Crown Stirrup, Clayhill, Lyndhurst

A pleasant country pub situated a few minutes walk south of Lyndhurst, but worth taking the small detour to get there. Alternatively of course if you're out for a walk in the new forest it's not really a detour at all as it's just a minute's walk from one of the entrances. There's a good sized beer garden out the back with plenty of benches, a fire to keep you warm in the evening and a small kids play area. The pub itself is a pleasant and attractive place, with a low beamed ceiling and a part tiled and part carpeted floor. There's a large plasma on the wall just a couple of feet from one of the tables which seems a little out of place, but fortunately this was off on our visit. There's a large old fire place which must be very pleasant on a cold winter's night and a selection of board games and books available. The landlord and the rest of the staff were friendly and welcoming, and they even keep a selection of dog biscuits that they dole out to any hungry mutts who come in. All in all, a great pub. The food menu had a decent selection and there was a small specials board. The prices seemed a lot more reasonable that many pubs in these parts, and we both enjoyed our Thai fishcakes and Chicken Enchiladas. Beers on tap were Ringwood Best and Forty-niner plus Doom Bar. The solitary cider was Aspall's Suffolk.