buckland Lane PILLBOX (TYPE 24) - Chillenden Kent

As Mini Me and I were on our way to Chilling Windmill, I came across a pillbox. I pulled up right outside it, got out of the car, and took a quick look. Like most pillboxes, it had a similar layout, but this one featured an interesting platform.

Most Type 24 pillboxes were constructed between June 1940 and 1941 and were primarily used during the war.

Hythe Sound mirror - kent

 Hythe Sound Mirror 

The Hythe Sound Mirror has been on my to-do list for over two years. I tried to visit it once before, but I couldn't figure out how to get to the mirrors. This time, I discovered a footpath leading right up to them. I'm not sure how I missed this before, but it doesn’t matter now. Somehow, the weather was on our side, although it did become quite moody as we were heading back down. I really thought it was going to rain on us. On our way down, we encountered a group of locals walking up to the sound mirrors, so it seems to be a hangout spot for residents. The sound mirror itself was much larger than I expected, I won’t lie. It’s a shame that it hasn’t been restored or that anyone seems interested in saving it, as it's slowly crumbling and becoming overgrown. However, it was a really cool experience to see this abandoned sound mirror. The Hythe Sound Mirror is located on the roughs. In fact, there was a smaller 20-foot mirror built in 1923, alongside this larger 30-foot one, which was also constructed around the same time. These two mirrors were experimental ones, following trials conducted elsewhere in 1922. Unfortunately, the smaller 20-foot mirror collapsed, while the 30-foot one has survived but has since been fenced off due to its deterioration.

Folkstone - Crete Road West ( 2nd ROC post) - Kent

 Folkstone Roc post 

For some reason, I have been pondering this location for quite some time, and I finally got around to exploring the ROC post. Since I was already in the area, I thought I would check it out. I was expecting it to be locked, but to my surprise, it wasn’t. It looked like someone had removed the hatch. Like most ROC posts, this one was empty, except for a bit of graffiti and a post with a chair. The sky was quite moody, and I really thought I was going to get caught in a storm while I was down there. Thankfully, it didn’t rain and held off just in time. This ROC post on Crate Road West is the second ROC post in Folkestone. It opened in 1960 and closed in 1991, like most ROC posts around Kent. Interestingly, it is also up for sale for £45,000.

Arethusa Venture Centre Second Visit - Upnor - Kent

 

Arethusa Venture Centre

Date Januray | Location Upnor | Satuts Abandoned 

This was my second visit to Arethusa, having been there in 2025, where I only explored the poolside. This time, the exploration was straightforward, and I found that some of the buildings were open, which I hadn't seen before. However, the rock climbing wall was sealed up again, so I couldn't get inside. I also wanted to revisit the pool, but that was sealed off as well. Nevertheless, it was still cool to see the areas I was able to access.

To keep the history brief, the place closed down in 2019 and was raided in August 2025 for a cannabis farm. They want to demolish the site and build a bunch of new flats. The site was built in 1935 and was used by schools to offer a number of different activities.

Canada House - Gillingham

Date January | Location Gillingham kent | Status Abandoned

This exploration is the third on our list today and marks the final successful venture we had planned. Overall, it was quite easy and straightforward.

Canada House was originally a Royal Navy hospital serving naval families since 1910. It later transitioned into an NHS mental health hospital but closed in 2019 and has remained empty since then. There are plans to convert it into flats.