- 4 hours ago
Category
📺
TVTranscript
00:02Escaping to the country can be back-breaking work.
00:06It's kind of wind in the willows on steroids, isn't it?
00:10Seeking the perfect property is no picnic.
00:13The angled ceilings are a bit of an issue here, but luckily we're both short.
00:19But when it feels insurmountable...
00:21Are you feeling a bit overwhelmed? I'm getting that feeling.
00:24A bit. There's just a lot of potential, but a lot of work to be done.
00:27We, the Escape to the Country team, will be with you every step of the way.
00:33That's exactly what we wanted. It's got character, but it's modern as well.
00:36I love it so far. Yeah.
00:59Cornwall. The county's motto, Bonan Hag Al, means one and all.
01:05Fitting for a place that attracts all kinds of people from all over the world.
01:12Surfers, hikers, poets and painters, nature lovers and holiday makers.
01:19Proud locals, county caretakers. Mix them all together.
01:23And what have you got? Cornwall. That's one.
01:28You'll find the county of Cornwall at the most south-westerly tip of England.
01:33Cornwall's just such a wonderful place to live.
01:36We're very fortunate and I think we never forget that.
01:39We're never flippant about the fact that we're lucky enough to live and work here.
01:43The town of Newquay is the surf capital of the UK.
01:47It's 11 golden beaches fit for families and serious surfers alike.
01:52Cornwall is incredibly special.
01:54There's all that fabulous coastline, choice of countryside,
01:58lots and lots of trees and lakes at the eastern end
02:01and then you've got the rough moorland and the ruggedness of the west end.
02:05The coast is unsurpassable.
02:09The Cornish coastal path runs right through the village of Morgan Porth,
02:13its west-facing beach, the perfect place to pause and soak up the scenery.
02:18Tom Morton is doing just that on his current challenge to run the entire 300-mile route.
02:25It's going to take me roughly three weeks, give or take.
02:30I'm seeing the most amazing views, meeting the most incredible people with stories from all over
02:35and documenting Cornwall in the best way I can.
02:43Well, today's couple have come to us for help in trying to make the move from suburban Hertfordshire
02:48to the rugged Cornish countryside.
02:51A bold leap, looking for a slower pace, wilder landscapes
02:55and a life spent doing more of the things they really enjoy.
03:00Jess, a part-time solutions consultant and Eddie, a business intelligence analyst
03:05are ready to wave goodbye to the busy commuter town of Hertford.
03:09Moving away from friends and family is quite daunting to us
03:12so we're really hoping that finding a new gym community will really help with that
03:16and to build some new friendships.
03:18Their two-bed town centre flat no longer suits their lifestyle.
03:22For starters, pottery enthusiast Jess has to lease studio space.
03:27I've just arrived at my pottery studio where I work almost every day that I'm not doing my normal job.
03:34It's a 30-minute drive away from home, so although it's in a lovely location, I am really looking forward
03:39to having a home studio.
03:42The pair also rent an allotment.
03:45We've got lots of seedlings for the allotment growing out there, so we're really looking forward to having our own
03:50garden and having a bigger outdoor space.
03:54And they pay a regular fee so their beloved greyhound Lily can stretch her legs.
04:00We've just arrived at a secure dog field, which is the only place we can let Lily off the lead,
04:04being an ex-racing greyhound.
04:06As you can see, she really loves it, so we can't wait for her to have a garden to enjoy.
04:12Now Jess and Eddie want a home that will provide all these things under one roof.
04:18Ideally, they're after a detached character home with at least three bedrooms.
04:22A large garden with a pottery studio option or space to build one is also a must.
04:28And most importantly, it should be no more than a 20-minute drive from a gym.
04:32Their budget, £550,000.
04:46Well, this is an exciting opportunity for Eddie and for Jess.
04:50Not only are they embarking upon buying their first home together,
04:56it's also one from which they really want to enjoy their shared passions.
05:01Two key elements here. Their dog, Lily, and they want to be within 20 minutes of a gym.
05:08Of all the requirements I've had to meet on house searches over the years, that is a first.
05:17Our day starts next to the River Camel, where I'm meeting Jess and Eddie on a section of the Camel
05:22Trail.
05:23Wow, that's a scene setter, isn't it?
05:26It's lovely. How nice is that?
05:27Yeah.
05:30This flat, 18-mile route for walkers, cyclists and horse riders links the North Cornwall towns of Padstow, Weybridge and
05:38Bodmin.
05:41Well, Jess, Eddie, welcome back to Cornwall.
05:43Now, as well as your love of the great outdoors, of course, fitness is a huge part of your life.
05:48Yeah, so functional fitness is where we met at the gym and we're there kind of three, four times a
05:53week.
05:54Yeah, and I think the social aspect as well, it would help us integrate into the area and make some
05:57new friends.
05:57It's a great idea, but also another great way of making friends in an area is to have a dog
06:01and you, of course, have Lily.
06:02And clearly a real focus is going to be the studio.
06:05I think if it's under budget, we'd be very happy to have a garden room built.
06:09But equally, if there's an outbuilding there, we could convert it, insulate it.
06:13But how nice to be able to walk out the back door and just go to work.
06:17The dream.
06:17So, shall we?
06:19Yeah.
06:19Let's go.
