The adder, or Vipera berus to give it its Latin name, is the only native venomous snake you find on mainland Britain. Watching Springwatch the other night on the old gogglebox they showed some amazing footage of one taking a chick from a nest, gruesome but amazing to watch. However it made me think, although I’ve never seen one in the wild, I wouldn’t be 100% sure about what to do if I saw one, or worse was bitten, so here are the results of my research. If anyone has any other thoughts please let me know.

Of course the best approach is to avoid being bitten in the first place, so here are a couple of tips:

When you are out walking, remember to look out for warning notices, especially on heaths and commons which are its normal habitat, although it can be found in dense woodlands, associated with open clearings in the canopy that catch the sun.

Never put your hand into a hole or crevice when in these areas and under no circumstances try and pick one up. Stand well back and use a stick or your walking pole if you need to retrieve something you have dropped, or at least use them to check out the crevice first.

If you find yourself close to an adder, remain still for a couple of minutes then back away very slowly. If you remain calm and still, then the snake should depart without harming you.

You should consider wearing walking trousers, rather than shorts, and the addition of gaiters would be even better.

However, if you are one of the unlucky people who are bitten, last year there were just 100, then here is the latest available information: 

  1. Move out of range of further strikes and snakes.
  2. Inform the rest of your party what has happened, and encourage them to be careful.
  3. Leave the bite wound completely alone.
  4. Remove all rings/jewellery on the bitten limb.
  5. If the bite is on a hand or arm, immobilize it with an improvised splint/sling. Do not tightly wrap the wound.
  6. If there is any impairment of vital functions like airway, respiration, bloodflow or heart function, support these as a priority.
  7. Identify on your map the quickest route to habitation or the nearest road. This is unlikely to be your planned start/finish point)
  8. Dial 112 or 999, ask for an ambulance and tell them that you have been bitten by an adder, inform them where you are heading and arrange to meet them there. Give them an accurate grid reference and any other location identifiers, such as road name or buildings.
  9. If you cannot get through, text them, and then keep dialing them as you make your way to the nearest road/habitation.
  10. When you reach the prearranged point, if the ambulance has not arrived, stop any available vehicle and ask them to take you to hospital, do not simply wait for the ambulance.

The effects of a bite, which luckily are quite rare, can vary from person to person, from localized pain and swelling to severe pain. The symptoms can persist for up to nine months in almost a quarter of cases, and in very rare cases can actually be fatal, but as always it is better to be prepared and forewarned about some matters. Now that I have put these cherry thoughts out there for you, enjoy your walking.