Essex urban explorer reveals what it's really like touring abandoned buildings, asylums and police stations

An urban explorer has revealed what it is really like to spend his time visiting derelict buildings.

The 25-year-old will climb into an abandoned site and document what has become of the building years after it has been closed off.

Ryan, who can only disclose his first name to protect his identity, is based in Essex.

He has told of the risks involved and the strange things that have happened over the years.

He has come across old buses and billionaire's mansions, he has seen it all but his favourite places to see are empty asylums and police stations.

From hearing loud screams in one 'empty' place, to wondering if the building was going to fall down underneath your feet - this is what it's like to be an urban explorer.

These are the places he has visited in and around Essex

When he, and usually a team mate, enters a derelict site, anything could be waiting for them.

They could be met with a security guard and a dog or even a group of squatters - there is no telling.

The team, Within The Urbex, try to seek permission to enter buildings before they arrive. But if research and planning fails they only go inside if there are no 'trespassing-related' signs.

Certain buildings will employ security crews to keep it safe and ensure no person tries to enter the site to cause damage or hurt themselves.

When Ryan arrives, he often explains why the team are there and shows the guards previous footage as testament to their plans.

"Most of the time they let us go," he added.

"Sometimes they state that they have to escort us round, but usually they let us go and make sure we leave."

Moving into the building, there is typically rubbish, debris, or an entire room full of old televisions - which is what he came across on one job.

He sometimes ventures inside alone but says that he typically explores with other members of his team. The entire crew includes: Mark, Jordan, Adam, Nathan, Robbie, Chris, Beth and Frazer.

The 25-year-old could find broken windows and smashed doors before he even enters the site.

He records what he finds and takes photographs of interested things and documents them online on his YouTube channel and Facebook page.

They can become a piece of history as select derelict sites are planned to be demolished just a few days after Ryan goes in.

How does he find the abandoned buildings?

 

Ryan explains that most of the time he just comes across the sites.

"I generally do a lot of driving," he said, "And whenever I see anything that looks interesting or closed down I'll make a note of it.

"I also find out where to go from urban explorer sites and forums where others write about the places they've been to."

He added: "One owner thought it was weird that this is what we do, go into old buildings and take photos. But it's good to document the buildings - which could be hundreds years old - before they get demolished."

He has ventured further than the tower blocks, asylums and police stations he has visited in Essex and Hertfordshire.

The explorer admits that he has travelled several hours to reach a destination, from old RAF bases and bunkers.

What are the risks involved?

No area is off-limits, as Ryan will happily walk down low-lit stairs, climb into basements and walk into rooms without a roof or an area of the floor.

But exploring abandoned buildings isn't without its risks.

"I would say, squatters and the building falling down are the major risks," he explained.

"You worry about parts of the building coming down or finding someone in there.

"There is also asbestos in a lot of the old buildings."

Visiting an old 'asylum'

Ryan visited Haperbury Hospital, in Hemel Hempstead, in 2018. It looked after people with mental health related issues and those with learning difficulties.

It was built on the remains of World War I hangers and a large part of the hospital closed in 2001.

Since then the facilities have been moved to other places.

However, this explorer went inside recently and there were still curtains on the wall and wires hanging down.

Rooms were full of debris and the paint was peeling from the walls.

In one part of the clip a medical mask and other items can still be seen on the floor.

"I wanted to go inside after hearing of another explorer visiting the hospital," he explained.

"They claimed there was someone threatening explorers outside but when I arrived there was a security guard who let us in after checking us out."

The footage also reveals door numbers and doctor's names still intact and an old fax machine left on the floor.

However, at one point, an eerie message has been painted on the wall, which says 'Don't listen to the voices'. Ryan explained to EssexLive that vandals, who are not associated with urban explorers, can enter properties and cause damage, steal items and break entry into the building before he gets a chance to visit.

Not everything can be explained, like one room where there were hundreds of plates on the floor, but it is easy to see that rooms have been raided, furniture damaged and items broken throughout the property.

Entering Northbrooks House

Ryan, along with his brother Adam, also found themselves inside abandoned Northbrooks House in Harlow.

The former adult learning college and community space shut in 2013 and was then destroyed in a fire.

Broken glass, a bath and even a motorbike are seen in various rooms and graffiti covers the walls from others who have entered some time before. 

It was partially destroyed in a fire in August 2017, and again the following summer.

