Blue Lagoon of Buxton | 100 Wonders | Atlas Obscura

The blue lagoon of Buxton is a beautiful pool of bright blue water. But it has some...issues. Subscribe for new videos every Tues & Thurs - bit.ly/1PcJ14b
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Written and hosted by Dylan Thuras (@dylanthuras)
Graphics by Michelle Enemark (@mjenemark)
Edited by Ryan Thompson
Credits for this Episode:
Thumbnail photo by Simon Harrod/Flickr Creative Commons
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• blue lagoon at limesto...
• Dec jumping in The Blu...
• blue lagoon in England
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[@ebarnett1885]

I live near here. And it caused skin irritation that's why they dyed it black to stop people swimming in it.

[@jamesedwards6589]

It's not black anymore lol

[@jamesedwards6589]

The thing is that every time it rains the pH level lowers due to dilution

[@xxbeefybtw1792]

Same I live near Bakewell way

[@ry12121]

They didn't die it black because locals was saying it will ruin the look of it! They rather see ambulances going past when someone dies! Fucking morons same ph as bleach!

[@Connor.Haldane]

Ryan Quinn finally someone with common sense

[@texaslonestarrider]

"The blue lagoon of Buxton" sounds like a good title for a movie! Fantastic Video! Thanks For Sharing!

[@MC-up9nx]

I don't understand how this channel doesn't have like a million subs

[@Playt1g]

+michael cook I'm sure it will get there soon ;). -Kinto

[@carolannsmith6948]

it's amazing how people can't read signs about this

[@markthompson1479]

I do

[@coolperson962]

The quarrys around Buxton all look like they dont belong in England. One has abandoned buildings that look like old Egyptian temples and tombs, weird.

[@rawrsophiex]

Robert Moore really?? That sounds so interesting

[@talalmedia]

Which one is that

[@coolperson962]

@@talalmedia if you're in the area, travel from the town centre to Bakewell on the A6 Buxton/Bakewell road, just passed the Morrisons, along the river Wye. On your right hand side you'll see these old structures with an 'Egyptian' aesthetic. They're all grey and grown over and look really creepy. Like something from Doctor Who! www.ukminingremains.co.uk/cowdale-quarry/4545418227

[@talalmedia]

Robert Moore I will check it out I was there couple of days ago

[@truthsearcher]

Tartaria

[@bulletproofisobel]

paint it black..genius

[@rehanhussain9260]

Andddd they did

[@heathergoranson1749]

Love your videos, funny and interesting. you and your team rock.

[@purplepuppy2132]

People are so stupid that even with warnings if something looks good they will completely ignore it.

[@haydnr01]

Locals are mainly pissed of because of people parking and driving irresponsibly, this year farmer spread manure around it to stop people going..... worked a treat lol

[@MeAuntieNora]

That's hilarious. Shows how important the aesthetics are for beaches and bathing. Reminds me of those crystal-clear tropical looking beaches in Italy and elsewhere, that only GOT so crystalline because they are devoid of life... because they are adjacent to POORLY TREATED SEWAGE EFFLUENT. Even with that knowledge, people flock to the "pretty" beach, make sand castles with poopy sand, and swim in waters laden with fecal bacteria and god knows what else. All because it's "nice" to look at. That sign sums it up pretty well, but I guess people actually don't like to "THINK!"

[@glueisedible8768]

I remember going to a beach that smelled like rotten eggs. It was pretty (clear, blue water, white, imported sand), but the smell was ... Bleh

[@GeorgiaGeorgette]

There's one of these near where I live in Kent in the South-East of England, but apparently it's clean.

[@CardiganJane]

I love your channel

[@atlasobscura]

+CardiganJane thank you so much! Thanks for watching!

[@shronksnipes8724]

We have a blue lagoon here in northern Manitoba, it's a giant circle with high cliffs and the water looks like this but not polluted. Near grand rapids Manitoba, canada.

