Pannal Christmas Bah! Humbug - Oh no.

 The run up to Christmas is turning into a pain for us in Main Street Pannal.  Unannounced came the men to lay fibre optics for talk talk I had just cleaned my car and they covered it in muck as they dug up the pavement. They put traffic lights three sets on our bit of Main Street. They put up bollards and cones. One day I could not get out at all as there was an enormous lorry parked right by my drive had to go and find a workman to move it and the barriers. Nobody on Main Street could see the lights are they were not facing us so we just had to guess, No accidents so far. Everything left in situ at the weekend so I moved the cones and the barriers as they had filled in the holes they dug but not removed anything. Think a lot of swearing went on and not only from me

For the past three weeks there have been enormous lorries carrying very heavy machinery going up and down Station Road and Main Street. They are completely disregarding the weight limit signs as presumably they are lorries from and to development sites. I would reckon by about March we shall have to have the roads repaired. Dilemma is who pays for the damage NYCC (us) or could it be charged to the developers as they are disregarding signs saying they should not be there. 

Ok rant over. It is great to see the Christmas lights on these dark days. Wasn't it bad in the fog. I witnessed this and I had reports from readers to say at 3.30 pm Yes it was foggy but in the fog there were dark patches. When driving one drove in to what looked like night and then it lightened again. Very strange. It happened to me on Leeds Road and Leadhall Lane and other people too. 

A couple of weeks ago did we think we would be in another covid situation? We were ll so happily looking forward to a normal Christmas but now what? I feel another rant coming on re unvaccinated people who are in hospital and asking for the vaccine only to be told you are too late. I read yesterday that most of the beds in hospital are being taken up by unvaccinated people. WE hopefully will get through all of this and endeavour to make this Christmas brilliant with our families around us. So everyone have a lovely lovely Christmas and pray that the New Year brings also peace and happiness. 

ps still a few copies of my latest book Pannal and Burn Bridge Their Stories in Pannal Post Office. Villagers are telling me they are buying them as Christmas presents. So don't leave it too late. 

Pannal and Harrogate

 Harrogate looks amazing this year. I went into town yesterday and there were little log cabins in Cambridge Street and around selling all sots of Christmas goodies. I hope they do well. Then we have the big Helter Skelter by the Monument and down in Crescent Gardens a Carousel and Big wheel and the little train that runs passengers up and down between them. The Sun Colonnade in the Valley Gardens all lit up. Do hope our local ships do well too. Hopefully all my family will be here for Christmas and they will certainly want to see the place they were all born looking so festive. 

My book Pannal and Burn Bridge Their Stories selling well in Pannal Post Office and I have had orders through email from Newcastle, Lancashire and Otley. Amazing how they knew about it but very gratifying.It is also at Castlegate Book Shop in Knaresborough and Nanci Downey has helped by mentioning me in her column in the Harrogate Advertiser.

I did a talk to some visitors yesterday and I inadvertently called Boris Doris which brought down the house and they said oh that will be his name from now on for us.

So glad the "pot hole" has been repaired just outside the hairdressers on Station Road as it was a nasty one and I hit it and then had to pay for springs on my car to be repaired. Think that was the last straw and I am so careful going over speed bumps too. I have told you before about one of my little cats both about 16 having cataracts. Well a friends daughter when told said do dogs get cataracts or is it just cats. Clever never thought of that. Also I told an acquaintance about Marble and I said the vet was so good. She tested her for everything and said we can't cure the cataracts but she knows her way around the house and garden so just lt her wander. I said the vet was so brilliant I am thinking for myself of changing from my doctor to the vet and she said "Can you do that?"

Pannal Green looks good again and the two big conifers have lovely lights on them and the other lights on the big trees have been repaired after the storm damage when Pannal Green had a large tree blown down. All those years ago when I was on the committee of the Pannal Village Society I said at one of the meting that it would be lovely to light up Pannal Green with fairy lights as it was a dark area and also it would be good to have a large conifer tree planted to also be decorated. Well thanks to villagers both aims were achieved and the gardeners who planted the conifer planted two in case one did not take but they both have and are both decorated. Carols on the Green to take place on Monday 13th at 6pm and afterwards for refreshments at Pannal School. 

Well I wish you all a very happy and Health Christmas and New Year as we have to unfortunately learn to live with this plague and we will. 

We are made of strong "stuff" and as they say when we have freezing weather with snow Southerners don't go out, Stay in. Keep Warm. Northerns put your big coat on. 

Pannal and email address

 If anyone wants to contact me use my email address annesmith.pannal@yahoo.co.uk

Comments do not seem to be working. I will answer any of your queries. Very happy to.

My latest book Pannal and Burn Bridge Their Stories gives a lot of information re our lovely villages. 

On sale at Pannal Post Office. 

Pannal and Beyond

Saturday we all woke up to snow. I was going down to Bletchley Park with Michael and Susan (oldest son and daughter) and picking Susan up on the way. We set off and only got as far as the Follifoot Road when a tree came down and blocked the road. Fortunately did not fall on us. Had to turn back for a different route. Took the MI and had snow all the way and beyond, We were heading to stay at Milton Keynes. Much maligned place. Where we stayed we were in a park surrounded by green fields and a lovely lake. No snow when we arrived and we got to Bletchley Park in sunshine and it was very pleasant standing outside listening to our guide. We would recommend it as it is so interesting. Lovely house and all the huts had so much information in  them. A statue of Alan Turing at the entrance.A brilliant brilliant man who sadly took his own life. Ten thousand people worked there at one time breaking codes and having signed the Official Secrets Act were sworn to secrecy.I also had to sign this when i worked for the MOD. Pannal and Burn Bridge's connection with Bletchley Park was we had two ladies who lived here and they had worked at Bletchley Park during the Second World War. I wanted to tell their stories and approached them. They incidentally did not know of each others existence and they only lived round the corner from one another. Neither of them wanted any publicity and said they had signed the OSA. I said it is ok you can talk about what you did .You have been allowed to from 1974 but no they would not divulge their secrets.

