The Shard attracted our eyes as we left London Bridge station and walked to lively Borough Market. You pick a time slot in the day or evening and we had chosen just before sunset. Careful not to miss our time slot, we arrived early enough for a walk around Borough Market and a coffee at Monmouth Coffee Company. The Shard is an all-jumping tourist attraction with a huge indoor entrance hall with ticket windows.
We passed through security, like an airport, where they confiscated our pen-knife and Xmas crackers (it was our double-birthday treat). Then stopped for a photo. We took only a few steps and saw our faces on a screen.
Next up in two zooming lifts and out on the lower and larger observation deck of the tower which gets smaller as you get nearer the top. The lower level has floor to ceiling glass windows on all four sides and silhouettes of what you see above head height. The nearest and most easily identifiable feature is Tower bridge below. (London Bridge, left of it, looks very dull, but if you arrived at London Bridge underground station, it helps to orient you to where you are.)
The most amazing thing for me was seeing the river Thames winding S shape the way it does on maps, whilst when you are on the ground walking along the banks you always see it ahead of you as a straight line.
The height is just right. You can see well known landmarks clearly. Down below are the white topf of trains, zooming backwards and forward towards you, the way they do at the end of the classic comedy thriller film starring Peter Sellers and Alec Guinness.
Even with timed entry it is quite crowded. You have to wait your turn to see out through each of the windows. People pose for photos. Champagne is for sale at about £8 a glass. We rushed from window to window to take sunset photos as couples posed against the sunset for a romantic photo and/or a kiss.
The staircase is beautifully designed, polished wooden steps and red walls and views of the level below.
The second level is quite different. Make sure you see it. Less crowded. Open to the air with a chill wind. Seems much higher. And much smaller. You really feel you are at the top.
Back on the lower level, having seen the views already, we paid attention to the machines which are free and show you the scene below at different times of day, with the names of landmarks.
On the way back down to the descending lift we found ourselves on a platform with windows showing the different types of clouds and what kind of weather they predicted.
Finally, back at ground level, the shop offered us a range of goods, from pencils and pens at £2 to tee-shirts and maps of London. The gifts are suitable for children and adults, souvenirs for yourself or for tourists to take home.
The souvenir photos cost about £25 (various packages) so I opted for a pencil. A delightful double birthday celebration.
Book at lest a day in advance to save yourself five pounds per person.
Tickets about £25 in advance, just under £30 on the day.
theviewfromtheshard.com
On May 23rd the Shard was hit by lightning. Several online newspapers carried photos.
See my next blog on Borough Market.
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