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Now ye're talking - to an Urban Explorer

  • 29-01-2019 12:54pm
    #1
    Boards.ie Employee Posts: 12,597 ✭✭✭✭✭Boards.ie: Niamh
    Boards.ie Community Manager


    Our next guest this week is an urban explorer. An urban explorer goes to abandoned buildings, usually quite old but not always, and takes photos of what is left. They have included abandoned hospitals, private homes, industrial buildings, cinemas, theatres, etc. Andy posts his photos over on his website, Behind Closed Doors. They really are something special so do take a look.

    From his website:
    Finding hidden secrets…
    Why are the doors closed if there’s nothing behind them worth seeing? If there’s a way in I’ll take it, take a look around and take some pictures. It’s amazing what you can find behind closed doors.
    All the photos on this website are taken at locations that are generally considered to be off limits to the public. Forgotten and abandoned places often hold stunning architecture, left to decay. The art of visiting forgotten places is called Urban Exploring, or Urbex for short.

    So, you break into places?
    No, absolutely not! I will never cause any damage in order to gain access to a property, that would be illegal. I will only ever use existing access points. If there is no open access point available I will simply move on.

    Andy would like to answer your questions about urban exploring and his photography.


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Comments



  • Have you explored any abandoned Railway Bridges / Viaducts? Do you always heed "KEEP AWAY" signs?

    I explored the 'Red Iron' railway bridge near Waterford city a good few years ago.


  • Registered Users Posts: 8,512 ✭✭✭baby and crumble


    Great thread, can't wait to read some more!

    I've done some social research into institutionalization in Ireland, and whenever I'd visit old asylums that were still functioning as care homes etc I'd get quite weird feelings - you kinda knew some bad stuff went down. Do you ever feel like that in the abandoned places? Ever have anything spooky or unexplained happen when you're in there?

    Do you go on your own, or with friends?

    What's the legalities of this kind of hobby - are these buildings classed as private property?


  • Company Representative Posts: 31 Verified rep I'm an Urban Explorer, AMA


    Have you explored any abandoned Railway Bridges / Viaducts? Do you always heed "KEEP AWAY" signs?

    I explored the 'Red Iron' railway bridge near Waterford city a good few years ago.

    I focus more on building interiors rather than civil engineered structures, so I’ve not really looked at any railway bridges, etc.

    “Keep Away” signs are like in invitation to me, I always wonder what is beyond that sign, and quite often go have a look.


  • Company Representative Posts: 31 Verified rep I'm an Urban Explorer, AMA


    Great thread, can't wait to read some more!

    I've done some social research into institutionalization in Ireland, and whenever I'd visit old asylums that were still functioning as care homes etc I'd get quite weird feelings - you kinda knew some bad stuff went down. Do you ever feel like that in the abandoned places? Ever have anything spooky or unexplained happen when you're in there?

    Do you go on your own, or with friends?

    What's the legalities of this kind of hobby - are these buildings classed as private property?

    Great questions there.

    I don’t really believe in ghosts or anything like that, and I can’t say I’ve experienced anything paranormal or spooky. However I often read up about the history of a location before visiting, and then find evidence of the barbaric or inhumane treatment I’d read about that took place in such places. Reading about these things is one thing, but seeing what’s left can certainly spark some weird feelings.

    I usually go with a trusted friend or small group, although I will visit places on my own on a rare occasion. It can get quite intense on your own in abandoned places sometimes!

    The buildings are classed as private property, even if disused or abandoned. This means it’s trespass which is classed as a civil offence, not criminal, or in other words you can’t get arrested just for being there. If I was to refuse to leave when asked to, had caused any kind of damage, or had stolen something then I’d be facing criminal charges, so we are careful to avoid any of those things.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 14,846 ✭✭✭✭Liam McPoyle


    Have you ever found

    - money
    - a dead body
    - a meth lab / grow house / criminal enterprise
    - anything valuable

    If you did find any of the above, what did / would you do?

    Do you ever take souvenirs?

    Do you make multiple visits to the same site or is it a case of one and done?