When Leadhall Lane was closed for road works the traffic increased through Pannal . I and many others hoped that when it reopened we would not have so much traffic but that is a forlorn hope. I remember when Main Street was a tiny street. Then it was widened and cars at times bomb down it well over the speed limit. We in the past have had our front wall knocked down. One time the bus, when we had a bus service, came down Rosedale and knocked the lamp post down onto our drive which hit the wall Fortunately we were on holiday. Another time a car came out of Rosedale too fast and hit our wall and then a cyclist did the same and summer salted into our garden. 

Remember the black cat that I cannot find the owner well I have now been landed with it. I have had to find another bed for it to sleep in. I am a soft touch and I just hope it does not tell its friends I am. Mu own two cats not all that chuffed.

My book Pannal and Burn Bridge Their Stories selling well so if you want a copy for yourself or for Christmas presents do not leave it too late. Selling at Pannal Post Office. 

Pannal and Sun Colonnade Valley Gardens

 Yes did get somewhere with the Sun Colonnade in the Valley Gardens. HBC now know it is there and hopefully it will be treated as the important building that it is. Hopefully the Sun Parlours will be restored and the Colonnade be used for a commercial purpose in keeping with the Valley Gardens. I am sure we all have ides of its use plant and garden based. As a founder of the Friends of the Valley Gardens I have a keen interest in both the Sun Pavilion and the Sun Parlours. I remember running through them as a child and I also remember that there was a big ship in a case in one of the Sun Parlours, My Dad was in the Royal Navy so that is probably why I remember it but unfortunately I cannot find anyone who also remembers the model ship in the glass case. Have you seen the fairy light that are now on the Colonnade roof which will be cleaned and tidied up. It looks lovely. 

I am afraid we are stuck with the Dunlopillo building two storeys higher. Wonder if the Pannal Post Office will move into the light industry site behind this edifice. There was talk of that but we shall just have to wait and see. I have had calls from young people who used to live here when they were young. Now married with children and have come back to see where they had lived. Some hardly recognised Pannal. Fields where they had played and fished now all housing (Crimple Meadows) They said thank goodness the quarry and fields (Sandybank Quarry and Crimple Valley) are still there. I took some Harrogate Civic Society members a walk round Pannal and did say to come back in the spring and see all the bluebells and wild garlic flowers in the Quarry. It is a sight to behold.

Must mention if you go to Pannal Post Office to buy a copy of my book Pannal and Burn Bridge Their Stories if it is not on the shelf to the right of the door as you enter they are up by the magazines and papers at the rear of the shop. I am trying to keep them at the front as well but just in case they are not you know where to find them.Only telling you this because someone rang me the other day and said "your book is not at the Post Office"

I still have the black cat coming in for food and sleeping in Marbles bed. Poor Marble has been out all night but now there are three beds in the utility room so peace once more reigns. They have accepted the black cat. It never comes near me so I do not know whether it is feral or just a scared stray. 

Pannal and Burn Bridge Book

 My book Pannal and Burn Bridge Their Stories has been greeted very well by those that have read it. It is for sale price £10 at Pannal Post Office. People are saying they are buying it for family/friends as a Christmas present. So there's an idea. Don't leave it too late to buy.  To send in the UK it costs £3.30p to post. 

I have met so may lovely people that have said how much they have enjoyed my book. This is the part I like as I do enjoy talking to villagers. 

Think I am getting somewhere with Harrogate Borough Council over the Colonnade in the Valley Gardens. We must not lose it through their lack of care. 

Wonder what will now be built at Dunlopillo as "light industry". I and a number of people would have liked to have seen a Premier Inn or a Travel Lodge there. Our families come for holidays and Christmas with us and there are a number of grandchildren now and it would have been a place for some of the family to spend the day with us but use it to sleep. What a dreadful pity we lost Spacey Houses Hotel. I tried so hard to save it but Punch Taverns the owners sent the workmen in in the early hours to take the roof off thus destroying the Hotel. Just look what we have in its place. Pannal is slowly and systematically being destroyed from the village that we knew. In fact not only Pannal but Harrogate and surrounds. I knew a family that lived in Pannal and moved south as husband got transferred and their son came back on a visit last week and said to me I shall tell Mum and Dad not to go back ever. This is is not what they will want to remember. Says it all. 

Cats Marble and Tigs have nothing to say on the matter. 

Pannal and Harrogate Borough Council

I see in the latest Pannal and Burn Bridge Parish Council Newsletter that at long last they are agreeing with what I have been saying for fifty of the fifty six years I have lived here. In their words HBC has  "downer" on Pannal and Burn Bridge. Many years ago their Director of Technical Services Ken Corri said to me that it was his ambition to have Pannal the same as Bilton re massive development. His wish is coming true. I especially liked their plan to have gypsies/travellers on the Crimple Valley land behind St Robert's Church. The gypsies/travellers did not want to be there so was this a red herring so that when it was announced no there won't be gypsies but there could be houses there people would think well that is better than gypsy/travellers. HBC misjudged Pannal and Burn Bridge people we are not daft.The Crimple Valley is precious to us soon it will be all we have if this insane house building carries on. This Council is killing Harrogate. I was in town and I overheard two ladies outside Primark one said "I have always wanted to come to Harrogate but now I am here I don't know why I did" So very sad. HBC wanted to do away with the name Spacey Houses but I heard of their plans and shoved my oar in. So Spacey Houses name remains. Be interesting to see where the Invisible Mann is. 

