Escape to the Country Season 24 Episode 35: Devon (2023) | FULL EPISODE
[Music] the sign of a successful house hunt Well there are a few It can bowl you over Wow Wow Wow Just [Laughter] Yeah A contender can render you speechless even in the rain Oh my This is beautiful You've gone quiet He's thinking What you thinking steve's never quiet And the experience may leave you scratching your head We are suitably confused Thank you George Does that mean we're meeting the brief exceeding Exceeding was the word I was hoping to hear Exceeding Definitely [Music] A perennial West Country favorite Devon's lush green and pleasant land is flanked by award-winning coastal scenery which has recently garnered international acclaim for its worldclass waves Now when you think of surfing your mind may well be drawn to such exotic shores as Malibu or indeed the Gold Coast of Australia But here in North Devon this 22mi stretch of coastline has just been designated as the UK's first World Surf Reserve one of only a dozen across the world Later on in the show I'll be back here finding out how it came into being and what it means to the region Today our Devon adventure will home in on the north of the county where landscape meets the waters of the Bristol Channel Basically if you've got a passion for the outdoors every kind of passion will be met in North Devon It's just an amazing diverse place The connect to nature that you can have is is massive in North Devon That's really really I think it's a privilege to be able to live and work here This region of the county boasts the dramatic mland of Exol National Park along with picturesque wateride towns like Ilfrakum and gorgeous villages like Cleavelli where charming cottages hug the shoreline In fact Cleavelli's good looks have won it the title of the most Instagrammable village in the UK So what about today's buyers then well he loves the idea of green rolling hills but she wants to be by the sea and sandy beaches which by my reckoning means we are absolutely in the right part of the [Music] country Former flight attendant Sarah and her partner Steve an IT sales consultant have been together for 11 years They live in the Hampshire town of Bazing Stoke in the four bedroomedroom detached house they built themselves So the question we get asked is why would you want to leave such an amazing house as we've got it is lovely We're just walking out now This is the road that passes our house Actually there's the major junction that actually sits behind us Yeah So this is continuous really They'll be moving to the country with their two dogs and their cat But they also want room for Sarah's daughter George and May when she visits from uni And Steve will be bringing along some babies of his own This old lady we need to find a nice big home for her so I can do all of my work with her and I can look after her and also bring a bigger sister which is even bigger That's my 1957 Cadillac Coupe Deville So yeah that's one of the reasons why I need a garage And with their house on the market they can't wait to get on the road to North Devon We just absolutely love it Sarah's family there Yes We got mom moved in oh 2020 in her 70s all on her own and she wish she'd done it 20 years earlier So that's what's pushing us The couple are lucky to have a great budget of a million pounds with which they hope to find a character property with a big kitchen at least three bedrooms space for Sarah to establish a holidayled business and somewhere for Steve to store his wheels They'd also like to be within an hour of be be able to walk to a pub and a sea view would be a bonus [Music] Well there's no getting away from the fact that Devon really does offer Steve and Sarah everything they are looking for The other nice thing is that they have built their own home They are not going to be shy of taking on a project or indeed tweaking a property to make it work for them And that I think is absolutely crucial because although they have a very generous budget it is going to have to work quite hard to get them a home and a business But the good news is well we're coming to North Devon where Valley for Money is just that little bit [Music] better Our property tour is kicking off in the hamlet of Cranford under two miles from the coast and just half an hour from Bud But before we head there we're catching up and seeking shelter from the rather inclement weather in this lovely spot overlooking Westwood Hoe Beach Well Steve Sarah welcome back to Devon to to North Devon I mean why Devon why North Deon for us i just ruggedness and the beautiful beaches and the countryside and just everything and the people Yeah actually the people beautiful sunshine that we can see that's surrounding us Yeah Basking in the glory and sunshine that is English summertime Now I know that your current home you self built didn't you yeah Well not us not us personally but yes we built it We project managed it Yeah But the good news then is that you've got the facility and the imagination to adjust and tweak a property that we may show you that you may think might work 100% It'll be very interesting to see what you make of the properties we are going to show you this week The only thing that's letting us down is the weather