16th-century Cornish farmhouse, sleeps nine, sauna and farm animals

Noonvares House is a four-bedroom farmhouse dating from the 16th century, on our own working smallholding near Townshend in west Cornwall. It sleeps nine, borders the upper reaches of the River Hayle, and backs onto the National Trust's Godolphin estate - five minutes by car, or two minutes on foot down the bridle path at the end of the lane.

Dogs are welcome. The garden is fully enclosed, which is the question we are asked most, and it matters here because of the river.

Inside there are four bedrooms and one bathroom, sleeping nine, with fibre broadband throughout and a private two-person sauna for the house only. There was a hot tub here years ago and a few older reviews still mention it, but it went some time back and has not been replaced.

Outside there are four and a half acres, seating areas dotted about, a barbecue, a fire pit for the evenings, play space for children and hammocks down by the water. There is an electric car charger, and beach kit in the porch.

The animals are ours to look after rather than yours: ponies, pygmy goats, hens and ducks, with fresh eggs most mornings if you want to go and find them. Two of them surprise people - Chesney, a red-tailed hawk, and Lurie, a white-faced Scops owl, both kept and flown by the family. Stand still in the garden after dark and listen.

The coast is close on both sides. Hayle Towans is about seventeen minutes by car and Carbis Bay about twenty, with St Ives and Marazion a little beyond.

One thing worth saying plainly: you do not get the whole farm to yourselves. Our stone cottage, Gwel-an-Derowen, is let separately and we live here ourselves. The house, its garden and the walks down to the river are yours.

Facilities for horses if you want to bring your own - just ask.