IT’S the riverside country inn with spectacular views, famous pizzas and a secret garden.

The Bucks Head at Meonstoke is set next to the village church overlooking the village green and on the River Meon in the heart of the South Downs National Park.

It’s the perfect pitstop on The Meon Valley Trail, a great cycle route on an old disused railway line going between West Meon and Wickham.

The pub is also close to Old Winchester Hill Iron Age Fort and the Norman influenced church of St Andrew’s and Corhampton church, which enjoys Saxon features and dates from 1020.

The sister pub of The Shoe Inn at Exton, another riverside pub with stunning views of Old Winchester Hill, The Bucks Head has had its five letting rooms recently refurbished and gained a secret garden for guests as well as an outdoor covered stretch tent. Covid closed the pub just a week after the last major refurbishment in March 2020.

The large Valoriani pizza oven serves up homemade 24 hour sourdough pizza every day and other favourites on the menu include fish and chips and burgers and sausages sourced from the local butcher. Brunch, including full English, vegetarian options, avocado or eggs on toast or a brunch burger, is available at weekends .

Hampshire Chronicle:

Real ale, lager, a variety of gins, cocktails such as the popular espresso martini and Hampshire Pantry coffee are all enjoyed by locals and visitors alike.

A quiz takes place every fortnight on a Sunday at the pub, which is family and dog friendly and so close to the river that it has been known to flood.

Owner tenant of just over two years, Annabel Terry said: “We have stone floors, open fires and plenty of outdoor seating with views.

Hampshire Chronicle:

“There’s a great atmosphere, it’s a picturesque village and we have good quality pizza.

“It’s also a great stop on the South Downs Way for walkers.

“The Bucks Head is the perfect place to stay if exploring Winchester, Petersfield, Portsmouth or Southampton and our refurbished rooms are really lovely."

Hampshire Chronicle:

The pandemic was a tricky time for all publicans, but Bucks Head bosses sold dozens of takeaway pizzas to the inhabitants of surrounding villages every evening during lockdown. Now those villagers are back in the pub, enjoying the atmosphere and mixing with visitors keen to take advantage of the upgraded bed and breakfast rooms and the pub's unique surroundings.