Croatian islands have had a military past. During World War II when Tito held his headquarters on the island of Vis. After the war, Vis was turned into a defense bastion, and only opened for foreigners as late as in 1989. Today we toured a maze of tunnels on the Zagrebenje mountains on the southeast corner of the island, connecting a number gun positions.
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April 2022, Zagrebenje gun positions, Milna, Vis, Croatia
Urban-Exploration (Bunkers, Military); Caving (Man-Made)
Coming back from the skiing on the Mount Olympus and Troodos Mountains in Cyprus, I was driving by an area that had reported some kind of underground passage. I stopped to find out what it was about. From the map it looked like it was near a road, but it turned out to be only near some kind of agricultural path, and a kilometer or two from the drivable public roads. Well, why not walk to the darkness on the first night in a country you've never been to...
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February 2022, Σπηλιά του Μούλου, Troodos Mountains, Cyprus
Urban-Exploration (Other, Bunkers); Caving (Basic, Rock, Man-Made)
Großer Bunkerberg is the name of the Berlin ruble mountain in Volkspark Friedrichshain. It housed previously one of Berlin's air defense 'flak towers', the Flakturm II G. Only a small corner of the blown up tower is still visible on the site, at the top of a large hill.
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December 2021, Großer Bunkerberg, Berlin, Germany
Urban-Exploration (Bunkers); Caving (None, Man-Made)
Zmajeva Pećina, "Dragon's Cave" is a small hermitage on the south shores of the Brač island in Croatia. The cave is only 20 meters long, but is a fascinating visit, both because is such as fascinating view, high cave on a high hill, and also because my guide Zoran knows so much about the history of the place. This is a cave that houses a monastery. Or housed, it is in ruins. Very interesting!
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August 2021, Zmajeva Pecina, Murvica, Croatia
Caving (Basic, Rock, Rock-Limestone, Morphology-Karst); Urban-Exploration (Ruins)
The evening's excursion was to Lohja's Karstu area, in search of caves. The Linnanmäki is a high hill and cliff in Karstu, and the book Suomen Luolat notes that there are two caves on the hill. One was supposed to be inaccessible without climbing equipment. But as usual, the coordinates were inaccurate, so I ended up going around the entire hill, and I think found the other cave plus four other small roof/shelter caves.
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March 2021, Karstun Linnanmäen luola 1, Lohja, Finland; Karstun Linnanmäen luola 2, Lohja, Finland; Karstun Linnanmäen luola 3, Lohja, Finland; Karstun Linnanmäen luola 4, Lohja, Finland; Karstun Linnanmäen luola 5, Lohja, Finland; Karstun Linnanmäen luola 6, Lohja, Finland; Karstun Linnanmäen louhos, Lohja, Finland
Caving (Basic, Rock, None); Caving (Basic, Surveying, Rock, Rock-Granite, Morphology-Erosion); Caving (Basic, Surveying, Rock, Rock-Granite, Morphology-Crack); Urban-Exploration (Quarries)
Korpikylä ("Remote Village") is a region in Hyrylä. I was stopping in Hyrylä for other reasons, and looked on the map for an interesting place to go snowshoeing in. Korpikylä fit the bill, and after some searching for a parking place I headed out for a two-hour nice hike in snowy forest.
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March 2021, Korpikylän lohkaresuoja, Hyrylä, Tuusula, Finland; Korpikylän leikkaus, Hyrylä, Tuusula, Finland; Korpikylän rakennelma, Hyrylä, Tuusula, Finland
Snowshoeing (Basic); Snowshoeing (Basic); Snowshoeing (Basic); Caving (Basic, Rock, Rock-Gneiss, Surveying); Urban-Exploration (Railway, Military); Urban-Exploration (Buildings)
I continued my earlier underground tests with iPhone 12 Pro's LiDAR sensor and software. This time I started testing the 3D modelling software. Can we produce an accurate 3D model of a cave using these sensors and software?
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(TGR version)
February 2021, Högberget, Kirkkonummi, Finland; Ansabunkkeri, Siuntio, Finland
Caving (Rock, Basic, Equipment); Urban-Exploration (Bunkers, Equipment)
We drove in two cars to south end of the Porkkala peninsula -- 50 minutes away -- to explore three bunkers there. The best map that we have of the abandoned Soviet-era bunkers comes from Lynx, the local orienteering club. Unfortunately, this time their map oversold what was to be found at the location.
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February 2021, Maakellari 1, Lähteelä, Porkkala, Kirkkonummi, Finland; Maakellari 2, Lähteelä, Porkkala, Kirkkonummi, Finland; Rauniot, Lillkanskog, Porkkala, Kirkkonummi, Finland; Vesi- tai lietesäiliö, Friggesby, Porkkala, Kirkkonummi, Finland
Urban-Exploration (Ruins, Containers)
Need some excitement? Maybe crawling inside a blown-up bunker in the middle of dark forest would help. Hope the Nazi command is no longer on site... and that the ammunition laying in the ground isn't dangerous.
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August 2020, Lager Koralle, Wandlitz, Germany
Urban-Exploration (Bunkers, Military); Caving (Man-Made)
Today's swim was at the lake Tampaja, which I had never heard about before. It is a medium-sized lake near Lapinkylä in northern parts of Kirkkonummi. There's a nice public beach, but unfortunately not much space around for a more socially distanced swims.
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July 2020, Tampajan uintipaikka, Tampaja-järvi, Kirkkonummi, Finland; Tampajan rauniosauna, Tampaja-järvi, Kirkkonummi, Finland
Swimming (Outdoor, Water, Waterbody-Lake, Beach, Nature); Urban-Exploration (Buildings)
I was looking for a place to swim in Sundberg, Kirkkonummi. My first attempt was to get to the apparent harbour on the west side, near Morbacka. Could it be a Soviet-occupation era harbour? And maybe a swimming would also be possible? This needed investigation.
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July 2020, Sundetin uimaranta, Sundberg, Kirkkonummi, Finland; Sundbergetin satama, Sundberg, Kirkkonummi, Finland
Swimming (Outdoor); Urban-Exploration (Harbours)
Bunker... in Jorvas. With a ladder leading down a tight concrete shaft. How could I resist?
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(TGR version)
April 2020, Sähköaseman bunkkeri, Masala, Kirkkonummi, Finland
Urban-Exploration (Bunkers); Caving (Man-Made)
As I visiting Vihti anyway, I also wanted to see something abandoned, something not likely to have other people. I found an abandoned railway car in the middle of the forest.
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April 2020, Hylätty junanvaunu, Vihti, Finland
Urban-Exploration (Vehicles)
100 years ago, Frans Stockmann (Nov 1920) and his wife (Apr 1919) died in Spanish Flu. Their house project in Kauniainen was left unfinished, and remains as ruins in the forest. Today, in April 2020, lack of sales due to the Coronavirus, the famous Stockmann department store has applied for protection from its creditors ("yrityssaneeraus" in Finnish, roughly equivalent to Chapter 11 in US).
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April 2020, Stockmannin rauniot, Kauniainen, Finland
Urban-Exploration (Buildings, Ruins)
One particularly interesting thing about Mount Hermon were the military installations. Many of them. in active use, but also many that had been abandoned or that lay in ruins.
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February 2020, Abandoned watchtower, Mount Hermon, Israel
Urban-Exploration (Towers, Military); Skiing (Outdoor, Snow, Lifts)
What a shitty bunker! Literally.
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February 2020, Abandoned bunker, Mount Hermon, Israel
Urban-Exploration (Bunkers); Caving (Man-Made)