A couple from Reading in Berkshire want to escape and set up home in the Welsh Borders, somewhere with enough land to keep a menagerie of animals. Steve Brown helps them with the property search and takes them to an animal sanctuary to meet Burrito, a cuddle-loving donkey, as well as two pampered pigs, Wilbur and Uncle Watson.
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00:00Escaping to the country can require highly tuned detective skills.
00:07Three chimneys, so there must be lots of fires in there.
00:10Oh, look at you, eh, Sherlock?
00:13And investigating the options for your new country life might prove taxing.
00:18The cogs whirring away? Oh, yeah, lots to think about here.
00:21Plenty to think about, eh? Plenty.
00:23But if you have a dream...
00:25I'd like to one day have a tractor. That's one of my ambitions.
00:28And that would go in there very nicely.
00:30You could have a little space for your bikes.
00:32I could have quite a big space for my bikes.
00:34Rest assured, we'll do our very best to make it a reality.
00:39This is what I've been picturing.
00:41I'm quite emotional, actually. Yeah, that's right.
00:44I can see you getting a bit emotional, to be honest.
00:58The countryside around the southern Welsh-English border
01:11is home to some of the UK's most stunning landscapes.
01:15This part of the world enjoys a timeless quality
01:18but offers everything you could want for a 21st century escape to the country.
01:25Connectivity? Check. It's got great transport links.
01:28Culture? Bags of it. Try the food. Trust me, it's fantastic.
01:32And countryside? Well, they say the camera never lies.
01:36And they are right.
01:38Today's escape odyssey will focus on the border counties
01:42of Herefordshire in England plus Monmouthshire,
01:45Blaenau Gwent and Powys in Wales.
01:49At the beginning of 2023, the Brecon Beacons National Park
01:53was officially renamed Bannau Bruchoniog
01:56in a commitment to the Welsh language.
02:00In the heart of the park lies the town of Aberhonfy, or Brecon in English.
02:05Its Georgian and Jacobean streets house craft shops, art galleries,
02:09bookshops and tea rooms, with the surrounding hills
02:12boasting some of the finest walking in Britain.
02:15We're right on the edge of the Brecon Beacons National Park.
02:18On the east of the county, we've got the Wye Valley AOMB,
02:21the beautiful Wye River, which is, for me, great.
02:24I love a bit of wild swimming and canoeing.
02:26You can head down to the bottom of the Wye Valley
02:29and see peregrine falcons and seals in the estuary.
02:33The landscapes are wonderful, but you've also got great towns
02:36and great communities.
02:38In the Wye Valley, you'll find the village of Tinturn,
02:41with its majestic abbey ruins.
02:43Perched right on the border of Wales and England,
02:46it's a popular pit stop on the many hiking trails
02:49that wind their way along the River Wye.
02:53It's a great place to live.
02:55Just the history, it's the community, it's the hill walking,
02:58it's the local pubs, as well as the cuisines.
03:01And, again, it's a close-knit community,
03:03so everyone knows each other and everyone's family around these areas,
03:06so it's brilliant.
03:09And it's for all those reasons that today's buyers want to move here.
03:14They don't just want a home for themselves,
03:16they want to create a space that the local community can enjoy it too.
03:21So I'm Jo, this is...
03:23I'm Martin.
03:24And we live in Reading.
03:26Born and bred in the city, Jo, a learning support assistant
03:30at an agricultural college, and Martin, a bus driver.
03:35This is the street that we live in at the moment.
03:38As you can see, it's a cul-de-sac.
03:40It's very built up.
03:42Lots of houses squeezed into a small space.
03:46Certainly, they need more room for the grand plans they have in mind
03:50for their new country life.
03:52We'd like to have more chickens.
03:54We'd like to have more chickens.
03:56We'd like to have more chickens.
03:58We'd like to have more chickens.
04:00We'd like to have more chickens.
04:02We'd like to have more chickens.
04:04We'd like to have some sheep, maybe, and some goats,
04:06maybe a couple of pigs.
04:08And we'd like to be able to create some nice vegetable plots.
04:12And then we'd really like to open up our garden
04:15for the local community to come in,
04:17people with mental health issues,
04:19or children with special needs, or scouts and guides,
04:22to come in and help garden and things.
04:24So please, help us move to the country.
04:28Jo and Martin are after a detached period property
04:31with three to four bedrooms.
04:33They'd like between half an acre and two acres of land,
04:36plus an outbuilding or space to build one.
04:39They're keen to live within five miles of a town
04:42and have a budget of £550,000.
04:54Jo and Martin are ready for a change.
04:56They want to open their curtains to this every morning,
04:59this beautiful countryside.
05:01And they want space, not just space for them,
05:03but for animals as well,
05:05and the opportunity to invite the local community
05:08to come and enjoy that with them.
05:10They don't need to be in a town any more.
05:13In fact, the more rural, the better.
05:15They want to be swapping their cul-de-sac for this countryside.
