Denise Nurse shows off the magnificent Scottish Borders in all their glory to a young couple looking to make a big countryside escape. One half wants to open a veterinary practice in the region, and the other needs outbuildings for cars and motorbikes, but they are both united by their love of the great outdoors.
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00:00Searching for your dream country home can feel like a rollercoaster ride.
00:06First, there's excitement.
00:08And it couldn't be more escape to the country if we tried, I think.
00:11Oh, my gosh!
00:13It might get a little bumpy in the middle.
00:15Grabbed and excited, yes.
00:17And then trying to sort of temper those emotions with logic.
00:22No, don't do that. That's not fun.
00:24You may see things you didn't expect.
00:26Oh!
00:28It really is a Beatrix Potter house.
00:30It is a Beatrix Potter house.
00:32But the views along the way will be truly amazing.
00:36It's just...
00:38It's quite astounding that it's here and you found it.
00:58From spectacular mountain ranges to rugged island landscapes,
01:1240 epic Scottish sites have been recognised for their outstanding scenery.
01:18And two of them can be found in the beautiful Scottish borders.
01:24National Scenic Areas, or NSAs, identify and safeguard
01:29some of Scotland's amazing landscapes and heritage.
01:34Now, as you might have guessed, I'm standing in one right now.
01:38Upper Tweedale, with its outstanding valley views,
01:42it really does deserve to be protected.
01:44It's gorgeous, isn't it?
01:48As Scotland's main gateway from the south and bordering the city of Edinburgh,
01:53the council area of the Scottish borders covers around 1,800 square miles
01:59of vast and varied countryside,
02:02including rushing rivers and snow-capped mountains.
02:06With hills and valleys as far as the eye can see,
02:09it's the perfect playground for outdoor adventurers,
02:13be that hill walkers or mountain bikers.
02:16You can have your sort of typical family picture
02:20riding down a leafy forest road,
02:22right up to putting a full-face helmet on and your knee pads.
02:25There's literally hundreds of miles of consolidated trail
02:28for all of those activities within the Tweed Valley,
02:30and the wider borders probably going into thousands of kilometres for it.
02:36It's not all hills and high-octane pursuits, though.
02:40Quaint country villages and connected towns are scattered throughout the landscape.
02:45There's a famous Scottish song about someone travelling 500 miles
02:50to get home to loved ones.
02:52Well, one of today's buyers is travelling 500 miles,
02:56plus 500 more, and another 3,000 on top of that.
03:04Katie and Craig originally met and lived together in Glasgow
03:08before they travelled over 4,000 miles across the pond
03:12to be nearer to Katie's family in the American city of Denver, Colorado.
03:17So here we are at Cherry Creek State Park,
03:20which is our go-to place for going for runs, walks and biking.
03:24And as you can see, it's a bit bleak in the background,
03:27and at this moment in time in the year, very, very cold.
03:32This outdoorsy couple both miss the countryside of Scotland so much,
03:36they're now looking to move back to the Scottish region.
03:40One of the things that we're hoping by living in the country,
03:44we won't have to drive in all of this
03:47to get to a place where it's nice to go for a walk.
03:51A big part of this move is making more time for one another,
03:55as well as their shared passions.
03:58We love to run together, we love to mountain bike together,
04:01and there's so much of life we want to live and explore,
04:05and we can't wait to get back to it.
04:07As a veterinary surgeon, Katie dreams of having her own practice at home,
04:11and ex-Royal Navy engineer Craig is starting a new career as a defence contractor.
04:16They both have a strong affinity for the countryside and its wildlife.
04:21Our long-term aspiration on getting back home
04:24is to eventually have something that resembles a small holding and have some animals.
04:28I have a strange desire to have a goat one day. Don't know why.
04:32We'd also love to be in a community where we can raise our future kids
04:36and know that they're happy and they're safe
04:39and they're going to have a great time growing up.
04:43Katie and Craig have a budget of £525,000
04:47and are in search of a detached, three-bedroom, spacious home.
04:52Craig would love a garage or workshop for his cars and bikes,
04:56and they'd love to be able to live in a small house
04:59Craig would love a garage or workshop for his cars and bikes,
05:02and they'd both love a large garden.
05:05All that within a picturesque countryside setting,
05:09under an hour's drive from Edinburgh.
05:15We can see why Craig and Katie want to move here.
05:18For Craig, it's a homecoming, and Katie was obviously made to feel so welcome
05:23that this feels like home for her as well.
05:26For both of them, this is the start of a really exciting new chapter in their lives.
05:30She wants to set up her business, he's going to get a new job,
05:34and they're going to find a home and start a family.
05:37What better place to do it?
05:42But before our search gets underway,
05:44I'm meeting up with the couple on the banks of the River Tweed.
05:50Hello, you two.
05:52This is exciting. It's not so much an escape to the country,
05:55but a return to the country, isn't it?
05:57Absolutely, and we're so excited to be back and to be here.
06:01What is it about this particular area of Scotland
06:04that's drawn you back across the Atlantic?
