Andy Mossack enjoys a morning out with the family on the Dare Skywalk almost 50 metres above the ground at the top of the Spurs stadium.
Welcome to a very sunny Sunday morning. But there’s no lazy lie in for me this week. I’m almost 50 metres above the ground staring straight down at it through a glass walkway. I swear I could be hovering in mid air were it not for the welcoming embrace of the wired clip firmly attached to the wall.
But I’m getting ahead of myself as this is the climax to a thrilling experience around this extraordinary new stadium. A state of the art architectural masterpiece that rose from the roots of the old White Hart Lane ground, a place that literally seeped sporting history. And I should know having been a Spurs fan all my life.
The new stadium opened in 2019 and with a capacity for 62,000 fans has become the benchmark for other clubs looking to build new facilities. Everything about it for supporters is top drawer; the uninterrupted views, the outstanding catering, the lighting and the sheer volume generated by the crowds. Plus the opportunities for generating income outside of football are immense.
It’s now a major outdoor music and boxing venue and it has an NFL American Football pitch ready to use underneath the main pitch. Stadium tours are available every day as well as the Formula 1 sponsored indoor electric F1 Drive go karting track under the South Stand open during the football season. The first time F1 has offered its name to a franchise.
The Dare Skywalk is tailor-made for a family visit whether you’re a Spurs supporter or not. All you need is a reasonable head for heights. Managed by the same people who have installed climbs at many of London’s famous landmark’s such as Alexandra Palace and the O2, they know a thing ot two about climbing safely.
On this particular Sunday morning, the sun was shining and the visibility was perfect. I was there with my daughter and her family and my two grandsons were beyond excited.
Once we were checked in, we swapped our street shoes for some approved grippy ones and were invited into the screening room for a short video briefing. All of a sudden, the tension ratcheted up a few more notches.
I recall it was when we all trooped outside for our harness fitting – almost like a line of condemned prisoners approaching the scaffold – my son in law began looking more than a little pale. He’s not a fan of heights, but he was putting on a brave face as Dante, our climb escort, took us through putting on the harness and the way it locks securely on to the guide rail.
The first part of the experience is climbing the internal staircase up to the lofty Executive Level, where on matchdays all the VIPs enjoy a right good time pre and post-match. Through some impressively large windows we got our first glimpse of the pitch from a lofty VIP corner lounge where we exited and attached ourselves onto the guide rail of a rising walkway with nothing but a spectacular north London panorama on our right side.
We pressed onwards and upwards hugging the left wall rail until we reached the rooftop. My son in law by now had gone through all the colours of the rainbow but we’ve reached the rooftop and he was finally beginning to relax and enjoy the uninterrupted 360 degree view.
The next phase was to make our way around the roof that encircles the whole arena, towards the famous Spurs golden cockerel which used to proudly sit atop White Hart Lane the original stadium. The original now sits in the club museum because it is too small to be seen, so this giant 15 foot replica is used instead, but matches the original in every way. Even down to the dents put in it by Paul Gascoigne, a legendary bad boy former player who once tried to shoot it down with an air rifle!
The cockerel sits at the highest point, just under 46.5 metres, right next to the aforementioned transparent walkway, and looks down across the entire pitch which the previous evening had hosted a huge concert. From up here the workmen dismantling the giant stage looked like tiny ants scurrying around toy trucks.
Dante pointed out a few interesting statistics including a remarkable one about the giant video screens which hung on all four sides of the stadium. “Each one is the size of a Wimbledon tennis court, so every spectator can see what’s on the screens clear as crystal wherever they’re sitting”.
We made our way back around, but before we left the roof there was one more terrifying adventure to experience. The Lean, but Spurs call it the New Edge. This has recently replaced The Edge abseiling experience and was a whole different type of terror. One which enables you to be hands-free as you stand arms spread literally leaning forwards over the edge almost 50 metres above Tottenham High Road.
I’m not ashamed to report that I bailed out at the last moment, but my whole extended family did it including my son in law who had by now inexplicably become fearless and was the first in line!
It really was a fitting climax to a terrific morning. The Dare Skywalk got the thumbs up from my entire family who now consider themselves champions. I can only hope and pray the Spurs first team can achieve something similar in my lifetime!
Tell me more about the Dare Skywalk at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
Dare Skywalk at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, 782 High Road, London N17 0BX.
Nearest overground station is White Hart Lane.
Dare Skywalk Ticket prices: £29 pp. The New Edge £10pp.
