We are visiting Chatsworth, Hardwick Hall and Lyme Park but we would like to see something different to stately homes. Is the ride to the Heights of Abraham worthwhile? What are your most favourite spots in the Peak District?

We have now established that Hardwick Hall is not open on the days we will be in the Peak district...or Haddon Hall either. So we are needing another suggestion of a place to visit - not caves please.

Is Keddleston Hall open when you are there? In Derby, so not strictly the Peaks but maybe worth a visit.
http://tinyurl.com/23hq2g for the National trust page on it.

Sudbury Hall and Calke Abbey are other possibilities, plus Dovedale, or maybe a walk or bike ride along the Tissington trail?

Heights of Abraham at Matlock Baths is interesting, as is the visit to the show mine, part of the country park. There is a tram museum in nearby Crich (pron. Cry-tch) http://www.tramway.co.uk/smx/cms/home/. I like both the spa town of Buxton and market town of Bakewell (and nearby pretty village of Ashford in the Water), and the villages of Hope and Castleton, and the plague village of Eyam (pron. eam) in Hope Valley.

We also enjoyed spending a day in Buxton.

since you said you would like to see something different than stately homes, you might want to visit a major industrial heritage site, the Quarry Bank Mill and Styal estate in Wilmslow (Cheshire)
http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/main...andstyalestate

I really appreciate these suggestions...thanks Vttraveler, Alec and Hetismij! Will look for more info on these.

Try to tour the Dark Peak as well as the White Peak area.

For something different from stately homes (and IMO when you've seen one, you've seen them all), what about Eyam ? Beautifully preserved village which voluntarily closed itself off from the outside world when plague broke out. You can take a nice walk out of the village to see the stone where money / food was exchanged, and the cavern where church services were held.

Another village I like is Bakewell (has not bad prehistoric standing stones nearby, and an interesting walk to them via a gorge with industrial archaeology remanants).

Or walk through Dovedale ?

None of these walks are difficult or require proper walking gear, just reasonably sensible footwear.

Oh, and don't miss the best pub, the Three Stags' Heads - http://www.beerintheevening.com/pubs.../Wardlow_Mires.

Just don't ask for draught lager, or beer/lager with anything else in it

The novel Year of Wonders by Geraldine Brooks is based on the fascinating story of Eyam