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London Pass goes Up The O2

The O2 Dome on Greenwich Peninsula, South East London is one of London’s most exciting venues – and urban structures. Having opened in 2007, it can hold up to 20,000 people and takes the title of the UK’s second largest arena, after Manchester. Now, it plays host to world class acts like Kylie Minogue, as well as tennis champions Andy Murray and Rafael Nadal in various events from sold-out tours to the Paralympics. But spectator-sport aside, we wanted in on the action. Up at the O2 is the O2’s novel adventure which allows you to ‘conquer the summit of London’ and scale the dome, climbing to its summit of 60m. Kat and Lesley from London Pass head office were lucky enough to go and try it out, to tell you all about it! What made you want to go Up at The O2? Kat: I love active sightseeing anyway; I love to climb, cruise, walk and cycle my way around cities so this experience really appealed to me! Lesley: An opportunity to climb such an iconic structure, how could I refuse? I couldn’t wait to try it out. What made you think that London Pass customers might also like the experience? Kat: To begin with I thought it was just an unusual activity that would appeal to people with similar active interests. When I actually did the climb however, I realised that the view from the top is one of the best in London; not only because of how far you can see but also because of where it is positioned you can see every landmark in the city on a clear day – even Wembley Stadium! Then there is something very satisfying about reaching the viewpoint ‘the hard way’! Lesley: London Pass users have access to some amazing, unusual, interesting and educational places. Up at The O2 is all of those things and more. To be outside with the breeze in your hair and to see an amazing 360 ̊ panorama of London. All those skyscrapers... it’s simply incredible. Were you nervous before the climb began? Kat: I think it’s natural to get ‘butterflies’ before doing something like this! Once we’d been briefed and got onto the roof however, we realised that the dome of The O2 would never be more than a few feet below us, which was very comforting! Lesley: I was too excited to feel nervous, I couldn’t wait to get out there. Did you feel prepared for the climb? Kat: Very much so. We had a 30 minute safety briefing before the climb so we all knew what to do before we went out onto the roof. Lesley: Definitely. A safety briefing video that was both informative and entertaining really helped. Plus they kit you out with climbing shoes and either a full jump suit or specialist vest top, to stow away your camera or phone to take photos at the top. How safe did you feel during the climb? Kat: Perfectly safe. The equipment kept us secure; it was very straight forward to use and we had a guide with us the whole time. Lesley: The ‘path’ is made of a trampoline style material – there is a lot of bounce so keeping your feet nice and flat with each step minimises that. There is also a hand rail but I went daredevil and tried not to use it. With the harness set up if you were to lose your footing you’d simply drop to your knees and it’s very easy to get back up. How long did it take to reach the top? Kat: Around 30 minutes. It’s more like a steep walk than an actual climb. It could have been done much quicker but I think we all wanted to savour the experience and so made our way up slowly! Lesley: I don’t remember, the whole experience took about 2 hours from briefing to jumping off at the other end. I kept getting distracted by the view and the novelty of being on the dome of The O2. What was it like at the top? Kat: Breath taking! We could even see the London Pass office from the top! Lesley: Practically, it was nice and level. You can also unclip your harness and walk around to take loads of photos. The view is pretty awesome as you can see the sprawling skyline of London. How does this experience compare to other viewpoint attractions in London? Kat: It isn’t the highest viewpoint attraction in London, but it definitely rivals the best because the views are virtually uninterrupted. Plus this is a very interesting part of London that is under a huge amount of regeneration, the extent of which I never really realised until I was able to look down on it all! Lesley: It’s tricky to compare. Each building has its own merits so I couldn’t pick a favourite, but for this particular attraction I would say the full 360 ̊ panorama is a great feature. How was the descent? Kat: The descent was fun; you get a better feel for the gradient of the climb on the way down! Lesley: Bittersweet, because it’s all over! It’s a bit tougher on the legs coming down and I had to use the hand rail for balance. What is your overall opinion of the experience? Kat: Buckets of fun! Lesley: Genius! Such a clever use of space and very well organised. Would you do it again? Kat: How soon?! Lesley: Absolutely! London Pass holders can get 30% off weekday (Mon-Fri) climbs between 10.00-16.00. To redeem this offer, simply turn up at The O2 and show your London Pass. It's best to arrive early as the climbs are timed slots - so you might have to wait for the next available time if fully booked. Offer valid 1st July - 31st July 2014.

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