# Adders on Skye



## Sparko

I visited the Isle of Skye at the beginning of September. I asked our host at the B+B where I could find Adders and he pointed us to a forest where they live within the ruins of an old clearance village.

So, after years of searching the local hotspots which are only 30 - 45 minutes away from me, and coming up with nothing every time, I finally find my Adder, albeit 10 hours drive away!

My apologies that the pics aren't great quality - they were snapped hurriedly on my iphone.































This was a bonus find in some more ruins next to the car park:


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## laurencea

lovely adder and cute juvenile slow worm... well found


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## Sparko

laurencea said:


> lovely adder and cute juvenile slow worm... well found


Thank you. I didn't realise it was a juvenile. Am I also correct in thinking it had just fed?


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## laurencea

sparkofgod said:


> Thank you. I didn't realise it was a juvenile. Am I also correct in thinking it had just fed?


looks like a juvenile, but i can't tell the size. if not, then it's an adult female. the colours on the side are very dark, which made me think juvenile, maybe one or two years old.

the more i look, the more it looks like an adult female, but quite young... i really cannot work out the size!

if it looks fat, then it could be a pregnant female. they usually give birth in september.


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## Sparko

laurencea said:


> looks like a juvenile, but i can't tell the size. if not, then it's an adult female. the colours on the side are very dark, which made me think juvenile, maybe one or two years old.
> 
> the more i look, the more it looks like an adult female, but quite young... i really cannot work out the size!
> 
> if it looks fat, then it could be a pregnant female. they usually give birth in september.


It was about 1ft - 1.5ft long. It seemed to have a bulge in the upper third of its body, hence why I suspected it might have eaten, but considering it's the first one I've come across, I don't know if they normally have somewhat disproportionate shapes. Either way, it was a wonderful end to an already great day :2thumb:


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## feorag

Lovely slow worm. Whereabouts in Skye were you??

You'll find adders in the Harthope Valley which is a lot nearer to Durham.


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## Sparko

feorag said:


> Lovely slow worm. Whereabouts in Skye were you??
> 
> You'll find adders in the Harthope Valley which is a lot nearer to Durham.


We were staying in Carbost but the Adders were in Kinloch Forest.

Thanks for the tip, but there's several reservoirs and forests in the Durham area itself where Adders are known to dwell - I just haven't been fortunate enough to see them...yet : victory:

EDIT: I will definitely have a look up Harthope Valley come April, as it looks great!


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## feorag

It's worth a visit! :2thumb:

Is the Serpentarium still open in Broadford?


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## laurencea

sparkofgod said:


> It was about 1ft - 1.5ft long. It seemed to have a bulge in the upper third of its body, hence why I suspected it might have eaten, but considering it's the first one I've come across, I don't know if they normally have somewhat disproportionate shapes. Either way, it was a wonderful end to an already great day :2thumb:


pregnant female then!


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## Sparko

feorag said:


> It's worth a visit! :2thumb:
> 
> Is the Serpentarium still open in Broadford?



It certainly is - they had some gorgeous Taiwan Beauty Snakes in there and a huge female royal :2thumb:


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## feorag

I saw an article in the "Sunday Post" about the people actually opening it way back in 1991 and as it happened we were on holiday in Gairloch that year, so we visited it.

The next time we were back in that area was 7 years ago and we were pleasantly surprised at how much it had extended and improved. 

It's well worth a visit imao.


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## Matt Harris

laurencea said:


> pregnant female then!


Slow-worm deffo looks like pregnant adult female - looks like mating scars on the back of the head as well.


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## Khonsu

March to August this year I was based on a new windfarm near Doncaster, 4000 acres, reportedly a real hot spot for adders, I think everybody on the site except me managed to see & photograph them, rellay naffed off :devil:


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## feorag

Sod's Law! :whistling2:


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## Khonsu

feorag said:


> Sod's Law! :whistling2:


Tell me about it

PS like cat ob slide signiture, cute but kinda frustrating


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## 1b3

feorag said:


> It's worth a visit! :2thumb:
> 
> Is the Serpentarium still open in Broadford?


 Just got a Christmas card from the Shearers in today, lovely people they are. Catherine was first to captive breed a Pancake Tortoise in captivity.


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## zipolly

Sparko said:


> I visited the Isle of Skye at the beginning of September. I asked our host at the B+B where I could find Adders and he pointed us to a forest where they live within the ruins of an old clearance village.
> 
> So, after years of searching the local hotspots which are only 30 - 45 minutes away from me, and coming up with nothing every time, I finally find my Adder, albeit 10 hours drive away!
> 
> My apologies that the pics aren't great quality - they were snapped hurriedly on my iphone.
> 
> image
> 
> 
> image
> 
> 
> image
> 
> 
> This was a bonus find in some more ruins next to the car park:
> image


Hi
My name is John forbes and I live in Whitley bay and I'm off to Skye next month could you tell where the ruins were in Kinloch forest as i have always wanted to photograph adders but never been successful.


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