Walkhighlands

Was up Ben Lawers and Beinn Ghlas yesterday. Cracking day for it, but the wind chill had me shivering on the summits with my thoughts turning to the purchase of a wee thermos. So not being a tea or coffee drinker, I'm keen to hear what other folk fill theirs up with.

Hot water, and take Cup-a-Soup. I know it tastes revolting at home, but somehow it's really tasty on the hill. Also take the wee packets of coffee. You can also get drinkiing chocolate from the same people Used to remove them from B & Bs but now get our own off the internet. Then it stops you having to deep clean your thermos to get soupy bits of carrot out.


https://www.viking-direct.co.uk/en/p/2073920?cm_mmc=Google-_-pla_gen_cleaning-and-catering_gosc-_-cleaning-and-catering-_-2073920&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIk-rDpuv03QIVBLTtCh1OZgcREAQYASABEgKDxPD_BwE

My favourite is Bottlegreen Spiced Berry Cordial, but it looks like they may have stopped making it

In winter, tomato soup with a dash of Lee & Perrins is the usual.

In summer, flask is substituted for an energy drink to supplement the water I carry whatever the season.

If its an overnight trip, its just possible that there will be some water of life lurking somewhere in the bag, decanted into a plastic bottle or bladder thing.

Plastic flasks should be avoided as they break too easily. Tesco's do a good steel thermos, 1 litre for much cheapness. Just put hot water in the flask, as soup or whatever else will stain and contaminate the inside. I take cup-a-soups ( as said previously by Sgurr, they are somehow attractive when out in the hills) and Oxo cubes make a good Bovril-style hot beefy drink. Remember a wee plastic spoon to stir it. Hot chocolate sachets again from Tesco's (four for a pound). Isotonic drinks powders can also make a nice hot drink. I find tea and coffee too much of a guddle. You could invest in a meths burner and billy can to save carrying hot water, but then you have to carry fuel so it's swings and roundabouts, innit??

Cadburys hot chocolate. Has to be HOT, made with full fat milk and LOTS of sugar.

If there's a more satisfying drink on a hill on a cold dreich day, I don't know what it is.

When I forget the plastic spoon to stir it (Caberfeidh) it is always possible to fold the packet into a thin stout strip and stir it with that, however it does contaminate my sandwich pack, which then has to be washed when I get home.

My favourite was a triple shot gingerbread latte from the cafe in Braemar, which went down very nicely at Derry Lodge and on the summit of Beinn Bhreac in a passing hailstorm (in summer).

If it's soup, I usually go for Heinz cream of tomato. Cup a soups I use more with a stove, usually cooked up out of the wind in a bothy before the walk out. The Ainsley Harriott ones are good - especially the hot & sour.

problem with all the yummy stuff listed so far is cleaning the flask afterwards - so its hot ginger and lemon tea for me

Camomile and spearmint tea, refreshing, reviving and thirst quenching, keeps well in the flask too. Also easy to clean the flask afterwards. We use Higear 500ml stainless steel flasks, £5 from Go Outdoors, each carry our own to spread the load. Make sure you get one with a screw top, the spring loaded pop top ones always seem to leak, or fall apart.

Hot ribenna in winter (don't bother with the flask the rest of the year) but the sugar tax means it's now full of sweeteners so might be some of the Polish cordial for this winter.

Hot squash.
Has the advantage that if you're in a group, then almost everyone will drink it (I'm a confirmed coffee drinker and don't touch tea). It's also relatively easy to clean the flask out afterwards.

Hot chocolate. If possible, with a dash of Arran Gold.

Usually take hot Vimto or Ribena. It's not seen the light of day since last Winter so there's probably just mould in it at the moment.

I just drink burn water throughout the year.

My son, though, is into luxury. He takes a jetboil and cooks up proper coffee. I have to admit, it's rather nice (when someone else does it!!!)