Explore the Coast website now live!!!

A hugely exciting moment - Visit our brand new website at www.explorethecoast.org

Hello all,

Just a quick update on some forthcoming events where you'll have a chance to sneak preview a few pages of the new website, and the launch of a children's picture competition whose entries will be featured on the website!

For details of the competition click here, and for an entry form click here.
Competition ages are from 4 to 13 years old.
Please scan and send children's entries to clare.manning@devon.gov.uk or come along to one of the events below.

• We will be at the BIG SHEEP Outstanding day of Fun on Bank Holiday Monday (30th May). There will be lots of activities, things to see and do - including your chance to get involved in creating an AONB sculpture, bird boxes and more!
  

• Explore the Coast will also be attending an event at Hartland Pavilion on Friday 17th (11 a.m. - 7 p.m.) and Saturday 18th June (10 a.m. - 1 p.m.)

Other news...
The website is starting to take shape... looking and functioning really nicely, and I've been learning loads of interesting facts as I've been developing the content!

There's still a long way to go however, to make sure it's brim full with interesting information, great archive materials, and helpful tips to help people understand and enjoy our gorgeous coastal heritage to the full...

...As we've stated right from the beginning - its YOUR coast, help us build YOUR website!
As such we will be (re)approaching the community groups and organisations that have already expressed interest, and issuing Login's soon - so those most knowledgeable about your local area can help contribute to what only you know best....

If you have an interest in the AONB's local history or natural history; whether it be old photos, anecdotes, research or observations please do get in touch...

Looking for Ages - draft resource guide for feedback

Please feel free to take a look at a draft version of one of the themed resource guides in production for the project.

Final versions will be available to download and print from the site - with an aim to give a flavour of the North Devon landscape without being excessively long....
This is quite a challenge as there's so much of interest!

Family activity guides related to the theme are also proposed - and I hope to post a example on the blog soon.

CLICK HERE TO VIEW FILE

Comments on the guide are extremely welcome - Does it tell you what you want to know in enough/too much depth? Would visitor/local people find it interesting and informative?

At least 9 other guides will be written in a similar format - covering all manner of themes including wildlife, hedgerows, farming, industry, shipwrecks etc - so formulating an appropriate style is key!

Please use the comments box below, call on 01237423655 or email clare.manning@devon.gov.uk

Creating a sense of place....

Hello all,

Quite a gap between blogs once again... lots of exciting progress has been happening behind the scenes....

Technical and graphic design work on the website has been gathering pace and we now have established the home page. The graphic design for the layout of the other pages and map is in progress over the next week or so, and then the site will take another jump forward....

It's a really exciting time to see it finally taking shape!

I've been immersed in research for the points of interests that will be on the map and associated themed resource guides.
I can tell you - theres so many fascinating things about North Devon that I never knew... whether it be great places to see seasonal wildlife, shipwrecks or bloody battles from history this landscape holds something of interest for everyone!

I will be posting again in a short while and will attach a draft pdf of some of the material from the resource guides I've written so far.

Please note these are in draft format - so I'd be extremely grateful for your comments regarding content or format....
If you came across these documents on the forthcoming website would you bother printing them? Does the content interest you? How could it be better???

More community event dates

Further Community events dates are:

Westward Ho Pathfinder centre - Friday 12th November 3pm - 6pm

Braunton Museum - Wednesday 17th November 3pm-6.30pm


We are planning a final event in Hartland at the beginning of December - date to be confirmed, but as ever I'm always happy to contacted directly for anyone missing these events but wishing to find our more or get involved!

Look forward to meeting some of you soon!

Clare

Website's on its way...and we're coming to a village near you...

Project update

After a tendering process which seemed to take an age, North Devon AONB Explore the Coast is very excited to have appointed a locally based web development company who will work with us on the project.

The 'googlemap' map based website will have expanding 'waypoints' which link to information including;

Text
Images, sound and video (such as archive materials or oral histories)
Resource guides and activities
Links to external websites and resources
(e.g Opal surveys, DWT, Royal Albert Memorial Museum, North Devon Archaeology Society etc)

Waypoints will be grouped by themes;

Activities (walking routes, cycling etc)
Wildlife and nature
History
Arts and culture
Amenities (parking, public transport, bike lock-ups, toilets, refreshments etc)

You can also further filter waypoint options according to categories such as;

Car free
Family friendly
Disable friendly

We will have the option to make adjustments and add new categories and filters -
we'll just need input from people such as yourself to suggest any improvements we might make!

Waypoints can be added to a itinerary with the option to select and print from the variety of provided information (including travel information and activities).

The next stage -
Informal drop-in events open to all (tea, coffee and biscuits provided)

Continuing the hard work, will now be holding informal drop-in events in an area near you, where individuals and community groups can come and chat with me, ask questions and discover just how it will work and easy it is to contribute to the website.

Contributions can be made in two main ways;

1. By feeding information to the North Devon AONB (i.e. me)
This information might be via documents or informal conversation. For those who aren't camera shy - potentially we could even conduct oral histories on film... There are many possibilities depending on your preference!

2. By direct input to the website via a simple membership system (i.e. login - like accessing your email)
This feature has been designedwith community organisations such as history, arts or wildlife groups etc in mind - to provide greater content control and flexibility, and opportuntity to continuing adding content in years to come. There will also be scope to add events as well as information about fixed locations.

Rest assured this process will be extremely simple, and not just for those with great computer confidence. We have worked hard to build this aspect of the site - so that you can see for yourselves it will work and make any comments to ensure it works in the best possible way.

Details of the times and location of the communtiy events will be featured in a series of North Devon Journal articles published this autumn, or via the blog (see below).

