The Fox & Hounds, Lyndhurst

You'll find yourself on the main drag of Lyndhurst, where The Fox & Hounds sits like the pub should be—all dark wood and lived-in character. It's the kind of place where you can tell the difference between who's passing through and who's genuinely local, though they'll serve you just the same. The real ales rotate regularly, the food is honest rather than showy, and there's an actual sense of community here rather than that manufactured cosiness you get in some Forest pubs. Come for a proper pint after a walk, stay because you've somehow ended up chatting to someone with encyclopaedic knowledge of New Forest folklore.