If rush hour in London isn’t adrenaline-inducing enough for you, we’ve found something that’ll well-and-truly level up your thrill-seeking. And it’s perched over in the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in Stratford.
Now, if you’ve ever found yourself in that particular neck of the woods, it’s likely that you’ll have laid eyes on a rather intriguing, bright red swirly steel structure. I mean, you can’t really miss it. The structure in question is the ArcelorMittal Orbit. And tucked away inside the ArcelorMittal Orbit is the longest and tallest tunnel slide in the whole world. Yes, really.
The ArcelorMittal Orbit
The ArcelorMittal Orbit stands proudly as the tallest sculpture in the UK. It was designed by sculptor, Sir Anish Kapoor, and engineer, Cecil Balmond – and it’s a long-lasting legacy of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. It’s made of 35,000 bolts and 265 double-decker buses-worth of steel (some of which was recycled from old cars and washing machines).
Having become a bit of a landmark on its own right, many Londoners pay the structure a visit to soak up the sensational views from its viewing platforms. But adrenaline-junkies and thrill-seekers tend to flock there for a slightly more pulse-racing reason.
The world’s longest and tallest tunnel slide
Seamlessly blending art and adventure, the slide that resides inside the ArcelorMittal Orbit is called Helix. Spanning a whopping 178 metres in length, and 76 metres in height; Helix is the longest and tallest tunnel slide in the world (not that we’re bragging about it, or anything).
Once you’ve taken the lift to the top of the building, donned some fetching protective gear, and taken in just how high up you are; it’s time to slide straight back down to the ground again. Featuring a dozen terrifying twiststhe Helix slide allows you to admire the structure’s intricate design as you loop around it twelve times, and see the park‘s sights from new heights. Oh, and you can gain up to 15mph in speed as you whizz down it, so it’s a sure-fire way to add some ‘weeeeeee’ to your week.
A trip down the Helix slide costs £17 per person. Height and weight restrictions apply. Find out more and plan your visit here.
