Those who wish to drive to the Mutton at Hazeley Heath may do so, but that would mean missing out on Hook railway station, which is a gentle place. There is a mini library, fairly standard for smaller transport hubs, especially those in rural settings, but there is also a notice from the local history society providing details about the area.
Did you know that in 1953 the Queen stopped at Hook on her way to visit RAF Odiham? Or that it was once staffed by no less than one station master, two booking clerks, one parcel porter, one goods foreman, three luggage porters, three signalmen, and two lamp boys?
Today you would be hard-pressed to find anyone beyond a ticket inspector, though there is an ongoing jigsaw puzzle in the corner of the station. It is open to anyone, the pieces on a little wooden table waiting for those with time to partake. Two others, already completed, hang on the wall beside a pinboard displaying community news. The neighbourhood allotment association is particularly active.
It is a costly exercise to get the train to the Mutton because after Hook a taxi is required. And so the pub has a sizeable car park. What awaits whatever the mode of transport is a modern, high-end gastropub in northern Hampshire, sitting pretty in the countryside between Reading and Basingstoke (though far enough away from both to feel wholly bucolic).
The garden outside overlooks Hazeley Farm — excellent in good weather — while the pub is among the cosiest in the area come wind and rain. On the menu, “pub classics” are heralded, but thin on the ground. No matter, the newer, more adventurous dishes make for good eating alongside well-kept cask ales, lagers and cocktails. Not a bad wine list, either.
Be sure to try the snacks, which meander from barbecue mutton ribs (£6) to charcuterie (£16), mackerel crumpets (£10) to a slow-braised beef spring roll (£11). The service is swift and diligent, well suited to those in Barbour jackets, Hunter wellies and the like. Dogs are welcome to boot. A hint of moneyed countryside charm less than an hour from London and without the sheer effort of the Cotswolds.
