A NEW online walking route has been developed to tie in with Barnard Castle’s free wi-fi system.
The free History Walk of Barnard Castle went live earlier this week and features more than 300 vintage photos so people can compare how the town has changed over the years.
It works by visitors following the route on their smart phone or device, where they will be able to listen to commentary relating to the 21 blue plaques by late historian Alan Wilkinson, as well as newspaper cuttings about the place or building they are currently in front of.
The walk was designed by Geoff Dixon, who also developed the town’s tourism website which has been viewed 467,000 times.
He had previously designed an app that took people on a tour of the town.
He said: “The old app was limited in space for content and fewer people use apps, but the free town wi-fi has allowed this website version to be totally free and easy to use.
“I discovered so much content.
“I was born in Montalbo Road near the original train station and remember Startforth being in North Yorkshire, but I had not realised the whole town was in Yorkshire at one point.
“I did not know there was a ducking stool down Thorngate, or how Deerbolt got its name either.”
People who use the website while on their walk will also hear tales of the town’s rich and vibrant history including battles, sieges, murders, pillory, ducking stool, cock fighting, illegal weddings, a circus, the gallows, Richard III, conjurors, Charles Dickens and the Roman road.
Mr Dixon said the aim of the walk was to draw more visitors to the town and to keep them here longer so that they spend more money at local businesses.
A short video was also developed to launch the website, which people can view the video at https://youtu.be/ RMQR4y_hBUo.
People can get a link to the walk website by visiting barnardcastle.org.uk
![A COUNTY councillor is backing a campaign to get a pedestrian crossing in Staindrop. Frustrated parish councillors in the village summoned their county council representative Cllr George Richardson to their latest meeting to discuss several issues, including the call for a safe way to cross the A688. Earlier this year their request for a crossing was turned down by the county council’s highways officers. Parish council chairman Jonothan Raper described the reasons for the refusal as “spurious” and called on Cllr Richardson to support their campaign. He added: “One of the arguments they made was there is no clear line of desire when they studied the village – well this isn’t a clear line of desire because there isn’t a crossing, people cross whenever they can. “When the lollipop person was there, one of the things I noticed was people would walk all the way down to the lollipop person to cross the road to go to the shop or to go to the school.” He added a problem of parking at the primary school is exacerbated because people are too afraid to walk their children across the road. Cllr Richardson said he had supported previous attempts for a crossing point with the first being made about 15 years ago. He added: “We went fairly well down the road with that and they looked into it. The only recommended place was where the bus stop is and to get the visibility splays, people on the other side of the road would lose their parking. “That didn’t go down well so it just died a death.” Cllr Raper said he suspected the real reason for the officers’ refusal was the cost of installing a crossing. He added that much of the cost could be recovered from savings made on not having to employ a lollipop patrol. Cllr Raper said: “A lollipop person only provides a benefit of crossing for three hours of the day. You are getting 21 extra hours of crossing time [with a pedestrian crossing].” Cllr Richardson said he would raise the issue with the county council’s cabinet member for highways, Cllr John Shuttleworth.](https://teesdalemercury.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/georgeR-120x86.jpg)
