A Rainy Day in Weardale – Exploring Harehope & Broadwood Quarries

With limited time and rain showers passing through, flying the drone was tricky today, but I managed to get it in the air between breaks in the weather. With conditions restricting flight time, I spent more time than usual exploring on foot, which made for a different but rewarding experience.

Today’s focus was on two former limestone quarries in Weardale—Harehope Quarry and Broadwood Quarry. Both played a key role in supplying materials for construction, agriculture, and industry, but their fates have taken very different paths. Harehope has been repurposed into a nature reserve and education centre, while Broadwood has been left untouched, slowly reclaimed by the landscape.

The mix of industrial history and nature made for some fascinating captures, with the rain-soaked terrain adding extra atmosphere. A day of contrasts, showing how the past still shapes these landscapes.

Harehope Quarry

Harehope Quarry is a former limestone quarry located near Frosterley in Weardale. It was once an important site for extracting limestone, a material essential for the iron and steel industries, construction, and agriculture. Limestone from this area was transported to smelting works and lime kilns across the North East, helping to fuel the region’s industrial growth during the 19th and early 20th centuries. The quarry was active until the mid-20th century before being abandoned as demand declined and industrial methods changed.

Unlike many disused quarries that have simply been left to nature, Harehope Quarry has been transformed into a site of environmental conservation and education. It is now a designated Local Nature Reserve and is managed as a sustainable project focused on wildlife, geology, and outdoor learning. The area includes woodland, ponds, and grassland that have naturally regenerated since quarrying ceased. It is also home to an eco-friendly visitor centre that promotes sustainable building techniques and conservation efforts.

The aerial perspective helped capture the scale of the site, with the old quarry faces and the newer regenerated areas providing a striking contrast. On the ground, the varied landscape, with rocky cliffs alongside wetlands and tree-covered slopes, made for some interesting captures. The wet conditions added a reflective quality to the quarry pools, creating dramatic images of the site’s rugged beauty.

Broadwood Quarry

Broadwood Quarry, located near Frosterley in Weardale, was historically an important limestone quarry, providing stone for construction, industry, and agriculture. The site was once a key part of the North East’s extractive industries, supplying high-quality limestone for road building, steel production, and lime burning. In addition to limestone extraction, Broadwood Quarry was also linked to fluorspar processing, playing a role in the broader mining and quarrying economy of Weardale.

Unlike many former quarries that have been fully reclaimed by nature, Broadwood Quarry has been left in a state of abandonment, with machinery, buildings, and equipment still scattered across the site. Old processing plants, storage areas, and remnants of conveyors can still be seen, giving the location an eerie, frozen-in-time feel.

The aerial shots helped capture the scale of the remaining infrastructure, with rusting equipment standing amid the overgrown sections of the quarry floor. On foot, the derelict structures added a sense of history, showing how quickly industry can fade yet leave its mark on the landscape.

Wrapping Up the Day

Despite the rain and limited flying time, today was a rewarding exploration of two former limestone quarries with very different fates. Harehope Quarry has become an example of how former industrial sites can be transformed into conservation areas, while Broadwood Quarry stands as a reminder of the region’s quarrying heritage, slowly being reclaimed by nature. Both sites tell the story of Weardale’s role in supplying materials for industry, construction, and agriculture, and it was fascinating to capture their past and present.