FANCY a local foodie day out?

The east of the county, which is where you can find the new South Downs National Park, has plenty on offer to tempt visitors.

Hampshire Farmers’ Markets are famous both nationally and internationally for the range and quality of what they offer, and Petersfield, Alton and Winchester all have weekend markets selling such Hampshire specialities as watercress, lavender, wine, gourmet meats and sausages and excellent local cheeses – all grown within a few miles of where they are sold. 

However, if you like your food ready cooked, but still want a quintessential Hampshire experience, what could be better than fine dining on the Watercress Line?

Dates to dine on the traditional Sunday lunch Countryman dining train and five course luxury Watercress Belle are available for the end of the year.

The Watercress Line also puts on Real Ale Trains, affectionately known as the RAT.  Indeed, drinks of all kinds are certainly not lacking in this wonderfully productive part of our national heritage. 

Micro breweries abound, and if you like an active element to your drinking, you can try a residential cider-making course at Upper Neatham Farm in mid-October. Participants select, pick and prepare apples; mill and press into apple juice; prepare this juice for the start of fermentation and then take home to complete the fermentation process into cider.

Other courses available for foodie visitors are tucked into a splendid programme of workshops throughout the year at Butser Ancient Farm, including, this month, a uniquely fascinating day learning (ancient) Roman Cookery and another on ‘Cooking over a Roundhouse Fire’. An additional autumn treat at Butser comprises a Roman Buffet with Roman music. 

Or if your taste runs to something more refined, local company Le Salon du Chocolat offers half or whole day ‘Chocolate Experiences’ in a relaxed and enjoyable atmosphere, making chocolate creams and truffles under the eye of their experienced chocolatiers – and, of course, taking the products home to eat afterwards! 

On the subject of sweet treats, it’s worth investigating the mini-explosion of East Hampshire ice cream makers. Try Mooka, Cocoa Moon in Petersfield, and Dylan’s Ice Cream, sold from a local van.

The house and garden of the great 18th century naturalist, Gilbert White has an elegant Tea Parlour, which, for the sixth year running, has won a Tea Council Award of Excellence. 

Before tucking in, spend time in the garden where Gilbert White enthusiastically produced up to 2,200 cucumbers and 600 cabbages a year, and grew some of the first potato crops ever planted in the area, plus such arcane root crops as ‘skirret’. 

David Standing, who has spent a working life lovingly restoring the garden, has himself recently won the Hampshire Gardener of the Year Award.

And as you leave, you can pick up two gift shop favourites - a jar of medlar & apple jelly made with Gilbert White’s medlars and a bottle or 2 of locally produced Triple fff Gilbert White, Smoked English Pale Ale based on his original 18th century recipe.

Find out more online at easthants.gov.uk/tourism.