As far as the eye can sea
You’re never more than 60 miles from the coast, but why not live a little closer?
Devon, £1.3 million
With far-reaching views of the Start Bay coastline, The Ark basks in glorious gardens in the small Devon village of Strete. With four bedrooms and five bathrooms, there’s plenty of space for friends and family. The contemporary home is light-filled and spacious—the double-height entrance hall is a particular highlight—and is a mere stone’s throw from Blackpool Sands and Slapton Sands, a shingle bar that stretches some three miles to Torcross. The Ark has a swimming pool in its landscaped grounds, which fade away towards the shore, providing views that begin at Start Point and finish at the Dart Estuary. The grounds offer a vegetable garden and greenhouse; outbuildings include a boathouse, summer house and pool house. Marchand Petit (01803 839190)
Kent, £895,000
Grade Ii-listed South Foreland House, in the seaside town of Deal, comes with three bedrooms, four floors, beautiful views and an interesting history—it used to be known as the South Foreland Arms. The property has been transformed and modernised into a charming family home, but period features remain, such as high ceilings, tiled floors, sash windows, stripped pine doors and old ship’s timbers. Outside, there are two sun terraces and courtyard gardens, and the beach is only yards away. Bright and Bright (01304 374071)
Cornwall, £1.35 million
In four acres of private grounds on the Fentafriddle Estate, The Farmhouse offers the kind of views over the Atlantic Ocean (top) that seem to expand beyond the horizon and into space itself. The five-bedroom house—accessed via a long sweeping drive—has been refurbished and modernised. It offers 2,990sq ft of living space over its two floors and is within a mile of the beach and amenities of Trebarwith Strand. The grounds are a mix of terraced lawned areas, vegetable beds, a herb garden and paddocks, and include a separate studio annexe and a large agricultural shed for boat storage (or anything else). Should all of that not be enough, a further 45 acres of land can be purchased via separate negotiation and a wind turbine is available, for a guide of £200,000, which provides free electricity, an annual income of £25,000 and a secured feed-in tariff for 13 more years. John Bray and Partners (01208 862601)
Northumberland, £645,000
Home of the famous smoked kipper and the Jolly Fisherman pub, Craster is also the location of Maggie’s Den, a recently converted cottage that was formerly fishermen’s storage huts. The three-bedroom home is achingly contemporary, with the ground floor, in which you’ll find the kitchen, dining area and sitting area, being almost totally open-plan, with floor-to-ceiling windows providing views of the harbour, which is across the street. Within easy reach are Howick Hall, Dunstanburgh Castle and Alnwick Castle, which makes Maggie’s Den well suited as a holiday home with the potential for letting, but it is well served by schools, should it be a family home. Finest Properties (01434 622234)
Devon, £520,000
In the sought-after street of Crowthers Hill in Dartmouth, The Garden Cottage is the ideal holiday home for weekend sailors or perfect for those downsizing. The current owners have improved the accommodation, although there is plenty of scope for further renovation of this three-bedroom cottage. What needs no improvement is the garden, which has been carefully planted and landscaped and has outstanding views. Winkworths (01803 832288)