Reigate Castle & Fort - 13/06/2009

A sunny Saturday thats free as my mum was going out (she usually comes round on a Saturday) so I spend early morning on Google looking for anywhere that may tickle my fancy and the kids may enjoy.

I discover Reigate Castle, having never been there and not knowing what could be there other than a castle ruins I made a picnic and off we went. Girls Aloud on the car stereo once again (it's a fave of the kids, honest!!)

We arrive at Reigate and I drive round the one way system twice before pulling over and asking someone 'where is the castle'. The yokels laughed and pointed beyond the high street to the centre of the one way system where the castle is hidden. Expecting a gem of a find I park up in the town hall car park and spend about 4 hours trying to get the sodding money machine to take my money for a window sticker while the kids roast in the car on gas mark 8. A kind soul eventually explained, after I have half the population of Reigate queuing behind me that you need to enter the numbers from your reg plate. A tip that I passed on to other irate drivers when we returned to the car.

We arrive to find this



which i find interesting to say the least although I haven't a clue what they are (later discover they are dragons-teeth anti tank blocks)



So I assume the only way up is via this path through the blocks and have to drag the buggy up the path, it swang to and fro and Boris was screaming at his first white knuckle ride. And who can blame him. At one point I got stuck and really could have done with a hand but Mrs Newspaper sat on a bench at the almost top ignored my struggles and kids squeals. If she were me I would have leant a hand, maybe im too nice.

Once I finally make it to the precipice I look down to discover there was a perfectly good footpath that would have taken me here. Oh well, good exercise and a lesson in how to shit yourself for Boris.

We turn the corner to walk up a further hill, using the sensible footpath this time and encounter to dibble lazing on a bench. As soon as they saw us they sprang to their feet and the male dibble wheeled the buggy to the top of the hill for me. Probably as a silent apology for being a donut eating lazy fucker. It was appreciated though, especially by Boris who decided to chuck his snadwich on the floor which I had to pick up incase they did me for littering.

Finally at the Castle and this is what is there



That, is the Castle. Literally an archway. This was further on



and that was it. Whilst an interesting find for about 5 minutes it didn't exactly float any boats so we make our way back down.

As we were walkin g to the path going down I spot a bloke the wrong side of the fence at the top hiding in the undergrowth watching people. I assumed he was with a group of teens who were up there sat nearby.

As we came down 'a level' he was stood infront of us as we came through the arch



(English version on the link at the end)

and then walked past and immediately turned and started following us. My oddball radar was going off the scale so I abandoned any other possible walks and we took the nearest rout possible out of there. He was probably just an innocent person out for a walk but his behaviour rang alarms for me and better to be safe than sorry.

Sadly had to miss out on a tour of the caves that run underneath the hill that the Castle stands on (or its sorry remains) due to Boris in his buggy but we did see some Morris Dancers which is just so sad there are no words to decsirbe it.



From where we watched the Morris Dancers there was scratched in 'grafitti' if that's the word. I wonder though how old some of this is or wether some of it is scratched to look old, if you get what I mean.



So off to the car we go and when we get there we spot this weird bug on the car door.



Extensive Googling later tells me it is Ladybird larve. Wow! Seriously, as I would have never guess Ladybird had a larve let alone it looked like a mascara wand.

As we are driving back up Reigate Hill I remember the Fort up there as encountered by Godzilla on Derelict Places. It's worth a look while we are here. The view when we park up is absolutely stunning, I wish i brought the worm with me (child saftely wrist strap) because Chops looks like she is considering running down the very steep hill we are atop.

Walking over the bridge that runs over the A217 Reigate Hill makes me a bit uneasy, obviously the older i've got the more I discover I am not too keen on heights. Or bridges. Or both.

We walk and walk and walk, I enquire with someone if we are heading the right way, we are, 'it's not far now', liars!! Mind you i'm completely knackered anyway which don't help and little legs aren't made for such a ramble.

I can't say the Fort is the most exciting thing on earth but we found it and saw it and returned to tell the tale.









