Helford River was once teaming with fishing boats and has a history bound up with tales of smuggling. The area was romanticised in Daphne Du Maurier's Frenchman's Creek. Now it is key sailing location with Helford River, Falmouth Bay, and Fal Estuary offering some of the finest day-sailing waters in the UK. A passenger ferry links the villages of Helford Passage on the north side of the river to Helford on the south and Helford Sailing Club. There are many properties dotted along the main stretch for the river and along the inlets and creeks with deep-water moorings. Regattas run throughout the summer but there is plenty here if you are not in the sailing fraternity. Swimmers and kayakers take to the water too and golfers will be spoilt for choice – there is a nine-hole course set in parkland at the nearby Budock Vean Hotel. Both villages have a liltingly gentle pace of life. Helford Passage has its own beach and the dog-friendly Ferry Boat Inn which dates from the 16th century. Helford village is quieter and appeals to bird watchers and those who want a solitary pint on the pontoon outside The Shipwright's Arms. More every-day amenities can be found at Mawnan Smith, to the north of the river, with a pre-school and primary school, a doctor's surgery, yoga and Pilates groups. There’s also a cricket and football club on the edge of Mawnan. Many homes here have glorious views across the water – particularly along Bar Road, like this four-bedroom house which overlooks the creek. 

Alex Taylor, Associate Director - Cornwall

Tucked away between Branscombe Beach and Seaton Beach is the village of Beer, with properties high on the cliff tops and a sheltered cove below. It is concealed on either side by the jagged Jurassic coastline so that the beach can only be spotted from far out at sea. In fact, it is so well protected by the cliffs that fishing boats launch even when stormy winds make it impossible elsewhere. Its sand-coloured limestone is famous and was used to build Westminster Abbey, St Paul's Cathedral, and the Tower of London. The main thoroughfare of Fore Street winds through the pretty village centre alongside a brook and down to the pebble beach with brightly coloured beach huts, fishing and rowing boats. The Dolphin is popular for Sunday lunch with locals and visitors, and there’s hotel rooms too. Only a fifth of housing stock are holiday lets or second homes, with properties in the village ranging from charming Victorian fishermen's cottages priced from around £250,000 to substantial four- to five-bedroom, detached homes with prices that can reach £3,000,000. The main buyer type is the retiree. 

Isabel Clifton, Senior Associate Director - Exeter

St. Margaret's is a three-part village which unfolds across the cliff tops between Dover and Deal. The heart of the village (St. Margaret's–at–Cliffe) is three-quarters of a mile from the sea, with St. Margaret's Bay on the cliff tops and the residential area of Nelson Park further inland. The views of both countryside and ocean, and the fresh sea air, bring relocators from London buying either their primary residence or a second home. As well as the scenery, there are places and things to do that appeal to all ages and stages. Pines Gardens, organically managed parkland, has a lake, a poetry path, and a sustainability trail for children, as well as a grass labyrinth and an organic kitchen garden. Special places to eat and drink include The Coastguard on the beach (the closest English pub to France), the FirstLight Bistro and Mrs Knott's Tea Room. On the high street in St.Margaret's–at–Cliffe is The Smugglers, a village shop, a post office and a hairdresser. A detached house in need of modernisation might cost around £800,000 close to the sea but in the main village, set back from the coastline, a three-bedroom semi-detached house can cost half that. 

Joe Charlton, Senior Associate Director – Canterbury

Although Walberswick made it into The Telegraph's top 10 'poshest coastal' villages, it is widely considered beautiful yet unpretentious. It’s perfectly located; tucked away on the other side of the River Blythe from the minibreak hotspot of Southwold. The combination of its situation within the Suffolk Coast National Nature Reserve and the arts and crafts style housing stock makes it a wonderfully picturesque spot and easy to see why it appealed (and still does) to so many artists. The sandy beach is flanked by grassland with a stream running through, where children gather for crabbing. Walberswick has a destination pub, The Anchor, which is recommended in the Good Food Guide and sits in an acre of gardens overlooking the dunes and the beach huts. The Black Dog Deli is a popular haunt for morning coffee. Sea swimming is big around Walberswick, and bird watchers visit for a glimpse (or to hear) the Nightjars, Oystercatchers, and Nightingales that are active in the creeks and inlets. The ferry runs over to Southwold Harbour where there are plenty of shops and cafes. Properties vary in size and age, but a three-bedroom cottage will be around £500,000, whilst a modern family home can fetch more than £1M. 

