# Royal Station II



## Priority 7 (Mar 2, 2015)

It has been a very long time since I posted anything on any forum so it needed to be something special...here it is.

Well this was my first trip back to the urbex delights of Europe this year and it is one that I won't forget for a while, infact I am still nursing a stomach that feels like it has taken body blows from Mike Tyson thanks to a nice dose of food poisoning.
This particular explore was a true example of why proper planning always pays off. Armed with only Gmaps to go from there was no way to know we had to be mountaineers or find another down. As time was short and I was feeling less than well following a dodgey pizza the night before we decided mountaineering it was.
For some reason I decided to go first, clambering down hoping to glimpse the Station I had only seen from overhead and also ensuring that I didn't arrive at my target site ahead of schedule 
Eventually there is was and it was all I had imagined suitably grand yet understated, the castle structure looked imposing.

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Built in the late 1800's to service the recently converted castle above the station was closed the same year that King Leapold II died. The castle above is long gone, burning down in the 1960's yet the station does give you some idea as to how grand it must have been. The photo's now taken I looked back at the climb and started questioning what I had been thinking, I questioned this once again when I was half way up my "shortened easy" route. I stopped and slumped down with exhaustion I could feel my heart pounding in my ears, looking down I had only one choice to continue up my chosen route which looked steeper and steeper with every carefully chosen step. Eventually I was back on top of the mountain, I collapsed and took the time to catch my breath...it was worth every step. Explored in the good company of UrbanX, Mr Dan and Coverturbex.


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## HughieD (Mar 2, 2015)

Love that. Great find. And fab pix too.


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## MrDan (Mar 2, 2015)

Lovely, it was worth it in the end, that fisheye came out really well!
I got the whole climb up on the gopro - I'm looking forward to checking that haha.


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## Priority 7 (Mar 2, 2015)

Thanks guys, Dan does that include my wolf mating call halfway back up from the site


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## krela (Mar 2, 2015)

That's so cute! Good to hear from you.


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## MrDan (Mar 2, 2015)

Priority 7 said:


> Thanks guys, Dan does that include my wolf mating call halfway back up from the site



I didn't hear it so don't think it is on the footage aha!


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## DirtyJigsaw (Mar 2, 2015)

Very nice indeed. Nice to see a report from you. Looks like a nice site


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## CovertUrbex (Mar 2, 2015)

Was such a relief to see the stonework through the trees after a sketchy walk down..A lovely little find though sir, i think I finally have a normal resting heart rate


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## alex76 (Mar 3, 2015)

cracking stuff mate nice to have you back bud


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## tank2020 (Mar 3, 2015)

Back in the public domain aye! Nice little place.


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## flyboys90 (Mar 3, 2015)

Cracking find for your return.Sounded like the climb was a killer.


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## UrbanX (Mar 3, 2015)

The King used to have a hunting lodge up in the mountains, which was built in the time of bad roads and horse drawn carriages. So the best way of getting there was by railway. The thing is he didn't want all the faff of fighting for a seat, Oystercards and turnstyles etc. So his own personal station was built. 

_"Hey, I bet that's still there"_ - Priority 7. 

Five minutes later, it had been located on Google maps, and a parking space found only 100m away from the station. Easy Peasy. 

Five hours later, Priority 7, Covert Urbex, Mr Dan and myself rocked up at the parking space, and set off on the short walk to the station...

Indeed, it was only 100m from the car ..._on plan_... unfortunately the station was 500ft below us, down a very steep mountain face. 

As we peered over the edge we noticed some old ropes tied off at the top, _"Someone's been before, therefore it must be doable"_. 

So with no regard as to how we would get back up the face we started to descend down the rope one by one. After about half an hour of scrabbling and amazing views we reached the station. 

Perched on a ledge about 3/4 of the way down: You can see the railway below.



Mr Dan Decending over the edge: (It is a lot steeper than it looks!) 



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Thanks for looking. 

Lessons learned? When climbing a steep rock face, never be directly behind someone with a vomiting virus... Hope you feel bedder Bud!


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## UrbanX (May 1, 2015)

Thought I'd add this nice chilled out video of the chilled out explore: 

[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NPahIw9hWy0[/ame]


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## smiler (May 1, 2015)

Must have bin a magic mushroom pizza, Lovely report, pics and vid, Thanks Guys


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## Sshhhh... (May 5, 2015)

Such a lovely place, great shots!


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