Pannal - Sandy Bank Quarry Desecration

 Just had news about the fate of Sandy Bank Quarry. News came from Friends of the Earth not North Yorkshire Council or Yorkshire Water. From March 2026 to March 2027 our beautiful Quarry will be closed to us but not to very heavy lorries. Sewage pipes are to be laid through the Quarry and Crimple Valley. Now what will that be for is it because they are old or it it for housing connection? I would bet on the latter. Hard standing will be laid in the Quarry all the bluebells and wild garlic will be destroyed the sanctuary of the birds and animals will also be destroyed. Owls, pheasant woodpecker, numerous birds and small animals who live in the Quarry. My family has enjoyed the quarry for sixty years. The children have played in it even done their homework sitting at the top. Lovely walk through to Crimple Valley. Now is this important for our wellbeing or do we just destroy it. Who cares? We do. Why havn't we who live here been told. Do Yorkshire Water ride roughshod over birds, animals, land and us. Do they just turn up with their massive lorries and equipment. Do North Yorkshire Council repeat the mistake of their predecessors and don't tell anyone. We have not forgotten one morning at 6am Harrogate Borough Council arrived and removed our little listed hearse house at the Quarry entrance. How do I know it was 6am because I received phone calls from worried neighbours about what was happening. It was gone and I later heard the stone had been sold at a profit. I have informed the Stray Ferret and the Harrogate Advertiser bout what Yorkshire Water plan. I doubt we can stop them but lets just hope they bring chemical toilets. Closure for a year lets also hope they move out of Sandy Bank long before that. Will the flowers return or will they be under hand standing? Time will tell. Sad news to report. Sorry.

I am recovering from DVT. Had that a good few years ago and not very pleasant but as they say I live to fight another day. Harrogate District Hospital staff were very good. I sent them a thank you card. Although I cannot help but wonder who the numpties were that demolished Harrogate General as we do need a second hospital only having the District now. Fortunately I did not have DVT whilst I was away in Cheltenham at my youngest son and family's new home. which is massive and lovely. It is so nice to have my four children all settled with families and lovely homes. I also this week went to see my friend Jenny and Bruce in their new home. Having moved away from all the vast new housing round the Squinting Cat. to the peace of Sovereign Park the old Royal Bath Hospital now flats overlooking the Valley Gardens and very nice their flat is too. I was a patient in the Purey Cust Ward (he was Dean of York in the 1800s) when it was a hospital.

Tigs was not happy whilst I was away as she follows me everywhere but home now so happiness reigns. 

Just Pannal

I had a great holiday in Portugal with family in November but caught "something" on the plane over,  a rotten cold but was it as I have not really been right since. Cough and nose running like a tap. Christmas and New Year not firing on all cylinders but ok, Then it hit. It was awful. It got so bad I had a word with the surgery and said I had the flu vaccine only to be told the flu you have is not the same as the one you had the vaccine for. So now I know. Clearing now but it is taking its time. Been told there is a lot of it around. Yesterday I felt better and went down and cleared the patio area by St Robert's Church. It was a mess but looks better now. Still have the little flower beds to clear but I am not going in the rain. Village quiet with people walking around. Probably all in their cars going through the village. What I cannot understand with school time traffic is why a number of cars go through the village both up and down at school time. Why can't they leave earlier before school time (cars start parking on Main Street at 8.20am and they are gone by 8.55am) or after school time. Now if nobody knew that I have just typed it living on Main Street I know these things!

Had a little bit of excitement last week one evening. Blue lights flashing police surrounding a white damaged car and the driver was taken away in a police van. White car was collected about four days later. Was this the car that was damaged on Leadhall Lane and the driver collapsed on the pavement. Who Knows?

The offer on the Black Swan has fallen through which is a pity as we all got excited thinking it was going to be run again. It does seem sad as it is a lovely pub with a great garden. I remember it well in the 1960s and 70s when we used to take the kids round on a summers evening for a drink and a play in the garden. I remember one time when we took our first grandson round as a very little boy and he went on the slide and coming off at the bottom he landed on a big stone. Then I heard a voice saying Oh my God Anne Smith is here and she writes for the Harrogate Advertiser. Stone dug up and rapidly removed. Had some decent landlords I remember Anne the landlady who had long red hair and I think was an ex beauty queen. Still see her daughter Annette from time to time. Also Mark who was a great landlord. 

Noticed the flats at the old Dunlopillo Headquarters are now finished and up for sale with parking available at the rear. The front did not belong to Dunlopillo.

Did Tigs have a good Christmas and New Year do not ask her as the answer will be no as she had to contend with three dogs. Put all her belongings in the summerhouse but kept her food in the utility room as I wanted to see something of her. She was not happy with the dogs but they had all been brought up from puppies to ignore cats never to chase them but she did not know that. Tried to tell her but she would not listen a dog is a dog. Did make it up to her now everyone gone. 