I am off this afternoon to rattle a few cages as when I as Chairman of The Friends of the Valley Gardens saved the Sun Pavilion and Colonnades from being demolished the Council of the day said when they had finished refurbishing the Sun Pavilion they would refurbish the Sun Colonnade and Sun Parlours and that was in 1998.Just think refurbished and re-roofed what an asset that will be to everyone the Town's coffers and us as it could be used in the run up to Christmas for Fairs etc and all the year round for various exhibitions. So wish me luck in dealing with Harrogate Borough Council. 

My book Pannal and Burn Bridge Their Stories is selling well and everyone likes it so I am very chuffed as I did enjoy writing it. I have no copies of my other books A History of Pannal, Postcards from Pannal and A Centenary History of Pannal Golf Club 1906-2006. I have had a few emails and phone calls asking if I still have any. This is my last book on the Pannal that I have loved for fifty six years. Will I continue to keep loving it I do hope so in spite of Big Brother Harrogate Borough Council. 

Pannal Launch

 At last I am able to write this blog. It has been a very busy time since the Launch of my book. Pity the weather was not better but you did come and support me and I thank you. Also supporting were Howard West Chairman of Pannal and Burn Bridge Parish Council who opened and closed the launch. Malcolm Neesam whom I have known since we were young together spoke and our MP Andrew Jones came to support me as well as all the lovely villagers. Dorothy Little a friend came and looked after the sales and we had a great time catching up with everyone. Many of whom we had not seen since we were hit with the dreadful Covid. Copies of the book are being sold at Pannal Post Office and they are selling well. Do buy one as it is all about our villages and I have really loved writing it.  I am very pleased with the many comments on how they really enjoyed the book. I am very flattered and pleased. The Harrogate Advertiser, this week, wrote a flattering article and I also thank them. After the launch I said to Dorothy are you doing anything or shall we go and have lunch at Crimple. No she was not so we did and had a lovely lunch and chat. 

I have been contacted by a gentleman who is very interested re my idea of  Crimple Valley Country Park which I proposed and also wrote about in the book. Harrogate Borough Council, who own the land, are also aware of my proposal and I hope to rattle a few cages with this proposal. I have never forgiven them for proposing that part of our lovely Crimple Valley from behind St Robert's Church up to the A61 Leeds Road be made into a gypsy site. Or was, as many of us suspected a red herring. A the gypsies or travelers did not want to be there when asked and B was this a ploy by HBC so that we would say when they put forward a proposal for housing "well that is better than a travelers site". This land although owned by HBC being purchased from Bill Bentley of Pannal Hall in 1961 must be kept for the people of Pannal as we are having so much building in our village that we shall need all the green spaces we have. Hope we never ever lose the Crimple Valley and have to all walk around the recreation ground being all the green space we have left. We have lost the Valley on the other side of the Leeds Road sold by Lord Harwood in the 1950s and also purchased by HBC, who at the time said it was to protect the land between Harrogate and Pannal and keep them separate, to light industry.  

Dunlopillo proposal for flat up from 26 to 48 with two storeys higher. The poor cottages opposite will lose some of the sunlight and from the car park at Pannal Golf Club not a hill or green field will be able to be seen. We were all hoping the old Dunlopillo offices when demolished in its place would be houses in keeping with the area.Answer: fat chance of that. Intriguing to know what the firm who owns the car park to the front of old Dunlopillo offices will do.  

Now with all the lovely comments I received about the book do Marble and Tigs care - not a jot. 

Pannal today

 As i passed the horrible Dunlopillo building today I saw that it was being dismantled on the inside.

Since the article appeared in the Harrogate Advertiser it has been quite amazing as people from Harrogate have been coming to see the building and when I have met them they are astounded that it was ever built and what an eyesore it is. Broken windows and generally very tatty. Hopefully gone soon but what will be put in its place. Lets hope HBC see sense and refuse permission for another two storeys being added. The old cottages opposite will loose some of the sunshine they have had for all these years. Does seem a shame . Would be good if developers would use the Harrogate Advertiser or The Stray Ferret to let everyone see what is planned. How it ever managed to be built in the first place I do not know. There is no high building in any other village anywhere around. 

Is there any Harrogate residents that have a good word to say about Harrogate Borough Council? I have not heard it. Words I have heard "What are they playing at," "they must be mad" "what are they doing to our lovely town." 

When as chairman of the Friends of the Valley Gardens the Sun Pavilion and Colonnade we saved them from being demolished for a "car park" it was stated that when the Sun Pavilion was refurbished then it would be the turn of the Colonnade. This was in 1998. What has happened? Think what an asset to the town it would be. The Christmas Fairs could be held there and the much missed Artists and Painters Exhibitions and so many other Fairs and Exhibitions. 

Posters have been put round the village notifying everyone that my latest book Pannal and Burn Bridge Their Stories will be launched on Saturday 2nd October at Pannal Memorial Hall at 11.30am and I will be there until 1pm. I have seen a copy of my book and I have shown it to a few people. I am very happy with it and everyone that has seen it likes it and will purchase it. The price is £10 and I have been told that is a good price. Please come and join me as this is my last book on Pannal and Burn Bridge and my other books a History of Pannal and Postcards from Pannal are long out of stock. I want everyone to love Pannal as I do that is why I wrote this book.

My little cat Marble is, as I told you, losing her sight but seems happy as she knows the garden and surrounds. Vet says she is healthy and happy. As for Tigs she is a madam but very loving to me that is not to Marble. She just ignores her. 

