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00:01The best way to embark on an escape to the country journey is with an open mind.
00:07Well, we've been looking forward to it for a while, but we don't know what to expect.
00:12Expect the unexpected is usually the best advice I can give you.
00:16And staying true to that, I present some show-stopping properties.
00:20Well, we don't expect to live in a house like this, but now I see it. Why not?
00:26As well as some knockout gardens.
00:28Oh, beautiful. We're going to employ a gardener. A farmer.
00:32A farmer.
00:33A farmer.
00:37A farmer.
00:37A farmer.
00:38A farmer.
00:40A farmer.
01:06A farmer.
01:07It's a resting architecture and brains.
01:11Well, they can be found
01:12within its world-famous Institute of Education.
01:16Cambridgeshire has great genes.
01:18And I'm not talking about the pair that I'm wearing.
01:21I'm talking about genes as in genomes,
01:23that unique blueprint that makes all of us who we are.
01:27Because it was here in this scholarly and studious county
01:30that much of our genetic code was mapped,
01:34all three billion bits of it.
01:36And, of course, it determines everything
01:38from the colour of our skin, our eyes, our hair,
01:41even the shape and warmth of our smile.
01:44And certainly, Cambridgeshire puts a smile on my face.
01:48It's the perfect place for an escape to the country.
01:53Cambridgeshire sits in the west of East Anglia
01:55and is loved by both visitors and residents.
01:59We've moved up a few years ago.
02:01It's really picturesque.
02:03Just go for a drive around, the skies are really big.
02:05We're very, very lucky to live here.
02:08Just spoilt for choice.
02:10Attracting over seven million visitors a year is Cambridge,
02:15known for its prestigious university.
02:17Although a city it has no cathedral,
02:20the nearest is located in nearby Ely,
02:23a magnificent Norman structure
02:25affectionately known as the Ship of the Fence.
02:28I love living in Cambridgeshire.
02:31I love the open spaces.
02:33I love the old buildings, little pubs and restaurants,
02:37so you can sit and have a drink and enjoy the view.
02:40Great place for everyone.
02:43Away from the lively metropolises, the fens cover much of the county.
02:48The fertile marshy landscape produces a fifth of the nation's grains,
02:53earning it the title Breadbasket of Britain.
02:56So whether it's history, architecture or nature you're after,
03:01Cambridgeshire's got it covered.
03:09If ever there was a county fit for a couple of scientists to escape to,
03:13then surely Cambridgeshire is it.
03:16So time now to meet them, do some old-fashioned research,
03:19find out what they're after and why.
03:23Helen and Wei have lived in Brussels for the past 38 years.
03:28We both moved from southeast of England
03:31to live in Belgium since the late 80s because of work.
03:35We have three children, all working and living in the UK.
03:39We also have three lovely grandchildren.
03:43The chemistry was instant when Helen, a retired science technician,
03:48and Wei, a retired chemical engineer,
03:50met at university in England in 1979.
03:55We actually plan to move back to the UK since about four years ago.
04:01But due to the Covid, this makes things almost impossible.
04:05Our youngest daughter lives in Cambridge,
04:08so we would like to move to Cambridge.
04:11The other two children live in London.
04:16Helen and Wei are used to globetrotting.
04:18Both born in Hong Kong, they studied in England before moving to Belgium.
04:23This is our house.
04:25We live nearby the airport and also under the flight path.
04:31So I think every ten minutes or so there will be an airplane passing by
04:36and they generate a lot of noise.
04:40They're hoping for a quieter life when they make their move.
04:43I think I like a slow pace, so it's more relaxing.
04:49I like to do a bit of voluntary work as well.
04:54Wei is happiest outdoors.
04:56Doing some watering in his vegetable plot.
05:00Here's my humble little vegetable patch.
05:03You've got some aubergine here.
05:05You've got some pepper.
05:08And some rocket plants.
05:11I think a village life in Cambridge is nice because it's not too remote.
05:17And it's not too far from London to be near our children.
05:22We're very excited.
05:23Yeah.
05:25Helen and Wei want to downsize to a detached, bright home with a good-sized kitchen,
05:30three bedrooms, two bathrooms and a manageable garden.
05:34They'd ideally like to be within walking distance of shops and a station.
05:38And to achieve all this, their budget is £800,000.
05:45Well, in many respects, Helen and Wei's ambitions are not uncommon on Escape to the Country.
05:51A couple retiring, looking to make a move to the countryside to have an altogether quieter and slower pace of
05:59life.
05:59And why not?
06:00The difference in the lifestyle they're seeking to achieve could not be greater.
06:06But clearly wanting to be close to family, all of whom are here in the UK, is what is driving
06:12this.
06:13So there are a lot of people hoping we get it right this week.
