VdlP water

[rainforestgirl]

What's the best/safest way to fill the water bladder on the VdlP?
I have previously bought 2 litre bottles to fill the bag.
Advice welcome please.

 

[Flog]

Last time I walked the VDLP was in 2018, but I do remember finding a serious lack of potable water from fountains etc, Much of the Plata is low lying, and so agricultural runoff and contamination is an issue and not many fast rivers, until you are further north.

But bars and restaurants where you stop for breakfast or coffee will fill bottles for you. With many towns and villages far apart, take plenty with you and refill at every opportunity, especially in the warmer months if you are crazy enough to walk it then!

 

[Youren2010]

Fill the 2 litter before heading out in the morning will be sufficient and drink plenty when you get a chance during the day. Do not rely on fountains in the South. No stream or creeks for refill either. My water bladder is 1.5. I used a shade so sweat less.

 

[grayland]

Be careful that you do not carry more water than you will use.
Water is heavy and many people make the mistake of filling the bladders with much more than they need and suffer carrying it all day.

1 litre weighs 1 kg or 2.2 lbs
2 liters = 2 kg or 4.4 lbs.

 

[OZAJ]

I walked the VdlP in 2008 starting in early April. I carried 4 half litre bottles and found this to be sufficient.

 

[dick bird]

I hope you haven't been buying 2 lt. plastic bottles just to fill your bladder and then throwing them away? If you are worried about the quality of Spanish tap water (and it's as good as anywhere else in the developed world, if not better than many), use sterilising tabs. On some stretches of the VdlP, water can be a problem as there might not be anywhere along the route to top up, but 2 litres should be more than sufficient for a day's walk (especially if you have a good drink first).

 

[John Sikora]

Agree with all the others. I sweat a lot. I tried to have 1 liter of tap water and 1 liter of tap water infused with electrolytes. The distances between good water sources on the VDLP can be a bit of a problem. Few fountains that are reliable and safe. But, as stated, bars, hotels, and other stores have tap water which is fine to drink.

 

[Anniesantiago]

We filled our bladders and bottles with fountain water with no issues.

 

[Flog]

We filled our bladders and bottles with fountain water with no issues.

I can see that you've walked it already and are speaking from experience, but I wouldn't rely on finding or trust the quality of fountains on this route, especially in warmer months. That's my own direct experience.

 

[lt56ny]

I walked in mid October and it was still very hot out of Sevilla. I had a liter in my Nalgene. I carried a decathlon bag with food and two one litter plastic bottles that I used for weeks. I would put two liters in the refrigerator at night and one liter in the freezer. I always drank the two liters by the end of the day. (I also drank a liter before I left in the morning) The frozen liter I kept to keep my food cold and pour some of that really cold water on my face and in my hat and then my head to keep cool. There is so little shade early on the VDLP.

 

[Walton]

I suffered from dehydration once - not an experience that I'm wanting to repeat.

The other issue is arriving at an overnight destination only to find you still have a litre and a half remaining water.

Ideally, you would want to arrive almost empty but not quite.

So, I have a water plan that involves planning water consumption and adding a little extra to be sure.

At the halfway mark between water stops such as towns etc, I assess how much water most likely needed to make the next water stop destination and if I'm carrying too much, I find a plant or something to water to reduce weight.

The idea is to be almost empty on arrival.

Water is heavy but so very necessary and really important.

 

[dick bird]

At the halfway mark between water stops such as towns etc,

The problem with that approach on the VdlP is that there some stages where there is no halfway stage. Take 2 litres. As you say, dehydration is not pleasant and from first hand experience I can confirm that it is a problem on this route.

 

[Walton]

The problem with that approach on the VdlP is that there some stages where there is no halfway stage. Take 2 litres. As you say, dehydration is not pleasant and from first hand experience I can confirm that it is a problem on this route.

That is true Dick bird.

As I said - A water plan is a good idea.

Have a good drink of water before leaving, carry what you think you need taking into account distance, weather, likely walking time and so on. Add a margin of safety especially on long no-water stretches.

Evaluate from half way onwards.

The other thing is that you cannot assume a cafe or water facility will be open on those long stretches. We discovered that in Portugal on a very hot day. Luckily a local driving by stopped and gave us two brand new unopened cold bottles of water and a large orange each. What a legend - one of many we met in Portugal.

 

[Anniesantiago]

I can see that you've walked it already and are speaking from experience, but I wouldn't rely on finding or trust the quality of fountains on this route, especially in warmer months. That's my own direct experience.

To me, the question was about the safety of the water.
I felt the water was always safe.
You're right about the availability of the water. As I've said many times, walking in summer months is taking your life in your own hands. We had to be rescued by firemen when we ran out of water and the fountains were dry.

 

[Flog]

To me, the question was about the safety of the water.
I felt the water was always safe.
You're right about the availability of the water. As I've said many times, walking in summer months is taking your life in your own hands. We had to be rescued by firemen when we ran out of water and the fountains were dry.

I'm glad that your experience was good. Many of the fountains I passed, that had water at all, had signs 'aqua no potable'
I was happy to leave them and go with refilling my bottle with tap water from bars which was and is, never an issue.