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Anyone know anything about these things?
A wild camping friend of mine was horrified when I told him that I just drink straight out of streams. He said I should get one of these (although I wouldn't be planning to use it during a race :eek: .) At around 80 quid they seem expensive; are they at all necessary or are they just a gimmick?
Cheers.
CH.
oops... forgot the link:
http://www.steripen.com/
I've never had a problem drinking from a stream - as long as it is fast running and there is nothing lying dead a few yards upstream - naturally chilled and fresh.
Just reading bout the kinder dozen and in the first thread Geoff talks of drinking from streams in the Peak District http://forum.fellrunner.org.uk/showt...t=Kinder+Dozen.
Is it generally ok to drink from fast flowing streams in the peak/lake district? How do you know there isn’t a dead sheep in the water up stream? Isn’t there the potential for some nasty stomach bugs?
All part of the fun!Quote:
Originally Posted by novice
Is it generally ok to drink from fast flowing streams in the peak/lake district?Quote:
Originally Posted by novice
yep
How do you know there isn’t a dead sheep in the water up stream?
you don't, have a quick look upstream and then go for it
Isn’t there the potential for some nasty stomach bugs?
yep
In reality though the chances of stomach bugs are low. I am probably more likely to get the trots from drinking from my camelbak than a stream
In areas like Kinder where there is no human habitation or enclosed livestock upstream the risk is very low. Bugs from dead sheep don't travel far downstream - my wife's geography lecturer quoted a figure, can't remember it exactly but it was much less than 100m.
Peak and lakes are slightly differentQuote:
Originally Posted by novice
Peak- most fast flowing streams are ok. look at it, is it clear? taste it, ok then drink happily.
Don't drink water from below farmed area esp where animals are kept.
good water all round Kinder, Blackden-Fairbrook(gets low after prolonged dry spell)-Jaggers-Ladybooth-River Noe(bottom jacobs ladder)- River Kinder (below downfall)- Upper and Nether Red brook( you may need to drop down)
Spring below Crookstone Knoll.
Lakes
As above fast flowing above farmed areas etc. BUT
do not drink from streams that flow out of Tarns. esp Styhead, Angle Tarn. these are become poluted due to the number of high level campers that use them to camp nearby, both from food and toilet waste.
when in dire need whether racing or at leisure i]ll take the risk..and have done so at home and abroad...
the delight of drenching oneself in a cool stream and drinking it in when dehydrating and suffering is an awesome experience only marred if death follows:D
I always drink from streams higher up, in the dales anyway, and seem to survive okay.
A word of warning though - I was recently turned inside out for a week by a bout of gastroentiritis and I almsot certainly got that from swimming in Coniston Water in heavy rain, following a week of dry weather. In those conditions apparently its common for tummy bugs to be picked up.
i agree with the drinking from falls/streams higher than where farm animals graze. Did drink some water first that appeared slightly brown in colour, excellent laxative that was:D
At the LAMM, the stream was clear, ice cold and had fresh water shrimp in it, so got some extra protein
Quote:
Originally Posted by IanDarkpeak
You ought to produce a little map of these springs Ian. I remember you taking us to one on the Edale Skyline recce earlier this year that I certainly wouldn't have found on my own :cool:
Certainly be useful for the Kinder killer (and dozen) which I still haven't got round to doing yet :(
I drink from streams all the time (not just in dire need), mainly to save having to actually carry so much water, but also seems to taste better :p
even if it's a bit brown I don't let that put me off (so long as it's a peaty area!)
not come down with any bugs yet in the 3 years I've been at this fell running lark :D
Absolutely. I avoid drinking below:Quote:
Originally Posted by DazTheSlug
1. Where farmers may have spread or sprayed anything, i.e any cultivated land.
2. Where people are living/camping/may have been cr*pping (are these words filtered on here?). Sty Head Tarn, Malham Tarn are good examples of danger areas, particularly the latter!
3. Where there are more than a few cattle.
Rotting sheep are theoretically a risk, but not much of one in practice.
Never been ill yet, & I've been drinking from streams for a long time.
as others have said, although I would avoid drinking too much of the brown peaty water in areas like Kinder, all that peat can be bad for you.
I once drank from a clear fast flowing stream in Scotland, to then walk 100m upstream around a rocky bluff to see a dead sheep in full blown decomposition mode. The nasuea I felt had nothing to do with the water and everything to do with the sight (!) and I didn't go down with anything.
