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00:01Occasionally on Escapes of the Country,
00:03our house hunters are more familiar with the region than we are.
00:06You know what they say about the three legs of man?
00:09Go on.
00:10Whichever way you throw me, I stand.
00:12Ah!
00:13And it can seem like there's nothing they haven't seen before.
00:17I've actually climbed to the top of it three times.
00:20Have you?
00:20Yes.
00:22But we have a good idea what should make them happy.
00:25It's your home from home, but now we need to make it your permanent home, don't we?
00:28Yes, please, yes, please.
00:30And we'll search to the ends of the earth to find it.
00:34Oh, what a lovely little area.
00:36Yeah.
00:36So sunny and warm, isn't it?
00:59The Isle of Man is clearly a land of beauty.
01:03But what else?
01:07Often overlooked by many, which we're equally guilty of, we're about to find out.
01:14Well, there is an old Manx saying that from here on top of Snaefell Mountain in the middle of the
01:20Isle of Man,
01:21you can see seven kingdoms, Ireland, Scotland, England, Wales down there on the horizon.
01:30I am stood, of course, on the kingdom of man itself.
01:34And out there at sea, Neptune's kingdom and above me, that of heaven.
01:39It is a view, frankly, we have never ever seen before because escape to the country has never been here
01:44before.
01:45But it is a visit we are going to relish.
01:49The Isle of Man is located in the Irish Sea and is a self-governing British crown dependency with its
01:56own parliament, laws and language.
01:59Felcia Eregus, Ellen Vannan.
02:02Welcome to the Isle of Man.
02:04It's everywhere Manx.
02:06It's in the house names, it's on the street names, it's the names of the mountains, it's the names of
02:11the hills.
02:11It's everywhere and it gives you a really, really beautiful understanding of where you are.
02:16I am not Manx by birth. I've adopted the island as my home and I absolutely love it here.
02:22I found the people here to be very welcoming and very supportive and that's worked really well for me with
02:28my hearing loss.
02:29My stress levels were too high and I found the much slower pace of life actually really suited me.
02:35I don't know if you're familiar with the term trader lure, which is Manx for time and off.
02:40So things get done as and when.
02:43But island life isn't all about slowing down.
02:47If you're into bikes, it helps the Isle of Man TT here.
02:49That's probably one of the biggest things or the biggest event of the island of the year.
02:54And while some of the locals are capable of swimming from the mainland,
02:58for the rest of us, the island can be reached by ferry for under £50 return for foot passengers.
03:06Well, it may be escape to the country's first visit here, but it's also mine.
03:11But as for today's buyer, well, she's been coming here for nearly 70 years.
03:15So I dare say on this occasion, she'll be showing me a thing or two.
03:24Retired nurse Pat has been living in a former chapel in Lincolnshire for 30 years.
03:29I love this place and it belongs to my parents and so I know it very well.
03:35But I'd like to pick it up and put it on the Isle of Man because I know that I
03:38can be happy there.
03:40She'll be assisted on her search by her friend Sue.
03:44I have never been to the Isle of Man and I really am looking forward to exploring it.
03:49Pat enjoys being creative and her main passion is painting.
03:53My children were in bed, fast asleep, my husband was at work and I got the kids' paint box and
04:01decided to paint an egg.
04:03And from humble beginnings, she's honed her talents over 50 years and now runs an art group.
04:10I really enjoy my art because you get lost in art.
04:13You have such a beautiful me time with art.
04:19But she won't be getting lost on the Isle of Man.
04:22I've worked there for a little while and also I've known it from childhood.
04:27Many, many happy holidays there.
04:31I know her heart really is there and it would calm her down.
04:36It will make her feel healthier in herself and I'm sure it will actually help prolong her life.
04:44Well, that beats the usual motivation of just wanting a bigger garden.
04:49For a maximum budget of £275,000, Pat is after a detached home, ideally on one level or with a
04:58stair lift.
04:58She needs two bedrooms for friends and family to visit in a semi-rural location or on the edge of
05:04a village and wants attractive views to paint, of which I think we might be spoiled for choice.
05:17I've often tried to picture what the Isle of Man might look like.
05:22In truth, I think it's a bit of almost every region I've seen.
05:27There's a sense of the Cairngorms here, the Yorkshire Dales, Devon, Somerset.
05:31There really is something for everybody.
05:34And as for Pat, well, this is obviously a long-held ambition to finally make this island her permanent home.
05:43And I suspect what she doesn't know about this place isn't worth knowing.
05:50We're starting our house search on the south-west tip of the island in the pretty seaside village of Port
05:56Erin.
05:57It's a spot familiar to Pat and I'm meeting her and Sue by the water.
06:05How are you?
06:06We're fine, thank you.
06:07Very nice to see you.
06:09Yes, pleased to meet you.
06:10Hello, Pat. Hello, Sue.
