Silent Pool Distillers

The first thing that hits you walking into Silent Pool is how serious they are about their gin. Set just outside Guildford in Surrey, this working distillery is genuinely small - no vast industrial operation here, just proper craft distilling in converted farm buildings. You'll see the copper stills where they're actually making the stuff, which is a sight more interesting than you'd expect. The botanical garden out the back tells you where half their ingredients come from, and the tasting room lets you sample the results without pretence.

It's worth a visit if you're the type who cares about how gin gets made rather than just the drinking bit. Groups of mates usually spend a couple of hours here - maybe less if you're not doing a full tasting. Families with older kids work fine; younger ones might get restless once you've done the distillery walk. The seasonal botanicals change what they're making, so there's a reason to come back.

Go midweek if you can; weekends fill up. The Green Escape glamping site is only six miles away, so you could pair this with a night under canvas nearby - a decent combo if you're staying in the area for a few days. Not the flashiest distillery in the world, but it's real and it's unpretentious, which counts for something in Surrey.