Gas in UK/Europe

[JimRob14]

I'm heading to the UK (London/Cotswolds/Cornwall), France (Nthn France/Paris), Italy (Cinque Terre/Lake Como/Venice) & the Greek Islands. I was thinking of taking my Trangia, however weight and finicky airlines have had me rethinking - although Metho is readily available in those countries.

However I also have an MSR Pocket Rocket which is much lighter and more compact than the Trangia. Does anyone have knowledge/experience of the easy availability of gas canisters in these countries?? If they are easily available the question is resolved!

[photohiker]

Canisters are very easily available in the UK. Every outdoor store I visited had them.

I'd guess that they wouldn't be a problem in the rest of Europe either, but don't know for sure...

[JimRob14]

Thanks Michael, that may solve the problem. I could probably buy a couple in England and they would do until we have to fly again, which is Prague to the Greek Islands at the end of our time. Still wondering about the Greek Islands though.

[Lizzy]

Thanks Michael, that may solve the problem. I could probably buy a couple in England and they would do until we have to fly again, which is Prague to the Greek Islands at the end of our time. Still wondering about the Greek Islands though.

Sorry can't help with the gas situuation- but lots of yummy little restaurants down on/near the beaches on the Greek Islands so you might not need a stove!
Just a suggestion (based on 10 years ago) the hike up Mt Olympus on tthe mainland is awesome- you can start down in the gorge at the bottom or there is a road up a lot higher I think. On the Mt there is (was) a refuge you can stay in. Views were spectacular and snow in Greece in summer seemed kinda odd after a few weeeks on the islands!
Have fun, sounds like a great trip!
Lizzy

[durks]

You'll have no problem getting threaded gas canisters from any outdoor shop in the UK: they're the standard. In France, it can be more difficult since the de facto standard there remains Camping Gaz (either the detachable type, or the really old-style 'pierce-once' type.) That said, any proper climbing shop there should have the threaded canisters.

I can't speak about Greece.

I wouldn't worry too much though: if you find a shop (and not necessarily a 'camping' shop - hardware style shops will also have them) that only sells Camping Gaz cylinders, they will almost certainly also stock some corresponding stoves. And they're pretty cheap: a reasonable one only costs about 20 pounds or so in the UK. So bringing the Pocket Rocket sounds a good idea; the rest should work out fine.

[JimRob14]

Thank you to both Lizzy & Durks - very helpful stuff and has me leaning significantly towards the Pocket Rocket. I especially like your suggestion Lizzy about the yummy restaurants in the Greek Islands - I must admit I'd been leaning that way anyway and as it's the 'luxury' part of our trip, I can see a lot of calamari beeing eaten!

[Marwood]

One thing I found when living in Belgium was that outdoor shops didn't have the gas canisters on display... you had to ask for them, and they would get them from their storeroom for you. Apparently this was due to local regulations. Not sure if this is the case in other EU countries.

[DanH]

I have never had any problem getting threaded canisters anywhere in western europe though if you definitely want isobutane you may have hit up a proper store - same as here - there are plenty of shops when you get near mountains that sell this stuff... It is Europe after all - not Asia or Africa

[JimRob14]

Thanks Marwood & Dan, your comments are confirming what others have said and I am feeling somewhat more secure. This is going to be a very 'toursity' trip - no bushwalking. So I just need to ensure I can get the canisters in main towns and cities. However I think I'll stock up in the UK and then carry them with me through France & Italy.

[Mark F]

A couple of comments after just returning from doing the HRP (Pyrenees) which joggles between France and Spain. Generally you will find either the old Camping Gaz pierced containers or the screw thread ones although on a previous trip on the GR5 (Netherlands, Belgium Luxembourg, France - Vosges, Jura and Alps) the Camping Gaz pierced ones were the most ubiquitous with the resealable ones only available in specialist shops.

Another thing I found was that while you can carry gas cylinders on trains in most of Europe; you cannot in Spain where they x-ray all baggage. This most probably applies to other flammable liquids as well.

Eurostar has a similar restrictions on gas canisters and flammable liquids as well as knives with 75mm+ blade or any with a locking mechanism! (http://www.eurostar.com/UK/uk/leisure/t ... _items.jsp). All luggage is x-rayed with the Paris - London direction seeming more paranoid about knives. I carried a locking Victorinox from UK to France but got picked up on it when going back to the UK. It is always best to check on any transport system as losing a $50+ knife is a real pain.