Seeking a less hectic lifestyle in Yorkshire, a London couple have £425,000 to spend on a new home, and Steve Brown is on hand to help them find it.
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00:00Escaping into the countryside shouldn't be an uphill battle for anyone.
00:08You know, you are going to make me one lazy wheelchair user.
00:14And a new outlook doesn't have to break the bank.
00:17Didn't dare to put the word view on my wish list, but that's a nice view.
00:23For a little research can lead to a lot of change.
00:27You have got £25,000 if you want to look at it that way in terms of budget.
00:32Steve, you're not winding this up, are you?
00:34I am not winding you up.
00:57Today we're escaping to the largest historic county in the UK,
01:09where coast, countryside and cultural heritage meet.
01:14It's Yorkshire.
01:18The last few years have really taught us about the importance of our physical and mental wellbeing.
01:24And according to the people that look after them, our national parks are the ultimate tonic.
01:29They provide a place for enjoyment, adventure and of course escape.
01:34And this one here in the North York Moors is no exception.
01:41Located in the north of England, Yorkshire combines vast scenic landscapes,
01:46a fascinating heritage and a healthy multi-billion pound economy.
01:51It also packs in a wealth of cultural delights.
01:55Yorkshire Day on the 1st of August celebrates the region's cuisine, history and distinctive dialect.
02:02If you're going to escape somewhere, then escape to North Yorkshire.
02:07It's absolutely stunning.
02:09To me, there's nowhere any better on this earth than being here in Yorkshire.
02:16I came for work initially, but actually the warm welcome and a very good cup of tea is what's kept me here.
02:22We've got some fantastic little fishing ports, Robin Hood's Bay and something for a little bit more life,
02:27there's Scarborough, there's Filey, there's Whitby and then you've got the countryside.
02:31I mean, hello, God's Own County.
02:34Well, it's time to get this Yorkshire show on the road.
02:47So let's start by meeting today's couple who are looking to make this beautiful county their home.
02:56This is where Red comes to work every day.
02:59I can't believe he drives the first part of 25 minutes to get here.
03:03And I just can't imagine the difference it would make if he'd got a nice little workshop he could potter off to
03:08during the day from our new place in the country.
03:12Recently retired teacher Rachel and her partner Red want to sell their mid-terraced home in Eltham,
03:18south-east London, to seek a less hectic lifestyle closer to Rachel's mum in rural Yorkshire.
03:25Red is after space to continue his metal-working job from home
03:29and he also wants to offer his skills as a volunteer football coach.
03:35Two things I would really carry on doing is the metal spinning and the football.
03:40In a lovely little workshop on our premises, hopefully.
03:45And they both want to spend more time together with their hobbies at home.
03:49I love gardening anyway and I've got a good bit of that.
03:52And also the man cave, I've got to build another man cave.
03:55This is the man cave. I think it's small and I'd love to build a bigger one if I had the space.
04:03I love cooking.
04:06Especially got West Indian food, rice and peas.
04:09At parties, that's the main thing they ask for, is you going to do jerk chicken, rice and peas?
04:15I'm just looking forward to saying right now, what is it that I want to do?
04:20Let's go and find it, let's explore.
04:23Rachel and Red have a budget of up to £425,000.
04:27They'd like three bedrooms and two bathrooms,
04:30providing space, if needed, for Rachel's mum to stay in the future.
04:36They want a workshop for Red or the ability to build one,
04:39a garden with enough room for some hens and a community close by,
04:44ideally within an hour of the city of York and half an hour from the coast.
04:53It seems to me that as long as Red has got a lathe and a football team to coach nearby,
04:59he's going to have a pretty good time here.
05:02But for Rachel, now that she's retired,
05:05this is much more about getting closer to family and kick-starting
05:09an active and fulfilling retirement.
05:13And wow, is this some beautiful scenery to do just that.
05:19We're starting our house-hunting adventures
05:21in the North Yorkshire village of Slingsby.
05:24And before I start showing them potential homes,
05:27we're all meeting up on the village green.
05:32Well, here we are then, and this is the village of Slingsby.
05:36Beautiful. I don't know how we haven't come across it before.
05:39It's lovely.
05:40This is the village of Slingsby.
05:44Beautiful. I don't know how we haven't come across it before.
05:47It's lovely.
05:48It's just absolutely the perfect village, isn't it?
05:50The fresh air. I can smell the grass.
05:52It's true, isn't it?
05:53It's the sort of thing you don't in London.
05:55It's there, but I can smell the grass in the rain.
05:57It's brilliant.
05:58This move, I mean, very much around you and family.
06:03How much convincing did it take, Red, for you to join in?
06:06Not a lot of convincing. I've always said, let's go.
06:09It's another step forward,
06:11another kind of beginning of doing what you really like doing
06:16and having more time to do it, I think.
