Mhairi and Alan Rear bought their house Maplefinch, an impressive period-style home in the village of Blencogo near Wigton, for its garden that the grandchildren could enjoy.

Mhairi said: "We had been renting and decided to buy when we saw this. We just fell in love with it because of its size and it was ideal for the grandchildren."

It proved a wise buy as her three grandchildren love playing in the large grounds that surround the house. There's a lawn at the front with shrubs and trees while the main garden is at the back of the house, which the Rears, who are both retired, have had landscaped.

Here there is a large private garden with two terraces, planting, lawn and gravelled areas with steps up to a raised garden.

Mhairi said: "The garden's ideal for playing with the grandchildren. It’s very private and secure and an absolute sun trap, enclosed on all sides.

"The landscaping worked with what was there although we had some planting and a water feature put in, what they call a little amphitheatre, just big enough for a table and chairs.

"We replaced the driveway which was shilled, and put in a new soakaway driveway – there’s not flooding here but it all helps. There's quite a large garden at the front as the house is set back from the road. The back garden’s huge, it’s quite deceiving. We also have an orchard area with productive apple, pear and cherry trees."

Maplefinch was built about 20 years ago in a period style with a portico. The large reception hall leads on one side to the very spacious sitting room which has two windows overlooking the front and French doors at the rear into the garden. The sitting room has a fireplace with original mantle, coal-effect fire and pine flooring.

On the other side of the hall is a formal dining room with a study next door and utility room after that, all leading to the big breakfasting kitchen at the back of the house.

"The sitting room with the big patio doors leading out to the garden is one of my favourite rooms and I like the kitchen," said Mhairi. "I think Alan’s favourite room must be the office because he likes to disappear into that.

"The rooms in this house are all big with high ceilings, it was built in the old style, and there’s tons of storage. A lot of the rooms have built-in cupboards."

Upstairs are four bedrooms, three en-suite and two with dressing rooms, the master suite being particularly spacious. The bathroom has a Jacuzzi bath and double shower cubicle.

"We’ve done quite a bit to the house since we moved in, including a new bathroom suite and modern kitchen," Mhairi said. "The house was built on what was part of a farm and there’s a granary building where the grain was washed. We haven’t done anything with that but it does have power so it could be a workshop or converted into something else."