06:22But before we head off on our house hunt, I want to welcome them back to British soil.
06:27And where better to do it than on the picturesque banks of the river Cannes.
06:33Wow.
06:34This seems like a good spot to welcome you to Escape to the Country, Helen and Wei.
06:39How does it feel to finally be getting this whole new adventure underway?
06:44Well, we've been looking forward to it for a while, but we don't know what to expect.
06:50Expect the unexpected is usually the best advice I can give you.
06:53We always wanted to move back to the UK because the UK is like home to us.
07:00It's an exciting move.
07:02Clearly your children and grandchildren are going to be very excited at the prospect that you will finally put down
07:08some long-term routes here.
07:09There's lots to see and lots to tempt you with. Shall we?
07:13Yeah. Come on then, let's go. Thank you.
07:19The property launching our search is in the village of Harston, just four miles south-west of Cambridge.
07:27There's a direct bus to the city, but the more adventurous can use the cycle path.
07:33Staying local, there's a village shop, a GP surgery and a village hall.
07:41For a right royal night out, I'm told the local pub serves great Thai food.
07:46And it's just a short walk from the house we're here to see.
07:50Right, come on in then.
07:53To our first property.
07:55Come over here, Helen.
07:58There we go.
08:00Wow. It's a nice cottage, nice looking cottage, yeah.
08:03Yeah? Yeah.
08:04Interesting.
08:04Like a chocolate box.
08:05Well, yeah. At its heart, it's a 17th century building.
08:10Oh, really?
08:11But it has recently had a complete renovation.
08:14Yes. It's really absolutely outstanding looking from the outside, yes.
08:18And in terms of location, five miles from Great Shelford, where your daughter is?
08:23Yeah.
08:24Stationed a half-hour walk away or three-minute drive.
08:27Oh, wow. That's great.
08:28It looks great. Yeah.
08:29We would never look at a property like that. We call it a villa in Belgium.
08:33A villa. Interesting.
08:35It's large. It's detached. Wow.
08:38And I think...
08:39I wasn't expecting this.
08:40Well, you won't be expecting what they've done to the inside either.
08:43I'm dying to see it now.
08:46Come and have a look. Come and have a look.
08:51Although the bones of this period property date back 400 years,
08:55there were additions in the 1970s and 80s,
08:58and then, more recently, a new kitchen extension
09:01which combines classic with cutting edge.
09:05There we go. Wait till you have a look in here.
09:09And where I think Helen and Wei might feel right at home.
09:13Come on in. I don't think you will have been expecting this from the outside.
09:18Wow.
09:19What do you think?
09:20It's very spacious.
09:22It's really bright, isn't it?
09:23Yeah.
09:24Look at this wheel. It's fantastic.
09:27And the diner end, of course.
09:29That's good, isn't it?
09:30Next door, you've got the utility room, laundry room, all that kind of stuff.
09:35Fantastic.
09:36It's got a good feel to it.
09:37Yeah, good feel, yeah.
09:38For me, modern, nice, bright.
09:40Yeah, that's what you want, isn't it?
09:41Yeah, that's what I want.
09:42Yeah.
09:43I'm not fussy.
09:46Well, we don't expect to live in a house like this, but now I see it.
09:49Why not?
09:51So, this is just half the house, is that right?
09:54Just a little bit of it.
09:56Let's have a look at the rest.
09:58Ah, more.
10:01Across the hallway are two reception rooms, so we're turning back the clock and heading into the original part of
10:08the house, to the larger one.
10:10So, here we are then.
10:11A bit more traditional, as you can see.
10:15Got the beams, got the fireplace.
10:17Wow.
10:18It's really pretty, right?
10:19Beams, yes.
10:21Lovely.
10:22Beams is new to me.
10:24We'd never leave a house with beams.
10:26The low ceiling is something that's only drawback.
10:31That's all, that's all.
10:33I mean, unless you're going to jump.
10:34Yeah.
10:35Well, luckily, luckily I'm not a tall person.
10:37Yeah, okay, yeah.
10:38I think it takes a little bit of getting used to.
10:42Yeah.
10:42That's all.
10:43It's all part of the history of the building, which is what makes it so interesting, is that you get
10:47to see, you know, that traditional build, and it adds a lot of character.
10:51I quite like it, in fact.
10:53Yeah, the beams.
10:54So far, so good.
10:54So far, so good.
10:55Right, let's continue up here.
10:59The neighbouring reception room is snugger in both size and decor. Upstairs is just as bright as the ground floor,
11:07where all the rooms are off a sunny landing.
11:10There's a fresh family bathroom, with both a walk-in shower and modern tub, plus four bedrooms.
11:18This is the one I think you would probably have for your own, because you've got the ensuite bath through
11:23there.
11:23Yeah.
11:24Storage, et cetera.
