WILDLIFE HAVEN WITH RIVER, CORNWALL: Private nature reserve, wildlife tours, woodland paths, free parking, walkers and cyclists welcome, romantic breaks. Regrettably no pets or children.

The Shippen at Coombe Mill is a one bedroomed detached property for two people that is close to the River Carey and surrounded by a private nature reserve of 34 acres.

It is the perfect retreat for those who enjoy wildlife and peace and quiet. There are kingfishers, dippers, owls, deer, foxes, badgers, otters and bats as well as butterflies, dragonflies and damselflies.

Its central position near Launceston – once the ancient capital of Cornwall – means that most places in Devon and Cornwall are less than an hour’s drive away including Dartmoor National Park, Bodmin Moor, the Tamar Valley and the spectacular north coast of Cornwall.

The Shippen is reached along a private tree lined drive. The river is a stone’s throw away and the property is surrounded by woodland with fields and a pond close by. There’s also a disused railway line. There is no light pollution and the fields are good places for stargazing.

Regrettably the property is unsuitable for children and no pets are allowed.

Coombe Mill and the Shippen share an interesting history. Coombe Mill is a former flour mill and for 35 years was the home of the renowned inventor and environmental scientist, Prof James Lovelock, who carried out his experiments in a laboratory not far from the Shippen.