The urban guide to the countryside -

Well, hello!

I'm Sophie, editor of Muddy Herts & Beds, here to bring you the quirky, cool and downright unmissable in the area.

Gotta Have It

Hands never been cleaner - and more in need of a decent moisturiser? Treat yourself to a small dollop of comfort with these beautiful handcreams.

Our curated A-Z of the grooviest local businesses

Sat 28 - Sun 29 Mar

Mon 23 - Sun 29 Mar

March 2020

The latest handpicked businesses we think you’ll love

Eat Out View more
Open for business? Let us know!

At this time of uncertainty, we want to keep you updated with what’s happening in Herts & Beds (because, let’s be honest, nobody really has a clue). We also want to do everything we possibly can to support all the amazing local businesses that may be struggling. This page will be regularly updated with all […]
- 5 best coffee shops (off the beaten track)
  
  Fancy an adventure? Check out our 5 favourite rural coffee shops in Herts & Beds
- 8 best Sunday Roasts
  
  It's one of life's greatest pleasures (in our humble opinion) - a Sunday roast with all the trimmings. Here's our pick of the pubs serving the best in Herts and Beds.
- Flipping fabulous! Where to eat this Pancake Day
  
  Can't be bothered with the faff of making your own? Ditch the spatula and order off the menu instead. Here are our top pancake picks in Herts & Beds.
- The George IV, Great Amwell
  
  An elegant refurb and a new menu have brought a contemporary gastro vibe to this trad village pub. Muddy took a seat at the dining table, but did it step up to the plate?

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.

Travel View more
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.
- A boutique masterpiece
  
  The Artist Residence in the hamlet of South Leigh, Oxfordshire with its slick styling and cleverly chosen art, is a welcome antidote to traditional Cotswolds inns. Muddy loves.
- 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.

Fashion View more
5 of the best… trench coats

It’s a style classic for a reason – the trench is probably the most chic, useful piece you can buy (banish all thoughts of Inspector Clouseau). Here are our new season favourites.
- 5 of the best… French slogan jumpers
  
  Bonjour, sexy new knitwear! These chic slogan jumpers are guaranteed to add a little je ne sais quoi to any ensemble - we adore.
- 4 new season trends to try (and one to avoid)
  
  The high street is awash with new spring/summer goodies. Overwhelmed? Here's our pick of the new trends worth exploring - and how to wear them.

Arts & Culture View more
Read THESE this month

Reasons to be cheerful: spring has sprung and a brilliant new batch of March books has arrived. Gather around, and let Muddy’s pro-bookworm Kerry Potter tell you a story.
- 20 cultural things to do in 2020
  
  2020 is the Hertfordshire Year of Culture so we've rounded up the best events, performances and festivals happening across the county to put in your diary now!
- Jeeves with added (Wooster) sauce
  
  Up for some jolly japes, an avalanche of comic effects and a gentle skewering of the upper class? Then you might just love this anarchic reimagining of the P.G Wodehouse classic.
- The 5 best books out February
  
  Need a new read? Muddy's pro bookworm Kerry Potter has found five February fancies for your delectation. Read all about 'em!
- This month’s best new reads
  
  What kind of insaniac leaves the house in January? Retire to the sofa and get stuck into one of pro bookworm Kerry Potter's enthralling new literary picks.

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. Find your space Creating a specific (ideally well-lit) space to work from home is spot-on for your sanity. If you have to work […]
Kids
- 5 things I’ve learned about motherhood
  
  Acclaimed author (and Muddy favourite) Clover Stroud is in the midst of raising her 5 children. Miraculously she's found time to write a book about it all. Here's a taster.
- Easter activities SORTED!
  
  Are you in Half-Term recovery mode? Now the kids are back at school (praise be), plan for an easier Easter with Barracudas Activity Day Camps – I reckon your ankle-biters will love it.

People View more
The 4 funniest people on social media

Fancy a giggle? These Instagram and Twitter accounts are happy to oblige.
- Exclusive interview! Muddy meets…. Laurence Fox
  
  The actor-turned-singer has been front page news since an incendiary appearance on Question Time last week. In this exclusive interview, he talks midlife crises, death threats and groupies with Muddy's Kerry Potter.
- Muddy meets Josie Long
  
  We caught up with (we reckon) the most positive comedian in the business about motherhood, MasterChef, making people laugh and her new tour, Tender.
- Meet the woman who’s declared war on plastic
  
  We met Beth Noy, the founder of Plastic Freedom, an online shop collating the best plastic-free brands around. She's got some brilliant advice for us all.
- Yup, stage school works!
  
  Another year and another surge of nascent stars of the stage and screen graduate from Tring Park School for the Performing Arts. Want to meet them?