Rob and Meg Sanderson serve pints straight to your paddleboard (Picture: The Botley Brewery & Hidden Tap) With much of England and Wales once again baking in searing temperatures, we’d do anything for a beer, a swim, and a cool breeze. And for lucky locals in a leafy part of Hampshire, all of the above is on offer in a most novel way. Along the banks of the River Hamble at Botley Mills is the Hidden Tap, a not-so-hidden-gem where bartenders peer over the wall to lower drinks using a handy pulley system. Punters on the receiving end are passed pints direct to their ride: kayak, canoe, or paddleboard. The Botley Brewery, which is attached to the Grade II Listed Botley Flour Mill from 1955, is owned by husband and wife Rob and Meg Sanderson and has been running since 2012. The Hidden Tap was then opened over seven years ago, right next door. Serving four casks of Botley Brewery’s own beer and up to seven ciders from a variety of suppliers, as well as guest ales, the pub is a must-visit for paddleboard enthusiasts. To order a drink from Hidden Tap, punters ring a bell to get someone’s attention. The order is then lowered down in a box on a rope. @pinkypaddles Visiting the hidden tap for drinks by paddle board. Please note there’s 2 big trees down that we had to navigate to get here. Not suitable for beginner paddlers. Maybe the trees will get moved… wearing @Rooster @..The..Adventurer for a discount use my code PINKY10 Blackproject hydro SynergyX paddle #paddleboard #riverhamble #paddleboarding #supadventure #sup #uksup #paddling #paddleboardinguk #ukpaddleboarding #blackprojectsup #redpaddleco #standuppaddleboard #roosterkit #roostersailing ♬ time travel – chief. & nobuddy It’s good value, too. Soft drinks are £2, while crisps and snacks are £1.20. Beer, cider and wine are £5 per glass or pint, prices us Londoners can only dream of. The pub also has plenty of alcohol-free options, if you want to sail with a clear head. The River Hamble, which is popular for riverside walks, runs through the pretty villages of Bishop’s Waltham, Botley and Hamble, crossing about 6.3 miles, where the river then enters into the Southampton Water. So there’s plenty to see on the journey there. It’s captured the imagination, with customers praising it as ‘genius’, a ‘fantastic idea’ and a ‘great service that does not disappoint’. Before you head down, though, get organised and remember to check the times for high and low tide. One unlucky punter had to wait for the water level to rise enough to reach the bucket! @ukhiddengems Who else has that Weekend Feeling? 🥂😍 Can’t be bothered to drive to the pub? Why not just paddleboard there and get them delivered straight to the board 🍻🥂😂 🎥 @lostlikeloz 📍Botley Brewery, Southampton #uktravel #ukhiddengems #placestovisituk #southampton ♬ som original – ₊˚ ཐི⋆𝒙𝒐𝒈𝒉𝒊𝒃𝒍𝒊⋆ཋྀ ˚₊ The pub is open Tuesday-Thursday from 5-11pm, Friday-Saturday from 12-11pm, and 12-8pm on Sundays. Elsewhere in Hampshire, there’s plenty to get up to. Make a day of it by visiting the historic city of Winchester, the former capital of England don’t you know, and home to a Cathedral and The Great Hall – the only surviving part of Winchester Castle and home to King Arthur’s legendary Round Table. Fans of Pride and Prejudice or Emma can also tour the famed author Jane Austen’s house. For more outdoor adventures, stop by Calshot Activities Centre – one of the south’s biggest outdoor centres, which has an abundance of activities like wall climbing, windsurfing and sailing. More UK travel inspiration from Metro Inside the ‘charming’ English B&B that’s just been crowned best in the country Why I’ve been going back to the same UK seaside town for 17 years One of London’s most famous ships is turning into a floating pub Little-known theme park crowned the UK’s most affordable for families I’ve been to hundreds of UK beaches, but this is the one I keep going back to The UK has one of the best nude beaches in the world — these are the rules One of the UK’s top holiday parks launches beachfront camping from just £7.50 Do you have a story you’d like to share? Get in touch by emailing MetroLifestyleTeam@metro.co.uk