06:06Well, I think that kind of says it all.
06:09Dare I ask?
06:11I think it just symbolises everything we're trying to build
06:15in this dream life that we want,
06:17where I can go for a run from our front door,
06:20but the people more than anything else,
06:23the people down on the borders, they're so warm, they're so welcoming.
06:26How does it feel to be standing here now?
06:28You've been thinking about it, you've got the big dream,
06:31but here we are. It's almost surreal, isn't it?
06:33It's exciting. It's a new chapter, new location,
06:37new adventures, new aspirations,
06:39and it's exciting to see what the future has in store for us.
06:43The sun's out, we've got stunning scenery,
06:46hopefully some stunning properties, and so much to explore.
06:49Let's go. Amazing!
06:55Our search begins in the rural village of West Linton,
06:59around a 45-minute drive from central Edinburgh.
07:04One of the oldest market villages in Scotland,
07:07with a backdrop of the Pentland Hills,
07:09it's a great base for those looking to enjoy outdoor activities
07:13in the surrounding countryside.
07:16Our first roll of the dice is just five minutes away from here, by car.
07:22So here we are. This is the first property I'm going to show you.
07:26Wow! That's a nice reaction.
07:28It's an impressive-looking house.
07:30It's kind of got the stature of the mountains of Scotland, doesn't it?
07:34It has. It has something to it.
07:36There's so much character. And the views!
07:39Oh! You can just about see the lambs in the field.
07:42Is this the sort of property you've been dreaming of?
07:45We have actually had a quick look at this one online.
07:48Ah! And we're all the keener for seeing how it is in person.
07:51Fantastic. Will great minds think alike? Yes. Yes, indeed!
07:54Let's have a look inside. Let's go.
07:57It's a positive start for this striking 1990s detached house.
08:02I just hope those wows keep coming.
08:06This house continues to be generous when you get inside.
08:10Wow! It does indeed.
08:12Oh, look at that!
08:14The doors into the conservatory are beautiful.
08:17Wow! It feels like a family home, doesn't it?
08:20Yeah. Oh, my goodness gracious!
08:22I'm getting lots of enthusiastic noises from you, which is great.
08:25And big smiles from you, Craig. What are you feeling?
08:28Very impressed. The wood panelling on the walls
08:30just give it a little bit of classic country house.
08:32This would be such a good Christmas house, wouldn't it?
08:34You can extend the dining table.
08:36I've heard you can put the tree right there.
08:38Yeah. So you can see it. The light's going out the window.
08:41Oh, there's... You said let your imagination run wild.
08:44Yeah, I'm laughing at it. I'm picturing it.
08:46I'm standing up. What time is dinner?
08:48The deck floor. Let's have a look at the kitchen.
08:50Sure.
08:52There is so much space and room in this kitchen.
08:55Look at all the worktops. There's actually space for things.
08:58It's so much bigger than it looks in the pictures that we've seen online.
09:02Look at the range. This is so much more space than I was envisioning.
09:06Is this something that you would put in?
09:08Being critical, slightly lighter wood and slightly lighter worktops,
09:11but that's splitting hairs.
09:13Making you feel good? Yeah.
09:15Fuzzy feelings towards this property? Yeah. Slowly.
09:17It's sort of a growing warmth of just wanting to explore
09:21and put all the puzzle pieces together.
09:23Well, then, let's find the next piece of the puzzle. OK.
09:28On the spacious ground floor, there's also a large utility room
09:32and a handy separate shower room.
09:35Stairs rise directly to a room above the double garage
09:38that could offer many uses.
09:45Wow, look at the space.
09:47I'm envisioning my treadmill right there.
09:50Oh, really? Yeah. Look at the beautiful view.
09:53When it's too cold and miserable to be running outside in the hills,
09:56you can still have the hills.
09:58Is it feeling a bit like it could actually be your home?
10:02Well, if I'm honest, when I walked in,
10:05I don't know if it's supposed to be this way.
10:08You hear tales of people walking in and saying,
10:11like when they meet their spouse,
10:13oh, I just knew. I didn't get that feeling.
10:16But that's not to say that we couldn't love it,
10:21even if we'd have to make it our own in certain ways.
10:25OK, so I think that means it's time for you
10:27to go exploring this house on your own.
10:29So go have a look all around and then we'll head outside together.
10:32OK. And then have a chat. Sure.
10:34That sounds great. Sounds good. Off you go. Thank you.
10:37Another flight of stairs leads via a large landing
10:41to three double bedrooms,
10:43each one with a view over the wraparound garden
10:46and served by the family bathroom.
10:49The fourth bedroom has an en suite.
10:53Look at this space. Yeah, look at the views as well.
10:56Wow, that's quite a bathroom.
10:58And there's a TV in the bath.
11:00And there's a little shelf for a wine glass.
11:03Oh, wow. Well, that's perfect.
11:07Outside, the block-paved driveway offers decent off-street parking
11:12in front of a double garage.