But notwithstanding that we all know what it looks like in the sunshine here Keep that in the back of your minds And um let's go house hunting Let's do it Let's go Can't wait Cranford home to our first property is on the outskirts of the village of Walsery The village has a shop and post office a school a takeaway and a church with local communityrun events Sarah and Steve will be pleased to know that the local pub is less than a mile from the house that we've come to see [Music] Well what weather we have as we get to our first property but hopefully it will not put you off No Uh this is a really interesting property I think for you if we are going down the route of Holidays Because not only does it come with a lovely house which is over there it also comes with four acres an acre and a half of which is lake Oh lovely That's fabulous Yeah This fishing lake is one of two on the property There are also two fisherman's cabins each with a decked area and jetty sitting at the water's edge there Feast your eyes Oh wow On this lot Look at this Oh my god Oh my This is beautiful Yeah Oh my You've gone quiet He's thinking What you thinking steve's never quiet I'm thinking we build a um a real art deco style bridge taking us out to there and we take that center mount You make that the centerpiece holiday Let He's all over this We've only just arrived We haven't bought it yet but you know I've just kind of Well well I'm glad you said that cuz I thought you had Yeah Sorry Yeah So yeah So welcome to our new place I'd like to just show you around Yeah Well let me show you around the rest of it Yep Come on Now to the main event this fabulous whitewashed period farmhouse Wow it's absolutely lovely That is nice Love how big the windows are There's a mixture of periods here but I think essentially it's kind of really Victorian That's the feel of it Yeah lovely Yeah very nice Hopefully not one you're thinking of knocking down and standing again Never say never No it's too beautiful to do that Yeah Should we get out this weather yeah let's do Come on There have been many additions to the property over the years and we're starting our tour in the larger of two reception rooms Oh nice to get out the rain eh definitely There we are Oh lovely This is lovely I like it I like the beams I like the character As you can see this is two rooms that have been now knocked together So hence you've got the two fireplaces here Yeah that fire on just kind of puts its arms around you and just keeps you nice and warm and snug out of the rain Well we've got a bit of old here The kitchen however offers you I think a bit of new Oh yeah Come and have a look Here we are then Big enough yeah Completely different to the other room Very modern Really nice space Yes Really really good You could even put your island in that you want my love Yeah Could have Yeah I like the table to be honest I think the table's lovely Socialable isn't it so it's one of these properties you can move straight into It's in a nice decorative order It's a property you can discover Oh yeah that's it Well let's continue that discovery upstairs Come on Okay Thank you Also on the ground floor is a spacious second reception in use as a study as well as a bedroom with its own on suite Then as we make our way upstairs we're greeted by a smart bathroom and four more bedrooms There's a small one which could be used as a dressing room Two doubles one with an on suite shower room and a rather large principal bedroom also with an on suite [Music] It's a nice lovely lovely size bedroom Really really nice And a lot of storage space as well I could have all this and that other room for my clothes Perfect It's got a really nice vibe to it this house It really is Yeah it's quite very homely Good What a fantastic start to our house hunt They seem to love the place So now to revisit all that's on offer outside Almost four acres include well manicured gardens that weave around the property along with spots to pause for thought There are two log cabins by the lower lake plus a pretty traditional caravan as well as a garage and workshop for Steve but also plenty of room to create a new bigger home for his wheels if he wishes Now the weather may not be playing ball but it hasn't dampened our spirits This is stunning out here Lots of scape here to really nestle some I think really attractive holiday offerings of different architectural styles potentially Totally agree I think you've seen enough to have a crack at how much this might be on the market for I'm going to do a cheeky punt and I I'm going to think 925 925,000 Yes Yeah I'm going to be more cheeky Like £850 Oh my goodness me Terrible £850,000 That is very cheeky Uh let's let's put you out your misery then This is on the market for offers in the region of £950,000 Okay Yeah Yeah that makes sense So a respectable estimate for your husband I mean I was hopeful but yeah Yeah Priced under budget with a guide price of £950,000 this fabulous period farmhouse has both character and space There are five bedrooms fantastic business opportunities and two lakes set in just under 4 acres What's more it's located just over half an hour from It's a beautiful house Totally It's a blank canvas You can see the way it's grown through