05:22Our search starts in South Wales, in the county of Blyne-y-Gwent,
05:27a house in the village of Six Bells, near the town of Abertylary.
05:32On the outskirts of which, on a popular walking and cycling route,
05:36I'm meeting up with Jo and Martin.
05:39Well...
05:41This isn't a bad spot, is it?
05:44You know that you're really in the thick of things out here, don't you?
05:47It's lovely.
05:48What are the sort of changes that you're hoping this move will bring?
05:52Completely different.
05:54We're a bit like ships that pass in the night at home,
05:57due to work commitments.
05:59Hopefully I won't have to work when we come here.
06:02I'll just work with what we've got on the land.
06:04Martin will probably have to find a job,
06:06but hopefully we'll be able to be together at weekends.
06:10So it's also about spending more time together?
06:13Yes, definitely.
06:15So what is it in particular that's really attracting you
06:18to this part of Great Britain?
06:21Why here?
06:22I just find it so warm.
06:24The people are very friendly.
06:26But it's the backdrop, it's the mountains, it's the outdoors.
06:30It's the trees and the woods and the rivers.
06:33It's all of that that makes it for us.
06:35And of course you've got the two dogs at home.
06:38It would be really nice to be able to take them somewhere,
06:41just open the door and be able to walk.
06:43Love it here.
06:44I love it.
06:45Well, I'm very pleased to hear it,
06:47because this could be your dog walking path.
06:49Shall we go and have a look?
06:51Yes, let's go and see.
06:54Yes, the first property we've lined up for Joe and Martin to view
06:57is just a couple of minutes away,
06:59at the highest point in Six Bells.
07:02With stunning views across the valley,
07:04I'm excited to show them this detached farmhouse,
07:07parts of which are thought to be between 300 and 400 years old.
07:12Oh, that looks nice, actually.
07:15Three chimneys, so there must be lots of fires in there.
07:18Look at you, eh, Sherlock?
07:21Nice little balcony there as well.
07:24What you've got here is what started off life
07:27as quite a traditional Welsh property,
07:31and then over time that's been added to and extended.
07:35But what I really love is how they've kept that character.
07:38Right.
07:39And when you talk about character, this property oozes it.
07:42Come with me.
07:45The various extensions and additions that have taken place over the centuries
07:49have resulted in a quirky ground-floor layout
07:52with lots of interlinking rooms.
07:54We're starting our viewing in the middle of the house
07:57with the largest reception room.
08:00Mind your head.
08:01Hey!
08:02It's nice and cosy, isn't it?
08:04Three chimney stacks you saw outside.
08:06This is one of them?
08:08This is one. That is nice, isn't it?
08:10Plenty of room for storing your logs by the side of it as well.
08:13Yeah, and what about the size and the shape of the room?
08:16Yeah, it's a really good size, actually.
08:19It's nice and cosy.
08:21Next door is a second reception room.
08:24Another fireplace. That's two chimneys down, I believe.
08:28Into the kitchen.
08:30It's great. It's cottage-like. You know you're in a cottage.
08:33Yeah, and in terms of size and space,
08:36do you think this kitchen could work for you?
08:38No, I think it would, actually. I don't need too much workspace.
08:42I'm leaving Jo and Martin to explore the rest of the house.
08:46Next up is this cluster of rooms on the opposite side of the property.
08:50There's a music room, the third reception space,
08:53and off that, a shower room.
08:56Yeah, this is nice, isn't it?
08:58Yeah. Nice and cosy.
09:00And a nice log burner. Yeah.
09:02Each of the three reception rooms in this characterful property
09:06boasts a staircase.
09:09Oh. Oh, staircase.
09:12A secret staircase. Yeah.
09:17This one leads up to the first of four bedrooms.
09:21Oh, what have we got up here?
09:23Oh, like a mezzanine.
09:25That's good, isn't it? Nice storage area.
09:28Oh, look, there's the balcony.
09:30Oh, yeah, balcony.
09:32Stairs from the largest reception head up to a second bedroom.
09:37Oh, look at this. This is nice.
09:39Gosh.
09:41Oh, en suite.
09:43What have we got here? Oh, right.
09:46The staircase in this reception room rises up to two more bedrooms.
09:51Bend down for this one. Nice storage.
09:53Oh, yeah.
09:55It's deceptively big, cos it's a double bed, isn't it?
09:58It is, yeah.
09:59You could get William to make something for us.
10:02That's right, yeah.
10:04You're not going to fit your traditional wardrobes or anything in here.
10:07No, but have something built in.
10:11House done, I want to show them something rather exciting in the grounds.
10:16And it's this enormous outbuilding that covers some 1,400 square feet.
10:24Oh, wow, look at this. How's that for a space?
10:27Wow, that is pretty amazing, isn't it?
10:30It is. Goodness me.
10:32I'd like to one day have a tractor. That's one of my ambitions.
10:35And that would go in there very nicely.
10:37You could have a little space for your bikes.
