Allow me to be truly, brutally honest for a moment. Stairs are a pain. I hate going down them, and I especially hate going down them. Is there any worse feeling than leaving something upstairs and realising you have to go back up to get it? Makes me sick just thinking about it.
The bungalow doesn’t get enough credit. Everything you need on one floor. A house to grow old in. A house where you don’t have to worry about an agonising creak whenever you’re sneaking around in the night.
Imagine my joy when presented with this property on the Helford River in Cornwall. For sale for the first time in more than 30 years, it has earned the nickname of the ‘mega bungalow’ on the Country Life Property Desk. It has four bedrooms, four reception rooms and three bathrooms, all on one floor. Heaven. It is for sale with Lillicrap Chilcott for £2.65 million
Even more heavenly is its position, situated in glorious manicured gardens with ‘commanding views’ over the mouth of the Helford River. No stairs and good views is the key to my heart, in case anyone was wondering.
The property offers more than 3,000sq ft of living space, as well as a garage and ¾ of an acre of gardens. So there is no shortage of space. Highlands, as it is known, is arranged carefully, with the bedrooms to the north and west of the property, with the reception rooms to the south to make the most of the sunlight. The large kitchen/breakfast room occupies the centre of the home.
As well as being easy to live in, the property’s location means it is also easy to take advantage of the myriad things to do in Helford Passage and beyond. Within walking distance are a pub, sailing facilities, the beach and the Budock Vean golf course.
If all that wasn’t enough, and you decide that you do need some stairs, planning permission is in place for two further en-suite bedrooms on the as yet built first floor.
-
Baby elephants, 60s classics and David Beckham's last meal on planet earth in the Country Life Quiz of the Day, October 24, 2025Test your general knowledge this fine Thursday.
-
In the footsteps of the Beckhams: Five beautiful homes in Manchester, Miami, Madrid, London and the CotswoldsIn honour of this week's guest editor of Country Life, we take a look at some of the finest homes for sale in places that Sir David Beckham and his family have called home in the last 25 years.
-
The wisteria clad cottage where Noël Coward and Ivor Novello held court at the height of their fameThe 17th-century Follejon Cottage just outside Windsor was a perfect escape from the city for Noël Coward and his circle of friends. As it goes on the market, Penny Churchill takes a look.
-
A Cotswolds property that's the strangest mix of old and new we've ever seen... and yet somehow, it all worksThe Gasworks is a house quite unlike anything you've seen before — or at least anything you've seen all in one place. Toby Keel takes a closer look.
-
A country house near Windsor that could be straight from the pages of a Jilly Cooper novelPenny Churchill looks at the beautiful polo-lover's sanctuary that is Barkham Square Park.
-
The factory that once fuelled the Victorians' insatiable appetite for pianos has become a set of gorgeous, characterful apartmentsChappell & Co were a huge name in 19th century music, even working with Beethoven. Today, one of their old factories in Camden has become a series of beautiful apartments.
-
What £1 million buys you across Britain, from a Cornish cottage to a miniature castle in the HighlandsSprawling country houses, a mini-estate in Scotland and homes where the sea almost laps up at your feet are among the property options open to those with a seven-figure budget. Here's our pick of the best £1 million houses for sale across the land.
-
The Hampshire home of a Victoria Cross-winning British WWI ace fighter pilot is for sale, with lake, chapel and some of the best fishing rights in EnglandPenny Churchill looks at Longparish House, a north Hampshire haven on the River Test.
-
Five superb country homes, from under £1 million to £20 million, as seen in Country LifeOur look at some the best homes to come up for sale via Country Life in the past week includes a Wiltshire dream home and a vast Kent mansion that's an easy commute to the City.
-
Rock stars and the country house: Liam Gallagher's life in the Cotswolds is in the finest tradition of music A-listers, from The Beatles to BeyoncéWhat is it about the British countryside that draws A-listers from every walk of life? With Liam Gallagher's Cotswold former home on the market, Toby Keel takes a look.
