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#EscapetotheCountry
#EscapetotheCountry
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00:00today we're searching for a home that meets expectations and also exceeds them the space
00:07is amazing outside yeah yeah that's what I was thinking finding our buyers a place that's
00:15spacious and surprisingly tall actually silly with character the only thing you gotta bend
00:21down for is to look at the view yeah through the window where every feature tells a story
00:29it's so much history in this house and every step brings them closer to their new life in the
00:40country he could not have imagined this no
00:59today we're escaping to North Wales
01:15where every day feels like a getaway and the only thing higher than the mountains is your quality of
01:23life now ever since I started presenting escape to the country I've come to realize that the
01:30countryside isn't just the place where I am lucky enough to live it's also the place where I get to
01:35work now as many of you will know Wales for a long time was my home I absolutely love coming back here
01:43and whenever I do I know it's gonna be a fantastic few days so welcome to this edition of escape to
01:49the country and welcome to my office the region of North Wales spanned six diverse counties including
02:02Gwynedd Conwy and Flintshire from the peaks of a Riri National Park to the dramatic coastline along the
02:10clean peninsula it's a landscape that's as varied as it is breathtaking
02:15but it's not just for adventure seekers history lovers can step back in time in
02:24places like Llanroost home to standing stones and a beautiful 17th century bridge
02:32then there's Llanberis positioned at the foot of Snowden where you can hop aboard the famous mountain railway for an
02:39unforgettable ride to the summit so come to North Wales where the mountains are high the views are
02:47endless and the property prices surprisingly down to earth so who wants to move to this beautiful part
02:55of the country well let's meet him and he's four-legged Fred
03:07I am down I miss cousin Becky and that's low key and I want to escape to the country I need to help them
03:14Darren's home is a three-bedroom mid-terrace in the Cheshire town of Northwich where he lives with his beloved
03:21dog Loki we're not working as a director of an IT company Darren is off exploring new destinations
03:30and his cousin Becky is always up for joining him lots of the traveling was to do with diving so going on
03:36Liverpool in Egypt and going to Malta I went to Mexico a few times and Florida and a few trips to France
03:42I've been to Iceland and in Marrakesh camel riding quad bikes in the desert yeah yeah we've done lots of
03:48things together so whenever we get time out and we get a chance to do something we tend to do it
03:52together and it was whilst holidaying together in North Wales that Darren decided he wanted to make
03:59a home there Becky asked me recently she said well what is it you're looking for and I said what I
04:05actually want is when we were away recently in Wales with the dogs that's what I want and she said well
04:11you just want to be permanently on holiday don't you and I went yes that's what I want I want to be
04:17permanently on holiday and I'll come back and work a little bit Darren currently works Tuesday to
04:23Thursday so plans to stay with Becky in Cheshire during that time that would leave him with four
04:29glorious days a week to relax and enjoy life in his new country home ultimately I think this move will
04:36just make Darren happier because he will be in an environment that he wants to be in and he can get
04:42out and there's this peace and quiet I think that would be really good for him yeah yeah the most
04:47noise I want to hear is me chopping wood I think Darren is hoping to find a detached property preferably
04:55with a modern finish and a minimum of two bedrooms plus space for a home office a large dog friendly
05:02garden is also required and it should be in a rural location with easy access to countryside walks for him
05:09and Loki well what an adventurous pair of cousins these two are they seem to have been almost everywhere
05:27together and it's therefore no surprise that they are once again coming together to share Darren's
05:33adventure of finding a new home here in North Wales and even though it is a bit grey and a bit misty for me
05:39you've just got to love it whatever time of year it is and my goodness me he clearly does because
05:44he's been here so often with Becky exploring it falling in love with it and now hopefully with our
05:51luck finding a home in it before we dive into the property hunt I'm meeting Darren and Becky to get
06:03the inside scoop on what they're hoping to find here in North Wales
06:09Darren Becky welcome to escape to the country but you need no welcome or introduction to this place do
06:14you Betsy Coyne in the heart of Snowdonia you know this very well I do know it well yeah spent a lot of
