(Above) Meghann Hull outside the Grassington National Park Centre. Picture courtesy Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority
Explorers in the Yorkshire Dales can download trivia and directions thanks to a free new hi-tech invention from the National Park Authority.
The Grassington National Park Centre has installed a special Bluetooth hotspot with step-by-step instructions outside the popular stomping ground, enabling visitors to download walks and information about the village onto their mobile phone or laptop at any time.
“This is the latest form of digital interpretation,” said YDNPA Interpretation Officer Meghann Hull, who is hoping to use the scheme to reduce the number of panels in the National Park.
“We hope it will be a real success. You can access it when the centre is closed, it needs no phone signal to work and it's completely free.”
The central application, Discover Grassington, contains a package of guides including river and village walks.
“We are hoping to reach out to different audiences and provide interpretation in new ways,” explained Hull. “This is a pilot and, if all goes well, we hope to install more at the other National Park Centres in the future.”