06:18Now we have got that bit of time
06:20and I really would like to make every day count now.
06:23As much as I'd love to sit here talking to you all day,
06:27getting out the rain is top of my list at the moment.
06:30So if I was to tell you that the first house is in this village,
06:34how would you feel about that?
06:37I would have had my fingers crossed that you were going to say that,
06:40except I've been holding the brolly.
06:42I'm really pleased to hear that, aren't you?
06:44It's guessing which one could be all lovely, all nice.
06:47Lead the way, Steve, whenever you're ready.
06:49Not a bad place to start, is it?
06:51It is lovely.
06:52Well, goodbye London, hello Yorkshire.
06:55Come on, let's go.
07:00With a population upwards of 600 people,
07:03the village benefits from a primary school rated good by Ofsted.
07:08The local pub serves food, including wood-fired pizzas on the weekends
07:13and buses run to the nearby market town of Malton from Monday to Saturday.
07:19We're making our way to the edge of the village to view the house in question.
07:26Well, this is the first of the properties I want to show you.
07:32Isn't it sweet? It's lovely.
07:34I like the way it's set back.
07:36You've got that bit of side space as well with the garage red.
07:38I know that's something that is important to you.
07:41That is perfect if I was to turn that into a workshop or whatever.
07:45Looking forward to seeing inside it.
07:47Let's get out of this rain, come on.
07:51Built in the 1930s on what was the orchard of the neighbouring farm,
07:55the property has been fully refurbished over the last three years.
08:00Right.
08:03Come with me.
08:06The central front door opens directly into a dining area
08:10with open plan access to the kitchen.
08:13I've never seen a layout like this.
08:15It's almost like everything you need.
08:17For you as well, particularly with the amount of cooking that you do,
08:20it's got to be practical.
08:22It has, it has.
08:24Asking you to sit down and have a nice relaxed dinner,
08:27I think it's really quite a good idea.
08:29This is nice.
08:30I'm thinking where to put the telly actually.
08:32Well, I can promise you there are plenty more rooms
08:35to put tellies in, in this property.
08:38I tell you what, why don't you lead the way through,
08:41down through the hallway there.
08:43Wow.
08:44And we'll go through to the front room.
08:47An additional reception room is located to the rear of the home.
08:52Ooh, I like that brick fireplace.
08:54It's absolutely perfect, isn't it? I love that.
08:57And the view, you know.
08:59I didn't dare to put the word view on my wish list.
09:02But that's a nice view.
09:04Perfect. It's a lovely view.
09:06Surrounded by that open space, yes, it's brilliant.
09:08I might take my coat off, you know.
09:10It's so warm, which is a good sign, isn't it?
09:12Yeah, make yourself comfortable.
09:14Why don't you have a wander round, see what's down here.
09:17Yeah.
09:18Take yourself upstairs, see what's up there,
09:20and I'll catch you shortly.
09:22Enjoy. Don't rush.
09:26Two of the property's three bedrooms are off the hallway on this floor,
09:30starting with a double, which the current owner uses for workouts.
09:34That's handy, they've got a gym.
09:36Oh, that's nice.
09:37I'm thinking it might just make me do my exercises if I've got a space.
09:41Lovely little area.
09:42Well, little, it's a nice size room.
09:45And next door could fit Red's plans to work from home.
09:50This is my office.
09:53Spread out and have all your rubbish.
09:55But equally, I'm looking at this storage
09:58and I'm wondering if my mum would be able to stay in here, wouldn't she?
10:02Yeah.
10:04Red and Rachel are both seeing potential,
10:07and there's also a ground-floor shower room,
10:09plus more to see upstairs,
10:11with a main bedroom suite that occupies the entire converted loft.
10:17Oh, this is lovely up here.
10:19I didn't imagine this being here.
10:22Oh, yes, it's a surprise.
10:24You can look out there.
10:26Yep.
10:27I really feel like it's the countryside here.
10:31Oh, look. Oh, look.
10:34There you go.
10:35Oh, did I ever get... Oh!
10:37Always wanted one of those.
10:39Yes, perhaps to cancel all those activities I was planning
10:42and just relax in that beautiful bar.
10:47Outside, the front garden has raised beds.
10:51And the mid-sized rear garden
10:53looks out over the estate of nearby Castle Howard.
10:58Not forgetting that detached single garage
11:00that could offer Red a workshop.
11:04This outside space, now, it's fair to say it's not the biggest.
11:08No.
11:09In all fairness, we don't need masses of space.
11:12Room for chickens? Yes.
11:14Definitely room for chickens.
11:16Yeah.
11:17Joanie, being honest, looking at the shed...
11:19That is perhaps the bit that's a bit disappointing.
11:22Yeah.
11:23It's literally, I suppose, a single garage,
11:26and he was hoping to have maybe a double garage size.
