Where do hikers go to the loo?

[borisescomb]

Not a poo troll, ask MN to check etc etc etc.

My New Year's resolution is to walk more and I've started exploring and going further afield. But I have quite bad IBS that can come on suddenly and urgently. This is putting me off going to certain places. I want to do the likes of ladybower and other popular tourist hikes but the thing is they are still too busy to just be able to pop into a bush. I can the the only person who has these sorts of issues. I wondered how you cope if you're the same? I feel like it's hampering my life and stopping me doing things I'd like to do more of.

You could do what our local RSPCA inspector did and shit in the hood of your coat. He didn't realise until he went o pull his hood up : )

I've done many wild wees using DH as a lookout.If I'm out walking in the hills etc there's now way I could keep a wee in until I could get to an actual toilet.Im becoming very adept at peeing behind a bush or rock.Thankfully I've never had the need to do a wild poo.

Yes behind a bush or a wall.

Hiking places a busy by the carparking areas but if you walk more than 30mins, you're going to find quiet places, even at the busiest attractions.

I am involved with Mountain rescue and do get to see way too much human poo. So really grateful OP that you are able to leave a tidy space afterwards.

It is quite depressing how much human shit and paper is just left about. I do a bit of rock climbing now again and the state of some of the crags is a disgrace. For all the talk of climbers being 'outdoor' folk who operate to a higher standard and blaming townies for all the litter and rouge turds they need to sort their own house first.

For privacy pack a lightweight waterproof ponchos - if you are squatting down with that on with a smile on your face and pretend you are admiring the view noone will know.

What if it's not raining? You can't wear a huge poncho when it's sunny and dry? That would look even more suspicious.?!

Genuine question & apologies for my ignorance, but why is pooing in the countryside a huge problem (assuming you do it off the beaten track & cover it over as best you can).

Given the countryside is covered in animal poo? why is human poo so bad?

It’s not something I make a habit of, just curious.

Whatever you do, it can’t be worse than the time I got stuck in an eight hour stationary traffic jam on the M90, OP. There was literally no cover - not a bush, not a tree, and I ended up having to pee on the grass beside the hard shoulder in front of several hundred motorists and passengers!

I always have 4-door cars. One rarely mentioned advantage of 4 doors is that you can open both doors on the nearside and squat between them, so you're shielded from the view of nearby, or passing, cars.

I had to do this when stuck on the M25 for 4 hours because a lorry had caught fire. And once on the A35 between Dorchester and Bridport, when the pub where we had intended to stop for lunch turned out to be closed on Mondays.

My late DP and I had a motorhome for a few years. I completely underestimated the usefulness of the onboard bog. You can have a pee without having to stop at ghastly motorway services (as long as you're not the driver, of course).

Al fresco weeing is completely fine, just make a decent attempt to hide behind a bush or wall. Somewhere like ladybower has quite a lot of trees you could hide among.

I think al fresco pooing is more unusual, unless wildcamping in the wilderness (in which case digging a hole is okay). Could you choose a walk with a loo at the carpark, and use medication / choice of food to avoid needing it for a few hours? If not, hide well a decent distance off the path, and take all evidence away with you.

Human poo carries human diseases

You should always also wash / sanitise your hands before eating outdoors because of the animal poo

Mt Snowden is littered with human poop in paper cups,rammed under rocks.
I had a friend with a food stall on a market. She sold food and couldn't leave her stall unattended so she wore adult nappies. She never needed to poo in them, just to pee in an emergency. Would that work as a safety net in case you got caught short. Obviously you would have to wear it until you got to a proper toilet.

Well yes you do just pop behind a bush, like all the other hikers. Bury your waste if you can, but as you probably can’t, you bag it securely along with the paper/wipes and put the bag in a Tupperware or similar until you can bin it. Make sure you have hand sanitiser and use soap and water when you get the chance.

www.cleverhiker.com/blog/how-to-poop-in-the-woods-a-backpackers-guide?rq=how%20to%20poop&format=amp

www.trailspace.com/articles/backcountry-waste-disposal.html

Piss Off cloth 🤣🤣

Human poo, which takes about a year to biodegrade, can be an environmental hazard. It can befoul trails and campsites, and if it’s left too close to streams or watersheds, it can contaminate groundwater. It is a major cause of the increased prevalence of giardia in wilderness groundwater.

