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The unusual Scandinavian-style Chalet Symonds Yat has one of the most beautiful locations in the UK, perched on a slope on the edge of the River Wye, in the Herefordshire village of Symonds Yat. Keen-eyed readers will recognise the house as Jean and Otis Milburn's in Netflix’s Sex Education, scene of wild parties, cathartic sex therapy sessions, and many awkward chats between teen sexpert Otis and his mother Jean, played by Gillian Anderson. Fans of the show have long obsessed over the house, and as the last season of the show airs on Netflix, it has just hit the market for £1.5 million.
Originally built in 1912 as a fishing lodge, the chalet is distinctly Norwegian in design. The red wooden slats which make up the exterior, with its detailing painted in white, stand out against the surroundings of almost completely uninterrupted greenery. The chalet is approached by a tree-lined driveway, at the top of which sits an old chapel, which is also for sale.
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When the house was bought by its current owners in 2002, they understood its potential but saw the need to extensively renovate it. Alongside new kitchen, plumbing and wiring, an extension was built to house a conservatory-cum-dining room. Careful not to alter the chalet's characteristic Scandinavian aesthetic, the extension is sympathetic and blends seamlessly with the rest of the house.
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Inside, it's the picture of comfortable elegance: Deep shades of Farrow & Ball paints, in colours that evoke nature, adorn the walls throughout, and five log burning stoves on the ground floor only add to the cosiness. The ground floor is also where you'll find the two sitting rooms, kitchen, dining room, laundry room and snug.
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French doors lead from the conservatory to the decked balcony, where not only is there a Swedish hot bath and a stone pizza oven, but also views of the Wye Gorge and the River Wye to the south and north (though both sitting rooms and dining rooms also offer rather spectacular vistas, as do the balconies upstairs).
The upper two floors house the five bedrooms, the main bedroom being at the top of the house and occupying the whole floor.
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Outside, there are steps leading right from the house down to the river, where there's an abundance of activities on offer: from fishing and canoeing to simply sitting with a book and taking in the secluded beauty. On the way to the river you'll pass through some of the house's 4.52 acres of land, which includes the summer house, lawn and (as if it wasn't already idyllic enough), the orchard.
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The nearby village of Symonds Yat is quiet and rural, but does contain the necessities: there's a pub (the Sacarens Head Inn) and a cafe (The Log Cabin). One caveat: you may have to deal with hordes of Sex Education fans, but we think it's a small price to pay for a house (and a view) this lovely.
Chalet Symonds Yat is listed with Knight Frank.