06:19time in North Wales so you and your Labrador Loki Loki yes this is great because we clearly have so much in
06:26common already Becky we love Labradors we all love North Wales yeah and you as part of the family cousin
06:34to Darren are along to be the voice of reason to offer guidance what do you think um Darren's quite a
06:42logical person um has a very long list of things that he wants to achieve in his property whereas I'm
06:49probably more of the creative side well what would happen is that I would walk into a property see that it
06:55hasn't got a bath and that I'm I'm out it doesn't got a bath just like that yeah whereas I would be
07:01well if you move that sink and you do this with that bit then you can fit a bath in there so you
07:07and I are offering the kind of creative reassurance that perhaps you need yeah that's exactly what it
07:11means yeah and we've got your budget yes so the uh the budget is 400 000 pounds and I could probably
07:18stretch to 425 000 pounds but I have to sell my rally car to do that oh oh that ouch that would hurt
07:27then it would hurt yes well fingers crossed we don't need to get rid of the car to make this work
07:33but we have got some miles to travel and some properties to see okay good come on then let's have a
07:38look our property tour begins in the southern part of the Aruri national park not far from the village of
07:46hlan yuklin for a buyer seeking an authentic escape this sparsely populated area should really suit
07:55but six miles away is the attractive town of bala providing everything in the way of amenities
08:02and a good selection of pubs for the days we're not at exploring the nearby lakes and mountains
08:08and nestled seamlessly into this rugged landscape is our first property offering not far from wales's
08:15largest natural lake there's the lake bala and the sweep of the valley wow that's incredible yeah
08:29brilliant yeah the view is perfect yeah have you viewed anything with this sort of aspect before no
08:38okay okay so already we're getting somewhere yeah but have a look at this feast your eyes on our
08:44property because that is what's on offer current owners have only had it a few years they've got two
08:50enormous alsatians yeah so it's all dog proofed right so you and loki this is this is your little
08:57domain this space is is amazing yeah and and i can just see him now running around there like doing his
09:03it's crazy stuff yeah yeah outside yeah that's what i was thinking yeah yeah right well let's see
09:11what you think of the inside let's get a bit creative shall we
09:16this detached property dates back to 1890 and is constructed from local stone and slate
09:24inside the first reception area offers somewhere for formal dining
09:28or for displaying small ornaments but we're starting in the cozy living room next door the sort of main
09:35event is in here oh yeah i like this room it's a nice space it's a good size living room this is
09:45lovely i have got a really big sofa and it would fit there it would fit there that's great are we
09:52winning we're winning we're winning we're winning yeah we're right have a look at the uh at the galley
09:58kitchen then not a huge kitchen diner obviously but hopefully the rest of it will make up for that
10:04yeah yeah yeah yeah that's perfect for me i think it's a perfect size it is yeah dog friendly floor yeah
10:11really you should see the size of these alsatians you know why and it goes through to the little sort of
10:18conservatory come boot room garden room whatever they leave the door open their dogs just have
10:25access to the fenced-off yeah perimeter are more than happy it's really nice it's like you're holding
10:33on to it you don't want to let it go yeah we're staying on that positive note let's head upstairs
10:42one thing to add about this property is that the bathroom is located on the ground floor
10:47but that makes for a spacious upstairs footprint where there are three bedrooms
10:53oh yeah oh this is nice and big i've got a big bed so it'll fit there yeah and surprisingly tall
10:58actually ceiling yes i've not even thought about it no i didn't even notice the ceiling
11:06the only thing you've got to bend down for is to look at the view yeah through the window
11:09it is it's beautiful that view yeah you're never going to tire of that are you no no
11:19i'm leaving darren and becky to explore the rest of upstairs by themselves
11:24and it seems becky is already feeling quite at home here
11:27yeah this would be my room this will be yeah yeah you've got wardrobe space as well you know
11:34keep some new stuff here you've still got the views oh i want to see the view again yeah no good
11:41room happy with that yeah okay oh this would be great for an office for you yeah i wonder where
11:49there you can get the desk up there by the window i think so yeah yeah it's still got the views yeah
11:55definitely working here this upstairs is great the only thing it hasn't got of course is it's not
