ETTC 4 May

[Music] today's house-hunting mission is to help a couple to purchase their very first home together if the figures stack up I would never have thought we could afford something as lovely as that we have properties where chores are valued takes on a whole new meaning and of course there's the money shot if that view is priceless hello and welcome to escape to the country today we are in the beautiful Y Valley which is a unique landscape which covers more than a hundred square miles and spans three counties Gloucestershire Herefordshire and Monmouthshire it consists of beautiful woodland stunning limestone gorges and of course the river itself and over the centuries it has inspired some of our greatest writers poets and painters and I have to say it's pretty inspiring for house hunters to the protected countryside of the Wye Valley runs through the English counties of Gloucestershire and Herefordshire as well as Monmouthshire in Wales which is largely where we'll focus our house hunt prices for detached homes in Monmouthshire are currently around 24,000 pounds above the national figure but the county offers far better value than neighbouring Gloucestershire those looking for a lively events calendar can head to the county town of Monmouth which hosts one of Europe's largest free music festivals ross-on-wye is a good spot for lovers of art and crafts you can browse and buy locally made pieces in the historic market house building but it's the great outdoors that's the real draw to this region whether that's walking in the Magnificent Forest of Dean braving the whitewater rapids on a canoeing adventure or simply enjoying the adil Akali scenery of the river wye itself with stunning views like this is easy to understand why so many people are attracted to this area and the woodland here is considered some of the most beautiful in the UK with most of its four thousand three hundred hectares declared an area of outstanding natural beauty and for today's house buyers Ruth and Marguerite this valley is going to be the doorway into a new adventurous and outdoorsy life I'd like to just open my doors and see green space you know I look at or a potential garden as essentially another room in our house the dream is to have in a space where our friends can come to visits and camp oh we can make the most of the summer tangs and just really make the most of you nights a full stop we've been together almost four years and remember each other about three years before that maybe I used to live my life in a slightly shambolic way till I met Marguerite you've said to me the other day tell me what it was like when you used to go out in the morning like go to work and I'd be like I'd be running around the house showered here's my keys where's the keys just get it absolutely bonkers no cup of tea or anything quite like things to be organized because it I found it at the cabmen and I like to avoid stress where I can you know might sound sad but before we go to bed at night I put the teabags and the cup and fill the kettle so in the morning it is like a military operation kettle boiled upstairs chard quick change down the stairs and it just means that her life is definitely a lot more relaxed it's amazing my life is so much more relaxed since I've met Margaret Ruth and Margaret both have jobs in the education sector near their rented home in eastern just outside Bristol city centre although they love their working life they can't wait to swap their rented city home to buy a place in the countryside all in our own house is something that we've talked about and dreamt about for a long time actually you know and hoe we would imagine our house to be in our cowboy bath I'd say and all of these lovely things and I think we've kind of both got to stage where we think well what are we waiting for we're both kind of ready for a simpler life for slower paced life I suppose the Y value because we've done a lot of camping and walking in the way Valley actually and that is absolutely stunning in terms of the country say and the views that are definitely aspects of Bristol that we'll both miss I would say but the ideal taking this next step and changing our lives and our lifestyle is actually really exciting I think we're both ready for it one big thing the couple will miss our friends most of whom they met through their local sports scene the eastern cowbells our community football team it's how you and I met and it is the core of our friendship group here in Bristol ya know an amazing amazing group of people they're really really excited about me being I'm really excited for them even though I'll miss them loads I'm excited for them to find their new place and start a new life together our whole club will miss them terribly because they're both very active within the club but they're not going that far away you know it's really easy to get over to the Y Valley and it'll be lovely to go and visit them and get to enjoy the countryside with them so I'm sure we won't stop seeing them move in house to the country together it's just going to be amazing I can't wait to have our own home yeah be after Potter in the garden think it's make it make our house into the home that we want yeah at the moment we drive out to find the peaceful things in life and the things that make us feel really whole and really good about ourselves and you know we want to live in that life rather than drive out to it yeah what a lovely couple and although I can see that there's a lot on offer in Bristol for Uther Marguerite none of it can compete with