We’d decided it was time to move and we’d always fancied Harden. I was driving out of Firbeck one miserable day in February when everywhere looked its worst, and I looked down the bank and saw this house,”

“I thought the location was amazing with the beck at the bottom of the large garden, and I thought it would be surprising if it were for sale, but a week later it was,” says the owner.

That was more than 20 years ago, and the house hadn’t been built very long, but the owners wanted to sell. “It was a nice development and we could see how we could change the house when we could afford to do so.

“Internally we swapped the lounge to the back of the house so it overlooks the beck and the woodland beyond, and connected it with the dining room to make one through room.

“We did a lounge extension then a small kitchen extension eight to ten years ago, making what people call a living kitchen with folding doors out on to the decking at the back.

“We put in two new bathrooms when the extensions were done, and although it didn’t take too long, we did get a bit fed up with eating takeaways and microwave meals.”

The extension is covered with a mature specimen of cotoneaster. “You get the blossom in spring and then red berries, which the birds love.”

With four bedrooms, this detached home is in a delightful setting. On the ground floor is an entrance hall, cloakroom, lounge with ceiling beams and patio doors into the garden, as well as double doors into the dining room.

The dining kitchen, which has a range of units with solid wood work surfaces, is open-plan to the family area, with a tiled floor throughout.

Upstairs, the master bedroom has a range of fitted wardrobes and an en-suite shower room with double shower, three further bedrooms with fitted wardrobes, and the family bathroom with air bath and tiled walls and floor.

“It’s been wonderful having this garden, which is very private and south-facing with a fabulous flat lawn, so that when the children were young it was a brilliant space for them to run around.

“We haven’t had to do much, just extend the borders and added some. Now it just takes a couple of hours a week for the upkeep.

“My favourite room depends on the season. In summer, there’s nothing nicer than opening the bi-folding doors in the living kitchen and leaving them open all day so you can just sit and enjoy the garden.

“Then in the winter, there’s nothing nicer than lighting the multi-fuel fire in the lounge.”

The owner is certainly going to miss the wildlife and the proximity to the beck. “You never know what you are going to see. In the spring it’s daffodils and the flowers on the far side of the beck up into the wood, then the bluebells and wood sorrel, and the ducklings, kingfishers and deer.

“It varies from season to season, and a couple of times in November, I’ve even seen the trout spawning – like salmon spawning, but in miniature.”

“It’s been a wonderful family home where the children really enjoyed living.”

  • Firbeck, Harden, BD18 1LP, is on the market at £465,000 with Dacre, Son & Hartley. Tel: (01274) 560421.