Friday ramble

Hi Everyone.
The weather here today has been absolutely beautiful and so we thought we would make the most of it and have a run out to the Peak District. For a while now I have wanted to go to a place called Gradbach Mill. It is about 8 miles from Buxton. I was told about it by a work colleague who had visited several times and said that it was in a beautiful setting and did amazing cake. That was it, I was sold!
We visit the Peak District quite regularly but I have never been to Gradbach and I have to admit that we have really been missing out. It is beautiful. There is an old mill that has been restored and is now luxury accommodation but very reasonably priced. It has a cafe (home of the amazing cake) but unfortunately it had been booked today for a private function and so we couldn't go in :(
Instead they had opened up a lovely little place just for coffees, ice creams and basic sandwiches and cake. As I had got my heart set on a piece of cake in the cafe so that I could report back to my friend, I decided I would come back another day and try again. We did, however, sit in the morning sunshine with a hot chocolate. Here is a link to Gradbach Mill but I have taken a few photos too.

Access is via a long drive down the valley

The farmhouse

The Mill

The cafe (outdoors) and the stream running alongside it.

After we had been to Gradbach, we drove through a village called Flash. It is reportedly the highest village in England.

The views are amazing from here but I have to say how sad I was to see the the devastation that has been caused by the fires that burned for over a week on the moorland near The Roaches. The fire services really struggled to put them out as the area is covered in peat which burns slowly deep down in the ground. Lots of wildlife has been lost. It will take years to recover and even then some of the plants and animals may never return.

You can see in the distance how black and charred the fields are. You can't get a true perpective from the photograph just how big an area has been affected. 

One last stop off on our way home was in Leek to have a look around town. It was super busy today but I suppose it was the last day of the summer holidays. The stationary shop had the biggest queue I've ever seen! All those shiny new pencil cases, bags and lunch boxes for the start of term. I remember it well.
Finally a trip to Leek just wouldn't be the same without a stop off at Georges fish and chip shop for our 99p lunch. I am amazed at how they can do it for the price as it really is good quality food. I find the portion size just big enough for lunchtime and if I ever buy chips from anywhere else I end up throwing most away.

Hope everyone has a lovely weekend and the sun keeps shining.
Jules x



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