The Arbeia Trail application is an augmented reality, location based, app designed specifically to work in the South Tyneside town of South Shields. Use the app to follow the Arbeia Trail from South Tynesides new state-of-the-art cultural venue The Word to the Arbeia Roman Fort & Museum.
Start at The Word, National Centre for the Written Word, and follow the red line through the center of South Shields to the Fort. Along the route you will collect digital artifacts highlighting little known historical items from the towns Roman past, many of which are held at the Forts museum.
After launching the app a 3D map will appear shortly after the loading pages. The map will update and move as you walk within an area approximately one mile from The Word. A red line has been placed on the map to suggest a possible route to Arbeia Roman Fort through the centre of South Shields, and a small compass icon in the bottom left of the screen will always point in the direction of the Arbeia. Tap on one of the spinning fourteen Roman Helmet animations to collect an item. This will be saved in your Inventory, which can be opened using the icon on the top left of the screen.
This application uses location services (GPS) and it will ask you for permission to use these. If the app cannot find the location of your device – or if you move too far from the Arbeia Trail – it will let you know.