11:14Then to the back, there's a large area of decking
11:18and a lawned garden with uninterrupted views across the countryside.
11:22Is this what you were looking for when you thought about making the move?
11:26Setting and parts of the house, yes.
11:29Perhaps maybe not this house.
11:31It's not grabbing me like I was hoping it would,
11:33but there's lots of little bits that I really liked.
11:36I like the views, I like the big double garage.
11:39So, yeah, there's a lot of features that we do like.
11:41I think the house needs some love,
11:43inside and especially outside in the back garden.
11:46This is one you've looked at online.
11:48Do you remember how much it was on for?
11:50I think I do, yeah.
11:52I think I remember it being 450.
11:54It offers over 450,000.
11:57OK, does that change anything for you?
11:59I like the house, but I'm excited to see if maybe we find one that we love.
12:03Yeah.
12:05It may not have won them over,
12:07but this large, detached house has huge potential.
12:11Significantly under budget,
12:13it has a spacious, open-plan living room and kitchen,
12:16no fewer than five double bedrooms,
12:19a double garage and around a third of an acre garden.
12:25I am definitely glad we've come to see it in person.
12:28It's got a number of really nice features that I really like
12:31and a number of aspects that I'd hope to have in our future home,
12:34but overall, this is not for me.
12:36I think there were individual puzzle pieces that we really, really liked,
12:40but when we put them all together, it just didn't feel like home.
12:44We didn't immediately love it.
12:55Our couple are no strangers to Scotland's captivating scenery.
13:00It's what's drawing them all the way back from America, after all,
13:04but there's still so much of the breathtaking borders for them to explore,
13:08and one such place is the picturesque market town of Peebles.
13:13That is so beautiful.
13:15There's a lovely view.
13:18Situated in the expansive Upper Chester,
13:21Situated in the expansive Upper Tweedale Hills,
13:25just under an hour from Edinburgh,
13:27Peebles was formerly a county town,
13:29so has a rich and traditional heritage.
13:33But now the town has its head turned firmly towards the 21st century
13:38with an award-winning high street
13:40and a proud, supportive community who champion local businesses,
13:45which is great news for Katie's aspirations.
13:48I am very fortunate that I've got two businesses on the high street,
13:53and I was welcomed with open arms.
13:56I think it's the community that makes it special.
13:59It's the people in Peebles that make it such a wonderful place to live
14:03and a wonderful place to have a business.
14:05I personally think there's nowhere nicer to live than Peebles.
14:10The town also acts as a springboard for thrill-seekers
14:13looking to explore the nature and wildlife on its doorstep.
14:17It's no wonder the locals don't want to leave.
14:21I'm a Peebles boy, but born here, bred here, Peebles is my hometown.
14:25I love it. I wouldn't move for anywhere else in the world.
14:29To get a better sense of what life's like here,
14:31Katie and Craig are meeting up with local blogger
14:34and town enthusiast Stuart Wilson.
14:38What's the best way to become part of the community around here
14:41and start to join in?
14:43Well, the great thing about a town like Peebles
14:45is that there's no shortage of opportunities.
14:47There's all sorts of clubs and activities.
14:49Even just looking around you just now,
14:51you see all these flowers that were planted here.
14:53They were planted by volunteers.
14:54They're always looking for new people to get involved with things like that.
14:57You just need to really throw yourself into it, I think.
14:59So, Stuart, I've heard that down here is the outdoor capital of Scotland.
15:02What are your particular favourite activities to do in the outdoors down here?
15:05My personal favourite is hill-walking,
15:07and I think this is some of the best hill-walking in the country
15:09for the reason that you can walk here all year round.
15:12We do get snow in the winter.
15:14It can get a little bit extreme,
15:15but generally you can be out on the hills 12 months of the year,
15:18and it's fantastic.
15:21I'm sure Katie and Craig will be out walking those hills in no time.
15:25But before that, we'd better turn our attention
15:28back to the business of property.
15:34Our next location is near the village of Broughton
15:37in the beautiful Tweedale countryside.
15:40But before we get to the house,
15:42I want Craig and Katie to really take in the surroundings.
15:48The sound of the birds out here, a bit of sunshine, the river.
15:51What are you imagining life will be like
15:54living out here in the Scottish Borders?
15:57Getting back into the things we enjoy most and from home.
16:00So mountain biking from the front door
16:02and just being able to go out and enjoy coming home filthy and hot
16:06and ready to just jump straight in the shower.
16:08Or going out on a motorbike and coming home
16:10and just being able to immediately come in
16:12and put the kettle on and make a cup of tea.
16:14To be honest, I think we've learned,
16:16I've certainly learned in the last couple of years,
16:19we have such high stress jobs
16:23that being able to fill your cup back up is so important.
16:28And we just couldn't do that where we were.
16:31So imagine if you could live somewhere right here
16:34with the river just flowing by and all this wonderful landscape.
16:37That would be the dream.
16:39Well, that's good because our next house is that one right over there.
16:43No, you're joking!
16:45Not at all.
16:46Oh my gosh!
