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View Full Version : Ballantine’s Distillery, Dunbarton, Scotland REPORT 08/09/2009 - ARCHIVE



doozer
10-08-2009, 06:50 PM
Part of the ‘Sketchy Scotland roadtrip with Kona.

Driving up to our first intended target (St Peter’s College at Cardross) we spotted something tall, derelict and imposing from the road and decided to investigate. A bit of research (aided by a straw poll of some local kids) turns up that this is the last remaining building on the site of the Ballantine’s distillery. Apparently (according to said kids) this bit is too difficult to knock down, so they’ve left it standing. Which was nice as it was an interesting climb, if indeed a bit sketchy; a running theme which was developing early on in the roadtrip. There were very big holes in the floor, and every staircase housed families of pigeons, which came whirring out from doors at head height when we disturbed them. Not nice when your natural reaction is to jump backwards. In a building with 7-storey drops. My heart was going ten to the dozen and my head was spinning by the time I got down and a safe distance away – but I’d been to the top; it was conquered, and I now know that, yes, I am still scared of heights.


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Rest of pics here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/94983576@N00/sets/72157621874106273/

skin
10-08-2009, 09:34 PM
This part was left to be used as part of the housing development in the original plans, now it stands there like a monolith awaiting someone with cash to go back to those original plans. It only represents about one tenth of the size of the original building.

boxfrenzy
10-08-2009, 09:48 PM
Love the penultimate shot, gives a nice feeling of the space inside. Good job :thumb

doozer
11-08-2009, 07:32 AM
It was definitely a good random find, especially the local kids...

KId "Are you going climbing?"

Me "Nahh. I'm scared of heights. Cool looking thing, though. Whats is it?"

Kid "Distillery. It's too difficult for them to knock down, though, so they left it"... *thinks* ..... "I like your jumper....":thumb

magoo²
11-08-2009, 11:38 AM
What a nexcellent place to explore! I remember passing this on the way to st peters wishing i had time to do it aswell.:(

Excellent shots doozer:thumb

wolfism
11-08-2009, 01:13 PM
It's a cool place (literally, the wind blows through it ...) but one thing to watch is that the steel decking on the 4th floor was warped by the fire, I wonder how much strength remains it ...