3 weeks ago
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We’ve all been there. You’re on the final, glorious ridge-line walk back to the car. The views are stunning, but you can’t enjoy them.
Why? Because a tiny, angry gnome is methodically hammering the inside of your forehead, your legs feel like they’re filled with wet sand, and you just snapped at your hiking partner for breathing too loudly.
That, my friends, isn’t just a bad mood. It’s dehydration.
Along with “bonking” (which we covered in our Hiking Nutrition 101 guide, getting your hydration wrong is the fastest way to ruin a brilliant day on the fells.
It’s the invisible culprit behind fatigue, headaches, dizziness, and that unshakeable “grumpiness” that can descend on the trail.
The good news? It’s almost entirely preventable. Getting your hydration right is a skill, just like map reading.
It’s the single most important factor for keeping your body working, your mind sharp, and your spirits high.
So, let’s talk about how to drink like a pro.
How Much Do I Actually Need to Drink?
This is the big one, and the annoying answer is: “it depends.” It depends on the weather, how hard you’re working, and your own body. But a few key rules will get you 90% of the way there.
1. Start Before You Start
You can’t win the hydration game on the trail if you start the race a lap behind.
Pre-hydration is key. In the 1-3 hours before your hike, make a conscious effort to drink water. Aim for a pint or so of water to get your system primed. And no, that quadruple-shot espresso doesn’t count!
2. Sip Little and Often
This is the golden rule. Don’t wait until you’re parched and then gulp down an entire litre of water. Your body can’t absorb it that fast, and it will just slosh around in your stomach.
The goal is to sip constantly. Take a few small sips every 15 to 30 minutes.
This “drip-feed” approach keeps your body in a state of perfect balance, allowing it to absorb the water it needs, when it needs it.
3. Drink to Your Thirst (and Your Pee)
Your thirst is a good signal, but it’s a late one. By the time you feel thirsty, you’re already on the way to being dehydrated. The “sip often” rule helps you stay ahead of your thirst.
The best, most honest indicator of your hydration level? Your pee.
- Pale, straw-coloured: You’re a hydration champion. Keep it up.
- Dark yellow or brownish: Red alert! You are dehydrated. Drink more water, now.
- Completely clear: You might actually be over-drinking. Ease off a little.
4. Don’t Stop When the Hike Does
The second your hike is over, your body kicks into full-on recovery mode. It needs water (and food!) to repair your muscles and replenish what it’s lost. Keep drinking water for the rest of the evening after your hike.
The Salty Truth: What Are Electrolytes (and Do I Need Them?)
You’ve seen the adverts. Brightly coloured drinks promising to “replenish lost electrolytes.” But what are they, and is it just marketing hype?
What they are
“Electrolytes” is just a fancy word for the salts and minerals in your body—primarily sodium (salt), potassium, and magnesium.
What they do
These minerals are vital. They help your body actually use the water you drink, and they’re essential for nerve function and making your muscles contract properly.
That debilitating cramp you get in your calf on a long climb? That’s often a sign of an electrolyte imbalance.
When you need them
- On a short, cool, 2-hour walk? Probably not. Your body has plenty of reserves.
- On a long, hot, 6-hour summer hike where you’re sweating buckets? Absolutely.
When you sweat, you don’t just lose water; you lose salt. If you replace all that sweat with only plain water, you dilute the salts left in your body, which can be just as bad.
How to get them
- Sports Drinks: Powders, tablets, or pre-made drinks are an easy, effective way to get them.
- Salty Snacks: This is the old-school, and perfectly effective, way. A handful of salted nuts, some pretzels, or a bit of beef jerky will replace the sodium you’ve sweated out.
- Real Food: A banana is a fantastic source of potassium.
Bottles vs. Bladders: The Great Water Debate
How you carry your water can make a huge difference to how often you drink it. This is a classic hiker debate, and there’s no right answer—only the right answer for you.
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The Verdict: Bladders are fantastic for encouraging the “sip often” habit.
Bottles are simpler, more reliable, and easier to manage.
Many hikers use a hybrid system: a main bladder for sipping, and a small bottle as a backup or for mixing electrolyte drinks. It is the way I do it. I currently use a whole hydration system from Camelbak.
Refilling on the Fells: A Quick Guide to Treating Water
On a long UK hike, you’ll need to refill from a stream. But never drink straight from an upland source, no matter how clean it looks.
That water has likely run through a peat bog or, worse, past a decomposing sheep just upstream. You need to treat it.
1. Water Filters (The Hiker’s Favourite)
- What they are: Devices like the Sawyer Squeeze, Lifestraw or Katadyn BeFree use a physical filter to strain out the nasty stuff.
- What they do: They remove 99.9% of bacteria (like E. coli) and protozoa (like Giardia and Cryptosporidium).
- Pros: Fast, easy, no chemical taste. You can drink immediately.
- Cons: Don’t remove viruses (though this is rarely an issue in the UK fells).
2. Purification Tablets (The Bomb-Proof Backup)
- What they are: Small, light tablets, usually Chlorine Dioxide.
- What they do: They kill everything—bacteria, protozoa, and viruses.
- Pros: Tiny, lightweight. The perfect emergency backup.
- Cons: You have to wait. It’s often 10-30 minutes before the water is safe to drink. They can also leave a slight chemical taste.
The Best Strategy: Carry a filter as your main system and a tiny blister pack of Chlorine Dioxide tablets as your emergency backup.
Conclusion: Drink Smart, Hike Happy
Hydration isn’t complicated. It’s just a skill. Start hydrated, sip often, and replace your salts on a hot day.
Getting this right is the key to feeling strong, thinking clearly, and keeping that happy hiker spirit all the way to the very last step.
What’s your go-to hydration trick or favourite salty snack for the trail? Share your wisdom in the comments below!
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