Guided tour for Ribblehead walkers
Photo: settle-carlisle.co.uk

VISITORS wanting to blow off the cobwebs with a post Christmas walk can now explore the stunning scenery around a Yorkshire Dales attraction with their own personal tour guide - thanks to the latest technology.

The Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority (YDNPA) has teamed up with the Friends of the Settle-Carlisle Line to launch an audio trail around one of the most famous of Dales attractions - the Ribblehead Viaduct.

The Authority has funded the production of the trail while the Friends of the Settle-Carlisle Line have devised the route and contributed to the historical information about the building of the viaduct.

Karen Griffiths, the YDNPA's Interpretation Officer, said: "The Authority decided earlier this year to try to reduce the number of new interpretation panels - boards placed on site explaining the immediate surroundings - being installed in the National Park because of the visual impact they have on the environment.

"Instead, we were looking at other ways of helping visitors understand what they see around them and we decided to try virtual interpretation.

Friends of the Settle-Carlisle Line Walks Coordinator Ruth Evans added: "We were very keen to embrace this technology and Ribblehead is the ideal location - full of interest, spectacular scenery and a clear need for interpretation. The next logical step for us is to try to devise an i-pod commentary on the actual train journey between Settle and Carlisle."

The audio trail is part of a wider project to encourage people to come to the Ribblehead area by train or, if they have to use a car, to park in the designated parking areas and not damage the roadside verges.

The virtual tour can be downloaded free of charge on to an ipod or MP3 player from the Friends of the Settle-Carlisle Line website at www.settle-carlisle.com/ribbleheadtour