Urbex, it's the new.....

First off a quick link from the London Evening Standard, Bradley L. Garrett again, with an article for the masses who just don't get it.

On a mission with London's urban explorers

Just short of a few more pics, but all good, unlike this second story to be found in one of Northwest England's finest rags, Lancashire Telegraph.

Now I'm not a fan of the site 28 Days Later as its a big site, possibly the most well known Urbex site and thus attracts every idiot and his mates, metal thieves, vandals and most of all the lazy local hacks.

Before we move onto this little gem of classic urbex bashing reporting, I'd like to put on record I'm a fan of local journalism when its done right. As for 28 Days Later, I'm aware they have closed members accounts if any foul play/bad practices have been even hinted at.
 
Urban explorers criticised over tasteless Rossendale Hospital prank

Possibly bad taste, I don't really care to be honest, what I personally find in bad taste is that property developers buy up site after site of industrial heritage, listed buildings and then simply let them rot.  Many sites are left in such a state to the point that they have to be bulldozed despite what promises they made to everyone when the bought the place when pushing "big" plans thru local planning departments.

Urbex Shit Storms - April 2012

Contrats to the members of Place Hacking, for climbing the Shard on this Olympic year, I would love to see your website but at the time of writing it has melted.

Looking at the BBC website, your stars - rather you than me dudes and I get the feeling you have a fan at The Telegraph.


Credit where credit is due, amazing - that takes some balls !!!

Just a thought - if you city dudes keep embarrassing London in security lapses (one guard!!) are we going to get a backlash from the Government ?


Urbex Shitstorms - Feb 2012

Bolton (birds eye view) Part 2

Part two of my ongoing series of pictures of Bolton from above, this set not taken from the plane but taken from the top of Bolton Parish Church tower.


First off a picture of Bolton Town Hall that does differ from the norm.





The top of Crompton Place and Yates Wine Lodge.




- A few tilt-shifts of Bolton Town Centre.

Shifnal Street, Bolton.




St. Peters Way, Bolton.




Prestons of Bolton (clock tower on right of picture).




Picture House Apartments and Bolton County Grammar Apartments.




Bow Street, Bolton.




B&Q, Bolton.




Smith Knight Fay, Bolton.




More to follow, but you might want to take a look at part 1 taken from the plane.

The Games Factory, Lancashire

Easter weekend, the weather is crap, damp, cold - the usual weather for any holiday weekend in England, summer had come early this year and ended as soon as it arrived. Urban Spaceman, my usual exploring partner, had fled the country in anticipation of the onset of rain for the holidays and I was kicking my feet knowing that with the change of weather my aerial photography session on the Monday had pretty much gone tits up.

With Mrs Hunter off shopping I got her to throw me out of the car on the outskirts of a local town.

So off I go and with a sign like this, you have to go in don't you ??

 

 

Didn't look too bad, I don't do solo explores but it wasn't a bad little area, a semi country rural-ish spot halfway between two ex-mill towns.









Then I got inside, what a mess, totally goosed

 

 

 

As I progressed deeper into the building my nerves settled and I felt at ease with my surroundings, I could see some graffiti at the other end of the building and then the sound of a scuffing footstep echoed from the direction of the graffiti I was heading towards.

I paused for a moment, thinking perhaps a fellow Urbexer or perhaps a graff artist and then heard a rasping cough in the shadows in front of me, and then again.





Calmly I took a few steps back, I could see him ? Sat on the floor at the other end of the building, he knew I was here, he must do with the crunching of slates under my feet.

I went to leave the building and the rain was tumbling down, I was totally unprepared for this, two expensive cameras and it was either sit it out or hope the cameras would take the downpour.

I lingered at the door way and thought I'd contemplate over a cigerette, conscious of the run in I'd had the other week with a drunken tramp in Manchester, I had backup that time when Urban Spaceman came to my help - even if was just moral backup.

 

 

 





Hang on, he's gone ? I stood listening intently and all I could hear was the slow dripping of water behind me, so I waited and waited - still no sound from him, so I moved forward towards the far end of the building.

 

 

 

Best foot forward into his lair, all sense of fear or self doubt gone.





 

 

 


Hang on, the floor was different, cleanly swept.

 

 

 

Shit, I had entered someone's home, someone who had disappeared into the shadows, someone who knew every inch and shadow of the building, someone who knows I'm here !!!

 






I looked around at what lay in this empty part of the building, a large expanse of the cleanly swept warehouse, a bed, an ashtray and all this persons worldly goods. I had no wish to upset this person or play a game of Connect 4.

I looked around one last time and slowly left.

I will leave the place unnamed.

Temple of Fire - part 3, Playground of The Devil

A return to our underground playground, Jdub and Urban Spaceman meet for the first time and hit it off, so time for some teamwork.

Multiple wire wool spinning, the first use of my fire palms and the extra hands came in useful for lighting the tea lights.

So first off a little video of the environment we are working in, take note of the echo - so volume up !!

Never thought of doing a video before, pretty much a last minute thing as we prepared to leave, so next visit I will put some of the wool spinning up.

 Oh and for a laugh I donned a mask and threw on an old jacket, so hope you like, as I think these pictures are getting better week on week.






A bit of a fail from me on the next one I'm afraid, can't win em all





Two's company, three's a fire storm !!!!
 


 


 

 
We still need a name for this devilish character, but out he came with fire palms lit
 

 
Jdub had an idea for one of his "arty" shots (not sure if it worked to be honest)
 

So all thats left to say is... welcome to the Temple of Fire, the Devil makes work for idle hands !!!

 


Yep, thats me with my hands on fire, Urban Spaceman set fire to me and ran off to do the wire wool spinning whilst Jdub fired off the cameras, so remember kids don't try this at home.

- I picked up the fire palms from Firetoys

Anyway thats it for this episode, more to follow.....