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00:01Many of us dream of making a break for the countryside.
00:04Oh, look at that!
00:06And we're here to help people take that rural leap of faith.
00:12You're kidding!
00:14You don't disappoint, I'll give you that.
00:16We venture to the four corners of the UK, searching for peaceful country properties.
00:22Couldn't be more stunning, could it? Sold.
00:25We're moving tonight, yes.
00:26In truly spectacular scenery.
00:28It is absolutely stunning, isn't it?
00:31Wow.
00:32I want to get inside and have a look.
00:33There's sheep in the field.
00:35It's an adventure of a lifetime.
00:38My heart is pounding in my chest, it really is.
00:40Wow.
00:42Oh, my goodness me.
00:44Oh, Christ.
00:45Paving the way to a brand new lifestyle.
00:49Since being here, it's just, it's the best place in the world.
00:52I mean, look at that.
00:54So join us as we catch up with those who transform their lives.
00:58When they escape to the country.
01:02When they escape to the country.
01:28On behalf of others, hoping to follow in their footsteps.
01:32Now, besides investing in a good pair of wellies.
01:35Or getting directions to the local pub.
01:38The answer I hear the most often is.
01:41Don't delay.
01:42Do it now.
01:43And never look back.
01:45And that is great advice.
01:47After all, why would you turn your back?
01:51On a view like that.
01:56Today, we're retracing our steps in the Scottish Highlands.
02:00In and around the Cairngorms.
02:02Before we travel down to the Welsh borders to catch up with a young couple who,
02:07when Sonali Shah met them two years ago, were living out of a van while saving for their first home.
02:14But first, I'm popping in to see another keen camper van couple who just last year decided it was time
02:22to pull up somewhere permanent.
02:27Hello, I'm Kath.
02:28Hi, I'm Sue.
02:29And we're both retired police officers.
02:31And when we retired, we decided to set off travelling in our motor hub.
02:36And we've been living in that for the last two years.
02:39And as I move through the van up the stairs, you can see this is the bedroom area where Sue
02:45and I go to sleep.
02:46And then if I take you around to the front of the van, walk you back through, there's Sue.
02:52Having spent two years on the road, an unexpected encounter with a game bird meant Kath and Sue had an
02:58extended pit stop in the Cairngorms.
03:01We hit a pheasant and it hit the windscreen and totally shattered it.
03:04And we ended up being stuck there for about a month.
03:08And that's when we really fell in love with the Cairngorms.
03:13And that's why we would think it would be a good place for us to have a future.
03:18Sue and Kath, along with their dogs, were after a detached home in a rural location with at least two
03:24bedrooms and lots of parking for their motor home.
03:27A large kitchen for keen cook Sue would be preferred and a garage with workshop for Kath's van conversion plans
03:34would be ideal.
03:35And to find it, they had a top budget of £550,000.
03:41Our first location took us just outside the Cairngorms National Park to the Murray village of Ochbrek,
03:48where I presented this detached camper van parking friendly property.
03:53I want you to park the motor home because this potentially could be your next property.
03:59There's just so much parking here. It's brilliant.
04:02It's very attractive, isn't it? It is really attractive. I like the slate roof.
04:06Off to a good start, we headed through the front door into a wide and welcoming entrance hall.
04:12Come on in, ladies. Wow, look at that.
04:15This is a party place all by itself, isn't it? Oh, I'm waiting for the invite, yeah.
04:22To one side of which was the open plan, multifunctional, L-shaped living space.
04:27I thought I'd start off the tour with the kitchen, stroke breakfast area, stroke dining area, stroke party room.
04:37Party! The second time you've mentioned that, I like that.
04:39I mean, look at it. It's a lovely space. Huge, isn't it? Yeah, very nice space.
04:44Back through the hall was a further reception room.
04:48This is a big room, isn't it? But it feels quite cosy. Yeah, it does. Yeah.
04:54Also on the ground floor was a home office and downstairs bedroom, perfect for guests.
05:01Upstairs, there were three more double bedrooms.
05:05Oh, this is another lovely room. And this? Yeah. It's enormous.
05:09It's the main bedroom. Yeah, that's lovely.
05:11It's gorgeous, isn't it? It's got its en suite.
05:13Got the view, nice view. You can see the mountains. That's amazing. Look at the mountains.
05:16Right, it's good. It's really, really nice.
05:19Outside, a large detached garage had an electric vehicle charger and there was also a detached chalet.
05:26The generous garden embraced the surroundings with plenty of areas to take in views of farmland, forest and the mountain
05:34of Ben Rinnus.
05:35There is an awful lot to this property. What do you think it's on the market for?
05:39I would say offers over 540.
05:44I would go slightly lower and say 530.
05:50The owners are looking for offers over £475,000.
05:57Oh, wow.
06:00Wow. Yeah.
06:02Well within the realms of their budget at offers over £475,000, we'd started off strong with this 21st century
06:11modern home that offered the desired scenery and space Kath and Sue were after.
