So here with have the Heron Tower, a new skyscraper for London’s financial district. With a height of 230m upon completion, 202m excluding the spire it is now the second highest building in the United Kingdom (1 Canada Square still retaining 1st place)

Even before the foundations were dug the site was covered in camera’s and inhabited by a round the clock work force. To make things worse Heron tower sat just 20 meters from a nearby police station. I could only watch in vain as the building slowly took shape, rising up from the dirt and slowly becoming a formidable object on london’s skyline. For a while it seemed like the Heron tower would never be possible. The occasional stroll from 100 middlesex throwing off even the most gutsy of explorers. So how was this castle of central london finally defeated? By a drunk Australian armed with a camera phone.

Ever hospitable, Siologen had no problems with a return visit. However, although still fun the trip was fairly textbook, a later trip stealing the spotlight. Three months later I met with Marc and Speed outside a nearby station as we planned our attack, all we had to do was wait for a gap in the traffic and we could proceed.

Up, over and away. We ran up the first few levels and sat it out to see if anyone had spotted us. With the all clear confirmed we continued up. As with most skyscrapers the main objective is to reach the roof or the highest point possible, the floors in between usually nothing more then a unfinished builders yard. In Herons case this meant climbing one of the three cranes which adorned the buildings side, each towering above the core. Needless to say i chose the biggest one, climbing solo while the other two continued up to the roof. Ladder by ladder i ascended the crane, the once clear skies now shrouded in fog. Undeterred i climbed on until i sat in the crows nest, visibility now less than a few meters.

The ladders beneath my feet disappeared into a thick blanket of fog, my only company the glowing red lights from Tower 42 and the Gherkin. It was one of the most surreal experiences i have ever had. I could hear the bustling streets of london below, people, cars, sirens, i just couldn’t see them. Unable to call the others i sat quietly, enjoying the experience.

Eventually Marc joined me on the crows nest, we chatted while he took some photos, both equally in awe about what we were seeing, or not seeing. It was almost 5am and we decided to call it a night, meeting Speed on the way down. It was hard not to have enjoyed that nights trip. Sure the photography aspect was on the low, but that’s not what exploration is about, its a bonus. Heron was a unique experience that i wont be forgetting any time soon.