Napton Cidery

The cider house sits on a quiet stretch of Warwickshire countryside just outside Southam, where they've been pressing apples and pears into proper farmhouse cider for years. You can turn up for a tasting, buy bottles to take away, and if you time it right, chat to the people actually making the stuff - which beats a sterile tasting room any day.

What you get depends on what they've got on the go. Traditional dry ciders, perry made from pears, sometimes fruit-infused batches. The operation is small and genuinely independent, so don't expect corporate polish. That's rather the point. You're drinking something made locally by folk who know their orchards.

This works best if you're already camping in the area - Holt Farm Campsite is less than a mile away, making it an easy evening jaunt after a day's walking. Bring a picnic or just grab bottles to take back to your tent. Allow an hour or so, though really you could spend longer if the owners have time to chat. It's not a massive visitor attraction with tours and gift shops; it's a working cidery that happens to sell to the public.

Worth the drive if you're into cider and supporting small producers. If you're expecting theme-park theatre, you'll be disappointed. But if you want honest cider made properly, near Southam, this delivers.