11:29OK, so what do you think this is on there, Mark?
11:32What do you think this is on the market for, then?
11:35I'm really not sure,
11:36but I can't think it's much less than £400,000,
11:39so I'm going to say that.
11:40All right, well, not a bad guess.
11:42Red, what do you think?
11:43£399,000.
11:45All right, OK.
11:46It's actually on the market for £425,000.
11:50Oh, is it? Top of fun.
11:52Right on budget for you both.
11:54No, can't fault the house.
11:56The only thing, as I say, is a little bit of space for the workshop.
11:59I agree. Other than that, it's perfect.
12:01That's what we've got,
12:02and I think that's what I'm looking forward to.
12:05On budget, this detached 1930s house hits most of their must-haves.
12:11There's an open plan kitchen diner,
12:13a total of three bedrooms,
12:15a home office and a detached garage.
12:19It's located on the edge of a sought-after village
12:22and is half an hour by car to the city of York.
12:25It's lovely.
12:27It fits what we're looking for.
12:30I can see myself living here and Rachel
12:33because it has got everything.
12:35It's got the open space behind.
12:37You know, just go look out the window.
12:40It's brilliant.
12:41It looked like a bungalow and I wasn't sure,
12:44so it was really nice to have an upstairs
12:46and the quality, the way it's been done,
12:49you feel like you're in some hotel,
12:51sort of five-star spa resort, maybe.
12:54You know, that's how it feels. It's lovely.
12:57God, I thought he was going to leave me sitting in the rain all day!
13:00That's it. You happy?
13:02It's lovely, but I think we're ready to have a look at some other options.
13:05OK, sounds good to me.
13:07Let's get a move on, shall we?
13:09See what else Yorkshire's got in store.
13:11Yeah, lovely, thanks.
13:14With more time for themselves in retirement,
13:17Rachel and Red are looking for a change of focus,
13:20from work to community and hobbies.
13:23Kirbymoorside is a market town with a little over 3,000 residents
13:27that could be just the place for that.
13:30As well as a good range of independent shops and services,
13:33there's a weekly market on Wednesdays.
13:36It's a really nice, close-knit community.
13:39There's lots going on, even though it looks like there isn't.
13:42I'd recommend it to everybody.
13:44It's a really nice, close-knit community.
13:47It's a really nice, close-knit community.
13:50It's a really nice, close-knit community.
13:53It's a really nice, close-knit community.
13:56There's lots going on, even though it looks like there isn't.
13:59I'd recommend it to everybody to come and visit, especially come and see me.
14:03There's an awful lot of clubs, too many to name.
14:06The main one I'm involved with is Kirbymoorside Brass Band.
14:10Buses run to several destinations,
14:13including the city of York and the coastal town of Scarborough.
14:17Sports clubs include cricket, tennis and football,
14:21so perhaps some opportunities for Red's coaching skills.
14:24But to find out more about what's on offer in and around the town,
14:28they're meeting Hilary Shields, who's had a shop here for 20 years.
14:33What other things do you participate in, in the community?
14:37Well, we have lots going on throughout the year.
14:40So the first bank holiday in May, we have a tractor run.
14:45There's usually about 400 tractors.
14:47And then we have lots of country shows throughout the summer.
14:51If you're into fitness, there's yoga and Pilates.
14:55Can you recommend any good places to eat in Kirbymoorside?
14:58Yeah, well, we have quite a few places, we're very lucky.
15:01We've got the golf club at the top of the road.
15:04They do a fantastic Sunday lunch.
15:06Oh, good, yes.
15:07And there's Wayne's Butchers, who have been here longer than I have,
15:12and they do an excellent pie.
15:14Oh, brilliant.
15:16We have it on good authority that you sell our lovely pies.
15:20Yes, we do.
15:21What are you going to have? I don't know what I'm having.
15:23Minced onion. Minced onion. Minced onion, yeah.
15:25One of each, please. One of each, thank you.
15:27I'm going to try a hot pork pie. A hot pork pie.
15:30And a Cornish-style pasty, please. A Cornish-style pasty.
15:34£7.20 altogether, please.
15:36OK, thank you. That's very reasonable.
15:39That's whetted their appetites for life here.
15:43But if Red and Rachel's country move is to be more than just pie in the sky,
15:48we best get back to finding them a home.
15:58We're on our way to the east riding of Yorkshire village of Wetwang.
16:03Located in the Yorkshire wolds,
16:05around a 40-minute drive to York in one direction
16:08and half an hour to the coast in the other,
16:10there's a popular fish and chip shop
16:13and a bus that runs to and from the market town of Driffield
16:17on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
16:19The property we've come to see is located off a quiet lane
16:23away from the main street.
16:28Normally at this point, this is when I say,
16:30so, what do you think of the property?