06:19Sure.
06:20Our search begins in the hamlet of Tremodrat, a mile and a half from the village of Roach.
06:26Here you'll find all the daily essentials, including a small supermarket, several takeaways, spot the pasty shop, a village store
06:34and a pub.
06:36From which it's a five minute drive or a 30 minute walk to our first property.
06:42A beautifully maintained and thoughtfully modernized detached home that sits on a plot of a quarter of an acre.
06:51Outbuilding.
06:53Lovely guys.
06:53Come this way.
06:54Come this way.
06:55Because I think from down here you get a lovely perspective.
06:57Wow.
06:58Oh, wow.
06:59On the package.
06:59What a garden.
07:01This is amazing.
07:03There we go.
07:04I can imagine Lil's out here already.
07:06And you can shut the gates.
07:07So, it does work from a doggy point of view.
07:09You've got the garage there.
07:11You can certainly adapt that as your studio.
07:13But there's loads of room here to build something bespoke if you wanted to do something a bit different.
07:18Yeah.
07:19We can definitely set up here.
07:20Yeah.
07:20Well, see inside.
07:22Okay.
07:22Shall we have a look?
07:23Come on.
07:24Follow me.
07:26Our gym enthusiasts will be glad to know there are two gyms within a 20 minute drive.
07:31One in St Austell and the other slightly closer in Bodmin.
07:36The ponies in the paddock.
07:38It's an amazing view.
07:39Wow.
07:39Absolutely amazing.
07:40The view is incredible.
07:41I'm surprised this is in our budget.
07:44Well.
07:44Just you wait and see.
07:46Come on.
07:47Let's get in.
07:49In keeping with the unspoken rule of rural living, we're using the everyday entrance at
07:54the rear of the property.
07:56Okay.
07:57Let's start in here then.
07:58What do we think?
08:00It's a lovely kitchen.
08:01Very nice.
08:01Yeah.
08:02Feels like a proper country kitchen.
08:04Yeah.
08:05The woodwork surface.
08:06I'm a big fan.
08:07I think this is our type of style.
08:09Yeah.
08:09The boot room as you saw as we came through, utility room, great if you've got lily.
08:13Yeah.
08:14Muddy pores.
08:15Yeah.
08:16Definitely.
08:16But just the added benefit of just having a nice view out your window.
08:20We don't have any windows in our kitchen area.
08:22Yeah.
08:22So just something really simple like that makes a difference.
08:24Just doing the washing up and you're actually looking at beautiful countryside rather than
08:28traffic.
08:30Yeah.
08:31Yeah.
08:32Well, let's continue then through here.
08:35Again, lovely views from the dining out to-
08:38Great views.
08:39To beyond.
08:40And then this lot.
08:42Nice log burner.
08:44It's cosy.
08:44It's a nice size.
08:45It's not too big.
08:46Yeah.
08:46There's a door straight onto the garden as well.
08:48Yeah.
08:49I think for the two of you and Lily, you know, would this work in terms of size?
08:54Yeah.
08:55I think so.
08:57I think it's about the right size.
08:58Yeah.
08:58Our sofa's quite big and I'm keen to hold on to that sofa.
09:01It's the nicest thing I've bought for my flat.
09:03But it would fit.
09:04Good.
09:04Right.
09:04Let's have a look through here.
09:08Also on the ground floor is a family bathroom and two of the property's four bedrooms.
09:14Your principal bedroom, I would suggest, is this one down here.
09:18Okay.
09:18There's another bedroom next door.
09:20Specked up a bit more as a kind of dressing room.
09:22Lots of storage in there.
09:24Yeah.
09:24If we're able to have a separate dressing room, then I think the size is fine.
09:29The bedroom next door does have an ensuite shower.
09:34This is a brighter room.
09:36Yeah, it's nice.
09:37The mirrors make it look quite a lot bigger.
09:39I think this might be better as the main bedroom though.
09:42Yeah, I think so.
09:43There's an ensuite and we like an ensuite.
09:45We could move things around.
09:46Good.
09:48Whilst most of the living space is on the ground floor, upstairs offers a neat and flexible layout.
09:55Okay, so another guest room for you there.
09:59Or potentially office space, I don't know.
10:00Potentially, yeah.
10:01It could easily be an office.
10:03It's really bright in here, which is nice.
10:05Another bathroom up here, which is a nice sort of family bathroom.
10:07Shower and bath as well.
10:09The angled ceilings are a bit of an issue here, but luckily we're both short, so...
10:14What was I going to say?
10:16We go in there.
10:17Go and have a look at that one.
10:18See what you make of this.
10:19Yeah, again, there's not as much light in this room compared to downstairs.
10:23Yeah.
10:25The quarter of an acre plot boasts an extensive garden with a greenhouse, raised beds and a modern garden shed.
10:33There's also a detached garage, another possible option for Jess's pottery studio.
10:38This is a good side.
10:40This would make a great studio.
10:41Yeah, you can make this into your workshop.
10:43I did...
10:43Added some extra windows or made these into glass doors.
10:46I think so, yeah.
10:47If you lift the roof up, put some skylights in.
10:50Converting the garage or building a bespoke studio from scratch will cost, so we're reconvening on the lawn to answer
10:58the all-important question.
