# 1st time explores



## nivlac

hey everyone did my 1st time expolre today only a short one and will be going back as was a spur of the moment thing cuz keep saying i going to do it but never get round to it, i went aston hall mental hosptial, where was your 1st time and how did you feel?

also does anyone know if anybody ever bought this property?


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## nij4829

My first explore was a pill box up near seahouses/craster when I was a little un.
MY first 'proper' urbex would be a culvert near Bingley.


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## Mad Larkin

denbigh asylum was my 1st and it was awesome


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## echo.

Hey chap!

My first Reccy was Fort Bovisands, Made it to the top too 

The more you do them and the bigger the challange the more you start to sit there and itch for the next one!


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## Caveman

The first that I can remember was sliding through one of the observation slits of the Navy observation tower at Noirmont Point in Jersey when I was about 10...I still have the scratches on my belt buckle.


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## Incognito

Taddiport Creamery was my first proper urbex and was great until someone came walking into the site, thankfully it was just a friendly local taking a short cut. He was actually quite useful and gave us some good info on the place.


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## couscous

I visited many a WW tunnel, bomb shelter, hospital and Drop Redoubt and the batteries in St Margarates and Dover. The adrenaline you get out of it is unbelievable. Scary but awesome!


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## mookster

Hellingly asylum at the beginning of June last year, followed the next day by Fullers Earth. I'll never forget the feeling I got the moment I stepped foot inside Hellingly the first time.


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## godzilla73

couscous said:


> I visited many a WW tunnel, bomb shelter, hospital and Drop Redoubt and the batteries in St Margarates and Dover. The adrenaline you get out of it is unbelievable. Scary but awesome!



Hmmm...where are we allowed to start. Essex pillboxes 1979? The Drop redoubt in 1986 when the scaffold bridge was still in place from the outer moat to the roof casemates. Dumpy after it was closed in the mid-eighties? (The tunnels were full of chairs.....) The thing is, we never called it urbex then, and of course we we never scared, mostly because we were too stupid. Aaah, the naivety of youth.
GDZ


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## derelicthunter

my 1st was barnes hospital in stockport and it was epic been there a few times now u gotta see it its amazing


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## Mad Larkin

derelicthunter said:


> my 1st was barnes hospital in stockport and it was epic been there a few times now u gotta see it its amazing



pics or it never happened ;]


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## Zotez

Parents took me to see some abandoned houses years ago (the same as LiamWG reported on, but when they were in much better condition!), grew up around pillboxes and greenham common so went on the fireplane and in all the pillboxes etc when I was younger.

First explore where I actually wore a backpack and carried a torch was West Park, good enough for 6 visits!


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## mookster

First pic I ever took on an explore...diving through the bushes on The Drive on the approach to Hellingly, seeing the old power line poles for the old railway and eventually emerging with Park House sitting broodily in front of us, no maps, no tripods, no idea what we'd face...then to finally get in, a feeling I won't forget.


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## ceejam

My first proper explore was Mid Wales hospital Talgarth, that place just blew me away.
The sad part is seeing it now, raped, rotton and unlikely to be with us for much longer.


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## Munchh

First time and how did it feel?.................... Well, I had a quick look around the womb on the way out but ended up getting my arse slapped by the seccas so I was a bit hacked off as it happens. 

Circa 1971 (yes I was 9) abandoned bowling green and an air raid shelter in the town I grew up in, Wokingham, Berkshire. I don't have any pics to prove it though as we were still using this,






and our parents, if they were lucky enough, were driving round in one of these,


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## ceejam

What a beast of a car.


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## flava

My first was St Lawrences Asylum Bodmin that hall is stunning although it got cut short i have been back and had some major WIN!!!!


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## KooK.

First ever one was when I was about 10/11 and went into some houses that they started converting, but never finished in Lulworth. My first proper explore was High Royds, gots chucked out after only seeing the pharmacy and the art room though!


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## klempner69

My first recording of a derelict place:Chiseldon army camp 1974





The second,Ogbourne camp 1978


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## jjstenso

Lovely shots Klempner, I love seeing these snapshots of time that are just snapped rather than composed, the second one in particular.