12:00got bathroom upstairs it's only downstairs yeah that's the only negative i can find so far about
12:08the property's interior appears to have satisfied darren and becky so on to the outside
12:14sitting in a plot of just over half an acre we've already established that the lawn garden is both
12:20dog and human friendly and did i mention there's a view i mean that's what sells it right yeah yes and
12:30you get to look at it every day from from this yeah just it's incredible yeah i think you've uh you've
12:37hit the jackpot day one yeah well let's talk about the price then shall we okay what do you think this
12:41is on the market for um i think somewhere in the region of 390 000 390 000 pounds i think 375 000
12:54pounds all right here's the rub here's the rub it is on the market for offers in the region of
12:59three hundred and seventy thousand pounds oh so you get to keep the car you get to keep the car
13:14this gem of a find is 30 000 pounds under darren's top budget and comes with three bedrooms plus a dog
13:21friendly garden the far-reaching valley views can be enjoyed from the grounds and its idyllic setting
13:28means he'll be able to head out into the countryside with loki whenever he fences it can i imagine
13:34myself and loki living here as soon as i think about that the answer is yes he would love this space and
13:41i've never seen a view like that before for sale the negatives only probably that there's only one
13:47bathroom and the bathroom is downstairs next to the kitchen i could totally see darren living here
13:52it would suit him down to the ground he's got the walks on his doorstep he's got the space that he
13:57needs i think it's perfect for him yeah
14:11in today's world of remote working online shopping and virtual meetups escaping to the country has never
14:18been easier and let's face it most of us who crave the great outdoors aren't ready to give up modern
14:24conveniences completely in north wales the coastal town of llandidno might just offer that perfect blend
14:32of relaxed seaside living with all the perks of town life on the doorstep so we're sending darren and
14:39becky to check it out clandidno is known as the queen of the welsh resorts so it's the largest seaside
14:46resort in wales and so it retains that 1850s victorian architecture really really nice attractions
14:53apart from cardiff in wales it's got the most bad spaces in the whole of wales so it was designed
14:58by the victorians as a tourist town and it's as popular as ever
15:05flandidno's promenade stretches for almost two miles and connects to the pier
15:10which is home to britain's oldest running punch and judy show
15:13i like living in the landing though because you can escape up the great orm away from the hustle
15:18and the bustle or get along the front at night if you want a little stroll you've got the hills got
15:23the countryside got the sea the pier it's really great place to live one of the town's standout
15:30attractions is the great orm a limestone headland rising over 200 meters above sea level for those
15:37that don't fancy the hike you can take a ride on the historic cable car the longest of its kind in
15:42britain offering unbeatable views the town center is filled with elegant shops and cafes including one
15:52which describes itself as a general store for dogs and humans opened in 2021 owner jason had the goal of
16:01creating a community of dog lovers with the cafe at its center so he's an ideal person for darren becky
16:08to come and meet so what happens here in the cafe so we've got all in the same building we've got a dog
16:13groomers the dog cafe and the dog shop we run free to access vet sessions we do dog birthday parties which
16:20is the fun side usually they're usually smaller dogs but it's utter chaos when we have one of those
16:27yeah so what's the local dog community like around here it feels like everyone has a dog here but you
16:32you've got real lovely groups of people that you know people meet on walks they'll come into the cafe
16:39people see each other on the beaches and it's a lovely community um very strong very supportive
16:45actually i've found but it seems even for those without a dog llandidno is a special place to be
16:52it's amazing to live here i feel when i'm here a weight's lifted off you the pace of life is calmer
17:00it's not necessarily slower everyone has businesses and we're not cut off from the world or living in a
17:06different time zone it's just that it's just a nice relaxed place to live and i'm happy most people are
17:14happy here so a ringy endorsement for this popular seaside resort if spending time here is on the
17:21horizon for darren we'd best get back to the search and see if we can top our first property
17:34we're heading north to continue our property search in the flintshire village of llanasa
17:38just one mile away is the popular beach resort of talika boasting miles of golden sands framed by dunes
17:47its iconic lighthouse standing 18 meters above the sand has been there since 1776.
