Group travel organiser Olivia Goodfellow enjoyed panoramic views of the capital’s famous landmarks on a visit to new London attraction Summit at Alexandra Palace.
At 130 meters above sea level, the Alexandra Palace Summit rooftop tour is billed as the highest in the UK. Olivia Goodfellow, who previously won GTO of the Year®, visited the iconic North London landmark for a sunset climb to its summit, and discovered an experience that would make an ideal day trip for groups.
Uninterrupted views of the city
The rooftop adventure, which is run in partnership with Wire & Sky, lasts an hour, and involves climbing a purpose-built route to the Angel of Plenty statue at the top of the Palace. From there, views across the city take in famous landmarks including Canary Wharf, The Shard and St Paul’s Cathedral.
Visitors can choose to take a daytime, sunset or evening London Lights climb, with each offering a different experience of the city views below. Oliva booked the rooftop climb as part of a birthday surprise for her husband and chose the Sunset Climb option.
A great day out for groups
Olivia, who organises trips for the Enfield Over 50s Forum, felt the trip would work well for groups, and commented: “From booking the slot to arriving at the Palace, the instructions were clear and very reassuring.”
Before the tour starts, guests receive a safety briefing from their guide, who shows them how to use the equipment and gives them instructions for the climb. Olivia explained: “After a welcome talk from our guide, we were harnessed up and shown how to use the safety belts, which ensure that no-one can fall off at any point.
“We walked up to the first level to see the remaining rose window from the original palace building and listened with interest to a short talk about the history of the palace itself.”
Take in the scenery at a leisurely pace
Olivia found the climb to be a suitable activity for anyone with a reasonable level of mobility and fitness and said: “We carried on up to the roof and the pace was easy and no rush for anyone a little less fit or able. Once on the roof, there were a series of steps with handrails and the view was fantastic.”
“As the sun was setting, the lights of the city were on full show and it really was very special.”
Olivia Goodfellow, group travel organiser
Olivia continued: “We were shown the most famous points of interest, such as St Paul’s Cathedral, Canary Wharf, Wembley Stadium and so on. As the sun was setting, the lights of the city were on full show and it really was very special.
“After a steady descent, we were able to view some rooftop photos taken by our guide with a view to purchasing some or all of them (we bought them all as they are not expensive).”
Alexandra Palace history
Originally opened in 1873, Alexandra Palace was designed to be the ‘People’s Palace’, with the goal of providing entertainment and recreation for visitors. In the 1930s, Ally Pally became the home of the BBC, and its cultural status has continued with the Palace hosting concerts by some of the world’s biggest bands, including Led Zeppelin and the Rolling Stones.
Today, Alexandra Palace and Park welcomes millions of visitors each year to experience its events and activities, with facilities including food and drink venues, an ice rink and a boating lake.
For more information about Summit, go to www.summitallypally.co.uk, and to find out more about Alexandra Palace and what’s on, visit www.alexandrapalace.com.