    Whats the most jaw dropping place you've discovered?

    Ever had any near death experiences while exploring?


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  • Registered Users Posts: 88 ✭✭corminators


    Have you ever disturbed junkies living in one of these places?


  • Registered Users Posts: 3,914 ✭✭✭Kevhog1988


    Have you ever been arrested for trespass?


  • Registered Users Posts: 9,761 ✭✭✭Effects


    The buildings are classed as private property, even if disused or abandoned. This means it’s trespass which is classed as a civil offence, not criminal, or in other words you can’t get arrested just for being there. If I was to refuse to leave when asked to, had caused any kind of damage, or had stolen something then I’d be facing criminal charges, so we are careful to avoid any of those things.

    Is this still the case if there are clear signs up about it being private property and trespassers will be prosecuted? As opposed to an abandoned building that has no signs outside.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 4,732 ✭✭✭BarryD2


    Would you break a window or door to gain entry? Or do you only enter if it's possible to leave/ enter without causing damage. Sometimes poke around old abandoned rural houses myself, quite poignant at times.

    How do you assess potential rotting floorboards, decaying staircases?


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,681 ✭✭✭Standman


    ... However I often read up about the history of a location before visiting, and then find evidence of the barbaric or inhumane treatment I’d read about that took place in such places. ...


    Wow... can you elaborate on this a bit? What have you found?


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  • Company Representative Posts: 31 Verified rep I'm an Urban Explorer, AMA


    Have you ever found

    - money
    - a dead body
    - a meth lab / grow house / criminal enterprise
    - anything valuable

    If you did find any of the above, what did / would you do?

    Do you ever take souvenirs?

    Do you make multiple visits to the same site or is it a case of one and done?

    Whats the most jaw dropping place you've discovered?

    Ever had any near death experiences while exploring?

    Money – Yes. But not much.

    Dead Body – No!

    Meth lab / grow house – We have found evidence of a grow in one place, but even that had been abandoned by the time we got there!

    Anything valuable – Yes, quite a lot. Some of the places we visit would be considered disused, rather than abandoned I guess. Country houses are a good example of this, they are often no longer lived in, but oil paintings, antique furniture and ornaments often still remain.

    We left all of the above have been in place. I refrain from posting such places on the Internet until I know the valuable items are no longer there or have been secured, as I don’t want to advertise such items to thieves.

    Yep, if I’m honest I have taken the odd souvenir, but never anything of value or something that would be missed.

    As much as possible I try to stick to one visit per location, however I want to ensure the reports on my website are as thorough as possible, so sometimes it takes more than one visit if I miss something, or get rumbled during a visit.

    The most jaw dropping…. That’s a hard one to answer as places are stunning in different ways. I love industrial locations, and there’s one place in particular that stands out in my memories. It’s called Diesel Centrale, it’s a vintage diesel-fired power station in Austria, and is extremely well preserved.

    I’ve not had any near death experiences.


  • Company Representative Posts: 31 Verified rep I'm an Urban Explorer, AMA


    Have you ever disturbed junkies living in one of these places?

    Yeah, it happens from time to time, especially in old cinemas/theatres. It’s never been an issue, but is unnerving to say the least!


  • Company Representative Posts: 31 Verified rep I'm an Urban Explorer, AMA


    Have you ever been arrested for trespass?

    Yep, in Germany. In the UK trespass is not a criminal offence, so the police can only ask us to leave. If we were to refuse it would become aggravated trespass, for which they could arrest us for. We have encountered the police a few times but we always comply with their requests and have never been arrested in the UK. In Germany things are a bit different, and we received fines for being found in an abandoned hospital.


  • Company Representative Posts: 31 Verified rep I'm an Urban Explorer, AMA


    Effects wrote: »
    Is this still the case if there are clear signs up about it being private property and trespassers will be prosecuted? As opposed to an abandoned building that has no signs outside.

    It makes absolutely no difference. As trespass is not a criminal offence, you cannot be prosecuted for it, regardless of what the sign says. Land owners can take the matter to court privately to recover damages if they wish, but they will need to prove that the person trespassing has caused them to incur expenses or loss of earnings.