10:39I could have quite a big space for my bikes.
10:41Yeah, that's it.
10:43Now, I'm not telling you how many bikes you're allowed,
10:45but I think you can get hundreds, quite literally, in here.
10:48Yeah. Yes, it would be really useful.
10:51Well, a tractor could come in handy here,
10:54because there's 1.7 acres of land on offer.
10:58It consists of formal lawned areas, woodland and paddocks.
11:03It's getting me fit coming up here all the time.
11:06Yeah.
11:08It's incredible. Look at the view.
11:10It's amazing, isn't it?
11:12I'm a bit out of breath after coming up here.
11:15You seem to get used to it. Yeah.
11:18So, now they've seen it all,
11:20there's just one thing Joe and Martin need to do.
11:23Put a price on it all.
11:25Let's start with you, Joe.
11:26What do you think it might be on the market for?
11:28I think it's going to be about £535,000.
11:34I think it might be a little bit more than that.
11:36I'm going to say £540,000, I think.
11:40It's actually on the market for a little bit more than that.
11:42It's on for £550,000, so you can see why.
11:45Yeah, you can see why, really, yeah.
11:49This detached farmhouse has three reception rooms
11:52and four bedrooms.
11:54There's an enormous outbuilding and 1.7 acres of land.
11:58Set on the side of a mountain,
12:00with views across the River Ebbw Valley,
12:03it's on the market for £550,000.
12:09The accommodation, I think, would work really well, actually.
12:12It feels quite homey and warm,
12:15but I think the area outside,
12:19I'm not sure how that would work for us,
12:21with animals and what we would want to do,
12:23cos it's quite steep and treacherous going up there.
12:27So, overall, I don't think it would work for us.
12:43Tucked in the south-east corner of Ben Oye Bruchyniog National Park
12:47and set against the backdrop of the beautiful Black Mountains
12:50the market town of Aveni, or Abergaveni,
12:54was very recently ranked as one of the best places to live in Wales.
12:59Listen to the birds, look at the mountains.
13:02It's a valley. I have lived in the valleys in Zimbabwe
13:06and now I come to Abergaveni, I live up the mountain.
13:09Nice people, it's very community-oriented.
13:12If you go in the high street, everybody knows each other.
13:15We do ethically-minded events.
13:17We've got so many people who have moved into Abergaveni
13:20from different places and they all feel welcome.
13:23We all meet, we all share stories, we all talk,
13:26so it couldn't be any other place than Abergaveni.
13:29Martha's not alone in extolling the town's virtues,
13:33as Jo and Martin are discovering
13:35inside the Grade II-listed Victorian Market Hall,
13:38which is very much at the heart of the community.
13:42There's nothing quite like Abergaveni Market.
13:45It is so unique and so beautiful.
13:47Has it always been a market?
13:49Well, there's been a market on this site for about 1,000 years,
13:52I think, you know, and there's charters involved
13:54and you can only do certain things on certain days
13:57and all that sort of thing.
13:59It's a beautiful place. I used to live in Swansea.
14:01Did you? But I've actually moved up here now cos we like it so much.
14:04It's really, really nice. It's friendly.
14:06Yeah. Yeah, we're Welsh, we're quite nauseous.
14:11It's a pretty well-connected town.
14:14Cardiff is a 50-minute drive or a 40-minute train ride away.
14:18Hereford and Newport are around 40 minutes by road
14:22or just 25 minutes on one of the direct rail services.
14:26Many residents, however, find they're able to cut the commute entirely,
14:31thanks to the town's flourishing economy,
14:34which makes running a business here a very viable option,
14:37as local resident and business owner Ellen Hunter can vouch for.
14:41She owns this low-waste shop and cafe
14:44and lives in a small village just outside the town.
14:47I grew up around here.
14:49I love the fact that we have the mountains on our doorsteps,
14:52the rivers, I love taking part in all the outdoor activities
14:55that we've got around, and it's just a really lovely, friendly place.
14:58As a business owner, people here are really proud of Abergavenny
15:01and really happy to support their independent businesses
15:04and like to take care of it and like to get involved.
15:07So we're a town of sanctuary,
15:09so we have lots of people supporting our refugees
15:12that are coming into the area.
15:14There's always activities, whether you like cold-water swimming in the river
15:18or our local ponds, or whether you like theatre and music,
15:22there really is a lot going on.
15:24There's way more to see and do in Abergavenny
15:27than we can squeeze into our jam-packed schedule,
15:30so Jo and Martin will have to return on another day
15:33because our house hunt must continue.
15:40We're boulder-hopping now from Wales into England,
15:44headed for the Herefordshire hamlet of Ganneroo,
15:47on the edge of the Wye Valley.
15:51The nearest village is Whitchurch,
15:54with a pretty clock tower, several pubs and cafes,
15:57a shop and a village hall,
15:59and a lively community for Jo and Martin to get involved with.
16:03Two miles away, down a quiet, unmade track, sits our next house.
