Between 1940-41, London suffered the onslaught of Nazi aggression with the Blitz. The Nazis hoped that the UK would capitulate by focusing on the capital and seeking its surrender. The area around Moorgate St was left a battle-scarred victim of the Blitz. Move forward 70 years and the area is covered with buildings from the 60's and 70's when London had recovered. The largest project is the Barbican Centre which covers most of the area. This was proving somewhere that a handful of explorers were blitzing again, only this time with footprints and cameras rather than bombs.

Gary, Patch and Silentmotion had cracked the first triplets tower, Gringz, Kev and myself had cracked the second followed by the first group using a different method. The first group had gone on to pop open the service tunnels through most of the estate. And two of those members decided to crack an office block on the edge of the estate as well, St. Alphages.

After I finished a second solo trip around the estate, I wandered over to St. Alphages tower and eyed up the access. After a quick walk around I had two access points. But I wasn't really enthused about the place. Gary called it the 'best rooftop in London'. However, I wasn't so sure. After a while, you get a bit bored of rooftops and cranes that offer little more than a slightly different view. Kev and I were in the area, and checking out changes at a former target. However it hadn't changed enough, so we knocked it on the head. I suggested this place as we were in the area, and we went for a look. Kev had tried a route in the past, but no joy, so I knew he'd be interested. His information on a guard being present within ruled out one access point. So we settled on another.

It was a bit of a mission to get to, but once there we found ourselves in a large darkened car park, with subtle lights at one end. They lit up an area leading off the car park section. Wary, we looked around, pulling open doors and checking where they went. We thought we had a way up, as we were progressing nicely. Then I opened a door into the reception area and could hear a TV set close by. I thought we could tiptoe by, but after a few steps thought better of it as the door was open to wherever the TV was coming from. So back down to the darkened car park, it was.

Eventually, we inevitably ended up in the lit-up section, some kind of area with boilers or generators. We found another set of stairs and began to ascend. Moving around what was likely a ground floor area, we needed to find another set of stairs that hopefully would go all the way to the roof. Worryingly on the walls were large red arrows daubed on, with 'this way' written. We thought (and subsequent visits by others proved right) that it was markings for a security patrol route. Eventually, we found the stairs and the boarding that blocked it off. Bumpants! However Mr. Builder has never considered determined explorers when constructing his wooden chipboard fortress, and with a contortion act that would astound Russian gymnasts, we found our way onto the next floor and continued quietly up the stairs. It wasn't long before we stood atop our prize, scanning the city beneath and above us.
Looking down onto London Wall, V for victory.

The area that was bombed in the Blitz, and now occupied by the Barbican Centre and its triplets. The incomplete Heron MP is next to Ropemaker on the right.

The Guildhall School of Music in the middle of the Barbican.

On the West side of the building, below are a number of abandoned shops.

Some fisheye action, with the Heron dead centre piercing the skyline. On the left sits GES127 Fore St Exchange, soon to be turned to rubble.

Roof and St. Alf's neighbours.

In these enlightened times, it's nice to know there's a place for gay skyscrapers. This has to be a classic view of the City, and probably where Gary came up with the tagline for this roof.

Skyscraper DJ, or pervert playing with two of the triplet's nipples, you decide.

Props to Kev for the company and proving contortionism is the new crawling in exploring.