The Return of Konrad 3: Long Distance 'Ballz'
The Urbex Jihad Tour
I'm keeping this one on the down low, as it's off the well trodden path, so if you know where it is please don't be a numpty and mention it on my thread!
Visited with Konrad + a non member.
Rewind back to last Autumn when me and Konrad had previously attempted to get in, but were chased off by Secca vehicle patrols. Soon after that, Konrad managed to do several solo infiltrations and develop a real intimacy with the site. Naturally seeing as Konrad had been in so many times, I wanted a slice of the action. So we set aside a couple of days and devised a plan...
First and foremost I want to say hats off to Mr.K - he knows this place really well and his entry plan was solid, well lead and well executed.
The first part of the plan - driving up. We left much earlier than we were going to, which turned out to be a good call as it took much longer than anticipated with all the rest stops and congestion. By the time we arrived the light was just starting to fade, so we hit Tesco for some snacks, dumped the car somewhere it wouldn't get nicked (quite difficult in port towns) and made for the beach... As I knew we'd be in for quite a long time, my original plan was to do the explore, get out at a reasonable time and get 4 hours rest on the beach before driving back. With this in mind, we yomped huge backpacks full of sleeping gear to a quiet spot and buried it to dig up later and have a doss. I later realised that this part of the plan was incredibly naive and crap (my fault) as it was impossible to get off the dog walker's tracks on the dunes and thus couldn't find any cover. Furthermore, I later came to realise we'd be getting out much later in the morning than I first thought...
But never mind, on with the explore! All I'm going to say is entry was knackering and stupidly bait We were shocked to find a lot of plant machinery rolling around our entry route. Nothing could be done, so we just went for it and walked right in front of a load of lorries. If they didn't see us, they must have been blind One tripped PIR and a few more patrols later and we're in!
The blast furnace was the main area of our focus...
At the top of the blast furnace. This was the main area of our focus. We're probably 100ft+ up at this point.
From this vantage point you can appreciate how big the site actually is. It makes Thamesteel look like a corner shop!
View of the beach from the top.
One of the side rooms mid-way down the furnace.
Big ass pot of grease!
Getting further down the bottom of the furnace.
The very bottom of the furnace. Ground floor.
Small control room on the ground floor.
By this point we're growing increasingly fatigued. Konrad spots a way up the gas tower and can't resist. I'm knackered and pretty trepid about the walkway, so I give it a miss. Activity seems to pick up more at this point. I can hear more vehicles moving around and expect to get pinched at any minute...
Holder by Slim Jim, on Flickr
Somehow despite everything, no one turned up to grab us! We decide to start making our way out and more patrols pass as we cross the open ground. Then we pass more plant vehicles. All three of us are scratching our heads as to how we haven't been pinched!?
Then finally...we're out! The exhaustion takes over and we pile onto the grass. Soon after a Jeremy Corbyn look-a-like's dog comes over and molests me.
Then there's the case of digging up all our stuff we left. By now it's late morning and we've well and truly abandoned our plans to sleep on the dunes and decided to find a wooded spot to sleep before driving back. Time to trek back to the car...
A few hour's zombie driving later and salvation! We've found a decent spot! Time for 6 hours nap, coffee and bacon!
Probably 8 hours later, we make it home! In a thunder storm at 2am Good times! Thank god we had enough IRN BRU, Coke and vape fluid to stop me from passing out at the wheel!
Credit goes to Konrad on this one. His many hours spent travelling, getting frozen on the dunes and exploring the site is what allowed us to infiltrate it so well. I'm certain we would have been pinched without his knowledge of the site.
Thanks for looking!
The Urbex Jihad Tour
I'm keeping this one on the down low, as it's off the well trodden path, so if you know where it is please don't be a numpty and mention it on my thread!
Visited with Konrad + a non member.
Rewind back to last Autumn when me and Konrad had previously attempted to get in, but were chased off by Secca vehicle patrols. Soon after that, Konrad managed to do several solo infiltrations and develop a real intimacy with the site. Naturally seeing as Konrad had been in so many times, I wanted a slice of the action. So we set aside a couple of days and devised a plan...
First and foremost I want to say hats off to Mr.K - he knows this place really well and his entry plan was solid, well lead and well executed.
The first part of the plan - driving up. We left much earlier than we were going to, which turned out to be a good call as it took much longer than anticipated with all the rest stops and congestion. By the time we arrived the light was just starting to fade, so we hit Tesco for some snacks, dumped the car somewhere it wouldn't get nicked (quite difficult in port towns) and made for the beach... As I knew we'd be in for quite a long time, my original plan was to do the explore, get out at a reasonable time and get 4 hours rest on the beach before driving back. With this in mind, we yomped huge backpacks full of sleeping gear to a quiet spot and buried it to dig up later and have a doss. I later realised that this part of the plan was incredibly naive and crap (my fault) as it was impossible to get off the dog walker's tracks on the dunes and thus couldn't find any cover. Furthermore, I later came to realise we'd be getting out much later in the morning than I first thought...
But never mind, on with the explore! All I'm going to say is entry was knackering and stupidly bait We were shocked to find a lot of plant machinery rolling around our entry route. Nothing could be done, so we just went for it and walked right in front of a load of lorries. If they didn't see us, they must have been blind One tripped PIR and a few more patrols later and we're in!
The blast furnace was the main area of our focus...
At the top of the blast furnace. This was the main area of our focus. We're probably 100ft+ up at this point.
From this vantage point you can appreciate how big the site actually is. It makes Thamesteel look like a corner shop!
View of the beach from the top.
One of the side rooms mid-way down the furnace.
Big ass pot of grease!
Getting further down the bottom of the furnace.
The very bottom of the furnace. Ground floor.
Small control room on the ground floor.
By this point we're growing increasingly fatigued. Konrad spots a way up the gas tower and can't resist. I'm knackered and pretty trepid about the walkway, so I give it a miss. Activity seems to pick up more at this point. I can hear more vehicles moving around and expect to get pinched at any minute...
Holder by Slim Jim, on Flickr
Somehow despite everything, no one turned up to grab us! We decide to start making our way out and more patrols pass as we cross the open ground. Then we pass more plant vehicles. All three of us are scratching our heads as to how we haven't been pinched!?
Then finally...we're out! The exhaustion takes over and we pile onto the grass. Soon after a Jeremy Corbyn look-a-like's dog comes over and molests me.
Then there's the case of digging up all our stuff we left. By now it's late morning and we've well and truly abandoned our plans to sleep on the dunes and decided to find a wooded spot to sleep before driving back. Time to trek back to the car...
A few hour's zombie driving later and salvation! We've found a decent spot! Time for 6 hours nap, coffee and bacon!
Probably 8 hours later, we make it home! In a thunder storm at 2am Good times! Thank god we had enough IRN BRU, Coke and vape fluid to stop me from passing out at the wheel!
Credit goes to Konrad on this one. His many hours spent travelling, getting frozen on the dunes and exploring the site is what allowed us to infiltrate it so well. I'm certain we would have been pinched without his knowledge of the site.
Thanks for looking!
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