The urban guide to the countryside -

Northamptonshire

Well, hello!

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

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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

10 lonely walks in NorthantsDay 1 of self-isolation and already climbing the walls? You can still get out in the fresh air and let the Mudlets run amok. Here's our roundup of the best walks in and around Northants.
Get creative! 5 fun at-home classes for kidsStuck indoors? Internet to the rescue! We've rounded up some of the best digital classes to boost your kids' creativity and keep them engaged.
Spruce up your boudoirLooks like we're going to be staying in quite a bit, so here's our pick of all the most lust worthy buys in Northants to take you to bedroom ecstasy.
Sing it loudIn times of crisis we all need something to lift our weary spirits and it turns out that what humans have obvs known for millennia is true, singing together is the ultimate panacea.
A Muddy call to armsThe escalation of you-know-what means our beloved local businesses are battling to survive - but we have some ideas to help. Ready, steady, support!

What's On

This Weekend

Fri 20 - Sun 22 Mar

This Week

Mon 16 - Sun 22 Mar

This Month

March 2020

Little Black Book

The latest handpicked businesses we think you’ll love

The Granary at Fawsley

Michelle Riches (CDH RSHom) Registered Homeopath

MS Campbell

Towcester Racecourse

Sheaf Street Health Store

Bread & Circus

Ironstone Wellbeing Centre

Ashgrove Clinic

Eat Out View more
The Garage, Buckingham

Don’t fancy dinner at a petrol station? Prepare to be amazed. Well Street Garage in Buckingham (ok, but it’s only just over the border) is all about pared back industrial-chic surroundings with a creative foodie flair that makes it much more than just a pitstop.
- 6 fabulous Mothers’ Day afternoon teas
  
  Whether, you're treating your Mum to the loveliest afternoon tea in the shire or just fancy giving yourself the gift of Prosecco and all the cakes, here's our pick of the best.
- Forge Coffee, Culworth
  
  In celebration of National Pie Week, Muddy assesses the pastry at hidden away rural cafe, Forge Coffee, and finds it really rather satisfactory. Oh, and the coffee and cakes will do very nicely.
- 7 Rural cafes worth the drive
  
  In the sticks and desperate to find for a decent cortado, or a townie in search of some rural refreshment? Either way here's our pick of Northants' best rural cafes worth a schlep.
- Flip it: Where to get the best pancakes
  
  We scoff stacks of pancakes on a regular basis so we know where to indulge. No need to worry about the smoke alarm going off and the dishes piling up. Here are ten of the best in Northants and beyond.

School Reviews

Our honest reviews of the UK’s best schools

Read the reviews

Fun Finder

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
Gotta Have It

Bovver boots are back so we’ve rounded up the coolest Northants brands. Wear with ankle grazers, floaty skirts or leggings to capture the ’90s.
- 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.

Beauty View more
- Make-up for men: ooh or eww?
  
  Turns out more and more blokes are getting handy with bronzer and concealer. So we tried out one leading male make-up brand on some lucky Muddy husbands - here's what happened.
- 5 of the best … face masks
  
  We love the enforced relaxation that comes with using a face mask - you have no choice but to lie back and take things easy for a while. Plus you emerge with skin peachier than a baby's bottom. Result!

Arts & Culture View more
Sing it loud

The Italians could teach us Brits a thing or two about the power of belting out a few tunes from your balcony. Last week, in a show of solidarity amid coronavirus lockdown, Italians of all ages, unable to attend their usual churches, concerts or even cafes, joined voices to sing a bit of Puccini from […]
- 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.
- 6 ways to ace Mothers’ Day
  
  While we shouldn't need a particular date to treat Mum (hey, lady, she gave birth to you!) Mother's Day is always a good excuse to do something extra special. Cue our pick of six local gift ideas to show that you care.
- Superflashy newsflash!
  
  Northampton Museum and Art Gallery confirm 20 June for their hotly anticipated re-opening following a five-year redevelopment project.
- The 5 best books out February
  
  Muddy's pro bookworm Kerry Potter has got five Feb fancies for your delectation. Read all about 'em - and then win the lot!

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Home View more
- Spruce up your boudoir
  
  Looks like we're going to be staying in quite a bit, so here's our pick of all the most lust worthy buys in Northants to take you to bedroom ecstasy.
- Cook THIS for dinner tonight
  
  Running out of ideas for midweek meals? Yup, us too. Take inspiration from the hottest new cookbook on the block. Yum!
Wellbeing
- 10 lonely walks in Northants
  
  Day 1 of self-isolation and already climbing the walls? You can still get out in the fresh air and let the Mudlets run amok. Here's our roundup of the best walks in and around Northants.
- Sing it loud
  
  In times of crisis we all need something to lift our weary spirits and it turns out that what humans have obvs known for millennia is true, singing together is the ultimate panacea.

Work View more
How to be ambitious (and still be kind)

It’s International Women’s Day on Sunday so we had a chat with one of our favourite women – author and comedian Viv Groskop – about redefining female ambition for 2020. Need a life reboot? Viv can help with that.
- Win £2000 to kickstart your business dreams
  
  Have a brilliant business that needs a helping hand? We’ve teamed up with business banking alternative, Tide, to offer a whopping two grand (yes, you read it right) to give you the boost you need. Competition now closed.
- 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?
Kids
- 10 lonely walks in Northants
  
  Day 1 of self-isolation and already climbing the walls? You can still get out in the fresh air and let the Mudlets run amok. Here's our roundup of the best walks in and around Northants.
- Get creative! 5 fun at-home classes for kids
  
  Stuck indoors? Internet to the rescue! We've rounded up some of the best digital classes to boost your kids' creativity and keep them engaged.

People View more
Muddy Meets Kristina Rihanoff

We caught up with the jaw-droppingly gorge (yes, even in no make-up after an hour of teaching hot yoga) Strictly pro turned yogini and entrepreneur at her super-slick studio, Soo Yoga in Northampton, to chat about her passion for helping others to prioritise their health and wellbeing.
- The 4 funniest people on social media
  
  Fancy a giggle? These Instagram and Twitter accounts are happy to oblige.
- Muddy meets Melissa Hemsley
  
  Yay, turns out the real food queen has cooking disasters too! She spills the beans (then whips them up into a tasty frittata) on her new book Eat Green, wasting less food and how she always manages to look so damn glowy.
- 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.
- 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.