16:08It's in an idyllic location
16:10with uninterrupted views of the surrounding countryside.
16:13And the best spot from which to appreciate its setting is from the rear.
16:22So here we are then, the second of our properties.
16:25What's your first impressions?
16:27Very nice. Looks really nice from the outside.
16:30It's lovely, isn't it, actually?
16:32I really like the tree in the garden, nice bit of shade.
16:35I can see the dogs going under that in the summer.
16:38Let's get inside and have a look. Yeah.
16:42This detached farmhouse is thought to date back to the 1800s.
16:47In 2004, the vendors added a two-storey extension to the side,
16:51creating a large living room on the ground floor
16:54with a spacious bedroom above.
16:56More recently, they added this conservatory,
16:59which takes us into the kitchen.
17:02Oh, I like this. It's got a range. I like that.
17:06You've got the other cooker over there
17:08so you don't have to have the range lit all year round.
17:10Home from home already, eh? Yeah.
17:12I like these blue tiles as well. They're really nice, aren't they?
17:15It's great, isn't it? And lovely marble tops with a bit of sparkle in.
17:19I like a bit of sparkle. Yeah. Look at this.
17:22Absolutely stunning, isn't it? It's a dream, isn't it?
17:25It is, yeah. Yeah. Yeah, this is great.
17:28The kitchen leads into a central reception hall,
17:31off which are the remaining ground-floor living spaces.
17:35So, coming through then, you've got the utility room.
17:38The office or full-fledged room, it's up to you, really.
17:42That way for the front door.
17:45And in to here.
17:49Wow. Oh, look at that.
17:52Yeah. Wow.
17:55Not bad for a dining room, sitting room sort of space, is it?
17:58No, absolutely not. It's a really good space, isn't it?
18:01This is what I've been picturing.
18:03Quite emotional, actually. Yeah, that's right, yeah.
18:06Yeah. Yeah.
18:08I can see you getting a bit emotional, to be honest.
18:12But it's because it means a lot to you. That's right, yeah.
18:15We've wanted this for such a long time.
18:17Why don't you have a wander around? There's more to see downstairs.
18:21Take yourselves upstairs, where I'm hoping you'll be just as pleasantly surprised.
18:25OK. And I'll see you outside shortly.
18:27OK, well, thank you. Yeah, that sounds great.
18:29Thank you. Take your time. No rush.
18:33Stairs in this light-filled double-height hallway
18:36rise up to the first-floor landing.
18:38This is nice. It's all nice and neat. Yeah, it is, isn't it?
18:41Yeah.
18:43Where there are three good-sized double bedrooms,
18:46this one is the largest.
18:48Oh, this is a nice big space, isn't it? It is, isn't it?
18:51Room for a sofa in the bedroom.
18:53Let's have a look.
18:55Oh, wow, look at that.
18:57Gorgeous. Really nice, big space.
19:00Get all the wardrobes in.
19:02All whit for the house.
19:04It is, isn't it? Yeah. Yeah.
19:07Next door is the family bathroom.
19:10Oh, yeah. This is nice.
19:12It's so big, isn't it? It is.
19:16Like the bath.
19:18Pebbles on the floor. Pebbles on the floor.
19:20Like being at the seaside.
19:22And next to this, a second double.
19:25Oh, this is a nice size as well, isn't it? Yeah. Again.
19:28What's this? What's behind the door?
19:30It's a nice window.
19:32Oh!
19:36Oh, it's nice and sweet. Wow.
19:38Oh, look at that toilet system.
19:40I love that. That's great.
19:42I think it's fair to say
19:44that Martin would be flushed with pride if he lived here.
19:47OK, enough of the puns.
19:49We're reconvening in the garden
19:51to discuss the all-important outside space.
19:54The plot of land here is about 0.3 acres.
19:58But now you've had a chance to have a look around,
20:01what do you think of the outside space?
20:03What there is, is lovely.
20:06I'd like to possibly have some sheep and some pigs and goats.
20:10So there'd be a little bit of squash.
20:12There'd be plenty of room for lots of chickens, definitely.
20:15Our dogs would absolutely love it.
20:17And, of course, you've also got the double garage as well,
20:20so you've got plenty of outdoor storage.
20:22But what do you think this property's on the market for?
20:26I think it hasn't got as much land as the other one,
20:30so I'm going to go for £545,000.
20:35OK.
20:38Well, yeah, I was going to go for the same,
20:40so, I don't know, let's go for £548,000.
20:45OK, you'll be surprised to find out, then,
20:47that this is actually on the market for £535,000.
20:52Oh, OK.
20:53I'll leave you to have a wander round.
20:55Don't rush, and I'll be out here waiting for you.
20:57OK, lovely. Thank you very much. Thank you.
21:02This detached farmhouse has a conservatory,
21:05a good-sized country kitchen with utility room,
21:08a spacious lounge diner and three bedrooms.
21:11In a beautiful rural spot, sitting on a plot of a third of an acre,
21:15it has an asking price of £535,000.
