World Wide Urban Exploration

Urban exploration is around the world. Find a location or group of explorers near you.

There are 118 posts filed in World Wide Urban Exploration (this is page 4 of 20).

Toronto Fire 1904 Postcard

I have heard about the fire in old Toronto. So long ago (before I was born) that I forget the year. But, this postcard says it was 1904, and this is where the fire started. None of those old buildings will still be standing. The others which survived in 1904 are mostly gone too. The don’t make them like that any more, is certainly true. They were brick and beautiful, crafted. Now they seem utilitarian, plain and functional. Not fair to say they have no style, a different style is still a style. But, they lack the feeling that someone actually built them. Instead they seem to be something that just appeared, already formed.

You can read more about the fire and the history, but you can’t ever see it, just images and news reporting. The old grandmother buildings are gone. That always seems sad to me.

Bench By Bench with Rebecca Kennel

Victoria: Bench by Bench

Another idea for backyard explorers, public benches in parks, along trails, anywhere you can walk to. Some benches have been built for people to take a break during a walk. Some give people a place to sit, read awhile and admire the scenery or a great view. Some were donated as memorials with a plaque for a family member, local business or celebrity.

So far I can’t find a copy of the book, but that happens with local history books published by the author/ photographer. Rebecca Kennel lived in Victoria, BC. While there she wrote a book about the public benches in Victoria, BC. She photographed them, wrote about their history and the surroundings. It looks like a charming book and I have emailed her (if she gets email at that address still) and maybe I will be able to get a copy, if there are any still in print. I can find the book on Amazon, but it is out of print, no more copies expected. I was hoping for better news, but not surprised.

I found a personal site Rebecca kept, until 2018. She had moved from Victoria to a town in Saskatchewan. She was/ is looking after her Mother and her husband, Galen, has passed away. I don’t know what she has been doing since then. I found a YouTube channel, Twitter account, and a Facebook page but nothing is updated. I hope she is still ok herself. There are two posts about her book on her YouTube channel.

The site for the book has a backup link on her personal domain. I’m leaving that link in case the other site disappears.

Steve Skafte – Poet and Explorer of Roads, Cemeteries and Old Places in Nova Scotia

I found Steve Skafte (YouTube video posts) today from a post on the CBC site. He was interviewed about his photographs and research of abandoned roads in Nova Scotia.

When he was a kid, his bedroom walls were covered in maps. He was fascinated with exploring Nova Scotia, so once he travelled all the roads he could track down in his community, his attention shifted to the roads that weren’t clearly marked.

The province categorizes these roads as K-class, meaning the roadways are owned by the province but not maintained and rarely used by the public. Skafte thinks most of the roads, which range from a few hundred metres to about five kilometres in length, haven’t been kept up for 50 to 60 years.

Before going out to explore, Skafte carefully studies property lines online to see where the abandoned roads may be. He then puts on a pair of hiking boots, grabs his camera and heads out.

Quoted from CBC – Meet the man mapping out Nova Scotia’s abandoned roads.

His books of poetry, photographs and history are available at his Etsy shop, Photofables. The books and calendars about exploring the old roads and places seem to sell out quickly.

Visit the groups he runs on Facebook:
Abandoned Nova Scotia
Abandoned Roads of Nova Scotia

Poetry with photographs.