17:55this area is a haven for walkers and cyclists year-round come rain or shine
18:00and today we're getting the full experience with the kind of weather that really keeps you on your toes
18:08well the brollies are out as they were going to be i suppose yeah they are in wales after all yeah
18:14but that is what is on offer now i'm looking forward to seeing it i'm looking at where loki's going to be
18:20um so i'm interested more for what space he's got and what he can do yeah well there is space for
18:26loki don't you worry okay good come on then let's have a look inside okay
18:29okay like property one this detached cottage is built from traditional stone and slate
18:36but this one is grade two listed and its origins date back even further look at that 1674
18:46just as though any doubt it was converted into two cottages in the late 19th century
18:53before being restored as a single dwelling in 1973. come on in coming into all this history
19:03yeah so the kitchen's in there yeah not the biggest but i'll let you have a look at that in
19:08more detail later on but let's sort of set the scene through here just watch your head
19:11on there okay squats oh this is nice wow you like i do like yeah yeah look at that fireplace that's
19:24amazing isn't it super yeah you wouldn't expect it look like this inside from the outside yeah it's
19:32stunning i'm taken back by how good this room is it's not what i expected when i saw the building
19:38outside no see i get a feeling that actually your interest needle has just gone up a bit yeah
19:43because i wasn't seeing the love outside but now we've come in yeah it's just so pretty
19:52heading upstairs the bathroom in this property is located on the first floor
19:56and again there are three bedrooms to choose from potentially four if you count the mezzanine level
20:01accessed from the principal bedroom
20:03this which is a later edition yeah i'd remove this and you'd have a vaulted yeah main bedroom yeah
20:14it's a decent sized room it's lovely i like the the beams behind the the bed it's a big room
20:21and i'm just i'm still taken back by all the wood yeah it's like wow it's just not what i expected
20:26at all that's amazing a little bit lost for words really are you yeah yeah yeah just you want to see
20:33more yeah well there's plenty more to see darren and becky are free to wander through the rest of the
20:39house at their own pace and they're not the only ones excited by the historic character features
20:45you know one of the things i love about showing properties like this is having the chance on a quiet
20:50moment to explore them and this ingled look is absolutely gorgeous the old bread oven
20:56is stuck up there and on a day like this with the fire on oh it's perfect
21:03look at water there's just so much history in this house
21:14okay i like that
21:18isn't this fascinating look the old hinges on these posts i mean so much has happened in this building to
21:25make it what it is today so many additions and subtractions look lots of little marks here all
21:30of them telling part of its story and be nice to think that some of these might still work
21:38keys to the past oh this is cool got range oh good colors
21:44yeah there's nothing i don't like about the kitchen except it's small but i'm quite
21:50happy with the size of it and the range is nice but it's certainly big enough for my needs
21:56i don't think i'd i'd use this as like a study area i think the upstairs
22:00middle bedroom is ideal for the study and this is where i put my table
22:04um close to the kitchen so i think that would work
22:06the outside space includes a vegetable patch and a detached garage for storing the rally car
22:16there's also a range of outbuildings dotted around the edges of the secluded rear garden
22:21well selling anything in the rain some might say it's an uphill battle but come up here and have a
22:29look because i think this actually is one of the more interesting aspects of the property because you
22:33get to see just how big it is yeah let's think about how much this is going to be on the market for
22:38darren i think this is going to be quite high with it being grade two listed so i'm going to go
22:42390 390 000 pounds okay yeah i would say it was probably in the region about 410 000. 410 000
22:54pounds if it were you might have to sell the rally car all right so here's the thing 400 000 pounds
23:02right that's what you're right in the middle yeah yeah office around that you know so that means you
23:09could keep the rally car good yeah have somewhere to put it yeah and a house comes with it this detached
23:17grade two listed stone cottage is full of quirky original features that hint at its history inside
23:24there are three bedrooms and an upstairs bathroom whilst outside the large garden accommodates lots of
23:30additional storage in the form of a garage and outbuildings really surprised and bowled over by
23:36this property so much different to the first one and it's given us quite a lot to think about there
23:41are some quirks that we like and there's some quirks that we don't like so much the outside space is
23:46smaller so it's quite small for loki and there are some low doors in here so i need to look at that
23:53so whether we can do something about that or whether i'm just going to have to start to
23:58learn to duck yeah and put padding on the door friends yeah
24:06oh goodness me well not quite as bad as it was but that's the end of our first day of house hunting
