Two West Highland Way Walkers Hospitalised After Drinking Filtered Burn Water
Lomond Mountain Rescue has issued a stark warning regarding the consumption of untreated water from natural sources after two separate incidents saw walkers on the West Highland Way fall severely ill. Both individuals, a German man and an American man, required emergency assistance after experiencing prolonged vomiting, believed to be caused by contaminated water.
The first incident occurred last Wednesday, when Police Scotland requested assistance for an incapacitated German walker near the remote Rowchoish Bothy. He had been vomiting through the night and was subsequently evacuated to the Royal Alexandra Hospital in Paisley.
Just days later, on Tuesday, Lomond MRT volunteers were dispatched again, this time to aid an American man north of Rowardennan, by Loch Lomond. He, too, had spent the evening being sick and was unable to walk.
Contaminated Water Risk
David Dodson, Team Leader for Lomond Mountain Rescue, confirmed that both men had consumed water from a stream around Conic Hill, likely the Burn of Mar. Crucially, both had used straw-type filter systems, lightweight devices intended to remove contaminants. Dodson emphasised that the area is agricultural land with livestock, and that a rising volume of human waste from walkers is not being properly disposed of, leading to contamination of watercourses.
"All too frequently, signs of human waste can be seen in the vegetation not many metres off the main footpath and inevitably, may be close to some watercourses," Dodson stated.
The team is now advising all walkers to rely solely on known safe water sources, such as bottled water or Scottish Water drinking fountains. Should water be collected from a stream, secondary treatment methods like boiling or chemical purification are strongly recommended, as filtration alone offers no guarantee of safety.
The Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park authority reiterates this guidance, advising visitors to carry their own treated water. A spokesperson highlighted that while Scottish burns and lochs may appear pristine, they carry invisible risks. They stressed that if natural water sources must be used, boiling is an essential first step to maximise safety.
Similar warnings were issued last May following a spate of illnesses among walkers on the popular long-distance route, underscoring a persistent public health concern.
