Escape To The Country Season 26 Episode 37 follows retired scientists Helen and Wai as they return to Britain after 30 years in Belgium, hoping to find a beautiful countryside home in Cambridgeshire closer to their grandchildren. Jules Hudson presents a varied selection of charming rural properties that offer the perfect balance of family connection and peaceful country living.
During his visit, Jules also explores the remarkable Great Fen Project, where thousands of acres of wetland are being restored to support wildlife and preserve the natural environment. This inspiring episode showcases the appeal of Cambridgeshire living and the opportunity to reconnect with family while enjoying the tranquility of the countryside.
#EscapeToTheCountry #Cambridgeshire #CountryLiving #RuralLife #BritishTV
During his visit, Jules also explores the remarkable Great Fen Project, where thousands of acres of wetland are being restored to support wildlife and preserve the natural environment. This inspiring episode showcases the appeal of Cambridgeshire living and the opportunity to reconnect with family while enjoying the tranquility of the countryside.
#EscapeToTheCountry #Cambridgeshire #CountryLiving #RuralLife #BritishTV
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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.
00:57Cambridgeshire, it's the full package.
01:00There's beauty in its wide, low-lying landscape.
01:04Brawn within the ancient bricks that built its arresting architecture.
01:09And brains, well, they can be found within its world-famous Institute of Education.
01:16Cambridgeshire has great genes, and I'm not talking about the pair that I'm wearing,
01:21I'm talking about genes, as in genomes, that unique blueprint that makes all of us who we are.
01:27Because it was here, in this scholarly and studious county,
01:31that much of our genetic code was mapped, all three billion bits of it.
01:36And, of course, it determines everything from 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 and is loved by both visitors and residents.
01:59We've moved up a few years ago. It's really picturesque.
02:03Just go for a drive around. The skies are really big.
02:06We're very, very lucky to live here. Just spoilt for choice.
02:10Attracting over 7 million visitors a year is Cambridge, known for its prestigious university.
02:16Although a city, it has no cathedral, the nearest is located in nearby Ely,
02:23a magnificent Norman structure affectionately known as the Ship of the Fence.
02:28I love living in Cambridgeshire. I 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,
03:20find out what they're after and why.
03:23Helen and Wei have lived in Brussels for the past 38 years.
03:27We both moved from southeast of England to 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, met 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, so 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.
04:22This 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
04:37and they generate a lot of noise.
04:40They're hoping for a quieter life when they make their move.
04:44I 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.
05:01Here's my humble little vegetable patch.
05:03You've got some aubergine here, got some pepper, and some rocket plants.
05:10I 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.
05:24Yeah.
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.
06:00And why not?
06:01The 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.
07:00Yeah.
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.
07:12Shall we?
07:13Yeah.
07:14Come on then, let's go.
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.
07:59Wow.
08:00It's a nice cottage, nice-looking cottage, yeah.
08:03Yeah?
08:03Yeah.
08:04Interesting.
08:04Like a chocolate box.
08:05Well, yeah.
08:07At its heart, it's a 17th-century building.
08:10Oh, really?
08:11But it has recently had a complete renovation.
08:14Yes.
08:14It'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.
08:27That's great.
08:28It looks great.
08:29Yeah.
08:29We would never look at a property like that.
08:31We call it a villa in Belgium.
08:33A villa?
08:34Interesting.
08:35It's large.
08:36It's detached.
08:37Wow.
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.
08:47Come and have a look.
08:51Although the bones of this period property date back 400 years, there were additions in
08:56the 1970s and 80s, and then, more recently, a new kitchen extension which combines classic
09:02with cutting edge.
09:05There we go.
09:06Wait till you have a look in here.
09:09And where I think Helen and Wei might feel right at home.
09:13Come on in.
09:14I don't think you will have been expecting this from the outside.
09:19What do you think?
09:20It's really bright.
09:21Very spacious.
09:22Really bright, isn't it?
