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

Our curated A-Z of the grooviest local businesses

St Edward's Prep, ReadingImpressive 11+ prep and high success rate to grammar schools, St Edward's in Reading is a hidden gem amongst Berkshire's more shouty prep schools.
Fancy a £1000 Luxury Family Hotel stay?Er YEAH! Read our review of stunning Fowey Hall in Cornwall, and snaffle a long weekender at one of five idyllic Luxury Family Hotels in Cornwall, Suffolk, Hants, Wilts or Dorset.
Hot gossip ahoy!I've been sniffing around for the hottest goss in the 'hood and I've come up trumps. The Ivy's coming to Berkshire.… and there's more.
Struggling with a moody teen?Lie's in, sniffing lemons and focussing on the glass half full will tap into the teen brain and help them feel happier… Ready for the science bit?
Win 7 perfect pieces to ease you into AutumnMuddy's fashion fave hush has triumphed with its new trans-seasonal collection, and we have five - yes FIVE! - sets of our fashion edit to give away, worth over £3600. Go, go, go!

FRI 20 – SUN 22 SEP

MON 16 – SUN 23 SEP

SEP 2019

The latest handpicked businesses we think you’ll love

Autumn Supper Clubs

Forks perfectly poised? Dig in to a brand new round of supper clubs popping up over the coming months with brilliant one-offs, Sri Lankan, Asian and vegan options.
- The Globe, Newbury
  
  One of Newbury's oldest pubs has become a dog-friendly hip hangout that boasts a cool culinary collaboration with a Muddy Award winner. Who's up for yappy hour?
- 5 wines to try before you die
  
  Love a Chablis or three? Whether you're a wino or oenophile, we asked experts for their bucket list wines. Not to be drunk by the bucket load. Just saying!
- The perfect country pub?
  
  The Old Boot in Stanford Dingley, West Berks, has comfort food and countryside views to die for. Pull up a chair.
- 10 waterside hangouts
  
  Water, water everywhere and there's more than a drop to drink (thank god!). Watch the world float by at Muddy's fave waterside spots to eat and drink.

Our honest reviews of the UK’s best schools

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

Fancy a £1000 Luxury Family Hotel stay?

Er, YEAH! Read our review of stunning Fowey Hall (the inspiration for Toad Hall in Kenneth Graham’s ‘Wind in the Willows’) PLUS take your chance to win a long weekender at an Luxury Family Hotel in Cornwall, Suffolk, Hants, Wilts or Dorset. Poop poop!
- London calling!
  
  Love the idea of going into London but find it all just a leetle bit daunting? Make life easy on yourself with our Top 10 tips on how to have a cracking time in the city this Summer.
- Muddy’s Insider Guide to the Isle of Wight
  
  This sunny little Island may be small in stature but it's packed to the brim with amazing things to check out. We've got the top tips on how to discover the real Isle of Wight.

Lost your style mojo?

Deep diving into a new season but no clue where to start? Vanessa Bestwick, super-stylist and fashion fairy godmother at Camp Hopson Newbury, to the rescue. The aim? Shop less, wear more and feel fabulous. It’s a big ask.
Beauty
- J’adore/ j’abhor
  
  This week's Muddy heated debate: whether or not to embrace a full head of grey hair. Eeeek! or chic? We duke it out.
- Five of the best travel sets
  
  Heading off on your holidays? Check in these ready to fly travel sets- just chuck 'em in your suitcase and go!

Awesome Autumn culture planner

It’s all going on! Behold, your cheat-sheet to the season’s best art, theatre, TV, books and film in the UK, as curated by Muddy’s extremely cultural Kerry Potter.
- Read these this month…
  
  ... and win 'em all! Curl up into a comfy chair, pour a glass of wine, and dive into a new fab book with this month's hottest new reads.
- Grab your tickets for THE event of the Autumn!
  
  Tickets for our Muddy Book Club Live at Henley Literary Festival next month are selling like hotcakes. Be there or be square!

Making work work for you

Back at your desk after summer fun and not really feeling it? We hear you. Here’s some food for thought from the autumn’s hottest self-help book by ex Elle journalist turned author Lotte Jeffs.
Kids
- St Edward’s Prep, Reading
  
  Impressive 11+ prep and a high success rate to grammar schools, this small, family-feel Reading boys' school is a hidden gem.
- St George’s School, Windsor Castle
  
  Muddy says: More than just a chi-chi address, St George's is a chorister school, with royal links, excellent academics and music oozing from every corner.

Dermot: It’s personal

Love ogling O’Leary? He’s DJing at Ascot Races and Muddy’s got all the goss on his *coughs* tooooit trousers, love of cats and mojitos with Madonna.
- Food fit for a queen
  
  Sacre bleu! L'Ortolan's creative Head Chef Tom Clarke spills the beans on cooking for the Royal family, his love of French cuisine, famous diners and his food trend regrets.
- The toughest woman in sport
  
  She's lost teeth and blacked out, but nothing will stop jockey Hollie Doyle getting back in the saddle. Muddy talks to racing's pocket rocket in the run up Ladies Night at Windsor Racecourse.