16:32But the truth is, you've got this long driveway
16:35that takes you down off of the road.
16:37But what about these views, eh?
16:39That makes me want to go and explore.
16:41That is really inviting. It's fabulous, yeah.
16:44It is, isn't it? It's fantastic.
16:46Well, shall we go and have a look, see what's at the end of this driveway?
16:49Definitely. Exciting. Let's go.
16:51A driveway at the very end.
16:54This is private access for the property,
16:56but I want to surprise Red and Rachel
16:58by leading them up the garden path a bit.
17:01The unfortunate thing with this driveway coming down to the east
17:06to properties is that, obviously, it's shared.
17:08Yeah. But that's not the end of the world
17:10because both properties come together.
17:12Do they? Yeah.
17:14So we're looking at all of this?
17:16The out space here, the sheds, the annex, the house,
17:20the driveway, the patio area,
17:22all of this comes from the property.
17:25Seriously. Seriously.
17:27Isn't it amazing? Yeah, it really is.
17:30Can we afford that?
17:32I don't think so.
17:35I feel I'm crying here.
17:37Wouldn't it be lovely?
17:39How about we get out of the road and go and see what it's all about, eh?
17:42Yeah. Come on, then.
17:44Unbelievable.
17:45Originally brick barns converted in the mid-20th century,
17:49the property has most recently been offered as a holiday let.
17:53We're starting with the main home.
17:57Ooh!
17:58In we come, close the door and into the kitchen.
18:01Yeah, that's cute, isn't it?
18:03I like those tiles.
18:04I mean, my colours.
18:06A lot of potential.
18:08Yeah, and the other thing is,
18:10is this place has got its own separate utility room.
18:13Oh, well, there you go.
18:14So it makes me realise it's going to be a different life.
18:16I don't have to do everything in one confined space.
18:18I've got space where I will.
18:20I still can't...
18:22This is a wind-up.
18:24It's not, and I'm going to show you why it's not.
18:27Come with me.
18:30Across the hall is a sizeable reception room.
18:34Oh, look at this.
18:35This is nice.
18:36I thought, my gosh...
18:37They said, come in, come in, enjoy the space with me.
18:39Look, little fireplace.
18:41Yes, again.
18:42And an eating area.
18:44A blank canvas again, you know,
18:46for what you want to put on the walls and things like that.
18:50And it should make it more of a cosy sort of room.
18:54Cos you can move in here, no doubt about it.
18:56It's certainly liveable.
18:58Let me show you what's through the utility room.
19:00Come with me.
19:02Back off the hall, the utility room leads to a side extension
19:06which offers more reception space.
19:09Oh, look at this.
19:10Ah, you see.
19:11This is a conservatory.
19:14This is it.
19:15Never had one.
19:16Brilliant.
19:17This is a really nice size, isn't it?
19:19Oh, that's OK.
19:20Could you even sit and have our coffee here?
19:22Of course you can.
19:23Yeah, I don't mind.
19:24I'm so good at the table.
19:25We've found three rooms now you can have your coffee in so far
19:28and you've got to go and explore it.
19:30Have a look around, soak it up
19:32and then I'll take you over to where there's maybe a couple more bedrooms,
19:35another kitchen, living room.
19:37We'll get there anyway.
19:38Go and look at this bit first.
19:39We'll worry about that shortly.
19:41Yes, yes.
19:43There are four bedrooms in total
19:45and two lie along the rear hallway.
19:48One is a double with views out to the patio.
19:52This is served by a ground-floor family bathroom.
19:56The second downstairs bedroom is also a comfortable double.
20:01That's plenty big enough, isn't it?
20:03Mm.
20:04This is built-in storage.
20:06Have a look.
20:07Ooh.
20:08I don't know what you'd use that for.
20:10Well, it's a little office, some type of make-up room.
20:12Oh, that's what it is.
20:13It's a make-up room.
20:15Let me see about this one.
20:16This could be your make-up...
20:17Oh, look, an ensuite.
20:19Oh, there you go.
20:20That's nice.
20:23Wooden stairs lead up to further accommodation off a landing,
20:27starting with a double room set into the exposed eaves.
20:31Nice.
20:32Isn't that unusual?
20:34It is, it is.
20:35A lot of character. I like character.
20:37And the final double room makes bedroom number four.
20:43This floor also has an additional family bathroom.
20:46I like this.
20:48So this is like a...
20:50Nice.
20:51..contain for, you know, someone staying upstairs, isn't it?
20:55You know, we've got...
20:56I'm losing track of how many places there are for people to...
20:59It's a nice big shower, though, isn't it?
21:01It is brilliant.
21:02I'm listening to them upstairs
21:04and I think they're trying to get their bearings.
21:06There's so much space, which in turn means so much potential,
21:10and potential means options.
21:12And I think this place has got stacks of them.
