Report - Pear Mill Chim, Stockport June 2019

[admin]

I certainly won't be climbing up that death trap to throw you off the property.

Who are you exactly, and what's your point ?

 

[The Lone Ranger]

I certainly won't be climbing up that death trap to throw you off the property.

What we usually find is the fat old security guards are usually pulling one off while watching PornHub in their luxury security shed, rather than even stopping people entering the site, so no worries

In, up, down and away even before you get the tissue out. I'd just stick with tossing yourself off.

 

[Airfix]

That's a brave climb a Fred Dibnah appreciation in all it's glory.

 

[Secca]

Who are you exactly, and what's your point ?

I'm just here to brighten everybody's day!

 

[The Lone Ranger]

I'm just here to brighten everybody's day!

That helmet must be nice and shinny now after all that buffering, brighten anyone's day up

 

[Danzibar1]

Pear Mill Chimney

Pear Mill History if you're interested https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1240634

Ever since getting into this exploring lark a few years ago I’ve wanted to get up this chimney. We used to have to drive round it every day to get onto the Stringers Weir site we once worked on. It’s a belter of a chimney as far as brick ones go. There’s even an indoor climbing wall inside the mill but I wasn’t there to climb on no plastic. I had been a few weeks previously, though and was delighted to see that after three years of me patiently waiting someone had laddered the chim all the way up. Well nearly all the way – they stopped short at the bottom, which provided an extra challenge.

Twas in my sights ages ago….

From below

Now I’m not gonna lie I was terrified going up despite all the safety brews and for some reason having George Formby’s I’m Leaning on a Lamp stuck in my head As for the Steeplejacks ladders: they were probably older than Fred himself. There were 13 of them stacked one on top of the other in a wavy line for 200 odd foot and overhanging at the top. They’d been lashed onto eye bolts drilled into the brickwork and to all 10 of the 6” brackets that brace the middle section of the chimney.

My pics weren’t very good. I took me tripod all the way up and back down again and didn’t even get it out of the bag. There’s not really anywhere to set it up so it was handheld pics only

This was the only one that wasn’t handheld. The camera’s resting on the 3” wide lip that separates the inside of the chim from the outside. Manchester’s visible in the background – the security hut isn’t – thankfully. I tried to limit the use of my torch….

The Pear

The tiled roof of the chimney. I wondered why old brick chimneys have a tiled ‘bell end’ like this to climb round. I can only think it was to stop the rain and frost getting in, which it would if water ran down it all the time. The ladders are tied in place at the top and the rope restricts movement. The tiles were grippy though at least, which was just as well.





After I’d taken a few at the top it was time to make my descent so I stepped back round on to the overhanging ladder. I’d not really been looking forward to doing this so I was glad when I’d done it and could finally ‘relax’ (a bit) and take some more pics mid route

Narrow ladders and very narrow ladders alternating like this from bottom to top.

This pear was nearly as rotten as the ladders

And finally on the walk out I did get my tripod out…..

Very glad to have done this and very fortunate to have found it laddered up to the top. Grateful to @albino-jay for the heads up, though And to Ojay for telling me his heads up was for a different chim nearby.

Thanks for lookin’​

You my friend have some big balls !!

 

[Redavni Ecaps]

Holy Crap!

 

[jezzyboo]

wow ! respect i couldnt have done that lovely old chimney well done on getting up there

 

[porky pig]

BALLS OF STEEL! RESPECT

 

[CantClimbTom]

I climbed up a 98m concrete chimney once (Immingham) many years ago, but that was aluminium laddering not wood and it had no overhang (no safety rope of course!). Got to admit I was cr*pping myself. The rest of the job was done from a motorised cradle.

Huge respect to you for doing an overhanging one on traditional wood laddering, don't think I'd have fancied that. You have very big cohones !!! Respect sir!

 

[tallginge]

I climbed up a 98m concrete chimney once (Immingham) many years ago, but that was aluminium laddering not wood and it had no overhang (no safety rope of course!). Got to admit I was cr*pping myself. The rest of the job was done from a motorised cradle.

Huge respect to you for doing an overhanging one on traditional wood laddering, don't think I'd have fancied that. You have very big cohones !!! Respect sir!

Nice and thanks! I did this with two lanyards attached to separate rungs and a harness mate. You'll know from climbing (and i bet youcanclimbtom haha) that short overhangs aren't so scary if yer not already pumped - just a bit exposed that's all. Getting on and off the ladders was the worst bit

 

[Mr Budge]

looks like a great explore not sure how much ide trust ladders held together with bail twine : hats off to you