There was an abundance of dog walkers up there and kids with their parents playing frisbee and whatnot.

We had a look round then made our way back to the car. Came accross the old East Surrey Water thingumy nearby which there are photos of in the link at the end as well as the transmitters on the hill.

Then we came accross a group of knit-your-own-tofu types walking with their kids, all posh and Laura Ashley. One of the kids eyes were closed and swollen to almost slits and his mum was saying to him 'oh your hayfeever's such a shame'. WTF???? If it's that bad why the fuck take him out in the fucking wilderness full of grass and pollen and trees and other shit????

On our way back we spotted some sheep in a field alongside some wild rabbit.

I'm full of sympathy me....


(all the pics http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v89/AnthillMob/Reigate/ )

Crystal Palace - 09/06/2009

By now you probably think I only do hospitals. You be wrong. I will poke my nose into anything and everything and Crystal Palace was on my radar. A great place to take the kids for a walk and a play in the park and see the dinosaurs (plastic ones of course). So, picnic packed, we head off to Crystal Palace with mummy only taking one small detour when she took a wrong turn (I don't do sat-nav).

history bit : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crystal_Palace_Dinosaurs and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Crystal_Palace

With or without kids, just get your arses down there, it is such a great park. However, small children who aren't in a buggy may whinge and moan at walking up many steep bits around the old Palace ruins. I find pink wafer biscuits are a great pacifier...





There are a few headless corpses laying around also. Sorry, I mean statues...



and some Sphinxes









Chops didn't want to go and see the dinosaurs!! Of course she did really, she was just being akward and once we got there she loved it. I remember the dinos from when I was a kid but I don't remember the lakes surrounding them and couldn't see the pterodactyl's [spelling?] that I remember being in the trees. I'm sure when I was a kid you could touch the dinos but in this day and age of feral kids and teens who destroy anything in their paths I guess the lakes are a good idea.







We especially loved the little ducklings and mummy duck who quacked at the correct point of the '3 little ducks song' and the Coot and her babies were extremely friendly.

There is also a tiny little farm up on a hill near the dino's, only contains 2 noisy pigs, 2 minature horses, 3 alpackas and some hens, rabbits and a ferret



all of which Boris referred to as 'cat'. Though to be fair there was a farm cat that he was spot on with.

We also came accross a bench in the 'avenue of memorial benches' dedicated to a dog!!



A go on the swings and slide later and we have enjoyed a thoroughly good day at Crystal Palace Park. Something for everyone here. Need to return at a later date for bits I missed in among the ruins.

Full days pics can be found at http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v89/AnthillMob/misc%20abandoned/crystal%20palace/

Epsom Cluster Driveby - 07/06/2009

Plan was to go to West Park again with the kids and have a wander outside, but even on a Sunday MC Hammer is hard at work and standing outside his security hut. I chicken it and move on. What to do? Do the Epsom cluster.

There were 5 hospitals in very close proximity to eachother including West Park and they have all, bar West Park and St Ebbas which is currently undergoing demolition, been turned into housing estates. For the posh of course, you wouldn't find a council estate up there.

(history bit : http://www.thetimechamber.co.uk/Sites/Hospital/EpsomCluster/Epsom.php )

The hospitals were Manor Hospital, Horton Hospital, Ewell/St Ebbas Eplieptic Colony, Long Grove and West Park.

Just took a drive around the new housing estates looking for bits that have been left behind. Got lost on Manor Park at one point and couldn't find a way out and had to ask some small kids on bikes to tell me they way to go.

What used to be Manor Park Admin block



Hollywood Lodge is also there, was used as an old folks home and at some point something to do with West Park. Access, to which the farmer don't mind as long as you don't scare his horses, is through a field full of, yes you've guessed it...horses! Need to save this for another day.



Then drive onto Horton and the water tower is wonderful. If I ever win the lottery I want to live right next door to this, it's fabulous.



