Greengate

The sitting room, which leads from the sleek but homely eat-in kitchen through an open archway, is sure to be the favourite spot for drinking tea, for relaxing after brisk beach walks and for playing games well into the evening. Taking pride of place, is a warming log burner positioned below a painting of Bamburgh Castle and an impressive stone lintel which was found locally on the farm where the property now stands.

On the same floor, the two pretty bedrooms – one double and the other a twin – are a continuation of the same sophisticated attention to detail. Warm Farrow & Ball hues, incredibly comfortable beds and ample storage all play their part. They share a tile-lined bathroom with a shower over a generous bathtub.

Outside, you’ve ample space with a lovely front garden lined with flower beds, including plants such fragrant lavender. To the rear there’s also a secluded lawned garden with a picnic table for al fresco dining. Enclosed by tall hedges and walls, it’s fully enclosed and very private making it a peaceful place to soak up some sunshine on summer days.

Beach days are a must for guests, whether walking, swimming or spotting seals which have ventured across from the nearby Farne Islands. From Seahouses, you can also embark on various boat tours to the Farnes to see the grey seal colonies or, during the spring and summer months, the puffins.

Or, for further adventures on terra firma, Bamburgh’s dramatic fortress — the one in that painting above the fireplace — and its enchanting village are just three miles north, while Alnwick’s equally impressive castle and the mystical Holy Island of Lindisfarne also within half an hour’s drive.