06:11Very pleased to see you.
06:12Well, what can I say?
06:14But welcome to Escapes of the Country.
06:16I can't really welcome you to the Isle of Man because I've never been here before.
06:20You've never been here before, Sue.
06:22But Pat, you know it better than all of us.
06:24Yes, I do.
06:25Yes.
06:26So how does it feel to be back thinking that this is going to be home for the future?
06:29I absolutely love the island.
06:32I've known it since I was about 13.
06:35But it's always been there like an itch that I wanted to scratch and couldn't, you know.
06:41And so I decided, yes, let's go for it.
06:44And I just rang the programme and said, do you ever go to the Isle of Man?
06:48Yes, we'd love to go.
06:50Well, it is our first time here on the Isle of Man, you know.
06:54I mean, there's a risk here, Sue, that you might also fall in love with it and want to move
06:57as well.
06:59Quite possibly, but Pat's got it in her blood.
07:02And I think now she's thinking, well, where do I retire to, despite the fact that she may be nearly
07:0982?
07:11And this is it.
07:12But if you love all of this, and this is a place I know you know well, you'll be pleased
07:16to know that our first property is but a walk up the hill.
07:19Oh, lovely. How about that?
07:21Beautiful.
07:22Come on then, shall we scratch your itch?
07:24Yes, certainly.
07:26Port Erin looks out to the Irish Sea, and the name Erin means Ireland.
07:34Around the sandy beach is a flat promenade that Pat could stroll along, and in addition to ubiquitous seaside amenities
07:41like beach huts, boat tours and ice cream huts, there are modern conveniences like electric vehicle charging points.
07:50The village is well stocked with shops and restaurants, and in the centre is a steam railway station, the western
07:57terminus of a 15-mile line linking it to the capital city, Douglas.
08:01Around a 10-minute walk from it is our first property.
08:06Right, well, come and have a look at this. Do you like that, the little Manx design in the gate
08:12welded in?
08:13Come on in.
08:14Lovely.
08:15Oh, isn't this lovely?
08:17Look at the flowers, gorgeous.
08:19Yes, yes.
08:19What do you think?
08:20Lovely geraniums, aren't they?
08:21Beautiful.
08:22Yeah, really gorgeous.
08:24Yes.
08:24Lovely little Manx cottage, very similar to the one that I rented when I lived here when I worked.
08:30Back in the 2000s?
08:31Yeah.
08:32Interesting.
08:33Yes.
08:33Yeah, this one was originally thatched.
08:35Uh-huh.
08:36It is technically a semi, but it certainly feels detached, and you've got this little area of sort of front
08:40garden, and then a really pretty, very private rear garden as well.
08:45Do you like a potter in the garden?
08:46I do.
08:46And you can see the sea.
08:48You can see the sea.
08:49Yes.
08:49How about that?
08:50And you get that lovely sea air.
08:51Yes, you do.
08:52I can't wait to see inside it.
08:54Let's have a look.
08:55It's going to be beautiful.
08:56Go on.
08:56Yeah.
09:00This 100-year-old traditional Manx stone bungalow was used by the owners as a holiday home, so is offered
09:07fully furnished.
09:08While it's been extended, there's only one bedroom, which is at the front of the house.
09:16Isn't this lovely?
09:18Absolutely gorgeous.
09:20Yeah?
09:20Yes.
09:21Yes.
09:21Oh, what a lovely sized room, too.
09:23It is.
09:23It is.
09:24Yes.
09:25Beautiful.
09:26You're not going to bang your head.
09:27No, no, no.
09:29And the light, you don't expect it to be so bright and light, but it is.
09:34Originally, when it was thatched, obviously, you wouldn't have had the opportunity, really, for any skylights there.
09:38No, no, because that's fine.
09:39But I think in terms of footprint, this is a very generous...
09:41It is.
09:42It is.
09:42It is.
09:43Yes.
09:45Also at the front is the sitting room.
09:47Yes, just the right size.
09:49It's sort of not too big and cosy, isn't it?
09:52Yeah.
09:52You could see yourself in here in the wintertime with the fire going, yes.
09:57Technically, you know, that is your main bedroom next door.
10:01Yes.
10:01So here, you would probably need a sofa bed, a couple of arrangements.
10:04Yes, yes, yes.
10:05That Sue can easily operate.
10:06Yes.
10:06Or even...
10:07I mean, it's quite long.
10:10Would you fit on there?
10:12Yes.
10:13Maybe something that folds out, a bit more salubrious, but that's...
10:17I don't want to stay too long, you know.
10:20You saw the skylight in the bedroom.
10:22Yes.
10:22Well, that one, like this one, is remote control.
10:25Oh, right.
10:26There we go.
10:27Oh!
10:28Ah, yes.
10:28So that saves you a job, doesn't it?
10:30Yes, it does.