11:25And, waking up to the views.
11:27What a lovely view there.
11:29Yeah.
11:30The view is selling.
11:33Excellent.
11:34Helen, what do you think?
11:36It's okay.
11:38It's a bit small, because we have quite a large bedroom.
11:41Yeah.
11:42But, yeah.
11:44Oh, we have to downsize.
11:46Downsize, yes.
11:46We're downsizing.
11:47We've suggested this is the principle, because it's got the ensuite.
11:50There is another lovely large bedroom, too, you could choose, if you wish.
11:54Okay.
11:55But it's got the view here.
11:56Exactly.
11:57Yeah.
11:58Views around the whole house, I think.
12:00It's got character as well, isn't it?
12:02That's the thing.
12:03Yeah.
12:05Bits here, bits there, you can do a lot with it.
12:09This bedroom sits above the kitchen.
12:11Bedrooms two, three and four are all along the front of the house in the older section.
12:17And they're showing their age in a good way.
12:20I like this one.
12:21The beams, character.
12:23I think this room is even slightly bigger than the master bedroom.
12:28That's the tour of Inside Complete.
12:31Outside, the garden wraps around the house, capturing those countryside views from every angle.
12:39Oh, this is nice, a little bit of sunshine.
12:42Wow, look at the view.
12:45Yeah, this is quite amazing.
12:47Wow.
12:48Well, as you can see, the back garden, almost as big as the front garden.
12:52It also comes with this summer house, which might need a little bit of attention, but you also get the
12:57garage.
12:58Let's have a think then about how much this is going to cost you.
13:01So, I would say seven hundred and...
13:08Ninety...
13:08Ninety.
13:09Yeah, seven hundred and ninety.
13:10Seven hundred and ninety thousand pounds.
13:12OK, yeah.
13:13Wei?
13:14I think this must be on top of our budget.
13:16Yeah.
13:17OK.
13:17Maybe 810.
13:19I can see these scientific minds working away.
13:22This is on the market for eight hundred thousand pounds.
13:25Oh, eight hundred.
13:27Eight hundred.
13:27Oh, OK.
13:29Right on budget, this extended 17th century detached house has a fantastic modern kitchen diner.
13:36Two reception rooms, four bedrooms and a garden with countryside views.
13:41It's perfectly placed for family and the station.
13:47It's sort of quirky and cute.
13:49And also, the view from the kitchen to the outside is beautiful.
13:54Yeah, you cannot beat that.
13:56Oh, it's so near Cambridge.
13:58All the amenities are here.
14:00So, I'm happy with this house.
14:02It's a lovely house.
14:16Our house hunt so far has been village centric.
14:20But we'd like Helen and Wei to experience the heartbeat of a busy Cambridgeshire town.
14:24So, we brought them to Huntingdon, famous as the birthplace of Oliver Cromwell in 1599.
14:33It's pretty.
14:34It's really pretty here.
14:35Yeah, nice river view, isn't it?
14:37I like the water.
14:38I like the town.
14:39Yeah.
14:39Yeah, nice river.
14:41Huntingdon is an amazing town and a great place to live.
14:44So, we've got a huge rich heritage with Cromwell.
14:46We're a thriving market town.
14:48We've got a huge selection of national and independent shops and retail in the town.
14:52And the great nightlife.
14:53I'm a massive fan of Huntingdon.
14:55I'm known locally as Mr Huntingdon, which is a name that I take with pride.
15:02The restored Georgian Town Hall overlooks the historic Market Square, where market stalls
15:08still attract visitors twice a week.
15:11A popular commuter town, passengers can access the capital by train in under an hour.
15:17And there are also bus links to Cambridge, as well as the neighbouring town of Godmanchester,
15:22which is Helen and Wei's next stop.
15:25Their destination is the community nursery, to find out about volunteering opportunities
15:30and indulge in Wei's love of horticulture.
15:34Looks interesting.
15:35Yeah, indeed.
15:40So, here we're a five-acre plant nursery, where we have grounds and all the greenhouses
15:50around you.
15:51So, we've got about 50 volunteers that look after the community nursery.
15:55We do everything from growing plants here, we propagate seeds, grow vegetables.
16:02We've got a wonderful little cafe.
16:03The project itself is not-for-profit.
16:06And we also work a lot with adults with additional needs during the week as a work placement place.
16:11So, who can become a volunteer?
16:13We look for everybody.
16:15If you don't have green fingers yet, that does not matter.
16:18We can either teach you how to become a gardener or there's loads of different volunteering options here.
16:26If Helen and Wei become volunteers at the nursery, they could well be put to work in its colourful
16:31heritage orchard.
16:33Here, the 60 trees bear a variety of apples from both Cambridgeshire and Bedfordshire,
16:38with one named after somewhere very close to home.