16:47Come on, let's have a look.
16:48Let's go.
16:50I knew they'd be excited at this one.
16:52How could anyone not?
16:54This property, it couldn't be more escape to the country
16:57if we tried, I think.
16:58Oh my gosh!
17:01Wow!
17:02That is a stunner.
17:03This is beyond what was expected.
17:06Yes.
17:07I think this is what I wanted in my secret little file in my head
17:12where I've been thinking, I'd love my Beatrix Potter cottage
17:15where we can have the wildlife and this is perfect.
17:18Itching to get inside.
17:20I'm going to show you inside.
17:22Let's go.
17:24First impressions don't get much better than that.
17:27They both seem completely taken with this charming 19th century cottage.
17:32And I'm confident it'll be the gift that keeps on giving once they see inside.
17:39It is magical, I think.
17:41Wow.
17:42The area and the property.
17:45Oh!
17:47That is amazing.
17:48Oh, wow!
17:51Katie, what's going through your mind?
17:54I really thought we'd have to compromise on so many things,
17:57being in the right area location-wise,
17:59but having to say the dream dream house is either not going to be affordable
18:04or it's not going to be available.
18:08It's just...
18:10It's quite astounding that it's here and you found it.
18:14It's really notchy, this one, isn't it?
18:16Yeah, it really has.
18:18Wow.
18:19Oh, there's a bookshelf.
18:20OK, I'm sold.
18:21Sold with the bookshelf.
18:23Exactly.
18:24Craig, are you having an equally visceral reaction?
18:28I really like this.
18:29Initial impressions are this is very, very lovely and I like it a lot.
18:32Something really special.
18:33It is something really special.
18:35There's a special feeling in this house.
18:37Let's keep looking around.
18:38Please.
18:39I'm already putting furniture in corners.
18:43Love to hear what you're thinking about this style of kitchen.
18:47This is more like it.
18:48This is more like it.
18:49Yes, this is the modern, country, chic kitchen.
18:53It has everything that you'd want.
18:55Oh, this is beautiful.
18:57And look at this view again.
18:59There's a little red squirrel that comes to visit.
19:01You can see.
19:03It really is a Beatrix Potter house.
19:05It is a Beatrix Potter house.
19:06Rabbits, squirrels.
19:07Ducks.
19:08Wildlife, ducks.
19:09Wow.
19:10Oh, my goodness.
19:11It's just everything that I've always thought of that a perfect kitchen should be.
19:16I love this.
19:17Look at this super-sized table that fits into this room.
19:20Wow.
19:22It certainly gives you – oh, look at the view.
19:25Oh, that is stunning.
19:27It's unbelievable.
19:28It's lovely.
19:29I really like it.
19:31Those are strong words from you, I think, correct?
19:33I really like it.
19:36Are you grabbed by this property?
19:38Grabbed and excited, yes.
19:40And then trying to sort of temper those emotions with logic.
19:44No, don't do that.
19:45That's not fun.
19:46And what logically is worrying you or concerning you or jumping in?
19:49I need the space for my toys.
19:52You're like, okay, Katie's getting everything she wants.
19:54Where are my cars going?
19:56You've got it.
19:57Exactly.
19:58You've got it.
19:59All right, I'll tell you what.
20:00You go and look at the rest of the property.
20:02I think it's important for you to see the bedrooms, obviously, and if that delivers.
20:05And then I'll meet you outside.
20:06Okay, sounds good.
20:08Well, you couldn't ask for much more, could you?
20:10I mean, this property, I have to say, is delivering.
20:13It's got the views.
20:14It's got the river.
20:15And I think it's got a little bit of Merlin's magic,
20:17which is certainly working on Katie.
20:19I need it to work on Craig.
20:23And there's plenty of property left to win him over.
20:26From the living room, a hallway leads to two generous bedrooms,
20:30which share a shower room and then a larger en suite bedroom.
20:38Oh, my goodness.
20:39Look at the views.
20:40It has a reading seat.
20:43Oh, I love it.
20:46Upstairs...
20:48Oh, Craig, look.
20:50Yeah.
20:51Wow, you can't ask for more than that.
20:53That could be a postcard.
20:56There's a cloakroom and a fourth bedroom with, you guessed it, more views.
21:02I never thought that we would actually find some place that would have a view like that.
21:08To the front, there's a gravel drive, which I hope will fit Craig's cars.
21:13Then, at the rear, is a lawned garden,
21:16a pretty patio and a unique wooden summer house
21:20to sit and enjoy the sights and sounds of the magnificent River Tweed.
21:26So the interior of the house seems to have really wowed you both.
21:29Yes.
21:30What about the outside?
21:32Are you happy with where you could fit your cars?
21:34Because I was thinking a nice carport at the front.
21:36It could be very tight, if I'm being honest.
21:38I've never really just had one,
21:40and I need space for cars, mountain bikes and bicycles,
21:43and motorbikes, so that could be the sticky point with this one.
21:47But he hasn't said no yet.
21:49I love it. I can see how hard you're working, Katie.