Horton's Chapel still stands also, well secured and there is a live hospital there right in the middle of the estate called Horton Haven which had 3 security fences around it, so i'm guessing it must contain some mad people. Out on the lawn you could see a few and hear some mad people noises and a nurse wandering among them.

Hortons Admin, well what used to be



What was a female ward block at Long Grove



and a few pics of St Ebbas that I grabbed on my 'crap visit to West Park'







Probable highlight, if you can call it that, of the day was driving down a cul-de-sac in search of an elusive water tower and having to reverse all the way out as Mrs BMW was washing her car in the middle of the fucking horeshoe I could have drove around and just glared at me as if to say 'this is a local shop for local people'

(Epsom Cluster pics here http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v89/AnthillMob/misc%20abandoned/ )

(ST EBBAS Pics here http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v89/AnthillMob/st%20ebbas/ )

Cane Hill 29/05/2009

...and beaten I was not. Ish.

I drove around for a while, tried to find some ex-animal testing labs near Purley Oaks but couldn't find them, then tried to find Queen Elizabeths Hospital in Banstead woods (later found out it's long gone and now proper private housing with an electronic gate and everything the posh twats), I found myself very close to Cane Hill so headed there for a lone explore and to finish some unfinished business with regards to a changing room we found on the last visit.



Not a lot of the old girl left now, demolition is happening fast. Felt quite at ease although I was on my own and soon found what I was looking for, the old changing room.

Some internals:











Scary 'what the fuck' mangle thing in both male and female changing rooms. Later, and it's quite obvious, am told these were probably for wringing out swimming costumes. There was also a pair of mouldy old granny pants in the 'footbath' thing. And a kettle I wanted to bring home and grow plants in but Urbexers don't take anything from sites.

I may as well continue round the perimeter and see how far demolition has got in a couple of months. As soon as I get to where we took a wrong turn the last time the site foremen shoots out of his hut and asks what i'm up to. Explain that i'm taking externals as the place is going quicker than a randy rabbit (I may have exaggerated what I actually said here) and he informs me that the land owners want no one up there



I said to him very nicely as he is only the site foreman, that there is no way in the world the land owners can suddenly make a public footpath/bridleway private property, 'tis the law. He agreed but this is what he has obviuously been told to tell everyone. Tough tits 'Home and Communities', fuck your privacy because it ain't legal to close a PFP/BW. Buildings, yes, PUBLIC FOOTPATH thats been there for years big fat NO.

And if we had our way it wouldn't be legal for you to destroy such a beautiful building such as Cane Hill.

Wonder if this still works? Never had the guts to try it



oooh Landrovers moved



This photo makes me feel very sad, sad for the building as it merely is just the outer shell standing there, there is absolutely nothing the other side of this, it's almost a ' - ' and sad because I have only got to go there when it has been heavily constructed.



and the Chapel, which is listed so they have to keep that, and the water tower.



(more pics can be found at http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v89/AnthillMob/Cane%20Hill/ but a photobucket mishap has confused them all with my first visit)

West Park alone - 29/05/2009

I had some days booked off work, the kids were at nursery and my mission was West Park. Just a walk around the outside as I was on my own.

After stopping off at the local Tesco garage on the way for the staple diet of Urbex of Sausage rolls and a bottle of coke, off i roll to West Park in the sun with the windows open blasting Girls Aloud (as you do). Drive straight onto site and park in car park again.

Decise this time to walk the opposite way to they way I went with Mr Ant and soon find myself greeted with an airing court.



things are looking good.....I take the old crumbly footpath that runs alongside the building, can reach out and touch the building and its beautiful red brick, stopping along the way to take photos of the exterior and ready to poke the lense through any welcoming holes in the boards covering the windows but never came accross any. Shame.







Things are looking really good, I get as close as I possibly can without trespassing to the great hall (or what's left of it after the stupid fucking arsonists ruined it a few years back. You can see from the picture all thats left is the roof thingys. Ignore the building infront of it)



As I walk along I encounter a most wonderful site...Admin. A truely wonderful site and totally overtaken by nature...



