Visit London's highest publicly accessible point

Upon the news that the BT Tower is to reopen its restaurant for the Olympics, which will, at 620 feet, make it once again the highest accessible point in London, your author suddenly realised he didn't know where in London was the current holder of this title. Rather predictably, a bit of research uncovered that it was none other than the London Eye.


The most successful of all the millennium projects, when it 'officially' opened in December 1999, it was the world's tallest ferris wheel at 443ft. Whilst this has since lost this title it remains the largest in Europe. In terms of height, however, it is only the seventeenth highest building in London, coming below Guy's Tower, the tallest hospital building in the world, and above Wembley Stadium, the tallest stadium in the world in the rankings. Both are visible from the top on a clear day. The BT Tower, meanwhile is the fifth highest in London, after the big three in the Docklands' Canada Square, and the Crystal Palace Transmitter.

Since the public opening in March 2000, the Eye has taken more than thirty million guests on a 'flight' in its 32 sealed egg-shaped cabins, which each weigh 10 tonnes and hold up to 25 people. The wheel rotates at 0.6 mph and one revolution takes about 30 minutes. This year a '4D Experience' before you take the trip was added by an entertainments company. Your author has absolutely no idea what this means.

'Flights' during the day or night cost £17.50. Alternatively, you can do one with champagne for £35, £30 with mulled wine, or £27 for 'fast track'. £17.50 it is then! For more information, visit http://www.londoneye.com/

_{^Picture by wwarby^}