24:13yeah i get the feeling that actually you might be quite surprised with what you have seen today i'm
24:17very surprised with what's seen today today it's been amazing this is a definitely a curveball we're
24:23gonna have to talk about this this evening because it was just completely unexpected yeah definitely
24:29it's uh as i said it's left me speechless because it's just so fascinating inside the history for it
24:36now you know how to read darren better than anybody is that a happy face yeah he's smiling
24:42good but it's not over just yet we've got one more to come tomorrow whatever the weather yeah
24:51i've got the brollies come on let's go
25:05the scenic landscape of north wales is undeniably appealing but what about its property market
25:13on the more affordable side denbyshire has the best value with detached homes averaging just
25:18over 249 000 pounds meanwhile conwy tops the list as the most expensive county in the region
25:26where you'll pay nearly 308 000 pounds for a similar property but that figure is still considerably less
25:33than the current national average which stands at over 438 000 pounds so with a mix of affordability
25:41and natural beauty north wales remains an enticing choice for home buyers we've sourced the particulars
25:49of properties in the region to bring you a selection of what's on offer here down a quiet country lane in
25:55denbyshire this semi-detached cottage has three bedrooms and a well-maintained rear garden what's
26:01more it enjoys unspoiled views of the surrounding countryside and is available for 250 000 pounds
26:07in the popular resort of better this established guest house provides five ensuite bedrooms plus
26:17owner's accommodation that includes two bedrooms and a glazed sunroom beautifully presented with woodland
26:23views this detached property is on the market for 675 000 pounds but for some north wales will always
26:32just be the ultimate holiday retreat if so this glamping tent in gwynedd is surrounded by the dramatic
26:39mulwillian mountains it accommodates up to five guests is dog friendly and prices start at 130 pounds per
26:46night in low season well it's the start of our final day of house hunting here in north wales as we set
26:56about trying to find a new country home for a labrador called loki and his best friend darren now so far
27:04so good but we have one more property to go and that of course is our mystery house fingers crossed our
27:10four-legged friend will approve and his two-legged dad will like it too our mystery house is taking us
27:19into the southern part of the county of conwy not far from the village of kereke dridion one of the
27:25village's standout features is its historic parish church some of the present structure is medieval but
27:32the site has been a place of worship since 440 a.d
27:35while darren and becky explore everything modern village life has to offer i'm going on ahead to
27:44our last property offering just a five minute drive away and like all the houses we've seen so far
27:50this one boasts breathtaking views of the surrounding countryside but since this is the mystery house
27:57that's where the similarities end prepare for something a little unexpected
28:05how about this what do you think they'll make of it gorgeous isn't it stone built but you're probably
28:11thinking bit small jules well don't worry because it also comes with this yes this lovely little
28:17courtyard is all that's on offer with our mystery house and we do know darren loves a bit of history
28:23and a bit of character when it comes to property and no surprise this one is packed with it
28:28if he wants character texture and light and a genuine sense of history ringing the changes from the
28:40life he is leaving to the life he is trying to find i think darren will love this fingers crossed i'm right
28:49but there's only one way to find out darren and cousin becky are back from exploring the nearby village
28:55and ready for the mystery to be revealed come on down watch these steps are a little bit slippery
29:02but well worth the trouble i think because this is what they lead you to
29:10wow that's cool yeah wow indeed we have focused this search obviously on finding a home for you
29:18and for loki but the nice thing about this one becky is that potentially you could have that all to
29:23yourself because that is a one bed annex oh get your own front door like that but then you sir would
29:29get all of this another one better it couldn't be more spot on in terms of what i had in my mind
29:35and what you've just picked here yeah this is it it's more in line with what i was thinking yeah
29:41yeah and the fact that you've got two buildings i'm really excited yeah let's start with the main event
29:46okay see what you think okay you can argue over which one you get access via a private tree-lined
29:55driveway this charming rural cottage with a detached annex sits in a quarter of an acre plot
30:02inside it's been sympathetically restored nowhere more so than in the kitchen which is packed with
30:08original features now as kitchens go this week i think this is probably the best of the lot
30:16it is it's huge look at the smiles i love that that that color is perfect i mean i'll be honest
30:24with you if i'd seen that on a color chart i wouldn't have picked it but it really works
30:27it does yeah it does work it's really nice and the floor is fantastic for the dogs it's loki proof
30:34there's not anything that i would change in this kitchen at all it's just perfect absolutely wow
30:40okay our mystery house is beginning to really sort of flicker in your mind isn't it right well let's
