Breakfast at the Sky Gardens

We were up nice and early for once on the Monday of our long w/e in London because we were going to the Sky Garden for breakfast! It was only a 5 minute walk up the lane from the flat we'd rented, so it wasn't too much of a chore to be there by 9am!  It is such a mad shape - sloping and curving outwards the higher it goes, and ending up much wider at the top so I guess when you're up there you are sort of hanging over the other buildings!

It was a bit of a shame that the only dull day we had on our trip was that day, but to be honest I loved the place so much it didn't really spoil our visit - I'd definitely want to go back there, which is probably why I'm making this a dedicated post for some (a lot of) photos.

 

It's free to visit, but you do need to book your tickets ahead, as they limit the number of visitors - we were too late for the simple visitors tickets, but there were bookings available for breakfast tables, so booked for that.  Once you're in, you can spend as long as you want to there.
Once you've checked in at ground level and gone through the airport-style security, a super-speedy lift whooshes you up to    like a great big airy piazza in the sky - imagine a three storey high, glass-roofed space with a cafe-bar cum cocktail place on the main level, with tree-ferns, palms and masses of planting and a wide staircase on either side with views out over the city.  The steps lead up to another cafe-bar area at the back, with views towards the Gherkin and Cheesegrater buildings, with more steps go up to a terrace overlooking the main piazza area and out across the Thames. The Sky Garden also has two restaurants, and there's an outdoor terrace looking out over the river too.

I got a bit carried away choosing photos to add here, but I don't want to leave any out, so rather than have a mile long post I'll add them in small size from now on and you can click on them for the bigger images.  Please excuse the colours - it was a bit on the grey side that day, plus there's quite a bit of thick glass between you and the view up there!

I've marked the London Eye with an arrow on this one....

There's the Shard (photos on another day), and HMS Belfast down on the river

Going up the steps on the west side there's a great view of St Paul's, with what looks to be a Guard of Honour from all the cranes!

At the "back" of the Sky Garden, facing away from the river you can see the 'Gherkin' and the 'Cheesegrater' buildings

Heading down the steps at the other side you can see the Tower of London and Tower Bridge, and way along the river east towards Canary Wharf and Greenwich 

Side steps from upper terrace

 

 You can so so high that you look down on the tops of the big palm trees and see this amazing pattern!

As you go up/down the various flights of steps there are little paved areas off to the side, with small seating areas for you to sit and contemplate the view!

I would love to go back, hopefully on a brighter day so we can take better photos and enjoy the whole wonderful place again! 
Hust a couple more photos from outside taken when the sun was shining!
This one from the street just along from the building

....and one from the other side of the river 

 If you get the chance to go to the Sky Garden - don't miss it - it's a fantastic place to visit and the views are wonderful.  
Thanks for visiting