Confirmed events so far:

Combe Martin Museum - Tuesday 12th October - 3pm-6.30pm

Ilfracombe Museum - Tuesday 19th October - 3pm-6.30pm

Woolacombe Council Chambers (at the TIC) - Wednesday 3rd - 3pm-6.30pm

Keep a look out for further events to follow in the:

Westward Ho/Alwington/Abbotsham/Woolsery area
Braunton/Saunton area
Clovelly/Hartland/Welcombe area

Any questions or comments please get in touch or leave a comment via the blog...

I look forward to seeing some of you soon!

The July search for a web developer...

Hello all,

Finally the wheels are in motion to select the Explore the Coast Project web developers.
A brief has been constructed on the basis of public and partner consultation to outline the types of features you've indicated you'd appreciate, but we still want your input to refine exactly how the site will function...

As such, below I've included some key parts of the brief:

Site requirements:

• High level of accessibility. Intuitive use for broad spectrum of users: e.g. very simple with greater depth accessible for more computer literate/research orientated users. Also options for text size and contrast. (see links at http://www.sensorytrust.org.uk/information/links/accessible_information.html). Objective tool to measure accessibility to be agreed with contractor.

• Searchable interactive map constructed from a variety of external sites/sources and AONB uploaded text and multimedia content to create themed layers.
(Final layer format/grouping tbc with developer.)

Layers potentially including, but not restricted to:

1. Amenities - such as public conveniences, refreshments, TIC’s, mytraveline (mobi Goooglemap), bike lock-ups, accessibility information (route planner also to include link to sites such as http://www.transportdirect.info)

2. Public rights of way – DevonCC (GIS), OneSouthwest (GoogleMap)

3. Fun by foot – circular or compound walk/public transport with pre-existing downloads. Coded for accessibility. Links to SWCP short walks3 (Googlemap) and others sites such as the National Trust, Hartland Peninsular Association etc

4. Outdoor adventures – cycling OneSouthwest2 (Googlemap), kayaking, surfing etc with possible links to North Devon + interreg project

5. Potted parishes, vibrant villages – based on existing AONB parish profiles outlining key features of North Devon population centres and community organisations within them e.g. Hartland Peninsular Association

6. Local landmarks – must see buildings, landscapes and phenomena (selected features based on information such as Conservation Zone information and highlights from the Historic Environment Record)

7. Coast; wildlife & nature where land, sea and sky meet (possible links to organisations and member organisations e.g DBRC, DWT, cetacean watching groups, North Devon Natural History Network, Living Seas9, Finding Sanctuary, Natural England)

8. Wild in North Devon - out and about - your sightings, observation and photos! (An interactive public posting site potentially linked to Marlin)

9. Climate and changing landscapes

10. Star gazing (CPRE)

11. History & museums (North Devon Museums, Royal Albert Memorial Museum)

12. Arts and Culture (North Devon Arts16, Appledore Festival)

13. Finest Foods – from farm to fork (North Devon + Taste of the West farm food tours)

14. Geocaching (Googlemap http://www.geocaching.com/map/default.aspx?lat=51.01965&lng=-4.20692)

15. Geolocation (Four Square/Gowalla etc)

16. Landscape character (AONB sources)

17. Archaeology & Historic Environment Record (DevonCC GIS)

• Clickable map points will reveal simple content/explanation with opportunity to reveal ‘more detail’ for more technical/interested users. Ideally, a relevant search result function displayed within ‘more detail’ – relating to the original map search location and theme (the aim here is to future proof so new online content over time will automatically appear and avoid overt endorsement of related business by AONB) – website such as http://www.staynorthdevon.co.uk/index.htm. Ideally this would include potential for certain links such as partner organisation resources/activities etc to endorsed by AONB where relevant and general thumbs up rating system by general users.

• Printable itinerary planning function Activities added by widget linked to AONB content/resources/endorsed activities/locations with integrated route planner/public transport function/links

• Multi-media upload and download functions for themed printable guides and for mobile phone car-free, self guided days out. This function is also relevant for general content (audio, video, pdf, 360 panoramas etc) or alternatively might be facilitated via a link to external storage facilities of AONB content eg. Ookl, Flickr, Utube and external resources e.g. podcasts such as http://www.audioscapes.org/, National Trust.

• Integration with social media sites Ideally to include Facebook, Twitter and any upcoming/imminent web technologies.

• Ideally; data entry function allowing organisations/informed individuals (e.g. website-less voluntary wildlife groups such as the NDNHN, Morthoe Heritage centre, local history groups etc) to upload and update themed information by adding information/resources to existing points or adding points. This might include information such as wildlife sightings, factsheets, photos, events. Possible links to existing facilities such as http://ispot.org.uk/ The number of member organisation is unlikely to be large as it in anticipated that most organisations have existing websites from which information might be fed where possible.

• Ideally; facilities for ‘guests’ users to interact with site through postings/reviews(less functionality/access than members). Guests able to post geotagged information, photographs, comments, sightings, reviews relative to themes/activities/map points/locations (this facility must allow vetting of postings by the AONB administrator).

• Ideally; events listing function to include AONB events, members events and rss event feed from partner organisations/North Devon websites

• 360 panoramas based on existing AONB fixed post photography. In an ideal world we would have sufficient funds for flash interactives, but are likely to have to settle to linking to other peoples where relevant e.g. http://www.riverocean.org.uk/ocean/saltzone/splash.html, http://www.nms.ac.uk/education__activities/celts_and_romans_at_birnie/explore_the_landscape.aspx


If you can spot anything I've missed (i.e. just off the top of my head I've realised I don't specifically mention tidal information) or if you spot anything you don't like the sound of, please leave a brief (or lengthy!) comment or get in touch by phone or email....

I will also be contacting members of the community working groups individually over the next week or so.