21:20Martin and I were having a bit of a chat inside
21:22when we had a second look around,
21:24and Martin was quite excited about it.
21:26With all the character and everything,
21:28we like the original features that it's got in there.
21:31We can definitely see ourselves living here.
21:33Wow. I love it here in this cosy cottage kitchen.
21:36I can see us coming in here and making ourselves at home.
21:41Yeah, I can really see this is just the sort of thing we're looking for.
21:45I mean, look at those views. They're lovely.
21:47You can't mock that.
21:49I think the only issue is the size of the garden,
21:53that there's no sort of land with it as such.
21:55So I think that's, unfortunately, going to be a bit of a stumbling block.
22:00All right. Happy?
22:02Yeah, very happy.
22:04Good. I'm pleased to hear it.
22:13Our last stop of the day is the town of Crickhowell,
22:16in the east of the National Park.
22:19Here, the longest stone arch bridge in Wales spans the River Usk.
22:24It's a popular picnic spot,
22:26and I'd say the perfect place to pause and reflect.
22:30It's been a busy day, hasn't it? There's no doubt about that.
22:33Yeah. Absolutely. But it's been really fun.
22:35It's been lovely to spend more quality time with the family,
22:39because they'll be able to come not just for a day or a couple of hours,
22:43they'll be able to come and stay.
22:45Life-changing? Definitely life-changing, yeah.
22:48Absolutely. I mean, it's nice knowing that this is actually going to happen.
22:53It's made us feel that we know that this is what we want,
22:56and this is where we want to be.
22:58We've still got more tomorrow, so have a good night of sleep.
23:01OK, yeah. We'll do more of the same.
23:03Lovely. Excellent. Looking forward to it. Thank you, yeah.
23:20If you're yearning for a new home in the countryside
23:23surrounding the Welsh-English border,
23:25then here's the lowdown on property prices.
23:30In the Wyre Valley, which extends across Monmouthshire in Wales,
23:33plus Herefordshire and Gloucestershire in England,
23:36a detached property will set you back nearly £473,000,
23:41according to a leading property website.
23:45But in the National Park,
23:47which straddles the Welsh counties of Monmouthshire, Powys and Carmarthenshire,
23:52the average price for a similar house is under £393,000.
23:58The double draw of good-value homes and spectacular landscapes
24:03have opened up the area to a new generation of homebuyers,
24:07as a local agent can explain.
24:10We've seen quite a few different types of buyers
24:12or quite a wide buying audience moving in.
24:14I would say that probably the lion's share is working professionals,
24:18young families and an element of downsizers or retirees.
24:22Current trends at the moment, people can still work from home,
24:25so we've seen a lot of buyers come out of Bristol and London
24:28looking for something in town or slightly out of town.
24:31It's good for networking, so if you need to get to London or Bristol,
24:34it's quite easy.
24:35I mean, the train here from Abergavenny is two hours into Paddington.
24:40If that's sealed the deal for you,
24:42here's a taster of what's currently on the market.
24:45This detached house has a lounge diner,
24:48a country kitchen and two double bedrooms.
24:52In the garden, a raised deck area has spectacular views
24:55across the Ask Valley, towards the Black Mountains and the Sugarloaf.
25:00It's priced at £375,000.
25:05In a village on the Welsh-English border
25:08is this 300-year-old former village shop,
25:11now a beautiful home with a spacious sitting dining room,
25:15a professional-grade kitchen and three bedrooms,
25:19two of which are en suite.
25:21Offers in excess of £500,000 will be considered.
25:27If you're in the market for a short break,
25:29then this magical grade-two listed tower,
25:32originally built as a folly, sleeps too.
25:36Climb the 38 steps to the accommodation,
25:39which includes a beautiful kitchen and an elegant sitting room,
25:43that has a hidden door to the luxurious bedroom beyond.
25:47Cost? £200 per night.
25:53Joe and Martin are certainly getting to know the county a little better,
25:57and it's great seeing them look at it from the angle of house buyers
26:01as opposed to holidaymakers.
26:03But we've still got plenty more to show them,
26:05including a taste of what life here with lots of animals could look like,
26:08and, of course, a cracking mystery house.
26:12And for that, we're venturing to the northern edge
26:15of Bannai Brachyniog National Park,
26:18the Brecon Beacons, destined for the hamlet of Tregoid.
26:23The nearest town, Talgarth, is 3½ miles away
26:27and has all the everyday essentials to hand,
26:30including buses to Hay and Hereford,
26:32a community-run meal and baker,
26:34as well as several pubs and cafes.
26:37Radiating from the town are many footpaths and tracks,
26:41which can be explored on foot, by bike and some on horseback.
26:45Tregoid mountain riders offer guided treks and hikes
26:49throughout the national park.
26:51Owner Carol Grunch has kindly agreed to give Joe and Martin
26:55the lowdown on life in this part of the world.
26:58So, are you originally from the area?