Happy Christmas Pannal

 Not very festive all his rain. Yesterday I went into town. (Having lost my bus pass) in my car and it was so warm I had to wind the windows down. Apparently four other people had lost their bus passes as well. . There was a big pile of bus passes at the Bus Station but mine was not amongst them. I do not make a habit of losing it. Never done so before and for being stupid it cost me £10. If it is a decent day I sometimes walk up and get the bus but if it is a really nice day and I need to go to town I very often walk. Although I am not as quick up Church Lane as I used to be. 

The trees on Pannal Green look lovely once more and the Carols on the Green was well supported. 

Pannal Surgery closing. Heard the rumour that it was being sold. Wonder what as. Used to be a house then for many years Newsagents and store. When my eldest daughter was a small baby a customer said A little boy oh what lovely rosy cheeks (we did not have central heating) what's his name. I said Susan and it was when that Johnny Cash recorded A boy Named Sue. It was very popular. She looked at me in amazement but I was cross my lovely daughter being taken for a boy. When I did use the Surgery I always found that patients came from Duchy and other places as they all said it was easier to park at than Leeds Road. Sad that Pannal and Burn Bridge do not have a pub. Platform One/Harwood had their moments sometimes great sometimes not. Black Swan or Mucky Duck as we called it was a good pub and we all enjoyed going there. Inside in the winter and in the summer their lovely large garden. Great fun when Mark owned it. Landlords/landladies do make a pub if they are genial mine hosts. Would be good to see it up and running again. 

I have just returned from Portugal with family. Have never been before and it was lovely. As we were coming off the plane friends Norma and David were going on to come home. Family laughed as everywhere  I know someone. We were standing on a jetty taking a photo of Table Mountain when my parents neighbours said hello. When my youngest son went to Oxford University met Pannal people who were on holiday there. Met a number of other people in various places. Went to Venice and I said Well one thing for sure I have never been here before so will know no one and a voice said Anne Smith I turned to see Maureen and her husband from Walton Park. I said are you staying here and she said no we are on a cruise and have just come off that boat. 

Traffic still bad on Main Street and Station Road using us as a rat run. Noticed that many builders lorries are not coming down Church Lane as much but are now going in and out of Rosedale. 

All my family a large crowd of us are all here for Christmas and it will be so lovely, Eight of them arrive on the 20th and the other lot on Christmas Eve. The grandchildren are growing up and now I am the only one to still believe in Santa. Everyone humours me. 

I wish you all a very Happy Christmas and a Guid New Year and lang may yer lum reek. Tigs looked amazingly intelligent when I said to her go on wish everyone a Merry Christmas. Then I am afraid she looked her usual dozy self but never the less she does wish you all Compliments of the season. We all wish for peace in this very troubled world. Who of us ever imagined that we would be living with what is going on now. No one I suspect could have foretold this a few years ago. 

Pannal, Me Owl and Trees

 I now have the back of the conifer hedge at the bottom of my garden done. It was a big job for Gary as it had to be tackled from the school side, Crossing the Pannal Beck, my fence then the conifers. Now done it is and sunlight will once more shine on the Pannal Nursery Groups play area much to my delight. I went round to see them to tell them what was going to happen and said I had at last found Gary who would come and do them. They had never complained as I had kept them in the picture about my efforts to find someone.  Jonathan has carved me  a wonderful owl. Majestic it is. He is so talented. The owl has been named, by my daughter Susan,  Cedric as he was carved from a cedar tree Jonathan knows Gary the Tree Man and I said to him I have just had a text from Gary and he can't come on the day he said he would as his girl has to have a massive operation. How awful is it his wife or daughter. Jonathan said its his dog. We all love our pets in my case "my girl" is Tigs who is a very affectionate cat. She knows what I am saying to her and she does it much to my amazement. Well when she feels like it. Not all that chuffed with all the noise first trees then carving. 

Pannal was such a quiet village sixty years ago so easy to cross the road. Now if one crossed the road as one did in those far off days - death beckons. The traffic is awful. Not just at school times but all day. Usually not too bad at weekends but this weekend was awful. Where are they coming from and where are they going to? The speed limit is in the vast majority of cases not being adhered to. I think most of the drivers look at speed signs and think "Oh they don't mean me" It will not be pleasant when all the houses are built on the Western side. Pannal and Harrogate will not be the same and what are being built are not of great  architectural merit and they seem to have tiny rear gardens. 

I have been asked to include the following in my blog. Play by Alice Nutter performed by the Dramatic Society Barnbow Canaries on the 27-29th November  West Park Centre.  ps If I have got this wrong (can't read my own writing - never could that is why I learned shorthand) but this time thought I would try.. Will it work? If not there will be a ps. 