09:23Yeah.
09:23Yeah.
09:25Look at this wheel.
09:26It'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.
09:38Good feel, yeah.
09:38For me, modern, nice, bright.
09:40That'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.
09:53Is that right?
09:54Just a little bit of it.
09:56Let's have a look at the rest.
09:59More.
10:01Across the hallway are two reception rooms, so we're turning back the clock and heading
10:06into the original part of the house, to the larger one.
10:09So, 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 never leave a house with beams.
10:27The low ceiling is something that's only drawback.
10:31That's all.
10:32That's all.
10:32I mean, unless you're going to jump.
10:34Yeah.
10:35Well, luckily, I'm not the 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
10:46you get to 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.
11:05Upstairs is just as bright as the ground floor, where 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
11:22bathroom there, storage, et cetera, and waking up to the views.
11:27What a lovely view there.
11:29Yeah.
11:30Yeah.
11:30The view is selling.
11:33Excellent.
11:34Helen, what do you think?
11:36It's okay.
11:37It's a bit small, because we have quite a large bedroom.
11:41Yeah.
11:42But, yeah.
11:44Oh, we have to downsize.
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.
11:57But views around the whole house, I think.
12:00Yeah.
12:00It's got character as well, isn't it?
12:02Yeah, it's got, that's the thing.
12:03Yeah.
12:04It's, it's, it's.
12:05Bits here, bits there, you can do a lot with it.
12:09This bedroom sits above the kitchen.
12:12Bedrooms two, three, and four are all along the front of the house in the older section,
12:16and they're showing their age in a good way.
12:20I like this one.
12:21I like this one.
12:22Beams, 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.
12:40A 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, it also comes
12:53with this summer house, which might need a little bit of attention, but you also get
12:57the garage.
12:58Let's have a think then about how much this is going to cost you.
13:01So, I would say 790,000, yeah, 790.
13:11790,000 pounds.
13:12Okay, yeah, Wei?
13:14I think this must be on top of our budget.
13:16Yeah.
13:17Okay.
13:17Maybe 810.
13:19I can see these scientific minds working away.
13:22This is on the market for 800,000 pounds.
13:26Oh, 800.
13:27800, okay.
13:29Right on budget, this extended 17th century detached house has a fantastic modern kitchen
13:35diner, two 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, and also the view from the kitchen to the outside is beautiful.
13:53So, yeah, you cannot beat that.
13:56Oh, it's so near Cambridge.
13:57All the amenities are here, so I'm happy with this house.
14:02It's a lovely house.
14:03It's a lovely house.
14:20It's a lovely house.
14:31It's a lovely house.
14:38Yeah.
14:38It's a lovely house.
14:39Yeah.
14:39Yeah, nice river.
14:41Huntington's an amazing town and a great place to live, so we've got a huge rich heritage
14:45with Cromwell.
14:46We're a thriving market town.
14:47We've got a huge selection of national and independent shops and retail in the town, and a great nightlife.
14:53I'm a massive fan of Huntington.
14:55I'm known locally as Mr Huntington, 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, and
15:18there are also bus links to Cambridge, as well as the neighbouring town of Godmanchester,
15:23which 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.
15:37Manager Oscar Jekings is meeting them.
15:41Hello, Oscar.
15:42Thank you for having us.
15:43You're very welcome.
15:44So here we're a five-acre plant nursery, where we have grounds and all the greenhouses around
15:51you.
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, and we also work a lot with adults with additional
16:08needs 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
16:25here.
16:26If Helen and Wei become volunteers at the nursery, they could well be put to work in
16:30its colourful heritage orchard.
16:33Here, the 60 trees bear a variety of apples from both Cambridgeshire and Bedfordshire, with
16:38one 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.
16:58Sorry about that.
16:59That's all right.
16:59You're tasting too.
17:02Yeah.
17:03Oh, right.
17:04Straight off the tray.
17:05Beautiful.
17:05Yeah.
