Slow worm

A very slow worm indeed, so slow in fact that it hardly moved when Gus came over and sat on it. Mind you, it doesn't look very cheerful, does it?

I found it early this morning as we toiled up the path onto the top of Arnside Knott, it was stretched out along the gravelly path. It didn't budge as Gus stepped over, nor as I stopped to change to the macro lens. Was it just the cool of the morning that made it so slow, or had it been injured? If the latter, then there was no sign of injury, and its tail was still attached.

So we had our photoshoot, then I carefully put it into the cover of the longer grass, unless anyone less sympathetic came along. I don't often see slow worms out in the open, just the occasional fleeting view as one disappears into cover.

It was a greyish morning, but it turned into a beautiful afternoon and evening. We've just returned from Gus's long evening walk.