Pannal and trees

 I have a large high conifer hedge at the bottom of the garden and have been trying for ages to find someone to trim the back of it. Problem being there is a stream and a playgroup the other side of the stream and my conifers and going over towards the playgroup. At last I have found a firm that will tackle this from the playgroup side. So hopeful more light will shine upon them. 

Jonathan Sherwood tree carver coming next week to carve the owl on what is left of my very large cedar deodora  Looking forward to seeing it being done. The grandchildren of my neighbours said they would like to watch it being done but as Jonathan is starting at 8am there will probably only be me watching. Oh and Tigs the cat.

Last week I was driving on Leeds Road with the intention of turning off to Leadhall Lane. I was in the correct Lane to turn and coming up to the lights that had just changed to green when this car came tearing up on the inside of me and overtook me, making me jam on my brakes, and went racing along Leeds Road overtaking everything on his left He was amazingly lucky he never caused an accident but he got away with it and having done so will now do that manoeuvre again. Talking of manners I am finding very few people I pass in street make eye contact never mind speak. I always say good morning or hello and they visibly jump. 

Query is Joan Bradshaw still around? She used to live on Pannal Green and no one seems to know what has happened to her. She was a verger at St Roberts. Many years ago on the first Red Nose Day it was such a novelty that we all wore our noses and met up in St Roberts Church. I had put on my eldest daughter Susan's school uniform and Joan said how about we go to Pannal School and I will pretend to be your Mum and say I could not get you to get out of bed and that's why we are late. So off we went and Joan asked to see the Headmaster which was Mr John Kirk and he appeared in little short trousers blue jumper and Pannal school tie and cap. It was so funny we and all the teachers were laughing. For years after that I sent Joan a Mothers Day card. Those were the days! I know Linda Ruddy who was in Susan's class at school married Tom and Joan's son. There is a comments bit if someone could let me know as there are a few of us inquiring. 

Pannal Lightening and Me

 Ordinary Day not raining, not big black clouds.  I was coming out of the house to go to the garage. Keys very loosely over one finger. From nowhere lightening shot up my drive, hit the keys knocking them out of my hand hit the top of my garage, which has fortunately wooden doors, went over the top and hit the wind turbine at Pannal Primary School. The noise was horrendous and could be heard for miles. I was shaking and had a strong coffee. I am so pleased I was carrying the keys loosely as if I had been gripping them do not think I would be here to write this. I did have quite a large bruise on the back of my hand but that is all. My "incident" and the fact that the school was evacuated - new headmistress had only been at the school for a couple of days. My accident and wind turbine were reported in the Stay Ferret. Few days later as a member I attended Longlands AGM in their field in Starbeck. There was a caravan with awning serving drinks. I had a cup of tea and just picking up a piece of cake when the metal pole holding the awning fell on top of me hitting my shoulder.. I nearly fell to the ground but there was a lady near me that I managed to hold onto. Asked if I was ok I said yes and a helper said I had to be written in the Accident Book when I said my name and address. Someone said you are not the person that was struck by lightening are you. Then someone said its the 13th today so be careful. I did have a sore shoulder for a couple of days but ok now. Having just come off crutches following a stupid accident in the Lake District I am counting these as three. It is said everything comes in threes so hopefully that is my three. 

My Pannal Heritage Walk went well. It was a lovely warm day and people seemed to enjoy the walk and talk. Seems a very long time since I did my first walk. The Harwood pub was there in those days and I said to the landlord that I was doing the walk and would finish at the pub and he said how many people do you think will be coming. I said I don't really know probably about thirty.  He said ok I will make sandwiches for thirty. Which was very kind of him. Many, many more people turned up. It was great fun and we did finish the walk at the pub. Who got a sandwich I do not know but many drinks were consumed. The first pub was Platform 1 in 1980 then the Harewood which at the beginning was really good then through a series of landlords and landlady was not. It became the o-op which is very handy. Then we lost our very old pub Spacey Houses which was so sad. I tried very hard to save it as I had listed a number of buildings and Spacey Houses Farm which had not to be razed to the ground as many old farm buildings had to be kept and listed. Unfortunately I could not save Spacey Houses as THEY came one very rainy night and removed the roof. 

Pannal Heritage Walk

 I am doing a Pannal Heritage Walk on Friday 19th September. Meeting at St Robert's Church at car park at 11am. Walking towards the Mill Pond in Mill Lane and then back up Main Street to the Old School. Me talking my usual rubbish which is humorous and it is a fun talk but at times slightly serious as I tell you the history of Pannal. Finish back at the Church where we shall a little walk round the church grounds and then have a nice relaxing seat and a chat in the Church. 

Hopefully see some of you together with the Heritage Group.