

Inside the Olympic Velodrome The Olympic Rings at the site of the 2012 London Olympics You can still feel the atmosphere and how exciting it must’ve been to witness the Olympic races in 2012. Created by Anish Kapoor and Cecil Balmond, the magnificent looping structure of the ArcelorMittal Orbit is an iconic symbol of Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park and the. The beautiful wooden velodrome was open for a practice session so we got to go inside for a look. See all of London from the UK’s tallest sculpture, dare to ride on the world’s longest and tallest tunnel slide, or just taking in the stunning views of London’s skyline. We also saw Zaha Hadid’s wave-shaped Aquatics Centre, the Copper Box Arena and the Olympic Rings themselves, on a small hill near the velodrome. We rode past the Olympic Stadium, now home to West Ham Football Club. and ride on the worlds longest and tallest tunnel slide Created by Anish. “Boris Bikes” lined up outside the Velodrome Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, 3 Thornton Street, Stratford, London, E20 2AD. The weekend we were there was the first time city bikes (popularly known as Boris Bikes after the Mayor of London who introduced them) were available in the park, and they’re the perfect way to get around. Once you’ve ridden the Orbit Slide, it’s worth taking some time to explore the Olympic Park, especially if the weather is good. The end of the slide – I didn’t know which way was up when I arrived here Other things to do at the London Olympic Park


It’s truly an exhilarating ride and something I’ll never forget. I screamed all the way down and when I emerged at the bottom I wasn’t sure whether I was vertical, horizontal or upside down. It’s not a simple swirl around the tower but constantly changes direction, with some sections completely in the dark and others where you catch a glimpse of the London skyline through clear panels. The ride takes less than a minute but felt like much longer. Sliding down the Orbit is like nothing else I’ve ever experienced. When it’s your turn, you lie back on a mat, hold on to the straps keeping your feet inside and wait for the green buzzer that signals that it’s time to go. The staff at the top of the Slide will kit you out in a protective soft helmet and knee and elbow guards if necessary.
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One of the staff explaining how to slide safely Because visitors arrive in 30-minute windows, it never feels busy or crowded, and the queue for the Slide itself is short. The next step is to get a lift to the viewing platform at the top of the Orbit. At the base of the Orbit itself, you’ll need to leave any bags or coats in a locker, so make sure you take some change. You’ll enter through the visitor centre which has a small exhibition about the building of the Orbit. To ride the slide you have to be at least 1.3m and aged 8 years old. Combined tickets for the Orbit and the Slide cost £16.50 and can be booked on the website. When booking your tickets, make sure you select the option which includes the Slide, as some tickets only allow you to take the lift up to the viewing platform. Tickets are sold in half-hour blocks and you won’t be allowed in except at the time you’ve booked. Not for the faint hearted, the ArcelorMittal Orbit Slide at Queen Elizabeth Park. You’ll need to book tickets well in advance to ride the ArcelorMittal Orbit Slide – at least a week before your visit and earlier if you want to ride at popular times, especially at weekends. Get your adrenaline pumping on the worlds longest and tallest tunnel slide. You can’t miss the Orbit – it’s the enormous red, swirly structure near the main stadium. From there, walk through the Westfield shopping centre, following the signs for the Park and Olympic Stadium. Getting to Stratford station is an easy journey from central London on the Tube. The Orbit is near the Westfield entrance to the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, site of the London 2012 Olympics. Looking down at one of the corkscrew sections of the Slide How to get to the Orbit Slide In 2016 a long, winding silver tube was added to the sculpture, ready for visitors to launch themselves down for a significantly faster route to the bottom. The Orbit tower is the UK’s tallest structure and was built for the Olympics, but originally the only way up or down from the viewing platform at the top was the lift or the stairs. Snaking around the ArcelorMittal Orbit on the London 2012 Olympic Park, the Slide will see you hurtle 178m to the ground in just 40 seconds. It’s two years since the tallest, longest, fastest tunnel slide in the world opened to the public. What to expect on a visit to one of the quirkiest and most terrifying things to do on a trip to London – the ArcelorMittal Orbit Slide at the Olympic Park in east London.
