Loch Ness is first stop for Google's Street View camera trikes

A pair of cyclists mounted Google's Street View trikes this morning to pedal around Scotland's world-famous Loch Ness, and the overlooking Urquart Castle -- ruins from the 13th century.

The specially made trikes will be taking 360-degree photographs as they're pedalled around the historic rubble. Later this year they'll be added to Google Maps' Street View, as well as the Google Earth desktop application, for anyone in the world to tour virtually on their computers.

Currently the castle is only visible on Google Maps via the medium of aerial photography. A few years back, this in itself would be regarded as a monumental achievement. But these days even that isn't good enough, so after being photographed by the cyclists, virtual wanderers can tour the medieval site from the perspective of someone standing right next to it.

A guy we've never heard of says something complimentary

"I'm delighted that Urquhart Castle has been voted one of the top tourist attractions for the Google Street View trike to visit in the UK," said VisitScotland's regional director, Scott Armstrong. "With so much to see and do in the Loch Ness area and further afield, I'm confident this development will inspire both visitors and locals to explore what the area, and indeed Scotland, has to offer."

Next up for trike-powered photography is Warwick Castle, Bamburgh Castle, the Angel of the North, Stonehenge and, best of all for fans of space-age enormodomes, the Eden Project. These were decided upon by a public vote earlier this year. Sadly, the CNET UK offices weren't deemed touristy enough.

For more info about the trikes and why Google's sending its employees out on them, have a poke around this classic piece of journalism from May.