With breathtaking views over the world famous river Test and large trout slurping up flies right beside your picnic table, this riverside Fuller’s pub is a must-do for foodie fly fisherfolk exploring the Hampshire chalk streams. In the high season, the gunsmoke of Mayflies drifting across the weir pool is almost an everyday occurrence, and if the ducks and swans don’t keep you entertained then even as a devoted fly angler, it is impossible to resist the temptation to throw a triple-cooked chip under the railings and watch on with excitement as an enormous brown trout engulfs it without a second glance. Welcome to the Mayfly!
Unless you have a habit of wearing your chest waders to lunch, you really can’t get much closer to the river! The Mayfly’s gorgeous beer garden extends right up to the water’s edge where the ducks can paddle right beneath your feet and the kingfishers often perch in the trees above your head. In the high season this fantastic little gastropub is a hive of activity for fly fishers from across the region, and there is a constant buzz of fly fishing conversation. Little snippets of chit chat jump out at you as fellow fishers on a nearby table compare their trial’s and tribulations of a morning beside the river, and the chances are they didn’t travel far! There are some tremendous fly fishing beats within a short walk from the pub, others a 5 minute drive away and with the fly fishing capital of Stockbridge just a 10 minute commute down the valley, the Mayfly earns our highest accolade for its proximity to great fishing, and its inalienable kinship with the fly fishing community. Top marks!
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