The Dare Skywalk offers thrills and a view so gorgeous that even Arsenal fans will enjoy it (maybe).
Sad as it was for Tottenham Hotspur to depart their venerable White Hart Lane ground a couple of years ago, there are undeniably several perks to moving into a brand spanking new, world-class football stadium. And whilst football fans can marvel at the cutting-edge technology, array of bars and restaurants, and exploits of Harry Kane and co on the pitch at The Tottenham Hostpur Stadium, Secret London was recently drawn there for a rather different reason: The Dare Skywalk. A dizzying trek up to the roof of the new Spurs ground, the reward for your daring is sweeping, panoramic views of the capital that are more spectacular than any bicycle kick.
Opening to the public on August 31 (with tickets on sale now), The Dare Skywalk is a recent addition to the Spurs stadium which sees adrenaline junkies climbing round the edge of the ground to reach the roof – inspired by the club motto, “To Dare Is To Do”. That may sound a little daunting, but rest assured, the climb is completed entirely via steps and a mildly taxing slope, at which point the side of the stadium drops away to reveal your first sight of the skyline. Rigorous safety procedures are in place to keep climbers worry-free, with ever-present harness systems, a pre-climb safety video, and even special shoes all part of the experience – plus, each trip up to the top is marshalled by an experienced and knowledgeable guide.
Once you’ve reached the stadium roof, you’ll get a tantalising glimpse of London’s skyscrapers, before you head even higher for a real treat. Inching your way around a glass walkway jutting out from the stadium roof lets you survey the football pitch, 46.8 metres below. You’ll have Spurs’ famed golden cockerel for company up here – this one an exact replica of the one from White Hart Lane, right down to the dents it acquired when mercurial Tottenham and England striker Paul Gascoigne shot it with an air rifle (vintage Gazza).
At this point, resisting the urge to scream COME ON YOOOOUUU SPURSSSSS down into the empty stadium and hear the sound reverberate back up to you becomes all-too-overwhelming, regardless of allegiance. Understandably, health and safety measures will prevent them running the tours during football matches, even if the perch is easily the best seat in the house. However, they do plan to offer the experiences on matchdays (up to 90 minutes before and after the game), to turn a trip to the ground into a full day out. Sunset climbs are also planned, and we’ve been told that all kinds of inclement weather won’t stop the truly daring from making the ascent…
Even greater treats await a little later on, as the tour continues to a free-roaming viewing platform where you can pick out London landmarks from your spot high above the Tottenham High Road. Views here are pretty unique; you’ll have seen London from The Shard, Sky Garden, and others, but The Dare Skywalk – being a good 10km north of these – offers an entirely new perspective of the city. Everywhere from Alexandra Palace to Stratford’s Olympic Park falls in your eyeline here, an unparalleled array of sights to fill your Instagram feed.
The descent back to terra firma is a gentle one, although Spurs have plans to let the stout of heart to abseil their way down from the roof in the near future. Still, the current experience is enough to get the adrenaline pumping, and short of a game-winning goal in the dying seconds of injury time, it’s perhaps the most dramatic thing you’ll witness here!
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Also published on Medium.