their urge to quit the city and put down some rural roots and with green as far as the eye can see I think the WHI Valley is going to be a breath of fresh air for them what we have to do is find them the perfect house for a budget of $300,000 it have quite simple property requirements needing a minimum of two bedrooms plus a large reception to host visitors the house should sit within a garden big enough for friends to camp in with room for a hot tub - and they're open to living anywhere in the WHI Valley so long as it's within an hour's commute to their jobs back in Bristol I'll be showing them around three very different and very lovely options each with a different take on their wish list but before I reveal the attached price tags they will both have a stab at getting the price first our final property is the mystery house which could leave us all with a welcome sense of deja vu and we've all arrived in the region eager to get this property hunt underway so it's the countryside that's sort of leading this move absolutely like the idea of being really close to lots of green space and just nature and been able to get Odin into it I thought I'm gonna get in the car to do so it's kind of I just kind of the quieter life to everything chilled out a lot yeah you used to be a bit quite wild party girls what about the the property itself it's the outside space more important than the inside space I think my heart's kind of set on the garden haven't really given as much thought to what the inside of the house looks like is that more your two main roof I do want a really nice garden but I'm very interested in the inside of the house how that's gonna look yeah very yeah very definite ideas of what I like and what I don't like right under you do you go along with those very difficult choice of two domains on route to our first house tour we're making a pit stop at the lower reaches of the waterway to soak up a little of the landscape they're hoping to find on their doorstep this is the River Wye and this is the valley of course and this side is England that sites Wales do you have strong preferences either way we're not too fast you know not too fast at all really beautiful who would do us this is pretty beautiful both sides of beautiful everywhere you look as beauty round here yeah that's it's us like there we would love to be able to access walk really easily without having to get in the car to do so our search begins just over the river in clam Dogo a small village on the wealth side of the why located on an a road following the river path means transport links and amenities are good for a village of this size the pup has been serving locals and travelers for three centuries and continues to offer meals and accommodation there's also a village shop plus there's an excellent choice of footpaths available to explore this area of outstanding natural beauty located below a single track road is the house we've come to see way to clap your eyes on this Wow that is why then you wanted the whoa value that's amazing that is something else I can drag your eyes back to the actual house this is incredible the house looks stunning I would never have thought we could afford something as lovely as that the air tree well should we have a look inside yeah there's pretty there's no wasted space here okay that's good my favorite my favorite thought to date from the 1800s the original two-up two-down stone cottage has been extended to the rear the main entrance opens into the first reception room come on in thank you right through the front door into the dining room the present owners have completely gutted and rebuilt it from the button up everything it's been really kind of renovated with a great deal of right it's nice also it's like separate you know it's just it's own little enclosed room mm-hmm since we looked at it was all open well I do but Marguerite it was like well look at the kitchen I mean so it's a little bit snug yes but you wanted snug that can you see yeah this is all an addition because the original cottage ball is there and just the one bathroom so there's no bathroom upstairs nice box we really hope you ever go at it knowing it's there if you wanted but I think we've always said that we would be we'd be really open-minded and we don't have any kind of real set expectations of the house as such you know what do you think of the kitchen I really like the fact that it has plenty of light it makes it kind of look more spacious but you know there's plenty of surface to work on I think they've made a really good use of the space Oh so we're gonna look at the living room yeah let's have a look lovely original doors and then this is the super snug sitting room that's really sweet love the fireplace yeah the fireplace is incredible and a log burner which is really important to both us we love a fire I grew up in a house where a fire was lit 365 days a year yeah beautiful low ceilings even for me yeah yeah there is sir it's kind of cozy though look what you see when you look at Maidan that is unreal it's all about the views yeah really is and the views continue upstairs have a look this cozy cottage is capturing the couple's hearts so far so let's see what they make of the two bedrooms on offer the guest room is a pretty double with more of those captivating valley views whilst a slightly larger double might suit as their room this one has this killer view I love the view from every single window is just amazing some flowers I always say that I think a small bedroom is really comforted and quite cozy good job