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-   -   Wild Camping and drinking water in Iceland (https://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hubb/europe/wild-camping-drinking-water-iceland-65581)

Matt Cartney 1 Aug 2012 17:18

Wild Camping and drinking water in Iceland
 
Hi Folks,

Just a couple of weeks or so and I'm off to Iceland!:thumbup1:

Planning to wild camp, at least some of the time, which I believe is fine out of cultivated land and specified parks.

I'm wondering mostly about driniking water. I'll be on a push bike so there will be a limit to how far I can travel to get it, and how much I can carry (probably only a couple of litres).

I know that parts of the interior are very dry. How easy is it going to be to get drinking water? When I get it, is it usually safe to drink? Are there any streams poisoned by volcanic activity? Any resident bugs I should know about?

I drink stream water all the time here in Scotland, but I wouldn't like to presume I can do the same in Iceland.

Thanks for any input!

Matt :)

Thimba 1 Aug 2012 21:42

drinking water Iceland's interior
 
Hi Matt,

I cycled the Kjolur and Sprengisandur routes (video) 2 years ago, and had no problem finding water.
From a blog that I found:

Drinking untreated water from streams is generally OK if the water has come down from the hills rather than run across farmland. You should avoid taking water from larger rivers, especially glacial rivers and glacial outwashes, which have a very high load of sediment, which will often not settle even if you leave it to stand. Even lakes fed by glacial rivers can be opaque with rock-flour, though you can drink this stuff if you have nothing else. There can be long distances between acceptable water supplies in some remote desert places. Many of the small streams in the interior, invitingly marked on your map, will be dry when you pass as they carry spring melt-water only. Lava fields and sand-flats are porous and often have no surface water.


Happy travels

Matt Cartney 2 Aug 2012 09:40

Thimba,

That's great, thanks! :thumbup1:

Will check out your video when I get off work!

Matt :)

grizzly7 6 Aug 2012 11:21

Maybe a Millbank bag would be a good idea?

:)


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