the years It fits absolutely everything And oh I'm really excited I could look after people here Yeah definitely I would absolutely love to run this Yeah that would be my dream I can see a future here Yeah Wow what a start eh brilliant start Do we need to see any more it's going to be a tough one to beat Jules So you're going to have to really up your game on this on the next one mate Mix up a bit Stunning You've got me worried now But I am happy we have got this one clearly on the table Yeah But yeah a search is never over until it's over [Music] Much of North Devon's buzz is around its coast but the region's biggest town Barnstable sits in land on the river tour It's got loads going on from great shopping to dining museums and scenic walks We've brought Sarah and Steve here to have a wander around its pretty streets where both visitors and residents enjoy all that's on offer The community is good Very very friendly people It's one of those places good people good vibes good times That's how we like it isn't it there are good vibes to be had here for sure But if you'd like to explore the area further there are bus routes to local spots and direct trains from the town's attractive train station to destinations including the region's transport hub Exat where you can be in just over an hour Here in Barnstable it's an exciting day as the town's historic indoor market has opened its doors for the first time in 8 months The market dates to the 1800s has a vast array of goods on offer under its striking roof and has been voted one of the top 10 food markets in the country Look at the vaulted ceilings You look at the top of it It's absolutely amazing The architecture and stuff We're in the process of regenerating Bull Pion Market Today is the first phase of reopening So a huge amount of work has been undertaken We have this amazing fantastic building but it did need you know a fair amount of repair We are welcoming the traders back this morning to this end of the market You'll see behind me a whole range of stools here today and they can be different every day So never entirely sure exactly what you'll see but there's always a range from plants jewelry clothing local food So it's really is the heart of the town After a good old browse around the market Sarah and Steve are stopping for lunch where they can settle a long-standing cream tea debate with Leslie James who's been running this vintage t- room for the last 9 years We're looking to come um move down here We want to make this our home because we've fallen in love with North Devon But I got a question I want to know what's the rivalry between the cream and the jam and which one's first being a Deonian the Deonian is obviously the cream first Yeah but for me the jam lies nicer on the top So really it's just depending on your taste Oh which way round you hold the scope of course Oh yeah There is that There is that Because obviously there's a big sort of rivalry let's say between the two isn't there oh of course Of course Devil and Cornwall With that settled they're eager for an insidider scoop on the town What's it like here in the winter well we love the winter here We do like it Okay Yes it is a little bit quieter We love having the tourists here They're they're our bread and butter But it's so important to look after the locals They do support us all year round From a community perspective what what's the best things you can do here what's the best parts or worst parts of it sorry to put you on the spot Yes Um well I can say that North Devon is just something out of this world Um there's lots of different volunteer groups which I can see straight away by talking to you that you will so there's lots of animal there's a local dog rescue place there's sports clubs there's the rugby club the football club all sorts of different activities that you can take part in to support it what would you say for for newcomers coming in how how would you say to introduce ourselves into that community I would just join several different groups things that you're interested in yeah and you'll make your own friends you know very quickly Brilliant There's a juxtaposition between Sarah and I in the fact that I'm a countryside boy and I love the moors I love the walking I love the countryside Someone's a bit more of a beachy kind of person likes the water and everything else But you don't really need to go far to com for both to commit to cover both That's why I think it's perfect for us Yeah Oh thank you so much for talking to us today and giving us a bit of insight into this area and hopefully it'll be our home soon Well our pleasure and welcome to North another local here Happy house hunting So with full tummies and some local intel gathered I think it's high time we got back to the business of [Music] property For our second viewing we're crossing borders into North Cornwall heading for the hamlet of Can Orchard 3 miles from Bud Everyday essentials are just a 4-minute drive away in the quiet village of Maram Church Here there's a village shop an attractive village hall and a 19th century pub which is just a 10-minute walk from the house we've come to see And it's this whitewashed former millhouse which was converted in the 1970s What do we