06:16This is definitely the evening spot, isn't it? For a cup of tea.
06:21Oh yeah, definitely.
06:22Well, if you're having tea or coffee, I might have a glass of wine.
06:26Yeah.
06:31For our second offering, we headed for the parish of Alvi in the spectacular surroundings of Highland.
06:39Where this 1800s home sat in the foothills of the Monalia Mountains.
06:46Oh, wow.
06:47The location's stunning.
06:49It is absolutely stunning, isn't it?
06:51It feels like you could walk out of the back door and you're straight into the hills.
06:55Yeah.
06:56Dogs would love this.
06:58Well, the outside seemed to be a winner.
07:02How good's your imagination?
07:05That's pretty good.
07:06Yeah.
07:06Pretty good imagination.
07:08And I like the ringing straight away.
07:10Yes.
07:10Actually, the kitchen here is a lot bigger than I thought it would be from the outside.
07:16Half a level above was a reception room.
07:19How would this serve as a sitting room?
07:21It's about three times the size of a motorhome, isn't it?
07:24Yes.
07:24Just this space.
07:26And upstairs, there were three bedrooms, all of a good size, with views to boot.
07:33Yeah.
07:34Great views.
07:35I want to want some views.
07:36Got promise.
07:37A lot of promise.
07:38Yeah.
07:39A lot of promise.
07:40And the views didn't stop there.
07:43With the house wrapped by the national landscape, there were mountainous vistas in every direction.
07:49So here is our land.
07:51Here is our property.
07:53But surrounded by all this gorgeousness, the asking price for this property is offers over £450,000.
08:02Oh, my goodness.
08:04Yeah.
08:04Yeah.
08:05That's a lot.
08:06I mean, it is a fantastic property.
08:07Oh, it's beautiful, isn't it?
08:10Beautiful indeed.
08:11And at that price, it was well within budget.
08:14But the views, well, they were priceless.
08:20Kath and Sue were giving me positive vibes about the first two properties we showed them.
08:25But I felt we hadn't quite nailed it.
08:29Both options were tempting, but perhaps not quite tempting enough.
08:34Fortunately, though, for Kath and Sue, and for me, we still had the mystery house to go.
08:41Staying in Highland, we headed to the rural village of Nethy Bridge, where my mystery house had more to it
08:48than met the eye.
08:50Oh, I'm loving this already.
08:54Yeah.
08:54Oh, wow.
08:55Two garages.
08:58Plenty parking for the motorhome.
09:00And the views are just stunning.
09:02There they are.
09:03There they are.
09:04This is a house of two halves.
09:07OK.
09:08We have half for you, Sue, and we've got half for you, Kath.
09:12That's perfect.
09:14This timber-framed bungalow included space for Kath's camper van conversion dreams, which I was yet to reveal.
09:21So first, to the main house, where I started with Sue's wishlist topper.
09:28The heart of the home, the kitchen.
09:33I absolutely love this.
09:35I've got high expectations of a Sunday roast now.
09:39You also have a little utility next door.
09:42Really good start.
09:43If you want to follow me through.
09:46To one side, the kitchen opened to an expansive dining room with windows that framed a glorious view.
09:54Oh, look at that.
09:58Just amazing.
10:00OK, on a scale of one to ten, how excited are we?
10:04Ten.
10:05Yeah.
10:06Yeah.
10:06Mystery house is working its magic.
10:08Yeah.
10:08It is, definitely.
10:11Through the arched wall was a sitting room.
10:14Oh, wow.
10:15Look at this.
10:18And a sunroom.
10:19Oh, it's just absolutely gorgeous.
10:23You've got your mountains.
10:24If I could just sit here and look at mountains.
10:28The internal hall had bedrooms to either side, three in total, one of which was a very generous principal.
10:36Large room.
10:37Oh, this is huge, isn't it?
10:39Large.
10:40Nice big shower.
10:41Oh, look at that.
10:42I love this house.
10:43I love it too.
10:46It seemed like they were already falling head over heels for this house and they hadn't even seen the half
10:52of it.
10:53To the other side of the entrance, there was a vast garage, workshop and store.
11:04Oh, there's more through there.
11:06Oh, my goodness.
11:07Oh, there's plenty of space here for you to convert a camper van.
11:11Yeah.
11:12Good storage as well.
11:13Oh, my goodness.
11:14Oh, it's awesome.
11:17You don't actually realise from the front that this is all here.
11:23This is why it was the mystery house.
11:27Outside, the wraparound garden covered around half an acre.
11:31There was a covered barbecue area, a shed, plenty of parking.
11:36And as if that wasn't enough, an additional feel too.
11:40Perfect for playful pooches.
11:45Did I hear the voice get a little bit wavery in the room?
11:48Well, you may be.
11:52Feels like it's the one.
11:53Yeah.
11:54Definitely.
11:55Yeah.