10:31Yes, because no way I could get up there to do anything.
10:34Exactly.
10:34So you've got some mod cons back.
10:36Yes, yes.
10:37That would be lovely, yes.
10:41And there are more mod cons at the rear of the house.
10:44So just a couple of little steps here back.
10:47They're the only steps there are, but they lead on to the downstairs shower room.
10:50Right.
10:51Which is your main bathroom, as it were.
10:53Yes.
10:53Yes.
10:54And then through the little corridor into here.
10:57Lovely.
10:58Yes.
10:58Nice little kitchen.
11:00Very nice.
11:01Yes.
11:01Very compact.
11:02The white goods in here.
11:04Everything.
11:04Yes.
11:05Lovely.
11:05This is a later extension to the original thatched cottage as was, as you can probably tell.
11:10Yes.
11:10Hence you sort of stepped down into it.
11:12Yes.
11:12And if you wanted, I suppose you wanted a gas cooker or something bigger, you could rearrange
11:16that.
11:16Yes.
11:16So I don't have a cooker at all at the moment.
11:19What I have is an air fryer, a multi cooker and a convection microwave.
11:25You've joined the revolution.
11:26I have.
11:28And the work surfaces are the right height.
11:30Yes.
11:31Because sometimes they're too low.
11:32Yes.
11:32Sometimes they're much higher.
11:34Yes.
11:34But this is, is perfect.
11:36They're virtually the same height as your own ones.
11:38Yes.
11:39Yes.
11:39I don't think I could have wished for much more.
11:43Well then, the secluded rear garden might be the cherry on the cake.
11:49Ooh.
11:50Nice.
11:53There we go.
11:54Nice, nice, nice.
11:54Oh, what a lovely little area.
11:56Yeah.
11:56So sunny and warm, isn't it?
11:58Nice little spot.
11:59It is.
12:00Beautiful.
12:01It's a real sun trap.
12:02Yes.
12:03And look at this.
12:04Isn't it lovely?
12:04The Isle of Man logo there on the floor.
12:08Yes.
12:08Absolutely lovely.
12:09And you know what they say about the three legs of man?
12:11Go on.
12:12Whichever way you throw me, I stunned.
12:14Ah.
12:15Yes, I can't.
12:16You do know your manx, don't you?
12:18I do.
12:20So, let's have a think then about what this might be on the market for.
12:23Shall we say 265?
12:27Sue?
12:30I'd go a tad lower and say 250.
12:33I love your optimism.
12:34Yes.
12:36Yeah.
12:37But this is currently on the market for £279,500.
12:44Yes.
12:44However, certainly if you went to the asking price, it would come fully furnished.
12:50Yes.
12:51Yes.
12:51Which is a huge headache.
12:53It is.
12:53Out of the way.
12:53It is.
12:54Yes.
12:55I mean, it is worth that money.
12:57Definitely.
12:57Very much so.
12:58Although this traditional manx stone cottage is slightly over budget, the fact it's fully
13:04furnished could save Pat thousands.
13:06It has one large bedroom for her and space in the lounge for guests, while outside the
13:12garden is manageable and offers a sea view.
13:15I think it's absolutely lovely.
13:18I really feel at home and I would really love to live in this cottage.
13:22It's so like her own house in Lincolnshire that I was almost expecting to see her paintings
13:30on the walls.
13:31She can literally just walk into it with maybe a few personal bits and she's home.
13:38It's perfect.
13:52This is Sue's first visit to the Isle of Man, so we're sending her with the island's most
13:58enthusiastic guide, Pat, to explore one of the largest towns and the former capital Peel,
14:04near the middle of the west coast.
14:07Oh, it's gorgeous.
14:08It really is.
14:09And look how clean it is, that sand.
14:11I could do without the seagulls.
14:14In the 11th century, the island was ruled by a Viking king who built a wooden castle
14:19here.
14:20And over time, it was strengthened with sandstone.
14:23There was supposed to be a ghost there of a black dog.
14:26And my little brother, when we went round it, was scared because he was frightened.
14:31He was going to see the black dog.
14:33Oh, right.
14:35The House of Manannan is a museum telling the story of the island's Celtic and Viking past,
14:41through to modern history, such as its busy fishing port which continues today, just one
14:46of its many draws.
14:50My favourite thing about Peel, other than the smell of fish, I think Peel's got such
14:55a wide variety of exciting things that go on throughout the year.
14:58It's always got a bit of a different vibe.
15:01Sometimes along the prom, there's different types of events which are on which bring all
15:04sorts of diversity to Peel.
15:06Here's my favourite.
15:06The gem of the place, Peel area, is beautiful for walks.
15:10And I think that Peel is the best side of the island.
15:35One thing Pat might not be aware of is the extensive art resources available to residents,
15:41so she and Sue are meeting Colette and Kate who run ArtReach Studios,
15:46which offers art supplies and workshops for all ages.