Pannal and Dunlopillo

 Well my book is with the printer. Over £5000 to publish but I want to keep the price down as I want everyone to read it and enjoy Pannal as I do. Will let you know price later. Come and see me Saturday 2nd October for the launching 11.30 Pannal Memorial Hall. Shall be there from 11am to 1pm and hope I am not left sitting on my own for two hours. 

The latest plans are in for Dunlopillo the office block or monstrosity as we call it. So many windows broken it is a right mess but then always was. How HBC allowed that blot on our landscape I do not know. Well I do really as HBC on mass do not like Pannal. I had a bit to say about the building in the Stray Ferret and there will be an article in the Harrogate Advertiser next week. The plans have increased the flats from 26 to 48 with two storey's added. Many more people and cars. The car park at the front I am not sure what will happen as it does not belong to Dunlopillo it belongs to solicitor's office in Halifax. I remember it being purchased and I thought why but now I know as they will if they sell make a lot of money.Please if you think this is wrong for Pannal the size this building is going to be. Object. 

All I can add is what is Harrogate Borough Council doing to the whole of Harrogate? Housing masses of it with no infrastructure and built where house owners will have to use their cars to even get their shopping. Houses are not appealing . When one thinks of the the Tudor buildings and what the Victorians left us and what is now being left to future generations. It is so very sad. Developers now rule. HBC will say but we have to have so many houses we are told that by the Government but I say we do not have to have the houses that the developers are putting up and you are letting them.    

Ps from Pannal

 Sorry forgot to say in yesterday's Blog that my book Pannal and Burn Bridge - Their Stories will be launched in Pannal Memorial Hall at 11.30am on Saturday 2nd October. Dorothy and I will be there at 11am. I have really enjoyed writing the book and I hope you like it. Come and see us.  Tell your friends in Pannal and Burn Bridge to come along and not leave Dorothy and me sitting on our own please. 

Away from Pannal then back

 I have just returned from a lovely two week holiday. Firstly to meet up with my four children and their families as we have not all been together since the first lockdown. It was wonderful. We were in the Dales and in three log cabins booked instead of one big house just in case there was another lockdown. We had a brilliant time Walked our feet off. Able to eat all our meals outside. There were fourteen of us and one night we had an enormous barbeque.The grandchildren went wild swimming at the falls. The water was cold but the weather was good. Then I travelled back to Bristol with James and family for a few days. What an up and coming place Bristol is there is so much going on and the Harbour side is bustling with activity. They have kept a number of the old dockside buildings and they are now apartments, restaurants, cafes and pubs. They are not far from Portishead which has a Marina with very swish apartments and lovely eating places. Do I want to live where my children live. Peak District, Lake District, Bristol and Cheltenham -  no. Nice as they all are I love my garden and Pannal 

My fourth book after The History of Pannal, Postcards from Pannal. A Centenary History of Pannal is Pannal and Burn Bridge - Their Stories and it will be launched at Pannal Memorial Institute on Saturday October 2nd and I will be there together with my good friend Dorothy Little from 11am to 1pm where I hope to see you all.At the moment I do not know the price of the book as I am awaiting my publisher telling me but rest assured I will try and keep it at a good price. I would really like to give a copy to every house in Pannal and Burn Bridge but that is not feasible as the printing costs will be high.

Now I must tell you this. Where I live in the village there are a number of very large trees and in one of them there are rooks who nest there. The kites come and annoy them and they gang up on the kites and so far have chased them away but one evening a little while ago my neighbor saw a kite catch a rook in mid air and that was the end of it. The horror part of this story is one of my cats is very tiny and she was lying out on the grass fast asleep when a kite landed in the garden after her. Good job I was also in the garden. Stuff of nightmares. Poor little Marble is going blind so she might now have been able to get away. The vet says she is fine just cannot see but knows her own garden and my neighbours gardens (they are very good with my cats) They are affectionate cats and have never bitten or scratched us. Tigs disappeared for a number of days and I was worried but she returned smelling of perfume. Where has she been the little strumpet.  

About Pannal

 Oh the excitement about the England match. No traffic in Pannal. My neighbour had England flags on his car. Very soon came off as we all know what the result was. I was disappointed with the second half as they let Italy make all the running. I cannot say that I am an expert on football but as I was Secretary for Bob Kelly Scottish Football Association and Secretary for Celtic Football Club in a "past life" I feel I can at least have a view. 

My book Pannal and Burn Bridge - Their stories ,will be lunched at Pannal Memorial Hall on Saturday 2nd October. I wish I could just hand out the book to villagers but I have to pay to have it published and the lovely Terry who I met at Smith Settle (who published some of my books) will let me have the proofs sometime this month. I hope it is enjoyed as i have put my heart and soul into it and I also hope that like the Centenary book I wrote about Pannal Golf Club it will be used as a reference to all that has happened in Pannal.

I am also doing a walk round Pannal for the Harrogate Civic Society on Sunday 26th September at 2pm meeting at St Robert's Church. So when you see me walking round the village with about 15 people you will know. It won'r be like the first walk I did for the Pannal Village Society when nearly one hundred people turned up and The Harwood had said they would put on sandwiches for us. Don;t think they were ever that generous again as they were shocked at the number of people but my group did buy drinks.

The Neighbourhood Plan has been delivered to everyone in Pannal and Burn Bridge and a lot of work has gone into that. I am/was in two minds about the park and stride (to take the school traffic off Main Street) in the Crimple Valley at the back of St Robert's Church as I do/did not want our beautiful Valley destroyed by cars but if my plan for The Crimple Valley Country Park  which the Pannal Parish Council have adopted comes to fruition then villagers and visitors will need somewhere to park. 

