East Meon

Hotels in East Meon itself are scarce, in keeping with the village's small scale, but a handful of characterful rooms can be found above its historic pubs, alongside farmhouse bed and breakfasts in the surrounding Meon Valley. What East Meon lacks in big hotel names it makes up for in setting: guests staying nearby wake to sheep-cropped downland, beech hangers and the sound of the River Meon rather than traffic. Ye Olde George Inn, a 15th-century coaching inn on the green, offers rooms with the same inglenook charm as its bar and restaurant below, making it the obvious first stop for anyone wanting to stay in the village itself.

For more choice, Petersfield is only four miles away and has a wider spread of hotels and inns, from Georgian coaching houses to modern chain options, all within easy reach of East Meon by car or taxi. Further afield, Winchester and the Portsmouth coast both offer larger hotel selections for those happy to base themselves a little further out and drive in for a day of walking and sightseeing. Wherever you stay, book ahead for weekends between spring and early autumn, when the South Downs National Park draws walkers and cyclists in numbers and rooms in and around the Meon Valley fill up quickly.

Small as it is, East Meon punches well above its weight for things worth seeing and doing, most of them free and all of them within easy walking distance of the green.

• All Saints Church — a Grade I listed Norman church tucked against Park Hill, largely built in the early 12th century with a later medieval south aisle and chapel. Inside is one of only four Tournai marble fonts in Hampshire, an intricately carved 12th-century font thought to have been a gift from Henry of Blois, brother of King Stephen and Bishop of Winchester — its Winchester Cathedral counterpart is carved from the same imported Belgian stone.
• The source of the River Meon — a short stroll south of the village brings you to the springs where the Meon rises, before it winds down through the valley towards Wickham and the Solent.
• South Downs Way — the long-distance trail passes close to the village, with a popular route climbing out of East Meon onto the ridge for sweeping views that stretch, on a clear day, as far as the Isle of Wight.
• The Sustainability Centre — a short walk or drive away, this 55-acre site of woodland and chalk grassland occupies the former naval training base HMS Mercury, and now runs courses and events with a café for walkers passing through.
• Court House Farm and the old Manor — the village's medieval Court House, once used for manorial business, is a reminder of East Meon's status as a royal and later ecclesiastical manor for centuries.
• Meon Valley walking and cycling routes — quiet lanes and downland bridleways link East Meon to neighbouring villages such as West Meon and Exton, making it a natural base for a day or two of walking.
• Village green and duck pond — the simplest pleasure in East Meon may be the least remarkable-sounding: a bench by the stream as it runs past the green, with the church tower rising behind.

The village has long punched above its weight for pubs. Ye Olde George Inn is a 15th-century coaching inn beside the River Meon, with inglenook fireplaces, wooden floors and a seasonally changing menu, plus rooms for those staying over. The Izaak Walton, named after the famous 17th-century angling writer who fished the local chalk streams, is the village's other long-standing pub. For a quieter stop, the Beech Café at the nearby Sustainability Centre serves simple, wholesome food to walkers coming off the South Downs Way, while the village shop covers picnic supplies for those heading up onto the downs.

Camping around East Meon means camping properly within the South Downs National Park, and the terrain reflects it: chalk downland, steep-sided coombes and beech hangers rather than flat pasture, so a pitch with some shelter from wind and a firm, well-drained base is worth seeking out. Wild camping without the landowner's permission remains illegal in England, East Meon and the wider South Downs included, so stick to licensed campsites and glamping sites in the Meon Valley and surrounding villages, several of which make a virtue of the setting with views towards Butser Hill or the ridge of the South Downs Way.

Late spring through to early autumn is the best window for a tent in this part of Hampshire, when the ground has dried out after winter and the long evenings suit a walk up onto the downs before dark. Chalk soil drains well but can be exposed to wind on higher pitches, so a sheltered site lower in the valley, closer to the River Meon, is often the more comfortable choice for a family trip, while those wanting the views can head for sites higher on the downland shoulder. Midweek and shoulder-season stays are noticeably quieter than the weekends closest to the school summer holidays.

For campers who would rather skip the tent-pitching altogether, glamping has taken hold across the South Downs in recent years, with shepherd's huts, safari tents and small wooden pods offering a comfortable base within a short walk or drive of East Meon. These sites typically combine proper beds and log burners with the same downland views and access to the South Downs Way that make the area popular with walkers, and they book up quickly for peak season given how few there are dotted around this particularly rural corner of Hampshire. Whichever option you choose, the Meon Valley's network of footpaths and bridleways means a tent or pod here doubles as a genuine base for exploring on foot.