah, people's enthusiasm for it was great.
37:14The overarching message is that everyone can do something.
37:20If you've got a small garden and you can dedicate an area of it to naturalise with wildflowers, if you've only got a small patio, maybe some of your planters, you can put wildflower seed in and grow that.
37:33If you're in a flat, a window box, anything really, you know, anything that the pollinators can come and visit and be on their merry way.
37:44The Bee Corridor offers resting points with nectar-rich food, allowing pollinator populations to thrive.
37:52The other thing we can do is don't forget to give them a drink as well, a saucer or something like that.
37:56Put stones in it so the bees have got something to sit on so they're not actually in the water and drown.
38:02A little chair for the bees.
38:05A little chair for the bees, yeah.
38:07Such a nice idea.
38:09Its success has inspired similar initiatives in nearby Royston with hopes for Bulldock and Hitchin to follow suit.
38:17Wind Community Garden in the centre of Letchworth is one of many groups involved.
38:23And Richard, the town's business improvement manager, can share more about the project's impact.
38:29When Gareth approached me, it was just something that we couldn't say no to.
38:35Because we're the first Garden City, we've got rich history of looking after our gardens.
38:40You can't say no, can you?
38:41Absolutely can't say no.
38:42Imagine the headline.
38:43Else it would go down to Welling Garden City at that point, wouldn't it?
38:45Oh yeah, big rival.
38:46Big rival.
38:47Yeah, you've got to show them how it's done.
38:48Absolutely.
38:49So when Gareth approached us, yeah, we just came on board completely.
38:52So the first thing was getting the businesses on board.
38:54And so if you walk around the town now, you'll see the B Corridor posters in the windows.
38:59Most of the businesses in the town supported it.
39:01Secondly, then we advertised through our social media and our website in relation to getting residents of Letchworth on board as well.
39:08Because it needed them to change in relation to what plants they were growing in their gardens,
39:12how often they cut the verges, how often they cut the grasses.
39:15And to be honest, we were talking to people who just wanted to listen.
39:18We were not pushing against a closed door. It was all very positive.
39:21And Letchworth is looking great. The only problem is, it looks so good out here.
39:26You come out here on your lunch break, you don't want to go back.
39:28No, not at all. You don't.
39:33The B Corridor has enhanced biodiversity and also encouraged the whole community's engagement with nature,
39:41beneficial for both bees and the soul.
39:44Decisions, decisions, decisions.
39:54Let's see if Lewis and Lauren have been able to make any, or whether they are totally tall.
39:59Hello. Hi. How are you?
40:06How are you, I should ask, after seeing three amazing houses?
40:11They're okay. Yeah.
40:13Too much choice?
40:14Too much choice, slightly confused.
40:16Are all three houses still on the table?
40:18Yes. I think we could see ourselves in different capacities, at least anyway, in all three of those houses.
40:25Each one has their own merits.
40:26Yeah, exactly. I agree with that.
40:28I would say, of course, naturally, the first and third one I love the most,
40:32because for me, a thatched cottage is just my dream.
40:36We did like the second one as well.
40:38However, it was a little bit more on the modern side than perhaps I would have liked.
40:42But I think we will definitely book second viewings, and we're not ruling it off the table by any means.
40:47So, at the moment, three second viewings?
40:50Yes.
40:51Yeah, I would. I would go see each three of them again, I think.
40:54Are you going to, though?
40:55Yes.
40:56I think it's worth sort of getting another look in and taking more in as much more as possible and, yeah, going from there.
41:02I think practically the first house worked the best for us in terms of location to work.
41:06It's a train line that I get every day at the minute anyway to work.
41:09It's close to family, so things to discuss, things to think about.
41:14The first house, after having seen all three, feels like the one in between.
41:20It does, yeah, it does.
41:22And you could be in a house by the end of the year.
41:24There's no reason you're ready to move.
41:26Yeah, ready to go.
41:27If vendors are ready to go.
41:29Yeah.
41:30Could work out quite nicely.
41:31This could be a big year.
41:32Yeah.
41:33Big year, very big year.
41:34We're ready to move whenever, so we're excited and raring to go.
41:38Well, you better book in those second viewings then.
41:40Yes.
41:41Get the phone number, we'll get on the phone to him in a bit.
41:44Good.
41:45Yeah.
41:46And then, let me know what you decide.
41:48Of course.
41:49I'd love to come and see how you're getting on.
41:50Yes.
41:51We look forward to welcoming you in whichever house we choose.
41:53Well, cheers to your future, the three houses that you've seen and the hard work you're putting in now, because I'm done.
42:02So, Lauren and Lewis are torn between all three houses we showed them.
42:11And it's easy to see why.
42:13Cambridgeshire has delivered on the property front.
42:16So have we.
42:17Seriously though, it has been lovely to spend time with a young couple excited about their future.
42:23I think they're going to end up going with house number one.
42:26That feels like the sweet spot house.
42:29And with both of them very keen to move in together, I don't think it's going to be long before they're setting up house here.
42:35See you next time on Escape to the Country.
42:38Lauren and Lewis opted not to revisit house two and had second viewings of the first house plus the mystery house, but ultimately ruled them out.
42:49They continue to search for their dream forever home and we hope they find it soon.
42:54If you would 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.
43:36Yeah.
43:38It's probably the only way the Joker's anschis否.
43:39It's probably the only way the Joker ever told.
43:40It just feels like the Joker is dating once another.
43:41It can't be the Joker.
43:42The Joker'smonarybane movies had ever returned, everything.
43:43It's probably two strategies.
43:45The Joker.
43:46The Joker's
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