21:52You're like, we can make this work.
21:54Yes, indeed.
21:55I will find a way.
21:56The other big consideration, of course, though, is how much you would have to pay.
22:00I think it would be right at the top of our budget of £525,000.
22:05Okay.
22:06I'm going to go with offers over £500,000.
22:09Okay.
22:10I'm delighted to share with you that this property is on for offers over £485,000.
22:17Oh!
22:18That's so exciting!
22:20Okay, okay. We are in Scotland, so let me just temper that with...
22:23Yes.
22:24This has been on the market for just over a week.
22:27Okay.
22:28Three notes of interest in already.
22:29Oh!
22:30And there's a closed date in about a week's time.
22:32Right, okay.
22:33There's a feeling of possibility here, isn't there?
22:35Yeah.
22:36I think if it's going to be the dream house, it needs to be our dream house.
22:39Yeah.
22:40I mean, I want you to be as excited about it as I am.
22:42It needs to be right.
22:43Yep.
22:44Yeah.
22:45I think that's it. It needs to be the right one for us.
22:47At offers over £485,000, this captivating detached cottage has so much character.
22:55It comes with four bedrooms, a pretty garden, and lies in a stunning location with countryside and river views.
23:03This just feels like home. I can already see myself here.
23:07I'm seeing my cat sunbathing in the windows.
23:10I'm seeing all my veterinary textbooks on the bookshelves.
23:14Not having a garage or workshop here is a major concern for me, and as it stands, it is a no.
23:21And until we get a more detailed look at the tape measure, it would maybe move to a maybe for me.
23:32Well, we've reached the end of the day. We're getting to sit here by the River Tweed, looking at that landscape.
23:39It's almost too good to be true. This is like an oasis.
23:42You hear the sheep, you hear the birds, you hear the river, you hear the trees, and it's just, that's what it should be, and a sense of home.
23:50Yeah. It is lovely to be back where I'm from, lovely to be back where Katie wants to be with me.
23:56Oh, this is great. Even they're saying, yes, move here!
24:02It is a lovely part of the world.
24:05Of course, we still have two more houses to look at and another day of exploring.
24:10Yeah.
24:11Are you ready?
24:12I am.
24:13I can see the good night's sleep.
24:14Let's do it.
24:15Yes, and a cup of tea.
24:16And a cup of tea.
24:21It's the start of a new day here on the Scottish Borders, but, Boyd, we had a wonderful start yesterday.
24:27Yes, there are still some questions over the right property.
24:31More so for Craig than Katie, I'd say.
24:33I think for Katie, she would buy that house by the river in a heartbeat.
24:37But what's not up for debate is just how perfect this region is for them both.
24:42So today, we carry on with the property search.
24:46We've got the all-important mystery house, of course,
24:48and I'm hoping that that satisfies Craig's need for some outbuildings and space for his beloved cars and motorbikes.
24:55But I also want it to give Katie somewhere to start her business.
24:59But before all of that, I've got a rather grand property to show them.
25:05Across the border in South Lanarkshire, we're heading for a hamlet just outside the village of Crossford.
25:12Where the river Neffen meets the Clyde, it's a pretty village surrounded by fields and woodland,
25:18within an hour-and-a-half's drive of Edinburgh.
25:21But Katie and Craig won't need to go that far for their groceries, as the village has its own shop with a post office.
25:31This is the magnificent piece of property I want to show you.
25:35It's an impressive house.
25:37It's a big house.
25:38Wow.
25:39Today, I'm really hoping to win you over, Craig.
25:44That's why we're standing right in front of a double garage.
25:46A double garage.
25:47Enough garage for you.
25:48There should be enough garage for me.
25:50Excellent.
25:51So with Craig nicely warmed up, back to you, my dear.
25:54How are you feeling about it?
25:56It's not a style that I probably would have picked myself, just because it's so modern on the outside.
26:02But I'm just really excited to go in and see more.
26:05So I'm waiting to be happily surprised.
26:08Shall we go in and have a look at what you get inside this house?
26:10Yes, please.
26:11Come on.
26:14Built in 2004, this modern home might not have the immediate visual appeal for Katie,
26:20but I'm convinced she'll be pleasantly surprised once she sees what's inside.
26:27I love this entranceway.
26:29It is so grand.
26:31Yeah.
26:32Come on through.
26:34Wow.
26:35Not expecting this, right?
26:36No, not at all.
26:37Holy moly.
26:38It's lovely.
26:39Oh, wow.
26:40And there's your views.
26:41Oh.
26:42Oh, that is, that's unbelievable.
26:44That is so beautiful.
26:46Yeah.
26:47I thought we'd blown you away yesterday, but it's such a different personality.
26:51Yeah.
26:52The other one was classically modernized.
26:54This one's modernly classic.
26:57It's like back to front.
26:58There you go.
26:59Come on, let's go this way and look at more of this sort of open plan living area.
27:03What do you need a TV for when you have that?
27:05Right?
27:06You can even see the little birds there on the bird feeder.
