RANSCOMBE MANOR, DEVON £2,750,000

Positioned in the heart of the gloriously bucolic South Hams hills, this 17th-century jewel is a perfect base for those keen on kayaking, rowing or a bracing dip in Frogmore Creek. It also offers more serene waterside pleasures in the form of its own lily pond and meandering stream. Contact Knight Frank (www.knightfrank.co.uk).