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he's been watching loads of YouTube about exploring ww2 bunkers and some guy and his son in Alaska. now appreciate I won't be recreating that exactly any time soon but do you have any ideas of what might be able to give that sense of adventure/ remoteness / abandoness in the UK, ideally not more than 4 or so hours drive from Southampton? Biking / hiking and camping is definitely an option. ideas?
I can't help but that guy is brilliant on YouTube. Finally a youtuber that doesn't have me reaching for Thor's hammer to turn the TV off. 😂
I'll be watching this thread for inspiration as we're just up the road.
A canoe + camp on the Thames. I have never done it - we live in Scotland - but my brother has.
North Kent is packed full of abandoned WWII structures. I did a bit of urban exploring with the OH on the Hoo peninsula during lock down.
This is off the coast of Grain on Hoo peninsula as an example.
Originally Napoleonic but updated for both worlds wars. Just an example, there is stuff all over the show around here. Being on the Thames estuary it's been heavily fortified for centuries, particularly from the Napoleonic era on.
Grain is pretty desolate too, hell, they filmed a low budget post apocalyptic movie on the coast right next to that fort. Plenty of places to covertly wild camp and explore.
The area near that fort saw some very hush hush WW2 testing too. Huge pits to burn oil in to act as a smoke screen for London, even a load of lighting to try and look like London so bombers would drop their bombs there instead of on London.
Parts of Full Metal Jacket were shot here too!
@52.0772933,1.5518896,3a,73.1y,241.66h,88.91t/data=!3m8!1e1!3m6!1sAF1QipOYaYh4sdsG7GAHdPkW8Yo7nxQJHySrROU_hwDo!2e10!3e11!6shttps:%2F%2Flh5.googleusercontent.com%2Fp%2FAF1QipOYaYh4sdsG7GAHdPkW8Yo7nxQJHySrROU_hwDo%3Dw203-h100-k-no-pi-0-ya172.99846-ro-0-fo100!7i6144!8i3072?authuser=0&entry=ttu">some wacky shit on Orford Ness.
You can hire canoes and boats from YMCA Fairthorne Manor and sail down the River Hamble, there are rotting old wooden pontoons used by the Little Ships of Dunkirk
The same stretch of River Hamble can be accessed by parking at River Hamble Country Park near a World War Two Memorial and if you persevere exploring the surrounding woodland you will find some concrete plinths and possibly bunkers used for anti aircraft guns
There is also bouldering at Fort Purbrook or a visit to Calshot Castle used recently by the Navy and Air Force
And for an easy walk that feels like an adventure there’s Tyneham Village “The Village was evacuated in December 1943 during WWII and has been deserted ever since. The area was needed for military training but after the war ended, the villagers were not allowed to return. The Village remains part of the Armoured Fighting Vehicles Gunnery School, an important training establishment of the British Army” open most weekends for public access
Brownsea Island has the option for camping (bring your own or hire there tree tents or hammocks) and there are remnants of an MSND Major Strategic Night Decoy(Major Strategic Night Decoy) had been established in 1941 at the western end of Brownsea Island, with flares to draw bombers from Poole and Bournemouth. It was operated by RAF personnel from a bunker about 200m from the flares”. There is a ferry or if you are comfortable on kayaks and wish to add to the adventure, I have paddled to the island for camping as it is within the shelter of Poole Harbour
All of the above are less than 90 minutes drive from Southampton
Do let us know how you get on and share any recommendations from successful trips and discoveries of your own
Nuclear bunkers.
Have a listen to this, I reckon you’d find one within less than 4 hours.
https://open.spotify.com/episode/6jphBG6oDhUBQ5wmTgY5Or?si=d0iLBsVdTGaXAQoXqmamaQ
Charlie, that sounds like a winner to me!
Forget the kids, let's go together! 🙂
There is a storror (parkour youtubers) in that Fort thing at the estuary.
What did you do with the first 7?
What did you do with the first 7?<br /><br />
pfft, there were more than 7, they weren’t all boys you know 😂😂
I came here to suggest ww2 infrastructure, but trig points might be interesting for a kid of that age. <br />there are 3 in my town, all within biking distance. They’re marked on OS maps.
Not really ticking the history box but a canoe down the wye can feel like Cape Fear while being within a reasonable amount of safety.
You can park the car downstream and get a company to supply the boat/transport upstream and there's a lovely campsite half way.
I'm sure this is all well known but just in case.
trig points might be interesting for a kid of that age
Sounds OK in principle, but beware... it can get seriously addictive Trig bagging site. That said, there are definitely worse things that young 'uns can get addicted to than walking up hills to trigpoints.
Are there any decent bothies 4 hours drive fron you OP?
Took my lad for a night in Greg's Hut in the N Pennines when he was that age. It was a big adventure for him, and it involved lighting a fire to keep warm, all young lads like that don't they?