Sandridge Boathouse

Sandridge Boathouse was built in 1760 as a bathing house on the Sandridge Barton estate, about 1¼ miles from Stoke Gabriel, where the River Dart meanders towards Dittisham. It is reached on foot along a 600-yard path through a valley and woods, then down 71 steps to the house, with luggage brought down by Landrover.

Inside, a large open-plan living area has oak floors and a wood burning stove, with floor-to-ceiling French windows folding back onto a covered balcony that wraps around the water's edge. Upstairs, two bedrooms have beams and lofty ceilings: a super king-size double with its own en-suite bathroom and French windows to a small balcony, and a twin. A separate shower room with shower, basin and WC is on the ground floor.

The kitchen has a fridge, freezer, microwave, washer-dryer and dishwasher, and a Smart TV and WiFi cover evenings in. A starter pack of logs is provided for the wood burning stove, with a charge for further loads paid to the owner. A cot and highchair are available on request.

The covered balcony has a table and chairs for meals outside, and there is a barbecue for guests to use. Off-road parking is provided for one car. Bookings can only start on a Friday or a Monday, and winter arrivals are asked for before 3.30pm.

No pets are allowed and the property is no smoking. Stoke Gabriel itself has three pubs, shops and a restaurant, and slopes down to a small quay used for crabbing. Totnes is about four miles away, with Torbay's beaches, Dartmouth and Brixham all within reach.