LETS START WITH THE WESTSIDE STORY...
It all started with our honeymoon when myself, Neil, and my Wife Nicola, fell in love with Cornwall (Oh and we are still in love with each other). After that first and memorable trip, we have been coming back every year as often as we can. I always had, in the back of my mind, the idea that one day we might own a place of our own here, a bolt hole, an escape
from the rat race, a place to call home, a place maybe to retire to one day. After many hard years of redundancies, job changes, house moves and the addition of a daughter it was far from our minds. The idea always re-emerged every time we came back on holiday, but was then neatly filed away again. I occasionally visited property websites to look at places in our beloved county, but we were never in a position to do anything about them and prices were always too high. But one place captured our interest in Cardinham. A village we returned to many many times to stay at a cottage on the Pinsla estate. It was way out of reach, but looked lovely if a little quirky. Years passed and sadly our parents passed away. We invested in our family and home as we came to terms with our respective losses. Then in 2009 my Dad passed away in Spain and after settling his Spanish estate we had a small amount of money to invest. With our daughter more grown up and in a better state financially, we turned our minds to Cornwall again. I returned to trawling the property sites, not with any firm intent, just mild interest and came up with a number of shortlisted properties for viewing on our next holiday trip. We did 'drive bys' in many Cornish villages and many places were discarded. We were ruled by our hearts, not practicality, as we looked. At last we saw a property, as luck would have it, in Cardinham. We booked an appointment to view. As we were shown around, the quirky nature, the views from different angles, it slowly dawned that this was the very same cottage I had seen years before. The difference now was the property market was in a different shape to years ago. We were given time to wander around and it was apparent that it only needed the usual cosmetic improvements. My wife and I were also musing to each other that if we added a couple of dormers and replaced the entrance porch, added a bathroom, re arranged the kitchen it would work a lot better and make a fine place. My wife asked me how much it would cost. I told her the figure I had in mind and it would need to come off the purchase price. I whispered a value into her ear. Like radar the Estate Agent zoned in on my comment. "Is that an offer?" She optimistically enquired. Taken aback, we said, "well it's below the asking price, would it be considered seriously?" "You never know" she said, "you never know". We became the current custodians of Westside cottage in 2010. Built in the late 17th, early 18th century, as two farm workers cottages, it has seen many changes. During the refurbishment and many trips to work on her, we discovered that it was lucky we chose this location. There were many dark nights driving down for the weekend to do work. Had we bought further into the county the drive would have been murder. With Bodmin nearby, Builders Merchants and DIY stores were on our doorstep. We were also right between the A30 and A38 so access from either route was easy. For 6 months we shivered under tarpaulins with dripping water, dust and plaster everywhere, but gradually the shine came back. A home was created. Since then we have turned to the garden and it too is coming back to life, working with what is there, with the landscape behind. It is a pretty Moorland garden and perfectly sets off our home. That was the start of our continued love affair with Cornwall, with its people and with our home from home "Westside Cottage". Now YOU like can share the magic with us! PROPERTY DESCRIPTION...
Westside cottage stands in a quarter of an acre of mature country garden. Retaining much of the original charm and character, the Cottage provides warm and cosy year round accommodation set in an area of outstanding natural beauty, centrally located just 5 miles from the historic town of Bodmin. The property is approached by a gated gravel driveway with ample parking and a slate path that leads to the front entrance porch and a stable door opening directly into the attractive beamed living room that spans the width of the cottage. On one side, comfortable lounge seating is arranged before a granite fireplace retaining the original cloam oven and a wood burning stove, and on the opposite side, there is a dining suite next to a stove effect electric fire set within a second granite fireplace. French doors open from the dining area onto a small sunny patio area. At the rear, an inner hall has a fully glazed door to the garden and decking area, a bathroom W.C. with hand basin and shower over the bath, a newly fitted kitchen and an adjacent utility room with access to the driveway. Upstairs are two pleasant bedrooms with double and twin zip link beds (making a 6’0 double if required) respectively, both with beamed ceilings, exposed stonework and window seats overlooking the front garden. To complete the accommodation, one step leads up to a shower room W.C. with hand basin; the ground floor bathroom and upstairs shower room both benefit from electric under-floor heating and heated towel rails. The extensive gardens surrounding the property have a secluded lawn and pretty curved wooden deck at the rear, a summerhouse at the top of the garden enjoys beautiful views over fields and wooded hills and there is a log store with secure storage space for bicycles and beach gear. With regret Westside does not accommodate pets and for the benefit of other guests is a non smoking cottage. Features Summary
Central Heating, Wood Burner, Digital TV (4) (Freesat hard drive recorder in lounge), DVD player, stereo surround sound system, WIFI Broadband, electric cooker, double oven, microwave, fridge/freezer, dishwasher, washer/dryer, High Chair, garden furniture, duvets, lockable bike store. Central heating & electricity inclusive
