# Blue Pool, Dorset > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Blue_Pool%2C_Dorset > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Blue_Pool%2C_Dorset.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blue_Pool%2C_Dorset > Source revision: 1106282420 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) Blue Pool, Furzebrook, Dorset. The Blue Pool, Furzebrook. **Blue Pool** is a flooded, disused [clay pit](/source/Clay_pit) where [Purbeck ball clay](/source/Purbeck_Ball_Clay)[1] was once extracted. It is now a lake within the Furzebrook Estate, a 25-acre (10 ha) park of [heath](/source/Heath_(habitat)) woodland and [gorse](/source/Gorse) near [Furzebrook](/source/Furzebrook%2C_Dorset) on the [Isle of Purbeck](/source/Isle_of_Purbeck), in the county of [Dorset](/source/Dorset), southern [England](/source/England).[2] Furzebrook Estate is about 3 mi (5 km) south of [Wareham](/source/Wareham%2C_Dorset) and 2 mi (3 km) west of [Corfe Castle](/source/Corfe_Castle_(village)). The pool started life early in the 17th century as a [chalk pit](/source/Chalk_pit). Purbeck ball clay was dug from the pit from the mid-17th century to the early 20th century. The ball clay was used to make fine [ceramic](/source/Ceramic) products, such as [smoking pipes](/source/Smoking_pipe_(tobacco)), plates, cups and [tea pots](/source/Tea_pot). The pit became disused before the [First World War](/source/First_World_War), but ball clay is still extracted from other pits in the area. The title 'blue' arose because there are minute particles of [clay](/source/Clay) in [colloidal](/source/Colloid) [suspension](/source/Suspension_(chemistry)) within the water. These suspensions variously [diffract](/source/Diffraction) the light depending on the particles' size (with differences in size often linked to changes in [concentration](/source/Concentration) and [pH](/source/PH)), yielding colours from red-brown, through grey and green, to the more typical [turquoise](/source/Turquoise_(color)). The metallic blue sometimes found in photographs is more likely to be a reflection of the sky, as the attraction's own website makes no such claim for the water, and their leaflets call it “a turquoise jewel set in the heart of Purbeck”. In 1935 a café was opened at the site. There is also a museum and gift shop.[2] In 1985 the estate was declared a [Site of Special Scientific Interest](/source/Site_of_Special_Scientific_Interest).[3] Now law protects the habitat of a variety of rare plants and animals. The site includes nature reserves managed by the [Amphibian and Reptile Conservation](/source/Amphibian_and_Reptile_Conservation_Trust) and a private nature reserve. Blue Pool is now a popular tourist attraction, especially because it is a place of peace and tranquillity. The pool is surrounded by 25 acres (10 ha) of [heathland](/source/Heathland). The nationally rare [Dorset heath](/source/Erica_ciliaris) and [marsh gentian](/source/Gentiana_pneumonanthe) are common to the area. The estate is crossed by a network of sandy paths. There are steps down to the edge of the pool and there are also steps on some paths around the pool, but there is also a completely flat route around the pool, which is suitable for wheelchairs. The lush vegetation around the pool is inhabited by [grey squirrels](/source/Grey_squirrel), [rabbits](/source/European_rabbit) and [badgers](/source/European_badger). The Estate supports numerous rare birds, amphibians and reptiles.[3] Visitors may therefore be lucky enough to spot the [Dartford warbler](/source/Dartford_warbler) or the [nightjar](/source/Nightjar). Both of Britain's endangered and protected reptiles, the green [sand lizard](/source/Sand_lizard) and the [smooth snake](/source/Coronella_austriaca), live here in considerable numbers. There are also many [dragonflies](/source/Dragonfly) and the rare [Sika deer](/source/Sika_deer). ## References 1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** ["Progress"](https://web.archive.org/web/20080509102804/http://www.pmmmg.org/Progress.htm). Archived from [the original](http://pmmmg.org/Progress.htm) on 9 May 2008. Retrieved 11 June 2008. The Purbeck Mineral & Mining Museum 1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-autogenerated1_2-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-autogenerated1_2-1) [http://www.bluepooltearooms.co.uk/](http://www.bluepooltearooms.co.uk/) www.BluePoolTeaRooms.co.uk 1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-autogenerated2_3-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-autogenerated2_3-1) ["Archived copy"](https://web.archive.org/web/20110525074542/http://www.english-nature.org.uk/citation/citation_photo/1000266.pdf) (PDF). Archived from [the original](http://www.english-nature.org.uk/citation/citation_photo/1000266.pdf) (PDF) on 25 May 2011. Retrieved 12 June 2008.{{[cite web](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:Cite_web)}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title ([link](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:CS1_maint:_archived_copy_as_title)) ## External links Media related to [Blue Pool](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Blue_Pool) at Wikimedia Commons [50°38′59″N 2°05′36″W / 50.6497°N 2.0933°W / 50.6497; -2.0933](https://geohack.toolforge.org/geohack.php?pagename=Blue_Pool,_Dorset¶ms=50.6497_N_2.0933_W_type:waterbody_region:GB) v t e Sites of Special Scientific Interest in Dorset Abbotsbury Blind Lane Abbotsbury Castle Alder Hills Nature Reserve Aunt Mary's Bottom River Axe Babylon Hill Batcombe Down Belle Vue Quarry Bere Stream Black Hill Down Black Hill Heath Blashenwell Farm Pit Blandford Camp Blue Pool Boulsbury Wood Bradford Abbas Railway Cutting Brenscombe Heath Bryanston Canford Heath Chalbury Hill And Quarry Chesil Beach Christchurch Harbour Conegar Road Cutting Corfe & Barrow Hills Corton Cutting Creech Grange Crookhill Brick Pit Cull-Peppers Dish Ebblake Bog Frogden Quarry River Frome, Dorset Giant Hill, Cerne Abbas Goathill Quarry Holnest Lambert's Castle Lions Hill Lodmoor Oakers Bog Pitcombe Down Poole Bay Cliffs Poole Harbour Portland Poxwell Radipole Lake St Catherine's Hill Studland and Godlingston Heath Shillingstone Quarry Turbary Park Worgret Heath Neighbouring areas Devon Hampshire Somerset Wiltshire --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Blue Pool, Dorset](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blue_Pool%2C_Dorset) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blue_Pool%2C_Dorset?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.