BEST WALKS IN THE PEAK DISTRICT: TOPLEY PIKE
Discover the beauty of the Peak District: Harpur Hill to Blue Lagoon
Start: Harpur Hill, SK17 9LD
Distance: 7.11 miles
Duration: 2-3 hours
Elevation: 475 feet
Navigation: follow the route here
If you're looking for a fun and adventurous way to explore the best walks near Manchester, look no further than Topley Pike Nature Reserve: home of rolling hills, all-to-yourself valleys and stunning surrounds every way you turn.
It’s one of the less busy routes you’ll find in the Peak District, making it the perfect base to escape the hustle and bustle of everyday life and immerse yourself in the tranquility of the great outdoors.
Starting from Harpur Hill, this small village in Buxton is the ideal place to begin a leisurely stroll up to Topley Pike. From here, you'll set out on a winding path that will take us towards Topley Pike Nature Reserve. Please note, the outward trip to Topley Pike is via an unpaved a-road, so please take care during this section of the route.
Once you’ve made it to the boundary, you'll be rewarded with stunning views of the Thirst House Cave, a true wonder of the Peak and a must-visit for any outdoor enthusiast.
After admiring the tranquility of Thirst House Cave (you’ll struggle to see another soul along the way!), continue on to Deep Dale, a peaceful valley surrounded by rolling hills and lush vegetation. This idyllic spot is perfect for a picnic or a quiet moment to take in the serenity of the area. AWith narrow, winding paths and wildlife darting amongst the trees, this section of the route is a true feast for the senses.
Now to head back to the starting point for the main event: Buxton’s infamous ‘Blue Lagoon’.
With its striking blue colour and picturesque white shores, Harpur Hill Quarry in the Peak District is the perfect example of a dangerous beauty. The pool is no hidden gem — thousands of people visit the site each summer, which is why we much prefer a visit during winter. Plus, there’s no danger of anybody jumping in during this season… which, trust us, is something nobody wants to do.
Its vivid colour is actually a result of freezing cold rainwater mixing with minerals discarded from decades of the industrial burning off of quicklime. The toxic mix of chemicals in the water have the same pH value as bleach, which could cause anything from skin irritation to severe sickness.
Interested to know more? Scroll down to read more about the History of Blue Lagoon.
Whether you’re interested in the history or just here for the views, lease do take care and observe the ‘no swimming’ signage. This is no dipping spot!
Despite its dangers, Blue Lagoon remains one of the most popular destinations in the Peak District — and after another trip up in winter without the crowds, we can certainly see why.
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Get out there and explore the best walks near Manchester, here.
The History of ‘Blue Lagoon’, Buxton
Harpur Hill, officially known as Hoffman Quarry, has a very long and rich history producing quicklime, with small-scale lime burning beginning in the 1600s, before large-scale quicklime production was carried out beside the quarry from 1835 to roughly 1952. The bigger production demands meant using larger shaft kilns, which led to the use of a multi-chambered Hoffmann kiln, operated by Buxton Lime Firms Ltd.
During the Second World War, the quarry was used by the RAF as a depot to store chemical weapons – the biggest such site in the country at some 500 acres. Later, Harpur Hill was deemed a good place to dispose of captured German chemical munitions. The surrounding hills were used to burn such weapons as phosgene and mustard gas with bleach, sending plumes of acrid smoke into the air. The depot shut in 1960 with the area remaining vacant ever since. Incidentally, the site was also home to an RAF Mountain Rescue team who would respond to air crashes the length and breadth of Derbyshire.
In 1980, the Hoffmann lime kiln was demolished in an effort to create space for an industrial estate. Massive volumes of solid waste left over from the lime burning were dumped in nearby tips, thus creating spoil heaps contaminated with traces of quicklime plus ash from the coal used in the process.
The aforementioned rainwater filtering through the waste leaches calcium hydroxide and in turn becomes heavily alkaline. Signs dotted around the site clearly say the water can cause "skin and eye irritations, stomach problems and fungal infections such as thrush" and that the quarry is known to contain all manner of things you definitely don’t want to go swimming with – including dead animals, excrement, car wrecks, and piles of rubbish.
Despite its inviting Mediterranean hue, the water is extremely cold. Yet many seem to still view the area as a popular tourist destination, causing much frustration for nearby residents.