My first explores were with my Dad in about 1988. We used to live within sight of the blast furnace at Redcar and there were numerous, enormous derelict storage warehouses for wide gauge plates and beams. They are long gone now and have left only scarred and empty land. It started of the fascination for things abandoned... I wish dad had utilized his Pentax K1000 to document our explores of that time.


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## godzilla73

Lovely Black and whites Stu. What sort of kit were you using back then?
GDZ


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## klempner69

The first pic was taken using a Halena Elektra 35mm,the second pic taken on a Mamiya slr,but my first camera was the legendary Polaroid.I used all my pocket money on taking pics of all old places in my village..funnily enough most have all been knocked down including the old Bakery below.

Dick`s Bakery in Wroughton taken in 1973 or 74


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## smileysal

First place I ever explored was a derelict Chemist in my village. I was 6 and not sposed to be there.  can still remember a gorgeous old massive gold coloured till, with the carvings/scrolls and patterns on it. (i've seen one the same at Blists Hill museum at Ironbridge since). Told mum hours later, and she went with me, needless to say, the till had gone by the time we'd got back there.  Old chemist bottles in there as well.

Did other various places through the years, but the biggest I did (and remember) was Butlin's site at Filey, when the chalets were still there with furniture still in, and the gaiety theatre, with the seats all still there. Everything was still there when we first started going, went 3 times a year and stayed over the fence at Primrose Valley. Watched the place get more and more wrecked as the years went by. There's nothing left there now, 

Done loads of other things since then.


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## Zebra

My first was a little café called motor chef. Anyone who lives around Coventry would know it- it's still there as well, which I'm surprised about, though now up for sale. I remember going in with my handy torch, and finding 'help me' written on the walls, with a stool and rope next to it. I've got a photo somewhere, just where is the question.

The little fear I had didn't last for long- I came across a rather long snake instead, plus I figured it was prolly a 12yr old trying to get a kick out of scaring peeps ineffectively.


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## Lazarus

My first was RAF Sculthorpe in norfolk. When I and a friend were in the tower a car appeared on the airfield and did three or four circuits as if they were looking for something. We hid in the tower for about thirty minutes before making a break for it when the car was on the other side of the airfield. Two minutes later we skidded under a gate, dived into my car and made a very fast exit.


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## Munchh

klempner69 said:


>



Tell me that's not corduroys and hush puppies you're wearing there mate and I'll be able to sleep without the light on again.  I'm still trying to forget the Oxford bags and platforms I wore at school.

Fantastic that you have these old photos though and a treat to see the 'Moggie'. 

Who were the other people with you, were they relatives? I've learnt through experience that it's not a good idea to take your Mum on an explore.


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## klempner69

Many thanks for the comments..yes it was cords I have to admit,the moggy actually went like s*** off a hot shovel and the guy on my right is indeed my dad who was younger than I am now!!

ps,yes I did wear Puppies too...Look guys n gals,this is about urbex first times ok,not our faux pas fashion sense!!Love this thread too

Another Moggy shot




Same place but me in front of the butts


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## godzilla73

klempner69 said:


> The first pic was taken using a Halena Elektra 35mm,the second pic taken on a Mamiya slr,
> 
> 
> 
> Love the detail with the Mamiya - real class!
Click to expand...


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## lizzibear

Loving the shots of the Moggy! My first explores were tagging along with my Dad as a small child; I thought it was what everyone did! Early days we'd be sat on cushions in the back of a Moggy van!! When my little brother arrived we upgraded to a Woody... loved that car  I'd not heard of the term 'urban exploration' until quite recently, I've always mooched around old buildings, ruins, castles etc but just put it down to my nosey nature inherited from my Dad! My first 'proper explore' was actually a date, we explored a derelict farm


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## klempner69

lizzibear said:


> Loving the shots of the Moggy! My first explores were tagging along with my Dad as a small child; I thought it was what everyone did! Early days we'd be sat on cushions in the back of a Moggy van!! When my little brother arrived we upgraded to a Woody... loved that car  I'd not heard of the term 'urban exploration' until quite recently, I've always mooched around old buildings, ruins, castles etc but just put it down to my nosey nature inherited from my Dad! My first 'proper explore' was actually a date, we explored a derelict farm



Moggies had a smell of their own didnt they..such a simple car mechanically but at least it had a heater.Love your signature Lizzy,I presume you are a fan of the man?