16:42So, this is the Huntingdon Codling, and it was bred in 1885.
16:49So, would one of you guys like to try one of the fruits?
16:52Yes, I'd love to.
16:53I can pick anyone?
16:54Yeah, anyone you like.
16:55Okay.
16:55Give it a poll and a twist.
16:57Oh, sorry, sorry about that.
16:58That's all right.
16:59Don't worry.
17:00You're tasting too.
17:02Yeah.
17:03Oh, right.
17:04Straight off the tree.
17:05Beautiful, yeah.
17:06Mmm.
17:09What do you reckon?
17:10Very nice.
17:12It's a bit sharp, but I like it.
17:15You've got so many lovely apples here.
17:17I just wonder, what do you do with it?
17:18Well, every year, in the middle of October, we have a massive apple day here.
17:22You can come down, you can try the apples, you can buy them.
17:26We have apple pressing for children, loads of craft stalls for everybody to enjoy.
17:33Well, we should tell Vanessa and Paul to come over.
17:37Absolutely.
17:37Yeah.
17:37Okay.
17:38Okay.
17:39Thank you for having us, Oscar.
17:40You're very welcome.
17:41It's been very interesting.
17:42Yeah.
17:44However, scrumping's over, so time to get back on the road to find that elusive property
17:49that might just become the apple of Helen and Way's eye.
17:58Next stop for our house tours is the village of Stetchworth, around 12 miles east of Cambridge,
18:04and under half an hour from Helen and Way's daughter.
18:06The village has an attractive range of property stock, a good choice of events and activities,
18:12and a popular local.
18:14The pub's just a minute's walk from this double-fronted home, whose handsome frontage belies its age.
18:22Right then, what do we think of this?
18:25Gorgeous house.
18:26So grand.
18:27It's got that feel, isn't it?
18:29Yes.
18:29Double garage.
18:30Yep.
18:31With an electric door.
18:32Oh my goodness.
18:33Oh my.
18:34We are trying to move down.
18:36You're trying to downsize?
18:37Well, we thought we'd spoil you.
18:39Bloody hell.
18:40Wow.
18:41Now the joy of this is that it is only about 25 years old.
18:44So it's been given what I would describe as a Victorian look.
18:49And because it's designed for modern life, borrowing from the past, all the rooms are very generous,
18:55there's lots of light, and it's got this very imposing, colonnaded porch.
19:02Well, my brain says, you know, downsizing, but my heart's saying, wow, the space.
19:08Yeah.
19:08So my sense is that you would like to go through the door and have a look at this, yeah?
19:13Yeah.
19:14Yes.
19:14Can't wait.
19:18It seems this property's youth has piqued Helen and Way's interest.
19:23And with this newer one come better eco-credentials.
19:27An EPC rating of C, meaning it's pretty energy efficient, which should lead to lower bills.
19:33The front entrance opens into a spacious hallway and off it, a reception room runs the full depth of the
19:39house.
19:42What do you think?
19:45Yeah.
19:45Really beautiful.
19:46Yeah.
19:47I love this.
19:48What I'm used to, actually.
19:50There you are, you see?
19:51It's really cosy here, isn't it?
19:53Very, very cosy.
19:53And then next door you've got a dedicated study as well.
19:56You've got the other reception room, currently a dining room.
19:58Really?
19:59Across the hallway.
20:00Okay.
20:00This house is actually big enough for everybody in the family.
20:04There are now 11 of us.
20:06Yeah, wow.
20:07Yes.
20:07We can, you know, join together, have lunch or Christmas time.
20:10That's great.
20:11Lovely.
20:12Yeah, really lovely.
20:13Lovely.
20:14Yeah.
20:14The smiles say it all, don't they?
20:17Yeah, right.
20:18You are.
20:19Come with me then.
20:21Now, on the way to the kitchen, utility room and door out.
20:26And then this.
20:27There was an island or so.
20:29An island, yeah.
20:30What can I say?
20:32I think it's much bigger than our kitchen right now.
20:35Is it?
20:35It is, yeah.
20:37So this idea of downsizing then, should we just get rid of that?
20:43You're very persuasive.
20:46My role really is just to reassure you that whatever you move into is going to work.
20:51And I don't think you'll find upstairs will disappoint you either because up there, you've got four bedrooms.
20:58Wow.
21:00Okay.
21:03A winding stairway takes them to the sleeping quarters.
21:06Wow.
21:07Spacious, eh?
21:09Generous lending.
21:10Up here, there's a tiled family bathroom and their grandkids could take their pick from three guest rooms used by
21:17the present owners for artistic hobbies.
21:21It's a lovely room.
21:23Excellent.
21:24Very nice.
21:24You can do a lot with it.
21:27Finally, the fourth bedroom is the principal.
