Best Waterfalls in Lancashire
Written by UK Hidden Gems Editorial
Updated 5 August 2026
The best waterfalls in Lancashire are White Spout, Lower Leck Beck and Hatch Brook Waterfall.
Lancashire keeps its waterfalls in the quiet uplands, away from the busy towns, and these three reward a walk into moor and wood. On the edge of the Forest of Bowland, a minor stream drops at White Spout in remote Littledale, unsigned and unspoilt, seen from beside the beck on the open grazing land.
Away to the north, on the border with Cumbria and the edge of the Yorkshire Dales, Lower Leck Beck runs through limestone country tied to one of the great cave systems of Britain, where water sinks and rises again through the rock. In the West Pennine Moors near Chorley, Hatch Brook drops through a wooded ravine above Brinscall, full after rain and little more than a trickle when dry.
None are signposted set pieces; all are lightly visited corners for those who like to explore. Here are three waterfalls to seek out across Lancashire.
White Spout
Photo: Tom Richardson via Geograph.org.uk
White Spout is a small moorland waterfall in upper Littledale, on the edge of the Forest of Bowland, a few miles east of Lancaster. It drops on a minor stream, Whitespout Gutter, in the high grazing land that drains down through Udale Beck and Artle Beck.
It is remote and unspoilt, with no signposts or facilities, reached on foot across rough open ground on the Littledale circuit, the best view being from beside the beck where the path crosses near the old shooting butts.
Lower Leck Beck
Photo: N Chadwick via Geograph.org.uk
Lower Leck Beck runs through limestone country on the border of Lancashire and Cumbria, on the edge of the Yorkshire Dales, below the fells of Leck Fell. This is karst landscape, and the beck is tied to one of the great cave systems of Britain: water sinks underground through the rocks of Ease Gill and resurfaces lower down at Leck Beck Head, part of the longest cave system in the country.
Above ground, a steep-sided gorge at Ease Gill Kirk, with leaning rock walls and cave mouths, is the highlight of a long circular walk from Leck village. The upland shafts are fenced off.
Hatch Brook Waterfall
Photo: Alan Chadwick via Geograph.org.uk
Hatch Brook Waterfall is a small woodland fall on Hatch Brook above the village of Brinscall, in the West Pennine Moors near Chorley. It drops through a wooded ravine, its flow varying greatly with the weather, from a decent fall after rain to little more than a trickle in dry spells.
It is awkward to reach, seen from above the track or by a steep scramble down to the base. It is a little-known spot in the Brinscall woods.
FAQs
Are Lancashire's waterfalls signposted?
No, all three of Lancashire's waterfalls are quiet, unsigned spots with no facilities. White Spout is reached across open moorland on the Littledale circuit, Lower Leck Beck on a long circular walk from Leck village, and Hatch Brook by a steep scramble in the Brinscall woods, so a map and good footwear help.
What can you see at Lower Leck Beck in Lancashire?
Lower Leck Beck runs through limestone karst below Leck Fell and ties into one of the great cave systems of Britain, where water sinks underground at Ease Gill and resurfaces at Leck Beck Head, part of the longest cave system in the country. Above ground, a dramatic gorge at Ease Gill Kirk is the highlight of a long circular walk from Leck village.
Do Lancashire's waterfalls run all year?
The flow of Lancashire's waterfalls varies a lot with the weather. Hatch Brook, near Chorley, can fall to a trickle in dry spells and run well after rain, and White Spout, on a minor moorland stream in Littledale, is likewise best seen after wet weather.
Conclusion
Lancashire's waterfalls are quiet, upland finds rather than crowded attractions. White Spout drops on its lonely moorland stream in Littledale below the Forest of Bowland, Lower Leck Beck runs through limestone and cave country on the Cumbrian and Yorkshire border, and Hatch Brook slips through its wooded ravine above Brinscall near Chorley.
None are signposted, all depend on the weather for their flow, and each rewards a walk into the hills or woods. Take a map and stout boots, and these three show the county's wilder, less-trodden side.
These are the waterfalls to seek out across Lancashire.
