Off-grid lifestyle living on an island
A unique property set in the heart of 12 acres of managed ancient woodland, resting on an island overlooking its own extensive lake, is for sale with JH Walter of Lincoln for £595,000.
The Lake House, Hill Holt Wood, Norton Disney, offers an exceptionally private and unique off-grid lifestyle opportunity.
It was created by the current owners, founders of the adjacent Hill Holt Wood — an internationally-recognised charity in community woodland projects.
The low-energy three-bedroom property offers modern, open-plan living with integrated media systems, a detached boathouse with ancillary accommodation, detached home office, workshop and stores, and extensive parking.
There is an open-plan kitchen and living room, sun room, dining room and covered deck area.
Muntjac and roe deer can be found in the woodland, which is mainly made up of mature oak, ash and hazel along with around 100 specimen trees.
The Lake House is set on an island on the edge of a ¾-acre lake, accessed by two bridges.
Designed to be of low impact, the property provides a spacious and modern home with low running costs.
Built from logs with very high levels of insulation, the house features a rainwater collection system, which provides all water; an energy-storage battery bank with invertor; and heating supplied by a Nordpeis thermal mass stove.
The stove, combined with a highly-insulated concrete floor and backing wall, stores heat, acting as a giant night storage heater in the triple-glazed breakfast room.
Fuel for the wood burner comes from a managed area of silver birch and waste from felled ash trees.
To ensure good, dry fuel there is storage for two years’ supply around the house with additional storage in outbuildings.
Timber processed by the charity can be air-dried in a drying shed and a large and well-equipped workshop allows for the construction of furniture on-site.
There is an integrated high-quality sound system with five separately-controlled amplifiers, hidden behind a false wall, and nine speakers, including three outside.
The large, open plan kitchen has a surround-sound Bose Lifestyle entertainment system with projector and 2.4m drop-down screen.
There are views across to the Italian island, which can be reached by boat and includes a hidden deck.
The woodland has many seating areas, a shepherd’s hut with a Pipsqueak stove and a boathouse, which includes ancillary accommodation and lake views.
The property, featured as Nick Rosen’s favourite in his book How To Live Off-Grid, has been seen on many television programmes, including Grand Designs Extra, In Search Of England’s Green And Pleasant Land and Escape To The Country.
