Spotlight

Firework spectacularsWhere to go in Somerset and Dorset to get the best bangs for your bucks
Tissues at the ready - Adele's brand new single is out!Feeling emotionally stable? Not for long! The queen of breakup songs has released her first single in five years and it's a good'un. Watch the video here.
Halloween and Half Term in Somerset & Dorset20 things for kids of all ages to do over October Half Term, from tackling high ropes by torchlight to winning a Halloween afternoon tea
Where are the Best Places to Live 2022?Our obsession with upping sticks and moving shows no sign of abating. Lucky then that for our new intake of Best Places to Live we've partnered with Strutt & Parker estate agents!
4 simple, stylish ways to revamp your home'Tis the season to make your house beautiful - so kickstart your dream project with our tips on what's trending right now, PLUS £500 to spend at the brilliant Brewers Decorator Centres

Well, hello!

I'm Sue, editor of Muddy Dorset & Somerset, here to bring you the quirky, cool and downright unmissable in the area.

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Gotta Have It

It goes with everything — from knockout dresses to comfy tees. Shop this workhorse of the fashionista wardrobe with Muddy’s top six picks for autumn / winter 2021.

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

On the waterfront

Take advantage of the warm weather by scoffing and quaffing by the water’s edge at one of these chill places in Somerset and Dorset
- Local bakeries we love, in honour of GBBO
  
  Bake Off is back, so time to drag out the food mixer. Can’t be bothered? Fair enough! Put down that spatula and support these local drool-worthy bakeries instead.
- Review: The King’s Arms, Dorchester
  
  Thomas Hardy was a regular. Queen Victoria stayed here. So did The Beatles. But would any of them recognise the place in its £5m reincarnation as laid-back hotel and foodie pub?

Culture

7 unmissable things to watch on TV this week

Why scroll through the Radio Times when we know exactly what’s good this week? From Succession’s bold new series to a saucy dating / dancing reality mashup, here’s what to watch.
- Yeovil Literary Festival 2021
  
  Hey! Famous people are coming to Yeovil in this year’s star-studded Festival line up – including a member of the royal family and an American icon
- Yass Queens! Six Education lessons have never been so hot…
  
  The killer Queens are back in a scintillating blaze of 21st century Girl Power – and coming to the Theatre Royal Bath in November/December. Bring it!

Little Black Book

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

Coombe Farm Organic

XV Stripes

The King's Arms, Dorchester

Loveday Photography

The Grosvenor Arms, Shaftesbury

Allotment

The Swan, Wedmore

Pilgrim Corner, Exmoor

Haynes International Motor Museum, Sparkford

Jordans Courtyard, nr Ilminster

Nesta Camping, near Frome

Still Sisters

Travel

Italy, Mr Bond? 24 hours in Matera

Make mine a martini, shaken not stirred while we tell you our insider tips on how to best experience the coolest city you’ve probably never heard of.
- 10 stunning secret gardens in Somerset & Dorset
  
  Fancy a snoop at someone else’s dahlias? Then spend the day at one of these gorgeous gardens in Dorset and Somerset usually hidden away from the public.
- 65 paw-fect dog-friendly stays
  
  Have pooch, will travel? You betcha! Here are 65 stays across the Muddy counties that are all Fido-friendly, from stunning stately homes to rural cottage staycations.

Home

Raymond Blanc’s Ironbark Pumpkin Soup

Wondering what to do with those mountains of leftover pumpkin flesh? Ta da! Whip up this wickedly warming recipe, served up with a hunk of sourdough, it’s just what autumn ordered.
- Where are the Best Places to Live 2022?
  
  Our obsession with upping sticks and moving shows no sign of abating. Lucky then that for our new intake of Best Places to Live we’ve partnered with Strutt & Parker estate agents!
- The top 10 trending autumn colours
  
  Planning on pimping your walls this autumn? Save yourself hours of scrolling through Pinterest and paint charts: Muddy reveals the top ten trending colours this season.
Wellbeing
- New: Exmoor yoga retreat
  
  Immerse yourself in a weekend of yoga, relaxation and meditation this October – with gourmet dining, pampering and outdoor hot tub. Yes please!
- Your health questions answered!
  
  Don’t understand why the weight won’t shift? Have a back that’s reminiscent of Quasimodo? Muddy puts your questions to Healthily’s chief medical officer, Professor Maureen Baker

Life

Write on! 11 stylish stationery picks

Back to school season always calls out for new books and pens — the prettier the better. Grown-ups, gather round: this is your ultimate stylish stationery round-up, from pens to paperweights.
Kids
- P-p-p-pick up a pumpkin!
  
  C’mon, it’s time to prep for Halloween! Make the kids put the legwork in at one of these local farms and pumpkin patches before they can start carving. Bonus brownie points for zero food miles.
- Firework spectaculars
  
  Where to go in Somerset and Dorset to get the best bangs for your bucks

Instamuddy

Fashion

6 of the best… trench coats

It goes with everything — from knockout dresses to comfy tees. Shop this workhorse of the fashionista wardrobe with Muddy’s top six picks for autumn / winter 2021.
- A new leaf: your 10 autumn wardrobe essentials
  
  Bright knits, checks, big handbags, even bigger boots. We’ve got your autumn/winter 2021 fashion fix sorted.
- Rent your clothes like Carrie!
  
  Ethical, eco and everywhere – with Carrie Symonds showing us how to work a sustainable wardrobe, here’s where you can rewear, repair and renew your clothes in style.
Beauty
- Can Haringtons tame the Muddy mane?
  
  Fly-away hair with lots of grey? Not just me then… The challenge for award-winning hairdresser and colourist Barry was to create a style that will still look good a week later
- How to get that perfect sun-kissed glow
  
  Forget pale and interesting… we’re channelling the St Tropez vibe, minus the orange tint. Here are some lotions and potions for a natural-looking tan without the UV damage

People

5 minutes with Emily Atack

Actress/comedian Emily Atack brings her new show to the West Country and squeezes in a quick chat with Muddy
- Muddy meets: Ed Byrne
  
  On tour in Dorset & Somerset this October, Muddy caught up with the comedian to chat jokes, famous friendships and not being a d**k
- Muddy meets: celeb ventriloquist Paul Zerdin
  
  He won America’s Got Talent and is finally back on tour. Muddy talks to ventriloquist Paul Zerdin about weird fan mail, dressing up as Maggie Thatcher and his beef with Barney the Dinosaur.