yeah exactly oh say stops you collecting rubbish we both hate clutter so it's perfectly we could live in our house this bigger definite they were definitely good so let's step outside look at the or very important garden yeah it sounds like a good idea you can also talk about the finances mm-hmm the interior has certainly passed muster now on to the third of an acre garden it's got top Ruth and marguerite want to have friends for overnight camping here the current owners have put in considerable effort terracing the inclined plot to provide different levels to take in that incredible panorama here we are it's a beautiful garden they've actually done a lot of work to kind of Terrace it it was all just wilderness when they moved in good an organic orchard here some really lovely specimen trees and really nice planting very simple wild planting which would make it really easy for us because we love the idea of gardening but actually don't know much about us there we go but this is ideal because it's more about maintenance which is easier to do than them plan on a garden well they've done all the back-breaking yeah absolutely that's ready to go love the fruit trees something that you've always talked to me druce's a little wild card yeah the butterfly garden yeah absolutely these are just incredible so everything is thumbs up it's all wonderful but what is the price I'm just gonna go for it 290 I was thinking 280 okay so you ladies are in for a shock this property is a little bit over your top budget it's on at three hundred thirty thousand pounds and I know that's over your budget but you are chained free that is true so you could and the other thing is they were very little to do nothing yeah which makes a huge difference oh it breaks my heart though because I really wish it was on at 290 but it's a beautiful property and we couldn't not show it to you like that view is priceless you would be hard pushed to find a house where you could come out your front door and look over something like this so see if your heart is moved as you move around and then come and click to when you're done great thank you this stone cottage may stretch their finances but it does appear to offer everything they asked for two double bedrooms both feature those exceptional views the garden covers a third of an acre and it's less than an hour's commute to Bristol we could have our hammock in their cage we could have a barbecue area over there and listen to the birds look at that view that is something else amazing my first thoughts were it just looked absolutely beautiful like a tiny cottage which is a sort of thing we're looking for I love the cozy rooms I love the fireplace the garden is so beautiful and that view just catches your a straight away no matter what angle you're standing on never seen a property as beautiful you know with the garden or with the views you know I think we could live happily in this house surely one of the top five views out of your front door that I've ever seen amazing hello hello there I'm just mesmerized by your view I know unreal isn't it hmm there's something else yes but I'm afraid I'm gonna have to tear you away because we've got more houses to see oh okay good stuff keen outdoor adventurers Ruth and Margaret's love nothing more than a good campfire so I've brought the ladies to the WHI Valley sculpture garden to meet bushcraft expert Stephen England he's going to teach us how to safely harness our fire-starting techniques in the natural environment so we're coming into the fire pit now lovely spot so what I'm going to do is effectively set up a little bit of a test a little bit about fire safety to begin with there's some tongs which you can use to if you need to move a piece of wood off it's just move it a bit make sure that we're not disturbing any wildlife or any plants or anything we working in a clear area so that the fire won't spread quick test what do we need to make a fire three things oxygen I've got an teacher because I was a science teacher fire spark ignition ignition so we're going to have a little trial run that's for you that's for you okay so we're gonna go again they're just getting a tinder alight now so if you'd like to take your respective positions of the other day looks like I'm taking on Ruth to see who's the fastest spark here do not let the side down here for ignition we're using a piece of carbon steel which gives off hot sparks when struck by a sharp edge such as a Flint for fuel it's cotton wool but if you're planning a campfire do make sure you have the landowners permission first and that no fire bans are in place ensure the area is clear of grass leaves and trip hazards and keep fires at least 10 meters away from tents and sleeping areas sorry for you over there Allister why afraid I'll go when I say go Ready Steady Go [Applause] hang on I really think this should be best of three once the fire starts the trick is to patiently add kindling to build up a decent heat and avoid smothering the flames the other thing is what does a yellow flame tell us it's not so hot yeah it's just basically it's not it looks like you got a fire going but all you've really got is your burning of carbon it's just such so there's no real heat to it so oh you might get a nice yellow flame it could go out very quickly got the pros over here now pulling away you've won the you've won the competition I think well done yeah it's all about the taking part that counts yeah it looks about the winning isn't it I may have lost the battle but we all get to enjoy the spoils drop scones