11:01So, how much do you think, then, this is on the market for?
11:07I think this is a tough one, but I'm going to guess about £530, I think.
11:14£530,000, Eddie.
11:15I'm going to be a bit cheekier and hope we've got a bit of room to build the outside studio
11:20and go £510,000.
11:21A pair of cheeky offers, if ever I heard them.
11:26Well, you're right that it begins with a five. This is currently on the market for £550,000.
11:34I think, ideally, if we could put an offer in slightly under so we had the extra money to build
11:39that extra space, I think it would definitely be viable.
11:42This beautifully presented detached home offers a contemporary kitchen, two receptions and four bedrooms.
11:49The quarter-acre plot includes a detached garage and a large garden with gorgeous views.
11:53And it's on the market with a guy price of £550,000.
12:00This is a really beautiful property. The outside space is incredible.
12:04We couldn't really ask for a better garden.
12:08What we feel maybe lets this house down slightly is the bedroom space.
12:13Just because the bedrooms are quite compact, it's a question of, for the top of our budget, is that a
12:19compromise that we would like to make?
12:20The garden, the outside space, absolutely amazing. I think the practicalities of inside, so where we both work from home,
12:26we'd have to have an office.
12:28And I think, logistically, having a master bedroom downstairs and having to go upstairs to get changed doesn't really make
12:34sense.
12:36So there we are then. One done. Of interest, I hope.
12:40Yeah, definitely, it's a contender. Plus potential, yeah.
12:42Good. Right then. Let's see what else we've got here. Come on.
12:55The market town of Weybridge straddles the River Camel and is connected by a 15th century bridge.
13:03This place looks nice. Yeah.
13:06Its bunting-strewn streets are home to a host of well-supported independent businesses, including a bookshop, a boutique cinema
13:15and more watering holes and eateries than you can shake a stick at.
13:19Weybridge has always been fantastic. It's full of independent businesses and there's not lots of big chains here, so it's
13:24a really unique town.
13:27Johnny and Jessica have lived here for the past four years and two years ago they opened this cocktail and
13:33tapas bar.
13:34The community in Weybridge is perfect. It's not just a holiday town. People actually live here, work here, schools are
13:41here.
13:42And so we do feel like we've been, like, welcome with open arms.
13:45It's a fantastic sort of lifestyle and we really enjoy ourselves.
13:49We get to go out and walk the dog most days and get to spend time on the beach.
13:53I wouldn't want to be anywhere else, to be honest.
13:55The town is also home to a thriving fitness community.
13:59As well as running classes seven days a week, we do so many social events.
14:03It's just so lovely to see people hanging out, having coffee afterwards or, like, today when the weather is absolutely
14:09beautiful, messaging each other, going down to the beach after they've done a class.
14:15There are regular bus services to Pude, Truro, Bodmin and Port Isaac, and the former railway station now houses a
14:22cafe with a community hub.
14:24It offers support groups, activities, and a place to get together and have a cup of tea.
14:31At Unleashed Dog Meadow, there's a ready-made group for Jess, Eddie and their rescue greyhound Lily to tap into.
14:38It's such a brilliant spot that we travel all the way up from Red Roof.
14:41Oh, okay.
14:42So we come to the sessions when they're on, usually once a month.
14:45Iro loves it.
14:46Loves running around.
14:50Jessica Poole owns and runs the meadow, which offers breed-specific sessions, enabling humans and their four-legged friends a
14:57safe space to socialise.
14:59How often do you guys meet up?
15:00I do different breeds every week, but every breed has a slot once a month.
15:04Good way to meet people.
15:06Yeah, especially good for Lily, because we quite often go to a secure dog field like this at home.
15:11Yeah.
15:12But we're always alone there.
15:14Yeah.
15:14We just book it privately because Lily can be a bit anxious, a bit reactive, but being able to meet
15:20just sighthounds in a secure place would be absolutely brilliant for her.
15:24Yeah, I guess being rescue dogs, a lot of these dogs have had a bit of a bad start to
15:27life, and it's important that they have a better experience of other dogs and people, so.
15:33Anyway, around Waveridge in particular there are footpaths everywhere that go through farmland, woodland, along the trail, for example, here.
15:41There's, yeah, like endless places to go for dog walks. It's amazing.
15:44I think Waveridge in particular is incredibly dog friendly.
15:48It's human friendly too.
15:50You'll always find people going, oh, do you fancy coming for a dog walk?
15:55There's that all over Cornwall. It's dog heaven down here.
15:59It seems like you've got a great community here, so hopefully we'll see you all soon.
16:01Yeah, I hope so.
16:03I hope you find the house you like.
16:06Yeah, it's fantastic.
16:07You hope so as well.
16:09Me three. Let's get back to it.
16:15Our next stop is the village of Truthergi, just two miles from St Austal and conveniently close to the all
16:21-important gym, which is only an eight-minute drive away.
16:24It's also less than 20 minutes by car to pass Sands, a wide sandy beach where dogs are allowed year
16:31round.
16:32That should make Lily's ears prick up. In the centre of Truthergi, tucked down a quiet lane, sits this detached
16:39Cornish cottage.
16:42Here we are then. That is our next offering.
16:46Wow.
16:46OK.
16:47What do we think?
16:48I love the look of it.
