Favourite type of site?

[shatters]

If it's a place that localish to me, it doesn't matter

You hit on a very good point there Sal. I wont travel half way across the country to visit a site, it has to be of some local historical value.

Phil

 

[james.s]

Me too, I suppose, there is a lot of stuff near me. I would love to do some of the further afield site, but I am only 16, so that would be difficult. Battersea is a must, however, so was Cane Hill, but that is not possible now for obvious reasons.

 

[Foxylady]

...don't let's forget that although a place has only recently become derelict, unless you move fast, it quite often won't be there in a decayed state, as it's likely to become office blocks or houses before you know it...

Yes, that's true. If I come across anything explorable then I do explore it, whether it's personally interesting or not...in fact just the act of exploring it often makes it interesting, I've found. I guess what I'm saying, is that I wouldn't go inordinately out of my way to explore something like that and neither do they have the same appeal as other things on the forum.

 

[ricasso]

At the risk of sounding a tad wierd, does anyone else think that the smell of a place can be relevant in your favourite sites ?
for example,for me the smell of an old farm tractor shed or workshop that retains that mix of diesel,oil,and general dust and crap, that always puts a smile on my face, also the damp mouldy smell we all know and love
to be found in many an old house etc.
cant imagine what you drainers enjoy though !

 

[james.s]

At the risk of sounding a tad wierd, does anyone else think that the smell of a place can be relevant in your favourite sites ?
for example,for me the smell of an old farm tractor shed or workshop that retains that mix of diesel,oil,and general dust and crap, that always puts a smile on my face, also the damp mouldy smell we all know and love
to be found in many an old house etc.
cant imagine what you drainers enjoy though !

I am also quite partial to the mouldy smell, and oil. I hate the smell of burnt out buildings though.

 

[Foxylady]

If it's a place that localish to me...

Agree with Phil there, that's a really good point, Sal. Local history's a big thing for me too.

At the risk of sounding a tad wierd, does anyone else think that the smell of a place can be relevant in your favourite sites ?

Funny you should say that! I was sitting here a minute ago and realised I could still smell the manure that we trudged through at RAF Culmhead yesterday. I will have to clean my boots at some point!
Tis a good point.

 

[BigLoada]

At the risk of sounding a tad wierd, does anyone else think that the smell of a place can be relevant in your favourite sites ?
for example,for me the smell of an old farm tractor shed or workshop that retains that mix of diesel,oil,and general dust and crap, that always puts a smile on my face, also the damp mouldy smell we all know and love
to be found in many an old house etc.
cant imagine what you drainers enjoy though !

Exactly mate! In mines there is a particular fragrance, wet mud mixed with stone dust and its a bit like when you open an antique book and sniff the pages, kinda foisty but pleasant. I love that. But then I love the perfume of silage on farms too

 

[shatters]

Everywhere I go seems to smell of cow ****, or maybe it's just me

Phil

 

[Foxylady]

...In mines there is a particular fragrance, wet mud mixed with stone dust...

Ooooh, yes...the smell of underground limestone quarries. I love that smell.

 

[thirtyfootscrew]

I guess I like all sorts but prefer the more unusual or sites that still have plenty of stuff left in them - the weirder the better. Out of the list I'd say my true favourites are Military, Industrial and then Hospitals.

the smell of an old farm tractor shed or workshop that retains that mix of diesel,oil,and general dust and crap, that always puts a smile on my face

I totally get you on that one, I'm not keen on the general 'mouldy' smell but I love the grease/oil smell you get in industrial sites but I'm one of those people who likes the smell of petrol too.

 

[Trudger]

My preference is residential because I'm always on the lookout for an investment property or a 'fixer-upper' ! but I also love industrial, WW2 stuff and rural.
I love the 'house in the middle of no-where' type of place.

T

 

[escortmad79]

Hospitals, factories & industrial, rural (farms & cottages), castles, churches, leisure locations (pubs, clubs, pleasure parks)

 

[sheep21]

Defence & Industry have been my main ports of call so far but I would love to visit some Hospitals, Hotels and maybe when im equipped for it a big drain

 

[sheep21]

oops double post

 

[shatters]

The most inspiring things on here for me are Bigloads mines, but as I do all my exploring on my own they're out of the question, will just have to make do looking at his reports

Phil

 

[**Mudlark**]

I love the old industrial stuff.
Vast open spaces with huge girders and concrete floors....... the bigger the better! yummy!
My favourite urbex moment was in the fab shed at Hawthorn Leslie, stotting a golf ball on the floor and listening to the silence between its echoing bounces. I love to feel tiny in spaces like that!
Being a tynesider i'm fascinated by the shipyards too and loving the research that goes with it. My great grandad worked on the Mauretania as a corker i have found out, simply through the research track i followed when researching Neptune Yard and Swan Hunters. I like the idea that i have a connection with these places. In fact, my signature was the motto that was above the gate at Neptunes.

I like to get a feel for a place so i try and reseach where i can. Old theatres and cinemas have an amazing if not sad atmosphere, hospitals and asylums are more for their environment rather than what goes with it. Still, i find decay beautiful and i love to see how nature creeps up on a place and slowly takes it back.

Recently vacated places are great for the paperwork (DAVE i'm blaming YOU for that one......)

And i'm fascinated by fire and the damage it does, what it touches and what it doesnt. The smell reminds me of my first explore as access was caused very kindly by the fire brigade only a few weeks earlier!

hummm, thats about it really, my reasons explained!

 

[Sabtr]

I don't know where to start!

Smells - yes. Smells are great. Old oils and rubber mixed with dust and vegetation. Mmm...

I like pretty much everything and don't like the "Ninja" side of things. I have done it once - remember BigLoada? - and it saved our ars*s.

Rust and greenery combined is my favourite combination. Finding relics from the past half buried in the ground is good too. It was only last Friday that I found a coal face workers boot. The toes were scraped away and the soles were scoured away by sharp rocks. Many folk would walk past something like that but it was a link to the past. That can be magical.

Research is good stuff too. Forget those brain-training games. Locating, researching and finally finding a site is fantastic. The "chase" can be exciting and challenging. It's the stuff that fires me up.

What would I be doing if I didn't do what I do here? I'd hate to think.......

 

[tigger2]

Just about anything though mainly things that aren't too technical. Never been a big fan of sewers though I like to see other peoples photos of the brickwork etc.
Always try and scout out any military sites when I'm travelling and used to take in a lot of railway stuff...combine the two at ROF Risley (though very little is now visible of the phosphor-bronze railway lines and WBC would demolish the four remaining bunkers if they didn't need the cash for their expense accounts)

 

[BigLoada]

The most inspiring things on here for me are Bigloads mines, but as I do all my exploring on my own they're out of the question, will just have to make do looking at his reports

Phil

Thanks mate, thats nice of you. PM on its way to you

 

[james.s]

I love underground stuff, having been down an old mine near me a few times. Nice to see what everyone likes, Keep it coming!