Nr Upton Bishop, Ross-on-Wye

Seller's Insight:
When we moved to Oak Crest nearly 12 years ago, it was a little sad and uncared for but we have given it a lovely garden in keeping, nearly, with its beautiful view, greatly improved it, secured it and made it a home.
We hope we've created a spacious, comfortable yet cosy country house with a welcoming feel. It is a 'one-off', with, arguably some of the most stupendous views in the county from every window and some of the most spectacular sunsets on the planet! You certainly appreciate the changing seasons from here overlooking the Forest of Dean, Ross-on-Wye, and Hay.
Any family who chooses to live here may be fortunate enough to see a myriad variety of birds, including rare skylarks which are filling our adjacent fields with song at the moment, red kites, buzzards, hares, foxes, hedgehogs, rabbits and occasionally fallow deer pass right by the house.

The house is a refuge and such a cosy home during the winter months with the log burner lit and, in good weather, it changes its character and becomes a great 'outdoor' space with its jaw-dropping views. All the shrubs, flowers and trees that we have planted at Oak Crest are now becoming mature and sturdy. The workshop has power for any DIY that needs to be done and the garden shed, next to the vegetable beds is ideal for 'potting up', next to the compost areas.
Although we are, strictly speaking, 'neighbourless', we have some lovely friends across the road from us and it takes only a few minutes to reach Ross town, Linton, where you will find the wonderful Alma Inn, Fownhope, Bromsash or Gorsley. Commuting is a doddle from here, if you need to reach anywhere for work, visits or play, and you can travel to London from Ledbury and Gloucester stations with comparative ease.

The house would provide plenty of room for families, equally office space for working-from-home members of a family, or indeed a whole annexe for visitors or relatives. The space offered is flexible yet comfortable at the same time.
In short, Oak Crest provides a wonderful home. It has superb views, access to the countryside and town, and is set in a unique environment. Thank you to our lovely house, it has been a privilege.

An idyllic location:
The hamlet of Old Gore sits around three miles from Ross-on-Wye, a south Herefordshire market town which is famed for being the birthplace of British tourism due to its spectacular scenery. The town is perched on red sandstone cliffs which overlook the River Wye. The town centre features an array of shops, independently owned boutiques, a range of restaurants, welcoming pubs, and various leisure facilities. There are also four primary schools and one high-school in the town, plus two GP surgeries and a community hospital. From Oak Crest, there is a myriad of well-marked neighbouring footpaths through the surrounding countryside. A particularly tranquil woodland walk leads down to the riverside hamlet of Hole in the Wall, and in early spring a purple haze of bluebells carpets the ground along the route. The Wobage Makers Gallery, open Thursday - Saturday, is also within walking distance from the property.

Excellent transport links:
Junction 4 of the M50 motorway is around a mile and a half from Old Gore. Providing good access to the M5 - with Birmingham to the north and Bristol to the south. The A40 can be joined at Ross-on-Wye and the eastbound road provides a direct route to Gloucester, Cheltenham, and the Cotswolds. Meanwhile, motorists heading in the opposite direction can journey towards the M4 at Newport, giving access to Cardiff and London. Birmingham City Airport, Bristol Airport and Cardiff Airport are each approximately one hour away by car. Railway stations can be found at Gloucester, Hereford, and Ledbury - all of which can carry commuters on to London.

The home at a glance:
Oak Crest originally served as the police station for the rural bobbies in this area. Over the years the property has been suitably extended, making the ground floor in particular deceptively spacious, and offering excellent versatility. The home is set centrally within its plot. A wooden five-bar gate, along with mature trees and established shrubs all help to create a sense of privacy. The current owners landscaped the front garden to give a generous, gravelled driveway and oak-framed carport, which has a storage area above. A feature turning circle plus raised beds have been planted with an assortment of ornamental plants, setting a delightful, and yet practical scene.

The front door opens into a porch, giving plenty of space to remove boots and coats after time spent enjoying the great outdoors. A handsome reception hall is beyond here, and to the right, there is a beautifully bright, dual aspect sitting room. The main focal point here is an exposed brick fireplace with an oak mantle. This houses a wood burner and creates an alcove for logs. A triple-glazed picture window at the far end, provides an ideal spot to sit and read and showcases the front garden and driveway.

The extensive dining kitchen is to be found at the far end of the reception hall and this area offers views to the Welsh Black Mountains, and over the surrounding farmland. The well-appointed kitchen is fitted with base-and-wall-mounted sage green shaker-style Howdens units giving a generous amount of storage space. The kitchen also offers attractive worktops, a deep ceramic sink, a Stoves oven with matching grill, an integrated fridge, an induction hob with a concealed Bosch extractor fan, plumbing for a dishwasher, and ample room for a dining table with chairs in the centre of the space.

In the far left-hand corner, a door leads into a recently remodelled utility room, offering space for a fridge/freezer, and plumbing for both a washing machine and tumble dryer. The recently installed high-efficiency Worcester boiler is also housed in this space, and a handmade stable door leads out to the rear garden, with stunning views to May Hill beyond.
Meanwhile, in the far right-hand corner of the kitchen, there is a door leading to an office and this also presents a beautiful and inspirational vista of the country hills beyond the garden.

There are two more reception rooms found on this level of Oak Crest, both of which sit on the left-hand side of the reception hall. Presently, one serves as a snug whereas the other is in use as a study. This could instead be adopted for multi-generational living, making an annexe, or generous guest suite. One room becoming a bedroom with adjoining sitting room, and there is an ideally located shower room/WC that can be utilised next door.

An oak staircase in the reception hall leads to a galleried landing. The family bathroom and three double bedrooms are all housed on this level of the property. The bedrooms all enjoy plenty of natural light and feature secondary glazing, plus splendid, elevated views. Of these rooms, two are dual-aspect, the largest of which has floor-to-ceiling mirrored fitted wardrobes.

Outside, the rear garden gives a tranquil space to soak in the sublime surroundings. A path meanders through a level lawn, past raised beds which are well-stocked with ornamental plants and vibrant blooms. In the far corner of the grounds, there is a generous patio seating area which overlooks May Hill, Linton Ridge, and Hay Bluff.
The rear garden also includes two sheds and a log store situated at the rear of the oak-framed carport.

General:
Services
Oil central heating with recently updated highly efficient Worcester Bosch boiler fitted (still under warranty). Mains electricity and water. Septic tank (new soakaway fitted 6 years ago). 5G available - 200Mb download speed. BT telephone line.
Local Authority - Herefordshire Council. Council tax band F.
Tenure - Freehold
Directions:
From Ross-on-Wye, travel to the Traveller's Rest roundabout and take the first exit to the A449 towards Ledbury. Stay on this road for approximately one and a half miles, then turn right into Oak Crest.
What3Words: waltz.snowstorm.dame
Distances:
Ross-on-Wye 3 miles - Ledbury 10 miles - Hereford 12 miles - Gloucester 18 miles - Cheltenham 24 miles - Bristol 50 miles - (All distances are approximate)