Climb The O2: A London Icon

Did you know you can climb The O2 Arena in London? When I found out about it, part of me wanted to do the climb and part of me was scared.  I don’t like roller coasters and sometimes heights can bother me. I thought doing Up at The O2 would be a good way to help conquer some of my fears. It’s quite safe of course. Their expert guides take excellent care of you and you are given a safety harness. It’s good to get outside your comfort zone!  Let me tell you more about my experience so that you will know what to expect when you climb The O2.

COVID-19 Notice: Up at the O2 will re-open July 4, 2020.  In line with social distancing guidelines, each climb has been reduced to less than half the capacity previously in place (from 30 to 10 people), giving a more exclusive experience to visitors.  Read more about their enhanced health and safety measures here.

Facts about the O2

​The O2 is an iconic building and much more than just a concert venue.  Originally it was built for the millennium and called the Millennium Dome.  In addition to the event space, The O2 also has exhibit halls, bars, restaurants, a movie theatre, and a bowling alley.

I liked the idea that this building had all kinds of symbolism to do with time built into its design, as The O2 was originally put up to commemorate the millennium.  The tent has 12 yellow masts, one for each month of the year. The height of the top of the structure is 52 meters, one for each week of the year. Additionally, the diameter is 365 meters, one for each day of the year.

Up at The O2 Experience

The Up at The O2 experience was added in 2012 around the time of the Olympics. While the gymnastics competition took place inside, you could climb right over it.

You don’t walk right on the roof – there is a rubber track that is suspended 2 meters above it.  This walkway is made of the same material as the roof so it does move a bit as you walk on it. It is 380 meters long and the whole experience lasts about 90 minutes.

There are several different climb options available.  You can choose from a daytime, sunset, or twilight climb.  If you like you can upgrade to a Celebration Climb which includes a glass of champagne.  There is also the option to do a Climb and Dine which includes a two course dinner at All Bar One inside The O2.  On certain days between May and September, they offer a special climb where a guide from the Museum of London Dockland gives you a 15 minute talk about the local Dockland’s history when you reach the summit.

Group climbs normally have up to 16 climbers and one guide.  Sometimes they will do climbs with 30 guests and 2 guides. We were excited to do a private climb. It would be just me, Russell, and our guide.

Up at The O2 gave us special dispensation to use a GoPro to create the video that accompanies this post, provided we used an original GoPro manufactured chest strap. GoPros and other handheld cameras are not usually allowed on group climbs for safety reasons. I’d like to say thanks to Up at The O2 for accommodating us to make this video possible.

Checking In at Base Camp

As instructed, we went to check in about 15 minutes before our climb time.  When we passed by the start of the climb, there was a group getting ready to start.  They were all doing stretches, it was a good reminder that The O2 climb would be a workout.

We went inside “Base Camp” and I showed the tickets on my phone.  They asked us if we wanted to upgrade to a Celebration Climb which would include a glass of champagne at the top.  I figured, why not?! We should celebrate the experience.

Next, we went into a small theatre room.  Our guide, Susie, came and introduced herself.  She gave us our waivers to sign and told us we would be watching a short video introduction.  When Susie returned, she reviewed our waivers and then demonstrated how we would put on our harnesses.  

Getting Suited Up to Climb The O2

After our mini-lesson, we moved into the staging area where we received our equipment and suited up for the climb.  We were given jackets, harnesses, and shoes. Susie warned me that the shoes can sometimes be larger than expected and I can confirm that as I had to get a smaller size.  Since it wasn’t cold outside, our jackets were really vests, but still they had pockets to store your cell phone.

The only thing you can carry with you is your cell phone so we each put our shoes and other belongings in a locked flight case.  It would be sent around to the other side and waiting for us when we finished. My heart was pounding as it was time to start our climb.

Starting our Climb

We left base camp and went up a few flights of stairs to the start of the walkway.  I knew the incline going up was 28 degrees but it looked steeper than I expected. I put on a smile as the photographer took the obligatory photo.

