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I got asked a question about what I do for water at high wild camps where there is often no water? The answer is very simple. But there are a few points to take into consideration.
I will use a wild camp I did in the Lake District as an example. I had walked with Mike Knipe and as we went our separate ways he had commented about water for my wild camp on Great Borne. My response was that I planned to check out the stream source on my map before striking out for the top, and to carry 2L up from that point with me for the night and morning. It had not been an extended dry period and I was anticipating finding water.
When I am wild camping high the most important thing is the weather forecast and anticipated wind speed. I want to ensure the wind won't flatten my tent or shelter. If the weather is worse than forecast I want to be somewhere that I can bail out from fast and easy. No rocky ridges to follow on the way down - or boulder fields. Easy slope down and to shelter.
Once I have that, water is the least of my worries. That I will get on the way up. Finding a high stream outside of summer is not hard. Warm dry periods would find me carrying water for the camp from lower down. Not worth the risk of finding a dried up stream high up. High streams often dry up in prolonged dry periods.
High streams are for the most part clean water. If it's clear and running, has no cattle herded above the water source, or other likely sources of contamination I would drink from it there and then. Have a good litre to help hydrate - then fill up my water bladder for camp. When you find the source of those high streams the water you know has no dead sheep in it or anything to worry you (tip: use a buff over the opening of your water bottle to filter anything out if you think there are contaminants, then drop a water purification tablet in, or use a filter if you carry one)
If it's clean and running have a tipple. If it's still and dark give it a miss. The water for the wild camp I mentioned was found just off the path, clear from the point it was springing up out of the ground. When it's like this you can't go wrong. Fill and hold the container up in the light. Clear, no coloration or floating bits is what you want.
So let's get technical. A litre of water is 1000g/2.2pounds. You fill up your 2L water holder for that high camp where there is a water source. You might want to carry that 4.4pounds extra for the least distance possible. So study maps and suss out where the last clean water source will be.
I don't get water from high tarns, by the way. Still water is a concern for me. Some do. I don't. It needs to have had some movement for me. Finding streams high up I find not hard. The skill is judging when to fill up.
If I need to get water lower down I treat it, and have a good hydration session there once the treatment has done its task, then head up lugging water for the wild camp.
Getting water for a high camp is very easy once you get into the habit of finding springs and stream source points high up. Check maps and enjoy the views high up. Also, don't forget: snow is wonderful. You can melt it for water. Always nice to find a remaining drift of snow high up. Melt the water and bring it to a boil. Job done.
18 comments:
That's advice that I would endorse Martin. Something I always used to do was carry a water filter. I don't any more. I do exactly what you do. Sometimes I will set camp and go back down the hill (if not too far) to fill up and stroll back to camp, especially in summer with those long, light evenings - plenty of time to make a meal of the whole camping process.
The key is to be smart - running water always, otherwise you will NEED to treat it in some way.
always handy as a back up (especially in summer)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YEs4A7kXG8w
Tut tut. If it was beer we would be interested :)
Agree Carl. Simple advice and people ask. Tarn question often comes up. I don't trust the water in still pools of water.
An interesting write up Martin I would certainly agree with avoiding tarns for drinking water. I first became suspicious of any wild water supplies in the UK when around ten years ago 300 people in the Manchester area became ill when they drunk water supplied from Thirlmere Reservoir in the Lake District which was contaminated with the Cryptosporidium parvum parasite, introduced to both the reservoir and aqueduct by sheep.
I also remember reading an article in I think Trail Magazine some years ago where they tested different water sources in the Lake District and without exception the tarns tested all had high levels of sheep faeces in them. It follows then that any outlet streams will also have high levels of faeces in them - at least until diluted by side streams and assuming of course they are not from an area with high numbers of sheep as well.
After reading such evidence I always try to drink water above tarn outlets or side streams rather than downstream and always filter, treat/boil. At the end of the day though in areas that have high sheep numbers you will, like it or not be drinking sheep shit contaminated water. The only variable is just how much we are ingesting. That said I know plenty of people that don't bother and do not suffer any ill effects, but when wild camping I always try to make sure that when I drink sheep shit soup it is well boiled:-))
I usually get through about 4 litres of water overnight as I use the same pan for cooking and drinking, so a bit of water is needed to rinse stuff out (no freeze dried food in a pouch for me). I probably drink a litre whilst in bed through the night as well or I wake with a headache. Platypus do a great 4ltr reservoir with handles. Last Sat I pitched then walked downhill for 10 mins to collect water before it got dark.