19th July our day of freedom? I will still wear my mask in shops. Have not been on a train or bus since the first lockdown. One thing I find really annoying is that the scientists say that wearing a mask protects others but them not wearing a mask will not protect me.We can all only hope the vaccines work.

I have just returned from Scotland Millport Isle of Cumbrae which my lovely oldest daughter treated my to. I went to school there when I was very young and now was trying to find the school I went to.unfortunately the gentleman who ran the Historical Information Centre had died so it was closed. I think I found it but it is now a house. An elderly lady who I accosted in the street said it was a catholic school (correct as I was at a convent school in Glasgow later) and now there was only one school for all pupils. The weather was hot and sunny and if I did not have the love for here that I have I would be living there. A lovely, lovely place. 

Little Marble is getting on ok with not being able to see that well. She does not go far. Tigs in the meantime brings me mice which are alive so with  bit a cajoling I rescue the. Have never been afraid to pick birds, animals,insects up including spiders. I am handy to have around.

Pannal and me

 We have ll enjoyed this amazing weather, With the sun and before that the rain I have no spaces between my plants in the garden. I am battling to keep it decent but all my plants are so thick and high. 

My next tale is of my little cat Marble who I adopted from Sarah Pannal's Chiro about fifteen years ago. Sarah was moving house and was not allowed pets.I wrote about this in my column in the Harrogate Advertiser which came to the attention of a gentleman who had a kitten called Tigs and he had sustained a back injury and could not look after the kitten so my husband had Marble as  birthday present and Tigs as a Wedding Anniversary present. Now back to my story. Marble came in and looked up at me and it looked as if she had no pupils, Fortunately I had family with me as it was so scary. Phoned my vet who saw her and after various tests said she was ok in herself but she was going blind. Not a lot they could do but as she knows her way about the garden which is quite big vet said just let her get on with life and Marble is because as soon as I let her out of her basket she ran up the apple tree. Seems like perhaps this could work out. Tigs is no help whatsoever. Just ignores her. The lady vet was so kind I am now wondering if instead of seeing a doctor I could see a vet for any ailment that I might have. 

I have been down seeing some of my family in Bristol and Cheltenham and for once we could plan what we were doing every evening for the next day as the weather was brilliant. Long walks in countryside and Clevedon and Portishead. Much as I love all the places my children live Bristol, Cheltenham, Peak Park and Lake District I love Pannal more. 

My latest book on Pannal and Burn Bridge will be published in October and launched at Pannal Memorial Hall. As they are having so many alterations I do not know as yet what room I will be in or what day. I rang Mike Briggs to see if he would show me around so that I could choose only to find he has just come out of hospital. So get well soon Mike and we shall be in touch and will meet up. 

Now a query does anyone know why a  Leeds Rhino bus/big van comes down the village from Leeds Road weekday mornings between 7.45am and 8.15am and turns down Rosedale. Where is it going.? Anyone got an answer?

I look after the little patio garden by St Robert's Church and tidied iot up and it looked lovely and the next day when I passed it was covered in leaves. How did that happen eh. Shall try once more. 

Crimple Valley looks lovely with all the buttercups. One of my favourite places. I remember it when one could walk under the Viaduct both ways but during covid it has been fenced off on the left so unable to access it now after all these many years. Sheep now in field and signs up. The owner must have put them there as there is no NYCC or HBC names on them. Also fenced off by the stream where the kids paddled. It can be accessed from over the bridge but it is not the same. 

Pannal Reminiscence

I had an email from Susan Taylor asking if I knew her godfather James Seth Soutar and of coure I did. Capt Soutar as we all knew him ran Central Stores in the Village with his wife in the 1960s nd early 1970s before moving across the road to a dormer bungalow they had built which they named Bergerac. Jimmy Soutar was Susan's godfather. He had an interesting life born in Kirkcady in 1904 his father was a ships Master. Jimmy went to sea at 16 and worked as crew slowly climbing the ladder to Master. He was on oil tankers in the Caribbean. In the Merchant Navy he was torpedoed in the Second World War on the ship Cederbanks and fifteen of his crew perished just of the coast of Norway. He was Assistant Dock Master in Trinidad where he met his wife Winifred who had been a Matron in a hospital in the UK and was now a highly respected nurse in Trinidad. He became Chief of Port of Spain Harbour and was a highly respected person there and a personality as he was 6ft 3ins and powerfully built and there was an island competition whereby any man could challenge to punch him and if he flinched he had to buy everyone a drink but that never ever happened. Why Pannal I do not know all I know if he loved Yorkshire and was a member of Yorkshire cricket club. He was a keen gardener and grew masses of strawberries which he sold in his shop. One time when my mother-in-law was staying with us she went down to buy some and was very amused when he wrapped them in a cabbage leaf for her. When they gave up the shop they moved across the road. Unfortunately the stock market collapsed in the 1970s and they had to sell Bergerac (named after a place in France where they spent their honeymoon) and moved to a flat in Western Avenue, Harrogate where Win later died and he remarried and he died in 1914 aged 90. I went down to see Bob and Sue the owners of Bergerac to see if his ships bell was on the door but the door had been replaced but his weather vane of ships was still on the roof. 

My second reminiscence is of the time not too long ago when walking down Fulwith Mill Lane I saw a man and woman walking towards me and I recognised them they were obviously local  but for the life of me I could not remember their names. How embarrassing. They stopped and we exchanged few pleasantries and walked on and I thought I have got away with that.. Then I saw some camera men and I said what are you filming and one said them and I said whose them and he said Robby Coltrane and Julie Walters for a tv series and I thought they were locals.......

