Sourcing water

[Firepanda]

A lot of google searches seems to only bring up tips on how to store water, I can't really find anything on how people source their water should they not be on a campsite or anything.

I understand many European cities have water fountains, if I was ever there would they be common enough to find and use frequently? If I hadn't seen any for a while what do people usually do - knock on someones door and ask to fill up their bottles?

Even in the UK I was planning on checking out the Peak District for a few nights, if I screwed up and ran out of water half way through the day what would my options be?

Naturally I don't want to have to keep buying spring water everywhere I go and I'm slightly worried not knowing how to approach getting my hands on tap water, especially in other countries.

[PDQ Mobile]

In France, (which can be very hot) every cemetery I have ever been in has a tap.
Even the one's in the middle of the countryside.
It can be very handy.

[pete75]

A lot of google searches seems to only bring up tips on how to store water, I can't really find anything on how people source their water should they not be on a campsite or anything.

I understand many European cities have water fountains, if I was ever there would they be common enough to find and use frequently? If I hadn't seen any for a while what do people usually do - knock on someones door and ask to fill up their bottles?

Even in the UK I was planning on checking out the Peak District for a few nights, if I screwed up and ran out of water half way through the day what would my options be?

Naturally I don't want to have to keep buying spring water everywhere I go and I'm slightly worried not knowing how to approach getting my hands on tap water, especially in other countries.

You've got it in one. Just knock on someone's door and politely ask if they could fill your water bottle(s) for you. It's extremely unlikely anyone would refuse. The more rural the area the more likely people are to be helpful.

[gbnz]

In the UK I've always knocked on a door, or occasionally used a tap on a campsite or the like in passing.

Mainland Europe, I've always found bottled water costs a pittance (I.e. so cheap, I'll have occasionally washed in mineral water while wild camping, rather than paying camp site fees)

[Mike Sales]

After some weeks in France I realised that my 'de l'eau s'il vous plait' sounded more like 'de l'or'.


British cemeteries usually have a tap too.

[foxyrider]

+1 for the previous comments.

In the White Peak there are cattle troughs - often spring fed in many fields, in the Dark Peak they are rarer but there are plenty of springs and streams if you get desperate. But we aren't talking Scottish Highlands - there are farms, houses etc covering the place - certainly anywhere you are likely to get with a bike.

The area is famous for well dressing - so that's a clue that you may well find open source water even in the villages. There, there isn't too much l,lead poisoning these days If you get stuck let me know you can come and fill at my place - i'm just over the hill as we say hereabouts.

[honesty]

Grave yards are a good place to look as well as there's usually a tap for a hose.

Edit: Mike beat me to that one!

[Pyranha]

If you stop at a cafe or pub for lunch, or just a snack, they're pretty likely to fill your bottle for you - some might do so even if you aren't a 'customer', but it would seem polite to buy something.

[RobinS]

Certainly in France whenever we have stopped for snacks or drinks they are happy to fill bottles, indeed they have often offered off their own backs without us even asking.

[Stickleback]

I've just bought some water purifying tablets to keep in the saddle bag for emergencies. I remember a ride last summer when hillside streams were starting to look tempting.

[RobinS]

In mountainous areas (mainly while hillwalking and mountaineering)I and many others have drunk directly out of hill streams without issue for many years. Just check there are no habitations, animal pens etc just upstream. Some of the climbing club huts I use have water supplies straight off the fell without treatment - they are tested every year, but almost invariably better than "normal" tap water.

[Barrenfluffit]

I've seen a few petrol filling stations with an outside tap; unless the place has a private water supply it's likely to be the local drinking water.

[eileithyia]

Cemetries
Drinking fountains in most towns and villages on the continent.
Ask; Shops, cafes, houses (never tried but am sure if desperate).
Streams, clear running water..... When I have wild camped we have always tried to find a spot near a stream / river for water supplies. Once In Iceland we camped by a small lake but all our water was boiled before use anyway (tea / cooking).

[Richard Fairhurst]

Plenty of taps beside canals in the UK; you'll need a key ("BWB key" or "Watermate key") which can be found for £4 on eBay.

[Sweep]

For Italy, this is handy.

https://play.google.com/store/apps/deta ... i&hl=en_GB