Many of them were bought by Irish buyers, some of whom took more than one property through a leaseback scheme that guarantees an attractive rental return on the properties for up to 10 years.

This January, Club La Costa added the atmospheric Trenython Manor & Spa Hotel in South Cornwall on the Celtic Sea (minutes from the ancient port town of Fowey where Daphne Du Maurier's house clings to the side of the cliffs), to its extensive international portfolio of luxury resorts. They are now in the process of completing 19 fully furnished, architectdesigned, two-bed private lodges on landscaped sites within the 24-acre wooded estate.

These are now being offered for sale under CLC Private Homes' increasingly popular sale and leaseback programme, which guarantees investors a rental return of 6.5% per annum up to 2016.

As part of the package, owners and Club La Costa members can also use the facilities at the comfortable 19th century Manor house. These include the award-winning, oak-panelled restaurant, a bistro, lounge bar, a wedding chapel and, of course, the spa and gym facilities as well as the indoor heated swimming pool.

The lodges, many with sea views, are selling for £275,000 (all figures given here are in sterling). High quality furniture and fittings are another £20,000. A 25% deposit (£68,750) is assumed. Stamp duty at 3% (£9,693) is payable on the transfer of title. Mortgages can be arranged at a fee of 1% (£2,062) of mortgage value. The lease is for 10 years at 6.50%, with tenant breaks and rent reviews in the fifth and eighth years. Appreciation in property value is at 2.5% per annum over five years.

Buyers will have to pay an annual service charge of approximately £1,700, which includes insurance and the cost of running the estate, and £750 yearly for nondomestic rates.

Electricity, water and phone charges will be paid by CLC during the time they rent from owners, as will cleaning, laundry and internal repair charges. Investors can sell their property at any time but CLC ask for first refusal before the property goes on the market. Owners, while they are leasing, can use some of Club La Costa's other resorts at special rates.

CLC also think it most likely they'll want to negotiate a new lease with owners after the 10 years are up, but if not, they think there should be no difficulty in renting out a place in one of the most beautiful parts of Britain, which attracts 6,000,000 visitors each year, not least for the sailing, golf and the rich seam of good gardens in the area, including the nearby Eden Project, Pine Lodge Gardens and the Lost Gardens of Heligan at St Austell.

There's a daily flight directly from Dublin to Newquay, near Fowey, on South West Airlines. Bristol airport is a picturesque train ride away.

For more information on the Trenython development, contact:

CLC Country Homes, Duchally Country Estate, Auchterarder, Gleneagles, Perthshire PH3 1PN Scotland.

Tel: 0044-1764 661075 Email: info@clccountryhomes. com www. clccountryhomes. com