Top Waterfalls Day Trips from Preston
Written by UK Hidden Gems Editorial
Updated 5 August 2026
The top Waterfalls Day Trips from Preston include 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 a surprising spread of waterfalls, from quiet woodland trickles to thundering limestone steps. Close to home in the West Pennine Moors, Hatch Brook near Brinscall and Roddlesworth south of Blackburn make gentle half-day outings.
Push north into the Forest of Bowland and you will find White Spout hidden in upper Littledale, east of Lancaster. Head northeast into the Yorkshire Dales for the finest of the bunch: Scaleber Force and Stainforth Force, both near Settle, and the strange cave country of Lower Leck Beck on the Lancashire and Cumbria border.
Cross east towards West Yorkshire and Lumb Hole Falls waits above Hebden Bridge, while Pingot Quarry rewards a drive southeast to the Pennine moors above Oldham. Some are roadside stops, others need a proper walk across open moor, and their moods swing with the weather, roaring after rain and dwindling in dry spells.
Pack sturdy boots and check the forecast, then take your pick of directions. Here are eight waterfalls for a day trip from Preston.
Hatch Brook Waterfall
Photo: Alan Chadwick via Geograph.org.uk
Hatch Brook Waterfall Tucked into the West Pennine Moors above the village of Brinscall near Chorley, this modest woodland fall slips down a tree-lined ravine on Hatch Brook. Its mood shifts with the weather: expect a proper cascade after a wet spell, or barely a trickle when the ground has dried out.
Reaching it takes some effort, since there is no easy route to the base. Many visitors settle for the view from the track above, while the bolder scramble down the steep bank for a closer look.
Quietly hidden among the Brinscall woods, it stays well off the usual tourist trail.
Roddlesworth Waterfall
Photo: Mr T via Geograph.org.uk
Roddlesworth Waterfall South of Blackburn, the River Roddlesworth threads through the mixed woodland of the Roddlesworth and Tockholes plantation, a green tangle laid out around a string of reservoirs. A short walk from the road, following riverside and woodland paths, brings you to this little cascade, which can shrink to a trickle in dry weather or roar down after heavy rain.
The surrounding wood, complete with the crumbling ruins of an old house among the trees, is a firm favourite for family strolls and dog-walking. Do not expect any facilities at the fall itself, but the wider plantation makes an easy, pleasant outing.
White Spout
Photo: Tom Richardson via Geograph.org.uk
White Spout Worth the drive north into the Forest of Bowland, White Spout waits in upper Littledale a few miles east of Lancaster. This remote moorland fall drops down Whitespout Gutter, a minor stream in high grazing land that eventually feeds Udale Beck and Artle Beck.
There are no signposts and no facilities here, so you cross rough open ground on foot as part of the Littledale circuit to find it. The finest view comes from beside the beck, where the path crosses close to the old shooting butts.
Unspoilt and quiet, it rewards walkers happy to seek out somewhere genuinely off the map.
Scaleber Force Waterfall
Photo: Peter Bond via Geograph.org.uk
Scaleber Force Waterfall A day-trip drive northeast into the Yorkshire Dales brings you to Scaleber Force, roughly a mile south-east of Settle. Here Stockdale Beck tumbles some forty feet in two steps over limestone, dropping into a deep pool within a wooded gorge.
The ravine was carved along a great fault in the rock, and an old lime kiln still stands among the trees of the small woodland reserve. You park in pull-ins on a quiet lane, then pick your way down a steep, narrow stepped path to the viewing point.
It is a short outing rather than a long hike, but a thoroughly rewarding one.
Lumb Hole Falls
Photo: Humphrey Bolton via Geograph.org.uk
Lumb Hole Falls East of Preston, a few miles north of Hebden Bridge, Crimsworth Dean Beck spills into a plunge pool to form Lumb Hole Falls. A stone arched packhorse bridge crosses just above the drop, giving the spot its classic photograph.
The pool draws wild swimmers, though the surrounding land is private and access has sometimes been restricted. Getting to the base means a scramble down, but you can also take it in 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, an enjoyable ramble either way.
Pingot Quarry Waterfall
Photo: Bill Boaden via Geograph.org.uk
Pingot Quarry Waterfall On the Pennine edge of Greater Manchester, Pingot Quarry Waterfall sits within a disused sandstone quarry on Crompton Moor above Shaw, near Oldham. A moorland stream pours over the cut quarry face into the old workings, an informal beauty spot on open-access moor that photographers love, especially after heavy rain or during a hard winter freeze.
Quarrying finished here back in the 1970s, and the ground has since returned to rough moorland with wide, sweeping views and a network of walking trails. Bear in mind there are no facilities, and the going underfoot can be boggy and uneven, so wear sturdy boots.
Lower Leck Beck
Photo: N Chadwick via Geograph.org.uk
Lower Leck Beck Out on the border of Lancashire and Cumbria, at the edge of the Yorkshire Dales, Lower Leck Beck runs through limestone country below the fells of Leck Fell. This is classic karst: the 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, the highlight is the steep-sided gorge at Ease Gill Kirk, with its leaning rock walls and dark cave mouths. It sits along a long circular walk from Leck village.
The upland shafts are fenced off, so take care and stick to the route.
Stainforth Force
Photo: John S Turner via Geograph.org.uk
Stainforth Force Just below the village of Stainforth, north of Settle in the Yorkshire Dales, the River Ribble steps down over limestone ledges into a broad pool at Stainforth Force. Beside it stands a handsome seventeenth-century packhorse bridge, now in the care of the National Trust.
Time your visit for autumn and you may catch salmon and sea trout leaping up the falls on their way to spawn upstream. The pool below is a popular wild swimming spot, though it turns dangerous when the river is in spate.
A short walk from the village car park, ducking under the road and crossing the railway, gets you there.
FAQs
Which waterfall near Preston is easiest to reach?
Roddlesworth Waterfall, south of Blackburn, is among the most accessible, sitting a short walk from the road through the Tockholes plantation. Hatch Brook near Brinscall is closer to Preston but needs more of a scramble.
Can you swim at any of these waterfalls?
Yes. The pools at Stainforth Force near Settle and Lumb Hole Falls above Hebden Bridge are both used for wild swimming, though both become dangerous in spate, so check conditions before you enter the water.
When is the best time to see these falls at their fullest?
After heavy rain is when falls like White Spout in the Forest of Bowland and Pingot Quarry near Oldham are at their most powerful, since many shrink to a trickle during dry Lancashire summers.
Conclusion
From gentle woodland cascades on your doorstep to dramatic limestone falls deep in the Dales, this corner of the North West offers real variety for a day out. If you want an easy afternoon, the West Pennine Moors falls near Chorley and Blackburn are hard to beat.
For something grander, set aside a full day and drive northeast to Settle, where Scaleber Force and Stainforth Force reward the journey. Wild swimmers, photographers and casual ramblers alike will find somewhere to suit.
Just remember that many of these spots have no facilities and rely heavily on recent rainfall, so choose your day with care and bring boots that can handle mud. Whether you fancy a short stroll or a longer hike, these are the waterfalls for a day trip from Preston.
