The Old Mill: a riverside pub garden for autumn

If you are looking for an autumn escape not far from Southampton, The Old Mill in Hordle is hard to argue with. It sits on Silver Street on the eastern edge of the New Forest National Park, about three miles from Lymington, and its beer garden has been picking up awards for years: Muddy Stilettos named it one of the UK's 50 best pub gardens in 2026, describing the views as 'jaw-dropping', and The Times listed it among the country's best riverside gardens. It also took home the 2022 Griffin Trophy in Fuller's competition.

The building itself has some history. It is a restored 18th-century working water mill that kept going until shortly after the First World War, and a full renovation was completed in 2020, leaving it with a modern look and twelve boutique bedrooms. It holds a 4-star AA Inn rating and an AA Rosette, so the food is taken as seriously as the view.

That garden is the real draw. It runs along the River Avon, with tables in the sun and under cover, plus green spaces dotted with art sculptures, water features and hidden seating. The covered area is planned for year-round use, which is the detail that makes it a viable autumn spot rather than a summer-only one. For food, it does all-day dining from an early breakfast and coffee through to dinner and cocktails, with a menu that leans on comforting pub classics, sharing plates, daily fish specials like Cornish hake, Thai beef salad, Ploughmans lunches, puddings and a Sunday roast. There is also a revamped midweek lunch set menu at two courses for £19.90, and the drinks list runs from Aperol and Hugo Spritz to crisp whites and fruity rosés. Seasonal barbecue and festive plans are already being lined up for Christmas.

If you want to stay over, the twelve en-suite bedrooms cover king doubles, twins, suites and family rooms, each with Egyptian cotton sheets, a DAB radio, Bramley toiletries, a Smart TV, a Nespresso machine, tea and biscuits and WiFi. There is a separate mill house with four rooms that can be booked independently or for groups. It is dog-friendly too, with special overnight packages that include a guide to nearby walks and a partnership with Sir Woofchester's for a canine menu and treats.

It helps that the wider area is worth the trip. The New Forest National Park covers 566 square kilometres, with the forest itself taking up 380 of that, and it was proclaimed a royal forest by William the Conqueror around 1079, appearing as Nova Foresta in the Domesday Book of 1086. It became a National Park on 1 March 2005, and the New Forest National Park Authority is based in Lymington. Lyndhurst is known locally as the forest's capital, and the four largest villages are Sway, Brockenhurst, Lyndhurst and Ashurst. If you fancy a pub crawl of the area, The Park Inn in Shirley and The Royal Oak in Fritham have both appeared on the Telegraph's top 500 English pubs list, so there is no shortage of good beer within reach of Hordle. For The Old Mill, the number to call is 01590 682219.