I get a number of these requests and fortunately I have been able to answer them all. Except for one email that asked if I knew Great Aunt Bertha. I email what was her surname and answering email said "now you've got me". 

Pannal Summer Days

 Lovely sunny days and don't we deserve them. Although someone said to me we do need rain. Last thing I want for a little while as I am content with watering the garden with the hose and can.Only just got back to golf. I have been a member of Pannal Golf Club since 1974 and I wrote the A Centenary History of Pannal Golf Club 1906-2006, The other day when I was playing we saw a buzzard chasing a red kite. There are a number of red kites around at the top of the road. Don't know whether they are nesting on the trees on the Course now as so many of them have been removed. The trees not the kites. Talking of trees the Cedar tree in Rosedale Close is still there. We had the excitement of a large crane for its removal but a gentleman who was passing said to me they can't remove it just now as the sun is in the wrong direction and that was a week ago. New one on me I know about leaves on the line but sun in the wrong direction?

I had the joy of my youngest son Richard and family coming at Easter. It was so lovely to see them all. We rolled our eggs on the hill in Crimple Valley and then spent an extraordinary amount of time in the Quarry which we all love and my intrepid young grandaughter climbed from the bottom of the quarry up the rocks to the top followed by her Dad of course, Not followed by me as I do not like heights as a suffer badly from vertigo and when I have an attack it does not help with my putting. We had some lovely walks around Lindley and i was sorry to see them go. Hopefully I might be able to see my other three children and their families soon. Talking to people we have found this lockdown particularly trying. 

Oh and at Easter I had a lovely Easter card from a pupil at Pannal Primary School and that was a lovely thought and it is a lovely well drawn card. 

There has been a lot of rubbish left in the Crimple Valley which has been collected by volunteers and I collected some dog poo bags. They were yellow bags not black ones. Do idiots think I shall use yellow ones and then other people can see them and pick them up as I cannot be bothered. This mentality has decent people scratching their heads in puzzlement and don 't get me started on the tying them on trees. Enough said. 

Marble and Tigs are fine and enjoying the sunshine and we still have the black cat. I have given in and feed it now and my cats have also accepted it.It knows when it is on to a good thing.

Shall end with this. I saw that a lady care worker down south decided instead of eating her sandwiches at the care home she would drive to a beauty spot to eat them. She was spotted by the police and fined even although she had not got out of her car. I thought this a shame and texted my kids and I put she was fined for eating in her car. Only I have predictive text and it came out as she was fined for dogging in her car and I never noticed and sent it to the kids. Only realized when I got texts back saying WHAT!!! read your text Mum. 

Pannal Walks

 Hail, rain or shine I have been walking round Pannal and further afield.I walked up to Whinney Lane from Pannal visited Rossett Nature Reserve first then down Whinney Lane. I have friends who live round about Castle Hill and how the developers were allowed to build houses so close to existing houses I do not know. It is absolutely shocking. New bedrooms face onto bedrooms of residents who have been there for many years. Long time residents have had to spend vast sums of money having mature trees planted in order to have some privacy. That was rant one now onto rant two. Cyclists on the Bilton to Ripley trail. The path is not wide enough and I nearly ended up as a mascot on the front of a cyclists handlebars there was no warning just came tearing past and another cyclist had a horn not a bell on his bike and I reckon I did an amazing jump in the air. Some cyclists are considerate and others are not so we shall see if HBC plan for more cycle areas on streets will work. It also seems strange to me when the council are saying not to use our cars when they allow houses to be built in places Killinghall, Skipton Road and Beckwithshaw where residents have no amenities and have to use their cars to shop. Pub at Killinghall being turned into a supermarket sometime in the near future Is that it? Also can the schools cope?

The Cedar Tree on Rosedale Close is to be felled. So sad as it is a Cedar of Lebanon and it was one of the trees I had protected when I mapped all the trees on the new Rosedale Estate and asked for them to be protected by asking for Tree Preservation Order No 1 Pannal 1969. There is only one other in this area and that is in the grounds of Pannal Hall. I think the ones at Rudding Park have been felled. The are an endangered species and are in the Red Book for Endangered Trees. The replacement tree will be a small Cedar of Lebanon and I hope it is planted not too close to buildings that have had extensions.

I think we are all fed up with lockdown. Golf will be allowed from end of March so we are all raring to play. I am so looking forward, as we all are, to seeing our families again. Very sad for the poor people who have lost their lives and also their relatives. My cats are the only ones not fed up as they see more of me and also sit more on me. Well Tigs my big fluffy cat does old dopey Marble is I think a feral cat and she does not.  They were both rescue cats many many years ago. Shall I use the word rescue more like dumped on me. Having said that they are no trouble. Thought I had better say that as they are both staring at me. Don't think they can read but who knows. 

