About this property
The elevations are of render, wood cladding, and the natural local Purbeck stone, under a tiled roof. The house has the benefit of oil fired central heating plus PV solar panels on the roof and double glazed windows. The house offers bright accommodation with generous room sizes. Many rooms in the house, together with the balcony, terrace and garden studio, enjoy beautiful views across the gardens to the water, and the islands of Poole Harbour in the distance.
An entrance porch and front door open into the entrance hall, with wood floor, and a range of storage and linen cupboards. Your eye is drawn through double doors into the sitting room with wide picture windows on two sides providing truly spectacular views. There is a feature stone fireplace and full height chimney breast with log burner, oak flooring, and French doors to the terrace at the side. A wide archway leads through to the good size dining room which in turn has doors to the conservatory, the perfect place to sit and enjoy another slightly different harbour view. Leading from the dining room is the kitchen/breakfast room, having space for a table and chairs, and fitted with a range of wood fronted units, plus appliances including a double oven, gas hob (propane), dishwasher and washing machine. The back door opens onto a wide covered verandah at the rear, perfect for early evening drinks.
The bedroom accommodation is arranged in a separate wing and provides three double bedrooms each with its own shower room. The main suite includes a particularly good size bedroom with garden views through double aspect windows, a range of built in wardrobes, and a bright and spacious modern shower room with double shower, twin basins, WC and return door to the hall. The second bedroom has a fantastic harbour view, built in wardrobes and an en suite bathroom with pretty blue and white tiling. The third bedroom is a double and has its own en suite shower room.
Gardens and grounds
Shipstal is approached along a private unmade lane running through the RSPB Arne Nature Reserve, to which the public do not have vehicular access. The area is renowned for wildlife particularly bird life and has previously featured in BBC TV’s Springwatch. There are many hides within the reserve and in the area directly to the north of Shipstal is a protected nesting site for Spoonbills. www.rspb.co.uk
High electrically operated gates and a screen of established shrubs and trees ensure complete privacy, and the bungalow cannot be seen from the lane. A generous driveway has a turning circle and provides extensive parking for a good number of cars. The driveway continues down to the Garage/ Boat House built on the lower ground floor beneath the bungalow providing a large and versatile space with an electric roller shutter door at the front, and concertina doors at the rear. The rear doors open straight onto the garden and beyond is the private slipway providing direct access into Poole Harbour. A petrol powered generator provides electricity in the event of a power cut. Also on this floor are a useful store room and the utility/ boiler room, housing the oil fired boiler and water softener.
Shipstal sits centrally in its beautiful mature gardens which extend to over three quarters of an acre. They are well stocked and include a wide variety of shrubs and trees, including fine rhododendrons, azaleas and camellias which thrive in the acid soil. There are also a number of specimen trees including a fine maritime pine tree which helps to frame the view. At the rear of the bungalow are several terraces and sitting areas from which to enjoy the stunning location at different times of the day, and perfect for outdoor entertaining. At the end of the garden is a log cabin Garden Studio, ideal for use as an inspirational home office or occasional bedroom, together with an original 1960’s Finnish Sauna cabin imported by the owner from Finland.
This truly amazing plot includes a wide frontage to the sheltered inner reaches of Poole Harbour, accessed by boat along the Arne Channel. Adjoining the garden to the south is the exquisite ‘desert island’ beach of Shipstal Point.
The current owners rent a deep water mooring from Poole Harbour Commissioners, one of just four moorings in a small basin just offshore at the rear of the property, the yellow buoy in the photograph below. Interested parties should contact them to discuss the possibility of taking over this mooring. 01202 440200
Pooleharbourcommissioners@phc.co.uk
Local information
- Shipstal occupies an incredible waterfront location, one of only three private homes enjoying direct frontage to the western shore of Poole Harbour.
- The world’s second largest natural harbour is renowned for its stunning natural beauty, picturesque islands, excellent yachting & watersports, and fine sandy beaches.
- Shipstal enjoys a completely unspoilt and secluded situation set along a private unmade lane within the open heath and woodland of the RSPB Arne Nature Reserve, and adjacent to the unspoilt Shipstal Point beach.
- The nature reserve is a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and is part of the beautiful countryside of the Isle of Purbeck.
- The UNESCO World Heritage Jurassic Coast starts just across the harbour at Studland Beach, extending for almost a hundred miles west, famous for its incredible geological formations which include Old Harry Rocks, Lulworth Cove, Durdle Door, and Chesil Beach.
- The historic walled Saxon town of Wareham is just 5 miles away, providing day to day shopping amenities, café’s, bars, restaurants, and the popular riverside quay which hosts many events.
- Importantly, the town has a mainline train station directly into London Waterloo, with a journey time from just 2 hours 16 minutes.
- The larger town of Poole is about 15 miles away by road or 2 miles away across the harbour by boat. It offers excellent amenities including the Dolphin Shopping Centre, the Lighthouse theatre, Poole’s centre for the arts, and the historic Old town and Quay with many restaurants, cafes and bars.
- The Sandbanks Peninsula, renowned for its multi million pound landmark homes and Rick Stein restaurant, lies on the opposite side of the harbour mouth, accessible via the chain ferry.
- Other local attractions in Purbeck include Corfe Castle village and famous castle ruins, the popular Victorian seaside town of Swanage, and the golden sand Blue Flag beach at Studland.
- There are state schools for all ages in Wareham and many highly regarded independent schools in the wider Dorset area which include Bryanston, Canford, Dumpton, Clayesmore, Bournemouth Collegiate and Talbot Heath.
Additional information
- Mains electricity and water. Private drainage via a septic tank. Private well for garden irrigation. Oil fired central heating. Solar panels (PV) which also generate an income for the current owner plus solar tubes to heat the domestic hot water. Petrol powered back up generator. Please note that the working condition of any of the services or kitchen appliances have not been checked by the agents.
- The current owners rent a deep water mooring from Poole Harbour Commissioners, one of just four moorings in a small basin just offshore at the rear of the property, the yellow buoy in the photograph below. Interested parties should contact them to discuss the possibility of taking over this mooring. 01202 440200
- Pooleharbourcommissioners@phc.co.uk
- Directions: From Wareham centre – take the B3075 southwards across the bridge over the river to Stoborough. Just after passing the petrol station on your right, take the next turning left into Nutcrack Lane. Follow this lane for about three miles signposted to the RSPB Arne Nature Reserve Car Park. NB The property is set within the RSPB Nature Reserve, and as such there is no public vehicular access to the property or parking on the track outside. If you are visiting to see the location of the property – may we politely suggest that you park in the RSPB Car Park, for which charges apply, and then walk through the reserve to Shipstal Beach. Whist the property is not visible from the beach or track, this will give you the opportunity to appreciate the stunning location and panoramic views from the adjacent beach. If you have booked an internal inspection of the property – drive past the turning to the RSPB Car Park, and carry straight on, even though the signs say ’cul-de-sac’ and ‘no motor vehicles beyond this point’. After passing the village church on your left, bear right down the unmade track as it meanders through the reserve for about three quarters of a mile. Driving past the turning for ‘Shipstal Cottage’, the entrance gates to ‘Shipstal’ are at the end of the lane on the left hand side. What3Words: ///doing.head.body
- EPC Rating: D
- Tenure: Freehold
- Council Tax Band: G
