The urban guide to the countryside -

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Well, hello!

I'm Hero, founder of Muddy Stilettos, here to bring you the quirky, cool and downright unmissable across the counties.

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Gotta Have It

Obsessed with the time since the clocks went back? Then you'll appreciate our round up the coolest watches for all the family. Christmas inspo incoming!

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

Gift guide for herAunts, mums, grandmas, sisters and your girl posse all covered for Crimbo, plus some spot-on suggestions for gifts to self. Ho ho ho.
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?
Reader treats!We think you're super, so we've created a whole section on the site with local and big brand goodies for you to win, from luxury nights away to the best beauty brands. Go win!
Winter boltholesPack that overnighter and give yourself the break you deserve, with 37 curated cosy breaks across the Muddy counties.
Muddy makes the glossies!I'm too thrilled to play it cool - check out Muddy Stilettos over SIX pages in the brilliant Psychologies magazine!

Eat OutView more

Bye bye gin, we have a new favourite drink!

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.
- Scandi foodie invasion!
  
  No need to head into Shoreditch, there's an influx of Nordic cool right here, with a new raft of groovy cafés and bakeries. Shall we?
- Family-friendly pub ahoy!
  
  The Roald Dahl Museum has just reopened in Great Missenden - if you're heading down, you'd be a Twit not to try this friendly, trad pub just down the street.
- The Castle at Edgehill
  
  Muddy goes all 'Rapunzel' and checks into an impressive 15th Century folly for the night with panoramic views over a famous Civil War battlefield.
- Muddy’s fave new hangout, The Priory
  
  After a stylish gastro pub for lunch or dinner? We've found just the joint down Loughborough way.

TravelView more

St Lucia, beyond the beaches

As the nights draw in and the weather gets bloomin’ chilly, what’s the best thing to do? Book a holiday, of course! Fancy something with loads of adventure for the kids? It’s got to be St Lucia, baby!
- Brighton’s Rock ‘n’ Roll hotel
  
  From silly to sexy, there's plenty of fun to be had at Brighton's unique Hotel Pelirocco
- Bedfordshire bolthole
  
  We make a break for the border, with Muddy's Sophie checking in to the recently refurbed Woburn Hotel in Beds for a romantic weekend. Ooh la la!

FashionView more

On the hunt for cool creps

Trainers so chic that only a fool would take them near a gym are everywhere this season – including some places you wouldn’t expect. Guess where these beauties are from?
- 5 hot trends for Autumn
  
  Ready to shop the new season? We've picked out five trends we love, all available at Westgate Oxford.
- New season, new shoes
  
  Clear space on the shoe rack - I've rounded up Top 15 Autumn footwear faves, from stilettos to sneakers.

BeautyView more

- J’adore Isabel Marant
  
  We can't stretch to new Isabel Marant boots or bags right now but it's a big "OUI!" from us to her super-chic new lipsticks.
- Skin Genius
  
  This natural and organic skincare range won multiple awards at this year's Beauty Shortlist Awards, and with a new look we love it more than ever.

Arts & CultureView more

Muddy Book Club! November’s best new reads

It’s bloomin’ freezing out there so batten down the hatches, commandeer the sofa and get stuck into Muddy books editor Kerry Potter’s November picks. Plus, win the lot!
- Savage X Fenty
  
  Rhianna's brought out a new 'Savage' Fenty underwear range - and given it some serious separate and uplift with a very cool, slightly otherworldly vid. Wanna see?
- First night: Evita, Wycombe Swan
  
  Don't cry for me, I love musicals! Muddy heads to the first night of Evita to see Lucy 'The Voice' O’Byrne in action. But was she totalmente increíble?
- Troilus and Cressida, RST
  
  It's back to the future for the RSC's Mad Max post-apocalyptic version of Troilus and Cressida with music by solo percussionist Evelyn Glennie.
- ‘It’s a real action-hero, ‘Marvel’-like play’
  
  Super-stylish rising RSC talent Amber James on Gregory Doran's Mad-Max-style futuristic dystopian Troilus and Cressida.

Instamuddy

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HomeView more

- Doggy style
  
  Pampered pooches rejoice! Now you can lounge on a your very own mini-sofa that's more stylish than your owners' one. Woof!
- The light fantastic
  
  I'm already planning my attack on God's Own Junkyard's neon sign pop-up at Selfridges. I want it all. And I want it now!
Wellbeing
- Self-care quiz time!
  
  Here at Muddy we love wellbeing and we love a quiz, so a wellbeing quiz? Result!
- Fitness challenge!
  
  Nothing like a race looming to motivate you to go for a walk, run, swim or cycle on these chilly autumn mornings.

WorkView more

- Flexible working – a personal view
  
  It's a contentious issue, that's for sure! As a full-time working mum and business owner, I can see both sides of that fence. Wanna know what I think?
- Co-working: 5 reasons to do it
  
  Are you tired of working from home? Sick of setting up in coffee shops? Maybe you're over the rigidity of long-term office leases? Then it's time to consider co-working.
Kids
- Review: The Comedy of Errors, UK tour
  
  Local children take to the stage in the RSC's new First Encounters with Shakespeare production for 7 - 13-year-olds combining the floss, yoga and some frenetic family fun.
- Inside The Haunted Castle
  
  Muddy boldly goes in search of the scariest thrills for Halloween at Warwick Castle on a family day out.

People View more

Muddy makes the glossies!

I’m too proud to be modest – check out Muddy Stilettos over SIX pages in the brilliant Psychologies magazine!
- Hey, don’t I know you from somewhere?
  
  Tring Park School for the Performing Arts churns out constellations of new generation stars - wanna see the latest batch of A-listers?
- How She Does It
  
  We grill digital start-up founder Clare Reid on nailing that killer idea, championing flexible working and putting in work/life boundaries.