alfresco food cooked outside is always good though isn't it always tastes amazing it looks pretty good nice okay to extinguish any campfires properly it's always a good idea to have a bucket of Earth sand or water to hand with bellies now full we must get back to the burning issue of Ruth and Margaret's house search here in the beautiful y valley [Music] our next house is on the English side of the river why in the Gloucestershire village of Rus [ __ ] one and a half miles away is the small town of cinder foot once the heart of the mining industry in the Forest of Dean here it's possible to catch a movie at the recently restored theatre or enjoy a meal in a choice of pubs and restaurants including some of the most highly rated curries in the area a short drive will bus right away is the village of Rus [ __ ] we're a quiet side road takes us to the house we're here to view a very different offering here yeah this is the house what do you think first impressions are lovely nice yeah it's kind of similar house for size half isn't it it's a very beautiful house these would have been miners cottages too in fact they've been joined together this offers a lot in terms of space inside and in the garden as well so yeah fantastic next to the house is a detached garage and driveway whilst a central doorway takes us into to reception spaces that run from the front to the back of the property come on in thank you thank you nice I love the beans no I like the open plan no dining room front room in together yeah I doors bring a lot of late yeah into these rooms which is fantastic so straighten Terman this could be anything this could all be one big reception room come down here here's your log burner no fantastic cozy I love the fact that there's a chair either site yeah I like it it's cozy I think I feel a bit spoilt by the first house is just so amazingly let's face it it's much bigger and this is like probably double the floor space yeah yeah that's true take a look at the kitchen for example very spacious nice clear the kitchen is a lovely it really really is well thought out as well good use of space really nice and late yeah I love that framework bit around the range yeah it'd be an easier space to have to share with other people mmm-hmm especially because he wasn't know this Wow look at this a whole nother did not expect this at all this is a really nice surprise mm-hm let's say this is a bigger property because upstairs you have three bedrooms there we go upstairs and you can have route around upstairs and then come back down to find me and we're going to go wonderful thank you mm-hmm I see I think that the space may be starting to dislodge the beauty of the first property you know what they think of upstairs the upper floor has two double bedrooms a single bedroom a bathroom and additional WC wow the rooms are really decent size because the light coming is very nice it's nice uh nicely decry it which wardrobe space we have it's really nice really late oh this is lovely I really like this room actually love that little alcove space hmm it's an unusual name scary it would be a really good desk area yeah it's a lovely room [Music] this is a really decent sized on a really like is we have a bath here too did you get lost in the massive expense it is spacious really nice bedrooms you know that you wanted a hot tub yes and a cowboy bar yes what are you gonna show us we don't have them but the space there suddenly is space outside the quarter of an acre plot packs in a summer house a choice of seating areas mature trees and shrubs and some additional outbuildings to the rear I think this would be a great space for Hato because there's electricity in here and then you've got the greenhouse you've got this area for cocktails at sundown and a little place for lunch midway down the garden and down by the house breakfast yeah the whole garden is very very private yeah it's really unexpected it's a great garden how much do you think this one costs I'm gonna say three or five three or five so I'd guess about three ten this is actually on the market for three hundred and twenty-five thousand pounds but the owners are open to negotiation that's reassuring sorry to show you show you another one over budget that's all right don't worry it was a good in and we wanted to show to you so why don't you kind of explore the garden certainly and inside again because this is a bit bigger this one and then we will catch okay see you later the asking price of this former - cottage may be pushing the budget again but they would get a lot of house here there's a large kitchen three further reception spaces three bedrooms and a garden with the selection of outbuildings what's more it's in a village location that's less than an hour from their jobs in Bristol the house itself is lovely like it stands out from its neighbours because it's all well presented space is really nice it's really light I like the little extra sitting room the kitchen's big love love the two cookers but my heart just didn't lift like it did when we saw the first property if I'm honest I don't see it as our next house okay so that's that's our houses for the day done yeah thank you very much let's go and have a little catch-up sounds good [Music] we're in the wonderful whi Valley helping Ruth and Marguerite from the city of Bristol to buy a house together for the first time with a budget of $300,000 well it goes down quite a ways and I head to the river to deal with a rather slippery fish didn't think I'd ever cry over a release to yield well we all woke up