think it's beautiful Oh stunning And I have to admit we've seen this online and it did stand out So yeah very happy to be seeing this Interesting Well thank goodness for that cuz if you'd been to see it I couldn't show it to you But uh it does suggest then that we're on the right lines doesn't it great minds and all that Jules Great minds But you'll appreciate then that it it is a game of two halves You've got this and we've got this holiday Yeah it's beautiful Yeah it's beautiful It's really really nice I knew our first house was going to be hard to beat but so far so good with this one And I've got my fingers crossed for a thumbs up on the inside too Come on in Oh like the floor Yeah Yeah Floor's great isn't it Come on in Steve Love the floor Um let's start in here then in the kitchen I suspect I know what you're going to say Very nicely done but small Yeah Yeah very small It's not the entertaining kitchen that we'd uh envisioned Well here's the thing I know you love knocking down a wall Yeah we do Yeah What if we took out the wall behind me And pushed it all into the living room Yeah Okay So you'd end up with a kitchen living diner Yeah Yeah Yeah Yeah Come and have a look See what I mean okay Thank you So here we are I mean this room is is lovely Speaks for itself But if that wall were missing out Yeah You'd end up with a really big family space Open space Lovely Yeah Kitchen dining living room Nice entertaining space Everybody's together Although I do like the hatch There's something very 70s about that I do like it Go and have a look upstairs I think that's really interesting as well Uh and I will meet you down by the front door and then we'll go and look at the annex when you're finished Brilliant Come on then Off you go Go Take your time The ground floor houses a dining room that could be put to use as an office or an additional guest bedroom as it neighbors a shower room Then upstairs there's more to explore starting with a family bathroom which serves three bedrooms It's nice and wide isn't it Each one is a double benefiting from two windows letting in lots of light This looks like the main bedroom It's a nice size Is plenty of storage as well So get a few pair of shoes in there You can see through into the garden You can have a look at the um driveway as well That's lovely So that's inside done and dusted Now there's the money maker to visit The holidaylet once a barn is now a very well-appointed two-bedroom annex [Music] So what do you think this is lovely This is beautiful Yeah it's a lovely space It is Yeah it's gorgeous You can do so much with this can't you yeah Love the height of the ceilings Love the the wood going across Bedroom in there which is really cozy Yeah that's nice Lovely Yeah There's also a shower room and another bedroom currently used as an art studio It's got it all This would let pretty well I would think Yeah I I tend to agree with you Yeah it's beautiful Now the bricks and mortar have been dealt with we're moving on to the garden which covers almost half an acre I love this It's gorgeous That's stunning There's a wall patio ideal for alfresco dining and a secluded area of lawn Would this garden be big enough for you uh for me yeah I think so Yeah it's more more So so we have reverse green fingers so anything we touch normally dies So I'm I'm really cool with this car The dogs would be more than happy Okay Well let's have a think about how much this is going to be on the market for shall we you may remember you may not Who knows but I don't have a clue Um 900,000 900,000 says Sarah Yeah I'm actually going to go £890 £890,000 Okay Well here's the truth of it It's on the market for £800,000 Oh really completely wrong this time See even though you'd seen it online Even though I've seen it online Doesn't that take the pressure off Yeah it does No you just made it worse We've absolutely made it worse Why was I'm I'm thinking well actually that leaves us enough money to come out here We can have the frame on there and I'm thinking a garage over here and stuff like that I've already spent I've spent £180 grand already That's all right Steve as you'll still be within budget Priced at £800,000 this former Milhouse has the potential to create an open plan kitchen dining and living space subject to planning and comes with three bedrooms a holiday let plus delightful gardens It's also only a few miles away from the beach as well as the desirable location of but love the look of the house I love that farmhouse look and obviously the fact that the holiday is detached and it's separate so they've got the privacy We've got our privacy but yeah know I love it I just love it This is a stunning property and for the price it's got to be there isn't it it's got to be in the running just price and capabilities what it could be and it's a beautiful beautiful house It really is We are suitably confused Thank you Jules Does that mean we're meeting the brief exceeding would be the word I would use Jules to be honest with you Both completely different Totally Totally different Both got what we're looking for So it's Yeah it's confusing but in a good way Exceeding was the word I was hoping to hear Exceeding Definitely Well then let's go and celebrate Oh yes Absolutely [Music] For those of you considering a Devonshire Escape North Devon detached property prices average just under £467,000 which is some £43,000 less than the £510,000 figure for the whole of Devon North Devon's desirable attributes along with its competitive property prices make it attractive for rural relocators as well as investors with many homes along some coastal strips used as holiday rentals or second homes It's a sensitive topic for locals as councelor Malcolm Wilkinson can testify We're so reliant on tourism and the hospitality trade Yeah which is notoriously poorly paid the lower lower pay sector and people just can't afford it So what what we're looking at doing here is adopting the community land trust approach and we're actually providing in my area 21 houses that will be for rent only in perpetuity as well Not only will that help support the service economy that props up the tourist industry it will also enable those who want to stay here to remain Absolutely The good news for buyers is the region's property market has many homes to suit a range of budgets This gorgeous two-bed semi- detached thatch dates back to the 16th century is grade 2 listed and full of character both outside and in with exposed beams and original features throughout It has a cottage garden and is on the market for £269,000 For budgets of £500,000 how about this old schoolhouse thought to date back to 1876 much of the three-bedroom home has been given a modern makeover without compromising on its original charm Or if you want to try before you buy you could rent this three-bedroom property in a tranquil countryside setting with an open plan kitchen lounge diner and a large lawn garden It has a rental price of £875 per month Well we have one more day of house hunting ahead of us and one more property to see and that of course is our mystery house Now over the years we have showcased some of the finest rural property right across the UK many of them selected as our mystery offering and today is no exception because I'm about to show Stephen Sarah a property which I think is one of the most extraordinary I have ever had the privilege of showing Fingers crossed they think so too For our mystery house we're heading to the North Debon village of Horwood The property sits between Horwood and neighboring Loverott which is just half a mile down the road surrounded by lush countryside Here there's a village hall a school and a nearby gastro pub For a wider selection of amenities it's just a 15-minute bus ride to Bstable So while Steve and Sarah explore the area I'm going to explore our mystery house a super sized historic gem like no other Right have a little peek at this lot Period splendor in all its glory Beams exposed brick work All of this going back at least to the 17th century if not beyond And the details just keep coming Have a look at this as charming quirky and inviting a country kitchen as I have ever seen Who needs a kitchen diner when you've got all this and this is the only listed home in our lineup But what a slice of history they could get How are we this is gorgeous Good Thank you Yeah Yeah Sleepless night Oh my Wow Yeah Just We've been up all night I've been up all night Jules And you've done this to me Wow this is absolutely extraordinary This is architecturally I think one of the most significant properties I've ever seen It's beautiful Um what we have for you is a grade two uh listed period farmhouse which is chalk full of genuine historic character Wow Wow Wow Wow Just Yeah You've done like just standing here looking at it I It's absolutely incredible I just want to get in Can't wait I genuinely can't wait Good Come on There is so much to say about this fabulous place And here's a nugget for some context The average home in the UK is about 1,000 square ft but this one is almost 6,000 with 27 rooms Yep it's a whopper Are you ready we are We're kicking off the tour in the drawing room Oh this is gorgeous Oh my word I'm lost for words mate I genuinely am I'm I'm absolutely choked up here Look at that fireplace The fireplace is exceptional Apparently it is said the largest fireplace in North Devon Who am I to argue come and have a look through here This is probably one of my favorite parts of this property because the history is so obvious This was the old dairy The floor I'm in love with the floor Oh this is amazing I think it's fair to say that Sarah is bowled over and Steve has been rendered speechless I'm I'm just blown away It's just incredible It's just absolutely incredible I I cannot I I can't put into words just how I'm feeling right now Well wait till they see the kitchen Come back through this gorgeous room Come in Oh you are kidding me I don't know where to look first Come in Come in Come in You just keep looking and there's other little things you just keep spotting You can just see where things have been kind of added on through the through the hundreds and hundreds of years You couldn't have found anything you know more characterful That is true And there is plenty more to discover in the warren of rooms laid out over three floors On the ground floor there's also a smaller reception room being used as a bedroom as well as a basic kitchen come dining room Isn't this gorge