Tackling the glass sky walk – up in the clouds at Spinnaker Tower
Panoramic views over the Isle of Wight, a super-fast lift that makes your ears pop, and a terrifying yet brilliant glass “sky walk”—the Spinnaker Tower in Portsmouth ticks a lot of boxes for both children and adults. We headed up into the clouds to find out if Portsmouth's most famous landmark is actually worth adding to your S.E.A. goals.
At a glance
Postcode – Gunwharf Quays, PO1 3TT
Cost – £19.50 per adult and £15.50 per child (much cheaper if you book online in advance or if you are a PO post code resident) for a day ticket.
Parking – closest one in Gunwharf Quays
Toilets – on the ground floor and on the view decks
Food – The Clouds café on the mid-deck and ground level kitchen (no need to have a ticket to go in) plus loads of food options in Gunwharf Quays stone throw away.
An honest review
To put it mildly, the Spinnaker Tower is tough to miss when you’re in Portsmouth. Measuring 170 metres, the huge sail-like construction towers over the harbour, tempting adults and children alike. We almost gave it a miss due to the abysmal February weather, but after a rather tiring morning at Gunwharf Quays, we were glad to see the sun finally come out, so we headed over.
Day tickets are quite pricey (we paid £54 for a family of three), but you can use them as many times as you like in a single day. (I'm not sure why you would, though, unless there was a sudden change in the weather during the 30 seconds you’re in the lift!). The first impression was fab: a gorgeous view over the harbour, the Isle of Wight, Old Portsmouth, and the wider area. It's not quite 360 degrees, but who’s counting?
We immediately headed to the glass walkway. The Chief Adventurer has no fear at all, so he got his shoes off and started walking up and down. I am not quite as brave but finally managed to walk across too (albeit on slightly trembling knees). It was really quite exciting - I have a bit of vertigo, so I really needed to put my big girl pants on here! I was also glad to read that the glass panels can sustain the weight of two black rhinos, so I just managed to fit.
The novelty of the glass walk wore off pretty quickly, so we spent a bit of time looking out of the windows and spotting things we had seen earlier, like the HMS Warrior ship, massive aircraft carriers, ferries, and sailing boats.
You can then walk up two more levels. The mid-level deck has The Clouds café, and the top deck features an open-air viewing area (only the ceiling is open to the elements, so no risk of falling!). It's a slightly smaller space, featuring a Spinnaker Tower bench for Instagram photos, if that is your thing. On the steps between the lower and top decks, there is a list of the tallest buildings in the world. This was a bit confusing, as at one point we thought we were higher than the Empire State Building (clearly the thinner air was affecting our judgement!).
In total, we spent around an hour in the Spinnaker Tower. I personally like places with a view, hubby loves a panorama shot, and the Chief Adventurer loved the glass sky walk. All in all, I’m glad we went, but we probably won’t be back as this is definitely more of a one-off adventure.
Top Tips for your S.E.A. goal
Wear good socks: You have to take your shoes off for the sky walk, so make sure you are wearing one of your good pairs!
Bring change: There are coin-only telescopes on the viewing decks.
Grab the trail: There is a free picture trail with a reward sticker at the end. It’s nothing fancy, but it kept the Chief Adventurer perfectly entertained.
Plan a pairing: This is really an "add-on" adventure rather than a destination in itself, as you will only really spend an hour there (unless you stop for afternoon tea). Consider pairing it with other local activities like a walk around the harbour, a boat trip, the mini boats, or some shopping.
Have you visited Spinnaker Tower? Let me know your thoughts in the comment box below.
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