The urban guide to the countryside -

Sussex

Well, hello!

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

Gotta Have It

News got you wanting to head back to bed for a lie down? Us too. Make sure you do it in style with this vintage handpicked Indian furniture from an eclectic East Sussex showroom.

Our curated A-Z of the grooviest local businesses

Where's the best place to live in Sussex?The Sunday Times has revealed its top spots to live in 2020 - but did your hometown make the cut?
How to work from home (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.
Homeschooling: The Muddy inside guideSo. The kids are off school indefinitely thanks to coronavirus. You're at home indefinitely thanks to coronavirus. Here's your insiders guide to surviving homeschooling.
Your best Mother's DayThe socially distanced/indoor-based/virus-free version.
Open for business? Let us know!No idea what's going on? Nope, us neither, but we do know Sussex so here's your ongoing guide to which of your favourite local businesses are still open and offering services as well as deliveries, takeaways and gift vouchers.

What's On

This Weekend

Fri 20 - Sun 22 Mar

This Week

16 - 22 Mar

This Month

March 2020

Little Black Book

The latest handpicked businesses we think you’ll love

Old Whyly, East Hoathly, Sussex

Phoenix Design & Construction

The Edge Cafe, Edgcumbes, Ford nr Arundel

Knockhatch Adventure Park

Bodiam Castle

Little Street

Fishers Adventure Farm Park

Leonardslee Gardens, near Horsham

Eat Out View more
The Curlew, Bodiam

A warm, relaxed and sociable slice of rural locally-sourced foodie heaven from a top chef to watch, perfect for large rowdy gatherings of friends and family or date night.
- Where to eat pancakes in Sussex
  
  If the idea of all that flipping, tossing and slathering in Nutella sounds like crepe, save yourself the bother and eat out for Pancake Day instead. Here's where to get them.
- The best afternoon teas in Sussex
  
  With Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day and Easter all coming up there’s no shortage of excuses to treat the ones you love (and that should include yourself!) to afternoon tea. Here's five of our favourite Sussex village tearooms.
- The Bat & Ball, Newpound
  
  A charming, rambling country pub in gorgeous surroundings with a menu to suit all tastes. Perfect for families to while away a daydreamy summer afternoon or warm up in winter with a slap-up meal.
- Chichester Harbour Hotel – The Ship
  
  Good value set menus and a Burns Night event coming up make this a great place to beat the January blues

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.
- Your best Mother’s Day
  
  Put down the petrol-station bouquet. Step away from the £2.99 box of chocolates. Here's how...
- Your Muddy Spring Festival Guide
  
  It might be a bit early in the year for denim hotpants and wellies, but all of these Sussex festivals will get you in the Glasto mood without staying up all night clicking refresh on ticket ballots.

Fashion View more
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.
- Dotty about polka dots!
  
  We're going dotty over the return of an old favourite print - welcome back, polka dot!

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
How to be ambitious

Need a life reboot? We can help with that. We chatted to Muddy fave Viv Groskop about her new book and redefining female ambition in 2020.
- World Book Day in Sussex
  
  Don't waste that Harry Potter costume you stayed up all night making and definitely didn't buy from Sainsbury's the day before *coughs*. Make the most of the World Book Day events around Sussex and inspire your little ones to fall in love with books.
- This month’s best new reads
  
  What kind of insaniac leaves the house in January? Retire to the sofa pronto and get stuck into one of pro bookworm Kerry Potter's enthralling new literary picks.
- 2020 cultural picks
  
  There's a ridiculous amount of amazing art, books, film, TV, music and theatre landing this year. Here's the best of the bunch.
- Roots review
  
  Weird and whimsical animation meets live action in this collection of international folk tales

Instamuddy

Follow @Instagram

Home View more
Where’s the best place to live in Sussex?

The Sunday Times has revealed its top spots to live in 2020 – but did your hometown make the cut?
- How to work from home (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.
- Indian furniture
  
  News got you wanting to head back to bed for a lie down? Us too. Make sure you do it in style with this vintage handpicked Indian furniture from an eclectic East Sussex showroom.
Wellbeing
- How to work from home (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.
- Where to find ‘Flower Rain’ in Sussex
  
  Heard of the Japanese concept of Hanami? Meaning 'flower viewing', it's the practice of observing and enjoying the seasonal blossom of Spring. Here's our pick of Sussex blossom hotspots.

Work View more
How to be ambitious

Need a life reboot? We can help with that. We chatted to Muddy fave Viv Groskop about her new book and redefining female ambition in 2020.
- 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.
Kids
- Homeschooling: The Muddy inside guide
  
  So. The kids are off school indefinitely thanks to coronavirus. You're at home indefinitely thanks to coronavirus. Here's your insiders guide to surviving homeschooling.
- 5 things I’ve learned about motherhood
  
  Acclaimed author (and Muddy favourite) Clover Stroud is in the midst of raising her 5 children. Miraculously she's found time to write a book about it all. Here's a taster.

People View more
Q&A with Gruffalo author Julia Donaldson

The Sussex resident, starring in a show for half term, talks books, performing, fave local attractions and buying a post office
- All About Gok
  
  The fashion guru hits the decks at Lingfield Park Racecourse later this month, as well as presenting a Best Dressed award. Here's 10 things you may not have known about Gok...
- Muddy Meets Shappi
  
  Shappi Khorsandi on her Skittish Warrior tour, how NOT to be funny and why you should do things that scare you (hell yeah!)
- The Guilty Feminist hits Brighton
  
  Love the podcast? Good news - its creator is coming to Sussex. We grabbed talented comedian Deborah Francis-White for a chinwag.
- Celebrating celebrants
  
  Just what does a celebrant do? Muddy spoke to a Sussex ceremony star all about the special occasions she's helped create