A Spring Day in Pannal

Started off frosty then it turned into a lovely sunny warm spring day. I decided to walk the Crimple Valley. Enjoyed it took a picnic sat in the sunshine and it was good. Apart from the fact that it was very very wet and muddy in places and my feet got very wet and muddy.  There were so many people out all enjoying a hopefully not a one off day. I took the camera and took some lovely photos. Also met a lot of people I knew but have not seen much of as we are in lockdown but the sunshine brought us all out walking. I do love the Crimple Valley all the way up and under the Crimple Viaduct. It is an imposing structure 1873 feet long crossing the valley at a height of 110 feet and has 31 arches each of 50 feet span. When the new central station in Harrogate opened in 1862 a connection was built at the southern end of the viaduct to permit trains from Leeds to join the York and North Midland line and to cross the viaduct to reach Harrogate's new station.That and the Brunswick Tunnel highlights of the rail journey. One walk I do quite a lot is walking all round The Stray from the bottom of Tewit Well Road towards the hospital and all the way round and up Montpellier Hill and back to where I started. I have walked round Pannal Golf Club a number of times since it closed. I walk all the holes and look forward to when I can golf there once again. I enjoy my walking and have walked over the years the Cleveland Way, all round the Yorkshire Dales and the Lake District. My lovely husband Bas and I walked every Wednesday and Friday setting off early we covered some ground. All this year I have been rediscovering all the places in Harrogate, Ripon, Knaresborough, Otley and Ilkley. Dare I say it but I am getting fed up now. I say we as it is not just me but we want to be able to see our children and grandchildren. We want to meet friends for lunch. We want to visit restaurants and pubs.Most of all we want to be able to hug. All I have got to hug at the moment are the cats. Tigs is very affectionate and loves hugs. Marble is I am quite sure not really all there as sometimes she will come up to me and other times she is like who is this stranger I had better run away. My book Pannal and Burn Bridge - Their Stories is at the publishers and Terry my publisher likes it which is praise indeed as he publishes so many books.

All stay safe and hopefully we shall get some life back soon. 

Pannal and me

 I had a phone call from my Drs when everyone else said they received a text. The young man said my name is A and gave me my date for vaccine. I said tell me why did you phone on my house phone when everyone |I know received a text. He said we have not got your mobile phone number. I said yes you have and that is how I receive messages. He said give me your phone number and I will write it down. Suspecting a scam I said no where are you phoning from he said !! Surgery. I said ok tell me what you can see out of the window. He got quite upset and eventually did.  Finished call and I phoned the surgery and they said oh yes A is upstairs phoning patients. So sorry A you were legit.

I attended at the GYS Ground and thought I know it is only just up the road but I will go reasonably early. Good job I did as when I joined the queue chap comes up to the window and says follow the car in front. I said the brown one. He said yes. I followed and guess what brown car was not going to the vaccination centre. I had to turn round and then of course I was in the out lane and not the in one. Chap who told me to follow the brown car shouts at me you are in the wrong lane. I shouted back well you told me to follow a car that was not going to the vaccination centre. So all in all an exciting "call up" for a vaccine. When I did get vaccinated all smooth sailing and very well organised

Hole in the pavement looking for gas leak filled in and they have now gone. I did email Northern Gas to ask why the continual patching and not pipes replaced. Received an email saying could I phone. I emailed why can't you answer my email instead of me phoning? Well they did and said it will take five years to relay new pipes. The gas pipes are over 100 years old so expect for the next five years it will be a patching up job until 2026. 

Snow showers and very cold. Wonder what our heating bills will be? We are in lock down and only told to exercise local. Roll on Spring. Roll on out of lockdown. Most of all roll on seeing our families all together. Cats I think are fed up to as they are in all day now. Still have the black one visiting and pinching food. Have tried all social media to see if it does belong to anyone. No luck so far. All black I think as I only see its rear end going out the cat flap when I open the door. Anyone have a black cat in Pannal? 

Pannal and Burn Bridge - Their Stories

 Pannal and Burn Bridge - Their Stories is the title of my latest book. I have Written A History of Pannal, Postcards from Pannal, The Centenary History of Pannal Golf Club 1906-2006. My latest book has , today, gone to be printed. That is one milestone but the big milestone is when can I have a launch and where. I certainly cannot do anything until the lockdown is over. Would be nice to launch it at Pannal Memorial Institute or St Robert's Chapter House but that is in the near (hopefully) future. At least you all now know it is on its way. I shall let everyone know when it will be ready to buy. I am pleased to do this for Pannal and Burn Bridge and it will not be an expensive book as I want everyone to be able to buy it and know a lot about where you live. If anyone has any thoughts about where to launch it please let me know via this blog or email annesmith.pannal@yahoo.co.uk. I do hope we shall all be able to meet up before very long.

Now if you are all wondering why traffic lights again on Main Street well they - Northern Gas- are back. They started off before Christmas up the top of the street now half way down and probably they will go further down. The pipes are over 100 years old and as soon as they find where the leak is. (reported to them by a pedestrian who smelt gas) they repair it and then there is a gas leak somewhere else. Keep this up and we shall reach Station Road, Incidentally, not just one side of the road they have been on both sides. . I was in my drive when a gentleman said to me. I worked for the Gas Company and this will keep happening s the pipes are so old they need to be replaced and the only way they will be replaced is if everyone writes in and complains. If you don't all they will do is keep repairing. The pipes are down to be replaced in five years and they will keep to that unless there are complaints. So we now know what to do everyone. 

Whose getting fed up with lockdown? I for one am as I want to walk further, the Dales preferably. Will the vaccine help us I hope so it is the only lifeline we have. I just listen to the news on Radio Four about 8am and that is enough. I do not watch news on tv as it is all doom and gloom. TV programmes not much better as they seems to be about aids, murders, hospitals. I am sticking to walking ones around the UK and fingers crossed we will be able to all be out and about soon. 

Still got the black cat visiting still stealing food and now it sleeps in the utility room but flies out the cat flap when I open the kitchen door. I have always said my cats are numpties but perhaps I am misjudging them and they feel sorry for it from on high that is as they never go onto the floor whilst it is about. 