16:49Yeah, the stone on the outside. It's lovely.
16:51This is just such a peaceful location. I like that it's quiet, but there are plenty of neighbours around, so
16:59you're not isolated.
17:00And I'll tell you what's really interesting about this one. I think you've got loads of options here to cosmetically
17:07make it very much your own, and that is a fun job.
17:11Yeah.
17:12Yeah, we can make it home.
17:13Absolutely.
17:14Come on, let's have a look.
17:17The property, now empty, is being sold with no onward chain.
17:22It benefits from solar panels which generate electricity, resulting in lowered electricity bills and an air source heat pump, a
17:30greener alternative to a gas boiler.
17:33So, there was an awful lot to see with this one, but, yeah, what do you reckon?
17:38A project.
17:40Yeah, a lot of character, but, yeah, definitely, definitely a project.
17:44The kitchen's not our style, so we'd have to do something with that, but, yeah, there's character here.
17:48It's just, we'd have to, yeah, put a little work in.
17:50It's in good condition.
17:51It's in good condition.
17:51And the windows look quite new.
17:53Yeah.
17:53It's nice and light.
17:55Yeah.
17:55And I like the beams.
17:56Good impression so far.
17:58Good.
17:58Well, let's hope they continue.
17:59Come and have a look and see here.
18:03Living space.
18:04It's a good-sized room.
18:06Yeah, similar look.
18:06It's got the beams still.
18:07Yeah, good windows.
18:09A little bit dated, so we'd have to put our spin on things.
18:12And it's still lovely views into the garden.
18:13As long as you can see the potential, you know, and you don't have to do it all at
18:16once.
18:17That's true, yeah.
18:18You can go room by room.
18:20Behind the living room at the end of the entrance hall is a utility room and a handy boot room.
18:27Oh, okay.
18:28Interesting.
18:28Boot room, dog room.
18:30It could also be a packing room, actually, because you've got a workbench all the way along already and lots
18:35of storage and light.
18:37Perfectly suited for you.
18:38Yeah.
18:38Yeah.
18:39This property's flexible layout is, I reckon, its defining feature, and that's particularly
18:45evident upstairs.
18:47Now, I don't know about you, but this might make quite a fun kind of office space for someone.
18:52Yeah.
18:53Yeah, potentially.
18:55Yeah, loads of space up here.
18:56Yeah, a bit odd working on a landing, but it's definitely something we can make work.
19:00Well, we're not short of space here.
19:02Okay.
19:02So don't panic.
19:03You don't have to do it here, because you have got four bedrooms to play with here.
19:06Oh, okay.
19:07Oh, okay.
19:07All right.
19:08Plus this.
19:10It's a bit warm today.
19:12Wow.
19:13And bright, but it's a lovely elevated space, and it shows off part of the garden.
19:17It continues behind that big hedge.
19:19Okay.
19:20I'm not sure what we would use this room for, particularly.
19:22Yeah, it's a lovely room.
19:23I haven't seen anything like this.
19:25It's great.
19:25It's unique.
19:26But it's a nice problem to have.
19:28Trying to figure out what to do with it.
19:31Yeah.
19:32On that note, I'll leave them to consider how they'll utilise the bedrooms up here.
19:37This is a big room.
19:39Yeah.
19:39Lots of light comes in as well.
19:41Maybe the master bedroom.
19:42A bit of storage.
19:43Yeah.
19:44A nice deep window sill.
19:45Yeah.
19:46You could sit there and read a book.
19:47Yeah.
19:49There's a second, smaller bedroom at the rear.
19:52This would be a good office for me.
19:54My ceramics office.
19:55Packing office.
19:56Yeah.
19:56Yeah.
19:56Yeah.
19:57Got lots of storage.
19:59And further down the corridor, a third bedroom.
20:02Not a similar sized room.
20:05This could also be an office.
20:07Again, a bit of decorating, but we can make it nice.
20:10You know, I can perfectly understand how young buyers like Eddie and Jess may feel somewhat
20:19daunted by the prospect of taking on a property like this.
20:22I just hope somehow I can convince them through my own experience that actually this is very doable.
20:31Next door to the family bathroom is the fourth and final bedroom.
20:35Actually, this would be the best office for our joint office, I think.
20:42Despite all this talk of offices, the bedrooms could easily remain bedrooms, as outside there's a triple garage and a
20:50large workshop.
20:51Okay.
20:54So this is just a bit of it.
20:56This is half of the garaging you get.
20:58Okay.
20:59As seen from the front.
21:01It's huge.
21:02But it also goes all the way back there.
21:04Okay.
21:05In terms of storing materials, all that sort of stuff.
21:07Yeah.
21:07And you could have the next door garage just oneself.
21:10Just for you.
21:11Workshop-wise, potentially a little bit of money in this, but it could be sorted.
21:15Yeah.
21:16Yeah.
21:17Are you feeling a bit overwhelmed?
21:19I'm getting that feeling.
21:20A bit.
21:20There's just a lot of potential, but a lot of work to be done.
21:23So it does hang on the budget.
21:26And obviously we could do it over a long space of time.
21:28Nothing has to be instant.
21:29Hmm.
21:31She's right, but let's see if I can allay Jess's fears a little more in the sizeable garden
21:36that wraps around the house and is mainly laid to lawn.