11:55So just remind me of your very top budget.
11:57550,000.
11:59What do we think this is on the market for?
12:04580,000.
12:06I'm going to go 555,000 pounds.
12:10The asking price offer offers over 525,000 pounds.
12:17I am just, well, I'm really surprised.
12:20Let's go.
12:21Let's go.
12:21Is it a rain dance?
12:22Yes, definitely.
12:26To Sue and Kath's pleasant surprise, this magical mystery self-built bungalow
12:32had come in at offers over 525,000 pounds.
12:37So it seemed we had ended on a Highland shower high with this one.
12:42This house just feels like home to me.
12:46I mean, it's just stunning.
12:47Absolutely stunning.
12:48And it is just, well, it's a dream house.
12:52If I could have drawn a picture of the house I wanted in the setting that I wanted,
12:58I couldn't have drawn anything better than this.
13:02Our tour of the Cain Gorms had given Kath and Sue some gorgeous property options to consider.
13:08But in the end, there was only one driveway where they wanted to permanently park their motor home.
13:20A lot can change in a year, but one thing that has remained is Kath and Sue's love for the
13:27mystery house,
13:28which I'm thrilled to say they now call home.
13:31And I can't wait to catch up with them and also find out how life here in rural Scotland is
13:38treating them.
13:51Hello.
13:52Hello.
13:53It's Peter Royal, hasn't it?
13:55Good to see you both.
13:57One for you.
13:58Lovely, thanks very much.
13:59Sue, one for you, Kath.
14:00Thank you very much.
14:01Am I allowed to have the guided tour?
14:03Of course you can.
14:04Of course.
14:11Oh, is this Fudge?
14:13Yes.
14:13Hello, Fudge.
14:14I think Fudge is pleased to see me, but more pleased to see the biscuits.
14:18I think so, yes.
14:19Yes, yes, yes.
14:20Well trained.
14:22Right, let's start with the kitchen, then.
14:24Because you weren't used for a big kitchen, were you?
14:27Oh, no, definitely not.
14:28Having spent two and a half years in the motor home, I mean, it was tiny.
14:32And then coming into the size of this kitchen, it was just unbelievable.
14:36This is practically the size of the motor home.
14:39Yes, it is actually.
14:40It probably is.
14:41It probably is just this kitchen, yeah.
14:41Well, you have to do the tour.
14:43You have to lead.
14:44They're the rules, aren't they?
14:46Let's go this way.
14:48Oh, it's so lovely being back.
14:55How could I forget this room?
14:57That view is outstanding.
15:00I know, we sit at the dining room table and that's the view we have.
15:03It's beautiful.
15:04My goodness.
15:06Previously, everything's been done to such a high standard.
15:08So we didn't need to do anything.
15:11It's just about, you know, making things.
15:13Yeah, little tweaks.
15:13Yeah, making it your own, really, isn't it?
15:15Yeah.
15:15And I've made this, Nicky.
15:17See the candle?
15:18Yeah.
15:19I made that from part of an old whiskey stay using the workshop.
15:22Yeah.
15:23And I made that little wooden thing with the flowers in.
15:26Ah, wooden thing.
15:27Yeah.
15:27It's a floral display.
15:29Okay, I made that.
15:30Floral display.
15:30Very nice, yeah.
15:31Yeah.
15:32It seems very light and spacious and airy.
15:37Which, I mean, because you've been living in a motorhome for so long, you know, this must
15:42be just perfect.
15:43Oh, it's just unbelievable.
15:45It's the best thing we ever did.
15:48Considering under a year ago, Kath and Sue were living full time in a camper van, they
15:53seem so at home in this space already.
15:57Another fabulous reception room.
16:00I mean, the difference between this and the camper van.
16:03I just, I've forgotten how much space there was here.
16:07That spacious feeling continues into the sunroom with the views that, unsurprisingly, help
16:13the couple to fall in love with it first time round.
16:16This is the house of the oohs and the ahs, isn't it?
16:19Because everywhere we go, we have the most spectacular views of the scenery.
16:24I know, we think we're so lucky.
16:26Yeah.
16:27We're still pinching ourselves every day.
16:29Are you?
16:30So these are your seats?
16:31Yes.
16:32These are our seats.
16:32Sue plays the guitar from there.
16:34Yeah.
16:35And I sit and have my morning tea and toast looking at that view.
16:38I'm never bored with that view.
16:41I'm not sure anyone ever could be.
16:44But after being on the move for two years, I'm wondering if it was a tough transition to
16:49swap the open road for rural residency.
16:56Because looking around here, I mean, at the time, I didn't quite appreciate just how rural
17:02we are here.
17:03Oh, yes.
17:04No, it is.
17:04And how did you find that?
17:06Because I think this is probably one of the most rural properties that I've been to
17:09in a long time.
17:11Oh, it's been wonderful.
17:12Yeah?
17:12Absolutely wonderful.
17:14I mean, both of us have really enjoyed it.