Sophia Fuller, Associate Director - Suffolk

Perched on the edge of the Exe Estuary, the fishing village of Cockwood is tucked between Dawlish and Starcross, with Exeter less than 10 miles away. Its heart is the harbour - a tidal basin where boats sit on the sand at low tide and float again as the waters rise. Life here is closely tied to the rhythm of the estuary, with big skies, sailing, birdlife and long waterside walks along the Exe Trail which connects this sleepy village to the city by bike or on foot.

Despite its small size, Cockwood has a reputation for fresh seafood. The Anchor Inn has been there for over 500 years and is known for its Exe Estuary mussels, often eaten with a pint while watching the waters ebb and flow. The nearest shops are a short drive away in Starcross or Dawlish, but part of Cockwood’s appeal is that it feels tucked away and unspoilt.

Homes here are mostly cottages and period houses, many with views across the estuary. Demand is steady from buyers looking for weekend boltholes or relocations, drawn by the slower pace and strong sense of community. A two-bedroom cottage in the heart of the village might cost £500,000 or around £700,000 for something a bit bigger and with potential to extend, while larger waterside properties with gardens and views across the Exe can command well over £1M – such as this Grade II Listed home that comes with an annexe and outbuildings in just over an acre of gardens.

Christian Swaab, Head of National Waterside - Exeter

Chichester Harbour was an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, but in 2023 its status was elevated to National Landscape. Pretty villages line the inlets which are home to 50,000 birds and what feels like an even greater number of sailors. Covering 74 sq km, this is the largest estuary in the south of England, and on its northern banks is the picturesque and historic village of Bosham, linked to King Canute and Harold II. From the ferry over from Itchenor (a service which has been running for 400 years), you can spy period thatched cottages and larger village houses along the water's edge in Bosham. In the backdrop is the Holy Trinity Church (some parts date to Saxon times and it is referenced in the Bayeaux Tapestry.) The heart of the community is the family-run harbourside pub The Anchor Bleu. The Grade II Listed inn has been serving since 1741. Bosham Walk is an arts and crafts centre selling and displaying local art and artisan wares- with a ‘paint your own pottery’ shop as well. Of course, Bosham Sailing Club is another important piece of the fabric of village life, with events from social rowing to live music. The closest train station is in Chichester which runs into London in under an hour and a half, while and it is only 22 miles to Portsmouth. 

Paul Machell, Senior Associate Director - Chichester

This small seaside village nestles on the north side of the River Dyfi (Dovey) set in the Snowdonia National Park. This magical spot is where the river meets the blue waters of Cardigan Bay. Miles of sandy beach and dunes stretch to the next town of Tywyn, and it is possible to walk all the way at low tide. Life here is based around the water, with sailing, sailboarding, rowing and canoeing among the daily activities. Interestingly, according to Housing Futures results, mental health benefits and opportunities for outdoor exercise are two of the top reasons – alongside scenic views – that many people want to move to the waterside. Regattas take over in the summer along with special events, such as the kite festival in July and the charity beach race. Children go crabbing off the jetty while the sea is teaming with Bass, Mackerel, and Mullet. For a village there are plenty of amenities, from staple stores such as the pharmacy and butchers to surf shops and art galleries. Above the harbour village are detached prime properties dotted about on the wooded clifftops with plenty of land. These exquisite homes come with multi-million-pound price tags, while the housing stock in Aberdyfi itself tend to be tall, semi-detached, or terraced Victorian villas. These can range from between £550,000 and £900,000. 

Alastair Summerfield, Director – Shrewsbury