Doing our bit in Pannal

 When the bin men arrived to remove our refuse I went out and clapped them and they were chuffed. I put this on the Neighbours site and suggested we all do this. They like the NHS have worked all through the pandemic and deserve a bit of applause. I remember the days when we had the same bin men every week and we used to tip them at Christmas as we saw more of them as they came "round the back" to pick up our heavy metal bins and bring them back empty. In fact I used to see one of our lovely bin men David in Morrisons and we always had a chat. In fact one time years ago he said to me have you ever been to Malta? I said no and he said go its brilliant and go to Gozo. We went and he was right and we have been back a few times since but like Britain it is having a lot of development. One time we had a bungalow on top of a hill and we went to the shop at the bottom. Bought some water 6 enormous bottles and as we paid the lady said oh its 2 for 1 so take another 6. One of our party had to carry them all the way up the hill. Oh how we laughed. Rotten really.

Notice Mill Lane is closed once more.Not at all surprised as I said at the time it would happen again. This has occurred over the years but of course made worse by the constant rain. The chap that has the house by the mill pond said thank goodness they are putting the fencing at the bridge as last time there was a landslip last year people were climbing over the pond fence. This time they can't. 

I am still carrying on with the idea of Crimple Valley Country Park as I have had a couple of very supportive letters from Andrew Jones our MP. Pannal Parish Council know of my idea as do our local councillors. No one has said it is not a good idea so I am hopeful but we shall all have to be behind my plan as we all know what Harrogate Borough Council is like when it comes to Pannal. In all my nearly sixty years here I have heard only detrimemtal remarks when it comes to Pannal. In other words THEY DO NOT LIKE US.

My new book Pannal and Burn Bridge - Their story is waiting to be published but I cannot see my publisher. It was supposed to be out in October in time for Christmas but I could not launch it as we were all being careful because of Covid 19 so no crowds. Never fear it is ready to go when Terry and I can meet. Terry does not live in Harrogate and we are all having to stay local.  

Cats are like bees they can pass messages on telling each other where there is a source of food.  For months we have had a ginger cat come through the cat flap and scoff my cats food. They were frightened of it. He has now been joined by a black cat. Tigs and Marble cats are also scared of it..I cannot think of a solution. My neighbour near the top of the road sent me a photo of Tigs lying in his arbour on a sunny morning. On his chair too. I think in the summer he has to race my cat for his chair. 

Pannal in the snow

 Now then the snow was a surprise to me and it came down all day and I was quite happy as I love snow. I also love what happens in the snow, drivers that take a short cut through Pannal get stuck coming in and going out we have two steep hills. This provides endless fun for those of us who live in Main Street as they got stuck at the top of Main Street and had to back down causing a jam with cars coming up. This was happening then the snow plough/gritter came and cleared the road. Boo we were all shouting well I was anyway. What a thing to admit but with this lock down we have to take our pleasures in different ways. 

I have heard of a couple of virus cases in the village and I have also heard of a couple of burglaries, So as they say everyone stay safe from both. 

I now have new neighbours. Sophie and Munib left and Patricia and Brian moved in and both managed to get out and in safely with their furniture removals the day before it snowed. Ah the snow I build a snowman in the front garden and a polar bear in the back garden and I loved doing them even although my neighbours probably think I am not all there. I shall not ask them what they thought. 

This morning we lost our Broadband as the workmen at the end of Rosedale cut through the cable. So we lost the computer, the telephone and the tv. Came back on this afternoon. Amazing how we all missed them.

Now one thing I have put on Neighbours site is a black cat that I have been feeding since about March. Well I am not feeding it by choice but it has taken to coming through the cat flap and helping itself and one morning it was in one of my cats beds and they were huddled together in the other bed. It flew out the cat flap and someone replied to my query " does anyone have a black cat" and said could you take a photo of it and put it on this site. Answer no as all I ever see of it is its bum as it flies out through the cat flap. I am tempted to get one of those that only open with a micro chip. Both my cats are micro shipped but I havn't as I have the worry that one time it may not work and they were not able to get in. My two numpties are afraid of it and are no help what so ever.

The snow has now gone and we are back to rain but a bit warmer but all the powers that be are doing is giving us miseable news as they are saying oh its going to get much colder again. Can anyone give us a bit of good news as every bit of good news they impart is always followed but something saying well its not really good news because.....

This is why a write this column and try to be humorous. Is it working do you feel a little happier.?  

Happy New Year Pannal

 2020 gone and at the moment 2021 not a lot better but we have hope. I had a lovely Christmas with part of my family. There are so many of us that it was only part but it was great.Met the new puppy. James kids have been going on for a couple of years about having a dog so at last they have. Little spaniel called Skye who like all baby animals is a sweetie. Well probably not all babies, spiders for example. We have some snow here and my Bristol grandchildren are watching out of the window for snow but in vain. Other grandchildren have more snow than we have and they are amazingly happy building snowmen and sledging. Mum's and Dad's too.

Not a lot has been going on here but I have had many people saying my idea of Crimple Valley as a Country Park is a winner. There has not been one unfavourable voice. Now all we need is the powers that be to agree also. Back in the old days there were philanthropists who gave land for all sorts of reasons but mainly to preserve it for future generations. Unfortunately I cannot do the same but Harrogate Borough Council could and what a worthy cause. The people of Pannal are being hemmed in with all the development we need the open space we have left. 

Now what do we do do we take all the lights down on Twelfth Night or do we leave them up as they do in Iceland as the evenings are so dark and they bring cheer and with this virus we all need cheer. The media do are not doing much to cheer us up just portraying doom and gloom. 

The cats are in and why do cats always pinch the chair you normally sit on. There are chairs all round but no they must have yours and are very indignant when they are, for the tenth time, unceremoniously shoved off. 

Well Happy New Year and let's all do what little kids do stand still with their eyes all screwed up and really really wish for something. Our wish is to be back to normality. Did it work I sincerely hope so.