The urban guide to the countryside -

Well, hello!

I'm Katrina, editor of Muddy Herts & Beds, 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

The best water parks and lidosFeeling the heat? Dive in to one of these pools and watery oases this summer. No heavy petting or dive bombing, mind, and don't forget the sunscreen!
46 stunning summer pubsFancy sipping a cold one in a pretty al fresco pub setting with friends or fam? Here are the best of the bunch across all the Muddy counties. Cheers!
The 30 best local artisan ginsRack them up, throw in some Juniper berries and rosemary, and let's get drinking!
Wonderful weddingsPlanning a wedding? Don't do anything until you've consulted our comprehensive wedding guide for all 21 Muddy counties.
Muddy goes wild in LondonEd-in-chief Hero Brown nailed 9 hours in London with her kids last week and it was epic! See how she did it, AND win yourself a family trip to the city with a meal for four on us.

Fri 23 - Sun 25 Aug

Mon 19 - Sun 25 Aug

August 2019

The latest handpicked businesses we think you’ll love

Muddy Eats: The George of Harpenden

This recently updated pub has had a serious facelift, shedding its rep as a dingy old boozer, and appealing to a far more refined Harpenden crowd with its Med-inspired all-day menus and luxe interiors. I booked in for Sunday brunch with friends.
- The best brunch in town
  
  The most lipsmackingly indulgent meal of the day and we have 47 of the best ones to tempt you with, from vegan to full English, flat white to green detox. Just add friends and a hangover.
- The 20 best beachside eats
  
  Make the most of the British summer at one of our Muddy-recommended coastal eateries. Napkin at the ready? Let's do this!
- 46 stunning summer pubs
  
  Fancy sipping a cold one in a pretty al fresco pub with friends or fam? Here are the best of the bunch across the Muddy counties.
- Muddy eats: The Glasshouse at The Grove
  
  The Glasshouse restaurant at The Grove Hotel has had a swanky new makeover, so, quick out of the blocks as ever, Muddy rocked up to report back on the buzzing new-look hotspot for five-star foodies.

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.

Muddy reviews: The Grove, Chandler’s Cross, Hertfordshire

Known as London’s country estate, The Grove in Hertfordshire is an elegant rural mansion house with a cool urban vibe. Sounds like the best of both worlds, right? I checked in to find out…
- 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.
- 40 Quirky Stays for Summer
  
  From yurts to lodges, shepherd's huts to helicopters (not even joking!), the Muddy editors have pulled together the most charming, unusual escapes across 21 counties. Enjoy!

Lovely luggage

A chic, sexy, stylish… suitcase? Yep, really. Meet the cult luggage brand that’s flying high this summer. Check it out before you check it in.
- J’adore/ J’abhor
  
  So, what's the hot topic currently creating emotional fracking by the office water cooler? This week - velcro sandals!
- In all your Finery
  
  Need a summer party frock? This under-the-radar label majors in cool dresses and jumpsuits. We've got £500 worth of Finery goodies up for grabs for 10 lucky Muddy readers - that's £5k worth of foxy fashion! Here's how to enter. (Sorry! This competition has closed.)

Art’s rising rock stars

Blank walls but your budget doesn’t stretch to an Emin or Hirst? Here’s 12 cool, collectable artists who won’t require you to sell a loved one (and may prove to be a good investment).
- Muddy Book Club Live is BACK!
  
  We're hosting an author event at Henley Literary Festival on Sat 5 Oct and you're all invited! Want to meet our brilliant speakers? Plus our top 5 festival picks.
- The top 10 books of the summer
  
  Don't pack your suitcase or load up your Kindle until you've read this! Muddy's books editor Kerry has picked the 10 best books to get stuck into on holiday.
- The books you MUST read this summer
  
  June's best new books are a corking bunch, including Eat, Pray, Love author Elizabeth Gilbert's breathtaking new novel. Check out Kerry Potter's reviews.
- Need a brilliant new read?
  
  A stunning debut novel, a futuristic thriller and an exquisite memoir are among books editor Kerry Potter's marvellous May picks.

Flexi-time – are you working it out?

Flexible working is a buzzy phrase, but seriously – how many of us actually live the dream? Muddy’s Editor-in-Chief Hero Brown explains how it could work for you.
- Sexy stationary
  
  Stationery is one of my specialist subjects. And - whoop! - it's National Stationery Week. Check out this sexy lot.
- Who do you think you are?
  
  Do you ever get the feeling that you're going to be found out, that people will realise you're a bit of a fraud? Life coach Jessica Wall on how to deal with Imposter Syndrome.
Kids
- Best kids’ movies this summer
  
  With the weather a bit unpredictable, it's a good week for a cinema trip. It'll keep 'em quiet for a couple of hours while you have a sneaky snooze, right?
- Sweetest summer fashion
  
  There's no shortage of gorgeous children's companies, but high street brand Joules is our pick for the best-dressed kids on the beach.

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?
- When Muddy met Shappi
  
  Comedian Shappi Khorsandi discusses new tour, her tips on how NOT to be funny and why you should do things that scare you (hell yeah!)
- Muddy meets Nik Kershaw
  
  Nik Kershaw is laconic, laid-back, and *very very* funny - read on for his views on Live Aid, embarrassing his kids, the Let's Rock the Moor pecking order and (OMG) being a grandfather!
- Everyone’s talking about… The Guilty Feminist
  
  Love the podcast? Good news - its creator is coming to a theatre near you this spring. We grabbed super-talented comedian Deborah Francis-White for a chinwag.
- Muddy meets Tom Kerridge…
  
  ... and talks Marlow's Pub in the Park (Kaiser Chiefs, people), his favourite local eateries, and work life balance issues - yup, he has them too!