by Darmon Richter

Created on: May 21, 2009

One summer day when I was about nine, me and some friends were climbing trees in the woods on the outskirts of the town we lived in, when we came across a large drain opening. Inquisitive children that we were, a few of us climbed into the tunnels. We waded through the damp darkness far enough to establish that a network of pipes led all the way under the town, and out the other side.

Over the following years I was exploring drains like those every chance I got, as well as burnt-down houses, disused warehouses and derelict farm buildings. It was only relatively recently that I discovered that the activities I have described above actually represent a well-established, and increasingly popular underground sport; namely, urban exploration.

Urban exploration involves gaining entry into and exploring urban or industrial areas that are usually unseen, or out of bounds. The pastime is often referred to as 'Urbex', or 'UE', though it has countless other names, such as 'infiltration', 'urban spelunking', 'urban caving', or 'building hacking'. Exploring water or sewage pipes has a large following in its own right, and is often referred to as 'draining'.

The spirit of urban adventure is one of observation not invasion, and the majority of urban explorers adhere to strict rules of leaving a site exactly as you found it, without adding damage, graffiti or litter. A large number of explorers will go out armed with cameras, others just to enjoy the sense of surreal solitude that can be found in these places.

There are no set rules as to what sort of places can be explored, but the most popular kinds of site tend to be disused schools, factories, hospitals and asylums, fairgrounds, water drains and sewers. Urban explorers tend to be interested in large facilities, full of unusual shapes and structures, rather than familiar, residential-style buildings.

At this point, one might be wondering what the appeal of it all is; well, the motivations behind urban exploration vary from person to person. Some are drawn to the history and architecture of these abandoned structures. There is a lot that can be learnt about industrialisation and social changes, from exploring old factories and warehouses. As such buildings fall into ruin, they can provide a fascinating snapshot of an age gone by, particularly as many are just boarded up and forgotten - still full of furniture, equipment, documents and personal effects. Entering one of these places can often feel like taking a step backwards in

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