Tech Tuesday: A walk, a map, and some things your phone does brilliantly

By Vivienne Westwood

Something lovely has come to Poundbury!

Last week we shared the story about Dorchester Tourism Partnership, Discover Dorchester launching a free self-guided architecture walking tour, timed to coincide with the King's official birthday on the 13th June.

A reminder:

The detailed 6 panel leaflet with a map showing the route and points of interest along the way, available to pick up from Dorchester Tourist information points at The Dorchester Corn Exchange and Shire Hall Museum plus participating local outlets across Poundbury.

There is a digital leaflet available to download from the Discover Dorchester website as a free PDF download. HERE

So where does your phone come in?

The leaflet tells you where you are. Your phone tells you what you're looking at.

A few ideas:

 Google Lens — point your camera at a building and get instant information about its style, history, and similar examples worldwide. Genuinely magical if you

haven't tried it.

 Google Maps or Apple Maps — overlay your position on the walking route in real time. No more "I think we turn left here."

 Merlin Bird ID - a free app on iPhone & Android, Helps you identify birds from sight AND sound, great for the section around the Great Field.

 Picture This - a free app on iPhone & Android, Helps you identify any plant, great as you pass the wonderful green spaces.

 iNaturalist - a free app on iPhone & Android, Helps you identify pretty much anything in nature: birds, plants, insects, fungi the list goes on.

 Your camera — the route is beautiful. Ready for the next photography competition maybe. Just saying.

The best use case?

Visitors. Friends. Grandchildren over the summer.

Poundbury is one of the most studied new communities in Britain — planners come from around the world to walk these streets. Most of us who live here pass the same buildings every day without quite knowing their story.

The walking tour is an invitation to take a fresh look at Poundbury. Your phone is what lets you go as deep as you want.

Enjoy the walk everyone.

 Got a tech topic for a future Tech Tuesday? tech@lovepoundbury.org— subject: Tech Tuesday

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