Do I need water filter/purifier when walking in Germany

[OttoStover]

Up till now I have always walked in Norway or Sweden, and here the water is drinkable everywhere. Never have I given the thought of filtering or purifying water in any way.

But this autom Im going to Germany for my holiday, and then also take a hike in some mountain. We have not decided where, but maybe the question of drinkable water makes a difference. Is there parts in Germany where one should be careful of drinking the water, and other parts where it is more safe? I'm not thinking of drinking the water in the Rhine or any big river, but small lakes and brooks out in the nature. Is there signs when the water is drinkable like in Greece?

Do you bring water filters/purifiers on hikes, and if so which one is the preferred?

/Otto

[Wildniswanderer]

AW: Do I need water filter/purifier when walking in Germany

Hi Otto,

in the hills of forested areas I drink the water from small springs and streams without treatment. As long as you walk in a hilly area there is no need to drink from standing sources like lakes, so I have never done it.
In agricultural areas outside of forests I wouldn't drink the water even with a filter, because of possible chemicals and fertilizers.
So I would suggest that in most german hiking areas you don't need to treat the water but can drink from natural sources. There is no need just to drink bottled water.

Otto, do you already have plans on where to hike?

Greetings

Gerald

[OttoStover]

AW: Do I need water filter/purifier when walking in Germany

Otto, do you already have plans on where to hike?

No, but we have four weeks almost, so we have quite a good time to spend. Any suggestions Gerald?

[elaso]

AW: Do I need water filter/purifier when walking in Germany

come to austria, drinking water everywhere!

[Wildniswanderer]

AW: Do I need water filter/purifier when walking in Germany

In the autumn I like the colourful hardwood forests most. So I would choose an area where you could experience the colours well. Green coniferous forests you know well enough from home
Therefore I would think that some of the classic hiking areas like the black forest are not the best choice at that time.
Then you need to know, that the majority of hiking trails in Germany is on forest roads, which are also used by timber trucks. Walking on such roads is for my taste often a bit boring.
When I consider these two points my first suggestion would be the Pfälzer Wald.
There is a lot of hardwood forest and the walking is often on nice "single trails".
It is one of the biggest german forest areas and for german standards not heavy populated. There are beautiful red sandstone rocks, and many ruined castles often in very beautiful settings.
From the Pfälzer Wald you could continue into the northern Vogesen. Although in France most people there speak german because formerly it was part of Germany (Elsass). There is even better hiking terrain.

My second suggestion would be the Rheinsteig which follows the Rhine River from Wiesbaden to Bonn, more than 300 Kilometer. It is a new trail, and the makers tried to integrate trails with natural surface. In autumn it is the time of harvesting the whine grapes, and the wine leaves are very colourful, so it is a good time to visit.
Probably that is a better choice for you, because there you experience more of german culture. Probably you get enough "wilderness" feeling from your hikes at home, so that in Germany you are not especially looking for a more quiet area like the Pfälzer Wald.

Gerald

[heinz-fritz]

AW: Do I need water filter/purifier when walking in Germany

At least in the alpine regions in Germany, you usually can drink the water from streams, lakes etc. Just make sure to check if the cows are grazing up- or downstream...

[Ari]

AW: Do I need water filter/purifier when walking in Germany

You will find nice deciduous wood forest in Thüringen to. For example in the so called "Hainich" NP. Look at http://www.nationalpark-hainich.de/ueberblick/english.html for details.
Also the Müritz NP at the east side of the Müritz Lake is worth a visit.

[Postfrosch]

AW: Do I need water filter/purifier when walking in Germany

As far as it comes to mountain springs and moving water you should have no problems with sediment load, however I caught a really bad diarrhoea a few years ago after drinking from a stream beneath the timber line. Mostly you won't be able to check if there have been animals upstream, so better use some Micropur FORTE or use a filter instead. Drinking unfiltered water from lakes in summer is not the best idea though - regardless of being in Austria or Germany... ;)

[OttoStover]

AW: Do I need water filter/purifier when walking in Germany

Thank you all so far. It seems that the problem is less than I thought, and to sum up my options they are as follows:
1: Bring a couple of large bottles of water with me, and refill at safe places, wells, houses aso.
2: Obtain a Steripen or similar and hope it is sufficient.
3: Mostly use the "waterholes" where they serve the golden liquid that is unsafe for drivers. Will be a problem for the dog, he does not drink that stuff. Well I guess they also have water for him there.

We'll see what it ends up to. I'm uncertain about camping outside campsites. The Rheinsteig seems like a good suggestion so far. Gerald is right that we want to see both landscapes, castles and german culture on our trip.

[waldschrat]

AW: Do I need water filter/purifier when walking in Germany

Hi Otto,

possibility 1 will get you water about everywhere in Germany, usually houses are not that far away.

You may want to know that many wells have nowaday signs "no drinking water", even if they are good (the towns would have to do regularly analyses and that's too expensive) - in many cases the people living around would be able to tell you (but probably if you ask they'd give you fresh tap water anyways).
On the other hand, near my home village we have mineral springs that have IMHO really bad taste (lots of iron), nevertheless you'd meet very enthusiastic people coming by car from whereever to get that stuff and therefore would tell you to drink that, too...

I never had problems asking at some house for water - the smaller the village the easier :-) In pubs you may have to pay.

As Ex-Dresdner I highly recommend the Sächsische Schweiz, which can be combined nicely with culture (Dresden).

Claudia

[lutz-berlin]

AW: Do I need water filter/purifier when walking in Germany

@Otto

any petrolstation has a watertap
and if you go in a pub and ask for water for your dog most time it´s free(that is germany)

first help for the dogs than for the kids

lutz

[Hexe]

AW: Do I need water filter/purifier when walking in Germany

I think the Black Forest is one of the areas where you can drink the water from a spring or something like that. Also I know that most farmers have there own source of very clear and tasty water dirceclty from the origin.

The water tastes very very good there.

Greetings hexe

[lutz-berlin]

AW: Do I need water filter/purifier when walking in Germany

springs in the"HARZ" are also clean.
lutz

[OttoStover]

AW: Do I need water filter/purifier when walking in Germany

Thank you once more. To sum up, I think that to buy the Steripen or filtersystems just for this trip to Germany is not needed. Since I do not need it later either, I go for the two other alternatives. Good, one thing for the holiday is taken care of.

/Otto

[Mathe]

AW: Do I need water filter/purifier when walking in Germany

Another "localpatriotistic" suggestion: What about the Hermannsweg in North Germany, 156 km on one of germanys top trails. Almost complet on forest-ways in an very beautifull interessting landscape. Sorry i found only one link in english.:

http://cmsen.eghn.org/hermannsweg