Google Street View is a great way to promote Cumbria

So Google Street View has finally arrived in Cumbria and every highway and byway can be scanned with incredible detail with this "controversial" service.

Ullswater as seen by Google Street View

Over 95 per cent of the Uk's roads have been added to Google Street View and Cumbria was included last week, allowing people to see our county in remarkable 360 degree detail.

Since then hundreds of us have been going to Google Maps, dropping the little organge Street View icon on to a road and checking out what the cameras have recorded.

It's an amazing application which has taken a snapshot of life in Cumbria for all to see.

And it shows Cumbria in a pretty good light.

There are no yobs standing around giving two fingers to the Google car that recorded everything with its roof mounted camera.

We've yet to hear of any embarrassing Street View pictures (nobody was seen coming out of the sex shop - I checked).

Passersby and car number plates are blurred to protect privacy - but for some, that isn't enough.

In fact the privacy software works so well that faces on posters end up being blurred out too.

In many of the street scenes you will see the News & Star billboards proclaiming:

"Google cameras filming in your street". How's that for up to the minute news?

Away from Carlisle Google Street View shows Cumbria in all its glory.

Tourists are now able to take a stroll along Ullswater's edge or take in the views of the fells in 360 degree panoramic views. What better way to promote our county?

I expect hotels and other tourism businesses will soon be linking to Google Street
View to show just how splendid their surroundings are.

Some people might be a bit surprised at how easy it is to zoom in on house windows, but let's embrace this as an opportunity rather than imagine shy burglars using it to see what they could easily spot from walking down the road.
 

There will be a gallery of Cumbrian Street View pictures in tomorrow's News & Star on the Webwatch page.

If you have spotted anything interesting get in touch nturner@cngroup.co.uk or www.twitter.com/nickincumbria