30:49see where it takes us come through here you're going to love this up a small flight of steps and
30:55enjoying a dual aspect is the living room wow wow i could not have imagined this no all that space
31:15it's so light and it's just so high the space is just amazing all the brickwork the fire look at the
31:21fire i know everything about it is just stunning such a light room yeah love it i can see you in
31:29here as well well as i said to you on the outside this whole element is technically only a one bed
31:34yeah and it's up there so why don't you go and explore that okay and i'll meet you out by the annex
31:38so we can look at your bit got one after you thank you you may need to duck though daren okay
31:44but you know you'll figure it out probably don't need to do it once then you'll remember
31:48another short flight of stairs leads to the bathroom and next door is the principal bedroom
31:57oh look at this look at the fire look at that this is really nice it's a nice light room again
32:05the bed will go in there perfectly yeah and we've got storage the layout the way it works is great it
32:10works for me brilliantly oh it's beautiful that's one mystery house down and one more to go
32:17good so is that upstairs bedroom going to work for loki yeah it's just so lovely inside so you're
32:28sorted with that yeah all right come with me better okay so down here they've currently got this is a
32:33bit of a sort of utility space some of the white goods are here and the shower room is down there as
32:38well but you could make this much more homely i think make it more of a sort of a snug yeah but the
32:43main event i think as far as you're concerned is that okay there we go what about this then for oh
32:53wow an occasional sleepover yeah it's old
32:57oh it's lovely it's really really nice you don't have any problems staying here would you family
33:04discount yeah yeah so light it's gorgeous isn't it yeah i know you hadn't asked for a separate
33:11annex as such but having found your property with one yeah i could see actually it's a real bonus
33:17yeah cogs are going thinking about yeah who's going to be in what place i know becky becky's
33:22already thinking i'm in here outside both properties enjoy a shared patio ideal for brighter days
33:33and the generous garden includes a well a pond and a handy shed
33:41would this work yeah no absolutely in the summer it's going to be absolutely amazing
33:46yeah and today's not exactly uh you know the sunniest of days exactly but stood in the courtyard
33:52yeah it's deathly silent yeah and it still looks pretty yeah even though it's a bit overcast yeah
33:57so uh let's think about then how much this is going to cost you right i definitely top end of the
34:04the budget 425 000 425 000 pounds yeah okay yeah i think it's top end as well 410 000 pounds this is on
34:15the market for 350 000 pounds no honestly no wow this detached cottage complete with a separate annex
34:31comes in an impressive 50 000 pounds under budget offering a perfect setup for hosting family and
34:37friends across the two properties there are two cozy bedrooms and the secure garden is generously sized
34:45then to top it all off are the breathtaking countryside views from every angle it's really
34:51exciting actually i expected it to be at the top end of the budget because essentially it's two
34:57properties however when jules told us the price i was completely blown away i think i've not stopped
35:03grinning since i've walked through the door this property is a one-bed house not the two or three-bed house
35:08that yeah i wrote down on my criteria but the price is such a positive that the negatives start to
35:13disappear and you start to not see them anymore so yeah the price of 350 000 is really making me think
35:19that i can make it work with 250 miles of coastline north wales attracts thousands of visitors each year
35:41who come to explore the region's golden beaches and hidden coves it's also a magnet for atlantic gray seals
35:50who return to land each autumn to birth and feed their young but with increasing pollution and a higher
35:57risk of threats it's becoming vital to monitor these marine animals to ensure their protection
36:03marine biologist jem simmons is the founding director of the north wales seal research organization
36:11a non-profit committed to studying and conserving the local seal population
36:16i've come to meet her on the headland to hear more of her love for these playful mammals
36:21and how we can all play a part in safeguarding them
36:27hello well if i were a seal this is exactly the kind of place i would want to call home
36:33but tell us a bit more about the origins of the north wales seal research organization it's a bit
36:38of a mouthful but for good reason because it does a lot of of good work yeah absolutely we were seeing
36:44i guess kind of multi-dimensional impacts from human beings um directly on these animals and it felt
36:51at times that nothing was being done so i just kind of set about on a little project myself which
36:55originally i was going to use as a phd my own phd and it it just grew into this huge project that people
37:02liked being involved in and we've gone really broad and we do lots of different things hence the
37:06complicated name now next year the organization is going to celebrate its its 10th anniversary which
37:12is amazing i mean over that time you know have you been able to to really register and understand how
