Going forward I can see the fails list is going to exponentially grow. The difficulty gaining access to properties is such, that in time it may kill my dangerous hobby or at the least subdue my longing to go out.
The days of coming back with seven successes in a single day seem to be gone. If that COVID thing ever returns, then we may see an upsurge in exploring again.
It was one of the few positives that came from it, besides working from home becoming more acceptable.
Cumbria Cottage
I’m looking at this cover picture and thinking, ‘left of the front door looks like a climbable window.
It can't have been accessible or I would have been in there right away, head first if necessary.
This was a pure drive-by and with @bingbabe waiting around in the car, I was not expecting much.
A few months earlier and the shrubbery may have been so overgrown as to cast this one as invisible.
I can see that others have been inside and the sealers have been to combat this dreadful behaviour.
Many a passer-by curiously looked at me as I tromped about looking for an access point. One even stopped to have a chat.
It was owned by a little old lady who passed away some time ago. I, of course, was a prospective buyer; after all, it is for sale.
The double glazing has been dragged off its hinges in places. It may look better inside than the visuals suggest, as I did cup my hands to have a nosey.
Pwll Gwyn
During our final and least productive summer trip to Wales, we earmarked Pwll Gwyn for a visit. Some other explorers claimed to have gained access, likely more daring ones than us.
After scouting around the back, and looking doubtfully at the flimsy-looking roof we decided that we would rather live a little longer.
There was a suspect window but between that and us was a suspiciously paper-looking surface that needed to be navigated upon.
Pwll Gwyn is in the middle of nowhere which is a good thing, and there's ample parking for the TourBus if it ever gets opened up.
I would suggest @grindle keeps an eye on this one as it’s kind of next door to his house and he can even pronounce ‘Pwll Gwyn', which is something the English are incapable of.
Return to the Turd Factory
There’s an old Urbex proverb that dates back to the middle ages.
It’s true and one should heed the words of our ancestors and digest. While The Turd Factory was truly one of the worst explores I have witnessed, both @anidiotexplores and I missed the top area which was subsequently opened up by some thugs a week or so after our initial visit.
Not listening to those holy words, we fucked around and went back too late to find the gate entrance sealed, and some new vandalism that had taken place around the front.
@anidiotexplores gingerly climbed through only to find the original Turd Factory area, now devoid of anything besides even more lumps of shit.
"I think there's someone in there", he told me. It was not boding well especially as the upper area was on the other side of the barred gate, and still open.
I would say that having been a terrible explore to start with, "The Turd Factory" should at least compensate us for the time wasted going back.
The sheer impudence of that building,… sheesh.
St Thomas Mental Hospital
“It’s so fucking big, how can we not get in?”
Those were my words to @anidiotexplores who gazed upon this sprawling monster of a complex.
He had visited before and managed a partial entrance. St Thomas’ had a reputation of being a tough nut to crack.
Walking around the edges was taking around 15 minutes and I noticed the multitude of climbing grease on the top edges of walls and fences.
Yet there was a way in, though a little climbing was required.
“Why is there a car in there?”, I whispered to my comrade.
Car or not, I was on the grounds and was going to look around and be damned of the consequences.
Every door and window was fully sealed at least in this part. I climbed up the metal ladders to find the same scenario.
The complex proper was still on the other side of all that razor wire and greasepaint.
We did find the way in courtesy of the local underground intelligence only to be told it was over a flimsy 7-foot fence next to a housing estate with many watching eyes.
The eyes were already out and watching...
Well fuck that, I'm one for covert entrances, not blatant ones. St Thomas’ is one for a future re-visit after the demolition crew has visited and made it all nice and easy for us.
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'Tales of the Urban Explorer'
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Can't win them all, but you have been in a lot. At least you are always winning by being on Hive :)
Seems to be a game of cat and mouse between the urbexers and the owners with the latter fearing the vandals will get in. I'm sure they wouldn't mind you exploring if they knew you were harmless (yeah, right!).
Hope you have better luck soon.
Property owners generally don't take well to trespassers, and when they find out its going on the internet, less so. Can you blame them?
For this reason, the target needs to be abandoned, and properly so,
Bloody hell man, there are several posts worth here!
Oh to be able to pronounce Pwll Gwyn - it does look like a bonzer place. Imagine that was your gaff. Well, before it fell into rack and ruin!
I took plenty of St Thomas' as I felt we were going to get in. I had to climb a decent sized wall just to get in the bit with the car, and felt cheated.. I tell ya!
How dare they block off a gentleman's access so, it just isn't the done thing. I blame Brexit! :OD
And actually, what the hell is a St Thomas?
