First Monday for ages with no guests so used the day to pay this months bills and keep accounts up to date.  With Tuesday forecast to be a nice day I planned a walk on the Roaches but had a chat with Sally Mosley who organises walks in the area and she suggested Abney Moor if we wanted to see some heather.  We haven’t walked up there so it was an opportunity to explore another part of the peak district.  We parked just outside the hamlet of Abney not far from Hathersage and our peak district cottages and picked up the path above Abney Clough down to Stoke Ford.  We have been at this point before when we did a walk from Eyam, at this point Abney Brook and Bretton Brook converge and become Highlow Brook.  We followed the path parallel to this until it went down to the brook.  Up and past Highlow Hall where we once stayed many years ago when it was a B&B before we had even thought of moving to the area.  Across the road to Abney and picked up the track round to Offerton Hall.  As we walked along the track there were some stunning views of the Hope Valley and we could see the heather on the hills.  At Offerton Hall we picked up the bridle path and then a minor footpath up onto Abney Moor.  Here there were extensive tracts of heather although some had been burnt off after last season.  We found a nice spot to have lunch although we had to put the dogs on their leads at one stage as they kept running after the gliders they could see in the distance.  The path back to Abney was a bit indistinct at times but we were soon back at the car.  With the Derbyshire and Lancashire Gliding Club the other side of Abney we went to have a look.  One of my WI colleagues works there but it was her day off but we stayed and watched a few take off and land.  After that we drove back to Hathersage for afternoon tea at the Riverside cafe and then onto the agricultural merchants at Brough for some weedkiller.  A quiet evening in with a surprise visit from Andrew and Joanna with a special request.  Watch this space!