Woodhouse Hill, Uplyme, Lyme Regis, Devon, DT7 3SL

Woodhill House occupies an idyllic location off a country lane, within a community in a woodland setting under Trinity Hill, overlooking the beautiful River Lym valley and its unspoilt, rolling, partly wooded, surrounding countryside, and thus offers genuine peace and tranquillity with spectacular views to Lyme Bay and with Portland and Chesil Beach visible in the far distance on a clear day.

The house is believed to originate from the 1950’s, but to have been substantially extended and improved in the 1990’s and early 2000’s, adding the distinctive Italianate style façade with the two levels of decking making full use of the outstanding views and setting.

The gravel entrance driveway leads up from Cathole Lane to the parking and turning area below the house and two flights of steps and a pathway rise to the glazed front door into the reception hall.

Many of the rooms have features such as dado rails, wall panelling, decorative ceiling moulds and sets of French doors from the sitting/dining room, sun room and kitchen/breakfast room out to the decked terrace with stunning views across the valley and out to sea.

Glazed double doors open from the hall into the large sitting/dining room with woodburner and a door into the sun room, glazed around three sides and with stone paved flooring.

On the other side of the hall is the kitchen/breakfast room with fitted kitchen, walk-in larder/utility, walk-in cloaks cupboard and door to the boot room and back door.

The staircase from the hall rises to a mezzanine with stairs leading one way to the lovely principal bedroom with ‘Juliet balcony’ and French doors with stunning views to the sea, and an en suite shower room.

Stairs to the other side of the mezzanine rise to the landing and three further bedrooms and family bathroom, one of the bedrooms having French doors out to the upper decked balcony, also enjoying the spectacular views to the sea.

There is excellent wardrobe cupboard space throughout the first floor.

Beside the parking and turning area at the end of the drive is a charming octagonal potting shed/store which the owners call ‘the turret’.

Broad timber decking runs the length of the house on the south east side, with steps up to further decking above, both offering fabulous views over the surrounding countryside and out to sea and providing idyllic spots for outside dining and relaxing.

To one side of the house is a terrace with potager vegetable garden with raised beds. Beside this is the chalet/garden store and a decked area. A further terrace below this contains the greenhouse.

There are steps up either side of the house to gates onto St Mary’s Lane behind.

Essentially below the house, and to the front and side of it, are lovely, well managed, terraced gardens stocked with a profusion of ornamental plants, shrubs and trees.

Adjoining the gardens is an area of sloping, ancient, natural woodland, being a haven for wild flora and fauna.

Woodhill House is within the beautiful River Lym valley, on the East Devon/West Dorset borders, about a mile from the village of Uplyme and to the north west of Lyme Regis.

Uplyme has a general store/post office at the petrol station, village hall, pub and cricket club.

Lyme Regis, known as the ‘pearl of Dorset’, is a picturesque and vibrant coastal town, including its famous ‘Cobb’ harbour, beach and Regency seafront.

The town offers many independent shops, supermarkets and excellent cafés, pubs and restaurants.

There is a theatre, medical centre and museums and the harbour provides excellent opportunities for sailing and fishing and the sandy beach is popular with families.

Lyme Regis is situated on the stunning ‘Jurassic Coast’, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and there is spectacular coastal walking along the South West Coast Path.

Along the coast are pretty coastal villages and towns such as Beer, Branscombe, Bridport and Sidmouth. Axminster has a good selection of local amenities, including a weekly market.

The beautiful surrounding, unspoilt, rolling countryside on the Devon/Dorset borders is well served by a network of footpaths and bridleways, including through the Trinity Hill nature reserve behind the house.

There are golf courses at Lyme Regis, Bridport and Honiton. Nearby is the renowned River Cottage HQ with cookery school, events and dining, which is within about 20 minutes walk.

Schools in the area include primary schools at Uplyme and Charmouth, The Woodroffe School in Lyme Regis and the nationally renowned Colyton Grammar School.

There is a selection of private schools in both Taunton and Exeter.

There is a train station in Axminster with mainline connections to London (Waterloo) and also in Taunton, connecting to London Paddington.

There is access, via the A35, onto the A30 at Honiton, leading west to the university and cathedral city of Exeter, and east to the A303 towards London.

At Taunton there is access onto the M5 motorway and at Exeter there is an airport with services to both domestic and international destinations.