Hillcrest, Bleak Hill, Ringwood, BH24 3PX

Hillcrest is a house with plenty of character, set within delightful gardens and grounds and approached via a long gravel driveway which creates a rather lovely 'sense of arrival'.

The property offers five bedrooms and four flexible reception rooms with traditional styling throughout.

The main formal reception room is the generous, 22ft drawing room, with its dual aspect and fireplace fitted with a logburner.

A glass door leads to the sunny conservatory, providing further space in which to relax and a vantage point to enjoy the beautiful gardens, with French doors opening to a patio area for al fresco dining.

Further reception rooms include the dining room and the relaxed sitting room, which adjoins the modern kitchen with its white farmhouse-style fitted units, butler sink and integrated appliances.

The neighbouring utility room offers additional space for home storage and appliances. Upstairs there are five comfortable bedrooms, one of which is currently used as a private home study.

The principal bedroom has an en suite bathroom with an over-bath shower, while three further bedrooms benefit from built-in cupboard space. The first floor also has a family bathroom.

Outside there are extensive gardens and grounds, backing onto woodland and open countryside.

The wrap-around gardens face south at the front and include rolling lawns, well-tended hedgerows, various mature trees and numerous tropical palm specimens, as well as an array of colourful flowering perennials.

Beyond the gardens there are fields and paddocks, while outbuildings include a piggery, a stable block with three stables and a field shelter.

There is also a double garage, approached via a gravel driveway at the rear of the house.

The property is situated in the hamlet of Harbridge, close to the western banks of the River Avon and the New Forest National Park in Hampshire.

The hamlet has a historic parish church, while everyday amenities are easily accessible in the market town of Ringwood, approximately four miles to the south.

Ringwood supports a shopping centre with high end brands, including The White Company, Crew and Hobbs, along with a Waitrose store.

There is also a selection of independent shops, restaurants, cafés, a leisure centre, a weekly Wednesday market and monthly Farmers market.

The charming riverside town of Fordingbridge, three miles to the north, provides further shops and everyday services.

Schooling in the area is well provided for, with the independent Forres Sandle Manor within easy reach, along with state primary and secondary schooling in Ringwood and Fordingbridge.

The A338 provides road access towards Bournemouth and Salisbury, while the A31 connects towards the M27 and Southampton.