Essex - The Urban Guide to the Countryside

Spotlight

Incoming: this week's hottest eventsYep, restrictions have rocked the social calendar once again, but that doesn't mean you have to stay in just yet. Here's what's still on near you now
Eight of the best autumn pub walks in EssexLove a countryside potter and pub lunch? Us too. Step forward our pick of the prettiest autumn pub walks that won’t leave you out in the cold this season
Hot and happening: what's on this weekIs your social diary looking decidedly light right now? Let us help you fix that! From cool exhibitions and talks to indie cinema and theatre offerings, we've got your calendar covered
How to tackle stress and boost mental healthStressed much? Ahead of World Mental Health Day on 10 October, we explore how to navigate self-care and manage your emotional wellbeing by easing lockdown anxiety. Over to the experts...
Have you heard the hot gossip?From Jude Law taking up temporary residence on Essex’s own private island (ladies, this is not a drill) to a fancy foodie outpost, here’s all the news you need to know now

Well, hello!

I'm Nicola, editor of Muddy Essex, here to bring you the quirky, cool and downright unmissable in the area.

Gotta Have It

Your alternative advent calendar guide for 2020

Move over, chocolate. From gin to jewellery, and options for men and minis, here are the best alternative advent calendars to count down the festive season.

It’s all about the staycay! Our handpicked selection of the hippest hotels, pubs, restaurants and cottages to help you book that well-deserved break

Eat View more
Caffeine boost! 39 of the best indie coffee roasters

Can’t function without your morning brew? Try one of these delicious artisan blends, from indie coffee roasters across the Muddy counties, to kickstart your day with a caffeine boost.
- Eight of the best autumn pub walks in Essex
  
  Love the great outdoors? Us too – especially if there’s a gorgeous countryside inn serving up a crisp Pinot/pale ale conveniently placed along the way. Step forward our pick of the prettiest regional routes that won’t leave you out in the cold
- Launch review: The Pig, Harlyn Bay, Cornwall
  
  On its opening day, Muddy's ed-in-chief Hero Brown was the first to eat lunch at the brand new Pig hotel in Harlyn Bay (what a trooper!). So what was the verdict?
- Bag your Brut from these Essex vineyards
  
  English wine is having a moment – and Essex has some corkers of its own on the grow with...
- 8 stylish local restaurants for autumn
  
  Now that lockdown is lifting, it's time to 'eat out to help out'. We think we can manage that....

Arts & Culture View more
Sofa surfer! 7 new TV shows and films to watch this week

Anyone up for movie night? Here are six new feature-length flicks landing on the box this week, as well as a brand new Netflix mini-series you’ll love.
- Incoming: this week’s hottest events
  
  Yep, restrictions have rocked the social calendar once again, but that doesn't mean you have to stay in just yet. Here's what's still on near you now
- And now, something to cheer us all up…
  
  Need a little light relief? Don't we all? Here are three IG accounts that have been making us laugh this week.
- 10 new films and TV shows landing this week
  
  Bored? Us too! Drop the box set re-runs and settle down with this week's Muddy-curated guide to the best of the small screen.
- Have you heard the hot gossip?
  
  From Jude Law taking up temporary residence on Essex’s own private island (ladies, this is not a drill) to a fancy foodie outpost, here’s all the news you need to know now

Home View more
- Light it up! 42 cool indie candle brands
  
  The arrival of autumn means darker evenings snuggled indoors by candlelight. Looking for a new scent? Try one of these gorgeous indie candle brands from across the Muddy counties.
Wellbeing
- How to tackle stress and boost mental health
  
  Stressed much? Ahead of World Mental Health Day on 10 October, we explore how to navigate self-care and manage your emotional wellbeing by easing lockdown anxiety. Over to the experts...
- Let’s get physical
  
  If you’ve fallen off the fitness wagon during lockdown, don’t sweat it: plenty of cool new classes are springing up across the county to help you get back in shape – and stay motivated

Travel View more
20 Muddy-approved attractions in Essex

From the big-beast tourist destinations to our cool insider alternatives, read on for our pick of 20 unmissable days out and stays across the county
- Book now: 10 European-style staycations
  
  Love a continental jaunt but staying in Blighty this year? These 10 UK holiday spots have a distinctly European feel - can you guess where this is?
- Where to stop on your way to Cornwall & the South West
  
  Driving down to your staycation and need a lunch pit-stop or runaround with the dog/kids? We've sniffed out the best places to stop near the south-west's major routes.

Work View more
J’adore/ J’abhor: video calls

Are you a FaceTime fanatic or a Skype cynic? After months of video call catch-ups, two Muddy editors battle it out over the digital face-to-face. Who will you side with?
- Back-to-school for grown-ups
  
  The kids may be going back to school but why should they get all the new gear? We all deserve shiny winter boots and bags too. Here's our pick for back-to-school style.
- How to WFH (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
- 10 of the best subscription boxes for kids
  
  Running on empty when it comes to entertaining the kids? Royal Mail comes up trumps with these brilliant subscription boxes – time to sit with a gin and wait for the postman.
- How to elevate everyone’s October half-term
  
  Yep, half-term has crept up on us, too. But rather than climb the four walls (again), here's your ultimate guide to beating boredom and surviving the school holidays this month

Fashion View more
Sustainable fashion gets sexy

Ethical, eco and everywhere – with the likes of Selfridges now pushing a new sustainable outlook, here’s where you can rewear, repair and renew your wardrobe in style.
- The new-season fashion trends to take you into A/W 2020
  
  Coveting new-season fashion trends to add to basket? We've got the five leading wardrobe wins to nail A/W style, plus the local boutiques to shop them in
- The shacket: your new sartorial hero
  
  What do you get when you cross a jacket with a shirt? A shacket, of course! Here's our pick of the best lightweight and affordable options to take you into autumn.

Beauty View more
- The essential no make-up make-up kit
  
  It’s a trend that’s not going away anytime soon; make-up so subtle that it just makes you look like a brighter and better version of yourself. Here’s the Muddy guide.
- Hello tootsies! The best at-home pedi kits
  
  It's starting to feel a lot like peak summer and with the mercury knocking 25 degrees on a regular basis, it means it's also time to expose The Feet. Ready, set, attack!

People View more
Yes, people, this is Meg Mathews!

Primrose Hill party queen turned wellness guru? Stranger things have happened! Muddy chats to the always glamorous Meg Mathews about her new book, the menopause and, er, vagina facials.
- In conversation with: She Rises author, Kate Worsley
  
  Did you write a book during lockdown? Nope, us neither. But the global pandemic-shaped pause has created a new generation of novelists who want to. So what's it really like to pen a best-seller, and are there any hot hacks? We asked an Essex pro to share her story…
- Style spotlight: Fashion Re:Boot host Ciara Elliott
  
  The concept is gold: gather a group of trendy women together to buy and sell their pre-loved...
- Meet the maker: Dantes Ceramics
  
  From potters and painters to stylists and chefs, Essex is awash with creative talent and in this new culture series, we meet the skilled artisans who deserve championing. First up: Isabelle Taylor-Jones of Dantes Ceramics in Wivenhoe
- Let’s hear it for the girls! Meet WOW founder, Jude Kelly
  
  Muddy meets Jude Kelly CBE, founder of the WOW Foundation, and the annual Women of the World Festival which celebrates the lives of us bloody marvellous women and girls, and tackles our shared challenges.