The Paddocks, Offord D'arcy, Cambridgeshire, PE19

SPECTACULAR VIEWS FROM INDIVIDUALLY DESIGNED VILLAGE HOME, NESTLED IN THE PICTURESQUE CAMBRIDGESHIRE VILLAGE OF OFFORD D’ARCY

A contemporary, 3500 square feet, 4-double bedroom home set in three-quarters-of-an-acre of its own peaceful gardens and looking over miles of the beautiful open countryside surrounding Cambridgeshire’s Offords. With a gym, double garage, car port and driveway parking for numerous cars, not to mention bedrooms and bathrooms both upstairs and downstairs, The Paddocks is thoughtfully designed to suit young and old. With the village’s great connectivity, it’s as perfect for retirees as for busy commuters.

It's as if they designed the road and rail networks to leave Offord D’Arcy in peace yet provide quick access to major towns and cities via the A1, A14, and A428. The village is 4 miles equidistant of St Neots and Huntingdon Railway Stations, with the fastest trains to London taking just 40 minutes. Cambridge, with its vibrant cultural scene and range of amenities, is only 30 minutes away.

Offord D’Arcy and Offord Cluny, though having different names, have merged into a single parish with the same council, the same Morrison’s village store and the same ancient church. You can still cross the road from your new home to visit the impressive, medieval Church of St Peter’s, next to the Manor House beyond the field, but don’t wait for mass there - you will only find services held at All Saints further along the road. The village hall, next to the church, hosts many events for the friendly community, as well as a wide range of clubs and societies from Women’s Institute to Senior Citizens, from yoga to karate.

Children are well catered for at the recreation ground and multi-sports area. The lovely, little primary school, 500 yards from your front door, was rated ‘Outstanding’ in key areas by Ofsted. Buses take older children to Huntingdon’s Hinchinbrooke Secondary, and the prestigious private school at Kimbolton is less than 10 miles away.

Villagers take pride in their Millenium Green, with its pond and play park, and love the Horseshoe, their freehouse inn and restaurant. As well as other pubs in the area, everyone has pulled together to help it recover from a recent fire. Moreover, your dog will enjoy taking you on rambles across the countryside, not least to historic Buckden and the River Great Ouse. There’s something for everyone in the family, two legs or four, in The Offords.

MORE ABOUT THE PROPERTY 

Sweep between two magnificent linden trees along a copper beech-lined, gravelled drive shared with just one other impressive house. Your land to the side is dotted with blossoming apple, cherry and plum trees, with magnificent beech and beautiful weeping silver birch welcoming you to your peaceful, completely private slice of rural England.

Somehow, you don’t expect to come across such a substantial, modern house. But your new home is full of surprises. Climb the glass-sided staircase to the amazing, wood-floored, vaulted-ceilinged sitting room, with its impressive V-beam structure painted in-keeping with the natural light-filled, contemporary feel that runs throughout the house. Glass doors slide open on two sides, with twin sets at the back of the house onto a balcony that makes you feel as if you’re on holiday in a luxury hotel.

A balcony that’s at once the perfect place for a summer’s evening nightcap and for morning coffee, gazing over miles of open countryside. Your main bedroom on this floor, with its air-conditioning and adjoining shower room, has a similar view to wake up to – an inspiring start to the day.

The exciting, vaulted-ceilinged room on the second floor, leading from the library area, stretches the entire depth of the house. Brilliant as an office, if the views don’t prove too distracting, although children of the family may have competing ideas for the space.

If you’ve had enough of climbing stairs, though, you have no need to at the Paddocks. Your only difficulty is deciding which of the ground floor bedrooms you prefer, both with either a stylish wet room or an adjoining bathroom, the latter with shower, freestanding bath and twin-bowl vanity.

Cook with high-end appliances housed in Dekton-topped, concrete-style, handleless furniture; breakfast at the island; relax on the sofa with bottle plucked from the wine cooler; and entertain friends to dinner – all in one, spacious, open-plan area, with warm floors underfoot in winter and two sides that open to the slate terrace come summertime. And to a wonderfully private, landscaped garden, designed for year-round interest, with waves of colour alive with pollinators, the air filled with birdsong, and a wooded area waiting for children to climb the black walnut and hazelnut trees. What a place!