this morning in the WHI Valley with little doubt about which house was marguerite and Ruth's favorite from yesterday I wouldn't be surprised if they'd spend the entire evening trying to find the money they need to put an offer in on it however the mystery house it's pretty unique for two reasons actually one because of its layout and also because of its location all will be revealed we were wondering whether you were on the phone to your mortgage advances last night's trying to find some more leverage well we think we can manage the extra we think like well not like for 3:30 but like you know we think can't say if we put an offer in for 350 we thought maybe our charmers first-time buyers golden bonus I really totally love the house I totally live there and I think anything else for me is gonna be a bit of a compromise and I really really do not like compromising what do you think about the mystery house what do you think we might show you for the mystery house oh that's a good question I think the compromise for the mr. house might be the garden in some way Oh God he had no garden at all I'm hoping that the mr. house is absolutely perfect and it takes all the worries away it that would be my dream result for today well the twist in the tale for today's Mystery House is that it's not a million miles away from that first property which still has such a hold over Marguerite and Ruth we're back in clan Dogo who's why valley charms are such the tourists and locals alike are drawn to it time and time again come all the way from DeLand Kent it's about 200 miles away simply because we enjoy the wildlife and walking with all I recommend anybody to visit from all walks of life it's all year-round fantastic I grew up around here from the age about seven we love the area cause of the community spirit there especially lot of local people that have been here for generations but also a lot of new incomers that have melded in with the locals very well I lived in a town for many many years and it was just really nice to get back to the countryside again to the trees the birds the wildlife and just the quietness perfect love it with such serenity on offer it's easy to see why people return here and we are no exception because the mystery house is in a very familiar location ring any bells we are back now this is a first on the show and this has ever happened Wow we came to see that house which we did yeah and the Mystery House is this one what do you think signs gate already a toaster yeah I think do you think you can I don't want to jump the gun but I think you could make this really work all right let's go okay [Music] this mid 20th century Mystery House is built into its hillside gardens giving breathtaking views of the why the central entrance takes us straight into the top floor thank you where we start our tour in the kitchen hello Wow well up takes on a whole new meaning say the same thing don't think you would ever tire of looking at the window and seeing that for you I really like this this is a really really fantastic first impression like it did not expect this there is only one reception room here but again it's got great views yeah lovely modern love yeah absolutely this is a lovely room a really lovely run light the alcove I love the floors as well yeah really nice wooden floors good actually I really like it it's cozy but you know it's not it's not too small not at all good so thumbs up for the mmm well let's look at the bedrooms okay completing this first floor is a luxurious bathroom which serves two bedrooms both located downstairs on the ground floor a guest double has built-in wardrobes and a picture-perfect view to make the most of breakfast in bed and next to this is a larger double that might suit the ladies of the house oh yeah let's not let you stint on the view you still get an amazing view not at all I know you're not like that where you get a nice view across to the other side of the village garden I love the garden this is incredible there's a really nice feel imagine waking up and looking out there and your guests would be so happy oh yeah we wouldn't even get rid of them I feel really excited like it we really could put our stamp on this one high set but a fail we have a bit of a bit more scope here to really make it our own for sure even more so in the garden oh but you can just access through this handy door kaboom this is the largest plot I've shown them and surrounds the house on all sides there are mature trees and wild areas but I'm wondering if these novice gardeners will be inspired or slightly intimidated wow I'm just imagining coming out first thing that's it on that step drink my coffee well it goes down quite a ways look the garden path leads to a line of trees at the bottom where there's a walkway all the way to the heart of the village so you can straw back from the village it's really handy quite a milk yeah indeed there would be a bit more of a project I feel here we could spend plenty of time right side and just having a good Potter and giving it a go and make things like that make us really happy yeah puttering house ever activity absolutely this is a really nice attractive house so the big question can you afford it this is the part that I'm worried I'm gonna be crushed at I'm gonna say three hundred and ten thousand I'll go 315 well I'm afraid you're both wrong again [Laughter] this house is on the market for 295 [Applause] expect you to say that that is incredible it just feels incredible that somewhere that's beautiful in such a Gardens the gorgeous setting is