21:16And talking of potential, there's still that second property.
21:21Perhaps somewhere for Rachel's mum in the future,
21:24but I'm also thinking it could be reconfigured
21:27for Red to work from home.
21:29Oh, what's this?
21:31Oh, look at this. Look at this.
21:33I mean, it would be perfect if my mum wanted to come and stay.
21:36It's an annex, isn't it? It is.
21:38There are another two bedrooms here, a single and a double.
21:42Both make use of a shower room.
21:45If it was my mum, she'd have her clothes in there
21:48and then she just has to sleep in here.
21:50Oh, perfect.
21:52Well, it looks like Red's workshop space will have to be somewhere else.
21:56There's certainly room in the grounds subject to planning.
21:59Now to see if there's room in their £425,000 budget.
22:05Take a seat. Step into my office, so they say.
22:08What are your first thoughts?
22:10Funnily enough, for somebody who said
22:12they wanted that kind of Warren feel, lots of different places,
22:15that's really got a lot of separate spaces
22:19and they're all jangling about my head a little bit at the moment.
22:22Let's look for a price.
22:24Yes, OK. I'm going to go £425,000.
22:28I'm going to write the top end.
22:30Yeah? Yeah.
22:32And what are you thinking?
22:34Well, I'm going to optimistically say £400,000.
22:38It's on the market for £400,000.
22:41You have got £25,000, if you want to look at it that way, in terms of budget.
22:46Steve, you're not winding this up, are you?
22:48I am not winding you up.
22:50That is a lot for your money, isn't it?
22:52We'll have to have a serious talk.
22:54We will.
22:56These former brick barns offer my country relocators
23:00a lot of rural property and money to spare.
23:04There's the main home with four double bedrooms and three bathrooms,
23:08plus a two-bedroom annex in the grounds.
23:11They can walk straight out into the countryside
23:15but also have a community close by
23:17and it's around half an hour by car to the city of York or the seaside.
23:23I could see myself in a place like this.
23:26The annex, put the ice on the cake,
23:28so really and truly with the budget, I think...
23:32We're getting a lot for our money.
23:34We're getting a lot for our money.
23:36Yorkshire is showering us with more than just property options
23:39for Red and Rachel's new life.
23:42But getting out of the rain back in the grounds of our hotel,
23:45I'm hoping that the weather hasn't clouded their opinions.
23:50Even on a day like this, I mean, me personally,
23:53driving up and down the roads, I'm still looking out the windows
23:56and this is beautiful.
23:58It is just a lovely place to be, isn't it?
24:00No matter what's going on outside, you can enjoy it
24:04and inhale and just it is fabulous.
24:07Being in the countryside, I accept the weather.
24:10I know it's wet but I quite like it really
24:14because getting warm, the young log fires we've seen in the house is lovely.
24:18You've mentioned once or twice about the coast.
24:21You've mentioned about getting out and around Yorkshire,
24:25using it to make yourselves more active and more part of things.
24:29That's exactly it. We need to keep active.
24:32Motion is lotion.
24:34Here, there's no rush to come home as in getting out there.
24:38So 2 o'clock in the afternoon, just take a drive down to the seaside.
24:43It can be a decision on the day rather than something you have to plan for.
24:47I can't wait to see how we get on tomorrow.
24:50I hope I'm not the only one, by the way.
24:53No, my cheeks are hurting. I've been smiling.
24:56I've been talking about dimples.
25:00Well, let's hope we can get more of those smiles.
25:03Your face aching again tomorrow, shall we?
25:07Does he normally smile this much at home?
25:25House prices in Yorkshire can vary as much as the landscapes.
25:29A detached home in the East Riding of Yorkshire will set you back just under £343,000 on average.
25:37But head to West Yorkshire and the figure rises to over £360,000.
25:44Move into North Yorkshire and that increases another £70,000,
25:50with the average price for a detached home standing at over £432,000.
25:57North Yorkshire estate agent Jo can explain why the area attracts a premium.
26:03You've got the historic city of York not far away.
26:06You've got the North York Malls National Park.
26:09You've got the coast just half an hour away.
26:12Overall, it's got something for everybody.
26:15She paints an enticing picture.
26:18And if you're planning a North Yorkshire escape, how about this three-bedroom cottage,
26:23which provides a little extra on the side.
26:26It comes complete with an adjoining one-bedroom cottage that's been offered as a holiday let.
26:32The whole package is on the market for £535,000.
26:39Those passing through can consider these overnight pods.
26:44Located on the route of the 79-mile-long Yorkshire Walled Way,
26:49they provide home comfort with spectacular views.
26:53Priced from £140 a night based on two adults sharing,
26:58there's a two-night minimum stay with a supplement for additional adults and children.
27:07Well, it goes without saying it's another wet day here in Yorkshire,
27:11but I'm not letting that dampen my spirits.
