As the long school holidays lie ahead and with a recent spell of warm weather, thoughts turn to the benefit of having an outdoor swimming pool. A generation ago outdoor pools were seldom heated and many families with young children felt the need to fence off the pool area for safety. Things have come a long way and swimming pools are very much in vogue.
Much is being made of the need to encourage all generations to take more exercise and swimming is regarded as one of the best ways of keeping fit, regardless of age. How much easier can it be than to have a heated pool sitting waiting to be used at a moment’s notice. Technology has played its part as well. Heating a pool is now far more fuel efficient, extending the use to way beyond a few hot summer days. Pool covers can be bought with child safety in mind; in theory some manufacturers even promote the idea that a cover would withstand the weight of a car, though perhaps best not to put it to the test. Many are also key operated to minimise the chance of the pool being used or the cover removed without parental supervision.
As it is no longer necessary to fence off a pool it can now become a feature of the garden and the garden a feature of the poolside setting. The ease with which a swimming pool can be covered also means there is less chance of leaves and garden debris blowing into the water, reducing day to day maintenance.
'Plum Trees' in the beautiful Berkshire countryside at Cookham Dean is the perfect example of how a heated outdoor swimming pool can compliment the setting of the house and garden. The richly planted borders form the backdrop to the pool, which is overlooked by the main terrace, making it the perfect setting for alfresco dining on warm summer
evenings, great for entertaining family and friends of all ages. Furthermore, the owners have gone the extra mile by adding soft mood lighting so that as the sun goes down the pool area becomes a stunning feature.
Set in landscaped gardens and grounds of just over an acre,
'Plum Trees' is an elegant country house in the Arts and Crafts style. The ground floor reception rooms flow from one to another making it very easy for entertaining large numbers while the large kitchen/family room with doors opening out onto the terrace overlooking the pool naturally becomes the heart of the house. The property has 6 bedrooms, including a spacious master suite, a total of 4 bath/shower rooms and a detached double garage with a purpose-built office/annexe above. It is situated in an elevated position with views over the surrounding countryside yet is within easy reach of the village and has good road and rail communications to London and connecting to the motorway network.
Guide price £2,950,000
Dawn Carritt 020 7664 6646
