Drank water from a waterfall - guess who’s now sick

[Mynewparasitefriend]

Me. It’s me obviously

Was hiking with enough water - got around half way through and realised my backpack was dripping.

Stopped and opened it and most of my water had leaked out. I was miles from anywhere and in stupid heat. Decided to finish my hike and then take a detour on the way back to a village. By the time I got 3/4 of the way round I was so thirsty and hot and still miles out from the village.

Came across the waterfall and I know (I know) not to drink from outside water but in my defence it was really fast flowing and completely clear.

Probably drank 400-500 mls

5 hrs later and my stomach is like a washing machine. Exactly how sick am I going to be?

Hope you haven't been vomming all night OP.

I was going to say "Well, at least OP lived to tell the tale" ... but maybe she didn't! 🫣😬

Oh dear, wish I hadn't seen this! We were on holiday in Yorkshire last week, and my 4 and 12 year olds fell over paddling at Aysgarth Lower falls on Friday. Their clothes were soaked through, hair dripping, water in their faces. We finished our picnic afterwards and although I sanitised their hands, they weren't washed! No signs of any illness yet, but I'll be watching out for it now!

Hope you're feeling better OP.

hope you're feeling a bit better this morning?

I mean it wasnt ideal but you did what most of us would have done int hat situation. It was so hot.

Hiking in 25 degrees, without water can certainly make some people very ill. She's not talking about walking. Hills, sweat, limited shade. You start to feel a little dizzy, wobbly and weak, then all you can think about is water. Doesn't have to be mega hot.

My son was really ill from paddle boarding and jumping in the River Dee we haven't been near it since 🤦

Hope you are ok OP and it's nothing serious this morning.

I swam in a river when I was a teenager, I was puking and shaking and had a fever, the doctor came out and told me off and gave me antibiotics. This was in the 1980s, I would never swim or drink from any water in the UK that has not come from my tap

Camping too 😩 how are you feeling today?

I live in Dorset and had no idea dead sheep in rivers were such a concern. To be honest I didn't think sheep were that free to roam about and keel over in rivers. Usually they get moved around from field to field by whoever owns them.
Regularly swim in the sea and never been sick.

Hope you feel better soon op, camping with a sickness bug sounds like hell. I think I'd have to splurge on a hotel instead.

hope you're okay this morning, OP

Wishing you well OP.

Hello all,

im fine! Puking stopped about 2 am - on balance probably was a bit of heatstroke.

Re the questions around why I took the detour - I’d already hiked 4 miles and was around 1 mile from Chapmans pool when I realised I had spilled everything.

I went to the manned observation/radar station but they don’t have any water (in fact they have a sign saying they don’t have running water). Even went to the little chapel to see if they had water. Decided to continue to the pool and then change my course on the way back (going via Worth M rather than the way I came). It added a few miles to my hike but they came after the pub (where I got water and coke!). If that makes sense

Absolutely not doing my planned hike today, tent and reading instead

I have a life straw at home 🤦‍♀️

I would suggest a survival water filter bottle too... I took them on holiday when we where in the mountains at a cabin and tap water was not suppose to be drunk.

So glad you're okay now, and having a rest day.

Rest and recoup. Lots of water and I hope it is a good book 😊heat stroke is also not fun.

@Frecklebaby sheep know, no boundaries!! These little ground clouds get out everywhere. It's not just sheep though. Sick animals will look for water and then can die near/ in the river or stream.

You know you can’t see bacteria? There’s a reason you’re told not to do this

Oh that'll be minging! Probably a dead sheep up the hill from it or runoff from the quarries.

Your Lifestraw wouldn't protect against viruses and other nasties in lowland water sources.

Good to hear you feel a bit better. As you say it could just be the heat along with the effort of the walk.

If your reasonably remote the water may have been OK. However apart from the ever popular dead sheep it can also be next to another campers toilet or full of some animals droppings.

If you went to st aldhelms church, there are houses near there and farms/campsites you could have asked at.

Learn from this and buy a life straw and some water purification tablets for future. It won't take up much room in your bag.
Also, i think you did the right thing drinking the water even knowing the risks. Having a bad stomach for a few days after is better than collapsing from dehydration and heat exhaustion in the middle of nowhere.

Gosh, glad you're ok

Viruses are okay, I believe. It won't get every parasite I think. However, when desperate, it's a good option if you don't have much choice. Alternatively you could carry purification tablets. I carry a lifestraw for situations where I might be stuck and there's no other option but to make the best of it. Haven't hit it yet but I think it's important to have the option. I'm not prepared to carry around a camping stove and pot to boil everything when I probably won't run out of water.