15:52So can you tell me, Kate and Colette, how long have you been in the studio?
15:57So we moved in just after Covid but the company itself has been running for over 12 years now
16:05and we work in lots of different mediums
16:08and we love to share that with everybody who comes along.
16:11So we work in ceramics, watercolours, oils.
16:16So what is your favourite part of the island so far?
16:21Well this is my first visit and as far as I'm concerned, all of it.
16:25Not only just in the scenery but everybody's so friendly.
16:31So can you tell me, is Peel the main hub of the art scene?
16:36I'd say in terms of Peel, we'd probably be the main hub.
16:42Really? Right.
16:43But I think you'll find every town on the island actually, there's plenty of creatives and things to do.
16:52And with such captivating scenery, it's hardly surprising that people far and wide are inspired to try and capture it.
17:08For our next property, we're heading to the village of Laxey on the east coast.
17:14Like so many coastal locations on the island, it has a beautiful sandy beach and all the essential shops.
17:21And for a village with only 1,500 people, it has two world-class claims to fame.
17:28It has the oldest working electric tram line with original rolling stock in the world.
17:34But it might be best known for this.
17:39Well, this is a bit of a treat.
17:41Isn't it just?
17:42Certainly for me.
17:43You've probably seen this great wheel at Laxey many times.
17:46I have, yes, yes.
17:48I've actually climbed to the top of it three times.
17:51Have you?
17:51Yes.
17:53In my younger days, a wee bit younger anyway, quite a weird feeling when you're on the platform looking at
17:59the wheel coming towards you.
18:00Yes.
18:01Yes.
18:01You don't expect that, do you?
18:03No.
18:03Because it's being fed from underneath.
18:04That's right.
18:05Yes.
18:06Robert Casement was the man who built it, who invented it.
18:10And, you know, wonderful Victorian engineering.
18:14I love the fact that you know all this stuff.
18:17It's wonderful.
18:17I expected to know, but I don't have to worry because you're my guide.
18:21It's perfect, Pat.
18:22It's perfect.
18:23But built to pump water out of the lead mines that were here.
18:27Yes.
18:27And silver.
18:28They used to get silver out of it as well.
18:30And copper and zinc.
18:32Yes.
18:32You see?
18:33I read the notice.
18:35We've all been burning out of everything.
18:37Yeah.
18:38Yeah.
18:38But I'm told now, though, the world's largest...
18:42Water wheel.
18:43...working water wheel.
18:43Yes.
18:44And it'll never stop while there's water coming off the mountain.
18:47Well, we are in Laxey.
18:49Mm-hmm.
18:49Is it a place you would consider worth living in?
18:53Very much so.
18:54It's very pretty, yes.
18:56That's the answer I was hoping for because I am priming you for the fact that our second property is
19:01here in Laxey.
19:02Lovely.
19:02With ready access to the beach and, of course, this amazing piece of history.
19:06Yes.
19:07Well, shall we leave the wheel turning?
19:08Yes.
19:09And get on with our house search?
19:10Yes.
19:10Come on, let's walk back down the hill.
19:14Around 700 metres, or just 32 revolutions of the wheel, is our next property.
19:23OK.
19:24So here we are, then.
19:25Come on, Pat.
19:25Lovely.
19:26This is a big property.
19:28And this one has two dedicated bedrooms.
19:31Right.
19:31All right.
19:32Yes.
19:33I mean, a much more traditional layout compared to our first one, because you've got two floors.
19:37Yes.
19:38I think originally a classic sort of two up, two down.
19:42I think it looks a very substantial property.
19:46It's certainly bigger than what you've got now.
19:48Yes.
19:48Is it?
19:49Yes.
19:50Yes.
19:50But until we get inside, we don't know, really.
19:53No.
19:53But it does look bigger than what I've got.
19:56Let's have a look.
19:57Lovely.
20:00This detached stone cottage dates back to the 1900s.
20:04It's not listed, but is within a conservation area.
20:08So changes to things like doors and windows require approval.
20:13Come on in, Pat.
20:16Yes, it's darker than the other property.
20:20It is darker.
20:21I mean, with this one, you would want to perhaps give some thought to how you lit it.
20:25And there's some quite big bits of furniture in here.
20:27Yes.
20:28Yes.
20:28But if you can see beyond that.
20:30Yes.
20:30Which I'm looking at beyond it.
20:33Yes.
20:34It's more or less the same size as the sitting room in the first property.
20:39Yes.
20:40But it hasn't got the same feel.
20:43But what it does have is a second reception room.
20:47Here, then, you've got a classic sort of central staircase there.
20:50Yes.
20:51Yes.
20:51Which is the divider between that living room and this, which they've got set up as a sort
20:56of dining room at the moment.
20:57Yes.
