Wanted to experience the trip from start to finish - so I entered the the upstream entrance. Very quicky you are into chest deep water. But its only for a short while, and this time I was wearing my wetsuit, so I didn’t feel a thing. If only I could say the same for the Canon. Got out the camera and the Peli case was FULL OF WATER!! WTF? I just looked in disbelief. I mean this on the night before I head off to Mexico as well, and the bloody camera is F****d.

Well I guess I won’t be taking any pictures anytime soon. This is my first Pelicase failure and I still can’t quite work out how it happened. It wasn’t underwater for long. I cursed myself for not putting the bag over my head.

Well, I wasn’t going to let this set back stop me from exploring. Three passages up ahead. The masonry was amazing. All the passages are high and split the stream into three. A little way along as stream joins from the left and I assume that this is the Porter Brook. I explored up it for a way, but there was a considerable amount of debris and I shall have to continue this another time to see if I am correct.

Now and again the passages meet in chamber, there are steps down.

Finally what I have been waiting for - The Megatron Archway and I am not disappointed. It is great and what I hadn’t realised from the photos is that the arches are so stepped. The stone work is supurb. The brick work in the middle arch is beautiful.

I am awed. If I never see this place again, I will be truly happy for having seen it in the first place.

I walk back gutted about my camera.

After thinking it over for several months, I finally bit the bullet and went looking for some underground rivers in Sheffield. I had intended to go to Megatron, but in the end I went and checked out another tunnel which I believe will ultimately link up with Megatron. I have a new bright light on order and thought I’d save that biggy for when I can get good piccies of it.

This first encounter with the underworld of Sheffield City was a solo mission. Being in the tunnels did feel different

actually. There is a definite roar of water. Very different environment to that of some of the drains in Sydney that I’ve visited.

The water was also a little deeper on entry than I anticipated and my phone ended up getting wet and lost functionality. Given I’d set a call out for about 1am, I was also cautious of not getting back home in time to cancel it (I’d have to use my land line)

I’d say I probably walked about ¼ of a mile underground.

It starts with a nice brick tunnel, becomes stone and then gets into concrete.

There were already getting some really nice features to it.

I will endeavour to return soon.

There is a short film

to follow - but basically we got into this very strange morgue.

The whole place still filled with old razors and chemicals.

We got busted as we left and asked to leave the site.

Was given a tip off about this Crypt up in the North West Sunderland area. It was quite the amazing thing. Underneath a building in an industrial backstreet.

It was found in the most unlikely area and yet what we discovered was rather interesting. There were several catacombs and within these were bodies in the process of being exhumed.

(you may need to minimise this for a couple of minutes while it loads)

It was an interesting experience this….BahlangCinema.wmv

 

On the South Bank of the river Thames, Battersea Power Station stands proud over London. Over a city that it once powered. From the houses of parliament to the south western suburbs. Four huge white chimneys set against a dark clear night. A beckoning climb…

This time I’d been the one that made the call - to say ‘Hey guess what I found!”. Stepping Lightly was recovering from a bit of a back injury so it was hit or miss if we’d be able to squeeze this climb into January.

I was very confident. Since I’d seen the line of bolts on the December visit - I’d pictured myself at the top of the chimney. The view from the scaffold is good, but the view from the very top would be outstanding!

SL had some Etriers (these are a series of loop slings you can stand in) several quickdraws and steel caribiners . He set off up the chimney, clipping into the bolts on the way. I belayed him up the climb. He moved quickly efficiently and I was able to take several good shots of his progress upwards.

The night was clear, cold with about wind of 12mph, the wind was quite biting. I was pleased of my alpine gloves. I could also feel the adrenaline of the situation making me slightly sick.

  He reached the top and aided onto the top of the chimney. He has dragged up a static line behind him. He then absailed down the static line and it was my turn.  

On reflection the climb wasn’t as high as I’d first envisaged. It was about 35m.

I tied off the static line to the bottom and I set upwards on the rope. I jumared up to the rim of the chimney , to where the anchors were. From here I was able to really admire the view. With so many anchors I actually felt very comfortable. It was amazing.

There are no surrounding buildings to obscure your view from up here.

SL said before I set off:

“Climbing Battersea -its not something you do twice in your life”

I just soaked it up. You really do have London at your feet.

From the top of Battersea there are phenomenal views of city and the river snakes away, taking its reflections with it. A party boat passes by. All is quiet at the top of the chimney. Only the white noise of wind brushing past my helmet.

I took as many photos as I could and then made my way back down.

We made our way out of the site and drove back North.

View Photo Album

I’d seen this chimney and estimated it  to be between 35 and 40m high. I’d also already been chucked off the site previously by security. But I was gung ho and I wanted to climb the chimney

This was the first ever climb I’d done with Stepping Lightly. We geared up in one of the sheds on the site and then snuck over to the chimney. It was an amazing day with blue skies up above us. I led the ladder pitch on which we used a 60m rope. The chimney was actually 65m in the end. How could I have underestimated that so badly huh?

