The urban guide to the countryside -

Well, hello!

I'm Rachel, editor of Muddy Berkshire, here to bring you the quirky, cool and downright unmissable in the area.

Gotta Have It

Making plans? Find your perfect Pub, Inn, Hotel, Café, Restaurant or Bar across the Muddy counties.

Booking your family hols?Don't do anything til you've seen Flight Centre's first Family Adventures brochure - and put yourself in the running for a £20k dream trip!
Gifts for teensThose pesky tweens and teens are a nightmare to buy for, but relax, we have it, like, totally covered
Picking the perfect Xmas treeFive top tips to make sure you're rocking around the Xmas tree this year not in a corner
Ain't nothing like a dameSlap on the grease paint and channel the sass of Princess Margaret. Muddy meets Reading's irrepressible dame, Paul Morse.
Superflashy newsflashBreaking news! It's time for the hottest goss in the 'hood, including (*drum roll please*) your favourite Muddy ed's TV debut.

FRI 14 – SUN 16 DEC

MON 10 – SUN 16 DEC

DECEMBER 2018

The latest handpicked businesses we think you’ll love

A pub that’s ready to party

A party atmosphere, food so good you’ll want to share, killer cocktails and the friendliest staff – Bel and the Dragon in Reading has got it all going on.
- Swanning about by the river
  
  A pub immersed in literary history with stunning river views and a new chef adding pizazz to the menu. Is it a page turner? You bet it is.
- Rum – the new gin!
  
  Yes, it's hard to believe but we've benched the G&Ts for a super-cool exciting new tipple. Wanna know what it is? 'Course you do.
- 12 lovely Autumn pub walks
  
  Clocks are going back. Yippee! Enjoy a lie i, then head out for a seasonal stroll before collapsing...
- Giggling Squid Windsor
  
  Fancy something totally different to traditional pub fayre, spice up your life and tuck into Thai tapas at the Giggling Squid. Fast, fabulous and fragrant.

Our honest reviews of the UK’s best schools

Our curated A-Z of the grooviest local businesses

Fancy a weekend away in Kent?

Course you do! We’ve teamed up with Southeastern to give you the lowdown on the Garden of England’s hidden gems. PLUS we’re giving away a luxe weekend stay there worth £500! Aren’t we nice?
- Girls’ weekend getaways
  
  Try these 30 awesome spas, inns, bars and retreats across the Muddy counties and reconnect with your bezzies in style.
- Happy campers
  
  As the Pet Shop Boys said: Go West – especially when it comes to camping and glamping! Here's your Muddy guide to the perfect places to pitch in Cornwall, Devon and Somerset.

Our festive fashion top 10

Invitations piling up and nothing to wear? Well, Cinders, you shall go to the ball (or, er, pub). Muddy’s partywear edit incoming!
- Coochy cool
  
  Our fashion favourite Cos is launching babywear this week - and we've gone gaga for it. Behold the cuteness!
- Blingin’ lovely
  
  We’ve gone bonkers for this diamond bubble ring at Muddy. But you don’t have to shell out £4k – Strange The Jewellers are giving it away. Bling it on.

Panto review: Aladdin

It’s all back to Justin’s House for a panto party. Aladdin at The Hexagon in Reading will be cleaning up this year with a show that’s fun, festive and very silly.
- Muddy reviews: Bracknell’s Dick Whittington
  
  Rat infestation? Call in Rentokil, Dick! Oh too late. Here's my hot-off-the-panto press verdict on Bracknell's Dick Whittington and His Cat.
- Revealed! Our books of 2018
  
  Attention bookworms! Put this little lot on your Christmas list and you can thank us later. Muddy's books editor Kerry Potter choose her top 10 tomes of 2018. Has your favourite made the cut?
- Review: Dick Whittington at Windsor
  
  Boom boom! Traditional filthy family fun at the Theatre Royal Windsor as Basil brush and his panto crew prove post Brexit Windsor's streets are paved with comedy gold.
- Fir the love of Christmas
  
  Christmas stripped back to basics thanks to The Moomins – a family of pantless marshmallow trolls who are utterly clueless, just like the rest of us.

Muddy makes the Daily Mail

What have we got here then? The 50 most inspirational women in the UK – including Keeley Hawes, Dina Asher-Smith, Jaqueline Wilson, Thomasina Miers, and *splutter* Muddy’s high priestess Hero Brown.
Kids
- Get yer skates on!
  
  Ice ice baby! Nothing like a whizz around a rink to make you feel festive (followed by a mulled wine obvs). We've rounded up the best ones for your skating pleasure.
- The Oratory School, Woodcote
  
  In the top 3% of schools for value added at A Level and excellent pastoral care amongst 120 acres of verdant acreage puts The Oratory onto the Muddy radar. Read my review here.

Ain’t nothing like a dame

Slap on the grease paint, hoick up your skirt and channel Princess Margaret. Muddy meets Reading’s irrepressible panto dame, Paul Morse.
- Muddy meets Craig Revel Horwood
  
  Want the hot goss from the BBC ballroom? Strictly judge Craig Revel Horwood reveals all the celebrity drama from this year's show.
- Muddy makes the glossies
  
  I'm too thrilled to play it cool - check out Muddy Stilettos over SIX pages in the brilliant Psychologies magazine!
- The weird world of Craig David
  
  What do Kestrel Kes, Louboutins and Willy Wonka have in common? Here are 10 things you didn't know about comeback king, Craig.
- Muddy meets: Lizzy Yarnold
  
  Hurtling headfirst down a track at 90mph is a breeze in comparison to the grilling she got from St Andrew's School kids.