21:31Big size, eh?
21:32En suite.
21:33En suite bathroom with a bath and a shower.
21:36Lovely.
21:36It's big.
21:38It's bright.
21:39And look at that garden wheel here.
21:41It's really nice.
21:43It's beautiful.
21:45Double doors from both the kitchen and main reception room lead to a patio, giving access to the rest of
21:52the garden.
21:53It consists of a level lawn, dotted with flower beds and surrounded by trees and hedges, plus a veggie patch
22:01for whey.
22:04So, what do you think of upstairs then?
22:07Big.
22:07Huge.
22:08The garden space, as you can see, not massive, but you don't want massive, do you?
22:12No.
22:12Which is great.
22:12And nice and secure and private for the kids to play and all the rest of it.
22:16So, let's think about what this might cost you.
22:18Maybe I would say, conceptually, maybe £825,000.
22:23I would say, £830,000.
22:27£830,000.
22:28I mean, that is £30,000 over what you would like to spend.
22:33But if it were, would you try and do it? Would you stretch to it?
22:37Probably.
22:38Probably, yes.
22:40Okay, well, let's make this super simple for you.
22:42It is on the market for £675.
22:48What?
22:49You're joking.
22:50£675?
22:52£6,000.
22:52Wow.
22:56Surprising as all, this detached modern house with its period charm has swooped in £125,000 below budget.
23:04It has a spacious kitchen diner, a large reception room, four bedrooms and is less than half an hour's drive
23:11from Helen and Wei's daughter.
23:14The house is huge. My brains tell me it's too large because we wanted to downsize, but my heart, honestly,
23:24I love it.
23:25I think the children would be very happy here. Yes, beautiful house.
23:31The kitchen is fantastic, the garden is the right size for me, and the grand entrance is taking my breath
23:40away.
23:40So I cannot afford this house, really. This is a great house.
24:01Cambridgeshire is quite the catch, and if it's caught your eye, here's some intel on the county's house prices.
24:07Unsurprisingly, property here does come at a bit of a premium, with the average price of a detached house around
24:13£470,000.
24:16That's some £32,000 more than the UK figure of just under £438,000.
24:25However, there are homes to be found for every price bracket.
24:29This detached house has a recent upgrade to its kitchen and comes with two well-proportioned reception rooms, three double
24:36bedrooms and a mature rear garden.
24:38It's on the market for £375,000.
24:45Or for £587,500, this Grade II listed thatch cottage has a stylish interior with a mix of period features
24:54and contemporary fittings,
24:55all set off by exposed brickwork and beams.
24:59Outside features a perfectly groomed cottage garden and orchard.
25:05And on the rental market, how about this four-bedroom period property?
25:09Its garden is split between a sheltered lawn and a courtyard set up for al fresco dining.
25:14The price? Just under £1,600 a month.
25:20Well, with one more day of house hunting ahead of us, we have, of course, one more property
25:24to show Wei and Helen, and that is our mystery house.
25:28Now, of course, famously, they come in all sorts of shapes and sizes,
25:32but I guarantee they will not be expecting what I'm about to show them.
25:37We're getting back on the road.
25:40And for our final option, I'm taking our buyers to the rural Cambridgeshire village of Rampton,
25:46six miles north of Cambridge, which is a direct bus ride away.
25:51There's a village hall, a book exchange, plus a recreation ground with other amenities found in the neighbouring villages.
25:59It's just a 30-minute drive to the closest train station and a half-hour car journey to Helen and
26:05Wei's daughter.
26:07Well, we have one more property to come, and, of course, that is our mystery house.
26:12But before I show it to you, I thought we'd pause here in the heart of the village of Rampton.
26:18It's a very historic village, this. A nice, small, very much kind of community-focused village.
26:23There's a great little pub. Lots of things are going on here.
26:26There's a horse show every September.
26:29And at the heart of it, this very traditional small village green.
26:35So, in terms of picturing your new English country life, how does it feel?
26:41Really quiet, really peaceful. Yeah.
26:43Yeah. Very green.
26:45I'd love you to get a feel for this place and what it could offer you in terms of supporting
26:49your future life,
26:50because our mystery house is just a short walk from here.
26:54OK. Right.
26:54So, I'm going to head over there, get it opened up, get it ready for you,
26:58and, in the meantime, you can explore the village and I'll see you shortly.
27:02OK. OK, sounds good.
27:03My suggestion is that you head that way and have a look at the church.
27:06OK. Oh, yes. See you in a bit.
27:08OK, see you later. Enjoy.
27:13While Helen and Wei take in this unusual and rare medieval thatched church,
27:18one of only a few remaining in the east of England,
27:21I've arrived at our mystery house.
27:23And if you were to find me the polar opposite of a thatched property, this would be it.
