Landmarks now appearing on Google Street View website

Twenty of the UK's most picturesque and noteworthy vistas will now be available to the world via Google's Street View website, which geospatially maps photographs onto the world to create a virtual representation of actual places.

IT Pro Portal reports that the Corfe Castle, Downhill Denesne, and Fountain Abbey are among the striking sights that were captured by Google's cameras. While Street View imaging is usually taken via a van equipped with specialized camera equipment, the lack of roads necessitated the use of a specialized tricycle, according to the tech news website.

Google geospatial technologist Ed Parsons told IT Pro Portal that "we were delighted to be able to open up some of the UK's most famous landmarks to the rest of the world via the web."

CNET reports that Street View has not always worked flawlessly in the UK. Correspondent Stephen Shankland writes that Britain's system of assigning addresses seems to be problematic for the system - but that the new imagery is good for the budding virtual tourism industry.