The allure of Barnard Castle was recently brought into sharp focus by the Prime Minister’s chief advisor – Dominic Cummings.
And now everyone can immerse themselves in the charm and history of the North East beauty spot, but without the hassle of eye-sight-test drives – thanks to a 360-degree ‘step inside’ interactive virtual tour experience.
The tool allows viewers to explore the castle the town is named after and the surrounding area.
Everyone can immerse themselves in the charm and history of Barnard Castle from their armchair – thanks to a 360-degree ‘step inside’ interactive virtual tour experience (still above from experience)
It says: ‘As you explore this immersive experience you will be able to take a look at the history and plan your post-lockdown day out with a showcase of the best restaurants and walks that Barnard Castle has to offer.’
The interactive experience, created by Holoscribe, contains captions that explain some of the history of the castle.
They explain: ‘The land now occupied by the castle was owned by the church as early as the 9th century, but in the 11th century the Earls of Northumberland seized it.
‘In 1630 the castle was sold to Sir Henry Vane, who dismantled many of the castle buildings to use the stone for rebuilding his main home at Raby Castle.’
The allure of Barnard Castle was recently brought into sharp focus by Dominic Cummings
History buff? Then the virtual tour from Holoscribe should be right up your street
The interactive experience, created by Holoscribe, contains captions that explain some of the history of the castle
The tour also takes viewers past Blagraves House – ‘a charming restaurant’ – and The Old Well, a pub set in a building that dates back to the 17th century that is a ‘great place to stop off’.
Ben Fogarty, CEO and co-founder of Holoscribe, said: ‘Using readily-available content like Google Maps Street View 360-degree imagery and free-for-commercial use imagery, we were able to pull together and publish this 360 interactive experience in a matter of minutes using our XR Publishing software. It means consumers can explore and discover attractions like Barnard Castle and the surrounding area from their home and plan their visit when it is safe to do so again.’
MailOnline Travel recently reported that following Mr Cummings’ controversial trip to Barnard Castle, an accommodation booking site saw a surge in searches for places to stay there.
Hotels.com saw a 160 per cent increase in searches for accommodation in and around Barnard Castle from May 22 to 27, 2020, compared with the previous week.
This can likely be attributed to the stories surrounding the visit of Mr Cummings that broke in UK media on May 22, the site said at the time.
One of the top accommodation options in the town is the Homelands Guest House, which has a TripAdvisor ‘Certificate of Excellence’, en-suite rooms and offers home-baked treats to guests on arrival.
There’s also the four-star Three Horseshoes Hotel, which is looking spick and span thanks to a £750,000 refurbishment.
The Cricketers Arms is also a popular choice for visitors. One highlight is the property’s ‘chicken parmo and a pint for £10’ offer.
MailOnline Travel recently reported that following Mr Cummings’ controversial trip to Barnard Castle, an accommodation booking site saw a surge in searches for places to stay there. The four-star Three Horseshoes Hotel, pictured, is one of the best places to stay
Homelands Guest House in Barnard Castle. It has a TripAdvisor ‘Certificate of Excellence’, en-suite rooms and offers home-baked treats to guests on arrival
There are also several highly rated Airbnbs in and around the town, including a two-bed flat with a ‘light, modern feel, situated within seconds of the river’ and the ‘Olde Village Shop Cottage‘, which is situated in Startforth village, ‘just over the River Tees from Barnard Castle’.
Aside from the castle, top local attractions include the Bowes Museum and High Force, the largest waterfall in England and one of the most spectacular in Britain.
Current lockdown rules for England stipulate that it’s permissible to travel to outdoor open space irrespective of distance, as long as you can return the same night.
Premises such as hotels and bed and breakfasts remain closed, except for critical workers who need accommodation in relation to their work.
Travelling to Northern Ireland, Wales and Scotland from England is not permitted.
One of the top local attractions is High Force, pictured, one of the most spectacular waterfalls in Britain