(C)aroline Sam(P)son
@sampscaroline
Chair of Trustees: Archives West Midlands. Coventry City supporter. Interested in the natural world, astronomy, butterflies and moths. Trying to work out what I can do about climate emergency.
Some of the canals round here are closed to navigation due to low water levels. The Oxford Canal near us is open for now and it's great seeing people enjoying it. #UnconfinedWalks
#UnconfinedWalks along a different stretch of canal, accidentally locating the 'Brownsover Reservoir' which I'd encountered while doing local history research but not had time to locate. Satisfying. Water levels are low and everywhere is parched.
Today my Dad is reminiscing about the first time I saw the sea. Apparently I ran and sat in it. The cows along the Oxford Canal have clearly got the same idea and who can blame them. A cold shower will have to do me, sadly. #UnconfinedWalks
We've got something similar. In our case it's a soakaway that links to the storm drain. You can even see the line of the pipe from the house.
Not a bad walk to the shops. Dappled shade, breeze and church bells all the way there and back.
#UnconfinedWalks on a section of lush and verdant canal, unlike the scorched earth everywhere else round here.
After the carnage caused by the otter in our fish pond last year, we've now converted to a wildlife pond. It's proving fascinating. Today's highlight was a female Emperor dragonfly laying eggs.
Brief foray into town to get my hair cut (the relief). And no, I didn't join in the 5K! #UnconfinedWalks
#UnconfinedWalks with literally hundreds of Banded Demoiselles and 10 species of butterfly. The ground is baked hard and the river is really low.
#UnconfinedWalks with goosebumps of excitement as I went to fetch my Premier League shirt from the CBS Arena and the spectacular new shop. #PUSB
#UnconfinedWalks to the retail park along the canal where I met a teeny tiny frog and some ducklings.
#UnconfinedWalks was still very muggy. I enjoyed a few patches of wild flowers sown by residents in the odd corners of their property next to the pavements. Lots of rookies in canal boats enlivened the stretch along the canal.
Football has driven me to schedule an additional #ConfinedCocktails hydration break!
#UnconfinedWalks is not at all easy in this internal heat, is it. We went to Framlingham Castle earlier only to find it was shut due to the heat and it had made their internet go down. Cold drinks in the pub then some of us did a quick look at Detectorists filming locations, with actions!
I'm in sultry Suffolk for #ConfinedCocktails with M, Dad, my brother and niece. We've snaffled the complimentary prosecco and I forgot to photo it but how about these statuesque dandelions in the cottage garden. And the views!
Gratuitous #ConfinedCocktails G&T with honey gin. I'm stepping away from #WorldCup2026 for a bit and watching #DowntonAbbey. I'm in a carpe diem mood and this particular diem is slipping down nicely. Delighted to see Coventry City's Brandon Thomas-Asante get the assist for Ghana last night #PUSB
M has a sniffle which I'm trying not to catch as we're off to Suffolk with Dad on Saturday and I don't want him to catch it. We're doing the 'dance of the contagious' round the house to try and keep me germ free. Feels unfriendly. Risked a quick #UnconfinedWalks together. Everywhere is lush green.
Ironic post-holiday #UnconfinedWalks in glorious sunshine. Enjoyed this wild patch of flowers and encountering a fellow Cov fan on the towpath.
More dramatic weather here. Managed some more time in the salt marshes and we visited the 'grave' of local eccentric, 'Mad Jack Fuller'. Yes, it is the giant pyramid in a quiet village churchyard. Apparently he's buried inside, sitting upright alongside a barrel of claret! And I found a hag stone!
#UnconfinedWalks in Rye where regular drenchings didn't spoil the beauties of this wonderful town. I'm a huge fan of Mapp and Lucia so have been 'Au reservoir'-ing all day. And Knoops hot chocolate shop was absolutely stellar.
Today's #UnconfinedWalks was around 6 miles around Rye Harbour Nature Reserve. Felt further as we were pushing into a very strong headwind on the long exposed stretch. A wild, beautiful landscape.
On holiday in East Sussex and did #UnconfinedWalks at Hever Castle on the way. Very photogenic! The water maze was great fun!
#UnconfinedWalks was very hot once again so I tried to keep to the shade and near water. The quarry path that has been flooded is very emphatically not flooded now. The dragonflies are back and the towpath has deteriorated to the point it needs packing with sand bags.
I don't function well (at all) in extreme heat so there hasn't been much in the way of #UnconfinedWalks going on. Met friends at Batsford Arboretum today where there were beautiful trees with their associated shade, a meandering walk, a tiny stream and damp, drippy walls of rock. Bliss!
#ConfinedCocktails. Was outside from 6-8.30am when it was fresh and summery emptying the moth trap then retreated to the house. It's far too hot. I'm now swigging honey gin and reading Middlemarch for the millionth time. Could be worse!
Early-ish #UnconfinedWalks before it gets unbearable. Already 26 degrees here. The cows have got the right idea but after seeing what they were doing in there I won't be joining them!