North East Derbyshire District Council has launched a partnership with a revolutionary new app that will change how people enjoy our district for years to come.
The Council has teamed up with the Love Exploring app, which imaginatively brings parks and locations in Clay Cross and Eckington to life.
Ideal for inquisitive minds of any age, the Love Exploring app is smart enough to adapt to the user’s interests through the use of augmented reality technology. Using an interactive map of the site, guided tours and quizzes are available which reveal landmarks and unknown facts.
For youngsters (and the young at heart!) you can now find dinosaurs and planets popping up in the district, as well as Mega Mini Beast and Mindfulness trails – all searchable from the app’s map and able to view through users’ phone cameras.
Cllr Carolyn Renwick, Cabinet member for Economic Growth, said: “This is a great app for families and individuals to use to find out more about the area they live in, or for visitors to discover more about North East Derbyshire.
“We have some fantastic places to explore in the district, so I’d encourage everyone to download the app, get out in the fresh air and enjoy all the fun features it has to offer!”
Tom Matthews, the creative mind behind the app, said: “As a father, I am always on the lookout for good activities that we can enjoy as a family. Parks have so many stories to tell but they aren’t always easy to discover. The Love Exploring app uncovers the stories and then presents them in ways for everyone to enjoy.
"I wanted to ensure that Love Exploring was an app that both children and adults could engage with. Whether you’re a child looking for fun and games such as a treasure hunt or hide and seek, or you’re an adult that simply wants to explore the history of your local park and its nature trails, our app brings the park to life through sounds and games, taking you on a visual and immersive journey - all from the palm of your hand.”
The Love Exploring app is now active in the following locations:
- Sharley Park, Market Street, Clay Cross, S45 9LX
- Kenning Park, Holmgate Road, Clay Cross, S45 9PH
- Locations in Eckington start at the war memorial, outside St Peter and Paul’s Church, Mill Road, Eckington, S21 4EP. The trails loop back, but one has the option of finishing at The Bridge Inn/Ford Wheel Dam Car Park, Ridgeway Moor, Ridgeway, S12 3XY.
All the above locations will have a dinosaur safari and spacewalk for youngsters to enjoy, with more fun activities planned for the summer, including a mini beast adventure, fairy trail and relaxation trail.
We also have some special events taking place in the following locations, where you can find out more about the app, take part in competitions and maybe even win a prize:
- 2 June (10am-2pm) - Sharley Park, Market Street, Clay Cross, S45 9LX
- 4 June (10am-2pm) - Kenning Park, Holmgate Road, Clay Cross, S45 9PH
Council partners from the Community Involvement Team at Rykneld Homes will also be at each venue running a bike maintenance session. Children and adults are encouraged to bring along their bikes for the team to give them a once over and diagnose any problems and fix what they can onsite.
Later in the year, the app will also be launching in Dronfield and Killamarsh, so keep a look out on our website www.ne-derbyshire.gov.uk and social media for details.
The app is free to use, but the system uses Augmented Reality and so unfortunately it won’t work on all mobile phones. Check out your App Store for details by searching for the Love Exploring app on Google's Play store or the Apple App Store and then check out the compatibility guide.
For more information, visit www.loveexploring.co.uk