[@micko4463]

This is on the outskirts of Buxton and the problem was it went viral in the summer and hundreds turned up daily parking anywhere and everywhere blocking people in, also there was a big drug issue with syringes being dropped all over and some dropped drugs leading to the deaths of a number of dogs out walking with their owners, as well as litter and excrement, and it did use to be a spa town up until WW1 now there's just one swimming pool chlorinated which the locals use, I'd use it for landfill.

[@bossybeckyboo]

DANGEROUS.

[@bobbyurzua1220]

I completely agree, it’s the parking that’s pissing them off.

[@Leock]

The actual problem with lagoon and not just dying it black again is that the council doesn't even know who owns it so they can't exactly dye it black as that could cause law suits to fly around.

[@Ed.E]

At the start you can try to say Derbyshire as best you can. (Also Buxton isn't really full of spa's, I live there) Anyway, great video!

[@Kingkes92]

I wouldn’t go swimming or break any rules? But does anybody know if it’s still possible, only to visit and view the lake.

[@billymitchell5975]

Yes

[@Kingkes92]

@@billymitchell5975 Is the lake still blue and clear?

[@billymitchell5975]

@@Kingkes92 I don't know. I imagine that it is dyed black if and when required. I don't think it's interesting or picturesque. There are far more pleasant places in and around Buxton and the Peak district to see.

[@Kingkes92]

@@billymitchell5975 thank you for the response much appreciated

[@archiephillips2912]

Live there

[@placeborick]

I was there today. Caribbean blue 2021

[@sandraenomis2833]

Can somebody tell me how to get there google map dosent show me it

[@londondude4519]

Was there this week and was a few people there, a lot of rubbish around it, I think the quarry company should of been made to fill it in, shame if it was clean would be amazing surprised butlins haven’t opened there

[@a224kkk]

what makes its azure? is it mainly consist of copper ions?

[@isaanman5399]

I Carry the Night The lagoon is a disused lime quarry AKA Calcium Carbonate with when dispersed as fine particles in water they make the water blue & make it alkaline.

[@therealMrPinky123]

I live in Buxton, I used to walk my dogs up there after school. there are actually a few pools such as this one scatters around the area but not as big, this is because of all the lime stone quarry's .

[@AllTimeZero]

Alright Liam mate!

[@therealMrPinky123]

+Callum Ward ha no way. yeah I'm good thanks pal, how've you been?

[@AllTimeZero]

Yeah good thanks :) Long time, no see!! What are you doing nowadays?

[@ACTIVATEDADNANSALIMI1969]

where is the buxton mineral botteled water for drinking comes from?

[@AurmazlZudeh]

Tastes like it recently

[@andybaldman]

Sounds more like the locals just don’t want people swimming there. The risks are over exaggerated. Is it 100% safe? No. But neither is going out in a lightning storm. But that doesn’t stop people.

[@OurayTheOwl]

...we have the exact same issue in my town. Abandoned quarry, blue water, everyone goes swimming, they get sick etc. Same exact problem.

[@atlasobscura]

Crazy! Where do you live?

[@OurayTheOwl]

Lower Rockland County New York. Not interesting though. No black die or clever solutions. Just a blue hole in the ground that every teenage delinquent learns about at some point or another. Its like 500 yards from main street, people just don't care.

[@Leock]

The quarry ownership is currently undisputed so no one can put the dye in the water. oh and by the way Buxton is a popular tourist destination so parking is no biggy with a pop of 25,000 and the quarry is still a mile aways on heavy traffic roads so they wouldn't park and walk to one of Europe's largest limestone quarry's in operation

[@octangula7914]

Where I live people swim in gross brown water. The NC beaches are so brown you can see it from google maps.

[@richardevppro3980]

i only live a few miles away from this lagoon and know the legends behind it..Trust me me you do not want to swim here

[@AurmazlZudeh]

Where can I find out more?

[@Ashman2489]

Its back black again as of last week

[@life-on-mars]

The pH scale is logarithmic. 11.3 is nowhere near 12.6.

[@paulnicholson1906]

11.3 is more like washing soda. It is a bit high to go swimming in but 12 is 10x more alkaline than 11 as you indicate.