I walk away to get a more distant shot and spot some steps. All overgrown and looking interesting, may they lead to Narnia or some undiscovered part of West Park. As Harry Hill would say 'there's only one way to find out......' (I didn't fight though, I walked)



As I walked and found more steps and more steps that song sprang into my head 'we're on the road to nowhere', and indeed that song was right. Maybe it was written about a trip up the steps at West Park, though I doubt this very much.

It just lead to an overgrown patch of grass with tree lining. Very interesting. But at least I covered it and didn't miss it out. The utter excitement of it all.

So I come back down a bit gutted I had wasted my time going up there but then you never know what's there or not there until you've looked. As I approach the 2nd to last set of steps I see near Admin a yellow hi-vis vest. This can only mean one thing, HAMMER TIME (oh oh oh, oh oh, you can't touch this), there he was in all his glory, Mr Security Guard, AKA MC Hammer and he had 2 friends with him. Ginger bollocks and baldy.

They were closely inspecting the building next to Admin and then the fencing and then along to Admin. I decided to hide behind a handy fir tree and watch what they were up to so I walk do to said tree and crouch. Crouching ain't my thing and I had suddenly overcome all paranoid that if I was caught hiding I would look really suspicious so I sat in full view of them on the steps and had a fag.

What a fucking idiot!! That should really be written on my grave when I go...

MC Hammer spots me and starts walking over. Right, what do I do now? Sit or run? Sit because you are not doing anything illegal, chat with him, explain yourself, he might be OK like the guys at Cane Hill.....oh shit here he comes....brain engage mouth properly.....

MCH - excuse me what are you doing'

ANT - having a fag (brain obviously hasn't engaged properly and now it seems I am pointing out the obvious incase he is a bit thick or something)

MCH - why are you here?

ANT - i'm taking photos of the building

MCH - you can't, not allowed

ANT - aww mate i've come a long way to do this and besides i'm not doing anything illegal, see you can look at my pictures (offer him my camera and think to myself 'what the fuck are you doing?')

MCH - where do you come from

ANT - oxford (what the fuck! i'm local and digging a hole for myself though I did think he kight take pity on me) i've driven a long way to take external shots of the building, I wouldn't go inside, i'm not stupid (brain is saying 'shut the fuck up Ant)

MCH - no, no you must leave. Are you alone?

ANT - yes

MCH - you must go. It's not safe for you, lady on your own, the Police will move you on their half hourly check

ANT - (big sigh) ok

MCH - where did you park?

ANT - car park 5

MCH - you go now

ANT - i'm going

MCH - are you Romanian?

ANT - what? do i sound like i'm from Romania (brain is saying to me to mind my language at this point. Not only has he patronised me about being female and alone and not safe for me but now he is accusing me of being Romanian. Nowt against Romaninas but I don't look or even sound like one. I have a South London accent and at the time had red hair)

So off I trot back to the car as quickly as I could hoping perhaps I could go round the other way from the previous trip with Mr Ant. No sign of me being followed which is a bonus. I reach car park 5 and just as I am about to head down the covered walkway MC Hammer appears out of nowhere like the fucking shopkeeper from Mr Benn and tells me I must get in my car and leave and then stands beside my car watching and waiting for me to go. I admit defeat and leave. Muttering a few choice words to him as I do so.

But I wont be beaten and think to myself 'I will find a way in'. I drive around for a bit and then head back and park outside West Park on the road and follow the signs for the public footpath. I find the Staff Sports and Social Club, nothing really of interest, just some glorified portacabin in a field next door to the main hospital.



I then walk for what seemed like miles through some shitty little footpath, getting coated in then odd green caterpillar things that hang from trees and beating my way through the maze of gnats with a handy stick I found. After almost losing a trainer in mud I find access through a battered down bit of fence and then lose my bottle! Fucking wimp, so I turn and head back for the car...but I wont be beaten...