The Shard might be the tallest building in Western Europe at 224m, but the rest of England has plenty of neck-craning attractions too.

From oversized artworks to adrenaline-pumping roller coaster rides and iconic towers, this country has some absolute behemoths out there.

So if you fancy a larger-than-life excursion, think big and head to one of these terrific tourism titans. 

Scafell Pike, Lake District

Height: 978mDid you know that this country has over 200 mountains? Of all the peaks of England, the majority can be found in the Lake District.

These include Scafell Pike, England’s highest mountain, which sits majestically just waiting to be scaled.

It was once described as “every inch a mountain” by legendary guidebook author Alfred Wainwright.

Characterised by crags and jaw-dropping views, Scafell Pike is no walk in the park.

Pack a picnic and climb to the summit for an exhilarating sense of achievement. 

Price: Free

More:  scafellpike.org.uk

 

Angel of the North, Newcastle Gateshead 

Height: 20m

Up in Gateshead, Anthony Gormley’s The Angel of the North spreads its iron wings 54 metres wide and presides over the A1 and A167 roads on the way into and out of Tyneside.

After a controversial start in 1998, The Angel of the North is now almost universally loved, and it seems the feeling is mutual – the sculpture’s wings are angled forward 3.5 degrees to create, in Gormley’s words, “a sense of embrace”. 

Price: Free 

More: angelofthenorth.org.uk 

Spinnaker Tower, Portsmouth

Height: 170m

Soaring above Portsmouth Harbour and the Solent, the Spinnaker Tower is taller than the London Eye and Elizabeth Tower (the one with Big Ben).

Finished in 2005 on the waterfront at Gunwharf Quays, it’s established itself as a national icon with panoramic views of the harbour, south coast and out to the Isle of Wight.

It is said the views stretch for up to 23 miles – they’re breathtaking by day and a glittering sea of lights by night.

View Deck 1 boasts a glass floor, where visitors of all ages can dare to ‘walk on air’, View Deck 2 is home to the Café in the Clouds and View Deck 3 – The Crow’s Nest – is open to the elements, enabling visitors to feel the wind in their hair.

Price: Tickets cost £8.25pp.

More: spinnakertower.co.uk

Big One, Blackpool Pleasure Beach

Height: 72mBrace yourself for the Big One, the UK’s tallest roller coaster. Feel the adrenaline rush as you climb to a nail-biting height of 72 metres over Blackpool’s Pleasure Beach.

The attraction’s first drop boasts an incline angle of 65 degrees and at speeds of up to 87mph, this roller coaster is an experience like no other.

Big One is also one of the world’s longest roller coasters, measuring over a mile in length. 

Price: Unlimited rides wristband costs £17.50pp.

More: blackpoolpleasurebeach.com

Weymouth Sea Life Tower, Dorset

Height: 53mWeymouth Bay is part of England’s most scenic coastland. It’s also home to some of the country’s best sailing waters, and hosted the Olympic and Paralympic sailing events last summer.

Soaring high above the resort, Weymouth Sea Life Tower provides stunning 360-degree views of the Jurassic coastline – England’s first natural Unesco World Heritage Site – and over Weymouth Bay, Chesil Beach and Portland.

Climbing to over 170 feet above sea level, a trip to the top is an experience not to be missed.

Price: Tickets from £13pp.

More: visitsealife.com/weymouth

 

For more information on these sites and other attractions, check out  visitengland.com

 

Photos: Getty; Dorset Media Service; British Tourist Authority