  • Company Representative Posts: 31 Verified rep I'm an Urban Explorer, AMA


    BarryD2 wrote: »
    Would you break a window or door to gain entry? Or do you only enter if it's possible to leave/ enter without causing damage. Sometimes poke around old abandoned rural houses myself, quite poignant at times.

    How do you assess potential rotting floorboards, decaying staircases?

    No, we never break anything to get in. Sometimes it’s annoying, but other times we can be very creative to find ways in - via basements, from the roof, or any manner of ways that don’t involve causing damage. That is half the fun really and can be very rewarding when we manage it in the end.

    Often, people who are new to the hobby will start off exploring long-abandoned and decaying locations where rotting floorboards are a problem. I vividly remember the feeling or horror when my foot went through a floorboard once not long after I started exploring, but luckily that is the only experience like that I’ve had. It’s not really a problem for us now as we rarely visit places that are that far gone.


  • Registered Users Posts: 11,867 ✭✭✭✭GBX


    Ive seen some very interesting and creepy images online/Instagram/Facebook. Always intriguing to see whats just been left behind for whatever reason.
    Some great pics on your site !


  • Company Representative Posts: 31 Verified rep I'm an Urban Explorer, AMA


    Standman wrote: »
    Wow... can you elaborate on this a bit? What have you found?

    In a few old asylums we have found machines for electric shock treatment, old medical tools such as bone saws and evidence of frontal lobotomies. We have found chairs and beds in old hospitals with arm and leg restraints, either for use while performing operations or for restraining patients for long periods while on wards. One location we visited in Belgium had a selection of babies and foetuses preserved in formaldehyde filled jars, each one featuring a different deformity. Some of the jars were not fully sealed, allowing the formaldehyde to dry out leaving rotted human remains behind.


  • Registered Users Posts: 51 ✭✭Tr_18


    I've been into the Odlums building in Cork part way through the demolition and a building site in Dublin and have always wanted to explore more locations.

    If security are suspicious and call out, do you present yourself or try to hide?

    How do you deal with aggravated property owners/security when found?

    Do you try to keep your distance until the Garda arrive of run away if you have the opportunity?


  • Company Representative Posts: 31 Verified rep I'm an Urban Explorer, AMA


    Tr_18 wrote: »
    I've been into the Odlums building in Cork part way through the demolition and a building site in Dublin and have always wanted to explore more locations.

    If security are suspicious and call out, do you present yourself or try to hide?

    How do you deal with aggravated property owners/security when found?

    Do you try to keep your distance until the Garda arrive of run away if you have the opportunity?

    How we respond to security depends on the situation. If we can hide and get away without actually encountering security, we will. However if we are face to face with them, we’ll usually just give ourselves up as it’s easier for everyone and instils trust that we are not there for malicious purposes.

    Aggravated owners are our biggest fear. A good security firm will not pose a threat to our safety, but you cannot predict what a private owner might do – they will feel threatened and will likely be annoyed so we try to escape them whenever possible! If we can’t get away, talking, remaining calm and being polite goes a long way to diffuse the situation, and people usually relax a bit when they realise we are not a threat to them.


  • Registered Users Posts: 403 ✭✭E mac


    Most surprising building you have discovered ?


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  • Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators, Regional East Moderators, Regional North West Moderators Posts: 11,893 Mod ✭✭✭✭miamee


    Great photos on your site! How do you decide where to visit? You seem to have been to quite a few places, is there some sort of network that you'd find out from local urban explorers about good places to check out and return the favour if they were in your area? Or do you have to do your own research and pick a few potential sites to visit when abroad?


  • Registered Users Posts: 13,979 ✭✭✭✭Johnboy1951


    What do you see as the difference, either morally or legally, between these two

    You enter, unauthorised, a building no longer in use

    You enter my home, unauthorised, while I am on an extended holiday.

    Both buildings have owners.
    The contents of those buildings are owned.
    There is a reasonable expectation that what is inside is private.


