If you are are house hunting in Cornwall, there is a general rule of thumb: the further you go down the A30, the further your money will stretch. Our recent look at the dramatic Porthledden, near St Just and Penzance, demonstrates this, with 10 bedrooms and 13,000 sq ft on sale at £5m; contrast this with Constantine Cottage, where the same budget 'only' gets you four bedrooms and 2,700 sq ft.
You don't have to be quite that rich to enjoy a house in this gorgeous part of the country, and in fact £2m will still get you a three-bedroom house in one of Cornwall’s most celebrated villages. Take the example of Beach Haven, on the relatively accessible north Cornish coast, which is on the market at £1.95m via John Bray Estates.
It's a home in the perennially popular village of Polzeath, just a few steps from the beach and right across the Camel Estuary from Padstow.
The house is up for sale for the first time since 1984, though it has been changed since then. This modest bungalow was extended in the mid 1990s and looks like an ideal holiday cottage, with a large games room and all-important wetsuit-and-surfboard store.
It sits in a tucked-away position, yet is only a few steps from the heart of the village and offers beach and sea views from many of the windows.
To the rear is about an acre of garden, including an area of mature woodland — a real rare find, according to agent Josephine Ashby. ‘Large plots so close to the sea with scope to create your own vision are extremely rare here,’ she says.
And the village itself is one of the best in the country — particularly for surfers.
‘Polzeath remains one of the most popular surf beaches in the UK, with multi-generational appeal,’ Josephine adds.
Beach Haven is for sale at £1.95m — see more details and pictures.
Credit: Strutt and Parker
Best country houses for sale this week
An irresistible West Country cottage and a magnificent Cumbrian country house make our pick of the finest country houses for
Credit: Alamy
Five beautiful seaside towns in Britain where you can still find a property bargain
Places like Padstow may be priced beyond the reach of most people, but there are still places around Britain's lovely
The biggest country house sales of 2023, from the ultimate Padstow getaway to one of Britain's greatest stately homes
The Scyther: ‘We were up in arms about Poldark – his swing was all wrong’
Scything was almost forgotten until Aidan Turner’s turn in Poldark, but Nigel Adams says there’s still a place for it.
How to turn your home into a film location
Welcoming a film crew into your home can bring fame and a little fortune, says Flora Watkins.
-
Merlins: Britain's smallest bird of prey is a 'swerving, zigzagging, 240mph weighted missile' that's gutsy enough to chase off a golden eagleSize doesn’t matter when it comes to the fighting spirit of the tiny merlin, a fierce parent and favoured hunting accessory of Mary, Queen of Scots.
-
The greatest moment in the life of Jessie Owens: Country Life Quiz of the Day, June 13, 2025Breathtaking athleticism and Shakespeare's birthday are among the questions in the final quiz of the week.
-
Soft tones and a sense of place: A Mayfair duplex that breaks the modern mouldA new designer-led residence at 60 Curzon in Mayfair reminds us that everything new doesn't necessarily have to look it.
-
'The very best North Yorkshire has to offer': The £25 million Kirkham EstateWith 1,103 acres and on the market for the first time in a century, we've got a new frontrunner for the sale of the year.
-
The reality of 20 years of house price rises in Britain, from the places that have had a charmed life to the spots where it's a struggle to move back homeAt first glance the ups and downs of the property market seem to even out over time — but dig in to the numbers and you'll see wild regional variations which paint a very difference picture. Annabel Dixon analyses new research which tells the story.
-
A historic Yorkshire hall, meticulously restored to its former 18th-century magnificenceWomersley Park is a masterpiece and one of Yorkshire's great historic houses. And it could be yours.
-
Rowing past dreams: An idyllic riverside home with a boathouse, croquet pitch and Olympic pedigreeThe Manor in Long Wittenham is a perfect Thames-side getaway. Comes with a free boat.
-
A bucolic Sussex home that's 'like stepping into a fairytale', yet just 30 minutes from central LondonFelmere House is a playground for nature and only 30 minutes from London.
-
Magnificent mansions across the Home Counties, from £3 million to £14 million, as seen in Country LifeA waterside dream home and a house and estate with over 1,100 years of history make our round-up this week.
-
Vibrant colours and exquisite taste make this three-bedroom London townhouse singOn Kennington's West Square, this Grade II-listed home is a monument to the discerning eye.
