If you are after a proper beer garden day trip from Bournemouth, The Old Mill in Hordle is hard to beat. It sits on the eastern edge of the New Forest National Park, just three miles from Lymington, right on the water off Silver Street, and it has landed a spot on Muddy Stilettos' list of the UK's 50 best pub gardens, with the views described as jaw-dropping. The building itself is an 18th-century working water mill that kept going until shortly after the First World War, and it still carries a working water wheel, with a remodel completed in 2020.
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Space is not the issue here. There is a terrace for outdoor dining that takes over 200 people, plus a more informal pub garden, so it is built for a big group rather than a quiet corner. If you want to make a day of it, there are 12 boutique en-suite bedrooms upstairs, and the place holds an Official B&B 4-star rating, an AA 2025 Rosette, an AA 2025 4 Silver Star Inn award, a TripAdvisor Travellers Choice 2025 award, and a Muddy Stilettos Hampshire Finalist 2026 nomination. It is open all day, from early morning breakfast and coffee through to evening dinner and cocktails, so you can turn up whenever suits.
On the food front, the midweek lunch set menu runs at two courses for £19.90, and the kitchen leans on locally sourced ingredients where it can. Popular dishes include Cornish hake, Thai beef salad, Ploughmans lunches, hot breakfasts and Sunday roasts, with the rib eye steak served with cherry tomatoes, grilled mushrooms with herbs, chips and a crispy salad as the signature. In the garden, Pimm's is the go-to summer drink, alongside Aperol and Hugo Spritz cocktails, crisp whites and fruity rosés, and there is a long list of non-alcoholic options if you are the designated driver.
It is genuinely dog-friendly, too. There are special packages for overnight stays in designated dog-friendly bedrooms, a guide to nearby walking routes, and a partnership with Sir Woofchester's for a canine menu and treats, so your dog is as much a part of the plan as you are. Practicalities are straightforward: free parking, disabled access and free Wi-Fi. If you book directly, there is 15% off with the promo code BOOKDIRECT, a chance at a free room upgrade and late check-out until 12pm, valid until the end of 2028.
Looking ahead, the pub is keeping its outdoor appeal going through the colder months. There is a seasonal barbecue planned, festive fun for Christmas, a midweek calendar of themed food nights, live music and quiz nights, and an outdoor covered area that means you can sit outside all year round. For now, though, the draw is the garden and the water, which is exactly what makes it worth the short drive out of Bournemouth.
Published Date
6 September 2026