  • Company Representative Posts: 31 Verified rep I'm an Urban Explorer, AMA


    miamee wrote: »
    Great photos on your site! How do you decide where to visit? You seem to have been to quite a few places, is there some sort of network that you'd find out from local urban explorers about good places to check out and return the favour if they were in your area? Or do you have to do your own research and pick a few potential sites to visit when abroad?

    There is a community of likeminded people based around a few forums, and we do share places that we have discovered. However, there are quite a few urban exploring websites and I don’t want to be posting up the same places as all the others, so almost all the locations on there are ones we have found ourselves through research. I always have a bit of a list of potential sites waiting to be checked out, but if we discover somewhere that looks like it has more potential for photo opportunities we’ll often head straight there that weekend.


  • Company Representative Posts: 31 Verified rep I'm an Urban Explorer, AMA


    What do you see as the difference, either morally or legally, between these two

    You enter, unauthorised, a building no longer in use

    You enter my home, unauthorised, while I am on an extended holiday.

    Both buildings have owners.
    The contents of those buildings are owned.
    There is a reasonable expectation that what is inside is private.

    Great question! Legally, there isn’t much difference, and really this comes down to what I feel is morally acceptable. I have visited a couple of abandoned houses in the past and didn’t like the experience – even without occupants it felt wrong to be there.

    The difference, to me, is personal space, and I don’t feel comfortable invading someone’s personal space, whereas a business premises (for example), while still owned by somebody, is not personal to an individual.


  • Registered Users Posts: 13,979 ✭✭✭✭Johnboy1951


    Great question! Legally, there isn’t much difference, and really this comes down to what I feel is morally acceptable. I have visited a couple of abandoned houses in the past and didn’t like the experience – even without occupants it felt wrong to be there.

    The difference, to me, is personal space, and I don’t feel comfortable invading someone’s personal space, whereas a business premises (for example), while still owned by somebody, is not personal to an individual.

    Thanks.

    I was not previously aware it is not a criminal offence to enter someone's home without authorisation.


  • Company Representative Posts: 31 Verified rep I'm an Urban Explorer, AMA


    I was not previously aware it is not a criminal offence to enter someone's home without authorisation.

    Over here in England that is certainly the case, it would only be a criminal offence if damage was caused in order to enter. I know it's similar in other many countries, but I'm no expert on Irish law so don't quote me, things could well be different over there.


  • Registered Users Posts: 9,761 ✭✭✭Effects


    Over here in England that is certainly the case, it would only be a criminal offence if damage was caused in order to enter. I know it's similar in other many countries, but I'm no expert on Irish law so don't quote me, things could well be different over there.

    It's the same here. I consulted a solicitor about it a few years ago.

    The fact they often have signs these days about prosecuting is what made me unsure if there was a change.


  • Registered Users Posts: 13,979 ✭✭✭✭Johnboy1951


    Over here in England that is certainly the case, it would only be a criminal offence if damage was caused in order to enter. I know it's similar in other many countries, but I'm no expert on Irish law so don't quote me, things could well be different over there.

    I had a look at the 1994 act, and if that has not been updated, presence on a premises if not causing someone to be fearful, is not criminal, and only becomes so if refusing to leave in an orderly fashion, or if the trespass intent was to commit an offence.
    Maybe there are other laws governing it, but I did not come across them if so.

    http://revisedacts.lawreform.ie/eli/1994/act/2/section/13/revised/en/html

    http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/1994/act/2/section/11/enacted/en/html#sec11

    As I said there might well be others, but the above seems to coincide with the English law you previously explained.

    ;)


  • Registered Users Posts: 922 ✭✭✭crustybla


    Wow, your site is amazing! The photos are fab, really gets the imagination going. The asylums are tough to look at. Hellish places.


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  • Registered Users Posts: 922 ✭✭✭crustybla


    Wow, your site is amazing, photos are fab! Those asylums though, hellish places. You must shudder sometimes. Have you ever been in a place and couldn't wait to get out?


This discussion has been closed.
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