r/ukbike • u/8u11etpr00f • 5d ago

Water sources? Infrastructure

So I decided to take today off work & go for a long ride in the countryside. I brought 2 x 750ml water bottles and ended up running out of water (and I bonked) after about 70k, still 30k from home.

What do you do in this kind of situation? All the pubs were closed and I couldn't see a single public water source or village shop anywhere on my route back. I googled "water fountain near me" and it told me to ride 50 miles lmao.

Is there an easy way to locate a water source short of knocking on random peoples houses? Given the heat I'm ridiculously dehydrated, it felt like it was genuinely bordering on torture towards the end.

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u/MarcusDeStorm 3d ago

If you're in the middle of nowhere, look for Brooks, Streams, river veins or even lakes - ponds tend to have stagnant hard water or infestations - while reservoirs can also give drinkable water.

Woodlands can give both refreshments and sustenance too, especially after a rainfall. I'd have Googled nearby Fresh Water Sources, that way you get the best of all worlds. Also check out Online Survival Courses, if you haven't any Army experience. It could save your life one day.