Kessingland is a large coastal village with a thriving community and, at its eastern edge, a long, unspoilt beach. The sands here were planted with protective marram grass by ‘King Solomon’s Mines’ author H. Rider Haggard, who spent his summers in the village, often visited by his friend Rudyard Kipling. Less than 6 miles to the north, Lowestoft is a town steeped in maritime history and a leader in the renewable energy industry. From its busy harbour high-speed boats service the wind farms miles offshore and leisure yachts set off on North Sea passages, while giant wind turbine ‘Gulliver’, the tallest in the UK, turns at nearby Ness Point. Less than 9 miles in the other direction, Southwold is one of Suffolk’s iconic seaside towns with a pier, seafront promenade and a wealth of family-friendly attractions. Away from the coast, the busy watersports centre of Oulton Broad is a 5-mile drive inland and the southern gateway to the Broads National Park.
This impressive Victorian residence is ideal for a big group getaway or multi-generational family gathering, with lots of thoughtful touches to keep younger guests entertained. You’ll know you’ve arrived the moment you pass through the front porch and hallway into a large open-plan kitchen where the sea views vie for attention with a magnificent island unit and a huge dining table – everyone will want to linger over good food and conversation here. On-trend fixtures include a Range-style cooker, there’s a sofa for chats over coffee, and a range of toys and games for children to enjoy. There are two cloakrooms on the ground floor. One is reached most readily from the back door of the house where there’s an outdoor hot shower adjacent – perfect for guests returning from beach strolls or perhaps a swim in the sea. Doubling as a utility area, this room also has space for sorting and storing beach equipment, and houses a washer/dryer. When it’s time to wind down in the evening, the living room is a lovely place to relax with a wood burner, selection of soft seating and a large TV with Freeview for entertainment. More fun awaits downstairs in the basement, however, where a games room includes a home cinema system, pool table, piano and more seating… the youngsters will love to chill-out here, but it’s a great space where the grown-ups can enjoy late-night movies too! Overall there are eight bedrooms in this property – four on each of the top two floors. On the first floor there’s an easily-accessed cloakroom and separate family bathroom. The versatile range of bedrooms begins with one that offers the option of either a super-king-sized or twin beds and boasts fabulous sea and beach views. Two further bedrooms offer the same choice of twin or super-king-size beds and each have an en-suite bathroom, while the fourth is a bunk bedroom perfect for children or a single adult and has an en-suite shower room. On the second floor there’s a light, bright single bedroom with lovely sea views and an en-suite shower room, plus two rooms that each house a child’s raised cabin bed and a small single bed and have small windows with sea views. A family bathroom provides convenience on this uppermost floor, the layout of which is completed with a large bedroom which has the option of twins or a super-king-size bed and is complemented by a mini kitchenette and an en-suite shower room.
Outside, the garden has a large sea-facing terrace with enough seating for everyone and plenty to entertain, including a large sunken trampoline, slide and Wendy house. Play games on the lawn or relax in the second, south-facing seating area; you’ll find a built in Gas BBQ for al fresco dining, and a gate with steps leads straight onto the dunes that edge the beach.