From Karen’s to Builders and then to Hermits who look like Penguins, we have seen it all. Sometimes I can’t even get shots of failed attempts as some angry bastard is chasing us down the road with threats of violence or calling the cops.
We would rather stay incognito and avoid confrontations. After all, we could be on to the next thrilling derp instead of pointlessly answering PC Plod's demands of… 'Name, Address'... knowing full well nothing is going to come of it.
The Penguin man incident happened only last week in Wales where an old ex-time capsule had been taken over by a strange half-man, half aquatic beast squatter.
@anidiotexplores was suddenly running for his life and advising me to do likewise which resulted in yours truly not getting even a single shot.
Apologies for the lack of abominations in this post, but I can show you some other interesting fails with their mini-tales to boot.
The Downing Arms
I know @grindle has failed on two occasions to get inside this permanently closed pub in North Wales. We were not expecting any change but then again it does depend on your level of daring.
I looked through the windows to see a well-presented pub left since it was closed. No damage, no graffiti, or anything else untoward.
An inviting hole around the back but sadly it led to nowhere.
Another hole that was very hard to get to. We used a series of plastic chairs in a kind of chain system to stop getting pricked alive, talk about being inventive!
Just inside were rusty metal bars secured with a hefty lock. It was not going to happen and so we exited before the nearby neighbours started to notice us.
Hulme Hippodrome
Nobody has managed to get inside this old Victorian theatre for some time. Built in 1901 I was under no illusions of entry but still wanted to see what it looked like.
It reminded me of Victoria theatre in terms of the red-bricked styling but more graffiti-laden.
Not all was bad with some interesting murals and artwork emblazoned on the outside walls interlacing with the trees growing from various sources.
More and more boards have been stuck on the outside of Hulme Hippodrome in an attempt to keep the likes of us out.
We did get some strange looks from the locals as we photographed this ancient structure. Whatever.. my endless bad luck with theatres and cinemas continues.
The Primary School
No way in hell this was going to be a fail. I had seen another recent report and there appeared to be little left beside crumbling walls.
Fucking builders, they should be at home with their families or at the least getting pissed at the pub. This twat was working on a Saturday of all times.
We sneaked in, as usual, me noting the stile, the barbed wire, and the fact that you can jump the stile making the wire completely inconsequential. I do love shit such as this!
That roof and brickwork looks a little too good; it’s supposed to be wrecked and full of holes. We conceded that it was another damn refurbishment job.
Creeping alongside the building we heard banging and hammering sounds confirming our suspicions. Noticing a set of ladders that were not of the 'abandoned type' took this one off the radar.
Gwysaney Arms Hotel
“You might be able to still get in that”, explained @grindle. He had done it, but it had been a couple of years ago.
On arrival, we pulled some faces. This looked ready to re-open, and not the creepy haunting old hulk we were expecting.
The herras fencing was far too new and had been refurbished recently. Even the edges were impenetrable, historically nearly always the weak point.
Add a very busy road in the mix and things were looking decidedly gloomy. Just getting in the grounds was going to be a case of vaulting over this and hoping the crumbling wall far side would not disintegrate.
@anidiotexplores contemplated the jump and thought better of it. It did not feel right and looked too much like ‘under renovation’ for our tastes.
A possible missed opportunity but I don’t like invading properties that are under renovation. That is NOT abandoned in my book. Fucking renovations!
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'Tales of the Urban Explorer'
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