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Kindle Books

20 Yorkshire Walks with only one map OL21

Kindle book - My Lanzarote. 10 walks and a personal view

Kindle Book And A Pub For Lunch

20 Walks in the Yorkshire Dales with only one map OL2

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Food and Drink

Visit the Happy Hiker  Hiking Store to buy drinks containers.

A small flask of hot drink is useful in cold weather. Water should always be carried but especially in summer. You will perspire even in winter if working hard and the fluid loss should be replaced. A minimum of half a litre is recommended. In summer, for a full days walk, this could rise to 2 litres depending on what you are doing. The problem then of course is the weight but unless you are sure of a source of water en route, you need to ensure you are adequately supplied.

Isotonic drinks can be beneficial as they contain a balance of salts and minerals which might have been lost through exertion/perspiration.

Some people like the bladder containers. These have a handy tube which fastens to the rucksack strap, the bladder being inside the rucksack. Drink on tap is very handy. However, there can be problems keeping the bladder clean and free from unpleasant tastes or algae. This can be avoided first by not leaving water in the bladder and by periodic cleaning with denture cleaner, babies bottle steriliser solution (e.g. Milton), baking soda or campden tablets (as used for home brewing). Storing a bladder in a freezer is also a possibility but there might be detrimental effects on the plastic.

As far as food is concerned, simple sandwiches suffice with some additional high energy (sugar) foods such as chocolate to enjoy and have in reserve. Dried fruit and cereal bars are also useful as they are light.

The idea of a brandy or other spirit to "warm you up" in cold weather is a fallacy. It feels warm as you drink it but what it actually does is dilate the capillary blood vessels causing greater cooling and potentially increasing the risk of hypothermia. Alcohol also dehydrates the body and of course sufficient will impair judgment and balance.

All information on this site is given in good faith and no liability is accepted in respect of any damage, loss or injury which might result from acting on it.