Up at The O2

Brief: The best places to go in London.

Yup, that’s a pretty broad brief right?! But when I was asked by the hotel group Millennium to contribute to a guide, I knew exactly where I wanted to go! Up at The O2 (UATO2).

UATO2 embodies both London and this blog. It’s active, outdoors, fun and you get to see London in its entirety!

Pre Climb | The rain stopped and the sun came out just in time for my 1130am climb (thank you heavens!). It was cold though, so I was wrapped up well in warm layers. I arrived 15 mins before my climb time allowing me to take it all in. It’s become normal for me these days to not really research what I’m letting myself in for!

The first part to the experience was to watch the safety video which explained pretty much everything, equipment, what to expect…

Next up, time to grab our onesies (aka climb suits), boots and harnesses. And to implement the number 1 tip from the video…use the bathroom before you start! The onesie was a welcome addition to my outfit, waterproof and hooded.

Once we stashed our personal belongings away in lockers (bar mobile phones / cameras – the one thing we could take) it was off to the starting point.

The Facts

The walkway is: 

• constructed out of tensile fabric
• suspended 52 meters above ground level
• two meters above the surface of The O2 tent canvas
• three hundred and twenty meters long
• slightly bouncy to replicate the surface of the tent structure
• set at a maximum gradient of 28degrees during ascent and 30degrees during descent, along which climbers must travel unaided

In Climb | Once we were all connected to the cable system it was time to go! The very first part of the climb was by no means easy – in fact, its the toughest, and feels like the steepest part of the entire experience!

Manoeuvring my climb latch – to allow me to move and not move at the appropriate times – whilst taking in the 360 views was breathtaking. Within what felt like no time at all, we reached the Observation Platform where we could detach ourselves, take photos and enjoy the views.

Before I knew it, it was time to start our descent which I think felt faster than the ascent – makes sense as its less physically demanding. The views are still there though so the experience continues…

Post Climb | The entire experience is planned with military precision. Our belongings met us at the other side where we swapped them for our climbing gear! There’s also a shop filled with branded gear if you’re looking for a keepsake to remember the experience.

In total, from video to getting my stuff back, took 90 minutes. One of the quickest but fun 90 minutes.

And the question it boils down to…Would I go again?! YES! 


What are your favourite places / activities in London?! Have you been to UATO2?! 

Elle 🙂 

p.s Thanks to Millenium Hotel Group and Joe Blogs for pre purchasing my ticket! I was not paid for this post and all opinions are my own, of course 🙂