27:08Oh, I get my little Beatrix Potter wildlife.
27:11You still get that.
27:12And apparently cows can come into this field.
27:14You get it all.
27:15You know, from the outside, it did look so modern.
27:17I was maybe slightly concerned.
27:19But on the inside, it still feels warm, modern.
27:22It has that very lovely country feel to it.
27:25This house has a wow factor.
27:27Hopefully it will continue.
27:29I know that it will.
27:30So I'm very excited.
27:32Excellent.
27:33Let me show you the next living area.
27:34Okay.
27:35This is a very, very generous house.
27:38Oh, two living rooms.
27:39Wow.
27:40Two living rooms.
27:41Another one.
27:42This is the kind of house that I could see us living in the future.
27:44What is it about it?
27:46I like the style of it.
27:47I like the layout of it.
27:49I like the space.
27:50The fact that I've got space for my cars and motorbikes is an essential for me.
27:55And being out here with this sort of landscape around us is exactly what I could envisage living in.
28:00So, yeah, very happy.
28:02And him being happy is cheering you up as well.
28:05Oh, so much.
28:06It was as much as I loved the second house yesterday.
28:09It's our dream home.
28:11Yeah.
28:12And it needs to be a dream home for both of us.
28:13Both of us.
28:14And seeing him so excited makes me even more excited.
28:17I love it.
28:18I want you to both go off, have fun, look around.
28:21I will see you outside where I will be taking in that view.
28:24Excellent.
28:25Amazing.
28:26Let's go.
28:27I'm so excited.
28:30There is so much of this house to explore, but I bet I know where Craig is heading first.
28:37Ah-ha.
28:38That should be big enough.
28:39Wow.
28:40It's got well light.
28:41It's got good doors.
28:42Wow.
28:43Just think of the workshop that you could have in here.
28:45Are you happy?
28:46This is wonderful.
28:48Downstairs, there's also a utility room and a study, which could become a bedroom,
28:53plus a shower and steam room.
28:58Up the stairs, a spacious landing leads to two double bedrooms and a family bathroom.
29:05There's the generous main bedroom up here, too.
29:08Oh, my goodness gracious.
29:10That is absolutely gorgeous.
29:12There's the generous main bedroom up here, too.
29:14Oh, my goodness gracious.
29:16That is absolutely huge.
29:18It's got a sofa in the bedroom.
29:20And an impressive circular en suite.
29:23Look at the size of it.
29:24Oh, my gosh.
29:26This is unreal.
29:29Then there's another even larger room.
29:32Whoa.
29:33This is a big room for an office.
29:35Wow.
29:36Wow.
29:37I'm starting to think about the possibility of somehow incorporating our vet surgery into the house.
29:45Look at the amount of space.
29:47Or a huge gym.
29:49That's preferable.
29:51Yeah.
29:54Let's just hope that enthusiasm continues outside in the garden,
29:58where there's a paved patio,
30:01an enclosed lawn,
30:03and a large timber deck to relax and take in the unspoilt views of the Neffen Valley.
30:12There you are.
30:13Hello again.
30:14Come and join me.
30:15Well, you're looking for the perfect property, but have we found the perfect price?
30:19Well, ever the optimist, I'm going to say offers over £515,000.
30:26Okay.
30:27I'm going to be slightly more optimistic with the fingers crossed behind my back
30:31and say offers over £500,000.
30:34This property is on the market for offers over £499,995.
30:42No.
30:43Well done.
30:45Wow.
30:46Are you happy now?
30:47That's much more appealing.
30:49The smiles are really coming through now as a good Scotsman.
30:52You know a good deal when you see one.
30:54So you're armed with all of the knowledge now.
30:57Big size.
30:58Are you getting emotional?
31:00Yesterday, it was a roller coaster of being exciting and slightly heartbreaking.
31:04I'm a little bit nervous about getting there again, but it's so hard not to,
31:08especially when he's so excited.
31:10And I can just see us having family here and going for a walk with the dog on the weekend
31:17and just never, ever being bored or cooped in again.
31:21Yeah, lots to do, lots of outside, and it is right on your doorstep.
31:25Yeah, a lifetime worth of adventure.
31:28I'm so glad they are both on board with this modern country home.
31:33Under budget again, it has so much space inside with two living rooms and five bedrooms.
31:40What's more, it has that all-important double garage for Craig.
31:46I'm trying not to love it too much, but I'm failing miserably.
31:49I really love this house.
31:51I do too.
31:52It is a spectacular house.
31:53I like the practical aspects of it.
31:55I like where it is, and I like how it's put together.
31:58I'm very, very impressed.
32:00That makes me really happy to hear you say that.
32:10If you're looking to escape to the Scottish borders,
32:13the following information might be music to your ears.
32:17The average price of a detached house here is over £125,000 lower than the UK figure.
32:25And when you consider that a detached house in Edinburgh is over double that price,
32:30it's no wonder the Borders is attracting more city folk in search of more bang for their buck.