I have visions of the dog walkers plotting revenge shouting I hope you are going to pick that up!!!

I need to pee very often and I had major gut problems before going on auto immune diet so I know what you're going through.
I have to walk in fairly remote places I just wouldn't walk anywhere that was really busy with nowhere to hide or public toilets. So if you walk somewhere where you can get away from others it really is a metal trowel or if the ground is hard carry a newspaper with you and some bags then you can poo on the newspaper and wrap it up you just have to move quickly for the "after wee"

I do very long hikes. I take nappy bags with kitchen towel folded into them. Lots of tissues.
For poo, Put down the kitchen towel. If it is windy put stones round the edge. Lift the kitchen towel with poo and put it in the nappy bag along with the tissues.
I wee squatting, putting tissues in a bag to take away. I have also used a shewee.
Take everything back with you.

’Leave only footprints take only photos’

You can take a trowel and bury it but you need to dig quite deep and the soil may not be suitable.

Hiking is a wonderful hobby. It makes me feel great.

I have the same problem, OP, and the same hobby.

I take Imodium in advance.
I also go armed with the portable potty which I had for the DC when they were little. It has been invaluable for number 2s.
Wipes and gel for hand-cleaning.
You can usually find a discreet place, if you go a little bit off the beaten track.

In the U.K. you can generally make sure you are never walking more than 90 minutes or so between toilet stops.

If you think that's true, never visit Devon or Somerset. Most of the south western moors are much further away from a loo than that.

I'm always confused by people saying 'just use a trowel and dig a nice deep hole'. But has anyone actually done this? Because let me tell you unless the ground is nice and wet and there is no grass/weeds and their roots, tree/bush roots or anything else growing to try and get through then digging with a trowel is really hard if not impossible. Has anyone tried to dig a hole in their dry lawn with a trowel? It's really, really hard. Even wet it's really tough in my garden. A trowel is nothing like using a spade I find them fairly useless for digging a hole unless it's in compost, sand or bare earth that's been turned over.

(In case it's not clear, portable potty has a liner in a bag, which you can walk along holding, as you would a dog poo). If you put two liners in, one on top of the other, you can't be caught out by needing another one.

I suffer IBS (d type) and hike a lot. Obviously everyone is different but I've found hiking to actually be good for my stomach. I try not to eat while walking as something about stopping and eat and the endorphins/hormones sets me off. If I am planning a big hike and picnic I don't eat until I've got to the top of the hill

Like others I take lots of loo roll, wipes and dog poo bags. I understand about it ruling your life, luckily for me I'm so relaxed when walking that my tummy is happy. My big flare ups tend to happen when I'm out socialising and at my most anxious

You forgot the important bit, take the bag home with you, do not tie to the nearest tree.

I haven’t RTFT but I saw the title and said “jungle wee”

we walk a lot, I’ve had plenty of wees in bushes, behind trees, in the woods etc with DH keeping a watchful eye.

my latest accomplishment was in the middle of Southport beach, not a soul around for miles, literally miles.

poo is a different thing, I fortunately don’t suffer from any IBS issues and can hold my poo for hours, if not days, if the circumstances are not right. If I had to go, I guess I would have to be creative with a nappy sack?

I’ve had a few emergency poos due to ibs. I always carry dog poo bags and tissues now, but in the past I’ve had to dig a bit of a hole behind a bush, with a rock or stick, then do my best to cover it up with ricks/sticks/leaves.
I once contemplated using a sock when no tissues were available, but managed to hang on a bit longer whilst sweating and coming over all faint. I’ve had some very near misses in the past. A long dress came in handy once, when I was in danger of being seen.

I'd start by going on walks that have plenty of loo break stops.

Once you get used to longer hikes and understand how often you are likely to need the loo, you can choose trails that have fewer places.

If there are incredible hikes you want to do but have no stops, and you can't face going wild, use desmopressin and immodium just for the day.