Visit the canal—on Google!

THE Street Views introduced by Google recently have now gone one step further by including the waterways.

The views were obtained by using the company's Street View Trike, and the first views are an attraction on the Kennet & Avon Canal and the Llangollen Canal.

Caen Hill and Pontcysyllte

There are views of the waterway from Devizes and Semington, taking in Caen Hill Flight on the Kennet & Avon and from the Horseshoe Falls to Chirk Bank, taking in the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct on the Llangollen.

These are the first two, that were included yesterday (Tuesday) showing two 200 years old structures of the country's industrial revolution, and we are told there will be more in the future that will be able to be seen on the Web.

Of the inclusion of the canals on Google, Canal & River Trust's Chief Executive remarks:

"200 years ago, the canal network helped put the great into Great Britain as an industrial nation.  Today the waterways are a haven for both people and wildlife.  Having these canals on Street View helps open them up to millions of people right around the globe who might not otherwise be able to come and experience them."

Ed Parsons, Geospatial Technologist at Google UK, explained:

"We've seen a tremendous amount of enthusiasm from British people to get their favourite places onto Street View, we are delighted to add canalside imagery to Street View ahead of a busy summer in the UK. We hope that people from far and wide will be able to admire a large part of the country's canalside heritage, and plan trips around these new areas."