An irresistibly pretty coastguard cottage only accessible by boat — yet just a few splashes of an oar from the pub

Perched high above the Yealm estuary, this former coastguard cottage in Wembury is ideal if you are looking for peace and seclusion. Not only it is bordered by National Trust Woodland, but it can only be reached on foot or by boat.

Yet the shops and pubs of Newton Ferrers and Noss Mayo are a few oar splashes away and Plymouth is only ten miles down the road, making One, Coastguard Cottages — on the market with Knight Frank at £525,000 — the perfect hideaway.

Set at the end of a row of four properties, this whitewashed, beautifully maintained cottage, which was built in the 1830s and is listed Grade II, spans 1,279 sq ft across two floors.

Downstairs is the sitting room, with its wood burner, the dining room, with an original cast iron Carron cooking range dating from the 1830s, and the kitchen which has a two-door Aga and granite surfaces, while the first floor houses three double bedrooms.

The house is in a perfectly habitable state, but as you can see from the pictures would benefit from a bit of TLC. But given the price, that doesn't seem an unreasonable burden for a house in such a fine spot.

Views are nothing short of spectacular, with the main reception rooms and two bedrooms looking out towards the Yealm’s deep water pool.

The best vantage point, however, is the front terrace, which looks out towards the estuary with Newton Ferrers, Noss Mayo and Dartmoor beyond. It is the perfect spot for an aperitif followed by alfresco dining.

There is also a panoramic, sloping garden at the back of the cottage, which leads to a coastal footpath. A ferry service links Wembury, where the property is situated, to Warren Point, Yealm Steps and Wide Slip between April and September but One, Coastguard Cottage also has its own stone jetty and a running mooring.

Planning permission is also in place to extend the quay and there may be an option to rent a deep-water mooring upstream, making the property ideal not just for canoeists and dinghy sailors but also for keel-boat owners.

One, Coastguard Cottages is for sale through Knight Frank at £525,000 — see more information and pictures.

Credit: Dewitt's

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