What on earth have we taken on?

Hedera Cottage sits quietly in a dip on the edge of the North York Moors — the sort of place you could drive past without ever knowing it was there. But the spaniels knew. Lexi (a springer) and Kira (a cocker) clocked it immediately and charged into the garden like they’d already signed the deeds.

It’s a 1960s timber-frame bungalow with a slate roof, single storey, fairly square, and not in any rush to impress. There’s no central heating. The insulation’s doing its best. The conservatory flaps in a strong breeze. The wiring looks like someone had a go and then had a nap.

And yet, for all its creaks and quirks, it’s oddly lovely. Quiet. Slightly wild around the edges. You can hear owls at night. Watch the mist roll across the trees. Make a cup of tea and suddenly lose an hour doing nothing at all.

There’s a lot to do — and no illusions about how much. But this isn’t a project for the sake of it. It’s a full-time home in the making. A rural retreat with one eye on the weather and the other on two spaniels who’ve already chosen their favourite spots on the floor.