Land of Hope & Glory

  This day includes everything you would see on the Olympic London Explorer only starting at Woolwich and ending up at Stratford, plus you have time to visit the galleries at Firepower during an extended lunch.

This is a full day tour of the London 2012 Olympic venues including a visit to the viewing point for the Olympic Park at Stratford. Plus admission to the Firepower! attraction at the historic Woolwich Arsenal, where we enjoy morning coffee and a roast chicken lunch, are all included in the tour fee. This is a unique and entertaining day celebrating heroes of the playing field and heroes of the battlefield.

Meet your Guide at 10-30am in the historic Woolwich Arsenal for morning refreshments in the Gun Pit Cafe before stepping inside the far reaching world of the Gunners. We take a seat for the atmospheric Fields of Fire presentation – a ten minute film on the big screen with smoke, searchlights and shaking floors. And don’t go thinking this is just for the men! While sat in the theatre we’ll be joined by one of the young serviceman seconded to Firepower! who has either just come back from or is soon to head off to Afghanistan. These lads are keen to answer your questions and give you a real insider’s view of life in the Royal Artillery.

In the Gun Pit Cafe lunch is served - roast chicken with all the trimmings or a vegetarian alternative included in your tour fee with drinks and desserts available to buy on the day as required. You can linger over coffee for company and conversation or take a walk through the Firepower! galleries – it’s up to individuals on the day. It’s not all guns, although some of the cannons and big guns on display are surprisingly and strangely beautiful pieces of design. There is World War II and National Service memorabilia and some incredible artwork by serving soldiers in Afghanistan and Iraq. The Medals Gallery is always popular; the medals are laid out below a painting or photo of their recipient together with a potted history of their lives which really brings these stories of bravery to life.

Our afternoon is dedicated to the Olympic venues in the River Zone and at Stratford. We’ll hop back on your coach, parked right outside, to drive up to the common to see the longest parade ground in the world at Woolwich Barracks where Olympic shooting events will be staged. This was the home of the Royal Artillery which has since moved to Salisbury, their old quarters are now occupied by 1000 foot soldiers from the demolished Chelsea Barracks. You’ll see ExCel which will host the fighting sports from Boxing to Taekwondo as well as the weightlifting and the table tennis and The O2 or old Millennium Dome where rhythmic gymnasts will rub shoulders with basketball players. The Park is immense and from the coach you’ll have great views of the vast Olympic Stadium, the wavy roofed Aquatics Centre and the Velodrome as well as the most extraordinary red steel tower by Anish Kapoor which is Britain’s largest piece of public art. Seeing the Olympic Park take shape and discovering how London is gearing up for the big event is truly exciting and inspiring. You’ll also hear the story of the first two London Olympics. We end up at the new shopping complex for Olympic London - Westfield Stratford City. This state-of-the-art shopping centre as a dedicated 2012 Olympics shop and viewing room which the guide will take you up to, then there's plenty of places to buy refreshments before the group are ready to head home. Some groups might even like to stay for an hour (or two?) for shopping and exploring. 

This trip is available daily except for 25 July to 9 September 2012.

Adults & Seniors: £20.95      Includes morning refreshments, lunch and admission to Firepower!
Price valid 1st April 2012 to 31st March 2013

Coach Mileage: 25 

Please note that this tour is not officially endorsed by, or in any way associated with, the London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games, the Olympic Development Authority or the Olympic and/or Paralympic Movement more generally. Please do not use official Olympic logos or trademarks in publicising this trip.

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