17:16Well, I should say, all three of us are really enjoying it.
17:18Yeah.
17:18It's just so quiet, peaceful.
17:21I mean, you two seem so happy out here.
17:24Oh, yes, we are.
17:25I mean, it's just so stress-free.
17:28So pleased.
17:28I'm pleased we played a very small part in it.
17:30Oh, we played a big part.
17:31You found us a house.
17:33Aww.
17:33But I haven't seen the workshop yet, have I?
17:35Oh, good luck.
17:37Yeah.
17:37How long am I going to be gone for?
17:39A long time.
17:39A long time.
17:40OK.
17:44It was always obvious that the workshop is what made this house for Kath.
17:48So I'm not surprised at all that she has wasted no time in getting some use out of it.
17:58Look at you, hard at work.
18:00You are in your element, aren't you?
18:02I love this, yes.
18:03How do you know how to do this?
18:05Watching things online.
18:07Really?
18:07Yes.
18:08You're self-taught?
18:09Yeah, completely.
18:09Yeah.
18:10I've never done any woodwork since before we moved here.
18:13Yeah.
18:13It's incredible.
18:14But it's great fun.
18:15And you're in here for hours.
18:17Hours, yeah.
18:18So I sometimes come in for half an hour, but then it's three hours later.
18:21If we could roll back time, and I said, we have found you the perfect property, and you
18:26can have all this as well, would you have believed me?
18:30Not in the slightest, because I always said, I'd really like a workshop, because I'd love
18:34to get involved in woodwork.
18:36And Sue would say to me was, will you shut up about a workshop?
18:39We're never going to get the house we want with a workshop.
18:43And here we are.
18:44Do you know what?
18:45When we showed you this property the first time, we all knew it was something special.
18:49But I can honestly say, hand on heart, I didn't realise quite how special for you both.
18:55Oh, it's perfect.
18:56It's absolutely perfect.
18:58Yeah.
18:59It's not just woodwork that has kept them busy here.
19:03Kath and Sue have involved themselves in the local community, and are already making
19:08new friends.
19:09One of those being neighbour, Farmer John.
19:14So we're standing here, leaning against this gate, because I always lean, I love a gate.
19:19It's John's gate.
19:20John's gate.
19:21Because, tell us the story, what happened with these gates?
19:24Well, Kath told me she wanted to make a vegetable garden in there, and I thought, well, that's
19:28not going to work if the cattle go in twice a day and eat up the potatoes or whatever.
19:32It is that's growing.
19:34So I just brought up these gates and set them up for them.
19:38Then I brought up a bucket of manure, chipped it over the fence.
19:42And this was all done without any asking?
19:44Yes.
19:45Yeah.
19:45Isn't that lovely?
19:46It's a community feel, I think, makes a huge difference.
19:50Because living down south, we didn't live in a huge area, but the community wasn't there.
19:56Whereas here, everyone gets involved.
19:59And that makes such a big difference.
20:02Yes.
20:02What advice would you give them though?
20:04Because they're still settling in.
20:05They're still newbies, aren't they?
20:07Yes.
20:09And I think, for 30 years, they'll be newbies.
20:14If the local community is this lovely to you now, being newbies, think what they're
20:19going to be like in 30 years.
20:2130 years, yeah.
20:21Family.
20:22They're looking after us.
20:25I'm glad to hear the ladies have been taken in by the locals and that they are really settling
20:31into the community.
20:32But let's take a step back and pick up where I last left them.
20:37So, since we last saw you, what happened then?
20:40Because you liked all our properties, can I just say?
20:43But I asked you, out of 10, score this house, and you both went, 10!
20:48Yes.
20:48And I'm guessing nothing has changed since then.
20:50Nothing's changed.
20:51We still pinch ourselves every day.
20:54It does feel like the best decision we ever made.
20:56We both said we'd carry on travelling in the motorhome.
20:59You did, yeah.
21:00But since we've moved here, I've not really wanted to leave.
21:03Has that surprised you?
21:05Yes.
21:06It has me.
21:07It was difficult to envisage myself in a house again because it was just, you know,
21:11it was kind of a complete lifestyle change living in a motorhome.
21:15But since being here, it's just, it's the best place in the world.
21:19I mean, look at that.
21:20So, no regrets then?
21:22Because there's so many that will be watching this thinking,
21:24that is the dream.
21:26I just, I just can't push myself into doing it.
21:29What advice would you give to them?
21:30So, really think about what they actually want in coming to sort of like a remote location.
21:37Yeah.
21:38And then just follow it through.
21:39If it's that what their dream is, then just follow it through.
21:42Because I mean, we did and we absolutely love it.
21:44Yeah.
21:44And you did say you had some news.
21:47Oh, yes.
21:48Yes.
21:48So, we had our civil partnership in 2007, so a while ago.
21:54Right.
21:55And we decided to make it formally marriage this year.
22:00Oh.
