HSL Last visit - 15 July 2004
The HSL project has progressed a lot since my first visit. I had used all the entrances and seen the most interesting tunnels. Still I wanted to be sure I had seen everything, so I wanted to see the most distant entrance too.

This report is the first in a series of five expeditions to the HSL. You can find them here: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5.
I was cycling in the area of Zestienhoven Airport and was looking for entrances. This one, at the Woensdrechtstraat didn't look like it would take me underground. Neither did the entrance near the Soesterbergstraat.
The mountain of gravel looked promising, it might give me some cover while sneaking in. At least I could see that tunnel construction had progressed a lot. Everything was covered again. Only ventilaton shafts showed where the tunnel ran, but they didn't contain any stairs or ladders.
The entrance at the Teugeweg looked most promising. The biggest risk were the camera's at the ING-Bank computer center. But I hoped these were pointed inwards, not towards the tunnel site.
So I threw my backpack over the fence and crawled under it myself. I was a bit wary - my wife had given me a (justified) sermon about "getting caught and losing my job". But I simply had to see the final tunnel segment.
I had conquered the fence and my fear. Now I had to find a way down.
Fortunately the stairs were not far. I had used this noisy construction several times before. I was relieved to be out of sight.
There were two parallel rectangular tunnels. I tried the left one first. It led to some small and high side rooms - I guess these are the future emergency exits. Here you could also cross from one tunnel to the other.
I followed the tunnel but my progress was blocked by a locked wire fence. Without it I might have walked forever towards the city center.

Above me were the ventilation shafts I had seen before.
I had hoped to be more lucky in the parallel tunnel - but again the same locked fence.

I looked at the side rooms again. They were the same as on the other side.
Even though my visit was limited I was happy that I had seen the tunnel at all. I'm not good at fence climbing. It it's open it's OK with me, but if I have to trespass without any "plausible deniability" I shit my pants.
I finished the evening by cycling around the perimeter fence of the airport. It's a fascinating place, I like the mysterious lights and the UFO like landing airplanes. And the urban wilderness that surrounds it.
And I left through the underpass of the eerie train station Wilgenplas. That's the border where the city ends and the country begins. Ghosts and wild animals roam there.
Urban Adventure Home © Petr Kazil

May 2005