Wealden Times | WT179 | January 2017 | Health & Beauty supplement inside

HOUSE OF THE MONTH
1.
Fit for the New Year
Maggie Alderson finds homes with exercise facilities
How’s your waistband? Feeling a little snug? There’s no escaping it, we’re back
at the point we reach every new year when a look in the mirror can be a terrible
shock, when a bloated and puffy Mr/Mrs/Ms Blobby looks back at you.
Whether it was the lethal discovery of Aldi mince pies (amazing for
the money! – they beat Fortnum’s in a blind tasting! – let’s have another
six!) or that killer recipe for home-made Baileys, which was circulating
on Facebook in December, containing lavish double cream and a whole
tin of condensed milk, January brings the need to fight the flab.
The choice of fad diets becomes ever more bewildering, but whether you
opt to go cold turkey on sugar, ban all carbohydrates, go vegan/gluten free
Deliciously Ella style, or make like Fred Flinstone on the Paleo regime, you can’t
escape the hard fact that food deprivation hell won’t be enough on its own.
In the words of the great King Julien: You’ve got to move it, move
it. Or else risk being serenaded by that other great character from
Madagascar, Moto Moto (‘I like em big, I like em chunky…’)
Of course, this is also the time of year when gyms and health clubs are offering
enticing deals, to sign up at a reduced rate. We’ve all done it once, haven’t we?
Only to see that chunk of cash disappearing out of the current account each
month – from the comfort of our sofa. When it’s cold outside, who can face
the thought of driving to the gym and coming home again with wet hair?
How much easier then, to have the fitness facilities just a short waddle
from that sofa – and your bed – in a house that has it all laid on.
The dream is the indoor pool, with the fully fitted gym, plus sauna
– and not forgetting the hot tub, which is a great way to pretend
you’re working out, while basically having a nice hot bath.
But the more classic English house combination of an outdoor pool and an allweather
tennis court are great incentives to keep fit too – and the great thing about
that option is that you can put off starting your new regime until at least May…
1. Great Wadd Farmhouse
Where? Great Wadd Farmhouse is
situated in a rural position off a lane, on
the edge of Frittenden village, close to
Cranbrook and within the catchment area
of the school.
What? Comprised of several Grade II
Listed buildings dating from the 16th to
18th centuries, Great Wadd Farmhouse is
a charming example of a small Wealden
estate, with all the associated features of
beams, leaded light windows and oak
flooring. It also has a swimming pool
of breathtaking gorgeousness built in
the vaulted beam barn, with changing
rooms and a mezzanine area used as a
gym. Outside there is an all-weather
tennis court. The ground floor has a large
kitchen/breakfast room with a four-oven
Aga, dining, drawing and family rooms
and a study. On the first and second floors
there are a total of five bedrooms and
four bathrooms. The separate oast house
has a further four bedrooms and two
bathrooms, plus an open plan kitchen/
sitting room and a dining room.
How much? Great Wadd is on the
market with Knight Frank, Tunbridge
Wells at £2,350,000. Call 01892
515035 or view on knightfrank.co.uk
wealdentimes.co.uk
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