22:01Congratulations.
22:02That's wonderful news.
22:04It was quite a small affair.
22:05Yeah.
22:05It was me, Sue and the dog.
22:06Of course.
22:07And Fudge was there.
22:08Fudge was there.
22:09I mean, it was just us, but it was like important to us.
22:12Obviously, slightly upset I wasn't asked to be a bridesmaid, but you know.
22:16My mum was quite upset not being asked to be a bridesmaid as well.
22:18Well, she's not either.
22:19What's your mum's name?
22:20Christine.
22:21Christine, you and I have got something in common.
22:23But we'll let them off.
22:24We'll let them off.
22:25Well, here's to the two of you.
22:27Yes, cheers.
22:27And to Fudge as well.
22:28Thank you so much.
22:29Yes.
22:29Happy homes.
22:30Happy mystery homes.
22:32Yes.
22:32Must have been fate.
22:34That pheasant.
22:36It was meant to be, wasn't it?
22:37Yes, it was.
22:37Definitely.
22:38Yeah, here's to the pheasant.
22:39Here's to the pheasant.
22:41Toasting this successful Scottish escape, next up we're heading south with Sonali Shah.
22:48My turn now, and I'm checking in on a couple of first-time buyers who were planning
22:52on moving to the beautiful Welsh borders.
22:55Having saved hard for their new home, they were prepared to put in the work to make it
23:00theirs, as long as it had the space they needed.
23:03But knowing where they were moving from, I was very confident that space was something
23:08I could deliver.
23:12Meet 27-year-old Rosie.
23:14This is my van that I built myself during lockdown.
23:19I've lived in it for the last two years.
23:21Rosie had been parked up on a West Midlands campsite in her beloved van called Betty, near
23:27to where her partner, 28-year-old Phil, lived.
23:30This is my parents' house, and I've lived it all my life and continue to do so whilst
23:35we stay for our move to the country, which we are extremely excited about.
23:40My countryside dream would be taking a house that is derelict and turning it into a home
23:48for us both.
23:51For me it's about the setting the land that it's in because I want to be able to do something
23:56for nature and wildlife with the land that we have.
24:00Rosie and Phil were after a characterful property with enough space for two bedrooms and two bathrooms.
24:07They loved the idea of a renovation project and were hoping for some land, around two acres.
24:13Having saved hard for their first home, they came to us with a budget of £400,000.
24:22Our search began in Wales, in the Powys village of Kerry, with this semi-detached, Grade II listed farmhouse.
24:31It's quite a treat as you walk up, isn't it?
24:34Very much so. I love the black and white.
24:36Yeah, it's lovely. It's really, really nice.
24:39It's very striking. It's certainly got the character that I like.
24:44The original house had been built in the early 1600s, then added to and reconfigured over the centuries.
24:51We began our tour in the most recent addition.
24:55So there's a little summer room there, utility.
24:59And then the kitchen.
25:00I literally love the beams. And I love how open it is as well.
25:04So the current owners have totally opened up this whole space.
25:08And they've found all of this wood.
25:11They've done the hard work.
25:12Follow me.
25:16The timber frame is just stunning, isn't it?
25:19I think this is my favourite room of the house.
25:22I haven't even looked in the room.
25:23Yeah, sorry, look down.
25:27With the van, I'm not very used to having a space.
25:30Clothes, dumping rooms.
25:30Purely for sitting.
25:32We'll get you a space.
25:34Here it is.
25:36Up the stairs, past more of those fantastic 400-year-old beams, was the bedroom accommodation.
25:44This is the biggest of five bedrooms.
25:47I was expecting to have to do a lot more work than some paint.
25:52This is the kind of floor that I would expect that I'd have to find under many layers of old
25:57carpet.
25:57But it's already here.
25:58Yeah, it's already been done.
26:00Also on this floor were two more good-sized double bedrooms and a family bathroom.
26:05At the top of the house were another two bedrooms, set in the eaves.
26:10But it was the outside space I knew Phil was hankering after.
26:14This is the time we get to look at the view.
26:15Yeah.
26:17And what a beautiful view that it is.
26:20Down a short path from the house was this two-acre wooded sanctuary.
26:25You wanted trees?
26:27Ta-da!
26:28Trees.
26:29The entire woodland.
26:30Certainly.
26:31It's a little haven down here.
26:33It is.
26:33This is an escape.
26:35Are you ready for the price?
26:39It is on the market for 400,000.
26:41There you go.
26:41Yeah.
26:43Bang on budget and ready to move into, we were off to a good start.
26:50The next day we travelled over the border into Shropshire, headed for the hamlet of Newton-on-the-hill, where
26:57it was time to give Rosie what she was craving, some work to do.
27:02And here we are, the next offering.
27:05Wow.
27:06First thing I noticed is a little stained glass window.
27:08Oh, good spot.
27:09It's not huge.
27:10The smallest window on the thing.
27:11They think it may have been a former chapel.
