Jack Russell Inn

The Jack Russell Inn has long seen weary travellers stop in for a kip in its cosy bedrooms, as it sits on what was once a busy trade route from London to the west. Today it’s very much a country inn for country pursuits, set within the village of Faccombe and surrounded by a large estate of the same name.

This is shooting territory – much like the White Horse Inn in Chilgrove, which is owned by the same group – and so it’s not uncommon here to see the bar area overrun with men dressed all in green wearing those trademark red socks. This is prime pheasant and partridge country, which you’ll discover if you take the dog for a walk on the nearby footpaths – the unmistakeable sound of game birds clucking from the bushes as you walk by is the main soundtrack here.

The pub itself is a lovely little hideaway whether you’re into shooting or not. The food in the restaurant is very game-focused but also has favourites like pork belly and steaks, and the property boasts some decent eco credentials too. You can feel good about bringing the dog here, as the hotel’s electricity comes from a wind turbine, heating is powered by a biomass boiler and the water comes from a borehole on the Faccombe estate.