37:18they're doing absolutely there was maybe two sites along the coast where the pups are born
37:23and we've now established at least 10 i would say the organization carries out surveys along the coastline
37:32to track the local seal population their research is also supported by public sightings data collected
37:39by a team of around 300 volunteers or citizen scientists proving that anyone can be a conservationist
37:46and do their bit and today it's my turn for a bit of citizen science as a new volunteer then what kind
37:54of information should you be looking to record um if we can we want um the male female ratio and then
38:00looking deeper into that we also want to check them individually to see if there are any injuries or
38:06anything that is a cause for concern and then from there move on to um getting an id if we can from
38:12their fur pattern also because once they've um had their pups and breads they actually have what we
38:17call the offshore season and we have no idea where they go and what they do they just return in kind
38:23of august time really fat um having fed really well but it must be a a real sense of excitement
38:31when you get that first sighting report to know that they're all beginning to come back it's very
38:37exciting yeah i get really quite emotional when they're ones that we've rescued and that they're doing
38:42really well out in the wild when monitoring seals it's essential to remain at a distance to ensure
38:48the safety of both the seals and yourself using a scope is one way to take a closer look without
38:54causing any disturbance so here we go i'm a rookie volunteer day one so females are lighter background
39:03darker spots males are darker all over young ones are smaller and normally have white fur and it's as
39:11individual as a fingerprint so no two seals on the planet have got the same pattern in their fur and
39:16we call that the pellage pattern then we can use that as idea to track where they go and what they get
39:21up to and it looks like there's a new pup in the colony oh my god that's amazing so how old do you think
39:28that pup is less than 24 hours oh my goodness i can see mum there taking a well-earned rest that's incredible
39:36well the joy of this is that anybody can join the organization yep and do their bit absolutely and
39:42we encourage everyone to get involved no matter your level of experience or however many hours you
39:48can contribute it's all helpful to us well gem it's an absolute joy
40:00well the challenge this week was always going to be trying to find a property that darren would respond
40:04to positively and genuinely and in fairness i think we've managed to do that three really good options but
40:12is any one of them going to be a genuine contender well let's go and find out
40:21well as a little treat for battling all the weather this week i thought we'd finish up the
40:25near by the fire and a nice cup of tea i think we've earned it in fairness we have i've been so
40:32pleased this week at just how well and positively you've responded to what we've shown you and perhaps
40:38there's been a slight change in tack in the way that you look at prospective new homes oh absolutely
40:44yeah before this week i didn't have a property that i thought was a property for me sat here today
40:50i've got more than one property that's a potential property more than one clearly the first one first
40:56one was amazing yeah so then we took you to our mystery house yeah which gave you two for the price
41:01of one effectively yeah and is it a contender it is a contender yeah it's not a stronger contender
41:08as the first house but it's certainly a contender brilliant and in terms of the journey that you know
41:15darren has been on did you ever come away thinking oh for goodness sake yes when is this when is he going
41:21to get it when is this going to work on numerous occasions and i definitely think that property number
41:26one is the the strongest contender because it does have all that space that darren's looking for so
41:31what are you going to do about it what happens next uh so as soon as i get back home i'm going to be
41:35contacting the agent i need to go back and view it again and make sure the dogs like it so lots of
41:40waggy tail yeah yeah you'll know yeah no i'll know fabulous let us know how you get on and have us back
41:47to see how life is treating you in the future yeah we will do we'd love to have you back because if
41:51nothing else i want to come and see loki but guys absolute pleasure and um best of luck all right
41:57thank you very much thank you well the weather this week has perhaps not been as kind to us as we
42:07would have liked but the rain here has certainly brought many of the rivers that crisscross this
42:11region to life and as for darren well his is a story which is i suspect as old as the hills themselves
42:20of that close bond between one man and his dog a bond which has now got space and a place to grow
42:28and develop here in the mountains of north wales it is precisely the kind of happy ending i was hoping
42:35for i'll see you next time darren returned to property number one taking loki with him to ensure
42:43doggy approval too however he's still chasing a buyer for his current home before he can seal the deal
42:50we hope it all works out for him with this exciting next step if you would like to escape to the
42:55country in wales england northern ireland or scotland and need our help why not apply online
43:01at bbc.co.uk forward slash take part
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