27:00I'm originally from Northumberland.
27:02Are you?
27:03But I've been here for about 35 years now.
27:06Yeah?
27:07It's a lovely area to live. It's quiet.
27:09There's some lovely small towns and villages in the area to go to
27:13and it's just a nicer pace of life.
27:16It's quite rural here.
27:17Do you find it's easy for people to still access?
27:20Oh, we have lots of people.
27:22Over the years, we've had lots of people coming to see us
27:25and it's not very far.
27:27You've got Hay-on-Wye, which is just a little town of hay.
27:30It's 4 miles with lots of independent shops.
27:33We've got Crickhowell and Abergavenny the other way.
27:36Then going to Crickhowell.
27:38It's lovely there and it's nice to see the shops there.
27:41Some really good pubs for eating.
27:43Oh, that's always impressive.
27:46Everyone likes a nice pub.
27:48And it's just lovely and wherever you go, people are really quite nice.
27:53Whilst Joe, Martin and Carol carry on chatting,
27:56I'm heading to our mystery house just a mile down the road
28:00to give you a sneak preview.
28:03So, what makes it a mystery house?
28:06Well, firstly, it's got a far more modern feel
28:09than either of the two properties I've shown them so far.
28:12It's across three floors and it's semi-detached.
28:15Truth is, I don't even know if it would have been on their radar.
28:20But if they'll keep an open mind about the fact it's a semi,
28:24I think they'll discover an awful lot to love
28:27about this beautifully presented property,
28:29including this large rear garden
28:32where we're starting our viewing.
28:35The mystery house. First impressions, please.
28:38Oh, that looks really nice, doesn't it? I like the brickwork.
28:42Yeah. Yeah. That's nice.
28:44Really nice. It looks quite big.
28:46It's semi-detached. Now, how do you feel about that?
28:50Well, so long as the neighbours are nice.
28:54You know, I'm sure you'll fit right in.
28:57You know, very often people talk about semi-detached,
29:01you know, there's a certain no,
29:03or they've got a mind's eye of what they want.
29:05Yeah. Sometimes a little bit of looseness around that
29:08could bring you some wonderful surprises.
29:10Yeah. How about we get ourselves inside?
29:12Yeah, let's do that. Follow me.
29:15The property dates to the 1870s
29:18and was originally one large barn
29:20before it was converted into two cottages.
29:25In you come. Wow.
29:27Oh, this is nice, isn't it? I wasn't expecting this.
29:29I don't know. Wow.
29:31It's big, isn't it? It is.
29:33Yeah. Nice layout.
29:35Lovely. Nice floor.
29:37Dogs are like that, aren't they?
29:40Yeah, yeah. Under the stairs.
29:42Nice and bright and light.
29:44It's got a nice feel about it.
29:46Yeah. Good.
29:48Well, you both seem quite happy,
29:50and it seems to me that if one's happy, the other's happy.
29:53Yeah, absolutely. Yeah, yeah.
29:55God, two peas in a pod.
29:57How's that happiness going?
30:00The kitchen opens out into a bright garden room
30:03that the owners use for dining.
30:05Oh, wow. Look at this.
30:07This is a nice area, isn't it?
30:09Yeah. All the sun coming through here.
30:11Lovely. It's beautiful. It's nice in the summer.
30:14What we haven't addressed yet is the second garden.
30:17Oh, right.
30:19You just spotted it now through the window.
30:21I was too busy looking in here.
30:23This is actually the front of the property.
30:25We're going through the back.
30:27This space here and that space out the back
30:29are two completely separate gardens.
30:31Now, in my head, I'm thinking yours...
30:34Yeah. ..to enjoy, you know, as a family...
30:37Yeah. ..and then the back garden
30:39is maybe a little bit more animal-oriented.
30:42Yeah. Yeah? Yeah.
30:44I think it's a good work, yeah.
30:46I've got plenty more to show you yet. Let's go back this way.
30:48OK. Right.
30:50Off the kitchen, an overlook in the rear garden
30:53is the first of two reception rooms.
30:57It's nice and cosy, isn't it?
30:59Yeah. We've got the log burner over there as well.
31:02With that stone going across the top.
31:04Looks lovely, doesn't it? Yeah. Yeah.
31:06It's a good size as well.
31:08Open that door for me, please. Why don't you see what's in there?
31:11Let's have a look. Wow, another room.
31:13Look at this. A big window.
31:15Oh, this is nice.
31:17Nice big window.
31:19Yeah.
31:21Wow.
31:23Wow, it just keeps giving, doesn't it?
31:25I know it does.
31:27And it doesn't stop there.
31:29On the first floor, there are four bedrooms,
31:32including two good-sized doubles.
31:35Lovely space, though, isn't it?
31:37Exposed beams, that. Yeah.
31:39So, look, the garden.
31:41Lovely. It's quite big.
31:43It is, yeah. Plenty of room around the bed.
31:45Nice high ceilings.
31:47Again, really nice.
