Google takes the scenic route
The North Downs Way is to become the first National Trail in the UK to be fully captured by Google’s new off-road camera.
Seven years after the Silicon Valley firm first started mapping Britain’s highways with Street View, its latest creation Google Trekker intends to identify the byways.
Backpack-mounted cameras will allow Google to go off-road, covering areas it is unable to reach by car.
It will be the first national trail to be viewed with Google Street View, recording a 360 degree panoramic experience.
The route begins in Farnham, Surrey and follows a chalk ridge that winds over hills and grassland, passing through valleys and ancient woodland across Kent, emerging onto the White Cliffs of Dover. Google introduced its Street View technology in 2007, first landing on UK soil in 2009 – more than 100 countries have been covered by the pictures.
Peter Morris, North Downs Way Trail manager said: “We hope the Google images will encourage people to explore the trail from the comfort of their homes and to inspire them to put on their shoes and walk the trail.”
It reveals many English treasures including Archbishops’ palaces, stately homes and gardens, Neolithic sites, Roman and Napoleonic forts, medieval castles and Second World War fortifications.
At the launch in Dover, a spokesman for the Kent Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty gave a talk on how the technology can help promote the countryside.
Margaret Lubbock, chairman of White Cliffs Ramblers, hailed the trail for highlighting the importance of having access to walking routes for health benefits.