The Vine at Hannington

Set in rolling countryside that typifies the North Wessex Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, this gabled old inn is popular with ramblers and cyclists; the views from nearby White Hill sweep across the chalk downs and rich farming countryside where the Vine and Craven Hunt, after which the pub is named, once trailed. The colourwashed Victorian country inn exudes warmth, partly from the woodburning stove, partly the restrained rural artefacts and partly the eclectic mix of soft and traditional pub furnishings, a jigsaw that sets the scene for an indulgence in real ales from the likes of Hog's Back and Sharp's breweries. A good, solid menu of pub favourites may feature dishes such as grilled sea bass fillets with tomato and herb dressing, a fulfilling home-made Cornish pasty, or pork, honey and Hampshire watercress sausages. There's a large, shrubby garden out back, or choose to eat in the airy conservatory.