Kat
Only ever known one person to fall ill after drinking from a stream and that was my mates running partner in last years RAB
He fell ill following the event and was hospitalised when he suffered a bout of sickness, diarrhoea and he started pissing blood.:eek::eek:
If I recall correctly, the doctors speculated that the bug(s) had entered his system due to the fact he had recently finished a course of antibiotics. The antibiotics had killed the “good bacteria” in his gut and allowed a bug(s) to infect him
My mate was unaffected even though they both shared a water bottle filled from streams and drank from the same streams:confused:
Manx streams are often brownish red in colour. I'm sure my old man told me that was just iron in the water when i was a kid. Often peaty soils. There were big problems at one of the Meridas i did last year with water contaminated with animal waste. Lots of people were sick. Luckily i had no problems. Don't drink from stagnant pools or the out flow from tarns. Have a little sip first for a taste check before you start gulping!
Love the water in the Howgills - someone should bottle it!
They do, WT, its passed off as a certain T Taylors brand;)Quote:
Originally Posted by Witton Park
It's not just sheep muck and dead woollies that you need to worry about - drinking water below sough level (which can be quite high) in mining regions can do you some pretty nasty damage long term.
There was an article in Trail about water quality a few years back, they tested water from high up in lakes etc and they found high levels of E coli and Giardia. Both these cause nasty D+V. However i have drunk from gills and becks for years without any problems, beats carrying several kilos of weight in water. D+V is an easy way to lose some weight!
I've swam in some of the Lakes in the Lake district...
( Coniston, Ullswater, Wast Water this year)
quite alot of reservoirs all over the country including the Peaks and Dales
and swallowed quite a bit of water
fortunately never had a problem yet:)
though some taste of diesel:(
These were found in the Tarns not streams running in to them. the result of lots of campers not doing the buisness far enough away from water flows (100m) or burying it, Going behind a rock or putting a rock on it is not the way.:(Quote:
Originally Posted by philgreen1968
i recall my first fell race
a gung-ho chap loudly enquired as to the suitability and frequency of local streams
then remarked, in a jocular fashion on the size of some fellow competitors bum bags
,
it was 27 degrees and atleast 12 miles of 'o' style running
he staggered in looking awful, whilst many were enjoying a slow second pint after a long rest in the shade,
whilst most would be more clued up than this example...I wonder at the philosophy of unencumbered foraging versus taking sufficient hydration particlularily in races ?
:eek:Quote:
Originally Posted by IanDarkpeak
When i was up there a couple of months ago i had run out of water so filled my bottle from the stream flowing out of Angle Tarn....seemed to be ok.
I use streams, i often dont fill my drinks bottle up and just wait till i pass some flowing water to fill it up to sav carrying the weight round....the langdale horseshoe is perfect for that.;)
I drink from streams a lot more than i should, when i'm hiking i don't take water with me i just plan water stops at springs and streams. I have a Steripen which i'd take if i were in an unfamiliar area.
Drank litres yesterday from streams.Quote:
Originally Posted by mr brightside
no comment from Ian on his current condition.......oh shit, It's done him in:eek:!! :D
can't have done me any harm came 3rd in tonight race:eek::DQuote:
Originally Posted by mattg01
Phew.:)
Is it safe to drink the water coming off Kinder?
I am running in the Kinder downfall this weekend and wondered if it would be safe to wet my whistle.
Tks
sbrt
I do quite a lot and I'm still alive.Quote:
Originally Posted by sbrt
You'll be lucky to find any at the moment. ;) It's sooooooo dry.
Thanks
I tend to also, its often dirty looking from the peat so doesn't look great in a water bottle.
I drink water from Kinder-der-der-der and it hasn't t't't done me any harm mm m m
Seriously not a problem if you can find any, it has rained this week but not enough.
The only place I avoid if poss is the Kinder above the DF and Grinds brook as so many people walk along and stop for lunch ETC...
There may be Water in Red Brook but you may need to walk up it a bit?
I never drink out of William Clough cos it's a popular walking route so I'm always worried about what's going on upstream
up on the edge, Red Brook never looks very appealing especially when down to a trickle in dry conditions
after Edale Cross there's a couple of streams that come through the wall from the right and they should be fine
Good Luck on the KD btw - probably my fave race full stop, but I'm doing Anni Waltz this year
Thanks for all the replies.
One small problem with my plan, as some of you mentioned. There was no water, Doh! Kinder Downfall, More like Kinder slight trickle off the edge of the plateau.
Excellent day out though:D. Many thanks to the Marshalls, organisers and all involved.
Hi,
I am attempting the Cumbrian Traverse on Sunday and was wondering how much water to carry.
Do people find the tarn and stream water clean enough to fill up on route?
Do you ever need Iodine or just take the risk?
:confused:
I'm happy to drink straight from Lakeland becks and tarns, never bothered with iodine or similar. Safest to drink from flowing water and check upstream just in case there's a dead sheep there!
One place that may be worth avoiding is Styhead Tarn as it's popular with campers so there's a greater risk of water borne disease.
Some of the better sources will be much better than your usual heavily chlorinated average council pop too :cool: