i went through heathery Haugh in the Feteresso a few years ago & found a lovely camp & nice stream/burn. then looked to my right & there was a dead lamb in the water. took water above, no problems.

another time I took water from a burn elsewhere & drank it to find a rotting fully grown stag in the water, I tried to pull it out but its flesh fell away in my hands ... still no tummy upset :tired_face:

I remember it well Lilo....it was too ****ed heavy to shift, even for a big strong lad like you!

Thanks guys for the 'reassurance' - reminds me of a story Hamish Brown tells (in 'Hamish's Mountain Walk' I think) of a conversation between students on the hill. One is admonishing another not to drink from streams because there may be a dead sheep in the water upstream which will lead him to catch liver flukes - which is what old shepherds die of. The one being admonished thinks for a moment and replies 'as long as they're old shepherds, I'll risk it!'

I've never filtered or sterilised water on the hill - I guess we all take precautions or not as we see it (and I may already be older than many old shepherds!).

Hopefully I'll be in a fit condition:
a) to walk through the Fetteresso Forest (last year I only got halfway on my first challenge)
b) drink the water and live to tell the story
c) regale other challengers with my own horror stories in due course.

I think you've got what it takes Graham. Perhaps see you somewhere in the Fetteresso, taking our own risks and doing it our own way!! Good luck :slightly_smiling_face: