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Hi,
I am about to embark on my first bikepacking trip. It'll be a bit of a solo shakedown ride. Taking the train the Tweedbank and cycling back over the lammermuirs on the Herring Road and an overnighter somewhere in the middle. Pretty short trip to be fair.
How much water would you take?
I have 2x 650ml bottles that I'd normally take on a 40 miler. I'll pack a couple of beers for evening.
Planning to cook a meal on my trangia in the evening and some porridge for breakfast.
Would an extra litre or two be enough?
Left to my own devices I'd probably pack an extra gallon just to be safe 😀
I work on 3 l for an overnight stop as a minimum
I tend to make sure I either have access to water where i'll be stopping and filter it or have a minimum of 3 litres to hand if I'm planning on any basic cooking, hot drink, brushing teeth. Don't forget you'll need some to last until the next refill the following morning too.
Depends what facilities and water sources you have on route.
You'll probably need a lot more than normal for 40miles simply because most people drink a pint before setting off and another when they get back which adds a liter, plus whatever you drink over the evening. A beer or two is fine, but remember beer is diuretic so you'll be more dehydrated and thirsty in the morning than if you'd drank a couple of pints of water.
At a minimum I'd swap the bottles for 1l ones. And stop at a cafe/shop to fill them up at the last place you'll pass.
Filters, tablets, or just a cavalier attitude to getting sick are still the easiest options though.
No need for a cavalier attitude - plenty of good water available in the lammermuirs - I have camped there a few times drinking from the burns
That's very sheepy country so finding clean water might take a bit of work, but should still be possible. I recently bought a water-to-go bottle so I can filter as I go.
You can get soft filter bottles like the Katadyn BeFree which take up little room packed, but towards the end of the day you can fill them and carry them so you've got a bit of extra water for the overnight. I generally take a large bottle plus the filter bottle, normally gives me about 2.5l.
Four litre Ortlieb bag. Gives you enough for cooking, brews, rinse out pot/mug (away from streamways), brush teeth, morning coffee. Folds up small; plan ahead referring to map and prevailing weather/ground conditions, so you can fill up at last opportunity if not actually pitching near water. Top and bottom handles on Ortlieb bag mean you can fit it to/on/around luggage if you're creative.
In the spirit of recommending what you have - sawyer mini water filter - packs nice and small, fits on the end of a pop bottle, means you can top up cycling bottles as you go. Most water filters as recommended above would allow this and they're great because water is heavy
That ortlieb bag looks like just the trick.
The Watch Water lands pretty much on the half way point of my planned route so can fill up there and camp there. I guess some sort of filter would still be sensible.
Very helpful guys. Thank you
Thanks for your help guys.
I've ordered that ortlieb bladder and a platypus quickdraw filter bottle.