Half a dozen flights of stairs take you to the outside viewing gallery on the 72nd floor of The Shard.

From here you can see up to the tip of the building

As well as to the ground (HMS Belfast)

Whilst I was there, some of the workers were abseiling down the building. As much as they were roped up, there is no amount of money you could have paid me to do this:

Shortly after this was taken they vanished through the floor beneath their feet:

Only half of this floor was open when I was there (the eastern side), so there were limited chances to take pictures of central London. There was a chance to see more of the services supplied to the building from the underneath of the roof space:

The walls are just a thick on this level as they are on the inside observation deck. I did feel slightly more nervous as the ceiling is open to the elements, totally silly of course, but true!

Large bolts keep the whole structure together

Returning down to the 66th Floor, via a small gift shop it was now my time to leave The Shard.