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Abseil The ArcelorMittal Orbit: See London While Hanging Off Europe's Highest Sculpture

Whether you've got a head for heights or not, seeing a London 360 through the iconic red twists of the famous Anish Kapoor artwork is an incredible feeling

Remember the crazy red twisty sculpture that became the visual focus of London 2012? Ever thought about hanging off it?

Neither had I. So when I found myself leaning back into my harness and feeding the rope holding me up away from me it was rather surreal.

Kim abseiling down the ArcelorMittal Orbit (Mikael Buck)
Kim abseiling down the ArcelorMittal Orbit (Mikael Buck)

Sure I'd thought about walking over the O2, going up to the viewing platform at the Shard or at the very least taking a spin on the London Eye - I love a view. But dangling from Anish Kapoor and Cecil Balmond's sculpture didn't really cross my mind.

But not many people get to do this so there was no way I was going to turn down the offer.

The last time I went abseiling I was 11, on PGL and I was hopping down a 10m high wooden board. There wasn't much of a view.

From the Orbit you can look out over 20 miles of London scenery from the vertiginous height of 114.5m. And there's no board.

Instead after the first few metres where you need to navigate a couple of the red steel pipes, the rest of the abseil is hanging loose, with nothing to put your feet on, so it's all about controlling your speed by threading the rope through your hands as fast or slow as you want.

Getting ready to abseil the ArcelorMittal Orbit (Mikael Buck)
Getting ready to abseil the ArcelorMittal Orbit (Mikael Buck)

At the AM Orbit

One Friday afternoon I headed to the Queen Elizabeth II Park over in East London to get togged up for the dangle.

When I arrived we were given a safety briefing and taught how to get into the harness.

I pulled my straps extra, extra tight (too tight in retrospect, which made sitting back into the harness a bit tricky), rearranged my helmet (complete with GoPro camera for capturing the view as I saw it, for later watching) and looked up at the tallest sculpture in Europe.

It's 455 steps to the top, where I was to abseil from, but we took the lift up.

I watched the first member of our group from inside the glass viewing area. He looked a bit scared. Then it was my turn.

This is the trickiest part, navigating one of the famous red pipes that make up the sculpture (Mikael Buck)
This is the trickiest part, navigating one of the famous red pipes that make up the sculpture (Mikael Buck)

Abseiling

The hardest part of the abseil is the very beginning. First of all you have to lean back into the ropes, which takes nerves of steel - but is hugely exhilerating. The team were very keen to ensure I was comfortable and not freaking out. Which was nice and reassuring.

After the first platform you have to start getting into the downwards hang. Using my feet, knees and one arm I gentle stopping myself swinging into the pipe and navigated over it to another one a little way down where I did the same thing.

It's quite a long way down (Mikael Buck)
It's quite a long way down (Mikael Buck)

Then it was plane sailing. I lowered myself down, taking care to go as slowly as possible to get a good look around London. Seeing the Olympic Park from that high up is pretty incredible and as the day was clear I could look out right into Central London and beyond.

For anyone visiting London, it's a totally unique view, and if you're a Londoner, it's a beautiful angle to marvel at the capital.

I kept to a steady pace, and realised actually it's quite long way down and the whole thing took around 15 minutes to descend.

I landed invigorated. When can I do it again?

At the top! (Mikael Buck)
At the top! (Mikael Buck)

Abseiling experiences are available on 18 April, 27 June, 11 July, 8 August and 19 September 2015 -  groups can book privately on selected dates next year, subject to availability.

The experience costs: £85 per person or £130 per person to include a GoPro to record the descent and a t-shirt. 

To book call 0333 800 8099, visit the ticket office at the base of the ArcelorMittal Orbit or head to www.arcelormittalorbit.com.