it's beautiful Amazing The next floor which is set out on two levels houses five more bedrooms all full of character and original features There are also three bathrooms Oh my gosh the size of it Come look at this How lovely is this freestanding bath two kitchens This is unbelievable This is mad Got to have a look Loads of storage And lastly on this floor a sitting room One floor up in the eaves is what could be a self-contained studio flat featuring beautiful exposed beams And after all of that I think we've got just about enough energy left to explore the outside To the front of the property is a walled garden with a good stretch of lawn There are also numerous cobbled courtyards a stone barn to the rear and a range of outbuildings Perhaps holiday cottage potential It's a difficult one to fathom if I'm honest in terms of the business side of it But it also comes with in total about an acre and a half and you've got a paddock behind this wall So you think about the glamping etc out there Yeah I think it's spoiled us all hasn't it really yeah That's amazing You've definitely kept the best till last Absolutely incredible Incredible property So let's think about the budget I think it's over budget I really do I think it's about 1.1 1.1 million pounds Yeah I'm gonna say bang on one million Bang on one million pounds You may be pleased to know that this is on the market for £995,000 What do you think about that Steve i'm selling absolutely everything I possibly can and I'm going to go in my heart I just I want it I've got to have it My business head is saying to me "Back off Behave yourself Walk away This is like you do not need a house that's yeah bigger than Hogwarts But genuinely Jamie my heart is telling me this is just an incredible incredible once ina-lifetime opportunity to actually get your mits into a bit of Deonian history This remarkable grade 2 listed property's price tag of £995,000 is within budget Yet it offers Sarah and Steve more than anything they imagined with a spectacular character kitchen and multiple rooms which include eight bedrooms and five bathrooms Outdoors there are gardens courtyards and outuildings And it's all set within 1 and 1/2 acres My mind is just sort of going into freef fall like thinking about what we could do We could develop a business here We could do something different having a family over I don't think we'd ever get rid of family there That's the trouble But yeah we have some interlopers coming in moving in Well I'm so pleased we had the chance to show this to you and for you to see it and enjoy it and appreciate it And now you've got to think about it Another sleepless night Thanks for that Well we might not give you a night Oh come on [Music] North Devon's beaches are undeniably beautiful and as I revealed earlier this striking stretch of coast has recently been designated the UK's first World Surf Reserve It joins 11 other surfing spots globally including ones in Mexico Australia and California I've come to Cud Beach to meet Adam Hall one of the people responsible for helping North Devon gain this prestigious title What is it about this particular stretch of coast that makes the surfing here so good north Devon's very unique and it's one of the reasons we actually got the designation We have very diverse surf spots We've got a a world-class longboarding wave which is very mellow with the more traditional type of surfing We got point brakes This is a very heavy performance wave here at Cud So you can pick your spot for any condition Absolutely And what type of surfing you want to do The idea of trying to establish this part of the coast as a world surf reserve Where did it come from well it was back in 2016 on on the next beach across called Psor Beach And we had a a coastal communities meeting where a gentleman called Kevin Cook or Cookie as we like to call him gave one of his his trademark speeches about how beautiful the area was and how we need to protect the whole area and the whole coastline And he said uh we need to make it a world surfing reserve So we grabbed hold of him said let's let's give this a go And it's a common misconception that the waves will just roll out of the Atlantic and they'll just keep on coming and nothing really can change that But actually we've got direct threats and indirect threats to to the surf ecosystem you know direct threats things like climate change sea level rise and and coastal erosion And then you got indirect threats things like sewage and plastic pollution is a major concern So it's it's about really considering this area and and recognizing it's fragile and actually putting systems in place to make people appreciate it and want to look after it Well while I'm here I want to meet Cookie himself who along with Adam is helping to protect the waves as well as the glorious surroundings here Cookie's been surfing since the 60s and around these parts he's known as a North Devon institution Here we are I suppose in your spiritual home Yes it's exactly right It brings together the whole surfing tradition not just for North Devon but for the whole country the whole of Britain and we're really proud of that This is such a colorful collection looking back through surfing's history And it turns out