21:39Surely the perfect playground for Lily.
21:43In terms of space for Lily.
21:45It has loads.
21:46Yeah, there's tons.
21:46She could have a good old run around.
21:47Bit of dog-proofing to do, but yeah, the size is great.
21:50But let's think about then the price of this one.
21:52Um, Eddie.
21:54Well, based on property one, I think we've got more, more garden area and more house.
22:02So I'm going to say five fifty.
22:04I'm actually going to go a little bit higher.
22:06I actually think about five sixty.
22:08I think it's over.
22:09Five hundred and sixty thousand pounds.
22:11Well, here's the thing.
22:11This is on the market for five hundred and thirty thousand pounds.
22:17Okay.
22:18That leaves us some money to do it.
22:20A little bit.
22:20A little bit.
22:22This detached stone built Cornish cottage has a large kitchen diner, a living room, a
22:28first floor sunroom and four bedrooms.
22:30In addition to the wrap around garden, there's a triple garage and a detached workshop.
22:36The price?
22:37Five hundred and thirty thousand pounds.
22:40It's perfect.
22:41It's exactly what we asked for.
22:42It's picturesque.
22:44The gardens are amazing.
22:45The stonework.
22:46It's really lovely to look at, but a little bit daunting for me.
22:50I don't know about for you.
22:52Yeah, this house is a blank canvas, which is good in some ways because we can completely
22:57put our own stamp on it, but slightly overwhelming in other ways in that there are, there's a lot
23:02of work to be done here.
23:03It would definitely stretch our budget, although we could do it over time.
23:07I think it would test us and our renovation skills.
23:10Yeah.
23:11So a long day, two very different options for you, but both of which would get you into
23:17Cornwall.
23:18Yeah.
23:18Very different, but a lot to think about, especially for this one.
23:22Yeah.
23:22Definitely some contenders in there.
23:23Yeah.
23:23Right.
23:24Okay.
23:24Off you go.
23:26Lots more to see and do.
23:34We're ending our day in the village of Rock on the eastern shore of the Camel Estuary.
23:40Despite the name, it's really rather sandy.
23:42The wide golden beach here is arguably Rock's standout feature.
23:47Well, guys, it's been a long, busy and thirsty day, so I thought where better to finish off
23:52than here at Rock because we can get the ferry over to Padstow for a beer.
23:56How about that?
23:57Sounds perfect.
23:57Sounds good.
23:58But before we get on and get over there, a quick upsum of your day.
24:02I think you've shown us two contrasting properties, one that's going to be a project
24:06that we can make our own and one that's pretty much good to go.
24:08Yeah.
24:09It would just be us having a mole over it and a think and see what is best.
24:13Deciding what one is best, yeah.
24:14Well, we're better to consider it than over the water.
24:18So, everyone's getting off.
24:19That's our cue, I think, to get on.
24:22Shall we?
24:22Let's go.
24:24The year-round passenger ferry service offers scenic rides across the river Camel.
24:30What fun.
24:32Dogs are welcome on board and crossing times take between five and ten minutes,
24:37as opposed to a half-hour car journey.
24:39Now, I've taken many a trip to the pub, but not often this way, has to be said.
24:44Excellent.
24:44Yeah, what a way to finish off the day.
24:46Yeah, unique.
24:47Perfect.
24:47Yeah, absolutely perfect.
25:01Contemplating a new life in Cornwall will let us give you the lowdown on property prices in the county.
25:06The average cost of a detached house here is a smidge over £441,000, a few thousand pounds higher than
25:15the UK average of just over £437,000.
25:20Take a look at a selection of other Cornish homes currently on the market.
25:25This sweet end of terrace cottage has a reception with a large stone fireplace, a perfectly appointed kitchen diner, two
25:33bedrooms, one with sea views and a rear decked courtyard.
25:36It's listed with a guide price of £275,000.
25:44This substantial detached farmhouse, dating back to the late 1590s, is on the market for offers in excess of £799
25:53,950.
25:57Sitting in the middle of a beautiful country garden, it offers five bedrooms, a country kitchen and two reception rooms.
26:09For renters, this detached cottage with a good-sized garden, a living dining room, a kitchen with a range and
26:15two bedrooms is available for £1,000 per calendar month.
26:24Well, as you can see, it's another glorious start to this, our final day of house hunting here in Cornwall.
26:29Now, coming up, we have a fabulous mystery house for Jess and Eddie, which I think really draws together much
26:35of what we've learnt over the last couple of properties.
26:37But before then, time and tide are on our side.
26:41So what better way to kick off proceedings than out there, out on the water?
26:48Yes, Jess and Eddie have accepted my invitation to do a spot of Cornish gig rowing with a few members
26:54of the Padstow Rowing Club.
26:59Matt, good morning, how are you?
27:01Hi, nice to meet you.
27:02Hey, I'm Jules, let me introduce you to Jess and Eddie.
27:05Hi, good to meet you.
27:06Nice to meet you.
27:06Nice to meet you.
27:08Matt Olcock has been rowing gigs since he was just 11 years old.
27:11And before he takes us out, he's kindly agreed to fill us in on the history of these splendid, quintessentially
27:17Cornish boats.
27:21People have been rowing these types of boats, these traditional gigs for centuries down in Cornwall.