31:49It's a big room, isn't it?
31:51Looking out over the garden.
31:53Yeah.
31:55At the front of the house, there's another double in use as a twin
31:59and a single used as a dressing room.
32:02All the bedrooms have access to the family bathroom
32:05and a separate shower room.
32:07This spiral staircase leads to the loft,
32:10which the owners use as a guest suite and office.
32:14Well, this is a nice area to study.
32:17Nice little chilling-out place there.
32:21Oh, another bed.
32:23It's good. It is nice, isn't it?
32:25It is.
32:27Outside, at the rear of the property,
32:30the larger of the two gardens has a substantial fenced veggie plot,
32:34a workshop and a summer house.
32:38Oh, my goodness.
32:40Well, I wasn't expecting that. Yeah.
32:42Look at that. Yeah, another little burner.
32:45Oh, yeah.
32:47Didn't expect that out here. Gosh, no.
32:49Wow.
32:51A particularly lovely feature of this garden
32:54is the babbling stream that runs along the boundary
32:58and is accessed by this gate at the far end of the garden.
33:02Oh, look at that.
33:04That's nice.
33:06Public footpath going along there.
33:08Instant dog walk. Take the dogs along there.
33:10Great. Very nice.
33:13And that's it. They've seen it all.
33:15Just one piece of the puzzle remains.
33:19I'm afraid we've got to start talking money.
33:21Who wants to go first?
33:23Well, I'm afraid it's going to be a little bit over budget.
33:26I think it's going to be about...
33:28Oh, let's see.
33:30£553,000.
33:32OK, £553,000, says Martin and Jo.
33:37Oh, gosh.
33:39I personally think it's going to be a little bit more than that,
33:42so I'm going to go for £560,000.
33:46Martin, you're the closest. £550,000.
33:49Oh, OK. So you're coming in right on the money there.
33:52OK. You can easily move into that and not change anything.
33:57For us, that's what we thought.
33:59When we were walking round, we thought we personally
34:02wouldn't have to do anything.
34:04This 150-year-old semi-detached cottage has a large kitchen,
34:10a garden room, two receptions and five bedrooms.
34:14Boasting a private front garden and a large rear garden,
34:18it's on the market for £550,000.
34:22I think we could definitely live in a house like this.
34:25Yeah, I can see that. It feels really nice, actually, doesn't it?
34:28It does. It's, like, really, really tranquil.
34:30It's so quiet and you can just hear all the nature going on around you.
34:34It's really nice.
34:36The outside space is not quite what we're looking for, I would say.
34:44I'm not sure how we could accommodate the pigs and the sheep
34:48that we would like.
34:50All right, you two? Yes, thanks, yeah.
34:52The cogs wiring away? Oh, yeah, lots to think about here.
34:55Plenty to think about, eh? Plenty, yes.
35:01On the outskirts of the Monmouthshire town of Chepstow sits Dean Farm Trust,
35:07home to more than 200 rescued animals, including ponies, donkeys,
35:12sheep and pigs that live amongst 62 acres of land.
35:17We know Joe and Martin have designs on a space for animals
35:21which they can share with the local community,
35:24so we thought they'd be particularly interested to meet Mary Frank.
35:28Mary, how did all this evolve? How did you start this sanctuary?
35:32I started rescuing from my home,
35:34which was just down the road with a couple of acres,
35:37ten years ago with a couple of ponies and a handful of hens.
35:40Now we have hundreds of visitors and they come in and they connect
35:43with our donkeys and our sheep and our ponies and our pigs
35:46and really just see them as no different to your dogs and your cats.
35:50Do you know what? It's striking a little bit of a chord with me now.
35:56I'd like a house in the countryside with a couple of acres
35:59to look after some animals. Be careful what you wish for.
36:03Ten years' time and this could be you too.
36:06Absolutely, that would be fantastic.
36:08Do you have school groups coming in?
36:10We do and we want to do more of that.
36:13We've had some local schools in over the last few years
36:16and schools for people who do have special needs.
36:19Look at him there. He's brilliant, isn't he?
36:24It doesn't seem to be too tricky at the moment.
36:27I love cuddles.
36:29It seems all you have to do is make sure you give them a cuddle
36:32and they'll be happy as pie.
36:34As soon as I stop stroking him, he's nudging me for another one.
36:38I'll get like that.
36:44I want more attention.
36:47Burrito arrived at the sanctuary eight years ago.
36:52His was one of the most severe cases of neglect the team had ever seen.
36:56All the animals that come here have different backgrounds.
37:00Some are unwanted pets, some are saved from slaughter
37:04and others are abandoned,
37:06as was the case for one of the sanctuary's newest arrivals,
37:10seven-week-old Wilbur.
37:12He was found abandoned on a building site in scrubland in Kent.
37:16Oh, no!
37:18And he had sort of lacerations to his back and he had sunburn on his ears.
37:22So a week last Monday, he came all the way from Kent
37:26and now he's here at the sanctuary in his home for life.