I have had to take water from a summit tarn before but that was because all nearby streams had dried up. I did filter it though and had no side effects. The alternative would have been walking back an hour or so in the dark to the last running water.
Otherwise I do like to pitch close to running water!
Superb info David, and glad I wrote this post as comments like yours adds to the information. Makes you think how easy it could be to get ill.
10 minute walk I can live with. 4L is a lot James and having seen your reservoir in use I can see why camping near water is good for you. Good find you made in that spring on Wild Boar Fell. Last camp we had a lucky find with that stream. Water is there if you look.
The only point I'd add is, I regularly drink 'discoloured' water, if the ground is peaty it doesn't worry me, but only from fast flowing sources, as you say.
Hi Martin
It was my query to you that prompted this blog post. Thanks so much for taking the time to share your advice. Much appreciated. I guess the reply on your post is much as expected. I have always been happy to drink from streams in the fells, but never taken from tarns etc. I wondered whether I was being over cautious about this, but it appears others are too. I have invested in a Travel Tap and thought that people might be using such devices for still water but clearly not. Incidentally, probably naivety about the Travel Tap before purchase led to me being not that happy with it when it arrived - I was amazed at the amount of pressure needed on the bottle to force water through the filter which makes using it rather laborious. I may even be more cautious about water from tarn outflows and lower streams from now on - have never previously worried about streams once above the intake walls.
On a lighter note, and on the subject of sheep sh*t in water, which some have mentioned on this thread, I can still remember an incident when wild camping near Cnicht in Snowdonia when I was in the 6th Form in 1974 (owch, a long time ago!). Absolutlely knackered after a day of terrible weather we cooked our meal in the ruins of a a dark, derelict, partially roofed barn to avoid gales and torrential rain. I stepped over the stove and the mess tin, full of some simmering tinned curry, all the food we had, and the most enormous pile of sheep dung came off my boot and landed in the curry. My mates were too tired and hungry to even complain, and we all just ate the lot. Actually, it may have improved the flavour....and I am still here and still going up in the hills.
Anyway, I owe you a pint, Martin. If you are ever in the Lakes when I am there...
David (@FellBound or www.fellbound.co.uk)
Something that I should point out regarding water when wild camping in the Dark Peak. A mate who is a wildlife ranger spent a summer volunteering doing some conservation work on Bleaklow and Kinder Scout. They were advised not to drink the water there due to it being heavily contaminated due to sitting inbetween all those major cities. All those heavy metals etc get trapped in the peat over the years and leach out into the water courses. He was even advised to use wipes before eating!
However he was happy enough to wild camp with me on bleaklow and take water from a stream. I'm sure these things are cumulative, probably best not to drink water from there everyday.
However, Nottinghams water comes from Ladybower, I'm assuming that all those nasties must be filtered out?
As Fraser said I have frequently drunk Peat stained water, sometimes the colour of black tea! In Scotland it often comes out of the tap like that........
Pleasure David. Ask anytime and some times I might be able to do another post. Tale of sheep shit is funny. Adventures of youth.
Same as Peak District Fraser. I boil that as its not good water. Kinder way I will haul water up to be honest. Cherrs.
Terry BND has got ill from water in the Dark Peak. Hence my boil it comment. Delios filter makes the water clear BTW. Then boil as a back up. For one night in the Peaks I have packed clean water in. Not hard and better than brown soup.
Good post. I must be learning, I have not used my buff but certainly knows it's there if needed.
I have not read all comments yet but if running water comes from a tarn its still tarn water. Of course I have no experience but if I was desperate I'd use tarn water and treat if no flowing water about.
There are lots of cattle / sheep on Dartmoor. I treat with a less than 50% dose of Aqua Mira. Or I warm up for tea I don't worry about not boiling it. As long as hot.
Colin got through night on less than half a litre. I think. I got through near 4. But that includes Bess lol. I'd need in excess of 2. Plus spare to walk to water. I dehydrate quickly.
Let's see what the future holds.
Thanks for sharing.
PS Id be more careful away from Dartmoor ;-)
Tony glad the post helps. Simple steps will help. Saying that I got ill in the USA and still have a bacterial infection that needs treating. You can never be too careful.
Get well soon.
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