Vine Inn, Wimborne

This is the sole pub in the tiny National Trust owned village of Pamphill, set in a hollow on the fringes of the village and offering a chance to explore a relatively untouched parlour pub of the sort that barely exists anymore. Entering through a gate into the attractive gravel beer garden, there are two entrances for either the front public or rear lounge bars. The Public Bar is a minuscule space with a few stools to either side and not much room for a whole lot else. The servery is on the back wall and has a single hand pump, with the remaining beer all dispensed from a taproom to the side. The bar has a traditional counter with a cluttered gantry above, draped with all kinds of items which distract you as you wait for your pint to be fetched. The decor is all in keeping with the pub's heritage and includes old bits of breweriana and the inevitable paintings of rural scenes. Stairs lead up to a first floor room with a fair bit of additional seating which is essential outside of the summer months, as the two bars are far too small to support more than a small handful of customers. I visited on a baking summer's day, so gave this area a swerve, heading instead to the cheerful garden area, where a book swap had been set up next to the lounge entrance. The lounge has enough room for three small tables and some dated looking chairs and has a tiny servery with no handpulls. There's a nice fireplace in here to one side of the bar with a selection of pub and wildlife themed books on the mantle. More traditional pictures line the walls alongside mirrors, plates and the like. The radio was quietly playing in the background, but it was hardly a distraction, with the chatter of the locals easily drowning it out. The gardens main highlight is the eponymous vine, which spreads out across a remarkably large area, supported by a much needed trellis. The beer on handpull was Goddards Ale of Wight, whilst the taproom had two more in the shape of Branscombe Vale Golden Fiddle and Palmers IPA. The Ale of Wight was in fine condition and I was made to feel very welcome by the merry band of locals who I had to squeeze past to get served and by the friendly barmaid. This is a lovely old pub that almost feels like a working museum piece, such is it's singular feel and antiquated charm. Sure, there are problems with practicalities, especially at busy times, and the ale range isn't going to be to everyone's taste, but I really enjoyed snooping around such an unusual pub and mingling with the locals. Definitely the sort of place anyone interested in pub history should make a trip out to.

This former Victorian bakery consists of two tiny bars divided by the smallest counter imaginable – each big enough for about 8 people to stand in – and an upstairs games room. There is also a large gravelled garden with plenty of seating. With Victorian-style fireplaces, homely décor and old carpets it feels like someone's grannie's sitting room. Simple food is available – ploughman's lunches and sandwiches; they knock on the window to tell you your food is ready. The pub is dog and child friendly. It is a freehouse, and there were 2 ales on, Island Ales's Yachtsman on gravity and a bitter from Plain Ales on the solitary handpump. I had the former, which was in perfect condition but didn't have time to have a second pint. A wonderful rural setting, a regular GBG entry, well worth a visit for its beer quality and ambiance. Doesn't open Mondays.

Approximately 4 miles north of Poole in the small Dorset village of Pamphill ( part of a conservation area close to Wimborne ) is The Vine Inn, a splendidly unspoilt rural gem. As we drive up the narrow country lane, Vine Hill, we could easily miss the pub, were it not for a tall pub sign 50 yards or so further up the hill on the opposite side of the road. Owned by The National Trust as part of the Kingston Lacy estate, the pub is a red brick 19th century building and was apparently once a bakehouse. Note the splendid vine which covers much of the brickwork at the front of the building. The pub resembles a country cottage from the outside and the feeling that we’re about to enter someone’s house is reinforced as we open the latched garden gate and descend several steps in to the garden and the tiny public bar. This bar has two small fixed wall benches, one table and, realistically, room to accommodate no more than half a dozen customers at most in comfort. The panelled bar counter is original as apparently are the unusual bar back shelves. There’s not much wall area to decorate, but room is found for a framed CAMRA award certificate, an old photo of the pub in its Strongs of Romsey days and several photos of smiling villagers proudly displaying large pumpkins. A staircase leads up to a games room. Further along in the garden with a separate entrance is a slightly larger lounge bar with an open fireplace, three tables and a small arc shaped wood panelled bar counter in one corner. At the front of the building are the outside gents. The pub is listed in CAMRA’s National Inventory of Historic Pub Interiors. The garden is part gravel, part concrete slabs and seating consists of a mixture of plastic seats and country park style benches. There’s a canopied verandah for inclement weather. As if we need reminding that we’re in the countryside, a table outside by the public bar entrance displays various produce grown by villagers such as runner beans, marrow, beetroots etc which are for sale in aid of Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance. Jars of home made jam were on sale behind the bar, proceeds also for charity. Sandwiches and ploughmans lunches are available at lunchtime. Listen for a tap on the window to tell you when your food’s ready ! The pub is evidently popular with cyclists and walkers, as well as local villagers, who are welcoming and accommodating to the odd passing pub anorak, such as yours truly. The Stour Valley Way passes close by. 2 real ales are served, one on handpump and one direct from the barrel and, on my recent Friday lunchtime visit, these were T T Landlord and White Horse Village Idiot respectively. White Horse Village Idiot had just replaced Palmers Gold. Both beers, priced at a very reasonable £ 2.70p, were on top form. The pub is a CAMRA Good Beer Guide regular and has won numerous branch awards over the years. It’s currently the local branch Rural Pub of the Year for 2010. Shawfords cider is sold as is Stella Artois, a large ugly tall chrome font somewhat disfiguring the bar counter unfortunately. There’s a real old fashioned time warp feel to this pub and, whilst it won’t interest the beer tickers, lovers of proper pubs should certainly make the effort to seek it out if the opportunity arises