Essex - The Urban Guide to the Countryside

Spotlight

A (garden) room of one’s own? Cue the rise of the ‘she shed’Once the preserve of men, now sheds are doubling up as yoga studios and offices across the county. Here, we reveal how to style yours using local indie brands – and speak to the women reclaiming their gardens
The new-season fashion trends to take you into A/W 2020Coveting some new-season fashion trends to add to basket? We've got the five leading wardrobe wins to nail autumn/winter style this year
What’s on in Essex this week: the hot new eventsReady for another buzzy week in our heavenly 'hood? If your iCal’s looking a little light on family days out, creative workshops and cultural must-sees right now, here’s seven days of Muddy-approved fun to get stuck into
Superflashy newsflash!From foodie and fashion news and contemporary culture fixes, to where to shop to restore your soul, I've truffled up all the goss and goings on in Essex this week.
Bottoms up! The best new indie drinksGot a large glass to hand? We’ve rounded up 42 of the best new independent drinks from across the Muddy counties from wine and gin to rum and beer.

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.

Our curated A-Z of the grooviest local businesses

Eat View more
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 – and is it worth a trip to North Cornwall?
- 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 to book for autumn
  
  Now that lockdown is lifting, it's time to 'eat out to help out'. We think we can manage that....
- Here’s to 8 of the best Essex pub gardens
  
  Vino in an autumnal pub garden, ladies? Here's the inside scoop on where to head for the best food, views and local tipples.
- Essex scenic picnic spots you need to know now
  
  Squeeze the last out of the late summer sun with our seven off-the-radar hotspots for the ultimate field day

Arts & Culture View more
What’s in: 7 new TV and film releases to watch this week

Sherlock Holmes spin-offs, live opera and the return of Bake Off – it’s all happening this week! Grab a cuppa, unearth the remote and stick one of these on the box.
- What’s on in Essex this week: the hot new events
  
  Ready for another buzzy week in our heavenly 'hood? If your iCal’s looking a little light right now, here’s seven days of Muddy-approved fun to get stuck into
- Your ultimate autumn culture planner 2020
  
  Culture vultures, grab your diaries. Here's your Muddy-curated cheat sheet to the season's best art, theatre, TV, books and film in the UK.
- Boredom begone! Here’s what to watch this week
  
  In need of something new to sink your teeth into? Muddy to the rescue! Here are the latest TV and film releases coming to a screen near you.
- Into London: the capital reopens
  
  With the tourist count at an all-time low, now is the time to swerve the endless queues and enjoy London's cultural bounty.

Home View more
- Comforting classics from The Pie Room
  
  Ooh, is there anything more satisfying than good flaky pastry? These two warming recipes from Calum Franklin’s new cookbook The Pie Room will take you into autumn and beyond.
Wellbeing
- 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
- Why ours is a county of cyclists
  
  With its quiet stretches of countryside and labyrinth of forgotten-village lanes, Essex is a region best explored on two wheels. Here, we hit Harlow for a leisurely spin – and select three more scenic cycle routes for intrepid trailblazers

Travel View more
10 European-style staycations to book now

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?
- Top places to stop on your way to Cornwall and 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.
- J’adore/j’abhor: camping
  
  Does the sight of a sleeping bag pique your sense of adventure, or break you out in a cold sweat? Two Muddy behemoths duke it out over camping - let's hope it doesn't get too tents (sorry).

Work View more
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.
Kids
- BRENTWOOD SCHOOL, BRENTWOOD
  
  Striking an unusual balance between co-ed and single-sex learning, this successful independent delivers history and heart alongside its stellar academic record
- How to manage back-to-school anxiety
  
  With the nation’s schoolchildren poised to go back to school, it’s a tense time for everyone. So, how, as parents, should we control our fears? Muddy finds out.

Fashion View more
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.
- New season jumpsuits to buy now
  
  Chic, comfy and transitional - the jumpsuit is a must-have staple in your summer/autumn wardrobe. Shall we go shopping?

Beauty View more
- The essential no 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
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.
- Muddy meets: Shlomo, beatboxer
  
  Record-breaking beatboxer Shlomo has a new project on his hands - raising money for the NHS in association with UK theatres. Tell us about it, Shlo!