Attraction Source Forum

Hold on a minute, In the video I sent, I hopped a fence over to the pathway which led to the stairways behind the toilets. The 1960 Guidebook shows a place saying toilets next to the Swiss Cottage and above it a straight-ish pathway seeming similar to the pathway I was on. Is this a way there?

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1uSb9sh ... sp=sharing

Also just noticed that Cuckoo Arbour is on Google Maps, that should help.

So I did some mapping, and I saw that the path on the map is now blocked off - It's the one behind Rita's first turn - old UG Swinger site. I'll try and map out an accessible route.



Also sorry for the bad drawing there - my image editor keeps moving stuff.

I actually made a video on cuckoo arbour not too long ago... not sure if it would be of any help though and I’d hate it to seem like I’m self promoting... anyhow, it’s on my yt channel by the same name of this account if it could be of any use to you.

Yeah I saw it, seeing that video was the first time I had seen Cuckoo Arbour at all. Great video.

LoopinLiam wrote: ↑Sun Jun 06, 2021 12:14 am Hold on a minute, In the video I sent, I hopped a fence over to the pathway which led to the stairways behind the toilets. The 1960 Guidebook shows a place saying toilets next to the Swiss Cottage and above it a straight-ish pathway seeming similar to the pathway I was on. Is this a way there?

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1uSb9sh ... sp=sharing

Yes, this was a way round to that area I wouldn’t risk it nowadays though as the path is gated and leads directly round to a ride area so Is in many ways unsafe. One path runs on a higher level and one on a lower level. The path on the higher level (the one marked on that map) would’ve snaked round then looped back on itself onto the lower level but where it curved round is now a thick mess of brambles potentially left to deter people from using the upper pathway.

I've had this question for a while now and wanted to know if anyone may have an answer.

Further down the pathway below the Swiss Cottage, past the Abandoned Toilets, is these steps that seemingly lead into the bushes. In April, I went down there and found a small parting in the bushes near the boggy bit at the side. I managed to climb into there and what was there seemed to be a pathway, with a decaying stone wall on one side. There was only a small area that wasn't overgrown so I could only walk slightly further without being blocked by the bushes, although walking left led me to the abandoned toilets after walking on the hill.



I'd like to know whether anyone knows where these steps lead, and when they became disused. From my visit, it seemed to have been left for a lot longer than the Abandoned Toilets, but I may be wrong.

Thanks

LoopinLiam wrote: ↑Fri Jul 02, 2021 11:27 pm I've had this question for a while now and wanted to know if anyone may have an answer.

Further down the pathway below the Swiss Cottage, past the Abandoned Toilets, is these steps that seemingly lead into the bushes. In April, I went down there and found a small parting in the bushes near the boggy bit at the side. I managed to climb into there and what was there seemed to be a pathway, with a decaying stone wall on one side. There was only a small area that wasn't overgrown so I could only walk slightly further without being blocked by the bushes, although walking left led me to the abandoned toilets after walking on the hill.



I'd like to know whether anyone knows where these steps lead, and when they became disused. From my visit, it seemed to have been left for a lot longer than the Abandoned Toilets, but I may be wrong.

Thanks

it joins up with a slightly clearer path at the top and leads round to cuckoo rock and the surrounding area. They were, like most of the gardens, marked on earlier maps and became disused when the estate moved into theme park status.

Ah I see, thanks a lot

Hi,
Quick Question for anyone who may be able to help: Is the Dovecote/Pidgeon Hole still accessible? I know the main entrance (from the bridge/tower going over the path below) is now gated, but I know of a gate that is usually left open near Woodcutters that leads into the woods where it presides.
Thanks to anyone who can help

It probably is accessible if you were to go off the beaten track, but I doubt the park would approve...

LoopinLiam wrote: ↑Thu Aug 19, 2021 1:52 am Hi,
Quick Question for anyone who may be able to help: Is the Dovecote/Pidgeon Hole still accessible? I know the main entrance (from the bridge/tower going over the path below) is now gated, but I know of a gate that is usually left open near Woodcutters that leads into the woods where it presides.
Thanks to anyone who can help

Unfortunately, no it’s not. That little area has been off limits for a number of years despite the fact that it is still very well kept by the staff members. That gate you mean is (as far as I know) supposed to be closed (I too have been temped when it’s left open haha.)

Unlike a lot of the gardens where finding old routes to get you from A to B is relatively easy, reaching the dovecote from another path would be hard as it’s a very enclosed bit of land. There’s only a couple of paths that lead to that bit of woodland and I’m pretty sure you wouldn’t be very popular with security if you jumped the wall . The dovecote is such a beautiful feature but it’s remained forgotten for a long while… it still saddens me to think of what it once was when I see it poking through the trees…

Putting all that to one side, asking a staff member is always worth a shot just in case… who knows, that gate might really be left open for a reason

Thanks for the clarity.

I've been meaning to ask the park (or a staff member) for permission since I saw that gate open but I doubt they're gonna allow a random guest to enter. I know it was open in 2016 as I remember the gate entering from the Towers themselves being open, but it seems it has been shut off now - probably for the better knowing how much vandalisation happens to all the beautiful heritage. The Alton Towers Memories channel made a quite interesting video about it, which shows it when it was open. Guess I'll have to resist that temptation to enter the gate until it reopens (or I get permission)

Thanks a lot!