27:29Well, here then, a sneak preview of our mystery house.
27:33Now, to be fair, from the outside, it does not give much away.
27:37But when you get inside, it's a different story.
27:42Well, this is what you get when you take a property that's been designed in Denmark
27:47and place it in the heart of Cambridgeshire.
27:52A building with genuinely European credentials, which I hope will appeal to a couple who spent most of their married
27:59and working lives living in Belgium.
28:02Fingers crossed it will work for Helen and for Wei.
28:08This bespoke Danish home was built in 1989 with green living in mind.
28:15It's triple glazed, has excellent insulation with a heat exchange system, making it energy efficient and cost effective.
28:25Well, how are you?
28:27Fine.
28:28Did you like the village?
28:29Yes, it's good.
28:30Yes, good.
28:31Glad you saw it because this is what we've been leading up to, our mystery house.
28:35What do you reckon?
28:36Wow, shaped like a rocket?
28:39Well...
28:40Very futuristic.
28:41I'm not sure anybody could really make sense of it or judge it from here.
28:45So I suggest we pop into the back garden and hopefully it will start to reveal itself to you.
28:51Okay.
28:52Come and follow me.
28:57Come into this extraordinary garden.
29:01Oh, wow.
29:02So different, isn't it?
29:04The whole thing designed to frame this, which is quite unique.
29:09Yeah, absolutely.
29:11Now, students of architecture may recognise this as a Hosby house, designed in Denmark.
29:18Not quite a kit house, but certainly one, when this was built, represented real avant-garde design.
29:26Lots of timber in it, but it's a whopper.
29:32Is it your thing?
29:34It can be, yes.
29:35Well, I did wonder whether or not this would feel quite familiar to what you've been used to in Brussels.
29:41Well, we'll find out more when you go in, but from the look here, yes, it does feel a little
29:47bit similar.
29:48Well, let's have a look. Come on.
29:49Okay.
29:52The crisp edges and clean lines of the property may be a contrast to the softness of the surrounding trees,
29:58but it still manages to blend beautifully into the setting.
30:01And if Helen and Wei want a home filled with light, well, they've got it here.
30:07So, come in through this little glazed garden room into this.
30:14Very bright, nice and sunny.
30:17Yeah.
30:17Look at the bookcase.
30:19It's like a library, isn't it?
30:20Isn't it?
30:20It's so inviting.
30:22So, you've got your wish come true, right?
30:25All the light.
30:26This is exactly the same as our sitting room.
30:29Effectively, it's a big box that they've subdivided in the most minimal way, really, to create these different zones.
30:37So, you've got, as you say, sort of library, living room.
30:41You've got the dining end.
30:43Open area.
30:44Open plan kitchen.
30:44Open plan kitchen.
30:45Yeah.
30:45It couldn't be more social.
30:47Really nice.
30:48I like open plan.
30:49I would be very comfortable here.
30:50Right.
30:51Let's go upstairs.
30:52There's a few surprises there.
30:53Yeah.
30:56The current owners have made use of every inch of space.
31:00A home office sits under the stairs.
31:02And just behind the kitchen, keeping white goods tucked out of sight, is the utility.
31:08There's also a handy downstairs bedroom with a shower room next door.
31:13Right then, let's unwrap the first floor.
31:16So, here you've got the family bathroom.
31:18There are four budgets up here in total.
31:21But this one is the principal because it's got the en suite, plus also, uniquely, a sauna.
31:28Yes.
31:29I should have guessed.
31:30Because the Danes designed it.
31:31Exactly.
31:32But as you can see, this cavernous space.
31:35They've got these.
31:36Ah, I see.
31:37Plywood shutters.
31:39Yeah.
31:39Which is a first.
31:41I've never seen that before.
31:41I've been wondering what that is, yeah.
31:43I mean, this is designated as the main bedroom because it's got the en suite and the sauna.
31:47But come and have a look at the other end of the house.
31:55Sandwiched between are two smaller rooms, both doubles.
31:59And then beyond them is this, the biggest of the bunch.
32:04So, they've got this one set up as more of a sort of living space because you've got the balcony
32:10out there that overlooks the garden.
32:14But if it was me, I think I'd be tempted to convert that smaller bedroom there off the hallway and
32:20make that an en suite to this is my principal bedroom.
32:23Yeah.
32:24This is much more spacious and open.
32:27With the balcony outside.
32:29With the balcony, yeah.
32:29Yeah.
32:30Absolutely.
32:31I'm not getting the sense, if I'm honest, that you're loving it.
32:35It's a house that we can live in, yes.
32:38You could live in it, but would you love it?
32:39Yeah.
32:40I like to see how much it costs.
32:42Yeah.
32:43OK.
32:45And to do that, we're going back out to the garden.
32:48But first, a sneak peek from up here.
