Die Alte Eisfabrik (The Old Ice Factory)

We wanted to have a look at some of Berlin's fabled abandoned buildings, so headed to the relatively easy to access Eisfabrik, which stands decrepit on the banks of the Spree.

You can essentially walk straight into the factory, having only to climb over a wall ( which has helpfully had fencing propped against it to facilitate easy access for urban wanderers) to get in.

The factory produced ice for almost 100 years, having closed in 1995. Since then there have been various campaigns to save the building, which is listed and yet in a terrible state of repair. As far as I can gather, the owners of the site are keen to demolish, whereas campaign groups want it to be renovated and restored.

I actually found the visit quite bleak. There is little left to give an impression of the actual workings of ice manufacture, apart from some impressive pieces of machinery on the ground floor. The overwhelming impression I got was of the lives of people who have used and are currently using the factory as a temporary home which, as we visited just after the harshest part of the winter had come to an end, was somewhat harrowing.

In fact, I often felt I was trespassing in somebody's home as we came across rooms containing sleeping bags, old clothes, human waste and bags of rubbish. The rubbish ended up being what interested me most.

Of course, the view from the top of the factory, as with any moderately tall building in Berlin, is great. It was an interesting hour or so, but not the most uplifting.

Die Eisfabrik is just 5 minutes walk from Heinrich-Heine Str. U-Bahn, on the U8.

Teufelsberg, Grunewald

Teufelsburg is the name of a man-made hill upon which the American National Security Agency built a large listening station during the Cold War. The listening station has fallen into disrepair since it was abandoned after German reunification and is now easily accessible to curious explorers.

To reach Teufelsberg from Berlin take the S-Bahn (S7) to Heerstrasse. From the station you want to head into the forest via Teufelsseestrasse (grab a wurst from the small kiosk next to the station, you've got plenty of walking ahead).

Soon the houses will end and you'll be surrounded by beautiful forest. After about 10 minutes on Teufelsseestrasse you'll come across a large car park on the right-hand-side (car park is 'B' on this map). You want to walk through the car park and follow the path that curves south up the hill. Stay on that same path and you will reach Teufelsberg's chainlink fence. Climb through the hole directly ahead of you.

Upon entering the site I felt as if I had stepped into a 1970s science fiction novel. A metal staircase cuts through a canopy of vines that conceals the crumbling monoliths of the listening station. Once you emerge, the evidence of invasion is painted across the walls of the complex; nearly every surface is decorated with graffiti. During our visit there were also people living in a smaller tower (despite their unusual choice of residence they were not interested in being tourist attractions. Signs declaring 'NO PHOTOS' stood in front of their make-shift home).

There is plenty to see within the site, but you will inevitably be lured towards the tallest part of the station. As the highest point for many miles around the views from the top are uninterrupted and unforgettable. Looking north you can see aeroplanes gliding into Tegel Airport behind puffs of smoke which tumble from power station chimneys. To the west and south the velvet-green expanse of Grunewald gives way to the sparkling waters of the Wannsee lake. Eastward lies Berlin itself. During our visit the sky was clear and we could see many of the city's landmarks.

There are some wonderful things to be found in the station itself, including a huge swing, rooms filled with thousands of fragments of glass and, most bewitching of all, the top-most sphere. To know what you'll find within it you'll have to visit yourself...

We were there for nearly three hours, including a stop for a picnic. Give yourself plenty of time to look around, and make sure you don't get stuck there when night falls. Visiting Teufelsberg was the highlight of my first trip to Berlin. I can't wait to go back.

(N.B. There are lots of sheer drops, big holes gapping in the floors and generally dangerous things lying around. If you decide to visit go with friends and stay safe.)

All photos are mine. Do not use them without permission.