Royal Oak, The

The Royal Oak is an idyllic spot with sprawling gardens, a petanque piste, fragrant kitchen herbs and a sunny terrace, but the interior complements this by being thoroughly cosy with a wood burning stove, rosy red dining room, glowing dark floorboards and rich fabrics.

The garden stretches away from the rear of the pub, starting with a paved terrace for approx twenty three with a further A frame seating on the grass for up to fifty five. There's also at least an acre laid to grass with fruit trees, a herb garden and a Petanque Piste.

They offer imaginative British food cooked with fresh, seasonal and local produce. Choose from seared soused salmon fillet on smoked potato salad with pea shoots and basil vinaigrette followed by venison sausage "toad in the hole" with buttered spring greens and caramelised onion gravy - they even make the sausages on site.

All this could be washed down with an eclectic bottle from their European wine list, which unusually even inludes 9 pudding wines by the glass.