Ayot St. Lawrence, Hertfordshire, AL6 9BT, UK (map)

This is either the best pub in the world, or just not for you. Every time we’ve been there, the whole pub talks together and is definitely one of the friendliest public places I’ve ever been. So, if you want a place to have a quiet drink and to be anonymous, the Brockett Arms isn’t a great choice. There’s a huge open fireplace that’s clearly been around for hundred’s of years which even has seats if you are feeling cold and brave enough. Getting to the pub is quite an effort, where you feel like you are going to end up in the middle of farmland up to your knees in crap, but at the last minute a tiny village appears. The ales are always perfect, and on the last occasion I was there, I had a fantastic pint of Ridley’s Old Bob (ABV 5.1%). Old Bob is now doomed after the brewery was bought by Green King which means that all the beers will be coming from their Bury St. Edmunds factory instead of Hartford End in essex.

Update: I have it on good authority, that the Brocket Arms is has closed (probably to reopen), but never to be the same. The landlord that had been running the pub for more than 25 years has moved on and the pub is boarded up.