actually within our budget why don't you go back inside and explore yes and I will son myself in your garden yes you might not be able to get us out of here thank you no worries it was worth it all that torture and convoluted business and it all paid off sitting 5,000 pounds below budget this mid 20th century upside-down house has a large kitchen a further reception room two double bedrooms and an expansive garden offering great potential plus it's in a very peaceful location with those wonderful valley views just an incredible first impression and an incredible really good positive feeling when we entered the property the kitchen is just like so Bryce got to be one of the best washing-up fuse ever feel no need to see any other houses I kind of have been blown away by it in a funny sort of way it's got a fun books or way of seeing things the other way around I'm waiting and you come out you're enjoying your view yeah it's on real you can actually see for miles I can actually see for miles I have to tell you away I'm afraid okay it's not just our house hunters' making the move to the Y Valley others that come to this River have made a truly astounding journey I've come to the riverbank to meet Richard cook from the seven and why smoker II to learn about the incredible secret life of eels Richard and these are the chaps that we've come to investigate these are my is my babies now I've been a very vaguely from school that eels have some crazy life cycle these fish are already two years old so yeah the time they traveled over from the Sargasso they come across on the North Atlantic drift they've drifted over so how far is that journey page six thousand six thousand kilometers yeah when they would super tiny then yeah yeah so they started off as almost leaf shape yeah so they just float and then they develop as they come over into what we call the glass eel which is like a thread of glass with two little black eyes and set of gills and a little a little higher at this it's nice so even tinier than this yeah point three of the ground than the arrival the European eel is critically endangered organizations like the sustainable eel group work with fishermen scientists and conservationists to encourage responsible eel sourcing and restocking these partnerships also help tackle illegal trade in the fish a major threat to healthy populations 70% of what we catch is released for restocking where do you release these are sold to primarily restocking projects across Europe so 70% of the glass eels go to European markets yeah to actually do restock their relief stock European waters restocking glass eels is a viable option but these yields are not off on a continental venture they're heading back into the waters of the why okay so can we can we free these chips that's what it's about today yeah that's so now have a total respect for these chaps it feels really good when you let them go yeah just yeah just get them close to the water just let them slowly slowly work their way so happy oh it's really didn't think I'd ever cry over a release to eel but oh well that's the conservation bit no perhaps we ought to consider the other 30 percent and see see the results of aquaculture scientists still don't know for certain where wild adult eels end their days for some of Richard's eels it's a different story once known as the fish of the poor smoked eel is now a prized delicacy across Europe and beyond and costs much more than smoked salmon [Music] it's really fatty more more meaty than like salmon very smoky obviously because it's been smoked but quite chewy amazing I did not know there was so much in an eel I must say it's been interesting and surprisingly tasty chewing over the life of the enigmatic eel ah there they are pretty as a picture having their tea let's find out which of the houses they're gonna buy I've so enjoyed showing you to round the Y Valley Thank You Alastair it's been a great experience so which one is the contender well written well we're both totally gunning for the Mystery House yeah think of when you see a house like that think they don't come along every day just could not believe when we rocked up and opened that door and there it was so what what happens next okay well we're definitely gonna put an offer in yeah yeah an offering just go from there great I was hoping we'd be in this position at the end of this but you know part of me was thinking what had really happened and I just cannot believe that like here we are that is like music to my ears well let's hope that the offer is accepted that you move in soon you invite us back we've come to visit you it'll be great and thanks again for being so game for everything oh I am so relieved it all worked out well for Ruth and Marguerite I'm just so pleased that they love the mystery house enough to put an offer in on that's wonderful and that only hope that all the stars align and they make their move to the Wye Valley soon and I hope that you join us next time for more escape to the country Marguerite and Ruth swiftly made their offer on the mystery house and it's been accepted they hope to have the keys in a matter of weeks and we wish them the very best for their new country life if you would like to escape to the country or even your perfect town in Northern Ireland Scotland Wales or England why not apply online at BBC coat UK take part the start

Channel: Dutch Boy

Views: 35,742

Rating: 4.7142859 out of 5

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Id: S8YZMsvTCXE

Length: 43min 0sec (2580 seconds)

Published: Mon May 04 2020