27:13And I don't think it's going to bother Red or Rachel too much either.
27:17We've got plenty more of this beautiful county to explore
27:20and, of course, a brilliant mystery house.
27:24My mystery offering is rurally located on the outskirts of the small village of Wandsford.
27:30Before we look at that, we've come just over a mile up the road to neighbouring Nafferton
27:36to meet a local resident and soil scientist, Gwen Egginton,
27:40at her organic produce stall in the village.
27:45Gwen, please let me introduce to you Red and Rachel.
27:49They're looking to move into the area and I thought,
27:51what better way to give them a nice introduction than to meet a local?
27:56Well, I've been here for 30 years, I don't know whether that counts as local or not.
28:01I was born in Scarborough and I moved here to set up a market garden.
28:06I grow seasonal veg, I specialise in herbs,
28:10but I also even produce plants that people can grow on in the garden.
28:15I've not developed my green fingers yet, but it is something I hope to do when I retire.
28:19I really want everybody to be growing their own food.
28:22And now, part of this move and your retirement is about getting more involved with the community, isn't it?
28:27It definitely is. I mean, I would like the idea, as you say, of volunteering, doing something helpful.
28:32I have volunteers who come here, get a box of veg in return for their work
28:39and learn organic methods, learn how to garden for the future.
28:43Do you know what? I think I'm going to leave you three to chat.
28:46It seems like you're getting on quite well.
28:48I have got a mystery house to get sorted.
28:50So Gwen, thank you for your time. I'll leave you to it. See you shortly.
28:56It seems there could be a growing relationship here for Red and Rachel.
29:01And Nefferton also has a village shop and post office,
29:05as well as transport links, including trains that reach the coast of Bridlington in 10 minutes.
29:12A little over a mile from the station is our mystery house.
29:16Here we are much more rural than anything I've shown them so far.
29:21But as we've seen so often on the show, a rural house often means a spacious house.
29:26And being attached, as this 19th century period home is, also means more for your money too.
29:33I've learnt just how important the kitchen is to Red and Rachel, with her baking and his cooking.
29:40Well, I'd say there's plenty of space for both here.
29:44Let's see what they make of it.
29:46So here we are then, the mystery house.
29:49It does look quite characterful, so I'm pleasantly pleased.
29:52Possibly semi-detached?
29:54It is semi-detached.
29:56I haven't seen inside yet. I'm picturing the last house we saw.
30:00I think he's a bit in love with that.
30:03Yeah, I must admit, I do like that.
30:06You've got a thing for number two, haven't you?
30:08Yeah, it's what's in there that's going to be there.
30:12Well, on that note, shall we do it?
30:14Yes.
30:15It feels strange leaving when there's no rain on us, doesn't it?
30:21Once two attached cottages, the mystery house is now one very generously sized home,
30:27entered by a side porch that leads to that impressive kitchen.
30:33Ooh, this is nice.
30:37This is nice.
30:39For me, this is perfect.
30:41I could be doing cooking while you're cooking in this one.
30:44Yeah, you've got your own sides.
30:46Yes.
30:47It is lovely so far.
30:48I'm sort of looking ahead.
30:50There's so much beyond that we're kind of a bit curious about.
30:54See that door at the other end now?
30:56Yeah.
30:57Take yourself up there, have a quick look through.
30:59Tell me what you think.
31:01I was hoping you'd say that, Steve.
31:03Go for it.
31:06Located off the L-shaped kitchen,
31:08the property has been extended to provide a good-sized reception room.
31:13Ooh, look, this is a knife.
31:15This is what you might call the snug.
31:17Got your fire. Lovely.
31:19And a lovely amount of light for when you're, say, sitting, reading or whatever you might do.
31:27I've got more reception space to show them in the original part of the home.
31:33Come on through to here.
31:37Lovely.
31:38Nice.
31:39Cute little room, isn't it?
31:40Yeah, it's lovely.
31:41I think this is the old part, am I right?
31:43You are bang on.
31:45This is your original 1800s cottage.
31:48Yeah.
31:49Really lovely, warm feel.
31:51Yeah.
31:52I'm a little bit gobsmacked, if I'm honest.
31:54I don't know what you're doing, though, Steve.
31:56Explore the rest yourself.
31:57Yes.
31:58Plenty more rooms that way.
31:59You've got all of upstairs.
32:00Yeah.
32:01And I'll see you shortly outside.
32:02If it be shortly, with all that much to see, we'll do our best.
32:06Next to the front room is another reception area with double doors
32:11that could be a dedicated dining room.
32:13Then a study that's a versatile work-from-home space.
32:17This is a little treatment room.
32:19This is a cute little room at the moment, but we could have...
32:21This could be your office.
32:23There's also a utility area and cloakroom, as well as a storeroom.
32:28Right, some storage space.
