Mr & Mrs Smith

Five minutes from the Aviator in Farnborough, you’ll find a proper country pub menu with a glimmer of gastro glamour at The Swan Inn (http://swaninnfarnborough.co.uk; +44 (0)1252 544654), and an outpost of the ever-reliable seafood eatery Loch Fyne (+44 (0)1252 748030), 15 minutes away in neighbouring Farnham. The New Mill (www.thenewmill.co.uk; +44 (0)118 9732277) in Eversley is worth the half-hour drive for its double-AA-rosette menu and peaceful, leafy setting on the banks of the Blackwater. There’s more refined Brit dining at Bluebells (www.bluebells-restaurant.co.uk; +44 (0)1344 622722), 20 minutes away in Sunningdale and at The Pride of the Valley (+44 (0)1428 605799) beside the little village of Churt.

Unsurprisingly, most of the attractions in and around Farnborough involve leaving the ground: you can tale to the skies with Cabair Flying School (www.cabairflyingschools.com), who can teach you how to manoeuvre small planes and helicopters. If you want to keep your feet on the ground (or at least, not far above it), take a lesson in horseback mallet-swinging at Brett Polo (www.brettpolo.com) in Winkfield. It’s worth setting aside a couple of hours to meander around The Sculpture Park (www.thesculpturepark.co.uk) next to the Pride of the Valley in Churt – a swathe of wildlife-packed forest with some seriously impressive artworks hidden around every corner. The adjoining Frensham Common is great for countryside rambles, too.