You might be lucky and spot an adder whilst following the Roof of England Walk. If you do, keep calm – it is almost certainly keen to avoid you, as much as you might be to avoid it. The chances are that it will slide away as quickly as it can.
The adder is Britain’s only venomous snake. It is rare for an adder to bite a person – they are shy creatures and generally want to be left alone. Most bites happen when people accidentally step on them or try to pick them up.
An estimated 50-100 bites are reported in Britain each year, but only 14 people have died from an adder bite since 1876 (the last recorded fatality was in 1975). This means that between 0.01 and 0.2% of all bites have been fatal in the last 148 years.
The best way to safeguard your dog from being bitten is to keep it on a lead. If you or your dog are bitten, seek medical/veterinary attention immediately.
Find out more about adders in the North Pennines and our efforts to protect them.