27:26They're full wood construction, clinker built, beautiful bit of craftsmanship.
27:31And what were they originally designed for?
27:33You'd have a pilot sat on the seat in the bow there, and the crews would race out to the
27:37ships in the mouth of the river, aiming to get their pilot onto the boat and help them navigate into
27:41the harbour.
27:42So the fastest boat got the job, got the money.
27:45Ah.
27:46As modern technology progressed, people could pilot their own boats in.
27:50There was no need for a pilot to get onto the boat.
27:52That's where the racing came from.
27:53So that sense of competition remained, even though the kind of functional job of actually getting a pilot onto a
27:59boat had long gone.
28:00Yeah, and I think it's very important as well that we continue these traditions, honour the people that have gone
28:05before us and keep rowing these beautiful boats.
28:07And gig racing is a big part of the south-west, isn't it?
28:10Oh, it's huge.
28:10Different harbours, different ports have their own gig teams, so there's kind of friendly rivalry, isn't there?
28:15Oh, there's, yeah, massive friendly rivalry. So we have big rivalry with rock, just the other side of the river.
28:19Yeah.
28:21Well, there's going to be a bit more friendly rivalry today.
28:25We've got two boats going out. We need a few fill-ins.
28:28And luckily, I've got three here sitting in front of me.
28:30So, I guess you're on one boat and I'm on the other.
28:32That's the plan, yeah.
28:33And we're going to race?
28:34We're going to have a race, make it a bit of a competition.
28:36Okay, okay. You're up for this?
28:38Yeah, definitely.
28:39Yeah.
28:39Well, may the best boat win.
28:44The traditional Cornish gig raced today is based on a design from the 1830s.
28:50Measuring 32 feet in length with fixed seats, these six-award rowing boats were traditionally used for pilotage, harbour work
28:58and as lifeboats.
29:00How good is this?
29:03The gig's multiple uses meant it needed to be stable and seaworthy in rough seas, as well as light and
29:10speedy to win those lucrative pilotage contracts.
29:13That's it, Jules, so just following the cold in front of you there.
29:16Today, there are thought to be more than 8,000 active gig rowers, both competitive and social, across the globe.
29:24Whilst the highest concentration of gig-rowing clubs are in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, there are clubs as
29:30far away as Australia.
29:32It's kind of wind in the willows on steroids, isn't it?
29:36Yeah.
29:37That is it. That's a new one though.
29:41Today's impromptu race is a tough dash back to the harbour wall.
29:46Flags up.
29:48Go!
29:51Come on.
29:54Nice start.
29:56Keepin' it long.
29:58Nice strong catch.
30:00Nice and strong.
30:03Creeping up on Dasher.
30:05That is a proper good workout.
30:08As well as competitive racing, the club offers social rowing sessions where the emphasis is on fun.
30:15You're nearly there, Jules. Hang in there.
30:18Friendship.
30:19We're in the lead.
30:22And fitness.
30:23When we pass this red boy, you've got 20 more strokes to go, Jules.
30:28And I can categorically vouch that it delivers on all those fronts.
30:34Hey.
30:34Well done, guys.
30:35Good run.
30:37Wow.
30:38Well done, gang.
30:39Well done, Jules.
30:40Well done.
30:41You've won your first race.
30:43That was great fun.
30:45Well, well done to my fantastic crew.
30:47Hello, Cox Matt.
30:49Well done.
30:58Well done.
31:05Well done.
31:06How very sporty.
31:08We all cheer each other in.
31:09That's just great.
31:09That's the spirit of it, isn't it?
31:11Well done.
31:12Well done.
31:13There are many ways to experience the gloriousness of Cornwall, but I've got to say that from
31:18the water, it's probably one of the best.
31:27It's Mystery House time, and we found it in the Moorland village of St Breward, seven miles
31:33north of Bodmin.
31:34The village is one of the highest points in Cornwall, so in addition to gorgeous vistas,
31:39the locals enjoy a well-regarded pub, a village hall which hosts regular pizza nights, and
31:47a community shop.
31:48On the village outskirts lies Wenford Bridge Pottery, famous as the former pottery of celebrated
31:54English studio potter Michael Cardew.
31:58Hello, Cookie.
31:59Ten years ago, Cookie Scottorn opened her studio and gallery here, so of course we had to pop
32:05by to admire the sculptural heads and planters she creates.
32:11Have you made anything that big yet?
32:13No.
32:13Nowhere near.
32:14Not a chance.
32:15I think that's beyond me at the moment.
32:17But tableware is where you're at at the moment.
32:19Yeah.
32:20When I started, I was a repetition tableware potter, so I threw pots every day.
32:26Exactly what you were saying, the kind of repetition throwing, and I've got a small kiln,
32:30so smaller pieces of kitchenware is what I'm doing at the moment.
32:33Cookie, obviously you know this area and the community.
32:38Is it welcoming?
32:39Is it a place in which you love living?
32:41It is.
32:41It is.
32:41It's lovely.
32:42I think the important thing is you've got to take part, if you're willing to take part.
32:47There's masses going on, and there are a lot of artists locally.
32:51There's a potter just up the hill, there's a sign writer just up the hill.
32:54If you are open and you take part in things, then they accept you.