..an incredible loony asylum with electric chairs that are still smoking!..
Ahhhhh, silly me. Now that sounds awesome!
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That second one is pretty awesome. I am shocked that people haven't busted out all of those windows already. It seems like they would be really willing to want to do that. Especially with the whole greenhouse type thing on the back. Too bad that things are drying up for you. Probably starting to feel like it would over here. Too many eyes and too much risk!
It did look quite impressive, but then I always think....'we're never gonna get in there'. It doesn't quite work like that, as you can see with 'The Turd Factory' re-visit!
some nice fails nonetheless, I bet that cumbrian cottage had some treasure in it. My eyes are firmly peeled on "The White Pool", have been past twice this year and its still solid, as is a small manufacturing place just across the road.
I am sure with some bad weather a window frame will collapse in time for spring manoeuvres!!!
I couldn't see much through the windows of that cottage. It was very murky inside, and due to the tree-choppers very exposed to the general public... a bit like that Sellotape, Sticky Tape house in Wales.. though you haven't seen it in its current state. I have yet to get to it.
ahh, got ya
And the MOT expired in January. Maybe the owner doesn't have off-road parking at their gaff?
January being this month or a year ago? I guess last year, I didn't look. It looked quite abandoned.
Jan 1st 2021 so it's been there a year possibly?
"CCTV IN OPPERATION" .. Hahahahaha 😆 Yeah okay.
One can't win all the entrance battles, but just seeing the outter side of these structures is worth it anyhow. Watch out for the CCTV Pigeons.
Haha, I see both of these often, but never like that!
Locked up tight, better luck next time although I must admit Pwll Gwyn looks a grand one that could be revived!
Perhaps you never had enough !BEER the night before to scale grease covered walls or security! We never discuss age or mishaps....
I looked through the windows in the conservatory, and it looked quite immaculate in there. If the other lot did get in, they didn't make any mess. What I needed was a Levitate spell, if only I had gone to Hogwarts...
Ability to levitate would take the ball busting fun out of it all, great to hear some still look good even if some managed to get in, no damage is nothing shy of a miracle now days.
There has to come a time when you run out of places to get into, do you have new hobby plans in place? Lol
Have a great weekend, they're always great photos of old buildings even if you didn't get in :-)
The new plans are waiting for this winter to finish and then going further afield. There's some juicy stuff over in Yorkshire, but with the days being so short it's not worth the bother.
I love your posts. Crawling through old buildings is special.
I don't think, COVID thing will return with a bang - all good things come to an end 😀 Kudos to your hobby - it is adventurous but I love the spirit - it has risk.
I must be one of the few that didn't mind it so much (apart from it killing thousands). All the renovation work stopped on building, and they were left to grow wild.., fantastic!
The fecking Welsh. They are great at blocking up things.
Wales is great for Urbex, especially old houses.., I have had more success there than anywhere. I wouldn't mind doing some over your way as well...
I actually have a friend who is really into it and he went his Urbex Mecca last November. The holy grail . Chernobyl. I have a picture of him beside the Ferris Wheel.
It all seems to scripted with those organised tours. I like the freedom to go where I like and take the risks.
and not have the old mutant squirrel chasing you with his laser eyes. 😁
Too bad you couldn't get into any of them. Better luck next time.
Pwll Gwyn looks like it would be the most interesting to me. I don't think I could pronounce that name either. I'm generally afraid of any word without vowels.
I would have liked to get in St Thomas out of all these. Lunatic Asylums are some of the creepiest places you will ever visit, and have lots of atmosphere.
Yeah I can see that being the case 😅
I wonder how the inside of St Thomas Mental Hospital is. It looks great from outside. However, perhaps, the interior of which might be as crazy as its name.
Inside it's quite the wreck. I have seen images of others, but atmosphere.. that can't be caught on photographs. It's all about the experience and memories.
I love old buildings. So much character, unlike the ones built today.
The camera you have makes each photo look like a capture frame from Half Life 2 !
If you overlook their condition, most of these buildings are beautiful.
Epic tales in your advatures. Clearly you wont stop and are here to win. All i all i love this and reading about this makes my head wonder
I visited a police station yesterday, not abandoned though 😀 Should I post in this community ? Just the outside ambience.
No, it's better elsewhere if its not abandoned.
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Wow what a shame you weren't able to get into Pwll Gwyn and St Thomas!
What a shame that the owners let Pwll Gwyn go to rack and ruin like that cause it's looks like it would have been a great place to party (they always are out in the middle of nowhere..) and I love the architectural style of it too!
And hows that little poptop caravan at Cumbria house eh!
What a shame that was abandoned too!
Maybe you see at some point this guy on such places :P