Treading carefully

As a feeble Brit who isn't used to having to deal with any dangerous predators in the UK any larger than a dying bee lying in the grass, I had my first face to face encounter with a snake in my back garden.
Having cut my overgrown lawn back to look super I diligently went around the edge of the garden hacking a weeds that had been mowed down rather than cut.
This of course was terrifying and I made a noise that my wife still laughs about today. Jumping around the grass with my sythe I had to take him out. I don't know if he was coming towards me or trying to run away but it was a long and terrifying battle for both of us.

I haven't really identified the snake as I left it over night and something came and took it (I can only imagine ate it). This means there is also something living in my garden that likes to eat snakes. Fantastic so long as it isn't another larger snake!
So as far as my research took me - I was a little ashamed to say it was probably a garden snake that, quote - 'is easily handled by children'

I now have an exacerbated innate fear of my garden and animals that children can easily handle. This of course isn't good. Each twig has to be carefully kicked before picking it up and barefoot strolls are a thing of the past. The 3 hour gardening time frame is now very unproductive!