The breathtaking views from Ingleborough’s summit can now be enjoyed by anyone through a project by Settle Stories.

Here Victoria Benn takes you on a virtual Google tour over one of the Dales’ best loved and second highest peaks, in the comfort of your own home and without the need of walking boots.

 

THE latest virtual reality technology has been harnessed by arts charity Settle Stories to make the majestic Ingleborough landmark virtually accessible to all.

As part of its far reaching and freely available learning programme, regarded especially pertinent at the current time of mobility restrictions, Yorkshire’s second highest mountain and arguably its most famous, is uniquely brought to life through the creation of a new Google Expedition.

Starting at Southerscales, the virtual tour initially guides the viewer up the northern side of the famous peak.

Here it showcases its views of Whernside and distinctive limestone pavements along with insights into its social and cultural history.

From here you can move to the south west approach to the mountain from Ingleton village via Crina Bottom – universally acknowledged as the best approach on a sunny day.

Rantry Hole shakehole is also uncovered on the expedition, one of many such phenomena common to the area formed by swirling meltwater in and between glacial periods, along with White Scar Cave, the longest show cave in England.

Sita Brand, director of Settle Stories said: “The beauty of a Google Expedition is that the viewer doesn’t need any fancy kit, as the full experience can simply be accessed from a laptop or mobile phone.

“Jon Buckeridge who received wonderful feedback from this year’s acclaimed Yorkshire Festival of Story supplies the optional narration, further enhancing the richness of the experience, making real not only the wide ranging views of the Ingleborough and Three Peaks’ landscape, but several aspects of its hidden, subterranean world.”

Combining panoramic cinematography with Google’s VR capability, the Ingleborough Expedition enables viewers to explore eight 360’ scenes in their own time.

Additional imagery and infographics can be accessed by clicking on the icons within each scene.

Other highlights of this unique experience which was made possible with funding from Yorkshire Dales Millennium Trust’s Stories in Stone programme includes an exploration of the extraordinary Norber Erratics.

The erratics are one of the finest groups of glacial erratic boulders in Britain.

These are an array of huge jumbled boulders found on the descent via Thwaites Scar, some of which have been implausibly left perched on pedestals of smaller rocks.

You can also get a glimpse inside the immense Gaping Gill, one of the UK’s largest known underground cave chambers.

The penultimate scene is dedicated to the mountain’s barren and expansive summit, a surprising bonus, as having been filmed on a rare wind and mist free day.

It presents its spectacular vistas from every cardinal direction, inclusive of a clear view of the Ribblehead Viaduct.

The expedition also makes sense of some of the stones and ruins on the summit, highlighting the remnants of an Iron Age settlement and summit defences.

Don Gamble, Stories in Stone programme manager, added: “This is the third VR tour that Settle Stories has collaborated on, the earlier ones exploring the Ribblehead Viaduct for its 150th anniversary and the Victoria Cave.

"Both of these expeditions have achieved vast audiences this year, not only sharing Yorkshire’s great wealth of geological and cultural heritage, but enabling people everywhere to access its beautiful landscapes from the safety of their own homes.”

Stories in Stone’s mission is to collaborate with exceptional artists to create transformative experiences for people and communities.

It is an independent arts charity in one of the most rurally isolated parts of the UK.

From its (temporarily closed) venue, The Joinery, it challenges perceptions of art produced in rural areas through live and online workshops, retreats and learning programmes.

Stories in Stone has a schools programme where it has allowed it to work with thousands of school children annually.

It also works closely with the rural community when circumstances allow.

Because of the pandemic, the charity is experimenting with new ways to deliver some Settle Stories sunshine and on a challenging new journey.

To experience the Ingleborough Expedition visit: https://www.settlestories.org.uk/whats_on/ingleborough-google-tour/ and follow the online directions.