27:14Wow.
27:14It's gorgeous.
27:15It's certainly got a lot of character.
27:17Very quirky.
27:18Yeah, it looks wonderful.
27:22Built in the 1880s and recently vacant, I was keen to show our creative couple what they could get stuck
27:29into with this potential project.
27:32As soon as you walk into the house, you get a sense of what needs to be done.
27:36Yes.
27:38I'd love to see what's under the carpet.
27:39Oh, yes.
27:41Shall we head into the kitchen to see what the floor is there and then it might give you a
27:44little bit of a hint because it just connects here.
27:49This is where we'll need your renovation brain.
27:52Oh.
27:53Yep.
27:55But, yeah, this is a condition that I was expecting and maybe surprisingly hoping for.
28:02As soon as I walked in here, I thought, yep, yep, she's going to like this.
28:06Yep.
28:06And I do.
28:09Across the hall was a large second reception room.
28:14Massive windows.
28:15Yeah, huge windows.
28:16Wonderful.
28:17Another fire face.
28:18Yeah.
28:19And upstairs led to another welcome opportunity for Rosie to get her toolbox out.
28:26Ooh.
28:28Getting church vibes now.
28:30Yeah.
28:31Yeah.
28:32That's coming down, isn't it?
28:34Okay.
28:36Gorgeous window, which has unfortunately been half covered.
28:40Good view here too.
28:42The rear bedroom featured some characterful beams and an undecided bonus space.
28:48Walk-in wardrobe?
28:50Yeah, or just a little studio, like photography and stuff like that.
28:55Right, yeah.
28:57Outside there was just over a quarter of an acre of land, including a large driveway, formal gardens which surrounded
29:05the house, as well as several workshops and outbuildings.
29:09And further away from the property, a much wilder area of garden for Phil to get his hands on.
29:19It's not perfect, but it would be a nice project to work on.
29:22You don't want perfect though, right?
29:23No, I don't want perfect.
29:24Exactly.
29:25That's the point.
29:25Yeah.
29:26It's got so much to work with.
29:28What is it on the market for?
29:31It's going to be tough, but I'm going to say on budget again, £400,000.
29:34I'll say £390,000.
29:37It is on the market for offers in the region of £375,000.
29:43Wow, okay.
29:44That's a surprise.
29:45That's a real surprise.
29:46It's a serious consideration.
29:49Well, I wasn't surprised.
29:50This Victorian chapel-style cottage was chock-full of character and period charm, with room in the budget for Rosie
29:58and Phil's renovation vision.
30:02This property really feels like somewhere we could live, somewhere we can call a home.
30:05I think Rosie's feeling really good about this one.
30:08I am struggling to think of anything that it doesn't have, so yeah, I'm really excited.
30:17So far, we'd had good vibes only from Phil and Rosie.
30:21Nothing about our houses seemed to phase them.
30:23But with Rosie clearly itching to get her toolkit out for our mystery house,
30:28we wanted to give her something she could really transform.
30:32And if this wouldn't test whether they truly wanted a project, I don't know what would.
30:39For our final offering, we headed back over to Wales, to the hamlet of Llan Rayadar,
30:47where I couldn't call it a mystery house as such.
30:54Rosie has a look on her face like, what have you done, Sonali?
30:58Who's up for a barn conversion?
31:00Yeah, as long as we didn't have to knock it all down and start again.
31:04The preference would be to keep as much of it as possible.
31:07So, in line with your ethos. I have the plans here.
31:12The proposed ground floor layout featured a large lounge,
31:16a spacious kitchen diner and an entrance hall,
31:19of which was a separate utility and the first of five ensuite bedrooms.
31:26But you're not daunted by a barn conversion?
31:28No.
31:30There's a hesitancy in that.
31:32No.
31:33Slightly daunted, but enthusiastic.
31:38Well, they did ask for a project, but perhaps I had gone one too far.
31:45Oh, this excites me more.
31:46Yeah?
31:47Yeah.
31:47With the structure?
31:48Yeah, because you can see the beams and things.
31:54Having potentially already overwhelmed them with my big barn surprise,
31:59there was still the small matter of five acres to address.
32:03A whole lot of land, eh?
32:06I mean, that's the real dream for me.
32:07I mean, all of this for wildlife.
32:09I'm aware that it's a lot of work.
32:12I mean, I guess it depends on the price,
32:15if our budget would allow for us to get the help.
32:21Shall we talk money, then?
32:23Yes.
32:24It's on the market for £200,000.
32:28Wow.
32:29That's really encouraging, actually,
32:31because it leaves a substantial amount of budget to then.
32:33It seems like it could be affordable for us.
32:38With half of their budget left to play with,
32:41perhaps the dream would be a little easier to visualise after all.
32:47I think we painted Phil and Rosie a pretty good picture
32:51of what life could be like here in the Welsh borders.
32:54One that, by the sounds of it,
32:56would involve much more than just a lick of paint.
