Walking round Pannal

Who I meet and talk to. A lady from Burn Bridge rang and asked me to tell her about the history of Burn Bridge which I was quite happy to do. Went round to see her and we had a nice chat. I told her about the old Malthouse and how there used to be a white bust of Queen Victoria at the top. When the building was demolished I do not know what happened to said bust. At that time the building was owned by Cecil Margolis. Anyone remember him? He was quite a character. Bringing the first supermarket to Harrogate. It was called U Save. Cecil rang me up one day and asked me to stand for the Council as an Independant (as he was) then, blow me down, the Conservatives and Liberals also rang the same day. I said no I am better working outside the council than inside as I do not want to toe the party line. Joined The Harrogate Society and became Chairman. Then Chairman of The Friends of the Valley Gardens.(All in the past).  I then met Judith daughter of Tom and Pat Lamb who said her dad Tom is getting forgetful which is so sad as I relied on him to help with Pannal older people and places of his boyhood. Alan Shutt was next and we were talking about the plans for Sandy Bank Quarry and fields beyond. I know about it going back to after First World War so have written to Harrogate Borough Council with details. I am not on the committee of the Pannal Village Society now having resigned in the summer but said I will help with history of the village, the Christmas lights and also keep the little garden and patio area round the interpretation and notice boards tidy.  I am writing another book and also helping with some film work which will keep me busy as well as the golf, walking, gardening and this blog. All of which I love. I am still receiving comments about people missing my column and how they  have cancelled the Harrogate Advertiser. I likened it to The Metro. Very sad as it was a quality broadsheet now it is in tabloid form. Shame.

Goings and comings in Pannal

I am recovering from my face down fall in puddle. My knee the bruising has come out and I hope it will stand up to golf tomorrow, weather permitting. Yesterday, for us, was a rubbish day as Pannal was in mist most of the day. We went out in the afternoon, after gardening, to find the sun but alas no so went to the pub - Hales Bar - instead. Today it is low cloud and drizzle makes yesterday look ok now. Going out to lunch then golf club for Team Dinner. Our taciturn neighbours left on Friday and no one, us or them, said goodbye. Our new neighbour, Mary and elderly lady, we met and she seems very nice. She is moving in today. The workmen have returned to Main Street digging it up once again down by the church.  I have cleared the fag ends from the little garden by the church. Wonder where they came from?? The leaves are turning on the trees and when the sun shines they are a picture, but this weather damp and miserable they will all fall off. The few days we had of lovely sun was St Luke's Little Summer. Always a few days very nice in October then it does get much colder. Not going to enjoy that as I am still awaiting summer. I had shorts on for golf and someone said who is that in shorts and a voice said Anne Smith and someone said oh yes I might have known. For the first time in nearly fifty years we do not buy the Harrogate Advertiser and I must say I do not miss it and it has been dumbed down.

A walk from Pannal

Now this was my bright idea. Catch the number 36 bus (change from going by car) from Spacey Houses and go to Ripon and have a walk alongside the river. First we had coffee in Booths, which was recommended to us by a chap we met on the train, and jolly good it and the scones were too. Proceeded past the Cathedral and joined the path alongside the river. Past The Water Rat (just had coffee we will go on our way back) and carried on under the old railway line rejoined the river and through the trees. Sun was shining, it was fairly warm and the walk was good. Bit slippy in places as it had rained during the nights of  Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. We eventually passed large sewage works and joined a path which led out to a main road. My shoes were muddy there was a great big puddle by the path I put one foot in thinking it was shallow it was not and I fell in full length in this great muddy puddle. Bas was walking slightly ahead. He heard the splash turned round to find me face down in the muddy water. I must admit at that point that I was laughing as I had visions of that Dawn French sketch in The Vicar of Dibley. I was soaked and covered in mud, trousers, jumper and top. I remembered sewage works and we retraced our steps to the locked gates. I saw a man filling his lorry with sewage? and shouted to him. He came over and I said remember that Dawn French sketch well I have just done the same. Is there anywhere I could wash as I cannot get on the bus like this. He let us in we had to go and find the man with the keys to their toilets where there was a washbasin and I did the best I could. Denims were saturated. I turned my jumper back to front and washed the arms and front of my top, my hands and face. Even wetter if possible now but slightly presentable as mud had not shown up on denims as yet. He let me out of the gate, asked if I was ok but could not contain himself any longer. Good job I saw the funny side of it. Don't think Bas did. He thought I was mad. Long walk back to bus station, no drink at Water Rat. On bus, went upstairs. Good job seats were plastic. Walked back home from Spacey Houses, threw clothes in washing machine. They had to be washed twice. Had a shower. Then saw I had one knee all cuts and bruises and like a balloon. Feeling very sore today, knee has gone down a bit but I still snigger when I think of the sight that greeted Bas as he turned round to find me in the middle of a large puddle. Have stayed in today in case I was tempted to throw myself into another muddy puddle.

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?