The North Downs Way is to become the first National Trail in the UK to be fully captured by Google Trekker.

Google Trekker is a panoramic Google Street View camera mounted on a backpack and designed to go ‘off-road’ to map areas and record a 360-degree experience of the area.

The launch was held last Thursday at the Dover Marina Hotel for stakeholders, investors and businesses who heard more about the project.

The route begins in Farnham, Surrey, and follows a chalk ridge that winds over hills and grassland, passing through valleys and ancient woodland before emerging onto the White Cliffs of Dover.

It follows the historic Pilgrims’ tracks, travelling between Winchester and the World Heritage Site in Canterbury.

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 inspire them walk the trail themselves.”

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 event in Dover, a spokesman for the Kent Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty gave a talk on how this can help to promote the countryside.

Cllr Nick Kenton, from Dover District Council, also spoke about the area’s regeneration and how the National Trail starting and finishing in the town will boost its tourism economy.

Margaret Lubbock, chairman of the White Cliffs Ramblers, was among the guests.

She also hailed the trail for highlighting the importance of having access to recreational walking routes for health benefits.

Mr Morris said: “We hope this will attract many more visitors to the communities and businesses along the trail and will have a positive impact on visitor economy.

“We particularly hope this will inspire some of the urban populations in the South East who have little immediate green space but who have easy access to the trail and landscapes through which it runs.”

“We want businesses and organisations to think about the potential this presents and to contact us with ideas and proposals on how we can work closer together for the benefit of all.”

Also attending the launch was former Dover town mayor, Pam Brivio, who has been heavily involved in Dover’s application to join Deal in getting Walkers Are Welcome status, which is due to be approved soon.

The status means the town will have demonstrated in various ways that it is ‘walker friendly’, including hotels and guest houses welcoming walkers, footpaths and trails in the area being properly maintained and people being encouraged to use public transport.

Visit https://www.google.com/maps/streetview/#north-downs-way-united-kingdom