Having last visited the Sky Garden in 2016, it seemed like a good time to revisit with a friend and my partner who had never been.
As before, booking is required in advance via the website, but incredibly tickets are still free. You use the NHS Covid App to check in and have to go through airport style security, with all of us saying we’d like to be jetting off to sunnier climes as it was rather a grey day. Numbers are obviously more limited due to Covid and there was probably a little more waiting to go in, as the lift can only accommodate six people on carefully positioned ‘stand here’ floor markers. Under normal circumstances, it would have probably squished in at least double that number. However, bearing in mind it quickly whizzes you up to the 35 floor, it wasn’t a problem.
There is now a one-way system out onto the viewing deck where the views over the Thames to the South Bank were a little misty. Back inside we followed the route round. I’d forgotten how this experience is more about views of London rather than gardens. Whilst there are plants, there are lots of green ferns with only the odd splash of colour.
However, we spent a leisurely hour looking round and enjoying the differing views of London trying to spot landmarks, amazed by the number of old and presumably protected churches we could see amongst the high rise.
Whilst it would have been easy to get a table at the café there, a five minute walk took us to lunch at the Hung Drawn and Quartered.
If you’ve never visited the Sky Gardens when in London, it is something I’d heartily recommend, especially now when numbers are limited.