32:30That could be handy for us.
32:33They've asked for three bedrooms, and upstairs they'll find four,
32:37starting with a guest double that has space for wardrobes.
32:42The family bathroom has a raised tub.
32:47And another guest room is the smallest bedroom on offer.
32:52But Rachel and Red could take their pick from the two remaining rooms,
32:56choosing between a bright double with an en suite...
33:00Shower room.
33:02Not a toilet, but a shower.
33:04..and a smaller double with a dressing room.
33:07Well, there's something nice, nice proportions about it.
33:10And we have...
33:12It's like a dressing room.
33:14You have all your clothes, get dressed, off I go. Yeah.
33:17It's hard to know which one is the one you'd go for,
33:20but what a decision to have to make.
33:23I know.
33:25Spoilt for choice inside.
33:27Outside, there are raised areas for seating,
33:30as well as a shed and off-street parking.
33:33But there's one key thing missing.
33:36I know a workshop is a make-or-break for them.
33:39Whilst a property doesn't come with one,
33:41there is certainly some space to build one.
33:44And Red said he's happy to do that.
33:47Of course, feasibility depends on that crucial asking price.
33:52Take a seat.
33:55This is the countryside.
33:57Isn't it just? I can hear the countryside. It's lovely.
34:00We've got a great property. It is.
34:02It's quite a sought-after area, as you can imagine,
34:05this quiet, lovely countryside feel to it. Yeah.
34:09He's going to ask us about the price, Red.
34:11I am going to ask you about the price.
34:13I'm going to say straight away that this is over budget.
34:17So I'm just going to go to £450,000.
34:21OK, Red, are we going higher or lower?
34:23I'm going to go £425,000 on budget.
34:27OK.
34:28It's on the market for £387,000.
34:34That's £38,000 below your budget.
34:37Do you want another look around? I really, really do.
34:40Just choosing what to do with each of the rooms.
34:42Oh, what a problem.
34:44I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry.
34:47Well, why don't you get in, have a look
34:49and see how you might use those rooms.
34:51All right. Go on. Thanks.
34:53The budget-friendly price of my 19th-century mystery house
34:57has ended our search on a high.
35:00It gives them a large kitchen,
35:02three further reception rooms and four bedrooms,
35:06all in a rural setting with easy access to countryside,
35:10community and the sea.
35:13I do feel it's a very lovely house.
35:15It's got so much potential for us to just live
35:18and do everything we want to do here.
35:21If anything, a tiny bit too big,
35:23but, you know, when would anyone complain about that?
35:27It's the way it makes you feel when you step in.
35:30It's got this warm feeling about the place, you know?
35:33But, yeah, lovely. I like it.
35:46MUSIC PLAYS
35:54Think Yorkshire and you'll picture the delights
35:57of the vast great outdoors.
36:01And here, at the high point of Yorkshire's Hambleton Hills,
36:05National Park Centre manager Chris Pye
36:08has a passion for making the countryside more accessible for all.
36:13Hey, Chris. Good morning, Steve. How are you doing?
36:16Not so bad, thank you. Thanks for coming.
36:18Brilliant. Look at this beast.
36:21So this is called Tramper, and the easiest way to describe it
36:24is a souped-up mobility scooter.
36:26The controls are all very similar to those you see on smaller models,
36:30but this just allows users to get further out into those bits
36:33of the countryside that they might not always be able to access.
36:37Great idea, great initiative.
36:39How easy is it to sign up?
36:41It's basically an online portal.
36:43You can search for North York Moors Mobility
36:45and you sign up as a member.
36:47By signing up as a member, paying a one-off small fee of £10,
36:50they have access to these trampers all over the place.
36:53And the great thing about it is that network is still expanding,
36:56so every year we have a real commitment
36:58to add either another route or another tramper
37:01or an extension to a route.
37:03So it's really exciting.
37:06One second.
37:08Here we go.
37:10We're up.
37:12And we're in. Look at that.
37:14Ready to rock and roll. Perfect.
37:16You can switch between front and back.
37:18Go forwards and backwards.
37:20You can alter your speed slightly here.
37:22We always recommend keeping it on the tortoise
37:24because the hare, you'll be out of sight.
37:26I'm really quite excited about this.
37:28Once you get going, you can build up your speed as you get confident.
37:31I'll be building up my speed.
37:33You can put it onto the hare.
37:36The tramper scheme is available to anyone with limited mobility,
37:41including people with temporary disabilities such as a broken leg
37:45or those who are simply struggling to cover the ground as they get older.
37:50You know, being out here, having this equipment, these paths,
37:54make it so easy for me.
37:56Yeah, and the controls are really easy.
37:58I think we had a lovely lady here last week, 85,
38:01jumped aboard, learned the controls,
38:03and she's off out with her whole family, which is fantastic to see.
