The urban guide to the countryside -

Berkshire

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

Pimp your patio with these 18 outdoor buys

We’re swapping holidays abroad for le jardín this summer, so best make it the ultimate destination. Cue the Muddy shopping edit of the coolest accessories to deck out your outdoor space.

Our curated A-Z of the grooviest local businesses

Sun, sea and social distanceSun's out and we've got the green light for a socially distant day out. Here's 9 beaches, less than two hours away – remember to apply lashings of common sense and SPF.
Superflashy newsflashMovers and gossipers I have news (and there's no mention of the C-word). We're talking parks reopening, foodie hotspots and cocktails delivered to your door.
What’s in – the ultimate guide to fun at homeSticking to your sofa this week? Step this way for my curated guide to the best streams, theatre, shows, festivals and kids activities to ramp up the fun.
Find your fitness mojo – 5 top tipsStarted well but losing your enthusiasm during lockdown? Gecko Fitness nutritionist and coach Sam Ferguson reveals how to stay motivated.
20 of the best spring walks near youIt's National Walking Month! What better way to celebrate than striking out on one of these lovely lockdown-friendly circular walks across Berkshire

Little Black Book

The latest handpicked businesses we think you’ll love

Sit & Sip, Wokingham

FLEX Pilates

Caldesi In Campagna, Bray

The Little Welly

Hurley House Hotel

Rosebourne, Aldermaston

Bridge Street Skin Clinic

The Beauty Box Pangbourne

The Real Macaron Company

YogaTonic UK

And Then She Clicked

The Globe, Newbury

Eat View more
Nettle recipes from The Pig

Why hit the supermarket queue when you can forage in the hedgerows? We consulted kitchen garden experts The Pig for two simple nettle recipes you can make at home.
- Quarantini time! Heston’s Gold Rush
  
  What kinda crazy person decided World Cocktail Day was on Wednesday? The midweek hangover is baaaad. We've rifled through Heston's cocktail bible, so perk yourself up with a Gold Rush.
- Fresh Pasta with Asparagus & Wild Garlic
  
  Want a quick and easy dish during lockdown? Try this 20 minute, delectable and light supper direct from our favourite Daylesford chefs.
- Pimp your roast this weekend
  
  Give your cooking some welly with a zingy springy herb crust. We've twisted the arm of the Wellington Farm Shop butchers to reveal their secret recipe that'll rub your roast up the right way.
- Ready, set, cook! 8 new cookbooks for spring
  
  Looking to up your cooking creds whilst in quarantine? Then you'll be needing our curated guide...

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Arts & Culture View more
18 must-watch documentaries

While we’re all about TV escapism right now, but the truth can be more entertaining than fiction. Reclaim the remote and take your pick from our edit of the best Netflix documentaries.
- 20 rom-com classics blokes will love!
  
  Looking for a date night movie? Suggesting a rom com to a man is like offering garlic bread to a vampire. But we've found 20 will-watch films to cosy up to.
- 24 throwback films to watch with your kids
  
  Time to stage an intervention! Sick of hearing your kids' shows on repeat? Free the remote from their clutches and settle in for a fabulously retro family film night.

Home View more
- House swap: what does £250k get you?
  
  £250k for a house? You betcha! If that mortgage is feeling like a millstone, take a peek at these properties across the Muddy counties and start mentally moving in ASAP.
Wellbeing
- Things I’ve learnt in lockdown
  
  Being confined at home has meant a mixture of soul-searching, recalibration and new skills learnt. After 8 weeks of lockdown, this much I know...
- Find your fitness mojo – 5 top tips
  
  Started well but losing your enthusiasm during lockdown? Gecko Fitness nutritionist and coach Sam Ferguson reveals how to stay motivated and improve your health and wellbeing.

Work View more
How to work from home (without going stir crazy)

Working from your home office (or, er, the sofa) for the foreseeable? Don’t panic! These top tips will help you stay calm, collected and productive – or at the very least, sane.
Kids
- 20 summer buys for kids under £25
  
  Sartorial standards slipping? (My god, yes). At least our children can look snappy with my edit of corona cash friendly buys for little ones
- How you can help your child’s mental health
  
  Anxious, stressed, unhappy... words now regularly applied to describe children. In National Mental Health Awareness Week we're asking - are there simple steps parents can take to ease the pain?

Fashion View more
Sunglasses to suit your face shape

The weather’s perked up – time for new sunnies! We have you covered with our guide to the hottest frames to suit your face shape this summer. Just don’t sit on them.
- Treat me! 20 buys for £20 or less
  
  In need of a pick me up? Here’s our wishlist of the most fashionable self-gifting ideas, from interiors and booze to beauty and accessories, that won’t break the bank.
- Pure and simple: 10 of the best white shirts
  
  A style classic, we all need a crisp white shirt in our wardrobe (hey, maybe even two!). Here are 10 beauties available to buy now lockdown budgets in mind.

Beauty View more
- Greys, begone! 5 products to touch-up your roots
  
  Step away from the home dye and try one of these fast, effective and affordable root touch up kits to get rid of your greys (and stay in your hairdresser's good books).
- Slap on that SPF!
  
  Sun out, suncream on! Here are the best SPF products to protect your skin and get that glow - plus win one of 10 bundles of Saltee suncream.

People View more
Muddy meets: Shlomo, beatboxer

He’s worked with Ed Sheeran, Lily Allen, and Rudimental, and now record-breaking beatboxer Shlomo has a new project on his hands – raising money for the NHS. Tell us about it, Shlo!
- Muddy meets: Shlomo, beatboxer
  
  He's worked with Ed Sheeran, Lily Allen, and Rudimental, and now record-breaking beatboxer Shlomo has a new project on his hands - raising money for the NHS in association with theatres like The North Wall. Tell us about it, Shlo!
- What I’ve learnt in lockdown
  
  Love it or loathe it, lockdown has given us time to learn new skills but has it taught us something deeper? Muddy tapped five busy writers and presenters, juggling careers, babies and even a tumour, to tell all.

School Reviews

Our honest reviews of the UK’s best schools

Read the reviews

Fun Finder

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

Travel View more
Sun, sea and social distance

Sun’s out and we’ve got the green light for a socially distant day out. Here’s 9 beaches, less than two hours away – remember to apply lashings of common sense and SPF.
- Restaurants with rooms
  
  Dreaming of a foodie getaway? We've scoured the Muddy counties for hotel stays with serious culinary credentials for when lock-down lifts. Tuck in.
- Holiday planning? 10 European-style staycations
  
  Love a continental jaunt but staying in Blighty this year? These 10 UK holiday spots have a distinctly European feel.