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Abandoned

Posted: Sat Dec 28, 2019 8:52 am
by LoopinLiam
Welcome to my newly-created topic - Abandoned. Ever wondered why the abandoned toilet block is there? Or why part of the Nemesis queue isn’t used? Well, here is the place to post about that. If you’ve been to some of the abandoned places, why not share what it was like? You could post videos or pictures of the abandoned area, or just chat. 

Re: Abandoned

Posted: Mon Dec 30, 2019 6:05 pm
by Liam.W
Went to the abandoned toilet once. It was very abandoned and smashed up. As an abandoned toilet block should be.

Part of me thinks that the Nemesis extension queue never gets used because the queue is never long enough to warrant opening it... Just a wild guess.

Re: Abandoned

Posted: Fri Jan 03, 2020 8:45 am
by Tom
The original queue for Nemesis was absolutely enormous, way larger than is necessary these days to cater for it's queues. There used to be another extension which more recently formed part of the queue line for Nemesis Sub Terra and prior to that Dynamo. The part that ran around the vertical loop pit I believe has been disused since the construction of Air, perhaps due to the proximity of the ride?

The abandoned toilets obviously come from an era when the gardens were a bigger part of the average visitors day to the park, there were several walks advertised and also a number of places to get refreshments so it would only be logical for there to be toilet facilities. I would make the assumption that demolishing the toilet block was seen as an unnecessary waste of money when they could simply just leave it disused, it is of course in an area that most visitors to Alton Towers would never visit. Generally the only people who do come across it are deliberately looking for it or are those who like to have a bit of an adventure.

Re: Abandoned

Posted: Sat Jan 04, 2020 8:09 am
by LoopinLiam
I wonder if anyone has been to the bear cave at Alton Towers. No one ever talks about it, but it was quite an important part of the entertainment offerings during the 1800s. I found a website that said this about it:

“Beneath Prospect Tower on the Forbidden Valley side of the Gardens you’ll find a small, dark, slightly damp cave, open on two sides. This small cubby was once home to a live black bear, who would entertain visitors throughout the 1850s. Following his death he was stuffed and moved to the Towers themselves. His current fate is unknown.”

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Re: Abandoned

Posted: Sun Jan 05, 2020 12:30 am
by Chris
Never knew that. How fascinating and cruel!

Re: Abandoned

Posted: Sun Jan 05, 2020 1:50 am
by PhNx Survivor
Abandoned toilets?

I've walked through the gardens plenty of times and never found the toilets.. will definitely need to try and find it this season coming!

Re: Abandoned

Posted: Tue Jan 07, 2020 7:59 am
by Harry347
I've wondered about that little cave for ages! How interesting!

Re: Abandoned

Posted: Tue Jan 07, 2020 9:27 pm
by Morgan
The Bear Pit is really fascinating, well worth a look if you get the time and don't mind getting a little muddy. Unfortunately I've only got the one image of it (I know what I'll be doing once the park reopens!)
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Re: Abandoned

Posted: Wed Jan 08, 2020 5:32 pm
by LoopinLiam
Has anyone got the directions to the abandoned toilet block? And if possible, provide pictures for every step of the way? Thank you!

Re: Abandoned

Posted: Fri Jan 10, 2020 1:56 pm
by Dachshund
LoopinLiam wrote:Has anyone got the directions to the abandoned toilet block? And if possible, provide pictures for every step of the way? Thank you!
I went a few years back, I remember it being pretty easy to find. It's on a bank just on the far side of the Swiss Cottage.

Re: Abandoned

Posted: Sat Feb 22, 2020 8:05 am
by LoopinLiam
Anyone know if there is anything still inside the Swiss Cottage? I heard that all the furniture was ripped out after the Swiss Cottage Restaurant closed, but my curiosity led me to ask here.

Re: Abandoned

Posted: Mon Mar 02, 2020 2:33 pm
by Mr_Gibson
Last time I went and explored the Swiss Cottage it looked like it was being used as storage. I believe it was used as offices at one point but I looked pretty unused when I went.

Re: Abandoned

Posted: Sun Mar 08, 2020 8:40 am
by garfielf
Does anyone have any aerial images of Nemesis' Extended Queue from back before Air opened? Would be interesting to see exactly where this queue went, I have about 3 images as of now, however there's a lot of unanswered questions I have about it. 