37:29Wilbur is an Oxford sandy,
37:32a breed of pig renowned for their gentle, easy-going nature.
37:36And today, we get the pleasure of taking him for a runabout.
37:40Wilbur!
37:43Pigs are widely recognised to be highly intelligent,
37:47demonstrating behaviours long thought to be the preserve of humans,
37:51such as self-awareness and creativity.
37:54Let's go. Come on. Here he goes. Let's go.
37:57In the wild, pigs form small groups
38:00that typically include a few sows and their piglets.
38:03Wilbur will be introduced to a new piggy family on the farm when he's a bit older.
38:08But for now, he gets to hang out with the humans.
38:13All right, that's enough belly rubbing.
38:15We've got a whole pigs to massage, yeah? Come on, let's go and get oiling.
38:19All right. Bye, Wilbur.
38:21See you later, Wilbur.
38:26Yes, you heard me correctly.
38:28Next up, pig massage.
38:31Uncle Watson, a pot-bellied pig who's lived here for the past four years,
38:36is getting a massage with a mixture of oil and sulphur,
38:39which softens and moisturises his dry skin.
38:43So we put this on with our hand and massage it in.
38:47We put that all over him.
38:49Wow. Do you want to go? Yes, please.
38:52It's common for certain breeds of pig to molt like this.
38:55It's known as blowout and usually happens in the spring and summer
38:59when they'll shed all their hair before growing back a new fresh coat.
39:05Did you ever think about this, Joe, when you're sitting there thinking,
39:08let's get a couple of pigs, did you ever see this as a potential problem?
39:12Not the oiling, no, no.
39:14I know you have to be careful in the sun
39:16and I know they need to have a good wallow to help protect them,
39:20but this is the first time I've oiled a pig.
39:24I don't know. Oil in the spring.
39:26These are some pampered pigs, eh?
39:29And pedicures, they also have to have their little feet trimmed.
39:32Ah, you know, you get more attention and love than I do.
39:37Well, I suppose Uncle Watson's had enough massaging by the looks of things.
39:41He's going back to the fields and I suppose that's our cue, really.
39:45Fantastic. Lovely to meet you.
39:48Best of luck.
39:58I've had a great time exploring the Welsh and English Boulders
40:02with Joe and Martin this week.
40:04Let's find out if they've made any decisions
40:07about which part of it they'd like to call home.
40:10Hey, you two.
40:11Hey.
40:12Hey.
40:13How are you both?
40:14We're good, thanks.
40:15You've met some of the locals and, of course, people that have moved into the area.
40:19How's that been for you?
40:20Well, it's really interesting, actually,
40:22because the people that we've met said how friendly everybody is
40:26and that's just what we want, really, isn't it?
40:30To be part of the community and to know people
40:33and to, you know, be part of all that would be amazing.
40:37But, of course, you need somewhere to live.
40:40We looked at three properties.
40:42I mean, tell me a little bit about how they've fared up.
40:46The first one was really quirky.
40:49It had the land but it was a little bit on the slope.
40:53It just wasn't quite right, was it, for us?
40:56It wasn't, no.
40:57The second one, wow, the second one.
40:59What an amazing view there was there, though.
41:02Yeah.
41:03That was fabulous, that second one.
41:05We found out that that was the place that we felt more at home with, actually.
41:09Yeah, I got a real buzz when we went in there.
41:11I really felt that was the place.
41:13Yeah, it was unfortunate.
41:15Unfortunately, yeah.
41:16It just didn't have a big enough bit of land for us.
41:20Okay, and then, obviously, that brings us to the mystery house, then.
41:23The mystery house.
41:24Well, that was absolutely beautiful, wasn't it, inside?
41:27It was.
41:28The garden outside was really, really nice
41:31but it seemed a shame to mess that prettiness up
41:36by putting animals and pigs in there.
41:39It was a bit too pretty
41:41and I'm not sure that it was quite big enough.
41:44It might just be a little bit more than that.
41:46But we've learnt so much while we've been with you this week
41:50going around looking at the area and that
41:52that it's all been worthwhile
41:54even though we haven't quite got the right house.
41:56We've just got to go and find it.
41:59Yeah, I wish you all the very best with your move.
42:02That's very kind, thank you.
42:03We've had a really good time.
42:11It feels to me like Jo and Martin
42:13are more in love with this place than ever before.
42:16They've had a real insight into what life could look like
42:19for them and their many animals
42:21and I wish them all the very best for their move.
42:24Join us again next time for another Escape to the Country.
42:30Well, Jo and Martin's love for the area rubbed off on Martin's dad
42:34who decided he'd like to make the move with them.
42:37He's received an offer on his home
42:39and they're now working out what their new combined budget will be.
42:43We wish them all the very best.
42:47If you'd like to escape to the country in Wales,
42:50Scotland, Northern Ireland or England
42:53why not apply online at bbc.co.uk forward slash take part.
43:23.