2013 Season Gets Off To ‘Fruitful’ Start

Incredible Edible Inspired Raised Beds

Incredible Edible Inspired Raised Beds

Inspired by the example of Incredible Edible,  Sue Jackson and Steve Magson have created some raised beds near the Farm Gate Entrance,  to plant herbs and other produce.   Just one of the tasks completed by the ‘friends’ on the first of the 2013 monthly Park upkeep days  – and,  as with the first tree planting event a year ago,  the sun turned up to warm endeavours.

Richard Lamb and Barbara Winfield,  did a fantastic job clearing up several large bags of winter debris,  including broken sledges;  maybe some discarded sledge parts should be left as a time capsule for future archeologists.

Darren Shepherd and Andy Cheetham, planted a wildlife shrub border along the wall of Little Kelcliffe with plants donated by the Woodland Trust;   Nicola and John Denson replenished the shrubs on Jubilee Walk which had suffered from over zealous strimming, and Josie Brooks landscaped more appealing looking shrub island along the ridge path and planted bulbs.

Anyone interested in taking part in future upkeep days, or with ideas they’d like to implement in the Park,  should contact us at parkinsonspark@gmail.com.

Sledging on ‘Suicide Hill’

Sledges at the top of 'suicide hill'.

With perfect timing the snow arrived in time for a snug evening watching England win the Calcutta Cup, followed by a Sunday morning of fun sledging in the park;  a ‘choice’ weekend for some !!   At midday,  Great Brow slopes were at their slippery best, and people gathered from near and far – some borrowing children to ‘legitimately’ take part in the fun.

The Park has always been popular in the snow, but over the years the location of the sledging slope has changed.  In the 1950’s, it was mainly on Clapper Brow (the other side of the park to today’s fun) with the younger children sledging down the gentle path towards the wood; only the big boys went on ‘suicide hill’ (the very steep hill, now with the Bellway fence

Waiting for a clear run on Great Brow

at the bottom) or  the ‘snowdrop run’ on Great Brow.    Clapper Brow was still the popular place to go in the 1980’s,  with the long run at the bottom towards the bowling green, making it a good ride.   Now, however,  with fences and trees having sprung up,  the main hive of activity is the steep slope of Great Brow,  with a few intrepid children still trying their luck on ‘suicide hill’ – although with the fence at the bottom it really is a case of being very careful.

If you have any good photographs of today’s fun,  do let us know and we’ll put them in the picture gallery.