32:37People are moving to the Scottish borders for all sorts of reasons.
32:40They're looking for a little bit more privacy, more space, sometimes seclusion,
32:44or that sense of community spirit.
32:47And they're moving from Edinburgh, from within the Scottish borders.
32:52And we have people moving from the road also.
32:56There's a range of property on offer to suit all budgets too.
33:00For a fixed price of £265,000, you could get this lovely two-bedroom, semi-detached house in Peebles,
33:08just a short walk from the town centre.
33:13If it's something more spacious you're in search of,
33:16how about this double-fronted, detached number in West Linton?
33:20For offers over £695,000, it's modern living at its finest,
33:26with floor-to-ceiling windows letting the inside flow seamlessly to the outside.
33:36And if you fancy a short break in the Borders,
33:38why not immerse yourself in the thick of it by glamping in one of these eco-pods.
33:44Set amongst three acres of woodland and farmland,
33:47prices start at £99 a night in the low season.
33:58For our mystery house, we're staying in South Lanarkshire,
34:01destined for the village of Thankerton.
34:04A similar travel distance to both Glasgow and Edinburgh,
34:07this rural village is blanketed by the lush landscape of the Lanarkshire countryside.
34:14There's a village hall, a bowling green, and plenty of wide, open spaces to enjoy.
34:22So it's mystery house time.
34:24We have a gorgeous period property to show them, of course.
34:27But for Craig and Katie, there is obviously a twist.
34:30It's the mystery house.
34:31It's not just about the property, no.
34:34Because this mystery house comes with not one, but two outbuildings.
34:38And the garage, well, there's not one of them or even two.
34:41There are three for Craig.
34:42But what I really want to focus on is this outbuilding here for Katie.
34:47This could be her veterinary practice.
34:49I'm really excited to see what she thinks.
34:53Hello.
34:54Hello, hello.
34:55Welcome to the mystery house.
34:58Right.
35:00First impressions?
35:02It's very different to what we've shown you so far.
35:04I love getting in the habit.
35:06It's sort of processing.
35:09It wouldn't be my initial go-to if I was looking myself.
35:12But there is more to this property than just the house.
35:15OK.
35:16Let me show you the outside.
35:17OK.
35:20I've got my work cut out here, but I'm pretty confident they're going to come round
35:24once they see what's in store out the back.
35:27Right.
35:29I told you, it's all about the outside.
35:31Yep, that is a monster.
35:32That's impressive.
35:33Does this fit everything?
35:34Oh, yes.
35:35And some.
35:36I'm so glad, because this isn't about you, actually.
35:38This is about you, Katie.
35:40Ooh!
35:41Over here.
35:42That's an outbuilding.
35:43That's an outbuilding that used to be a stables and a tack room
35:46that already has planning permission to be turned into a dwelling,
35:50like a granny annex or something.
35:52But I was thinking,
35:54probably wouldn't be too hard to apply for.
35:56And veterinary surgery.
35:57Well, there we go.
35:58Oh, wow!
36:01Oh, OK.
36:02Now I'm more interested.
36:04That's more like it.
36:05Katie's enthusiasm is back.
36:07There's so much you could do with this.
36:09Obviously, it doesn't have permission at the moment to be a business.
36:12That's what you'd have to apply for.
36:13Right.
36:14But what do you think?
36:15I really think this could work.
36:17This could be really fun to make it work,
36:19because that could very easily be the receptionist.
36:22Because that could very easily be the reception room
36:25or the consulting room, whatever it might be.
36:27And then this would be the actual surgical suite.
36:29This could be really fun.
36:31So, the outside is scoring highly, I think.
36:34Scoring highly so far.
36:35Very much.
36:36So, of course, you want to see the house now.
36:37Yes, please.
36:38All right, let's have a look.
36:41Built in 1902,
36:43this property is by far the most traditional on the search.
36:47And I really hope Katie and Craig can see its potential.
36:51Wow.
36:52A bit different, what is going on in your brain?
36:55The personality of this house,
36:58it really knows what it is.
37:01So, it's whether or not our personalities are compatible,
37:05if that makes sense.
37:06Let's wander around and see.
37:07OK.
37:08You've got a couple of living rooms here,
37:09one on that side, but come through here.
37:11OK.
37:13So, for you, what would you do with this room?
37:17It's very cosy.
37:18We would probably scooch our furniture
37:21to more of the extremities of the room
37:23to make it feel bigger in the middle.
37:24Yep.
37:25And more planar, if that makes sense.
37:27A sharper-looking room.
37:28Mm-hm.
37:29To kind of clash with the retro-ness of the house
37:32with a modern take on the insides.
37:35This one has the bones.
37:36It does.
37:37And then it asks you to bring your personality to it.
37:39Yeah.
37:40And you've got that, so we can do that.
37:42All right, out that way.
37:43OK.
37:44Kitchen's to the right.
37:48OK.
37:49Dining room.
37:50Come on through.
37:51Yep, dining room.
37:52Yeah.
