It's all about The View

*I received a complimentary ticket for the purposes of review.

If you've read more than a few of my posts,

then you probably know about my major fear of heights

(And closed spaces.  And swimming. And Spanx.)

But, I've decided that I'm going to work really hard to overcome those fears.

And none of this "baby step" stuff, I'm going Hard Core Fear Management.

I decided to start by taking a little trip

to the top of the tallest building in London and Western Europe.

(Seriously, somebody stop me.)

The Shard is the newest addition to the London landscape.

It was designed by Master Architect Renzo Piano and soars over 1,000 feet above the London Skyline.
You can see it from all over the city.  At first, like many Londoners, I wasn't quite sure.
But, I've come to really love the jagged, glass spike reaching for the clouds.

The View is located on Floors 68 to 72 and is twice as high as any other viewing platform in London.

I scheduled my visit for a Monday morning a few weeks out and then
spent that time hoping that I would have the courage to go up and also hoping for a beautiful London day.

Success!  I awoke to beautiful, blue, sunny skies, put on my big-girl panties,
and made my way to London Bridge Station and The Shard.
(Insert moan about the inconsistencies of British weather here.)

Luckily, I had my friend Gina along for moral support (and to perform CPR, if necessary.)

 

The entry on Floor 00 is open and welcoming with plenty of staff to assist.
There was no line at all the morning we were there.
You will find quirky artwork featuring both the iconic London skyline
and iconic English personalities. 

You know I'm madly in love with this city (except when I'm not) and I loved this wall of 
famous quotes about London.

 After going through security and having our bags scanned,
we were ushered onto the first elevator that took us lickety-split to the 33rd Floor.
We entered another elevator and within seconds arrived on the 68th Floor.

On the 68th floor the glass windows are covered with a cloudscape and examples of 
the various clouds that you might see.  It was a nice little buffer zone for a scaredy-cat like me.  I was able to regroup and take a few deep, cleansing breaths before taking the staircase to the viewing gallery on the next level.

We stepped up onto the viewing platform and were met with 360 degree views of London in all her glory.

There was ethereal music playing to add to the experience of seeing a whole new side of this massive city.

At first, I was stuck like glue to the wall, but slowly ventured closer and closer to the 

floor to ceiling glass windows.  It's impossible to resist the views of famous London landmarks, to follow the train tracks out of London Station and to see the fabulous Thames river snaking its way into the distance.

And check out these guys!
You could not pay me a million dollars to hang out on the side of this building.
Not even on the 2nd floor much less the 68th floor.
Can you even imagine?

We took our time, getting comfortable and taking hundreds of pictures.
I was doing pretty good with the fear management thing until this lady walked by and said
"Oh, I can feel it swaying!"  (Um. No, you can't.)

So then I went up to her and thumped her hard on the nose.
Not really, but I so would have if she wasn't so close to the windows.

After more regrouping and breathing, we took the stairs up to the 72nd Floor.

 I almost couldn't step out onto this level.  At this point even Gina, who isn't really afraid of heights,

was feeling a little bit queasy.  (Unfortunately, there is no place to sit down if your knees give out on you.)

But, we did it and I'm glad we did.  On this level you are exposed to the elements and the cool air.

You can look up into the shards of glass that make up the tippy top of the skyscraper.

The ride down in the elevator was quick and we certainly felt it in our stomachs more than the ride up.
Thankful to be back on solid ground, it was time for lunch
and one (or three) glasses of Rosé to congratulate ourselves on our bravery.
That tingly feeling in my stomach turned into an adrenaline high that carried me through the rest of the day.

I'm so happy that I conquered my fears and did it!

 Have you heard the story of Romeo the Fox?
During construction, a fox spent two weeks living on the 72nd Floor of the building.
He was living on scraps left by the workers.
He was eventually captured and relocated to a new home a little closer to the earth.

Planning Your visit:

The View is now open daily from 9am to 10pm daily.
(Those hours are scheduled to change in October 2013, so be sure to check for current times.)

It is recommended that you book online to avoid long lines.

  The main reason to pre-book online is to save money as a visit is certainly not cheap.

Infant (0-3) are free.
Children 4-15 are £23.95
Adults 16+ are £29.95

You can save £5 per ticket by booking online 24 hours in advance.
(Rates as of June 2013)

They also take telephone bookings for a small fee but note that

that the pre-booking discount only applies to online purchases.

Finally, be brave!  You've so got this.

 

Where have you found the best views in London? 

(By the way, I didn't win the Brilliance in Blogging Award for Travel.  That honor when to The Family Adventure Project and deservedly so.  But I had a fabulous weekend at Brit Mums Live.  Thanks again for those who nominated and voted for me and  thanks so much for the sweet words of encouragement and congratulations.)

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*I received a complimentary ticket to visit The Shard for the purposes of review.
All photos, writing and opinions are my own.
As always, I promise to be open, honest and transparent with my readers.
If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to ask.


You can find this review and many others in my
London Attraction Guide.