Water Carriers

[durquhart]

Hi,

I'm planning on doing the Cairn Toul - Braeriach Traverse over the Easter Hols. This will be my first expedition to the hills with a planned nights sleep over in me tent. It's been exciting stuff getting in all the bits n bobs needed for my survival .

I have a wee query though i thought i'd run past you. I know i might get a few different answers to this but i'm open to all opinions. How many litres of water do you normally carry when camping for a night with 2 days walking either side. I'll also have a 2 litre hydration pack in the rucksack which could keep me going as i normally return with half of it left after a days walking.

Also any suggestions on what water carrier to buy would be most wlecome.

[tenohfive]

Whatever the answer it's going to be a substantial amount of weight. I'd seriously consider just taking your normal water load (I've got a 3L bladder) and topping up from streams. If you're sensible and scout around you should be able to avoid dead sheep upstream, or if you're picking there are things like this:

http://www.cotswoldoutdoor.com/steripen-classic-purifier-b5310012?id_colour=180

[durquhart]

Whatever the answer it's going to be a substantial amount of weight. I'd seriously consider just taking your normal water load (I've got a 3L bladder) and topping up from streams. If you're sensible and scout around you should be able to avoid dead sheep upstream, or if you're picking there are things like this:

http://www.cotswoldoutdoor.com/steripen-classic-purifier-b5310012?id_colour=180

Nice peice of equipment but its pretty pricey I would worry that I might not come across a stream on route though. Are the tablet purifiers you get just as good?

Aye i was thinking carrying an additional 5 litres say would add a lot of weight to the load and that might be too much anyway. i think the additional water i would need would be for preparing a meal on the first night and a few cups of coffee. Probably an additional 2-3litres max.

[whiteburn]

I normally carry 0.5L sports bottle full and refill on route plus an empty 2L Platypus to be filled at convenient point close to camp site, occasionally I've had to carry water 1 - 2 km in search of a good pitch.

If you're really concerned dose with tabs http://www.amazon.co.uk/OASIS-Water-Pur ... 734&sr=8-2 they're cheap and effective, well the 2 I've used in 5 years were! They do make the water taste like a swimming pool though.

[tenohfive]

Hmmm...post seems to have disappeared.

1 litre weighs 1kg, so personally I'd be loathe to carry any extra. Everywhere I've been (Lakes rather than Cairngorms) has had streams everywhere and a quick look on the GPS planner suggests the presence of plenty showing on the map (plus however many don't show) in the area you're going. You'll be boiling any cooking or coffee water anyway and if you're concerned you could boil up extra for your bottle, but personally I'd just chance it - I was planning a wild camp and the consensus on here was that if you check a couple of hundred yards upstream for dead sheep etc you'll probably be fine.

[Rudolph]

I reckon you need to have about 1.5l of water available when you stop for the night. I take a 3 l platypus and try and make sure it's half full when i stop.

That does a rehydrated meal and a drink with your dinner and breakfast. There is lots of running water up on the braeriach / cairn toul plateau and it's pretty easy to get hold of. Take a mug along so you can collect from the tiny burns more easily. That should keep you sorted during the day.

I'd never bother about purifying water from up there provided it was a running source taken high up.- but I would avoid taking water from near corrour bothy.

[durquhart]

I normally carry 0.5L sports bottle full and refill on route plus an empty 2L Platypus to be filled at convenient point close to camp site, occasionally I've had to carry water 1 - 2 km in search of a good pitch.

If you're really concerned dose with tabs http://www.amazon.co.uk/OASIS-Water-Pur ... 734&sr=8-2 they're cheap and effective, well the 2 I've used in 5 years were! They do make the water taste like a swimming pool though.

After all those years you havent grown a 6th toe or anything?

Yuk the taste of a swimming pool doesn't appeal to me. I take it when you boil the water from a stream you kill off most of the bacteria anyway and will live to fight another day after consumption

[durquhart]

cheers guys.

i think you've made my mind up to ditch the load and just use the streams up there. Dont think i'll bother with the purifiers and just go for it haha (after boiling of course)

Rudolph - yeah i think an additional 1.5 litres should see me right, will need to go buy another hydration pack noo.

[tenohfive]

Take a mug along so you can collect from the tiny burns more easily.

Oo oo that gives me an opportunity to plug my favourite gadget. I know, I'm odd:
http://www.thebushcraftstore.co.uk/swedish-mess-kit-og-folding-cup-443-p.asp

Weighs nothing, decent size (get the 600ml version) and folds away to a size that can be accomodated anywhere.

[Rudolph]

cheers guys.

i think you've made my mind up to ditch the load and just use the streams up there. Dont think i'll bother with the purifiers and just go for it haha (after boiling of course)

Rudolph - yeah i think an additional 1.5 litres should see me right, will need to go buy another hydration pack noo.

Boiling is IMHO unnecessary. I've drunk lots of times straight from streams and never had a problem. Then again I cope pretty well with MrsSanta's cooking too.

The 2 litre pack you have is fine. Just fill it at the last water source you before you camp.

[Caberfeidh]

you should be able to avoid dead sheep upstream

There baint sheep on Braeriach/Cairn Toul anyhoo. Loadsa burns coming off the hill, or big patches of frozen snow - scrape off the gritty/dusty bits and you're fine. No need to carry large volumes. Carrying a straw or bit of platic tubing helps if you're on the plateau and need to sook watter from weathered potholes in the rocks... You can always do a Bear Grilse and wring out your socks and strain the muddy water through a ... er...sock...

[Meatball]

Im taking 3 litres for that trip this week .

[Border Reiver]

I carry an empty 1/2 litre water bottle and only fill it when I know I'm at the last water source for some way. As Caberfeidh says, there's an endless supply of fresh, pure water up on the plateau. Camp on the level area next to the Wells of Dee & you've got some of the sweetest, purest water in this country right next to the tent.

[brpro26]

Usually it's 3lt water bladder for me and a 0.5 or 1lt bottle of makey-up orange juice. I can refill the bottle easily when required. Having a cup handy is good to grap a drink at a good water source without impacting your supply.
Seems simple but make sure you take your water from a fast flowing bit of the stream and not a pool.

[Cairngormwanderer]

Between Cairn Toul and Braeriach you'll be passing the Wells of Dee, where the purest, coolest, best water in the world bubbles out of the ground. To pass there and NOT take a drink (assuming the snow is clear by the time you go there) would be a sin.
And like Caberfeidh says - ain't no sheep up there.