33:02Just over two years on from our search together,
33:04I am thrilled to report that Rosie and Phil
33:08have made the Welsh borders their home.
33:10Well, started to make it home,
33:12but not in one of the houses that I showed them.
33:15So I am very keen to see where they've ended up.
33:24Hang on. I recognise that van.
33:26She's not still living in it, is she?
33:29The van now sits on the driveway of their very own home,
33:33this mid-century cottage with five acres
33:35on an elevated plot in a Powys hamlet.
33:40Hello, you've found a house!
33:44Very quickly, from what I hear.
33:46Yeah.
33:47This is stunning, this setting.
33:49Yeah, the view is a big selling point.
33:51Are you still living in the van?
33:53Yes.
33:55Well, it's a bit less dusty in the van than it is in the house.
33:58How many walls has she ripped down already?
33:59Only one.
34:00How many does she want to rip down?
34:01No more to my knowledge.
34:03OK, OK.
34:04Alright, that's good going.
34:07Though not currently habitable,
34:10Rosie and Phil have done a lot of work
34:12since buying this two-bedroom cottage last year.
34:15With the demolition phase coming to an end
34:17and construction beginning,
34:19it sounds like I've arrived at an exciting time.
34:25Welcome.
34:26Oh, yeah.
34:26Yeah.
34:27It's really a project, isn't it?
34:28It is.
34:29You weren't lying.
34:30No.
34:33This is such a great space, though.
34:36It is now the walls are gone.
34:37Yes.
34:37This was initially the smallest kitchen in the world.
34:41Really only appropriate for one person.
34:44And I quite like the open plan.
34:46Yes.
34:47Definitely.
34:47Why would you not do that?
34:49And the view is everything.
34:50And then what's your plan for the kitchen?
34:54It's kind of what it is.
34:56The sink will be there and it will come around here
34:58and the cooker will be there.
35:00Yeah.
35:00What are we doing colour scheme-wise?
35:02I'm still debating the kitchen cupboard door.
35:04This lovely floor is staying.
35:06The living room was carpeted.
35:07There was quite a lot of scraping of old goop.
35:10But under it was this beautiful quarry tile, which we're definitely keeping.
35:15It's such good condition.
35:16Yeah.
35:17I would go all green, then.
35:19All green?
35:20Yeah.
35:20The green in this will go so well.
35:22Oh.
35:23Big plans for the kitchen, then.
35:24But before she can bake, being able to shower is, understandably, Rosie's first priority.
35:31So current focus is on the bathroom.
35:36Wow.
35:37Okay.
35:38Well, some rough ideas for this room, but we're going for yellow.
35:43Well, because these windows were already here or these are new?
35:46No, these are new.
35:47I designed them and we had them made.
35:50Amazing.
35:50And the bath there?
35:52Bath.
35:53Toilet.
35:54Sink.
35:54Sink.
35:57Day to make a toilet seat with your own wood.
35:59That sounds really hard.
36:01But I'm sure there's a video somewhere that will teach me how to do it.
36:05You'll find out anything on the internet.
36:07It's going to be the house that the internet built.
36:10Yeah.
36:10So what's the ETL on you?
36:11Are you being able to shower in here?
36:13The new pasta board on the ceiling is finished this weekend.
36:16I've got stud work to go on the wall and then tiles on the floor, which I'm making.
36:25Of course you are, Rosie.
36:26That's going to take me a little bit of time.
36:29I need to make 150.
36:31I've made three.
36:33They do say if you want something done right, do it yourself.
36:37And luckily, Rosie has the space to do it in.
36:40As this house also came with the bonus of a workshop
36:44and it's become the base of bringing Rosie's creative visions to life.
36:53You really weren't lying about making tiles.
36:56Look at this.
36:57Well, we couldn't find the colour we wanted.
37:00So we decided to try and make them ourselves.
37:03I love the fact you've clearly used a cake cutter.
37:07Yeah.
37:08But this one is drying.
37:10And this is the colour we're going to go with, I think.
37:13We wanted it to be, you know, proper yellow as opposed to mustardy,
37:19which is all the things that were available if we were to buy it.
37:22And we're so unique as well.
37:24Well, yeah.
37:25And actually we'll be saving money versus buying them as well.
37:28So it's a win-win.
37:29I suppose the only thing we're really spending on these
37:32is probably quite an awful lot of time.
37:34I can see actually why you got excited by the workshop
37:37because you've got this sort of more or less ready-made space
37:40to work on your vision.
37:42Yes, it's great.
37:44This was definitely a huge selling point of the house to Earthworld to me.
37:47How are you balancing working?
37:49Sometimes it's a perfect balance
37:51where it's like a few days at work and a few days at house,
37:54but sometimes it just doesn't work like that.
37:56Work probably gives you a bit of a break.
37:58Literally, I joke with my work colleagues that I come to work for a break.
38:02I feel like you're nailing life, Rosie.
38:04Oh, well, thank you.
38:05I think we're certainly working towards something really cool.
38:09Life is really exciting right now.
38:12While Rosie concentrates on the interior of the house,
38:15Phil's heart lies in the five acres of land
38:18that came with this beautifully positioned property.
38:23A bit of an orchard going on here.
38:25An orchard, yeah.
38:27It's a few little fruit trees.
38:29It's been very hands-off in the garden so far.
38:31The only real radical changes we've made
38:33are demolishing some of the sheds
38:36because I want more space.
38:38Flatland is a premium.
38:40More space than flatland.
38:40I see what, yeah.
38:41A lot of your acreage actually is all on slope.
38:43On the slope, yeah.
38:44So for a garden purpose, it's nice to have this flat space,
38:47to have a pond, to have a greenhouse.
38:49There'll be veg somewhere.
38:51With the veg plots, is that part of a bigger plan?
38:54Yes, yeah.
38:55We probably won't ever be fully self-sufficient,
38:57but we'd like to grow a lot of our own food
38:59and certainly be more eco-friendly,
39:01which is why we had our air source heat pump installed.
39:04It was affordable and we can make it more affordable one day
39:08maybe by having some solar because it sort of feeds itself.
39:11I was going to ask you about that because if you're getting the sun here all day,
39:15actually that's a bit of a no-brainer.
39:17Yeah, and it will save us money in the long run.
39:19You're weeks working in London, living in London, and then you come back to this.
39:25How does it feel?
39:27Fantastic.
39:28It's a real remedy, it's a real contrast.
39:30You know, I love London, but it's much better to have this to come back to and reset.
39:40It's lovely to see that Rosie and Phil found their perfect escape here in Wales,
39:45but when I last saw them, they had their hopes pinned on one of our properties.
39:53So what happened after I left you two years ago?
39:58We had a second viewing on the old chapel, but it didn't work out.
40:03We got outbid.
40:04We were gutted, yeah.
40:05We were actually on holiday when we found out and we had to have a half an hour sit down.
40:10We had a little cry.
40:11We were a little bit upset.
40:13But we were inspired to carry on looking after we'd been with you, so...
40:16I think we definitely had a clearer vision of what we wanted after our visits with you,
40:22which led us...
40:24We had a whole day's viewing after viewing after viewing.
40:28And this property was actually right at the end and we viewed it and fell in love.
40:34And you knew as soon as you visited, did you?
40:37Yeah.
40:37I think the thing for you was you saw a paragon flew over, didn't you?
40:44And that for you was like...
40:46That was a good moment.
40:47Yes.
40:47That's a sign.
40:48And for me, it was the workshop.
40:51So interesting.
40:52It wasn't the house at all, but everything around it, as you say.
40:55Seeing those elements and thinking, well, actually, we could make this house exactly what we want it to be as
41:00well.
41:01You wanted about two acres, you had said?
41:05Yeah.
41:05And then this is almost five.
41:084.88.
41:09That wasn't daunting at all.
41:11I think I would be slightly daunted.
41:13I appreciate it.
41:14It's a lot of work.
41:16I'm like the head of the house department and Phil is the head of the garden department.
41:20It's nice though.
41:22We're both in each other's...
41:23We are.
41:24We're each other's assistant.
41:24You've decided to live together, so yes.
41:27I think it works.
41:28I get to enjoy a really nice garden, which is not something that I have the knowledge to do.
41:34And Phil gets to enjoy a house that he hasn't had to pay contractors to renovate.
41:40Have you given yourself a deadline?
41:42No.
41:43I don't think it will ever be finished.
41:46No, but you'd like to move in because...
41:48The goal is habitable.
41:49Let's talk about the vans.
41:50The goal is definitely habitable.
41:53I would like to have some resemblance of a bathroom by the end of the year.
42:00Because that's definitely...
42:01Having a nice place to wash is definitely a priority.
42:04I mean there's not that much to do in the bedroom.
42:06So I think I'm going to go mid next year.
42:10Are you both enjoying it?
42:12Yeah.
42:12You look like you are.
42:13It's really enjoyable.
42:14It's really exciting.
42:15And we're both reasonably relaxed about it.
42:19I mean there are times where you go, kind of, it's overwhelming.
42:23But I can't wait to just walk in and we'll think, I made that.
42:28And we built that.
42:30And we did that together.
42:31And I think that's really nice.
42:38Trading in four wheels for four walls is always going to be an enormous lifestyle change.
42:44But as Rosie and Phil and Kath and Sue have proven, putting the brakes on van life doesn't mean having
42:51to leave that sense of adventure out on the road.
42:53Because ultimately, an escape to the country is one of the greatest adventures of all.
42:59I'll see you next time.
43:02If you also dream of escaping to the country in Wales, Scotland, England or Northern Ireland and need our help,
43:10why not apply online at bbc.co.uk forward slash take part.
43:44I'll see you next time.
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