Six Thames-side homes where you can watch the Boat Race without even getting out of your pyjamas

The annual Oxford vs Cambridge University Boat Race is upon us, and that prompts three obvious questions. Who will win? Why do people who didn't go to Oxford or Cambridge care who wins? And what would it be like to live in one of those lovely houses you see them row past?

I definitely can't help with question one, and question two has always puzzled me too — but care people do. Millions tune in to watch each year, and I suppose that rooting for an arbitrary seat of learning that you didn't go to is no different to, say, Liverpool FC having millions of fans who've never set foot on Merseyside.

Question three, though, is right in the Country Life sweetspot. So, ahead of the event that is officially entitled The CHANEL J12 Boat Race, here's a look at six of those lovely houses on the banks of the Boat Race route from Putney to Mortlake on the River Thames.

Putney Bridge — £4,950,000

This grand and beautiful sitting room has a wonderful view of the Thames at Putney, where the race begins.

But this is a home that has far more to offer than just its proximity to the River Thames: three storeys and over 3,000sq ft of space is a rare find in this part of London — the agents call it 'waterfront living at its absolute best'.

For sale via Savills — see more details and pictures.

Fulham — £3,250,000

For Boat Race fans, there is surely only thing better than being able to watch the action while literally still in bed — and that is to do so while in your house on Oxbridge Terrace.

The three-bedroom house is one of five in this converted building right on the waterfront with uninterrupted views of the River Thames. It's also close to the action, and in particular Munster Village, a small area of boutique cafes and shops.

For sale via Nested — see more details.

Hammersmith Bridge, Chiswick side — £2,500,000

You really can just sit on your own sofa and see the Boat Race go by from this house in a little enclave in Chiswick called Strand-on-the-Green. It's the sort of charming, tucked away London spot where Richard Curtis should set a rom-com.

The house is just as quirky and fun as you'd hope of what is as close as you'll find to a beach house on the Thames, though there's a bit of work to be done.

For sale via Knight Frank — see more details and pictures.

Hammersmith Bridge, Barnes side — £1,350,000

Barnes is one of the loveliest — but also one of the priciest — parts of south-west London, so to find a home this close to the waterside at 'only' £1.35 million is actually pretty good, particularly when it's a mansion flat of great quality.

As the pictures show, it's beautifully kept, has three balconies, and access to the communal gardens. The mature trees add to the beauty of those gardens — and given that the Boat Race usually takes place before the leaves come out, you'll still get a good view of the action on the water each year.

For sale via Chestertons — see more details and pictures.

Chiswick — £5,250,000

Okay, so you can't see the river from the main living space in this gorgeous Chiswick house — but what a great place to sit while watching it on TV. And then, as the rowers approach, you can dash out to the balcony and enjoy this fabulous river view.

A house this size, in this postcode, with this big of a garden is a real treat — and probably the pick of the homes on this page for life on the other 51 non-Boat Race weeks of the year.

For sale via Knight Frank — see more details and pictures.

Mortlake — £825,000

Finishing on a high note — for Boat Race on-the-nose terms, if not for plushness of accommodation — is this two-bedroom flat in Boatrace Court. Really. That's what it's called: Boatrace Court, and it has a sensational view of the River Thames at Mortlake.

It may not be the prettiest buildings, but it does have over 1,200sq ft, two bedrooms and a substantially more affordable price tag than the other homes on this page — and the best view of the finish line.

For sale via Chestertons — see more details and pictures.