After a tiring day yesterday we went for a short walk before tea (which thankfully Peter was making.) We hadn’t gone far when we spotted something neither of us have ever seen before. Sadly it was dead.

In all my 57 years ( and Peter’s 58) we have never seen a snake except on the TV.

There it was in the middle of the lane, clearly run over, certainly dead. What a shame that our first sighting of such a secretive and beautiful creature should be in these circumstances.

It was a grass snake and had obviously been unlucky with it’s timing in crossing the road. Or maybe it had been sunning itself on the warm tarmac. Either way, it made us feel sad.

It’s the same with badgers. The only ones I have ever seen have been dead on the side of the road. Such a waste.

This picture is one I found of a luckier individual.