Imagine sipping your morning coffee overlooking the miles of glistening water and uninterrupted views of beautiful Knockinelder Bay.
Or how about making those cherished times on golden sands with family and friends an everyday pleasure ungoverned by work, holiday and weather restrictions?
This stunning property - “St Ives”, at 7 Kearney Road outside Portaferry - represents a unique opportunity to acquire a home that is, to put it simply and in all its glory, right on the beach.
Here on the Ards Peninsula, and just over 30 miles from Belfast, lies a versatile property that would make for a perfect principal residence or second holiday home given both its stunning natural setting and temperate East Coast climate.
With two miles of coast right on your doorstep, St Ives enjoys a very special and unique setting.
So unique in fact, that the lands surrounding it are owned and maintained by the National Trust. Beautiful Kearney, a former mill village less than a mile from the cottage, lay deserted until the National Trust took it over in 1965 along with 31 acres of foreshore, four acres of village land with 14 houses and covenants over a further 284 acres.
This of course ensures that this beautiful stretch of coast receives due care and attention. Kearney is meanwhile a jewel in the National Trust’s crown brought recently to the small screen in all its glory as the setting of hit BBC drama, My Mother and Other Strangers.
While its location is no doubt its unique selling point, St Ives is also a highly functional and desirable home with four bedrooms and a general layout that captures these sublime views to their maximum potential.
It is typical of a coastal property with a spacious L shaped lounge featuring a beamed ceiling, a stone fireplace and of course, picture windows among its many charms.
On through to the sun lounge where more exquisite views await along with patio doors to your paved terrace - the perfect space from which to sit back and smell the sea air.
If you don’t fancy sand between your toes that day of course.
The kitchen comes with a good range of fitted units, tiled floor and charmingly, a stable style half door to the rear of the property.
This home also enjoys a separate dining room where your guests can marvel at the antique stone fireplace complete with crook and crane for a fond blast from the past. A smaller bedroom and convenient shower room featuring a luxury white suite is also located downstairs.
On to the first floor which boasts a beautiful master bedroom with a beam style ceiling as the main highlight. Built in wardrobes maximise space while an ensuite bolsters practicality even further. Bedrooms two and three are also of generous proportions.
The property demands nothing in terms of renovation and comes complete with double glazed windows and oil central heating. Its lucky owner can enjoy extensive parking and lawns to either side of the property.
There’s also a large internal garage with store and a private slipway onto the beach. The list of bonuses here are as endless as the views of the glistening Irish Sea.
The opportunities for leisure are also bountiful. Meanwhile the region around here is saturated in maritime history dating back to the 8th century.
Research even suggests that the name Knockinelder translated from Gaelic means “the hill of the eagle” and that the word eagle refers to a Viking chieftain who was laid to rest here.
It is also recorded that a famine ship left the bay in 1846 but was never seen again.
There are also many unusual geographical features in this area which demand exploring alongside manmade treasures including of course, the picturesque Quintin Castle. Seals are also a common sight along this coastline.
St Ives is a property that strikes the perfect balance in terms of its looks, location and of course, functionality.
It feels worlds away from everyday life considering its truly unique coastal setting. However Portaferry, a town brimming with amenities is easily accessible as are Newtownards and Belfast city.
Here at Knockinelder Bay, a world of opportunity awaits prospective buyers.
For further details and a video tour go to www.ianmccullagh.com or speak to the estate agent on 028 9040 3740.
Offers in the region of £750,000
