What "fun" on train from Pannal to York

Yesterday we set off to go to Scarborough having set the alarm so that we could walk up and catch an early train. Standing at Pannal station frozen as dopey me was in shorts (I thought it was going to be warm think this could be the start of senile dementia) and the train never arrived. Waited half an hour for the next one boarded settled down for the journey to York only to be told train was only going to Knaresborough. Off we got no waiting room stood another half an hour on a windy station finally train arrived for York. We had by now missed our connection to Scarborough waited another 50 minutes this time there was a tea room at York. Finally arrived at our destination only to find it was freezing. Some sun but cold wind. Good job I had brought trousers which I changed into at the end of the jetty by this time blue legs. Had also no coat, what is wrong with me, why do I think it is warm!  Walked along the prom and up hills into town had an ice cream - of yes we did- Got some funny looks sitting there on a bench eating ice cream but when one goes to Scarborough it is only courtesy to visit The Harbour Bar for the best ice cream in Yorkshire. This train journey is on a par with our journey back from Wales on Sunday. Had booked seats but when we changed at Manchester Piccadilly to come to Leeds the train was so crowded we could not get to them. We were jammed with literally hundreds of standing passengers. We could not turn around. After about twenty minutes Bas moved and everyone glared and he said I need to get my foot free as there is a suitcase on it. Poor soul had waited twenty minutes, everyone around us had a laugh.  We finally arrived at Leeds and went to the platform and we were up the front when there was an announcement over the tannoy that the train to Pannal was coming in at a different platform so everyone at the back moved fast and we, at the front, were last on the train and very nearly had to stand again but luckily did eventually find a seat. And they say go by public transport?

No flooding in Pannal

We have been in Bournemouth having very nice weather whilst Harrogate and Pannal have had very heavy rain. The Stray was flooded, people had to be rescued from the A1 and the Otley/Ilkley by-pass was closed for a time but Pannal survived. Not like the time in September 1968 when the River Crimple burst its banks and flooded.  The water came up over the bridge and rowing boats had to be used to rescue people from their cottages. Tragically little Melville Guy Pullein Bentley aged only eight was drowned. He had, as all little boys do, thought it so exciting and on looking over the wall by St Robert's church, which Clarke Beck flows beside before joining the River Crimple, he overbalanced and fell into the beck and was swept away. His body being found downstream later. Thank goodness it has never been as bad again. As I type this it is raining and it is dark. Looks like summer is over but perhaps we might have a respite as we still have St Luke's little summer which is a few days round about 15th October - give or take a couple of days either side -  when the sun does shine and it is quite warm.  I have known about this since I was a little girl as my grandfather was a fisherman and they know all about the weather and the moon cycles.

Pannal shops query

After my bit about all the shops that Pannal used to have I had an email from a lady who said she had visited Pannal with a walking group completely missed the one and only shop/post office (it is possibly to do that as if one comes into Pannal from Pannal Bank you do not see it) and was amazed to find there was no place to get a drink or sandwich she thought we would have had a little co-op!! Beer festival this weekend at St Robert's church. Sounds a strange place to have a beer festival but there you are.  A few years back it would have been great fun but would not really do the beers justice now. Been up to The Harwood and it is still the same as regards decor but seemed a bit friendlier from the bar staff. Pannal has certainly changed. Been here nearly 50 years ( a mere child when we came) In those days there used to be so many people walking around of an evening and stopping for a chat not so now. Everyone seems to be in cars. Wonder if that is what it is or the weather - not many balmy evenings for the last few years - or younger people moving in and not really interested in their surroundings. Road works hopefully being cleared now. At least we can get in and out of the village. Horror of horrors they dumped all their heavy equipment on top of the daffodils we planted. Be interesting to see if they do come up in the spring.

Shops and Businesses of Pannal Past

Now 2012 we have two shops one a post office at the top of Station Road the other also in Station Road a hairdressers. The hairdressers was Walkers butcher and fruit and veg before that Pannal Fisheries. The post office used to be in Main Street many years ago then it was on Hillside Road before moving to its present position. Last century we had Rhodes Cafe at Spacey Houses, Pannal Cycle Depot at Spacey Houses and a fish and chip shop there. Petrol Station next to Spacey Houses Farm and also another one next to Spacey Houses public house (now demolished and a car showroom there) Pannal Auction Market was cattle then latterly auctioned cars - it was on the corner of Follifoot Road then next to Spacey Houses Farm. (Spacey Houses is at the top of Pannal Village on the A61) Grocery Shop/Bakery/Cafe at 3 Station Road. Central Stores on the Crimple Bridge now a private house. Old butchers shop on Pannal Green alongside blacksmith's shop. Listers Filling Station still a filling station on the A61. Brookside Nurseries still there. Chapel and Son nurserymen then Leeds Road Garden Centre gone now Antique Centre. Harrogate Caravan Distributors at Spacey Houses and also Caravans for sale on Mill Lane. Sheepskin Products Mill Lane, Kennel Nutrition Far end of Mill Lane. Stockdale Millers had a mill, now demolished in Malthouse Lane, Batchelors Nurseries top of Spring Lane at Daw Cross, Miss Campbell Nurseries Hill Top Lane. Burn Bridge is next to Pannal and there was a blacksmiths then a grocery shop then restaurants - Le Provencal, Four Seasons, Roman Court. Bintex then Dunlopillo now a light industrial area but there is now a cafe. Demaines Garage was in Brackenthwaite Lane and Kennings Garage corner of Rossett Green Lane/Yew Tree Lane. Nettleton Quarry Owners who finished in about 1930. Nursery/Veg garden corner of Main Street and Pannal Green. Mrs Lydia Ward's shop now Lydia Cottage Main Street. Pannal stationmasters house and booking office changed to Platform One public house now The Harwood. Black Swan public House, Burn Bridge still there.Pannal Golf Club there since 1906. Really a very busy village not so busy now unfortunately as one does not meet villagers "going to the shops".

