Pannal Country Park and,,,

Well my idea of a Country Park seems to be kicking off. No one has said oh no that's not a good idea. Not that that would have made any difference to me as all I have achieved in regards to Pannal I have done on my own but it is nice to know I am not on my own this time .I was thinking about my list of achievements re Pannal and I remembered more.  I contacted Peter Fisher who was Conservation Officer at HBC and between us we walked round Pannal and did the Conservation Area about 1984. I had also contacted Peter re Boundary Stones as Bas and I walked all round and found about 51 of them. This was started because Pannal has the first one KF (Knaresborough Forest) 1767 and we mapped them. Then a lovely one I asked at a meeting if anyone thought it a good idea to have two "Christmas" trees planted on Pannal Green to be lit up. Anonymously (well to the general public but I knew who they were) donation to buy the trees and another donor provided the money for the lights also money from PVS and we were away. Then the tragedy three lads from Pannal Green Joe Wilson whom I knew and two brothers were killed in a car crash. As they were Yasmin's paper boys Yasmin and I got together and with donations from customers we bought three seats with plaques on Pannal Green and also there was enough money to provide blue and white lights on the cherry trees as the boys had been Leeds United supporters. Then I decided to replace the stocks and put them on Pannal Green the wood was provided by Frank and Jenny Hird with money from Cllr Cliff Trotter. There used to be stocks in Pannal, every village had them for wrong doers, They had worn out so we replaced them. 

Before we went in to lockdown my eldest son Michael came over and I took him a walk up to Whinney Lane to see the devastation and he said thanks for that mum, our childhood has now been spoiled as we (brothers and sister) used to cycle all round here and it was all green fields. I agree it is awful too many houses and all packed close together and it looks like they have diverted a footpath to build more houses. This is why we need the keep the green fields we have around us. Especially with this awful virus we need to be able to walk over the fields without the fear of them being destroyed. The writing was on the wall for the land the other side of the Leeds Road when HBC let that garage and car showroom etc be built. Way back in the 1970s I with others objected all to no avail .Now we shall just have to wait and see what is proposed for those green fields. Will what is proposed hide the Crimple Viaduct? Up until June/July this year it was possible to walk to the viaduct and going left be underneath it. A place where we picnicked and played in the stream but no longer now all fenced in.

So let's hope sense will prevail and we can protect our Crimple Valley and it will be designated a Country Park. When one looks around Harrogate has Country Parks. Pannal has nothing only the recreation ground. Let's fight for the Crimple Valley Country Park.