20:57Yes.
20:58But it does access the downstairs bathroom, or the bathroom.
21:01Right.
21:01I should say, which is through there, which is a bathroom.
21:04So things I would have to do to alter this.
21:07You might want to put in the walk-in shower that we saw in property one.
21:11Yes, definitely.
21:11I guess the main advantage is that it does offer you a second bedroom, a dedicated second bedroom.
21:15Yes.
21:16Pat could potentially use one reception room as her bedroom and just live on the ground floor,
21:22as the bathroom and kitchen are both of the dining room.
21:26There we go.
21:27Similar kind of size, I suppose, to the first one, actually.
21:30Yes.
21:31But, yes, it's got all the things that you need, but it's just not doing it for me.
21:38I can see that.
21:40I can see that, Pat.
21:41You know, it's functional, it's practical.
21:44Yes.
21:44In theory, it's in the right sort of place.
21:47Yes.
21:47But it's not wrapping its arms around you, is it?
21:51No.
21:51No, no, no.
21:53Upstairs, there are two bedrooms, and if Pat wanted to add a stair lift, they start at
21:58around £2,000.
22:01Outside, there's a manageable front garden, but if changes need to be made, the deciding
22:06factor will be the price.
22:11So, I asked this question with some trepidation as to what you think this might be on the market
22:16for.
22:16Go on, Sue.
22:18Bearing in mind the limited properties there are on the market, I would say it's still
22:25around about £240,000.
22:28So, I think it's more likely to be £278,000.
22:33£278,000, very, very precise.
22:36Yeah.
22:36OK.
22:37This is on the market for £295,995.
22:47Right, right.
22:48It's been on the market a fair while.
22:51Right.
22:51I would hope it would entertain sensible offers.
22:55Yes.
22:56I just feel it needs too many things doing for it to suit me.
23:02Yeah.
23:04Just under £296,000 for this attractive early 20th century cottage with two upstairs bedrooms
23:12plus two reception rooms and a bathroom on the ground floor, meaning it could be adapted
23:17to single-level living.
23:19It has a well-maintained garden and sits on the edge of the village.
23:36As we're only here for a short while, one of the best ways to take in the scenery is on
23:41the
23:41Snaefell Mountain Railway.
23:43So, I'm taking Pat.
23:45You know the way?
23:46Yeah.
23:46Of course you do.
23:47Or maybe she's taking me.
23:49I'm surprised the seat hasn't got your name on it.
23:53To enjoy the sights and sounds of the island.
23:57Well, we're having fun, aren't we?
23:58Yes, we are.
24:02The journey runs for around five miles and has been operating since 1895.
24:09Is that lovely, the sea view beyond?
24:11Beautiful.
24:12Beautiful view.
24:14I can quite see how you fell in love with this place, Pat.
24:17Yes, yes.
24:18I can't understand why anyone wouldn't.
24:21Yeah.
24:22You can really see now how the interior of the island opens up.
24:26Look at that now.
24:27The wheel.
24:28Yeah.
24:29Fantastic.
24:30But I don't think I've ever met a buyer who feels so much at home in their chosen region.
24:35There's you.
24:36This is my second home.
24:38It is?
24:39Yes.
24:39It's your home from home, but now we need to make it your permanent home, don't we?
24:42Yes, please.
24:43Yes, please.
24:48The mountain stands over 2,000 feet above sea level and offers stunning views in every
24:56direction.
24:58Look at that.
24:59It's beautiful, isn't it?
25:00Gorgeous.
25:01Beautiful view.
25:02Absolutely sensational.
25:04Yes.
25:04Well, thank you for wanting to come back to the Isle of Man, because if you hadn't
25:09wanted to come, I wouldn't have been able to come either and I would have missed out
25:13on this amazing view.
25:15Yes, you're very welcome and I just wish more people actually knew how beautiful it
25:21is.
25:22Well, Sue, it's a revelation, isn't it?
25:24Absolutely.
25:25You're never lost for something to do here.
25:27You can get on the tram and you can be here on a nice day.
25:31If it's a cold, windy day, there's museums, there's all sorts of things.
25:36I tell you what, Pat, I know you've technically retired, but you could have a job with the
25:40tourist board, really.
25:42What do you think?
25:43I'd employ you.
25:45I'd employ you.
25:46Well, shall we commemorate it with a little selfie?
25:48Yes.
25:48Come on, we can't come all the way up here and not record it.
25:52Right.
25:52Yes.
25:52There we are.
25:54Lovely.
26:15Given its obvious beauty, homes are in high demand across the Isle of Man, but there's
26:21a limited supply as there are only around 40,000 dwellings on the whole island.
26:26In comparison to England, that's around half the number of homes per square kilometre,
26:31and they're priced almost 20% higher.
26:34With the average price of a home in England being £287,000 compared to local property market
26:41reports, which put the average Isle of Man price at £341,000.