Ryan told Essex Live at the time: "We take some photos and videos.

"What we are trying to do with the videos is stop vandals going in to smash up the place. That's why we won't ever say how we get into places and always leave them more secure than we found them."

He added: "It can be quite dangerous. We know the risk and we all know what we are doing.

"I always wear a mask and gloves too because you might fall onto anything. We think about if there are homeless people using buildings for shelter too.

"In a way it's their home, so we have no right going in there if they don't want us there."

Taking a trip to the cinema

The explorer also went to the Odeon Cinema on The High in September 2018, which remained derelict since 2005 when it was sold to a local businessman.

The video starts in a pitch black room with rubble and debris scattered across the floor.

"Me and my mates saw the gates were open so we though we might as well do it," said 22-year-old Ryan. "We took some photos and took some videos.

"What we are trying to do with the videos is stop vandals going in to smash up the place. That's why we won't ever say how we get into places and always leave them more secure than we found them.

"It's an iconic building to Harlow."

The cinema opened on February 1, 1960, and was the first new cinema to be built for Rank after World War Two.

It was refurbished in 2001 and rebranded with the new Odeon style despite the competition from a six-screen multiplex which opened back in 1990.

Its future looked bright, however it was closed down a few years later in August, 2005. Then just days later, it was purchased.

As Ryan and his team mates - Adam, Nathan, Robbie, Jordan and Mark - make their way through the cinema, it is dimly lit with ripped curtains hanging loose near to where the screen was once watched eagerly.

The rows of seats remained largely intact and as the video continues, you can see what was the foyer.

Now just a pile of smashed glass and rubble, the old drinks dispensers are still on site.

Several ceiling boards are no longer in tact, with insulation covering the floor.

Trekking through a derelict tower block

Several months ago, in October, he was back in Harlow inside an infamous YWCA tower.

The shell of the former hostel building was mostly intact, with the exception of certain walls or windows which had collapsed completely. In some parts of the footage the scary drop can be seen.

The footage details the state of what was left in the Harlow YWCA tower and how it looked before it became a flat piece of land.

The building, also known as the Angel Tower, housed hundreds of residents, families and those who were vulnerable, and was prominent in the area next to The Square.

It was later demolished as plans were submitted to build newer homes in the area, but these are still yet to be completed.

Ryan and his friend dared to go in when the site employees were gone and climbed almost to the top floor.

He claimed at one point they opened the fire exit door and there was a straight drop to the ground.

The explorer said at the time: "The tower no long exists it was demolished a few months ago and we explored it a month before it went down.

"I actually spoke to a builder before we went in and he said we'd have to get permission from the site manager and wear a high viz and hard hat.

"But we went in on a Sunday when the building crew were not in there."

When they arrived there in June this year there were parts of the tower crumbling and evidence of other people exploring and vandalising.

He claimed: "Some of the building had already been demolished and there was a lot of open walls and flooring.

"It was amazing to see one of the boilers was still running it was still intact.

"I like to explore derelict buildings because in years to come and they are gone or they have been built over, people won't remember them or have the chance to see those buildings.

"That way people can say look at this video it shows the inside before it was knocked down."

In the film, which is available on YouTube, the lift doors remained open which scared the 23-year-old.

At one point they visit a room where the entire outside facing wall has fallen down, leading to a huge drop below.

What is the scariest things he has ever seen?

Ryan, who first visited an abandoned building when he was around 16, almost a decade ago, has described the scariest things he has seen in his travels.

"Sometimes I take my electronic pulse reader, which ghost hunters use, just to see if it comes up with anything," he added.

"In one building it showed readings near the electric chair but the chair wasn't plugged in or in use."

Another time he was in an old music store outside of Essex.

"We went to the site in Somerset and I said to my friend, 'I think there is someone in here with us," explained Ryan.

"My friend joked about them being inside to get the last of the CDs and then we heard someone scream.

"But instead of leaving wen walked into another room and saw a man sitting on the floor, who became aggressive so we then got out of there."

Ryan said his favourite things to photograph on his journeys are fireplaces and staircases because he finds them the most interesting.

The 25-year-old has since revealed that he has been inside the old police station in Brentwood but the footage is still being edited, and is expected to go online soon.

He explained that the staircase was amazing inside and sad to see it go when the building is set to be demolished.

For more information on the team, Within The Urbex, visit their YouTube channel

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