London: the Monument is open again...
 

after a long restoration.

Don't try it if you don't like stairs (lots of them) or heights:

http://www.themonument.info/

Thanks for the info. I've never climbed it, so I'll consider doing that next time.

Cool! I've been hoping it would be open for our trip next month, the theme of which is "climbing to the top of tall things to look at the view".

Lennyba--

Climbing to the top of things is one of our themes for our trip next month too! So far, we're planning on St. Paul's, Salisbury Cathedral Tower, the Monument, and Wellington Arch.

LauraG

St Paul's is quite a climb - goes in 3 stages and the final stage if i remember correctly is a wooden ladder type thing and then emerge onto a narrow ledge with a fantastic view

What! No elevator? (Just kidding).

St. Paul's sounds like a climb for the morning -- before our feet start to hurt.

Oo, Wellington Arch. I don't know why that didn't occur to me. We'll also be in Paris (Notre Dame towers, Arc d', Eiffel) and Bruges (Bell Tower).

We're also planning a quick stop at St. Paul's, although my husband loves to remind me how I freaked right the heck out the first time we went up.

What else can you climb up in London?

What else can you climb up in London?

Some tube stations that are deep in the ground have hundreds of stairs you can take instead of the lifts.

So you snake up all those winding stairs at the same time another line of people is snaking down? With nowhere to pause or let people pass you in case of impatience on the Monument?

I think I'll go for the virtual views, thanks. Those are very nice.

I'm just getting off work at midnight here, and it's fun to see the London sky gradually lighten and turn red as dawn comes.

You can also climb Tower Bridge:

http://www.towerbridge.org.uk/TowerBridge/English

I suffer from claustrophobia and a fear of heights, but years ago I bravely climbed the Monument because my 8 year old son wanted to do it, and there was noone else to go up with him. I coped, just, but stayed glued to the wall the whole time :) The things we do for our kids.
It is, or was, worth the climb, things have changed a lot in London since I did it though.

It's not a "THING" as such, but climbing Parliament Hill up to Hampstead Heath is worth the climb for the views of London.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/england/sevenwo...rliament_hill/

And dont forget the beautiful view from Tate Modern's cafe on I think the 5th floor

Thanks for the link PatrickLondon. Another thing to add to my 'To Do' list.

Thanks for the pic, C-W. We went up Parliament Hill on our last trip, but it was so foggy/rainy, we didn't get much of a view.

It's starting to get dark there now, with raindrops on the lens. (the last of my series of running commentary on the skies above London)

The top webcam photo is 360 degrees, I suppose, and many cranes rise above the skyline. Would the large white building to the far right be the Bank of England?

Primrose Hill is another good vantage point to climb to (above Regents Park--a little closer in to London and so maybe more accessible than Hampstead Heath). And I highly recommend the views from the Tower Bridge Exhibition! (which takes the 2for1 tickets, as does the Tower, so those are good to do the same day). Monument was closed when we were there last summer, and we were too sore from climbing around in Dover to attempt the St. Paul's climb, so I can't comment on those (although my daughter says the St Paul's view is worth the effort)

Never mind. I see that the rotation of the image varies with wind direction, so that big white bldg is on the left now and the Tower Bridge closer to center.

For the person who said "climbing to the top of tall things for the view" will be the theme of his trip, good luck.

I go with good intentions and then, after one or two "tall things" that is the end of it.

Anyone know how many steps there are in the Monument?

there are 311 steps - which is plenty. One thing wot peeps don't know is that if you laid the Monument flat it would actually end up exactly on the site of the bakers in Pudding Lane where the Great Fire started.

CHOLMONDLEYTRUFACT!

If you like experiences you could always get someone to take you up the Oxo tower:

http://www.london-eating.co.uk/revie...nts/123446.htm

And the Washington Monument has 897 steps, but they don't let you climb it anymore. Too many problems with people having to be pulled out due to being unable to finish the climb. You can climb down, but only with a Park Ranger at 10:30am and 12:30pm most days.

<For the person who said "climbing to the top of tall things for the view" will be the theme of his trip, good luck.>


Conveniently we're both in excellent shape, but I know what you mean. Eventually we'll probably think about a pastries theme, or perhaps something in a "hang around the hotel naked".