Dartmouth may be just shy of 200 miles away from Birmingham but it is surprisingly easy to get to thanks to a direct route down the M5.
It was this convenience which attracts many Midlanders to the Devonshire town, which some have dubbed Birmingham-on-Sea.
It led the owners of Gullsway Boathouse as far as investing in it as a holiday getaway.
After enjoying many breaks there over the years since they were introduced to Dartmouth by friends from Birmingham, they bought the boathouse 12 years ago.
It was divided into two apartments. After viewing they were “blown away” by its prime position and the views from the terrace overlooking the River Dart, up to the harbour and naval college and down to the old castle and the sea.
The purchase meant they not only had a permanent base there whenever they felt like a break but also a ready source of income from holiday rentals.
Highlights of their years spent there have included parties in the house and barbecues on the terrace.
They have watched the fishing boats and yachts go by, including the Hebridean Princess, which the Royal family charter.
The children have spent hours crabbing from the sea wall or enjoying watching the wildlife. There was one harbour seal so fat he almost capsized a neighbour’s dory when he tried to clamber aboard to sunbathe.
And they had the best seats in the house for the Dartmouth Royal Regatta at the end of every August, with flyovers by the Red Arrows, air and sea rescue displays and boat flotillas.
Family commitments mean the owners are having to spend more time in Harborne so they are reluctantly having to say goodbye to their holiday escape.
“We will be sad to sell but have incredible memories of fantastic times there. It is now time for a new chapter,” they said.
“The new owners may want to keep it as it is, convert it to one large family home, or use the planning permission we gained to create a whole new third floor apartment as a fantastic project.”
Gullsway Boathouse is just off South Town and five minutes’ walk from Dartmouth town centre. It also has two running moorings meaning it can be accessed from the water.
It is currently made up of two two-bedroom apartments with planning permission for another storey to be added to the building and third two-bedroom apartment created.
The upper apartment has an L-shaped hallway, off which there is an open plan living area with sliding glass doors to the deck and views over the river to Kingswear and out past Dartmouth Castle to the open sea.
It has a fitted kitchen area with integrated appliances.
At the back of the flat, there are two double bedrooms, both with windows to the small grotto style garden.
The bathroom has a white suite with bath and shower over and a wash basin. The toilet is separate.
The Lower Apartment is entered from the terrace through French doors with arched windows to either side.
In the open plan living area, there is a wood burning stove.
The kitchen has two-tone units with a hob, oven, dishwasher, refrigerator and microwave.
Double doors open to the inner hall off which there is a bathroom with white suite that includes a double end bath, toilet, vanity basin above a cupboard and a separate walk-in shower.
There is also a separate toilet.
A walk-in store acts as a laundry with plumbing for a washing machine.
A stone archway from the original boathouse leads to two double bedrooms, both with mirror-fronted wardrobes. One of them has a glazed door out to the grotto garden.
Outside there is a good sized terrace bordered by a stone-built seawall with access to the river via a metal staircase with handrail.
To the back, off the main access steps, is a small paved sitting area with wonderful views and a small brick store. Two running moorings are situated about 15-30 metres from the sea wall and are available subject to consent from the Dart Harbour Authority.
The current cost is approximately £114 pa.
VIEWING INFORMATION
AGENT: Fulfords
TEL: 01803 670538
WEB: www.fulfords.co.uk
GUIDE PRICE: £1,100,000