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## Foxylady

Like loads of others, I explored and played in derelict places when quite small...farmhouse remains, old water mills (the mill ponds in the middle of woods were so spooky, though), graduating to a railway goods yard, a wonderful arts & craft house when at art college, then a whole town when it was being demolished for a new town. 

Sort of forgot all that whilst doing the grown up thing, lol, then started up again when I went to Uni in the early 90's, visiting old cemetries and quarries, etc. Then discovered online urbex around five years ago and eventually made my first explore specifically for online posting, which was Racal Electronics in Seaton.


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## megalith6

*tunnel vision*

1st exploration would probably have been the disused railway station and tunnel at Crystal Palace in south London. It was called the High Level station, the lower level one is still in use. The upper station - a terminus - closed in the mid 50's. Me and my mates somehow scrambled over and under layers of precarious corrugated sheeting and tottering fences to gain entrance to the old platforms, at the far end of which was a dark, dank gaping tunnel, long since secured against exploration of the curious. In those days it was open to all comers and in we went. The tunnel curved for about ... 1/4 mile i suppose, so you couldn't see the light at the end when you went in, only a wall of impenetrable darkness and the sound of dripping water from the cavernous Victorian brick ceiling, and the echoing crunch, crunch, crunch of the flints underfoot. The rails and sleepers had all been taken out. At the far end was a fixed steel portcullis that you had to scramble the flints away from at the base, in order to squeeze beneath and gain the full daylight of the tunnel's end. I think you came out in somebody's back garden and had to leg it fast. My only regret is that I didn't carry a camera in those days - with no awareness that the surroundings that we took so much for granted were passing into oblivion even then

http://www.disused-stations.org.uk/u/upper_sydenham/index50.shtml


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## Lady Grey

Munchh said:


> Who were the other people with you, were they relatives? I've learnt through experience that it's not a good idea to take your Mum on an explore.



Ena Sharples (Violet Carson from Coronation Street) never looked lovelier - a really atmospheric photo.


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## megalith6

*cue music*



Mshegs said:


> Ena Sharples (Violet Carson from Coronation Street) never looked lovelier - a really atmospheric photo.



Ena & Minnie brooding over a barley wine in the Rover's Return _by gum_ - if there's one thing to twist my intestines into knots it's the theme tune to Coronation Street :icon_evil



Ric


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## Lady Grey

Hee Hee.


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## RedDave

I was still in primary school at the time when I explored "the cave", actually the entrance to a long-disused mine, along with some other boys from my school. It was very small: just one largish chamber, a smaller one at the back, and a passage at the side you had to crawl through which didn't go anywhere interesting. But it did feel like we were explorers at the time, though.

My first proper exploration, with a camera, and an awareness of UE, was of Thornton Fever Hospital just over three years ago. I had carefully selected it for easy accessibility, but still worried there might be some sort of security. I spotted someone in the grounds, who was showing a couple around. I asked him if it was OK if I took some photographs of the buildings. He didn't mind, but said he didn't own the place, and it was at my own risk. It was late and getting dark, I had to use flash, and the photos weren't very good. But it meant that if I could explore there, I could explore other places too. I went back two years later and took better pictures.


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## Captain-Slow

First explore was Barlands Quarry, Swansea. Must have been about 1994.


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## hydealfred

One of my first was the Torpedo Shed at Worthy Down Airfield which has since been demolished. Rather annoying as I took a load of shots which I now cant find


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## RichardB

I suppose this would have been mine. Its fate was typical of mansion type houses. The last of the original family owners ended up living in one room and the kitchen while the rest of it crumbled, they died, there were a couple of half-arsed attempts to make it into a hotel and eventually it was demolished to make way for some Lego houses.






It was empty from the mid 70s until the early 90s.


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## DubbedNavigator

My first with a good friend of mine to a working quarry in Essex, not an urbex as such but it still got me very very interested

One day we were talking about it and he started coming out with horror stories about him and some mates crawling through the tunnels of a really creepy mental asylum and how massive it was - this fascinated me so i asked him to take me there

The next day i went on my first explore of Severalls Asylum..!

The funny thing is that he thinks now that i do it on a regular basis, im crazy and insane and hasnt done anything similar again!


