Attempting the famous Yorkshire Three Peaks walk soon? A new app has been launched to help you on the way – and raise money for the area's fragile landscape in the process.
When the schoolmasters J.R. Wynne-Edwards and D.R. Smith first bagged the three peaks of Pen-y-Ghent, Whernside and Ingleborough in one go back in 1887, they could scarcely have imagined how many people would follow in their footsteps.
The 26 mile / 42km epic is one of Britain’s best known walks, a challenge undertaken by thousands of people every year from all over the country.
In recent years its popularity has been eclipsed by another ‘Three Peaks’ – the one involving Ben Nevis, Snowdon and Scafell Pike – but the original Yorkshire version remains a rite of passage for any hill walker.
Binary bagging
Edwards and Smith would also have been unlikely to envisage the latest addition to the Yorkshire Three Peaks experience – a smartphone app enabling the user to see a route, discover information on local geology and fauna, and even use ‘augmented reality’ to identify peaks (not that the Yorkshire landscape needs augmenting.)
The app has been developed by the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority (YDNPA) and contains 1:50,000 OS maps of the challenge itself as well as alternative routes for each peak.
Mountain bikers haven’t been forgotten either – there are OS maps and links to route descriptions for rides too.
The inbuilt GPS shows users’ progress along their chosen route on an OS Map, although the app contains a warning stressing it should never be used in place of a paper map and compass as a navigational tool.
Various geological, archaeological and natural places of interest are also ‘geolocated’ on the app, meaning the phone will vibrate within a short distance of one to let the walker know there is something intriguing nearby.
There are 360° panoramas from the summits (presumably so the walker knows what they’re missing in bad weather) and an augmented reality ‘toposcope’ showing the names of the hills surrounding each of the peaks.
Pounded paths
As well as a practical purpose, the app has a conservation aim behind it. The rights of way network around the Three Peaks copes with around 100,000 visitors every year, taking a heavy toll in terms of maintenance and upkeep.
All money from the sales will be spent on maintaining the rights of way network as part of the Three Peaks Project, a project run by the Authority to help fight erosion and wear on the heavily-pounded route.
The BMC’s Access & Conservation Trust (ACT) has contributed to this fund in the past, helping to fund repairs on the steep path up Ingleborough from Chapel-le-Dale, often tackled as the last gruelling ascent on the walk.
The app's development was enabled by funding from the European Outdoor Conservation Association (EOCA) – a group of businesses in the European outdoor industry that grant-aids conservation projects worldwide. The grant was secured by the Yorkshire Dales Millennium Trust on behalf of the YDNPA.
Karen Griffiths, the YDNPA’s Interpretation Officer, said: “We have created the app with the aim of helping people to make the most of their visit to this iconic part of the National Park and also to raise vital funds for the Three Peaks Project to help look after the area.
“It’s frontloaded with all the maps and most of the other information so people will be able to use it wherever they are. It also lists details about local businesses including places to stay, where to eat and drink and those offering free WiFi, as well as information about car parking, toilets and access for people with limited mobility.”
Nick Thwaite, the YDNPA’s Member Champion for Recreation Management, said: “Maintaining the rights of way network around the Three Peaks is never-ending – and costly.
“It’s great that so many people come to enjoy this fabulous scenery but their visits do take their toll on the fragile landscape. By buying the app, people can find out more about the Three Peaks, at the same time giving something back.”
The Three Peaks Yorkshire app can be downloaded from www.yorkshiredales.org.uk/y3peaksapp and is available from iTunes.
This is the second smartphone app developed by the National Park Authority. The first covers Malham, Hawes, Dent and Reeth.
The app is only currently available for use with iPhones, although an Android version will follow soon. It costs £1.99.
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