Summer in Pannal

At last a bit of summer. The day the Olympics started we had summer here also for the Paralympics. Could not believe it. Has been a marvellous few weeks. Warm with sunshine. A lot of gardening has been done and sitting around too. Glued to the tv we have been. Not during the day I may add but at 7pm. London did Britain proud and Britain did Britain proud. Loved every minute of it but alas it is now over. School has started once more and there is no crossing lady. That was a short lived appointment. Bit scary too as I see mothers crossing the road with their children at the Rosedale junction and looking right and left but not behind them. Why they cannot wait until they are further down the road I do not know. Also saw one dopey dad letting the children cross on their own as a car was turning down the road he then screamed at them and shook the boy. I try not to look out of the window. The Harwood pub has re-opened shall go up and have a drink. Cannot at the moment as Bas is on antibiotics for a tooth abcess and cannot take alcohol. So I will not been mean and slosh down the old beer when he cannot. The roadworks are finished so we can go up and down Main Street and Station Road again. I do not have to go all round the houses in Burn Bridge to get to the golf club now. Have been to see Jenny in hospital and she is coming on well. Speech coming back and she has been walkies in a wheelchair. Went to see a concert thingy at Pannal Memorial Hall on Saturday and we came home at the interval. Never done that before and felt so guilty. We did not join the queue for refreshments but made for the door. Nearly killed ourselves getting out hoping no one would notice. We were giggling walking down the road. Having new neighbours once again. Keeps changing hands nothing we have said honest.

All nearly normal

Sorry never came back as promised as a friend in the village had a massive stroke line dancing of all things. She has been very bad and I have been visiting and trying to help. She is improving speach is coming back but still no movement on right side. It will be a long haul for Jenny but she will get there. Another reasons was the birth of our lovely grandaughter Bethany Alice and the Olympics. Bethany is coming on fine and Richard and Charlotte are very proud parents. We were in Cheltenham when she was born so that was nice and we shall be going down for her christening. Skype helps too. Very quiet and peaceful our end of Pannal Main Street as Station Road is closed fixing a water main. Has been so since the schools closed and will not reopen until schools re-open. It is a nuisance having to go all the way through Burn Bridge to get to the golf club which is at the top of the road but it is worth it for the peace and quiet. School traffic is terrible and motorists use Pannal as a short cut to get to the A6. The Harwood pub is due to reopen and I hope they get their act together and charge a bit less for their beer. People who used the pub and have a bus pass were using their pass to catch the bus to the Harewood at Harewood as it is a Sam Smith pub and the beer is good and cheap. Also the staff at the Harwood, Pannal were young and could not care less whether they served you or not. When the pub came to Pannal it was in the Station Masters office at the Station and was called Platform One. When it was sold the new owners asked me to write out the history of the pub for them and I did so and also told them the name they had chosen would be confused with the pub of many years standing The Harewood at Harewood near Harewood House and they had never heard of it ( honestly they had not heard of the Earl of Harewood) and said the pub was being named after the maiden name of the owners mother. So there it is hope you are not too confused.  Bank Holiday weekend and the Pannal Gala will be there on Bank Holiday Monday and I hope the weather forecasters are wrong. Also noticed yesterday there is a large circus tent on the field by the Bradford turnoff at Buttersyke bar. Never seen that before. That field was agriculture then a few years ago car boot sales were held there in the summer. Now this. Should be fun though providing the field is not too wet as our lovely summer goes on in the same vein it started - wet. Also Local Plan is for 40-60 houses at Pannal Bank, the field in the Crimple Valley near the antique centre. We only have one garden centre now, Brookside, as the other one has turned into an antique showroom. Goodness me how Pannal has changed from a little village to this! 

Pannal, me and the Olympics

No blog due to obsessive  watching of the Olympics and the fact that we were away in Bristol and Cheltenham for the birth of our grandaughter Bethany Alice. So normal transmission will resume next week.