Bridge climb offers great view but you can't film it

By MONIQUE DEVEREUX

From the top of the Auckland Harbour Bridge the view of the city and the harbour is spectacular, but don't expect to record it on your camera.

Auckland Bridge Climb opens its $7 million venture on Sunday - giving pedestrians access to the harbour bridge for the first time in more than 40 years.

Organisers expect 55,000 people to make the 1.6km trek under, across and up the steel landmark in its first year.

But the climb comes at a price - $125 is the cheapest rate - and if you want a pictorial memento of the occasion you will have to pay extra.

The only camera gear allowed on the trek to the summit will belong to the climb leaders, who will take photos of climbers that can be bought later.

Safety precautions mean tourists cannot take anything to the top of the bridge that could fall onto the traffic below.

And there is a lot of traffic below emitting a lot of fumes. If you spend an hour or so at the summit you may well leave feeling as though you have swallowed an entire car exhaust system.

The climb goes from under the bridge from the city side as far as the start of the arch.

From there it is a somewhat eerie descent into the bowels of the bridge structure - narrow, confined, no windows, bare lighting but also a pleasant surprise, which cannot be divulged.

And then it is up, and up. Or so it feels like with steep steps and other bursts of sharp gradients.

But the 65m-above-sea-level summit is a doddle. The view is great, but the height will not impress the daredevils.

From the summit, Sky Tower still looks monstrously tall and the water not that far away.

Prime Minister Helen Clark added another notch to her climbing belt when she conquered the bridge yesterday. In true Minister of Arts, Heritage and Culture style she said it was a venture that offered something for everyone.

Impressed by the view and the running commentary - earpieces allow climbers to hear the history of the bridge - she described the experience as fantastic.

Helen Clark and her tour party were royally treated in their ascent, with commentary from their climb leader.

Without earpieces, yesterday's media group were left to pass on warnings of low beams and high steps along the chain in Chinese whisper fashion.

Our questions, like why there was so much wood supporting the bridge undercarriage and how old it was, went unanswered.

For most of the climb leaders the venture is a far cry from previous occupations that ranged from fish and chip shop owners to pilots and radio DJs. None admitted to being scared of heights.

Helen Clark, who has climbed Mt Kilimanjaro in Africa, said the bridge climb was a piece of cake.