26:47But that's just part of the story, as local estate agent Victoria Cook knows only too well.
26:56There are obvious financial incentives to living here on the Isle of Man, which is unique
27:02in that it's a Crown dependency, isn't it?
27:05So we have no stamp duty, although for property transactions you do have a registration fee,
27:11but no inheritance tax.
27:14So, yeah, anybody can buy here.
27:17No restrictions at all.
27:19No wonder it's popular.
27:21Yeah.
27:22While there's no immigration restrictions for UK residents, to get a job may require a work
27:28permit.
27:30So if you fancy your own slice of island life, how about this converted former chapel that
27:36offers a spectacular living room featuring a high ceiling.
27:41The spiral staircase leads to two good-sized bedrooms and a stylish bathroom with an exposed
27:47stone wall and roll-top bath, on the market for £425,000.
27:55Or if you're property shopping with just over a million pounds, then this exquisite period
28:01home is arranged over three floors and boasts five bedrooms.
28:06Knockout features include floor-to-ceiling oak-framed glazing in the kitchen, plus extras like a luxury
28:12cabin with state-of-the-art home gym and office.
28:19And if you're planning a shorter stay, this cute cottage has one bedroom with panoramic,
28:25uninterrupted views shared by the bathroom.
28:28The kitchen diner is compact, but packed with character, and available from £139 per night
28:35in low season to £195 in high season, and a little extra during the TT weekend.
28:48OK, one more day, one more property to come.
28:52It is, of course, mystery house time, and I am crossing everything that our final offering
28:57is really going to resonate with Pat.
28:59I think it gives her ease of living, but perhaps most importantly, it puts her in the
29:03heart of a community I know she loves.
29:09Having fared so well in Port Erin with the first house, we're returning for our last
29:14throw of the dice.
29:17Just up the street from the sea, in a quiet and sought-after location, is our mystery house,
29:23or mystery property.
29:27It's unusual for us on Escape to the Country to broker an apartment, but this one is on
29:32the ground floor, and crucially, it's just had a very welcome makeover.
29:39This luxury apartment was built in the 1970s and sits within a complex of four.
29:45As you can see, it's light, it's bright, and it's ready to go.
29:52Being a flat, the property is leasehold, but the term is just under a thousand years.
29:58We're going to peer around this great big ice ranger.
30:02Hello, Jules.
30:03Hello.
30:04Did you enjoy your perambulation?
30:06Oh, yes.
30:06Oh, yes, thank you.
30:08And the best coffee in the world.
30:09Ah.
30:10So you are nicely primed then to get amongst our mystery apartment.
30:16Okay.
30:17So with this one, we've gone down a very sort of practical route, thinking ahead again
30:22to the future, keeping it all on one level.
30:24I have looked at these kind of properties anyway.
30:27Have you?
30:28So, yes.
30:30It's not sort of something that's out of the question.
30:33Not a shock?
30:34No.
30:34Looking very good so far.
30:36Definitely want to have a look inside, yes.
30:38Excellent.
30:39So do I.
30:40Come on, let's have a look then.
30:44In terms of footprint, this offers the largest ground floor accommodation of all our options.
30:50So if Pat does want to be on one level, this is the most generous.
30:55There we go.
30:57Oh, nice area room.
30:58Nice big room, isn't it?
31:00Isn't it?
31:00Yes.
31:01Certainly the most sort of open plan option we've offered to you this week.
31:05Yes.
31:06And the views are lovely, aren't they?
31:08I can see you sitting there, not looking at the television, just looking at the sea and
31:13the flag.
31:15Yes, I think it would be quite a cosy place to be, even in the winter.
31:20I think it's very nice, yes.
31:22Yes.
31:22And I don't dislike open plan.
31:24Well, I think it's very, very practical.
31:26Yes.
31:26And then over here, you've got dining area.
31:29Yes.
31:29And then brand new kitchen.
31:30Lovely.
31:31Yes.
31:32Very nice.
31:32Oh, with your own dance floor.
31:34Yes.
31:34Yes.
31:36I could fit most of my things in here.
31:39It would be easy to keep clean.
31:41It doesn't need lots of maintenance.
31:44So, yes, it would be ideal.
31:48To the rear of the property are two well-proportioned bedrooms.
31:52You can take your pick between which one of these bedrooms you'd have for you.
31:56Yes.
31:57And again, I've got the light, yes.
32:01And it's plenty big enough storage as well.
32:03The other thing, you know, going forward in terms of guests coming to stay, whether you
32:09need two double beds, whether a sofa bed that would allow you to have one of these rooms
32:14as a craft room, art room.
32:17Yes, yes.
32:17You put an easel up and, you know.
32:19Oh, yeah.
32:19Yeah, yeah, yeah.
32:20Lovely.