32:58Yeah.
32:59I guess you get out what you put in.
33:00I think that's true, yeah.
33:02Yeah.
33:02And I would say that's true for village life in general, really, and rural life.
33:07So, whilst Jess and Eddie mooch around the gallery at their leisure, you, dear viewer,
33:12are coming with me.
33:14So, here then is our mystery house.
33:16Now, we know that Eddie and Jess love the local architecture, the feel of this granite stone.
33:22Have we saved the best until last?
33:25Quite possibly.
33:28This gorgeous cottage is thought to date back to the 1890s, but is, I'll admit, semi-detached.
33:35So, Jess and Eddie will have to set aside their preference for a detached home.
33:41However, it's been beautifully renovated over the past couple of years in a style that I think is right up
33:48their street.
33:50Now, despite my best efforts at our second property yesterday, I think both Jess and Eddie were somewhat overwhelmed
33:56at the amount of work they thought they'd have to take on.
33:58But here, it has all been done.
34:00It is crisp.
34:01It is clean.
34:02It is gorgeous.
34:03It is ready to go.
34:05And out there in the garden is a lovely old stone barn.
34:08And if that doesn't say pottery studio, I don't know what does.
34:13What's more, Bodmin, with its gym community, is still within a 20-minute drive.
34:19Welcome, then, to this, our mystery house.
34:22Wow.
34:23Hey.
34:23It's lovely.
34:24The road is perfect.
34:25Although it is right on the road, all you can hear is the birds.
34:29Yeah.
34:29There's no cars, which is great.
34:30And I like the stone-fronted.
34:32I thought you'd like that, because you'd like that in property too, didn't you?
34:34Yeah, you did.
34:34Come on.
34:38Right.
34:39Come on in.
34:40Wow, okay.
34:42Feast your eyes.
34:45Oh, wow.
34:46Lots of stone.
34:47It's really pretty.
34:48Beams as well.
34:49Yeah.
34:50And the beams aren't.
34:50I can't believe it.
34:51Yeah.
34:52It's lovely.
34:52I can see that maybe at one point it was quite enclosed and cottagey, but it's been opened
34:57up and it, yeah, it feels really nice.
34:59You're absolutely right.
35:00The current owners have set about opening it up and doing to this what I imagined you
35:06doing to our second property.
35:08Okay.
35:09They've saved us all the hard work.
35:10It's exactly what we wanted.
35:11It's got character, but it's like modern as well.
35:13I love it so far.
35:14Yeah.
35:15Have a look at this then.
35:15Look at this.
35:17Classic sort of kitchen diner and then this nice sort of island-cum-breakfast bar, all
35:21crisp, all new, all ready to go.
35:23Wow.
35:24Really impressive.
35:25Yeah.
35:25I love the kitchen.
35:27Yeah.
35:27I think it's how we do it ourselves.
35:28Well, it also comes with a very generous kind of utility area downstairs leave out there
35:32and conservatory as well.
35:34I guess my question is, is this sort of main footprints that you've seen already, is this
35:40big enough?
35:41It's cosy, but it's got enough space that we need.
35:43Yeah, I would agree.
35:46Upstairs, there are fewer bedrooms than we've previously shown them, but all are of a good
35:50size.
35:51This is a nice room.
35:53Yeah.
35:54Lots of light.
35:55Big en suite there.
35:56Yeah.
35:56Nice big bathtub.
35:58Views to the garden as well.
36:00Oh, wow.
36:00And it looks like we've got some outbuildings.
36:03Yeah.
36:03Nice big lawn as well for Lily.
36:05And we can keep an ironer as well.
36:07Yeah.
36:07That's important.
36:08That's really good.
36:09A modern family bathroom serves a second, larger double bedroom, which also features
36:15a fireplace.
36:16And there's a third and final double overlooking the front of the property.
36:20Now, let's turn our attention to the rear.
36:23Nice big conservatory, right?
36:25It is.
36:26Yeah.
36:26But come and have a look up here, because there are so many options.
36:31First up is a detached garage and workshop currently used for storage.
36:36It has mains water and electricity connected, as does the detached stone barn next door.
36:43Oh, wow.
36:45I could have the wheel over by the window, get some natural light, lots of shelving.
36:50Yeah.
36:50I think it could work.
36:51There's also a self-contained cabin at the top of the garden, which the vendor rents out
36:56as an occasional holiday let.
36:59And our new potential office.
37:00Yeah.
37:01Oh, this is nice.
37:03Wow, this is impressive.
37:05Yeah.
37:06A little kitchen already.
37:07It all looks quite new.
37:09The toilet ready to go as well.
37:10The toilet, perfect.
37:14Yeah, it could be our office.
37:16It could be my ceramics packing office, actually.
37:19I'm going to steal this for myself.
37:23Regardless of how they decide to divvy up the outbuildings, Jess and Eddie would both
37:28have the opportunity to walk to work.
37:30This is the commute, for goodness sake.
37:32Yeah.
37:33It separates work and home.
37:34Yeah, it does.
37:34Not a bad idea.
37:36And it does mean, then, you don't have to encumber the house with office space.
37:39It's all out the way.
37:41When you get home, you're at home.
37:43Now, you are going to have to estimate, for the final time this week, what you think
37:47this is on the market for.
