A breath of fresh air

Wherever possible, kitchen doors should be wide open into the garden, as these houses allow

Cornwall, £2.5 million Myth and magic permeate the north Cornwall coast, where seals and seagulls flit around Merlin's Cave, overlooked by Tintagel Castle on the jagged headland above. The village of Trenale lies about a mile inland, intersected by the South-West Coast Path; within it is Grade II*-listed Trebrea Manor, a handsome 14th- and 18th-century property recently renovated by award-winning architect Simon Conder. Within four acres with glorious sea views, its gardens have also been transformed by Jinny Blom, winner of several Chelsea Gold medals.

The house's contemporary kitchen/ breakfast room opens onto a sunny, sheltered lawn. Beyond are a formal gated garden and a terraced area rising to woodland, an orchard and a stream. Across the lane, a five-bar gate leads to a paddock. All four bedrooms are en suite; the North and South Pavilions to either side are both in need of restoration and could offer further accommodation, in addition to two separate two-bedroom buildings, each with their own parking and gardens.

John Bray Estates (01208 862601) and Strutt & Parker (020-7591 2207)