Best Waterfalls Near Preston
Written by UK Hidden Gems Editorial
Updated 5 August 2026
The best waterfalls near Preston are Hatch Brook Waterfall, Roddlesworth Waterfall, White Spout, Scaleber Force Waterfall, Lumb Hole Falls, Pingot Quarry Waterfall, Lower Leck Beck and Stainforth Force.
Preston sits within easy reach of some wonderful waterfall country, spread across the moors and dales that ring the city. Close to home, southeast toward Chorley and Blackburn, two woodland falls hide in the West Pennine Moors: Hatch Brook Waterfall above Brinscall and Roddlesworth Waterfall in its wooded plantation.
Further out the choices grow bigger and wilder. Head north into the Forest of Bowland for White Spout on the moors above Littledale, or northeast toward Settle in the Yorkshire Dales, where Scaleber Force drops over limestone and Stainforth Force steps down the River Ribble.
East across the Pennines lie Lumb Hole Falls near Hebden Bridge and, further south, Pingot Quarry Waterfall on Crompton Moor above Oldham. To the north, on the Lancashire and Cumbria border, Lower Leck Beck runs through dramatic karst country below Leck Fell.
Some are a short stroll, others a proper drive into the hills followed by a walk. Whichever you pick, a wet spell brings them to life.
Here are eight waterfalls to seek out near Preston.
Hatch Brook Waterfall
Photo: Alan Chadwick via Geograph.org.uk
Hatch Brook Waterfall is a small woodland fall above the village of Brinscall in the West Pennine Moors, a short run southeast of Preston toward Chorley. The brook drops through a wooded ravine, and its flow varies greatly with the weather, from a decent cascade after rain to little more than a trickle in dry spells.
It is an awkward one to reach, either glimpsed from above the track or found by a steep scramble down to the base. This is a little-known corner of the Brinscall woods rather than a signposted attraction, so it rewards walkers happy to explore off the beaten path.
Roddlesworth Waterfall
Photo: Mr T via Geograph.org.uk
Roddlesworth Waterfall tumbles as a small cascade on the River Roddlesworth, a little east of Preston toward Blackburn, set in the wooded plantation of Roddlesworth and Tockholes. This mixed woodland was laid out around a chain of reservoirs, and a short walk from the road along riverside and woodland paths reaches the fall, which ranges from a trickle in dry weather to a roar after heavy rain.
The wider wood, with the ruins of an old house standing among the trees, is a popular place for family walks and dog-walking. There are no facilities at the fall itself, so bring what you need for the day.
White Spout
Photo: Tom Richardson via Geograph.org.uk
White Spout calls for a drive north into the Forest of Bowland, to upper Littledale a few miles east of Lancaster. This small moorland waterfall drops on a minor stream called Whitespout Gutter, in high grazing land that drains down through Udale Beck and Artle Beck.
Remote and unspoilt, it has no signposts and no facilities, and reaching it means walking across rough open ground on the Littledale circuit. The best view is from beside the beck where the path crosses near the old shooting butts.
This is one for lovers of wild, empty country rather than anyone after an easy roadside stop, so go equipped for the moor.
Scaleber Force Waterfall
Photo: Peter Bond via Geograph.org.uk
Scaleber Force Waterfall calls for a longer drive northeast into the Yorkshire Dales, where Stockdale Beck drops about forty feet in two steps over limestone into a deep pool, a mile or so south-east of Settle. The wooded gorge was cut along a great fault in the rock, and an old lime kiln still stands among the trees of the little woodland reserve around it.
You reach it from pull-ins on a quiet lane, then head down a steep, narrow stepped path to a viewing point. It is a short but genuinely rewarding stop rather than a long walk, easy to combine with other falls near Settle in a day.
Lumb Hole Falls
Photo: Humphrey Bolton via Geograph.org.uk
Lumb Hole Falls sit east across the Pennines on Crimsworth Dean Beck, a few miles north of Hebden Bridge in West Yorkshire, where the beck drops into a plunge pool. A stone arched packhorse bridge crosses just above the fall, giving the classic view of the spot.
The pool draws wild swimmers, though the surrounding land is private and access has at times been limited, so tread carefully. Reaching the falls means a scramble down, and they can also be admired from above.
Come in spring and the woods fill with bluebells and wild garlic. The walk in follows lanes and paths from Hebden Bridge or nearby Hardcastle Crags.
Pingot Quarry Waterfall
Photo: Bill Boaden via Geograph.org.uk
Pingot Quarry Waterfall spills over the cut face of a disused sandstone quarry on Crompton Moor above Shaw, down toward Oldham on the Pennine edge of Greater Manchester. A moorland stream drops into the old workings, an informal beauty spot on open-access moor that draws photographers, particularly after heavy rain or during a hard winter freeze when it turns to ice.
Quarrying here ended in the 1970s, and the ground is now rough moorland with wide views, crossed by walking trails. There are no facilities, and the going can be boggy and uneven, so wear stout boots and pick a clear day for the far-reaching views.
Lower Leck Beck
Photo: N Chadwick via Geograph.org.uk
Lower Leck Beck Here the water vanishes: sinking underground through the rocks of Ease Gill and surfacing again lower down at Leck Beck Head, part of the longest cave system in the country. This is classic karst, where Lancashire meets Cumbria below the fells of Leck Fell, on the fringe of the Yorkshire Dales.
Above ground, the pull is the steep-sided gorge at Ease Gill Kirk, all leaning rock walls and gaping cave mouths, and the reward at the far point of a long circular walk from Leck village. The upland shafts themselves are fenced off, so there is good reason to keep to the route.
Stainforth Force
Photo: John S Turner via Geograph.org.uk
Stainforth Force is the furthest of the group, lying northeast in the Yorkshire Dales, a set of stepped limestone waterfalls on the River Ribble just below the village of Stainforth, north of Settle. The river drops over rock ledges into a large pool beside an old stone packhorse bridge of the seventeenth century, now cared for by the National Trust.
Autumn is the time to come, when salmon and sea trout can be watched leaping the falls on their way upstream to spawn. The pool below is a well-known wild swimming spot, though it turns dangerous in spate.
A short walk from the village car park, under the road and across the railway, brings you there.
FAQs
Which waterfall near Preston is the easiest to reach?
Roddlesworth Waterfall is among the most accessible, a short walk from the road through the Roddlesworth and Tockholes plantation south of Blackburn, close to Preston and good for a family outing.
When can you see salmon leaping at these falls?
In autumn, salmon and sea trout leap Stainforth Force on the River Ribble near Settle as they head upstream to spawn, a memorable sight within a drive of Preston.
Are any of these waterfalls good for wild swimming?
Yes, though with care. The pool below Stainforth Force near Settle is a popular wild swimming spot, but it turns dangerous in spate, so only enter when the River Ribble is low and calm.
Conclusion
The waterfalls around Preston range from quiet woodland cascades on the doorstep to grand limestone falls deep in the Yorkshire Dales. For an easy afternoon, stay close with Hatch Brook Waterfall near Chorley or Roddlesworth Waterfall toward Blackburn, both a short walk through the trees.
For something bigger, point the car northeast to Scaleber Force and Stainforth Force near Settle, or north into the Forest of Bowland for the wild moorland drop of White Spout. East across the Pennines you will find Lumb Hole Falls and Pingot Quarry Waterfall, while the caves and gorge of Lower Leck Beck reward anyone who ventures to the Cumbria border.
Choose a day after rain for the fullest flow, pack proper boots for boggy and steep ground, and set off. Whatever the distance, these are the waterfalls to seek out near Preston.