Another thing is the theming under that turnaround just before the loop. I've seen it in only one youtube video and its not clear at all, so if you have any photos of it that'd be great.

Re: Abandoned

Posted: Sun Jan 31, 2021 1:15 pm
by Emily-May
LoopinLiam wrote: Sat Feb 22, 2020 8:05 am Anyone know if there is anything still inside the Swiss Cottage? I heard that all the furniture was ripped out after the Swiss Cottage Restaurant closed, but my curiosity led me to ask here.

Type into YouTube “Alton Towers Abundant house” (yes... for some reason it’s “abundant” not abandoned 😂) and hopefully that will give you a better insight :))

Re: Abandoned

Posted: Sun Jan 31, 2021 1:19 pm
by Emily-May
LoopinLiam wrote: Wed Jan 08, 2020 5:32 pm Has anyone got the directions to the abandoned toilet block? And if possible, provide pictures for every step of the way? Thank you!
Take the path below the Swiss Cottage that snakes down towards the pagoda. Assuming you are walking in the direction of the fountain, look to your right. You’ll see a set of old stone steps. Walk up those and then scramble up the bank. The toilets are practically bang on to the left of the cottage (as you’re looking at it.) You can see the toilets from the path during the winter months but they become a little more hidden during summer. Hope this helps! :)

Re: Abandoned

Posted: Sun May 02, 2021 12:37 am
by LoopinLiam
Hey, first of all, thanks for the directions, I found the block easily. Also, does anyone know where the abandoned nature trail in the Gardens is? The only site that mentions it gives very vague directions and only one photo is available. If anyone has some good directions or better yet a location to go to, please do share. Thanks :)

"Descend to the bottom of the gardens. Open a mouldering gate and follow a path sunken in dead leaves for a mile into the woods. Silence surrounds you. You would not know that you are still inside one of the UK's largest visitor attractions. When you finally meet the fence, follow it to its end. Notice a series of metal posts, engraved with etchings of leaves, information about the local flora. The words are eroded by time and neglect, almost invisible, barely more than scratches and dirt."

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Re: Abandoned

Posted: Mon May 03, 2021 8:42 pm
by Emily-May
No problem!
Ahh yes... so I could be wrong in saying this (I’d love for some confirmation as well haha) but I know of a path (now no entry) at the bottom of the gardens that leads off into the woods where this trail potentially was (is?) As you said, there isn’t much info on it... even looking through decades of old guidebooks doesn’t reveal much but the path is blocked by a wooden gate so may be the likely location :)

I’ve wandered a lot of paths in the gardens and never spotted it... even down the overgrown ones so it’s either lost in the undergrowth or somewhere else... another great forgotten relic! ☺️

Re: Abandoned

Posted: Wed Jun 02, 2021 11:33 pm
by LoopinLiam
Does anyone have directions (or instructions of any kind) on how to get to Cuckoo Arbour/Rock?

Re: Abandoned

Posted: Sat Jun 05, 2021 6:02 pm
by Emily-May
If you like brambles and shredded legs... then you’ll love it! 😂 if possible, I’d say visit when all the vegetation has died down a bit...

It’s not very well maintained anymore and now lies not too far from a ride area. I’d hate to be the reason for anyone to go, break the rules, vandalise it etc. Resulting in its closure to everyone but I will say, towers times has a great selection of guide books (if you don’t own any already from the right sort of era) with cuckoo arbour on the map. That side of the gardens is surprisingly, pretty much the same so I’d take a look at those if I were you... just remember to stick to the path and be careful haha :))

Re: Abandoned

Posted: Sat Jun 05, 2021 11:40 pm
by LoopinLiam
Yeah, that's the problem with exploring the gardens, I've walked down old unused paths before and narrowly missed massive holes, cut my leg, and tripped over. It's best to be careful, take some plasters and a phone with you in case you get lost. When I visited the abandoned toilets last year I stupidly tried to step on the floor to see how stable it was and something under it made a loud cracking sound, I wasn't gonna risk going further. Thanks a lot for the advice, I'll try and map a route.

Also for anyone who might be interested in visiting the abandoned toilet blocks, I found another route that doesn't require walking up the hill. I filmed a very low-quality video which you can see here. When I've finished my website later this year I'll be sure to have filmed a better quality version :)
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ecCJyZ ... sp=sharing.