37:49It's got to be close to the top of our budget, I think.
37:52I think 540.
37:56540,000 pounds.
37:57Wow, it would be nice if it was.
37:58Yeah, go on.
37:58I think we're punching above, so I think 560.
38:02This is on the market for an astonishing 525,000 pounds.
38:09Okay.
38:10Okay.
38:11That's nice.
38:12We got a little bit of extra money.
38:13We can do some little decorating bits that we need to, but nothing major.
38:16It's a lot of gardens and outbuildings for that price, definitely.
38:21Definitely.
38:22I think we could settle in quite easily.
38:23We could.
38:24That was my hope.
38:27This semi-detached stone cottage offers an open-plan sitting room, a contemporary kitchen
38:33diner, a conservatory and three double bedrooms.
38:37Outside, the generous garden contains two stone outbuildings and a wooden cabin.
38:42The property is being marketed with a guide price of 525,000 pounds.
38:48It's got the character that we wanted, but it's already had the hard work done and lack
38:52property too, so that's a big bonus.
38:54The location's amazing.
38:55It's a really quiet, sleepy town.
38:57The outbuildings, the garden, everything together, it's really exciting.
39:02The house itself has so much character.
39:05As soon as we walked in, I was pretty blown away, but there's definite potential here
39:10and we just need to have a good think now.
39:13Good.
39:14Happy smiley faces.
39:15Yeah.
39:16I was hoping that was the reaction that our mystery house would deliver.
39:19But I'm afraid that is it.
39:21We can show you no more.
39:22Come on, let's go.
39:31Well, all this week we've been blessed with some wonderful weather, some fantastic properties
39:35and of course Cornwall's enchanting coastline.
39:39But I thought to finish up, we'd come inland here to Bodmin Moor to find out what their future
39:45in Cornwall is going to look like and have a refreshing dip at the same time.
39:55Wow, this is a spot, isn't it?
39:57It is.
39:58It's lovely.
39:59Are you cooling down?
40:00Yeah.
40:01Wow, it's been hot this week, isn't it?
40:02Yeah.
40:03A nice bit of breeze, feet in the water.
40:05Oh, not bad actually.
40:06Not quite bath temperature, but I'll take that.
40:09Well, we have seen some property this week.
40:12So, how have we done?
40:14Is there a clear favourite?
40:17I don't think there's a completely clear winner.
40:20I think at first we were a bit overwhelmed by property two, but after seeing property three
40:25and what we could do with property two, I think it's made us more open and a bit excited
40:31to what we could actually do.
40:32Yeah, and the thing with property two is it has the location, it has the space, and that's
40:37something you can't change.
40:39You know, you can change the inside, but you can't change the rest.
40:41You had the beams and it all looked a bit dated, but in property three they'd obviously
40:45decorated and we could see what we could do with property two quite easily.
40:49I think, like you said, it's cosmetic inside.
40:51I think the outbuildings might require a bit of work, but it's something that you could
40:55get up and running with pretty quickly, I think.
40:57Yeah.
40:58Yeah, definitely.
40:58I'm still overwhelmed by that property, I have to admit.
41:01It's not suddenly a clear winner, but there's lots more to consider now.
41:06And I think we are definitely more open to it.
41:08There's no compromise on the inside space in terms of size.
41:11It has the best of everything almost.
41:14The location, the privacy, the outdoor space, outbuildings and indoor space.
41:18The compromise is, are we willing to put in the work for the first couple of years?
41:22And it can be daunting, I totally understand that.
41:24But when you've done it, the sense of reward, I can't put a price on it.
41:29It's something you'll be so proud of.
41:31It's got the rock cottage look, it's in a nice sleepy village, it's not overlooked.
41:35It's close to the sea, close to the gym.
41:37Yeah.
41:38It has a lot.
41:39Eight minutes, I think, to the gym.
41:41I mean, I'm not going to rush you on it.
41:43It's a big decision, but it's been a lot of fun showing you around.
41:46Just let us know how you get on and we'd love to come back and see you in the future
41:49if we may.
41:50Great.
41:51Thank you very much.
41:52Best of luck.
41:58Well, after a busy week house hunting, that young foal over there is doing what we all
42:04want to do.
42:04Lie down in the sun and take it easy.
42:07But it's been a week that has absolutely been worth it, particularly for Jess and for
42:13Eddie.
42:14Hello.
42:16Everybody wants a drink.
42:17Why wouldn't you?
42:18They are now much more informed as to what their new home is going to look like as they
42:22set out on this journey together.
42:25A future all their own.
42:27Much like that foal's going to do.
42:30I'll see you next time.
42:34After we left, Eddie and Jess continued exploring nearby villages.
42:38Just two miles from the second property we'd shown them, they found a house they fell in
42:43love with.
42:44Their offer was accepted and they hoped to be in by the autumn.
42:47We wished them, and their dog Lily, every happiness in their new Cornish home.
42:52If you would like to escape to the country in England, Northern Ireland, Scotland or Wales
42:57and need our help, why not apply online at bbc.co.uk forward slash take part.
43:04We'll see you next time.
43:06We'll see you next time.
43:08Bye.
43:10Bye.
43:14Bye.
43:24Bye.
43:25Bye.
43:25Bye.
Comments