32:51Well, I don't think you can buy this view anywhere.
32:54No.
32:56The gardens have been beautifully landscaped, with pathways dissecting areas of lawn.
33:02There's a pond, fruit trees, two glass houses, a garden room and views.
33:08And the cherry on top...
33:11You see?
33:13Ahhhh.
33:14Ahhhh.
33:14Ahhhh.
33:15Ahhhh.
33:16Ahhhh.
33:17Ahhhh.
33:17Ahhhh.
33:17Oh my goodness, my goodness, yes.
33:20Ahhhh.
33:22Wow.
33:23Oh, I'll be really busy.
33:25Ahhhh.
33:25Yeah.
33:26Oh dear.
33:26That's good.
33:27That's good.
33:27Ready made for you.
33:29That's good.
33:30Oh, beautiful.
33:31The employer gardener.
33:32A farmer.
33:34So now we've seen this, and how it complements the property.
33:39Well, let's get into it and find out how much it's going to cost you.
33:44£790,000.
33:46Helen?
33:46I would say exactly £800,000.
33:50You are right, madam.
33:53You are right.
33:55Yes, Mystery House is on the market for £800,000.
33:59However, in speaking to the owner,
34:02I do know she would be happy to consider a sensible offer.
34:09I see, OK.
34:11Hitting all the right eco-friendly notes,
34:14this Scandinavian timber home celebrates open-plan living.
34:18It has four bedrooms, landscape gardens, plus a super-sized veggie patch.
34:23It's priced right on budget at £800,000.
34:30Nice space for doing your yoga.
34:33Yeah, yeah, lovely room.
34:35I think the Mystery House is a good house.
34:38It's a great house.
34:39And the garden is fantastic.
34:42You don't need to go anywhere in the park anywhere.
34:44You can just stay in your house and enjoy the nature.
34:46Something that wowed me is the view from the balcony
34:50and also the house has got a sauna.
35:05The majority of Cambridgeshire's low-level terrain is covered by the fens.
35:10Once nature-rich, before the area was drained in the 17th century to create farmland,
35:16destroying much of the wild habitat.
35:19Lorna Parker is manager of the Wildlife Trust's Great Fen project,
35:23which aims to return 3,700 hectares of land to its former glory.
35:31This ambitious restoration project, which will span 50 to 100 years,
35:36has just celebrated its 25-year anniversary.
35:41Well, Lorna, it's a few years since you and I last caught up here,
35:45but the great project here to restore this landscape goes on.
35:49Clearly a lot of machinery, a lot of activity.
35:52What are you up to?
35:53Oh, this is our new exciting phase of the project,
35:56where we're creating a bit of wetlands
35:57where people can get really close to the action and see the wildlife.
36:00And that's at the core, isn't it, of the Wildlife Trust's mission here,
36:04to restore this to wetlands.
36:06Absolutely, and to save this fantastic peat soil that we're stood on today.
36:10How important is peat?
36:12Peat's amazing.
36:13It's like this sink of carbon that's been trapped in the ground for thousands of years.
36:17But as we use the land and it dries out,
36:19we can accidentally release that into the atmosphere as a carbon dioxide.
36:22And actually, the land here has more carbon trapped in the soil per square metre
36:27than a tropical rainforest does.
36:29That is astonishing.
36:31It really is.
36:31That's astonishing.
36:35Escaped carbon dioxide is harmful because it traps heat in the atmosphere,
36:39leading to global warming and climate change.
36:42But when land is re-wetted, the water locks carbon into the peat,
36:46safely below the surface.
36:50So, what's going on then with these great big excavators?
36:53They're creating some new ditches to bring water into the soil and some storage pools,
36:57which will then be really fantastic for wildlife.
37:00The peat is a brilliant preserver, isn't it, of past human activity.
37:05It's amazing.
37:06It preserves all sorts of things.
37:07Right from historic to, indeed, a spitfire that we excavated a few years ago
37:11where the pilot's flying helmet was preserved.
37:13But actually, it's really good soil for farming as well.
37:16I mean, it's so rich and dark, isn't it?
37:19And thousands of years in the making.
37:21Thousands.
37:22So, it takes about a millimetre a year to grow,
37:25but at the moment we're losing two centimetres a year from the way we farm.
37:29But now it's all about bringing the water back in.
37:33Absolutely.
37:33I mean, this whole landscape was wetland.
37:35It's been drained by the power of man's ingenuity,
37:38but really that's damaging our peat, so that's what we're trying to undo again.
37:44Well, there's no evidence of buried aircraft here today,
37:47but Lorna does want to show me some other treasure that's been dug up.
37:51Wow.
37:53So, has all this come out of your recent excavations?
37:57Oh, all this and more.
37:58So, this bog oak, which isn't all oak, actually, is thousands of years old.