My arms were pretty pumped actually by the end of it. I brought up Stepping Lightly we admired the view. I saw the security van driving around below us, but we figured he hadn’t seen us. We climbed back down,but just as we’d put all our stuff back in the bags the police showed up.

 ”What were you doing climbing the chimney” says policeman

“Just having a play officer” says SL

We were escorted off the site and the policeman gave us a lift home, asked lots of questions about climbing and caving and let me out at the end of my street to ‘avoid embarrassment’. They did give us both a lecture about causing a nuisence and wasting emergency services time (apparently fire and ambulance had been put on alert), but were really nice guys.

View Photo Album

Stepping Lightly climbed first and he just climbs so fast that its hard to keep up with the belaying, he set up an additional safety net, a quick draw through an eyelet on the top of the wing, should I wish to go for the head. He lowered off and it was my turn.

I was nervous and excited. There was a guy at the bus-stop who had seen us. But he seemed drunk and unlikely to call the police. I started up the front.

One great thing about this is that you need to climb it with your arms outstretched and hold onto the fins of metal, simulatiously you need to do somekind of internal reverse bridge against the same fins to balance. It feels at the start like you are twisting your knee unnaturally and then putting pressure on it.

The metal was cold in my hands. I was getting focused. I got to the first ledge and got my heal up onto it, way above my head. A pull up layback move with my hands and a huge dynamic rock over and I was standing on the ledge. Phew. Rest - shake my arms out. That was a really insane move to pull. I was pumped already and only a third of the way. Above me the Angel bulged. It was getting steeper, I could see one move was overhanging.

Climbing on the body, I knew if I fell off I’d swing out and under the wing into midair. It was safe, but not a pleasant prospect. I had better not fall off. I was SO FOCUSED. I wanted this so much. I reminded myself this was my dream.

I set off again. Up the next section. The fins were getting closer together here so a different move was needed. Same with the hands, but this time you almost grip the central fin with your knees and splay your legs outwards to press against the inside of the fins, and walk up.

Next ledge, same move. This time I was able to shuffle up and rest half way through it, by resting my elbow on the ledge. Deep breathing. Move complete.

I traversed along the ledge leftwards to get to the wing.

I completed the rest of the climb up the corner between the wing and the body. I back and footed most of it. This was my first opportunity to see the view. The roads snake away in all directions. Its phenomenal!

Then the shoulder came in sight, beautiful. Its such a beautiful structure. I could almost feel the muscle tone in Mr Angels deltoid. I was up.

I said hello.

The head is twice my height. He is amazing.

I looked out accross the wing: Standing on the wing, sitting on the wing. Its calm and it feels right. The wing feels as if it was made to be sat on, its like horse’s back, it has that kind of curve to it!

The guy at the bustop whooped and whistled and jumped up and down.

I decided against climbing the head. I was so pumped and didn’t want to take a lead fall on this thing. Stepping Lightly had told me he thought the head was about British 6c - way above my technical grade.

I lowered off. Stepping lightly made another ascent, at lightning speed and claimed the head. He is a joy to watch.

Thank-you to Stepping Lightly who made this dream possible for me - he is “Jim’ll Fix it for you”

Thank-you to Sine Cura for recording these photos and allowing me to display them here on my website.

Thank-you Anthony Gormley whose sculpture is one of the best in the world, and whose art I admire
http://www.antonygormley.com/newsite/index.html

Thank-you to Mr Angel himself, who was so magnificent to ascend.

(more information about the Statue at http://www.antonygormley.com/newsite…hp?projectid=5)

The sign on the door of 28DaysLater reads:

 _______________________

 The end of an era, or the beginning of a new one?

For now the forums are closed. They might return, they might not. It all depends whether I feel like it in the future. But by then no doubt time will have passed us by, and you’ll find somewhere else. Most of you have a second home anyway.

Why? Forums are wrecking UE. Too much politics, abuse, opinions and bullshit. Sod that. It was supposed to be a friendly thing and it’s clearly not.

I’ll keep on exploring. Most people I know will. But the great places I go will just be for my eyes only and that’s probably the best way. No hordes of people following, no danger of places getting locked down.

So, in the last couple of years, I hope we’ve opened your eyes to the unseen. Some of you have been converted, some of you hate us. Regardless, we’ve had an impact and I hope you’ll remember us.

For anyone that cares to get in touch, my email is anchorspreadable@gmail.com

Take care and farewell.

Chris aka Oxygen Thief.

________________________

 My further comment:

The game has ended, and 28days later was a game.

It was a political and strategic game. It was a heirarchy, each person vying for a place within the structure.

 Most of the best explorers though never ventured onto the forums, or if they did they didn’t make themselves known. They remained clandestine.

 Now we are back to the darkness. No guidebooks. There are other forums, but I for one prefer to make my own way.

Angel