38:08So how many miles of pathway have I got to go on here?
38:13So here you've got up to five miles, which is quite a circuit to enjoy,
38:17but across the national park there are many, many more.
38:21Our route today is taking in a real highlight.
38:27So I understand they call this the finest view in England.
38:30That's right, yeah.
38:31It was coined the finest view in England by Alf White,
38:33better known as James Herriot, the Yorkshire vet,
38:36and I'm happy to go along with that.
38:38You're looking out across the cloud and seeing those peaks
38:41of the Yorkshire Dales peeping out in the distance.
38:43It's just fabulous.
38:44And it's great, isn't it, that with things like the trampers and these paths,
38:48everyone can enjoy it.
38:49Absolutely, yeah.
38:50I mean, it's all about health and wellbeing.
38:52I actually work for the Recreation and Wellbeing Department
38:54within the national park.
38:55That's our name.
38:56It's there, it's in our ethos and in our goals.
38:58But not just looking at mobility as well,
39:01looking at our visitors with sight loss, hearing loss, autism, dementia,
39:05often just making those really small changes,
39:08which we hadn't thought about before,
39:09but makes such a huge difference to people being able to get out
39:12into these spaces and feel safe.
39:14Some people may have heard of our Miles Without Stiles scheme.
39:16We're on the Cleveland Way National Trail here,
39:18which runs 110 miles all the way around the national park,
39:21and last year the last stile was removed,
39:24which is an amazing feat.
39:26It's taken about 20 years to do,
39:28but that route is in its nature then far more accessible.
39:31Still not accessible for everybody, but it's on its way there.
39:35It's fantastic.
39:36Do you know, you are going to make me one lazy wheelchair user
39:41because now I've been in this going across these paths,
39:45I don't want to get back in my wheelchair.
39:47This is far too easy, far too comfortable, and such a delight.
39:51Thank you, Chris.
39:52You're very welcome.
39:53You're a fully signed up member of North York Moors Mobility.
39:55So how many miles have I got to go and explore on this bad boy?
39:58At least a couple.
39:59All right, well, I will catch up with you a little bit later.
40:03No worries. Enjoy.
40:04Ta-da!
40:05The freedom's yours.
40:09It's great that places like this are becoming more accessible.
40:14I've had a blast in Yorkshire.
40:17Now to find out what the high point of our house search
40:20has been for today's buyers.
40:24Well, there is no doubt that Yorkshire is the place
40:28where Red and Rachel want to settle,
40:30but have any of our properties won them over?
40:33It's time to find out.
40:36Well, hello, you two.
40:39Well, what a few days we've had,
40:41and I'm not just talking about getting around Yorkshire,
40:43I'm talking about the weather.
40:45It's on, it's off, but mainly on, it seems, this week.
40:49Yes, yes, yes.
40:50But what I love is it's not taken anything away
40:53from you or your experience.
40:55I've never met two people so positive.
40:58It is about the people, isn't it?
41:00They are very warm and welcoming, and it's nice.
41:03Now, I've got to ask, is there a standout property of the three?
41:07Definitely.
41:08OK, I'll...
41:09If you'd have asked yesterday, it would have been a different one,
41:12but I think today...
41:14The last house, the mystery house, I'm blown away with it.
41:17Never thought you'd find anything like that.
41:19It just seems to be an obvious choice.
41:21But is there going to be a next step?
41:23You going back for another look, maybe?
41:25I think that would have to happen.
41:27I would like to sort of approach it on my own time
41:30and maybe take my mother with me
41:32and just feel out the area a little bit more.
41:35I am over the moon that we've managed to show you something,
41:38and it was the mystery house, you know,
41:40the one that I was nervous about,
41:42with it being a little bit more remote,
41:44not having a workshop for you,
41:46but I saw it and I thought, I've got to show them.
41:49And I'm so glad I did.
41:51So glad.
41:52Good luck to you both.
41:53Thank you very much.
41:54Let us know how you get on.
41:55We will.
41:56Cheers.
42:01Well, we've come to the end of what has definitely been
42:04a wet but equally enjoyable week here in Yorkshire,
42:07and it's clear to see that the drive behind this move is double-barrelled.
42:12It's about family and freedom.
42:14And I hope that Red and Rachel get all the R&R they possibly can here.
42:19And, of course, that their second viewing of the mystery house
42:22goes as well as it possibly can.
42:24Join us again next time for another escape to the country.
42:29In the end, Red and Rachel decided the rural challenges
42:32of oil-fired heating and septic tank at our mystery house
42:36were not for them.
42:38They loved nearby Nafferton, however,
42:41and hoped to return soon to view other options.
42:45If you'd like to escape to the country in England, Northern Ireland,
42:49Scotland or Wales and need our help,
42:51why not apply online at bbc.co.uk forward slash take part.