A stone’s throw from Cathedral Quarry cavern, gifted to the National Trust by Beatrix Potter, a tranquil, birch-lined excavation is tucked away in the Langdale area of the Lake District. Hodge Close Quarry opened in the late-18th century to extract a green-coloured slate used mostly for roofing tiles, many of which still shield houses throughout the region.
Work continued here until the 1960s. However, the deeper the quarrying went, the less economically viable it became. Not only was it increasingly difficult to extract the stone, but water had to be pumped out to prevent the central pit from flooding. By 1964, the site had become unprofitable and was forced to close down.
Some of the workings of the old quarry remain at the site, and two large cave-like openings, chiselled out of the rock to access the central pit, provide striking reminders of the long-running industry.
From certain angles and in the right conditions, one of the cave openings combines with surrounding features in the rock to create the likeness of a skull reflected in the water.
This eerie site was the filming location for a powerful scene in hit Netflix series The Witcher, in which heroes Geralt and Vesemir take the body of a companion to lie in state in the cavern.
How to visit Hodge Close Quarry
There’s only very limited parking close to the quarry; the best way to access it is from car parks a mile or so to the south at Tilberthwaite. Follow the cycle path north past Hodge Close Cottage and follow the sign for High Oxen Fell. After 50m, take a path to the right and carefully venture down to the quarry.
Weird Guide by Dave Hamilton is out now (Wild Things Publishing, £18.99). wildthingspublishing.com