37:53And then back here is the kitchen,
37:54which looks on to...
37:56The outsides.
37:57Oh, very nice.
37:58Yeah.
37:59It's a bit smaller than what I had in my head.
38:03We wouldn't get the island.
38:05No, and the separate rooms for each thing
38:08is very different to what we've been looking at.
38:10Mm-hm.
38:11We've liked the open-plan-ness of the other houses,
38:14which would be a bit of an adjustment
38:16on what you're thinking about.
38:17But everything is waiting to become
38:20in this house and this property,
38:22so it's just trying to decide what that looks like.
38:28Downstairs, there's also a double bedroom and a shower room,
38:32whilst upstairs, a family bathroom sits alongside
38:36a study with a skylight window,
38:38a good-sized double bedroom
38:40and the largest of the three bedrooms.
38:44This is the master bedroom.
38:45Oh!
38:46You can see the tinsel hill there.
38:47That's cool.
38:48That's very different.
38:49And I know the mystery house is supposed to challenge you
38:52in good ways, but this is really challenging me.
38:55I think my imagination might be having limits.
38:58And I think it would take an awful lot of work
39:00to make it feel like our home.
39:03As well as the triple garage and separate outbuilding,
39:07outside, the majority of the garden is graveled,
39:10with paving and neat patches of lawn to the front and side.
39:15I get the feeling the inside of the house
39:17didn't quite live up to the expectations you might have had.
39:20There is, of course, one more important factor
39:22to this property that you don't know yet,
39:24and that is, of course, how much it's on the market for.
39:27So, Craig, over to you first.
39:30I'm going to come in with an estimate of
39:33around about offers over £425,000.
39:36Katie?
39:37I'm going to go with offers over £450,000.
39:41This property is on the market for offers
39:44in the region of £350,000.
39:48Wow!
39:50And that's why this is the mystery house.
39:52We wanted to give you another option
39:54and show you what's possible.
39:56Sure, yeah.
39:58Well, our mystery house hasn't won them over this time,
40:01but it is a great option.
40:04For £350,000, this traditional property
40:08has a triple garage, plus an outbuilding
40:11that could be converted for Katie's surgery.
40:14Three double bedrooms and beautiful rural views
40:18from every aspect.
40:21It's a journey, isn't it?
40:22It is, absolutely.
40:23And every bit of the puzzle helps you to get the whole.
40:26The mystery house has done its job,
40:28but now we have to find somewhere for you to sit
40:30and make some decisions.
40:31Yes.
40:33So, did any of our houses get you so excited
40:37that you're going to take the next step?
40:40House number three.
40:41So much so that we like it enough
40:44that we're coming back, hopefully,
40:46for a second viewing next week.
40:48That is fantastic.
40:49House number two, down by the river,
40:51was the one that I thought had caught you,
40:53especially you, Katie.
40:55That was your Beatrix Potter house.
40:57It was.
40:58But then house number three,
40:59both of you really seemed to fall in love with it.
41:02I did love house number two,
41:04and I could so easily see us living there.
41:07But I think, as our theme throughout this has been,
41:11it needs to be our dream house.
41:13I think I will miss some aspects
41:16of the Beatrix Potter house,
41:18if that's what we're calling it.
41:20But I can totally see, from Craig's point of view,
41:23wanting to be able to have the experience
41:26from Craig's point of view,
41:27wanting to be able to have the garages there
41:30and place equal balance on the things that make him happy
41:34as the things that make me happy.
41:36And I can make it a Beatrix Potter house over time.
41:39I definitely think you could.
41:41You've got that bubbly enthusiasm and charm.
41:43And with your vet skills,
41:45I'm sure the animals will come flocking to the property.
41:47Yes, indeed.
41:48This has been truly magical.
41:50I have loved being with you both.
41:53I can't wait to see you both settled here.
41:56And to see what the future holds for you.
41:58I know it's going to be wonderful.
41:59And I'm very much looking forward to coming to see you again.
42:02Open invitation, always.
42:04Please come see us.
42:05We would love to have you.
42:10Well, Katie and Craig have travelled
42:12all the way back across the Atlantic
42:14to come and make Scotland their home again.
42:16And it's not hard to see why, is it?
42:18It's just been stunning here.
42:20But I am so excited that they fell in love
42:23with our big grand property from this morning
42:25and they're going for a second viewing.
42:27I think that's the one that fulfills both of their dreams.
42:30So I do hope it won't be long
42:32before they're making it their home.
42:34And I hope it won't be long
42:35before I get to come back and see them again.
42:37And I'll see you next time on Escape to the Country.
42:41Katie and Craig did book in a second viewing.
42:44But unfortunately for them,
42:46that great house was snapped up
42:48before they could get back to it.
42:50Not to be put off,
42:51the positive couple are continuing their search
42:53around the Scottish borders.
42:55And I wish them all the very best.
42:59If you would like to escape to the country
43:01in Scotland, England, Northern Ireland or Wales
43:04and need our help,
43:06why not apply online at bbc.co.uk forward slash take part.