World Art Utopia

Harpur Hill Lagoon

A turquoise lake in a former limestone quarry at Harpur Hill near Buxton, England, below pale banks of quarry spoil and a gray sky
Artwork FileEngland

Harpur Hill Lagoon

SeenMay 2020

No artist: groundwater filling the disused Hoffman Quarry at Harpur Hill · Hoffman Quarry, Harpur Hill, Buxton, Derbyshire, England

Photo (cropped): Simon Harrod / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0), as also published in Street Art Utopia.

Harpur Hill’s ‘blue lagoon’ is the flooded Hoffman Quarry near Buxton, a privately owned site whose water the fire service compares to bleach. Agencies have dyed it black to keep swimmers away, but the blue keeps coming back. Source Source Source Source Checked

Seen May 2020: ITV reported on 29 May 2020 that agencies had dyed the lagoon black again that morning; this is the newest dated report opened directly for this file. A May 2026 visitor surge is reported in the facts below. Source Checked

💡 4 things to know

  1. Bleach-strength waterThe council and fire service say the water’s pH is comparable to bleach; news reports in 2013 put it at pH 11.3. Source Source Source Source Checked
  2. Dyed black to deter swimmersThe local council was reported dyeing the water black in June 2013, and agencies poured in black vegetable dye again on 29 May 2020. Source Source Source Checked
  3. The blue keeps returningThe fire service said the March 2020 dye had been dispersed by rain and swimming, and a fire officer later said the water soon turns blue again. Source Source Checked
  4. Hazards hidden underwaterOfficials have warned of abandoned vehicles, discarded machinery and animal carcasses beneath the surface. Source Source Source Checked

📍 Where it is

Do not visit: the quarry is on privately owned land, the council says the public should not access it, and emergency services ask people to stay away and out of the water. Source Source Checked

Open in Maps

Opens a Google Maps search for the coordinates (53.2317, -1.9068, the Commons camera location of the hero photo); no Street View panorama was checked for this file.

🗓️ Sightings

  1. 201213 May

    Blue lagoon photographed · camera date

  2. 201311 Jun

    Council reported dyeing the water black · news

  3. 202029 May

    Dyed black again at 5am by council and fire service · news

Green stamps mark dated photographs; amber stamps mark dated records and reports. Publication dates are not camera dates.

🗞️ In the sources

Fox NewsNews, 11 Jun 2013

Toxic ‘Blue Lagoon’ dyed black to keep swimmers at bay

“It has similar pH levels to bleach and is extremely cold.”

Read the source →

Derbyshire TimesNews, undated

VIDEO: Lagoon dyed black to deter swimmers

“The lagoon is completely unsuitable for bathing and swimming in – it has a PH level similar to bleach,”

Read the source →

ITV News CentralNews, 29 May 2020

Authorities turn Buxton’s “Blue Lagoon” black to deter visitors

“The water contains dangerous chemicals that could be harmful for people.”

Read the source →

Derbyshire TimesNews, undated

Stay away plea as visitors flock to Derbyshire’s dangerous blue lagoon

“We want to be absolutely clear – this is not a safe place to visit.”

Read the source →

✅ The facts

Site
Flooded former quarry (Hoffman Quarry) on privately owned land Source Source Checked
Water
Highly alkaline, pH comparable to bleach; reported as pH 11.3 Source Source Source Source Checked
Blue colour
Reported to come from light scattering by small calcium carbonate particles (BGS 2013 report, as cited by Wikipedia) Source Reported
Dyeing
Dyed black to deter swimmers, first reported June 2013; ITV (2020) quotes the fire service saying dye was used in 2012 Source Source Conflicting
Hazards
Old vehicles, discarded machinery and animal carcasses under the water; cold-water shock Source Source Source Checked
Status today
Still a flooded, off-limits quarry; warnings renewed after a May 2026 visitor surge Source Source Reported

🔗 Related

All sources & image credits

Last checked: 4 November 2026. How we verify art