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## Angelus

My first explore was in Planet Ice. Was a meet up on another forum when it used to be good. I loved it though.

But the highlight was watching a certain tit get arrested. Ahhhhhhhh


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## hnmisty

First ruin (or half ruin, a lot more has come down since) was probably at the age of several months viewed from over a parent's shoulder! 

First abandoned place that I can remember (most of my explores have been ruins) was aged about 6, in the Spanish Pyrenees.

Actually, most of my explores have been with family, we've tended to hunt them out on holiday. Now I'm hoping to go further afield and be a bit more adventurous!


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## 0xygen

My first "propper explore" was Cane Hill back in early 2008. I remember shaking with adrenaline constantly as I couldn't quite take in that I'd made to the inside of this notorious derelict asylum that I'd read/heard so much about. After that I was hooked!

-0xy


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## Captain-Slow

Another early one that followed my first was Ynys-Y-Plant Childrens Home nr Mumbles, its long been demolished and turned into housing.


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## lizzibear

klempner69 said:


> Moggies had a smell of their own didnt they..such a simple car mechanically but at least it had a heater.Love your signature Lizzy,I presume you are a fan of the man?



Moggies had a smell and sound of their own! The Woody was awesome, mushrooms used to grow in it! The mechanical simplicity was pure genius, Issigonis is a hero of mine (huge Mini fan) Dad used to have several Moggy engines laying around, when one got tired he'd whip it out and replace with a refurbed one.

Fan of the man? Yeah, and his daughter! I have a filthy sense of humour!


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## amarisfionn

I used to wander into all sorts of buildings as a kid but my first official "explore" was Cane Hill .. at night .. in the snow .. It wasn't a planned explore it just kind of happened on the way back from a day in London .. was an amazing first explore .. my friend fell through the floor, we nearly got caught by security and we had one tiny torch and a phones light to guide us round .. but I will never forget it and how impressive it looked even though it was dark and cold! I went back many times after that as I fell in love with it at first site and every time I roll through Coulsdon train station I can't help but want to get off and do that familiar walk but sadly .. nothing left to see anymore


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## amarisfionn

mookster said:


>



Thats me in that left hand corner lol! I remember how excited you were to go to Hellingly .. even if we didnt get that long there that day it was an amazing place.


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## Hessian

My first officially name Urbex explore would have been Hellingly, when Monk and Jackal kindly offered to show me around. But as with most I think the urge originates in your childhood when you just HAVE to look in every open door, window and hole


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## tank2020

I suppose the first time I had a explore of a derelict property was when I was about 13, in an old derelict water mill in Horner, Somerset (now renovated) My mate fell down the stairs after saying he heard child laughter in the building and fell running away scared.

My first explore activley looking to do it was probably the old Royal Marines Barracks in Deal, didn't think to take pic at that time, sadly and later that year the detached Bastion Western Heights, Dover


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## theoss

First one with a camera was Atlantis Water Park in Scarborough. And I just felt like I needed skin grafts really since the slides have a high co-effiecient of friction when dry;




Atlantis scarborough by theoss, on Flickr


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## green giant

Excellent thread, and a great insight into what inspired people to enter the wonderful world of urbex!

My first experience was north weald redoubt bunker/ ongar radio, wasn't so much of an explore though, more of a makeshift airsoft arena for myself and few friends to shoot each other, mostly undisturbed


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## urban phantom

Hi all my first explore was nocton hospital i went with my wife it was great but slamming doors were verry off putting and kept making me jump


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## st33ly

I think my first explore was the W.G Hughes pen nib factory on Legge Lane. I never got round to uploading the pics so I may have to fish them out and do it.


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## PaulPowers

I'd say my first explore was when I was about 15, myself and a friend crawled up Cookie Culvert.


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## mersonwhoopie

My first was the PBI in Waltham Abbey, although at the time I didn't really think much of it, just somewhere diff to hangout.. How I wish I shared the same love for it then


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## CatVstyle

I think my first explore was actually Hellingly Hospital! 

Although that would've been about 7-8 years ago now.


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## krela

Parcelforce next to Temple Meads Station in Bristol, before it was stripped out. Waaaay back in 2003 or 2004 I think.


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## klempner69

Chiseldon Army camp summer 1974


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