By: Blonde Two
We Blondes rarely travel without a flask and hot drink. The few times that we have attempted to walk without one, we have regretted it. Some people take stoves instead, this is also a good idea, particularly for colder or overnight expeditions. Here’s why we like it hot:
1. SAFETY! Sorry about the capital letters (far too shouty) but we know from personal experience (ourselves and our youngsters) that a hot drink can get you out of a nearly hypothermic, very low moral, exhausted situation. As a rule of thumb, the colder you are likely to be, the more sugar you should include in your drink. In our kayaking days, Mr B2 used to make us strong and over-sweet ‘Paddling Coffee’ it tasted disgusting before a session, but after a few dips in a January river, I couldn’t even taste the sugar! If you are leading a group, you should always have the facility to provide an emergency hot drink.
2. Pleasure. There are few things more satisfying than settling down in a lonely spot to enjoy the landscape; doing so with a hot drink in your hand is one of them. As a nation, we like to eat and drink together; it doesn’t matter where we are (although I would love to know if anyone has ever got their flask out at the top of Everest!)
So, if you want a bit of safety and pleasure (sounds like a lesson I taught once!) take a flask (other hot drink methods are available) with you next time you go for a walk. You won’t regret it, we promise!
Can’t agree with this more. A flask of sweet tea is, quite literally, life saving.
My winter favourite is a flask of hot ginger, lemon and honey (made with fresh ginger of course). Delicious and warming in more ways than one.
Hi Bridget, I too love lemon and ginger tea (Twinings do a lovely one), but have never tried it with fresh ginger. I intend to rectify this situation very soon.
For added summer warmth, add a splash of sloe gin to a berry fruit tea. Obviously only advisable if one is camping!
Now that is a great idea, and I have some sloe gin handy too!
I feel neanderthal! (Probably true enough). All this talk of fruit tea, lemon and ginger… Why, in my day imbibing honey and lemon was sign of terminal illness, not a treat! I suppose I must regard myself as a “flat cap” tea drinker – you know, the sort who owns a china tea-pot and knows not to drink to the last drop because there’ll be tea-leaves in the bottom of the cup (actually a mug, large, chipped, and china of course). Teacups suggest saucers too, and I may not be able to resist slurping from a saucer so it’s socially safer to use a mug… I’m the sort who knows the trauma of the dunked half of a Rich Tea biscuit parting company from its crispy other half to slide into the murky brown depths of a tea-flavoured Davy Jones locker. Mind you, on the other hand, I have dunked ginger hob-nobs in my PG Tips so perhaps there is a degree of sophistication after all… Should I carry a flask, it’ll have hot water alone in it, not a complete brew. With a few sachets or a wee plastic container of ingredients at hand, a prompt tea or coffee with or without sugar or milk is then an option. Ones guests may have a differing palate y’see and, ee bah gum, may even prefer fruit tea…