The Queen’s Head is a historic pub in the pretty New Forest village of Burley, where ponies and donkeys wander the streets. The building began life as a blacksmith’s forge in 1685, and today it is a friendly Chef & Brewer with a beer garden, pub classics and a proper Sunday roast, welcoming dogs in the garden and selected indoor areas with biscuits and water.

A lovely way to arrive is to park just outside the village at Burley Cricket car park, a Forestry England pay-and-display near several other forest car parks, and walk in through the open forest, ponies and all, before an easy five-minute stroll down into the village. The pub has its own car park too, which is paid but refunded if you are dining, and there is a District Council car park nearby. Our four settled happily in their pop-up under the table while we had lunch.