A Cost-Effective Approach to Monitoring Outdoor Heritage Sites
Abstract
This research aimed to design and critically evaluate a novel method to monitor visitor behaviour and the physical condition of outdoor heritage sites and monuments in Cumbria. The method used aerial photography and photogrammetry to repeatedly record the physical condition of selected free-to-enter Cumbrian heritage sites over a six-month period, whilst visitors’ routes around these chosen sites were also recorded. This allowed conclusions to be drawn about visitor impact, vulnerable points on site, areas of high foot-traffic, and the impact of climatic conditions on the heritage sites. A key outcome of the research and fieldwork was the design of a new cost-effective toolkit to assist heritage organisations in assessing loss of heritage assets (such as physical deterioration) at their sites.
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Article Details
Accepted 2026-03-10
Published 2026-07-31