But, despite its lack of size and out of the way location, the Royal Oak at Fritham packs a punch in terms of awards - this week being listed yet again in the Good Beer Guide.

The pub, run since 1998 by Neil and Pauline McCulloch and their daughters, Cathy Wilson and Jenna Bessant, has twice been named country pub of the year as well as being crowned pub of the year by the South Hampshire branch of CAMRA six times over the years.

Neil and Pauline McCulloch of The Royal Oak, Fritham READ MORE: Third generation take over at Totton pub The Peg and Parrot

After a busy summer welcoming tourists, the team are getting ready to light their impressive fires, which traditionally roar into action once the clocks change in autumn, a move which sees queues form outside at opening time for a place by the fire. 

They serve 15 different types of Ploughman's lunches, all with home-cooked and locally sourced ingredients. The popular meals even featured on the BBC's Remarkable Places to Eat when First Dates maitre d'hotel Fred Sirieix and celebrity grocer Chris Bavin tried out a ploughman's featuring New Forest Smokery and Trout Farm's amazing pate.

(Image: The Royal Oak, Fritham)

Neil McCulloch, who also runs the neighbouring farm and accommodation in shepherds huts in the adjacent field with his family, said: "We like to do something a bit different from the usual pub fare, which you can get at other great pubs in the Forest.  

"We're a bit out of the way, so you're either completely lost or you really want to be here. 

"We're always busy, but it's great fun."

(Image: The Royal Oak, Fritham) Regular beers on tap are Flack's Double Drop from Flack Manor in Romsey, Summer Lightning by the Hop Back Brewery in Downton and the house beer, produced by Bowman Ales at Droxford, plus there are four more regularly-changing beers, normally sourced locally.

Some evenings, a pizza, fish and chip or burger van pays the pub a visit and the monthly quizzes go down a storm. The huge beer garden is always popular, if the weather allows.