Spotlight

Muddy road tests the Jeep CompassStrap on your seatbelts – I’m going off road(ish) with this VIP family-friendly plug-in Hybrid mid-sized SUV
Superflash! Celebs, chefs & cool new coffee shopsIt's back - your virtual watercooler superflashy newsflash with all the hottest gossip from across Hampshire and the Island. Get clicking for the lowdown!
60 amazing afternoon teas to book nowIt's Afternoon Tea Week (8-14 Aug) and we've found the 60 best places across the Muddy counties to get your fix. But you'd better book 'em fast — here today, scone tomorrow.
The perfect picnic spot: MottisfontBench, blanket or shady cafe - here's where to picnic at the National Trust's Mottisfont this summer and what to expect from the inspiring new family exhibition and trail
Summer fun! What's on this AugustFireworks, festivals, alfresco theatre, art and family fun - here's our pick of brilliant things to do around Hampshire and Isle of Wight this August

Well, hello!

I'm Heidi, editor of Muddy Hampshire & Isle of Wight, here to bring you the quirky, cool and downright unmissable in the area.

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Gotta Have It

Clean up your act! Luxe hand soaps we love

Feel like upgrading your hand soap? Foam up and step this way! From luxurious formulas and gorgeous bottles to fresh summer scents, here are 12 of the loveliest to buy now.

Gotta have it

What’s on this month

Fancy doing something fun? Er, always! Read on for our curated picks of the best things happening near you right now

See What's On

Eat

60 amazing afternoon teas to book now

It’s Afternoon Tea Week (8-14 Aug) and we’ve found the 60 best places across the Muddy counties to get your fix. But you’d better book ’em fast — here today, scone tomorrow.
- Keep it cool! £500 to spend on the best iced drinks
  
  It’s hotting up again, but we know how to help with the commute or family day out – an iced chocolate, mocha or chai latte from one of GAIL’s cafés in London and the South East.
- 7 of the best places for PYO in Hampshire
  
  Super-juicy strawberries, sunflowers and tasty veg fresh from the field? Don’t mind if we do. Grab your straw hat and wicker basket: it’s time to pick your own.

Culture

TV Time! 6 best new things to watch this week

Remotes at the ready! From the latest unmissable BBC drama starring Nicola Walker and Sean Bean, to a gripping Netflix true crime documentary here’s Muddy’s weekly rundown.
- Watch these! 6 hot new shows out this week
  
  Get set for a week of great telly from the latest fantasy DC comic adaptation to Disney Pixar’s Lightyear and the latest remake of Father of the Bride.
- Tune in! 6 of the best things to watch this week
  
  Stream your way through tears with Olivia Colman, a gritty true crime drama with Daisy Edgar Jones and the latest Apple TV miniseries from the director of I May Destroy You

Little Black Book

Want to support local? Our curated pick of the most creative, unique and brilliant businesses near you.

Pinkmead Estate & Vineyard, Cowes, Isle of Wight

The Barn at North Lodge, Privett

Chilworth Manor, Southampton

Seaview Art Gallery, Isle of Wight

Blue Isle

Tapnell Farm, Yarmouth

The Retreat New Forest

Mann's Cookies, Lymington

Hambledon Vineyard, Hambledon

The Old Fort, Seaview

H&B Style, Winchester

Isle of Wight Distillery & Mermaid Bar

Travel

Review: Luxe holiday rental at ARC Padstow

Looking for a Cornish escape for the whole crew with serious wow-factor? It doesn’t come much more stylish or slick than this reimagined country house in St Issey.
- Muddy Insider Guide to the West Midlands
  
  The Commonwealth Games has shone a spotlight on Birmingham but there’s far more to the West Midlands than its prime city. Read on for everything you need for a stay in the beating heart of England.
- Dive in! 16 incredible swimming pools world-wide
  
  Make a splash on Instagram in one of these amazing swimming pools, from infinity-edged stunners to private plunge pools with a view.

Home

Muddy road tests the Jeep Compass

Strap on your seatbelts – I’m going off road(ish) with this VIP family-friendly plug-in Hybrid mid-sized SUV
- Get growing – 5 jobs to do in your late summer garden
  
  Move over Gardener’s Question Time. From quick fix colour to grow-your-own, must-do maintenance and mood-boosting houseplants, check out these top tips from Hillier Garden Centres
- How to fill your home with summer scents
  
  You don’t need to step into a garden to enjoy summer’s heady fragrances – here are 15 ways to enjoy your favourite flower and herb aromas in your living spaces. Breathe it in!
Wellbeing
- Spa of the Month: Lefay Resort & Spa, Lake Garda
  
  Fancy being buffed, massaged, tweaked and primped? Welcome to the first in our new monthly tried-and-tested guides to the world’s best spas. See you pool side, sister!
- 8 easy ways to protect yourself against sun ageing
  
  Brace yourselves, heatwave incoming! (yes, again). Here’s the lowdown on everything you need to know about staying safe in the sun, with a little help from the experts at Healthily.

Life

No-fault divorce – what’s changed?

Long called-for changes to the divorce laws have finally come into effect in England and Wales. We asked top local solicitor Paris Smith for all the need-to-knows.
Kids
- 15 best family things to do in Hampshire and Isle of Wight
  
  Hampshire has loads of family attractions and things to do – and more fun is just a short hop away on the Isle of Wight! Here’s a few of our favourite days out with the kids this summer.
- Summer fun! Local things to do with kids of all ages
  
  Beat the holiday boredom! Read on for the best of theatre, animal encounters, festivals and free fun in Hampshire and Isle of Wight this July and August.

Instamuddy

Fashion

10 things to do at the Goodwood Revival

Dress up to the nines at the glamourous Goodwood Revival, a three-day celebration of the halcyon days of motor racing and vintage fashion
- Road trip: From Bicester Village with love
  
  Muddy’s teamed up with luxury open-air shopping destination Bicester Village to explore Oxfordshire’s most gorgeous fashion, eating and shopping destinations. Let’s go!
- 12 sizzling sustainable swimwear brands
  
  Want your bikini with full eco credibility but also 100% watertight on style? Make a splash with these brilliant swimwear brands. Just add SPF and a cold drink.
Beauty
- Freshen up! 40 best ‘tweakment’ salons
  
  Fancy glowing skin, a sculpted jawline or a tighter bum? No need to go under the knife – we’ve scoured the Muddy counties for the best non-invasive treatments in top-rated salons.
- Pretty pop-ups! New beauty to shop this summer
  
  Fancy a new lippie, liner or luxe shampoo? Ready your makeup bags (and your credit card) – we’ve scoured the country for the best new beauty shops and pop-ups this summer

People

What’s Cooking? Jack Stein

Top chefs spill all about their work, lives and top culinary tips. Dishing it this time, Jack Stein, chef director at Rick Stein Winchester
- Sarah Parish’s Favourite Places
  
  Celebrating the fundraising Hares of Hampshire installation around Southampton and Winchester, the actress, co-founder of the Murray Parish Trust and Hampshire local shares her favourite hotspots.
- Can these 7 celebs pull off a moustache?
  
  It takes a certain kind of man to pull off a moustache, and Miles Teller’s Rooster in the new Top Gun has got our surprised seal of approval. Time for a game: TO ‘TACHE, OR NOT TO ‘TACHE? Let us know if you agree in the comments!