Grass Snake Natrix natrix
We came across this grass snake as we paddled down the Leek & Caldon Canal. On the one side, the bank sloped gently into the canal, but on the towpath side there was a large drop from the ground into the water, made even bigger by the water level being lower than normal. The snake was trying to get up onto the towpath side, but unable to reach. I gave it a helping hand by lifting it out with my paddle, then quickly jumped out of the boat to grab this pic with my compact film camera before the snake made its way across the towpath and into the hedge.