32:21The other bedroom is slightly larger.
32:23I've got views.
32:24I just try them to see which I liked sleeping in best, really, and then decide which was
32:31going to be the spare room or which, you know, for the art as well.
32:34You'll be doing a bit of bed-hopping, will you?
32:37Possibly.
32:37Yeah.
32:39Well, hopefully, our mystery house is working its traditional magic.
32:45And with any luck, they're really picking up on the obvious ease that this property would
32:51offer Pat in her life here going forward.
32:55Oh, that's a nice shower.
32:56Another walk-in shower.
32:57Yes.
32:58Oh, look, you've got a rain forest one as well.
33:01I know, I know.
33:01Lovely.
33:01Yes, yes.
33:04If Pat really wants to get a feel for living here, Next Door is available as a holiday
33:10let and shares the gardens to the front and rear.
33:14I mean, the one thing this doesn't come with is a dedicated sort of garden space.
33:18You've got these communal areas here.
33:20Mm-hm.
33:20But, of course, you've got...
33:21Yes, this, yes.
33:22...all of this to walk across and up and down into town and so forth.
33:26Yes, yes.
33:26As long as I dodge the golf balls.
33:29Exactly.
33:29Well, maybe get out on the putting green.
33:31I don't know.
33:31What about that?
33:32Yeah.
33:32Why not?
33:33Well, let's have a think then about what our mystery house might be on the market for.
33:36Um, Sue.
33:43285,000.
33:45OK.
33:45I'm going to be really cheeky and say 275.
33:50Well, here's the thing.
33:51It's currently on the market for £269,000.
33:55Right.
33:55Oh, right.
33:55So it's the cheapest of the lot.
33:57It is, yes.
33:58But in talking to the agent, I'm assured that it is very much open to offers.
34:04Right.
34:05Interesting.
34:08This 1970s apartment comes with a new kitchen and bathroom and the most spacious open-plan living
34:14area that we've seen.
34:15At the rear are two generous double bedrooms and communal gardens mean even less maintenance
34:21for Pat.
34:22It's on the market for £269,000.
34:27I'm pleasantly surprised because I did wonder whether I would actually like living in an
34:34apartment.
34:35It's not something I've ever done before.
34:37She could very easily make this her home, her place.
34:42The views are terrific.
34:44The whole area is so clean and uplifting and the light, the air, the sea.
34:52It's a beautiful place.
34:54I'm not surprised she really loves it this much.
35:02Pat won't be the first person to make the leap across the pond here and some of her predecessors
35:08have leapt even bigger ponds.
35:11A transatlantic move, a thriving garden and a whole new way of life.
35:16This is Tanya's escape story.
35:20I'm Tanya Anderson and I moved to the Isle of Man from the city in 2010.
35:27Having been raised on another US island near Seattle, Tanya moved over and lived in London.
35:33But city life wasn't working.
35:35I rediscovered my love of gardening and so I wanted to move someplace where I could have
35:42that space and time to grow a garden.
35:45After hearing about the Isle of Man on an advert...
35:48I had never heard of it before.
35:51Tanya was persuaded to take the plunge.
35:54So the first time I ever saw the Isle of Man was on the ferry coming into Douglas one
36:01wintery, foggy morning and our possessions, the first load of our possessions were in the hold.
36:09And seeing the coastline come into view was just so exciting.
36:14Four years ago she moved to her current home which she's renovating.
36:18She's also turned her gardening interest into a gardening empire, posting horticultural tips online.
36:24I share how to do gardening, how to make things, how to grow things and how to use plants,
36:30to make handmade soap and skin care, all sorts of things.
36:36So Tanya swapped her city life for a sustainable one here in the countryside on the Isle of Man.
36:42And I'm here to find out how she turned that dream into reality.
36:54Hey Tanya.
36:55Hi Charles.
36:56Nice to see you.
36:57Welcome to my garden.
36:58Well, a famous garden I think.
37:00I mean your exploits are known to many.
37:03A fair few know.
37:05But it's looking gorgeous, isn't it?
37:07Is there a particular climate here then on the Isle of Man that really lends itself to your style of
37:11gardening?
37:12Well, it's very temperate.
37:14It's a bit of a Goldilocks zone.
37:15It never really gets too hot or too cold.
37:18Barely goes below freezing.
37:19Barely gets above about 29 Celsius.
37:23Yeah.
37:24So it's great for a lot of different leafy greens and everything basically.
37:28It's surprising considering you're surrounded by the Irish Sea, I guess,
37:32and sort of regularly battered by some of the most infamous storms.
37:35Oh, yeah.
37:36I mean, this year I've really focused on growing veg that doesn't really get that tall.
37:40At least outdoors.
37:42Yeah.
37:42Because we do get summer storms here and they will thrash plants that are climbing up anything.
37:47So dwarf green beans are out there.
