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Streams in Lancashire are a bit off putting to be honest ;) ;)Quote:
Originally Posted by Grouse
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3239/...0148e87114.jpg
I drink from streams all the time but usually when up high and avoid any standing water in tarns or lakes.
I'v drank from streams high up ever since i was a nipper,it's never done me any harm.itl be alot cleaner than the stuff that comes outa yer tap full of chemicals:thumbup:
Does anyone sterilise water which they get from pools/ streams on the hill? When I was out on a long hot day (week last Thursday) I reluctantly filled up my bottle from a few still pools and later on in the day began retching violently... I guess it could have been the heat as it was a very sunny and quite hot day, or poor food management... would be interested in your thoughts. Cheers,
I don't sterilise what I drink on the fells, but make sure that I'm drinking from free flowing streams running over rocky beds, not still pools. I haven't come unstuck yet.
2 previous threads on this, all you need to know is on there I would imagine...Quote:
Originally Posted by simon cox
http://forum.fellrunner.org.uk/showt...ht=clean+water
May be a mod could bring them all together
http://forum.fellrunner.org.uk/showt...ams#post341699
Just a thought for all you hardy runners. this recent snow has killed a lot of sheep, there are carcasses all over, I've counted 15 or so in the last few days, counted 10 more last weekend. so take more care than usual for a few weeks.Quote:
Originally Posted by IanDarkpeak
excellent point - well doneQuote:
Originally Posted by IanDarkpeak
They just make the water tastier. I've never met anyone who's got poisoned from drinking from the fells. My rule of thumb has always been it'll be OK as long as you're above human habitation/camps/treated fields/cattle. The odd sheep carcase is neither here nor there. It's people & chemicals that you've got to be wary of. (In the UK, Alps, Pyrenees etc - can't comment about further afield).Quote:
Originally Posted by IanDarkpeak
Depends where the carcass is and how the water is moving, by the side of a stream, 20m away fast flowing you should be ok. slowing moving with the sheep floating in the water might be interesting....Quote:
Originally Posted by Splatcher
there was excellent places to take a skinny dip on saturday coming back up from seathwaite
I drink of the land but i know where to get it from
I had a situation saturday where i came past the tarn there had been 15 walkers walked over the ice to get to the piece of land in the middle of tarn i had my ice axe to hand so tempting
I usually get a drink from here on a hot day:
http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/23702
This one is also very tasty, if you avoid the green slime ;)Quote:
Originally Posted by Jez Hellewell
http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/1957382
I once was really bad after drinking from a river; I tried to find a fast flowing part where water ran over a rock; but alas, I ended up messing my sleeping bag that night; it was bad - both ends. This wasn't fell running mind.
E-bay sells chlorine tablets; we used them in the army. 1 tablet sterilises 1 litre of water; it takes ten minutes for the tablet to sterilise the water.
Had a bad case a Giardia Lambia, probably contracted while running, but not quite sure how as the dates don't work with incubation etc...I've always drunk from streams and been careful when doing so, so not sure where I contracted it from.
It's rough though, and I've managed to pass it on to my wife and children. Fun times!
Will it change my drinking from streams? Not sure yet; I've just finished the antibiotic, so too soon to know.
I have seen this result in a liver abscess - not nice. I would never drink from a stream, but then I do not wild camp.Quote:
Originally Posted by felltrumpet
Probably sound advice Mike. Certainly in Lakes or North wales I would avoid all streams due to sheep.Quote:
Originally Posted by Mike T
Any thoughts about highland Scotland? Less sheep on the high tops?
Drank from streams loads of times, is there a risk involved - or course there is. But then:
Is there a risk of being out on an open mountain on your own off the beaten track?
Is there a risk from becoming dehydrated?
Is there a risk of fatique/exhaustion because you are carrying so much gear/water to ensure you have enough?
If you took your safety to extremes, you would never leave the house.
Well said. It's all about knowledge, confidence, respect and acceptance of risk.
Don't want to carry water? Then accept the risk of drinking from sensible natural sources.