Day 3 – Tuesday – High Spirits!
Today would be a long day.
After my recent media attention I was offered the chance to explore a great old lace factory in Nottingham. This was done WITH permission and the owner is a really great guy so I’d appreciate it if people left this one alone. If people want to visit here pm me and I will pass on contact details.
The factory is set deep in the lace market of Nottingham, it stretches over 7 floors, most of the floors within the building have very similar layouts but the condition of some parts of the building are remarkable. The stairwells still have all original tiling etc of amazing condition. But the floors are very unstable in some parts due to a roof leak and water dripping down over the last decade. The lift in this building is also still in amazing condition, the door still slides open like it was installed yesterday.
The building next door used to be part of this factory but was hit by a bomb in WW2 and never rebuilt. The space the building occupied is now a car park but walking around the car park you can still see internal walls and tiling of the building that was once there.
The views from the top of this building are some of the best views in Nottingham, I also took the opportunity to climb across to the next building which is a new block of flats which also offered great views.
We finally finished in the Lace Factory and began on our journey. I had arranged for myself and Maniac to meet up with Sneak in Manchester for one of the most adrenaline fuelled nights of my life. Jesus stayed in Nottingham then drove across the next day to meet us in Wales.
Our first stop in Manchester was the GMEX Network, also called the Salford Canal.
I won’t say overly a lot on this one, its been done a lot before, it’s a great little underground site with loads of character, we didn’t have waders so we didn’t manage to see all of it, return visit as soon as I have some money methinks
After the GMEX network we header over to the long abandoned building site at River Street, the views from the top are pretty awesome, and next to a big road for light trails, which is always fun.
Next it was on to a rooftop opposite Albert Square, now I must explain that city centre rooftops are a new thing for me, the experience was amazing. I loved how you could what people far below going about their life oblivious to your presence above them. Our first attempt to gain entry to the roof was delayed by a cook from the takeaway below having a fag break, we sat in Albert Square for a few minutes before attempting it again, this time we made it. We sat there taking in the city, it was so tranquil and relaxed. I could have stayed there for hours.
But alas time was not on our side and we had to move on. On our way back down we scared the shite out of another poor cook on his break jumping a fence and landing right next to him.
Our next stop was another first for me, I can’t remember what this one was called, but it was my favourite of the night. But at last! I have lost my tower crane virginity! And now I want more, I love the adrenaline, the view, everything!
This crane was at the top of a live construction site, I think it was something like 15 stories, it felt like 100 floors going up the stairs. Then out onto the roof tops with the world below.
My photos from here came out shit, I would blame the crane and say it was swaying in the wind, blurring my exposures, which is true, but in all honesty I didn’t really want to take photos, I wanted to spend time taking in the experience, any photos I took are to prove I did it.
Again time was against us and it was time to leave, we ran back down the stairs, Sneak in the lead, then back out on to the street. Our night was over and it was time to move on. Wales was calling us. We said our goodbyes to Sneak (cheers for everything mate) and headed on our way. We decided to start driving to Wales then stop at the services where we were to meet Jesus that next morning. We finally arrived at the car park, exhausted we couldn’t be bothered to sign into a travel inn, we grabbed our sleeping bags, cranked back the car seats and kipped in the car…..
It had a been a great day, now what did Wales have to offer?