37:50I've got dwarf Jerusalem artichokes.
37:53I've got lots and lots of veg that will stay about waist height or lower.
37:58Tanya's plot covers half an acre and she's transformed it from a lawn into an abundant kitchen garden.
38:05It's picture perfect, isn't it?
38:06Roses around the arch.
38:09Riot of colour.
38:10A nice mix of sort of cottage garden and obviously very productive garden.
38:14I love supporting...
38:16The bees.
38:16Pollinators. Yeah, there's bees all over.
38:18This is borage.
38:19Tons of other wildflowers in here.
38:21This is a perennial wildflower mix that has some annuals to get it started.
38:26So these are onions.
38:27These have gone crazy, haven't they?
38:29Aren't they lovely?
38:29The architectural nature of the onion gone mad.
38:33Well, the thing is, is that vegetable gardens don't have to be just practical.
38:37They can be absolutely beautiful.
38:39These look fabulous.
38:40What's this?
38:41These are kohlrabi.
38:43Kohlrabi is related to all the other brassicas like broccoli and cabbage.
38:48So can you actually eat the ball then?
38:50Is that what you'd aim for?
38:51Well, it's mainly this swelled, swollen stem here.
38:55You could potentially eat the rest of it, but it could be quite tough.
38:59Here, let me show you.
39:00Yeah.
39:00If you just harvest it here, snip it off at the ground.
39:04That's amazing.
39:05It's like a big sort of radish, isn't it?
39:07It kind of looks like that, but it doesn't have that spiciness.
39:10It's very tender and sweet inside and you can eat it raw.
39:13Can you?
39:14Or you can cook it.
39:15I mean, it's just so wholesome, isn't it?
39:17And to think, you know, just a few years ago, it was unproductive lawn and now look what's coming out
39:23of it.
39:24Yeah, so much.
39:25It is so bountiful.
39:27So what would your advice be to anybody who's perhaps moved into a property where there is no established garden?
39:34Choose the place that gets the best sun.
39:36Yeah.
39:37And if you have a walkway to say like a shed or something, account for that, but put your plants
39:43in the middle, put them in the best place possible.
39:46When you're designing a vegetable garden or a more ornamental, it's the same principle, I think.
39:50You want to be able to spend time in it, not just come out here and use it as a
39:54grocery store.
39:56Well, I'm delighted I've had the chance to catch up with you today, Tanya.
39:59You know, your life and everything you're achieving here is available for all to see, but clearly you have made
40:06it your own.
40:06And this island has in its own way helped shape your future and your career now.
40:12Absolutely.
40:13I love it.
40:14Wouldn't have it any other way.
40:21Well, in my experience, every house search has an emotional component to it,
40:26but few have had as much emotion running through them as this one,
40:30because I think we all know just how much this move to the Isle of Man will mean to Pat.
40:37But have we managed to do it and find her somewhere she can now call home?
40:42Let's go and ask her.
40:47Hello, you two. How are you?
40:48Hello, fine.
40:49Having the chance to have you with us, guiding us around, has been amazing, Pat.
40:55I can sell it.
40:56I can sell it all day long because it's beautiful.
41:00You absolutely can.
41:01But have we managed to sell you a property for your future?
41:07I absolutely love property one.
41:10The only downside there would be the two steps which are not insurmountable.
41:16Down into the kitchen?
41:17Yes.
41:17And the bathroom?
41:18Yes.
41:18I like the mystery house and there's a lot of scope there.
41:23But the thing that is a drawback for me is probably the fact that there's going to be change of
41:30people all the time.
41:32Because of the holiday lets next door?
41:33Yes.
41:34Yes.
41:35So, then, what happens next?
41:39The next thing I have to consider is how much I can actually get for my own property.
41:45If I can get sufficient funds from my house, then I probably will come back and sort out the finances
41:54for property one.
41:55Well, we would love the opportunity, Pat, to come back and see you in your new island life whenever and
42:03wherever that happens.
42:05We'd be very welcome.
42:06Yes.
42:07And I am more than likely going to already be here saying,
42:10Oh, look, they're back again.
42:17Well, what a treat this week has been.
42:20Having the opportunity to explore and appreciate this island in the company of a woman who is clearly such a
42:27passionate advocate for all that it has to offer.
42:31And also, it's been a privilege, I think, to play, I hope, a small role in helping her make, at
42:37long last, a permanent move here.
42:39A move which, in every respect, feels like it's long overdue.
42:45And clearly, if Pat's experience is anything to go by, whilst this may have been my first visit here, I
42:51am pretty certain it won't be my last.
42:54I'll see you next time.
42:57If you would like to escape to the country on the Isle of Man, the Isle of White, the Channel
43:03Islands, the Isles of Scilly, or anywhere in Britain for that matter, and need our help, why not apply online
43:09at bbc.co.uk forward slash take part.
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