38:03So, it grew here as a forest, the sea levels rose,
38:06the trees drowned and fell over and were preserved in the peat.
38:092,000 years old, yep.
38:102,000-year-old timbers.
38:13Can I try and pick that up?
38:14If you're careful.
38:16Oh, my goodness.
38:17It's as solid and, I imagine, almost as strong as the day when it fell down.
38:23Indeed.
38:23This one's probably pine.
38:26I'm really blown away by that.
38:28I mean, that's a testament to the peat, isn't it?
38:30Yeah, peat's fantastic at preserving things for thousands and thousands of years.
38:34That's why it's so important.
38:35I'm just staggered by that.
38:36I really am.
38:38It's absolutely incredible what the diggers discover beneath the surface,
38:42and once they've done their job, this is what's left.
38:46I'm really excited.
38:47It's our newest mere and it's going to be absolutely fantastic.
38:50So, what are we stood on here, then?
38:52Well, it looks a bit lunar landscape, doesn't it?
38:54Yeah.
38:54But the bluest clay that we're stood on here, Jurassic times, it was...
38:58Is it?
38:59It was formed, so dinosaur times.
39:01And then over the top, we've got a mixture of silt,
39:04which would have come in and out with the sea and the rivers,
39:06and gravel left behind by ice ages.
39:09So, this will naturally retain water as this starts to fill?
39:12That's right.
39:13And how will it fill?
39:14Will it just be rainfall through...?
39:16Hopefully it will rain again, and we're all about holding on to the water.
39:21So, how long would it take, then, for this to fill this with water?
39:26It can take up to two years for that peat to suck the rain back in,
39:30like a sponge that's dried out, but the wildlife moves back in straight away.
39:35It might take a while, but this barren land will be transformed.
39:40And as if by magic, here's one Lorna and the team prepared earlier.
39:44This lush spot is 15 years down the line into its regeneration story.
39:51So, 2010, picture an empty field, and then we re-landscaped it with mirrors,
39:57just like what we've just seen, and then left nature to take its course.
40:01Wow.
40:02And I can just see in the distance there some cattle grazing.
40:04Are they all part and parcel of the broader management plan you have for the fen?
40:09Yes.
40:09So, it's, again, about natural processes and putting those large herbivores back in.
40:13Wow.
40:13It does go to prove how you can bring beauty back into this landscape.
40:18And it brings hope that if you give nature space and you put those processes back in,
40:23that it can recover.
40:24Yeah.
40:24Well, it's really fascinating to see it.
40:26Nice to be back.
40:28Hopefully it won't be another ten years before I get to return.
40:30Yeah, you have to come again.
40:43Well, as ever, at the end of a house search, we have, I hope, given our buyers plenty to think
40:49about.
40:49Wei and Helen are, I think, still weighing up the options, but have they reached a decision?
40:54Have they agreed on a property that may suit them for the future?
40:58Well, let's go and ask them.
41:04Well, you two, how are we?
41:06We're good.
41:08Yeah?
41:08I think the last few days has been really fantastic.
41:12Thank you to you introducing us to different types of houses.
41:15But is there a favourite amongst them that you both agree on?
41:20I'm having second thought, actually.
41:22Oh.
41:22And I like the charming English cottage.
41:27The first one?
41:27The very first one, yes.
41:29So you say you're having second thoughts.
41:30Does that mean that there was another contender?
41:34Well, yes, the second one.
41:37Yes.
41:37Do you have a favourite way?
41:39I think my favourite is the Victorian new build.
41:41Interesting.
41:42Yeah.
41:43So if I had to twist your arms, property one, property two?
41:47Okay, I would choose property two because the size of the house, yes.
41:52Okay.
41:53Property two.
41:53There you go.
41:55It's been great fun having the opportunity to be part of this great return that you're making to the UK.
42:01And hopefully we can come back when you finally do move and see how country life is treating you here.
42:07Yes, yes.
42:08Definitely, yes.
42:09Best of luck.
42:10Thanks a lot for the last few days.
42:13Pleasure.
42:13Thanks a lot.
42:17You know, I'm always fascinated at the many and varied reasons our buyers have for wanting to escape to the
42:24country.
42:24And as for Helen and Wei, a couple born on the other side of the world who spent their working
42:30lives in mainland Europe, I think one thing is crucial.
42:34As Helen said when I first met them, it's Britain that feels like home.
42:39And now, hopefully with our help, they can look forward to enjoying the rest of their lives here in glorious
42:45Cambridgeshire close to those they love.
42:48Fingers crossed I'll move very soon.
42:51I'll see you next time.
42:55If you would like to escape to the country in England, Northern Ireland, Scotland or Wales and need our help,
43:01why not apply online at bbc.co.uk forward slash take part.
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