[@markthompson1479]

There are NO spas in Buxton. There haven't been since Victorian times which is when it was famous for the health benefits of Buxton water ...which you can now get in plastic bottles. Buxton (and I don't live there but live 15 miles away) welcomes all "tourists" and is an exceptionally friendly place. I'm sorry to have to say the you completely misrepresent the town, surrounding area AND the lagoon. Have a nice day Y'all

[@BixbyFilms]

haha that is so interesting. Thanks for sharing!

[@JakeHughesss]

We jumped in a blue lagoon in my latest video...

[@1corrsfan]

I sspeng 2 yrs at the college opposite the blue lagoon. I was one of the duck heads jumping in. Until they turned it black!

[@1corrsfan]

I meant dick head...

[@joshadams6083]

Don't screw in the blue lagoon

[@ericsilberstein667]

Natural selection.

[@hermaeusmora345]

Permanent solution? Dress up as a Monster... and rise up out of the Lagoon... Scare them Away

[@richardkempton1894]

No, then you would draw in all the big foot/ Nessie weirdos! Lol

[@immortallvulture]

They actually dye the lagoon regularly but it never seems to last long. We only care about the idiots who go here because they clog a lot of the streets up in part of the town and many of the idiots who go looking end up getting lost or harassing locals because there aren’t any access roads or signs on how to get there.

[@Tennyhu]

It is not beautiful trust me it’s one of the most grim place and the atmosphere is so eerie and haunting. You can tell that lots of bad things have happened there

[@AurmazlZudeh]

Like what?

[@smplfi9859]

pH is logarithmic

[@elsieedits2340]

Ummm I live there there’s no lagoon

[@lissie8602]

But it is there you probably have not seen it

[@s.a.m_e.v.a.n.s]

Definitely is 😂

[@emiliegregory9316]

I live there and I'm proud to ......have a garbage lagoon ......okay I'm not but nice vid

[@atlasobscura]

Haha, well, you do have a very interesting location to visit even if not so good for swimming :)

[@thudjrful]

Same haha

[@brynlewis9745]

Same

[@moonlight_r5622]

Are you American?

[@Peytharian]

Paint it black Blue Lagoon version: I see a Blue Lagoon an I wanted Painted Black. It is toxic blue and I want it to turn Black. I see people walk on by dressed in their summer clothes. I have to warn them away until my darkness goes. I see some ruins of cars and there all under black. With people that I hope to never to come back. I see people irritated and then they turn away. Like a new Born Baby it just happens every day.

[@lsadin2457]

Funny Guy xD

[@svetamatvey]

I would like to go there next summer ❤ it looks amazing 🤩

[@johndavis7210]

Why do the locals have a problem?? Let people swim if they want

[@claysoggyfries]

They can just make a profit and make people pay to swim in the lagoon

[@jeeperscreepers786]

It is being neglected by council. I noticed a lot of rubbish left there by public. Typical ! If your gonna risk using it then at least take your rubbish with you !!

[@floraflorabunda2216]

They dyed it black again last year

[@mrbane2000]

How did they dye bleech

[@richy1606]

I'm a buxtonian , parking is no issue at the site

[@tishamanda36]

AHEM once you go black...

[@SNMG7664]

+Tisha Nortac you go back with the passage of time

[@smokeybarr]

Why the hell don't they clean it up and make some money out of it?? Typical UK councils.

[@ben7811]

Where would they put the "polluted water" water?

[@CainecoolcainecoolStinson]

smokeybarr its not that simple. The reason why the water is blue is due to the lime that is in the rocks. This was once a lime stone quarry if they try to neutralise it it would only just come back so it would be just an endless circle which will cost millions of pounds.

[@user-sl1ig3wt4t]

Its already Beautiful. i don't understand why they wouldn't invest into improving the ph. level and making it safe. Would make a great tourist attraction that I'm sure people would pay to use.

[@damienaustin8041]

I jumped in there come out with a big lump on me face would never go in there again

[@BigFootStepping]

England’s waters 😂😂😂😂