Family-friendly Hampshire gem with cafe on bus and pizza

At a loss for something to do on a hot but cloudy Friday in May, my girlfriend and I ventured out towards the Meon Valley in the hope of finding something to keep us busy.

Driving down the scenic country roads in Bereleigh, about 40 minutes from Basingstoke, we stumbled upon a quaint destination which stopped us in our tracks: The Dell.

As a Pompey fan, I wasn't so keen on the name, but after parking up and walking up the small hill towards the cafe, I could tell it was going to score a winner.

Boycie the bus is a cafe (Image: Newsquest)

Described as a family-friendly cafe, pizza and events venue, The Dell offers plenty of things to eat, drink and do. With a children's play area, a bar, a large tipi to relax in, and, uniquely, a cafe in a double-decker bus called Boycie. You can even go glamping on site.

Once the playground of many a child staying at Cedar Valley, and with echoes of his earlier days dropping children at school in the Hampshire countryside, Boycie now sits firmly at the heart of The Dell.

Having visited just before midday, it was slightly too early to consider an alcoholic beverage, as nice as it would have been, and pizzas aren't served until 4 pm, so we went to see what Boycie had to offer.

Gorgeous Hampshire hills (Image: Newsquest)

The staff were very friendly and welcoming, on hand while we made our choices. I went with a cappuccino and a jam cookie, while my girlfriend opted for a Coke and a pastry. They were much-needed pick-me-ups, and we enjoyed eating them in the quiet outdoor seating area, while the resident brown Cocker Spaniel, Albie, brought me his tennis ball to play with. He is a very good boy.

The Dell is a nice little pit-stop during the daytime, but I could just tell that it is one of those places that truly comes to life at night. The venue has several events, including burger nights and even a festival in the near future, and I imagine these will be rather lively.

Now, the real reason you want to visit The Dell during the daytime is for its Kissing Gate walk, which offers some of the most incredible views in Hampshire.

One of the kissing gates (Image: Newsquest)

The route begins just beyond the venue, where a narrow path leads you through a wooden kissing gate and out into open countryside.

From there, the landscape opens up dramatically with rolling hills stretching as far as the eye can see, dotted with hedgerows, grazing cattle and the kind of silence you rarely find this close to a main road.

The 1-hour 15-minute ramble passes through private land, up and over Hampshire hills, and at its highest point, offers a phenomenal view from a memorial bench.

Views from the top of the hill (Image: Newsquest)

It is the sort of view that stops you in your tracks. A vast patchwork of greens and golds across the Meon Valley, with nothing but birdsong and the distant bleat of sheep for company. Even with a cloudy May sky overhead, it was utterly breathtaking.

As we made our way back down the hill towards Boycie before the drive home, it struck me how rare it is to find somewhere that feels both completely unhurried and quietly special. There is no fanfare to The Dell, no gaudy signs or tourist trappings, just good food, good coffee, a friendly dog, and one of the finest views in Hampshire waiting for those willing to lace up their boots.

The Dell may share its name with a certain south-coast ground, but on this evidence, it's a destination worthy of any fan's visit.