The Royal Oak, Betchworth

The pub is situated in an enviable location overlooking the village green and church and where the famous Brockham Guy Fawkes night bonfire was taking shape, a monster it looked too. Inside the front area is L-shaped with the bar to the right hand side, beyond the room extends back quite a way to an area which had been taken over by a large family gathering this afternoon. Beyond is a fine garden with excellent views of the Surrey Hills. The pub is mostly carpeted, boarded around the bar area and seating is of the traditional type. Food is important and clearly popular but this is not a gastro pub, despite offering "pan fried kangaroo, cajun spiced sweet potatoes, green beans and a sesame ginger chilli sauce", most of the menu is traditional and fairly priced, there is a kids menu too. An exposed brick built fireplace holds a log burner which clearly gets used, there are stacks of logs, probably fiercely guarded against the bonfire builders, lots of stuff on the walls, a nice vintage aerial photo of the pub, the old pub sign and sports team photos being of note, the local cricket team I suspect. Additionally there are shelves of whisky boxes and stone jars, a display of pewter tankards and also barrel taps. There are four handpumps, two from Surrey Hills, Ranmore and Shere Drop, Doom Bar and something clipped simply as "Quest". This is a fine and clearly very popular pub, an excellent pint of Ranmore and a good start to my walk along the River Mole to Betchworth and back the other way.