A BEAUTIFUL home in the area where he had enjoyed so many family holidays as a child was the perfect choice for Tony Frost and wife, Ann. As they told SUSAN GOODSON they have loved living in their detached bungalow

AFTER retiring, Tony and Ann Frost began what turned out to be a long search for a home they would love in an area they had both fallen in love with.

It was hard work but well worth it after they found a deceptively large bungalow with gardens at both the front and back.

The house - Croft View in Silecroft, near Millom - is a detached bungalow, with three bedrooms, of which one is en-suite, and there is also a dressing room, three reception rooms (a lounge, dining hall and kitchen diner), mezzanine (area/room) and a family bathroom.

The kitchen/diner has a handy twin louvre door pantry.

The stable door (timber and painted) has a pane to the opening upper half and leads out to the back and garden looking out to Black Combe.

Outside there is also off-road parking and gardens both front and back and a former garage/store/workshop.

The Frosts have lived in their bungalow for 11 years and love the area it is in and the stunning views.

Talking about their home, Ann said: “Tony had fallen in love with the Lake District after spending holidays there as a child so when we retired we moved up here and found Croft View.

“We loved the views of Black Combe and are within walking distance of a Blue Flag beach.

“We are near the railway lines to Carlisle and Barrow and it is also easy to get to Lancaster.

“The house itself is really airy and spacious, but once we had bought it we redecorated throughout, put in a new kitchen and added the en-suite.”

The couple have also created a beautiful garden outside with the front having a patio of slate chipping, lawn and a hedge.

With its elevated position, there is a lovely outlook from the front of the house across the open fields over the road.

They love the back garden which is now well established with lawns, borders and decking, with open views of the fells, but there is also a wild area that they enjoy.

Walking into the house there is an inner hall area, with doors to the lounge, kitchen, bathroom and dining hall.

The lounge has three double glazed windows to take in the views and allows plenty of natural light to flood the room.

There is a free standing/open Rayburn cast fire recessed to the chimney breast with slate and stone to the inset polished black slate hearth.

The dining hall is made for family gatherings and friends getting together with more superb views of the fells.

From the side of the dining room open plan pine stairs lead to the mezzanine area.

Ann said: “The people who owned the house before us home schooled their children and the mezzanine was used for this.

“It does make a handy work area separate from the rest of the house.

“We now have it divided in half with an open area with a desk in it and then from the other half you can walk into the loft because there are no stairs to it.

“Again, it is a nice light part of the house with its own skylight.

“It could easily be turned into a fourth bedroom, though.

“The three bedrooms are all double rooms although we had friends staying recently and they said ‘you don’t have three bedrooms, you have six’.”

The family bathroom faces the back of the house and has a modern white four-piece suite with a low level corner bath, low level dual flush WC, wash basin and a glazed shower cubicle with bar thermostatic shower and flexi track spray.

Describing the people in the community, Ann added: “We have loved being part of the village life here.

“It is a great community with a good network of lovely people who are interested but don’t interfere.

“We are going to be sorry to have to leave but we have got to that stage in our lives when we want to be closer to our family and grandchildren who are down south.

“But we will miss both the people and the area itself.”

The house - Croft View in Silecroft - is on the market with Corrie and Co Estate Agents for £325,000. For further details or to arrange a viewing please call the agent on 01229 355333 or pop into the Millom office of Corrie and Co at 31 Lapstone Road, Millom.