On a night in November, I decided to go to London, I have always admired this place, especially as the person who designed it is my Great Grandfather, Sir Giles Gilbert Scott.
I was told of the route and went on my own, by the time I had reached the area, the sky was cold with fine rain (the kind that soaks you through), I edged in and stayed low, dodging the intense floodlights and the CCTV.
I found myself at my POE as with the info given, only to find it locked, I made the quick decision to enter the ground floor, I got a few shots inside (I only had a point & shoot camera with me so tried to make the most of it).
I searched around but could not find a way up to the top levels (looking back I can see where I went wrong).
So I decided to leave as it was getting close to the start of the business day.
As making my way out, I ran into the path of headlights, startled like a bunny, I froze, the lights around 25 meters away in the darkness, I was lit up like a Christmas tree under floodlights, I made for cover, between a 3ft wall and a bush with just 4 leaves on.
Thinking I was caught for sure, I awaited my fate, I lay as low as I could, my breathing became slow and silent as I saw 2 men get out of the Land Rover and follow my wet footsteps to the locked door.
The following 15 minutes were some of the longest I have experienced in my UE career, at one point the footsteps of the security were inches from my head, with the crackle of radio breaking the silence.
They eventually moved on, got back in the car and drove round passing me by, back into the night. I then hot footed it across the open land, over the wall and back to city life, with a big fat smile on my face.
Not the best Battersea report, but one that I will remember for a long time.
D-UK