Walker Hospitalised By Adder

While feeling sorry for this guy and wishing him a speedy recovery, I do remember once hearing that 80% of adder bites in the UK were to the hand, usually between the thumb and first finger.  Yup, just where you'd expect if you were trying to pick one up.

Posted: 03/08/2009 at 16:35

I love adders... any kind of snake in fact. A snake sighting really makes my day, but they're not that common. I only saw one adder on the whole of the Pennine Way the other month, and incidentally, the biggest snake I've ever seen was also on the Pennine Way, but back in 1974. The most I've ever seen on a trip was actually earlier this year, in Sardinia, where I saw two or three on some days, and seldom went a whole day without seeing any. Usually, if I spot them at all, they'll be basking in the sun, getting themselves warmed up so that they can go hunting more effectively. They don't look too good in photographs when they're laid out straight, so I have to admit that I do gently provoke them to get them into a coiled 'strike position', which makes a better photo. Needs a good zoom lens... otherwise it's asking for trouble!

Posted: 03/08/2009 at 16:45

I was once on a camp site in West Wales when I saw a group of kids teasing with a stick one that had been crossing the campsite .

I grabbed the waste bin from the caravan and ran over just as one of the campers was bendng down to pick it up.

I told him it was an adder to which he said it was only a grass snake.

It was unmistakebly a young adder, so I asked him if he had a mobile phone on Vodafone.

He asked why, I told him I had an O2 phone so wouldn't be able to get a signal from the campsite to phone for an Ambulance when it bit him.

His bravado deserted him and I scooped the adder up in the bin and took it over to my caravan so I could show my daughters something that they should never provoke like the other kids were.

I took it over to the sand dunes and released it.

You couldn't help but admire it!

Posted: 03/08/2009 at 17:06