Susie demonstration how the latch system would work and then attached us.  The chain was in the middle of the walkway. Susie would climb on the left side of the chain and we would go up on the right.  I went first, there was no turning back now! The first few sections are the steepest so there are ridges to help with the footing.  There was also a rope to hold on to. I probably used this to pull myself up more than I should have. Looking back, I wish I would have brought some gloves.

I struggled with the latch gates, but Susie was there to help so that didn’t worry me much.  It was physically demanding but I was able to take my time. Every so often there would be planks that were solid, where I could stop and rest.  It was much easier to stand on these planks as well. I have to say, the first part of the climb was hard on my ankles.

Before I knew it, we were on to the easier sections.  While I was beginning to feel more relaxed, I still felt like I wanted to hold on to the rope and I was still struggling with the gates.  My focus was on the walkway so didn’t even notice the view. Russell said he was deliberately not looking around. He wanted to save the view for the top. Even so, he couldn’t resist a little glance around every now and then!

The O2 Viewing Platform

We made it to the top of The O2 where there is a viewing platform.  Susie unhooked our chains and went to get our glasses of champagne from the cooler.  Now I felt like I could relax and enjoy the views. We had great views of the River Thames, Canary Wharf, the Greenwich Maritime Museum, the Emirates Cable Car, and more.  We could make out Central London in the distance. Even more impressive than the view is the fact I had climbed an iconic building and I definitely had adrenaline from that.

We took a few selfies and pictures as we enjoyed our champagne.  It was a bit windy but that didn’t bother me, I was on a high. I tried not to think about the journey down.  I knew it was slightly steeper (at 30 degrees) than the route up. Even though I knew the chain would catch me if I slipped, I was still nervous.  Susie told me that I could go backwards down the last bit that was steep. That made me feel better since that would stop me from looking down.

The Descent

I saw the group behind us approaching the viewing platform, so I thought we should get going.  I didn’t want another group on top of us, making me feel pressured to go down faster. (That was a needless worry, as they never caught up with us.)

The first part going down was gentle, like a walk in the park. As it got a bit steeper, I asked Susie if I should start going backwards yet.  She told me no, she would tell me when it was time.

We went a little further and then it was time.  I looked down and couldn’t imagine going down facing forward it seemed so steep.  At first, I wasn’t sure if I should turn my feet sideways but Susie told me to go backwards.  I inched my way down and Susie handled my chain. For extra peace of mind, I held on to the rope with both hands.

I faced Russell going down and he looked so relaxed like it was nothing.  I was surprised since sometimes he has issues with heights too. He also had a much better grip on how to do the gates than I did.

Climb Accomplished!

Going down, the walkway goes all the way to the ground.  There are no stairs like where we started on the other side.  When I got to the bottom again I felt this huge sense of accomplishment.  I would have never thought I could climb over The O2, but I did it! Looking back, I still have a hard time believing it!

Between the end of the walkway and “North Camp” there is a nice photo spot, so we stopped to take a few pictures.  Then we went inside where our shoes and other stuff were waiting for us. I sat down and took a few deep breaths. I was pretty proud of myself.

The next day I did feel a little soreness in my calves and my arms similar to what you might feel after a good workout.  The difference is my workout was climbing The O2!

My Up at The O2 Review

My climb up The O2 is something I will never forget, and I would definitely recommend that you do it too.  I felt such a huge sense of accomplishment for completing the climb and not letting my fears stop me.

The staff at Up at The O2 were wonderful and helped calm me during my O2 climbing experience.  They have a very efficient and organized system to make sure everything runs smoothly.  Additionally, you can tell that safety is a priority. Our guide, Susie, was wonderful. She was supportive and patient, which I appreciated.

Check out our climb video to get a better idea of what our O2 climb experience was like.

What do you think? Do you have what it takes to climb The O2?

-Anisa