Ever since I turned 40, several years ago, I have wanted to climb over the O2. I am not a climber, but do enjoy walking, especially when there are stunning views involved, and knowing that I may not make it to Sydney any time soon to climb over the Harbour Bridge, this seemed like a good alternative, especially as I had heard that climbing over the O2 has been compared to that. A good friend and I talked a lot about doing it, but never actually put our plans into action. So I was very excited to finally be taking on the challenge.
Originally built as the Millennium Dome for the year 2000, it was created as a monument to space and time, and originally housed an exhibition to celebrate the new millennium. The large white marquee- type structure is one of the largest of its type in the world. It has twelve 100 m-high yellow support towers, one for each month of the year, or each hour of the clock face, representing the role played by Greenwich Mean Time; in fact the meridian line runs just to the left of the Up at The O2 walkway. In plain view it is circular, 365m in diameter (one metre for each day of the year)! and the summit of the walkway is 52m high (you guessed it, one metre for each week in the year). Now a building of architectural significance in the UK, the O2 is a well-known venue for concerts and has become one of the UK’s most recognisable landmarks, appearing in many films and TV productions. Perhaps the idea for Up at the O2 came from the dramatic sequence in the James Bond film The World is Not Enough, which sees Pierce Brosnan rolling down the roof of the O2 after a spectacular speed boat chase through the Thames. Wherever the idea came from, it has certainly captured the public’s interest as since its opening in June 2012, Up at The O2 has seen over 300,000 take the walk across the roof of The O2.
Although it is possible to just turn up and buy tickets, it is strongly advisable to book in advance via the website, where you will have the choice of undertaking either the Original Climb (during the day), Sunset Climb, Twilight Climb (for views of the twinkling lights of the City after dark) or a private group climb. The cost is £28 per person for the original climb and £35 for the Sunset and Twilight options. There are a few restrictions regarding age (10 years minimum), height (at least 1.2m), and weight (not more than 21 stone), and these are detailed on the website in the FAQs section. We went as a family group of 2 adults and 2 children (aged 10 and 13) and it was a great introduction for our boys to climbing, and gaining that sense of achievement when you reach the summit; although my only previous experience of this was climbing Snowdon many years ago!
On arrival you are asked to fill out a form (next of kin details required!), and introduced to your Climb Guide who takes you through everything you need to know and helps with any issues you may have with your climb suit, shoes and a safety harness. We were part of a group of around 15 people and after the obligatory photos of everyone in their climbing attire we were ready to set off.
The surface is a fabric walkway suspended 2m above the roof of the O2 and has a slight bounce to it, mirroring the surface of the tent. Initially the incline is quite steep (28°), but after a short distance it starts to level out. The safety harness is attached via a carabena to a line running the whole length of the climb, so you feel very safe, and your guide is on hand at all stages of the climb, should you need assistance. Our ascent was accompanied by beautiful sunshine, so it was a really enjoyable climb. Along the way the guide pointed out various landmarks and gave us interesting snippets of information, and when we reached the observation platform at the summit, there was the opportunity to spot many more places, ask questions or simply gaze at the spectacular 360° views. I had been told by a neighbour to ask about the only lighthouse in London, which has an interesting history, and is easily spotted from the observation platform. Our guide was pretty knowledgeable and told us about this and other landmarks that we hadn’t spotted.
The descent feels quite steep, particularly the last section, but is very manageable with the strong grip provided by the footwear we had all been given. At the bottom there was a genuine feeling of achievement as we walked back to collect our belongings and took in the last 90 minutes. For anyone wanting to view London from a different perspective, and get the adrenaline pumping at the same time, Up at the O2 is the perfect way to spend an afternoon (or evening).
Prices for Up at The O2 start at £28 for adults and children (over 10). To avoid disappointment, advance bookings are suggested. Book your date and time now at www.theo2.co.uk/upattheo2.