we in Britain have two young men from Hawaii to thank for this muchloved sport Jonas and David they were two Hawaiian princes Came to this country to study in the 19th century end of the 19th century They went out to the coast at Bridlington of all places in in East Yorkshire In East Yorkshire they saw that there was a lovely sea there with waves coming in and they thought "We can do this." But of course there no surfboards here So they had to get a carpenter a local carpenter to make them up Oh is this them here this is the picture of the two Yeah they're just over there Yes And beside them is the sister Victoria who a few years later came to this country to study in Brighton And she too was a passionate surfer When you started surfing as a kid did you ever imagine that you'd be standing here in a British surfing museum and now proudly championing the UK's first World Surf Reserve i always knew and felt that North Devon was a special place but I never knew we would get to the place we are now Makes me feel very proud And so it should But now it's back to the surf Not to jump in but to meet Iet Curtis the third person responsible for the surf reserve and also the founder of an all female surf club I think there's this real misconception that that surfing is only for a certain type of person or a certain type of people You know I'm here to kind of really ensure that surfing is actually for everyone Now the work that you're doing do you think it's it's beginning to transform the image of surfing as this rather exclusive sport oh my god 100% Yeah it's really changed certainly the image I see as surfing We're seeing a lot more diverse ethnic communities We're seeing a lot more abilities obviously getting you know people with disabilities into the water The work you've all done to now establish this first this this UK surfing reserve is going to go a long way to keeping this as it is so that generations to come can come here and enjoy it and get hooked on the surfing bug I certainly hope so Well we've been riding on the crest of a wave during our North Devon house hunt and now it's over What next for our house hunters Steve and Sarah So my goodness me I'm so thrilled at the properties we've been able to show you So are we and if I gave you the keys to any one of them you would make it work I know you would However this is of course a choice the best of three Yeah certainly the first one with the lake and all that offered was absolutely the front runner Is it still now we've been to our mystery house i'm torn the one and three between the first property and our mystery house So I have a very clear favorite She has a very clear favorite and we're stuck right down the middle um between the two if I'm honest with you You love property number one and you love our mystery house I'm still in shock at the mystery house I haven't taken it all in it a full assault on all the senses from a business perspective You know realistically number one is is the right way My property number three I'm prepared to sell all my cars I'm going to extend into retirement until I'm 80 Absolutely broken It's is sensory overload It's so beautiful We don't want to share it with anyone We just want to live there I don't want anybody actually coming around ever to see it you know we don't really care if you want a holiday go somewhere else which completely scraps the business idea completely doesn't it yeah I think what we would like to do is we definitely want to go back and see number one Yeah Because and number three and number three there is an awful lot to consider This is a massive amount of money to spend It's a huge move It's a move that needs to last for the long term uh to sustain you not just as a home but also as a as a business But whatever you decide to do promise me one thing You will let us know what you are going to do next 100% 100% You'll love it when we move into the mystery house with dinner We'll be there We'll be there I'll send you a video I would love to come back Let you know anytime to that property It's been an emotional roller coaster I need a dark room The flannel on my head for a little while and just kind of you know not surface for a week or two I think Yeah Well look it's been a lot of fun I look forward to catching up with you again very soon Thank you so much We've enjoyed it Wow what another exceptional week of house hunting we've had here in Devon As for Steve and Sarah they still have a decision to make a choice between our first property and our mystery house But in many respects it's a very nice problem to have but decide they eventually will And when they have I cannot wait to come back and see how their new country life is developing because in either property no two ways about it they are absolutely going to make a go of it I'll see you next time Sarah and Steve did return to see House One and not only that they put in an offer which was accepted They're just waiting to sell their house now and hopefully it won't be too long before they're in their new North Devon home relaxing by one of their legs If you would like to escape to the country in England Northern Ireland Scotland or Wales and need our help why not apply online at bbc.co.uk/takepart [Music]
2025-05-10 16:00
