Nuclear Weapons Depot K. - New Year's Eve

I am pretty far behind with my tour reports. That's why the report from our traditional New Year's Eve tour is about 9 months late...
Just like the Christmas tour, the New Year's Eve tour has become a tradition for the last couple of years. The abandoned nuclear weapons depot about 60 kilomters from my home has become the location of choice for us. There are no people and almost no light pollution, so it's perfect to try some light paining. Also, due to the nature of the place, there is a lot of concrete, so you can play around with burning steel wool and not have to worry that anything (except yourself, of course) can catch on fire.
Anyway, the last New Years Eve was no different. We packed our stuff in the car (next to the usual urbex/lightpaining/camera gear, the equipment includes some New-Year's-Eve-stuff such as sparkling wine, caviar and salmon toast) and headed West to the location. My wife and I were accompanied by her brother and his girlfriend.
Once we had arrived at the perimeter of the depot, we parked the car at the barrier and walked the rest of the way. The rest of the way is an almost 20-30 minute walk through a very dark forest.
When we got there, we set up our "camp" in one of the large shelters, had some food and drink and started our lightpaining session.
I really like playing with fireworks and long-time exposures, but the photos I like most are the ones with a lot of smoke and shadows of people...


To find out more about the history of this place and to check out all the photos from this cold war relic, click the button below.

HAWK-Missile Launch Site W.

For the last couple of years, it has kind of become a tradition for my wife and me to take her mother on an excursion with us on the second day of christmas.
Last year was no different.
We had decided to drive to the North Sea coast and check out an abandoned HAWK site on the way. We had two possible sites on our way.
It was late December in Northern Germany, and the weather acted accordingly. It was bleak. Very bleak. Dark clouds and rain. Not pouring rain, but rain.
The first HAWK site we laid our eyes on was secured and appeared to be in use by local farmers. And you do not want local farmers getting mad at you.
So we drove on to the next site. This one looked fine. It was clear by the looks of it that at some point in the past this one also had been used by farmers, but not at the moment...
We left the car, put on our rain coats and the three of us - including my mother-in-law squeezed through a hole in the fence.
The site itself was not spectacular at all. All kinds of animals have left their droppings in the buildings, and the rainy , but windy climate doesn't really make for a nice type of decay.
But it is a remnant of the cold war and by that, witness to a very interesting episode in our history.

After about 45 minutes, we left the location and drove to the coast for a nice hot North Sea shrimp soup.


To find out more about the history of this place and to check out all the photos from this cold war relic, click the button below.

Soviet Garrison R.

After two spots and some distance between the two, the sun was beginning to set, so there really wasn't enough time left for Freddy and me to explore another location far away from the old airfield. We had to settle for something a little closer by, and fortunately, there was a place only 15 minutes or so away.
It was a nice addition to the airfield, because it was the Soviet garrison that housed the soldiers that were stationed there.
It was an easy spot to get in. I don't even think that the access is in any way forbidden, because there are no fences or signs of any kind. We drove right up to the buildings. It was a short way through the forest that has been growing thicker and thicker over the past 20 years or more since the Soviets left Germany.
The way into the buildings was easy as well. All doors have been taken, and there are hardly any windows left. The local teens and vandals have been busy in this place. You can find a lot of graffiti and there are hardly any signs of the buildings' former function left.

After a few shots, the light started to fade, and so Freddy and I concluded our last tour of 2015 after two days and six locations.


To find out more about the history of this place and to check out all the photos from this nice spot, click the button below.