Urban exploration
"Urban exploration is for people who have never grown up", explains Sam* casually over a cup of coffee. Except breaking and entering into condemned buildings is hardly Peter Pan innocence I silently muse, as Sam explains to me what exactly is involved in the underground hobby that is Urban Exploration.
Urban exploration largely involves breaking into abandoned structures. The sites vary widely from old factories, closed schools, underground caves, drains and closed hospitals. The activity due to its illegal nature, has an underground following that whilst it is hard to measure the size of, is well documented over the Internet. Several websites are dedicated to providing details of sites around the UK to explore and post pictures of their urban adventures on their websites.
So what is the appeal is breaking into old buildings anyway? Urban explorers face many hazards, including broken glass, parts of the structure collapsing, possible chemicals present on the site, guard dogs and of course getting caught. The website Sub Urban offers an explanation to their fascination with entering urban sites across the country "Our visits are fuelled by our interest in photography, film making, architecture, climbing, industrial & Victorian history, urban decay, plain old childlike curiosity and a desire to know why, where and how?"
I decided to try and understand what the attraction of running around disused buildings was and let Sam talk me into to going along to a very large disused building in Central Bristol. Firstly Sam explained to me, I would need to get kitted out, so dressed in an all black Burglar Bill type costume with my trusty Spiderman gloves (in case I had to scale any walls), I hesitantly met Sam outside of our Urban site. After Sam checking I had my torch and water on me, I somehow managed to climb over a nine foot gate in the dark and run into the bushes on the other side. Sam explained to me that whilst not getting caught was our priority, I probably didn't need to be crawling on my hands and knees and darting between bushes as If I was starring in Goldeneye.
I was amazed at the lack of security at our site as we walked right on in to the building. There were no giant guard dogs running around, no security cameras and only one security hut that seemed to be unoccupied. As I walked around the giant structure it was like I had stepped back in time as I passed rusted machinery and abandoned offices. Sam explained to me that this was a popular site for fellow urban explorers and as you walked around you could see evidence of recent activity. There were discarded beer bottles, crisp packets, a newspaper and what looked to be a pile of clothes on the floor.
It was then I realised what fun there was to be had partaking in Urban exploration. After starting out with a hesitant, cautious approach I was soon eager to explore this giant urban playground, as I climbed over rusted pipes, up rickety stairs and eventually I got onto the roof and looked out at the spectacular view over the city. As we went through some more abandoned rooms we found a series of strange items including a broken picture of Princess Anne, Bottles of chemicals and dusty test tubes against a backdrop of twisted metal and broken glass. A sense of child-like curiosity overcame me as I picked up broken remains of office equipment and dusty old papers. So what would happen to an urban explorer who got them selves caught?
According to Gloucestershire police "it would depend on a series of factors, for instance if the person or people involved were caught and the building's owner made a complaint, the owner could contact a solicitor. It is a civil offence to break into an abandoned, or structurally unsafe building; it would then be the building owner's decision whether or not to take it to court. Additionally if there was any damage or theft to the building, then that is an arrestable offence by the police and the offender could find themselves hauled up in court."
Despite the risks involved, the activity seems to be growing in popularity judging by the increasing number of websites and television shows that have been broadcast over the last few years, such as "Urban Explorers" on the Discovery Channel and MTV's Fear show'. Whilst I had an exciting time exploring, it was admittedly a risky way to spend a Friday evening and I can't lie that a sense of relief washed over me as I sat unscathed in the car, a regular citizen once again.
* Name has been changed