NGTE Pyestock - Feb '10

So, finally, after so many years of being the uncontested number one on my wishlist, I cracked it. The day couldn't have gotten off to a worse start, however. The person who I was meant to be going with cancelled at the very last minute, seconds away from me boarding the train. Left with an unused return ticket to North Camp station I was desperate to find somebody, anybody to go with, and as luck would have it, vmlopes and Ali were planning on going today. So hastily gathering my things I made my way to Reading and then on to Pyestock....

The fence initially looked formidable but we soon found a couple of chinks in the armour and were in. The 4 and a half hours we spent there involved taking in the Air House, Cell 4 and Cell 3 West, which after the amount of time we'd spent in the awe-inspiring Cell 4 was disappointing. Return trips are an undoubted neccessity, and I hope to spend many more days down there before the site goes. The day went off practically without a hitch, apart from a security scare whilst in Cell 4 but they were just doing their rounds and didn't notice us at all and me panicking when I thought I'd broken my camera

Every man and his dog knows Pyestock's history, but one last thing to say for people who've never been before and only seen pics - nothing can prepare you for the sheer size of this place, absolutely nothing at all.

On with the pics (cliche pics alert), and I realised today I really do need to upgrade my camera.



























ta for looking

I love hearing someones first impression of this place..always the same..simply awesome place.Mookster,what camera did you use,cos for me,these shots more than convey the sites you took in..you certainly do need to revisit as there are many joys to behold.To see this place by night is also quite amazing.

klempner69 said:

I love hearing someones first impression of this place..always the same..simply awesome place.Mookster,what camera did you use,cos for me,these shots more than convey the sites you took in..you certainly do need to revisit as there are many joys to behold.To see this place by night is also quite amazing.

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cheers - I agree with the first impressions bit - you can see countless hundreds of photos of this place by many different people but nothing truly comes close to seeing it in person for the first time. I haven't had a rush like it since, dare I say it, my very first explore. I'm still buzzing now even though I can barely walk any more

As for the camera, it's a Fujifilm Finepix A400 which does work well in most conditions but it tends to struggle a lot in low light or dark corners which, when you don't want the thing ruined by a garish flash is a bummer

If its any concellation Mookster,I used a Lumix compact for my first trip there 3 years back and it did damn well and still does..the last time I went I used it again cos I was wasting valuable actual exploring time pissing about with the dslr on a tripod.Cells 1 n 2,Battle Test House n Power Station will be your next "to do" then the plane maybe if your legs stop shaking!Love the place so much,I never tire of seeing it.Oh,dont forget the Plant House too!

those should hopefully be ticked off shortly

few more pics here if anyone's interested http://www.flickr.com/photos/mookie427/sets/72157623316350313/

Nice to see the old place getting some attention again - I thought it had fallen out of favour!

Nice one Mooks..........glad you enjoyed it mate............I still am in awe at the place and it was my 3rd visit...wont post many up as you have covered it well..

Ready For Take Off



Staring Into The Abyss

Nicely done. We turned up last week to find the place crawling with pigs. I take it this isn't the norm??

DigitalNoise said:

Nicely done. We turned up last week to find the place crawling with pigs. I take it this isn't the norm??

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I've been before and they were training dogs...........so it does happen

I really enjoyed reading about your impressions too, as well as seeing your pics. Good stuff, Mooks...and love the 'abyss' pic, VM.

DigitalNoise said:

Nicely done. We turned up last week to find the place crawling with pigs. I take it this isn't the norm??

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I've never seen pigs. A few cows and sheep though...

There's at least one deer inside the fenced area....and of course the Pyestock guard Adders! They are probably more active than it seems security are lately!

Paid a revisit today with a big-ish group including diehardlove, Petzl, Sigarland and others although I spent the first hour and a half or so going round solo, my first properly solo exploration unfortunately No.10 Exhauster which I had had my eyes on was locked up tight

We also bumped into bukowski_jr doing some crazy climbing inside Cell 4.

The day was cut short after about four and a half hours by the sudden appearance of a security guard on a bike, 4 of us legged it, one hid in a hole and unfortunately one was collared, but this enabled us lot to get away as the guard was occupied.

















more pics in the same set as my last visit http://www.flickr.com/photos/mookie427/sets/72157623316350313/

ta for looking

Great to see some more shots Mookster...never pays to tour in a big group..two`s the max as far as I am concerned.

nicely done