17:09What do you reckon?
17:11It's very nice.
17:12It's a bit sharp, but I like it.
17:15You've got so many lovely apples here, I 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.
17:37Okay.
17:38Thank 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 Wei's eye.
17:58Next stop for our house tours is the village of Stetchworth, around 12 miles east of Cambridge
18:03and under half an hour from Helen and Wei'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.
18:23What 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.
18:39Yeah.
18:39Wow.
18:40Now 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.
19:01Well, my brain says, you know, downsizing, but my heart's saying, wow, the space.
19:08Yeah.
19:09So 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 Wei's interest.
19:23And with this newer one come better eco-credentials.
19:26An 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?
19:44Really beautiful.
19:46Yeah.
19:47I love this.
19:48What I'm used to, actually.
19:50There you are, you see?
19:51Yeah.
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.
20:00This 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.
20:22Now, on the way to the kitchen, utility room, and door out, and 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.
20:35Yeah.
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.
20:52And 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?
21:08Generous 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?
21:32Sweet.
21:33En suite bathroom with a bath and a shower.
21:36Lovely.
21:36It's big.
21:38It's bright.
21:38And look at that garden wheel here.
21:41It's really nice.
21:43It's beautiful.
21:46Double 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, huge.
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.
22:28Yes.
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.
22:39Yeah.
22:40Okay.
22:40Well, 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.
23:17My brains tell me it's too large because we wanted to downsize.
23:21But my heart, honestly, I love it.
23:25I think the children would be very happy here.
23:29Yes, beautiful house.
23:31The kitchen is fantastic.
23:33The garden is the right size for me.
23:36And the grand entrance is taking my breath away.
23:40So I cannot afford this house, really.
23:44Yeah.
23:45This is a great house.
24:01Cambridgeshire is quite the catch.
24:03And 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, all 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 alfresco dining.
25:15The 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 to show
25:25Wei and Helen.
25:26And that is our mystery house.
25:28Now, of course, famously, they come in all sorts of shapes and sizes, but I guarantee they will not be
25:34expecting 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, six miles north of
25:47Cambridge, 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.
26:09And, 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.
26:20A nice, small, very much kind of community-focused village.
26:23There's a great little pub.
26:24You know, lots of things are going on here.
26:26There's a horse show every September.
26:29And at the heart of it, this.
26:31Very traditional, small village green.
26:35So, in terms of picturing your new English country life, how does it feel?
26:41Really quiet, really peaceful.
26:43Yeah.
26:43Yeah.
26:44Very 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.
26:54Okay.
26:54Right.
26:55So, 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.
27:02Okay.
27:03Okay.
27:03Sounds good.
27:03My suggestion is that you head that way and have a look at the church.
27:06Okay.
27:06Yeah.
27:07See you in a bit.
27:08See you later.
27:09Enjoy.
27:13While Helen and Wei take in this unusual and rare medieval thatched church, one of only a few remaining in
27:20the east of England,
27:21I've arrived at our mystery house and if you were to find me the polar opposite of a thatched property,
27:27this 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.
27:36But 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 and place it in
27:49the heart of Cambridgeshire.
27:51A 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?
28:29It's good, yes, good.
28:31Glad you saw it because this is what we've been leading up to, our mystery house.
28:35What do you reckon?
28:37Wow, 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 recognize 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.
29:26Yeah.
29:26Lots of timber in it, but it's a whopper.
29:32Is it your thing?
29:33It can be, yes.
29:35Well, I did wonder, Wei, whether or not this would feel quite familiar to what you've been used to in
29:41Brussels.
29:42Well, we'll find out more when you go in, but from the look here, yes.
29:46It does feel a little bit 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?
33:12Ah.
33:14Wey, this is all for you.
33:17Oh my goodness, my goodness, yes.
33:21Wow.
33:23Yeah?
33:23I will be really busy.
33:25Oh, yeah.
33:26Yeah.
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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