If you’re looking for a peaceful weekend away in the Ribble Valley, with beautiful villages, riverside walks and plenty of places to explore, West Bradford is a lovely place to stay.
We had stayed in this little Airbnb Weavers cottage earlier in the year when it was a bit too cold for the campervan. We enjoyed the location so much that we decided to book it again for a long weekend.
We love the area around Clitheroe. It’s less than an hour from home, with plenty of countryside walks straight from the doorstep and even more places to explore within a 30-minute drive.
This time, we spent our weekend discovering more of the local footpaths, walking into Waddington and Clitheroe, and visiting a few of our favourite places in the Ribble Valley.
Our Airbnb in West Bradford
Our accommodation was a small, self-contained cottage in the grounds of the owners’ property, costing £60 per night with a minimum three-night stay.
The cottage is essentially one large room with a double bed and kitchen area, along with a separate bathroom. It’s compact, but it had everything we needed for a few nights away.
Outside, there is a lovely garden with seating and a beautiful babbling brooke running through it. It was such a peaceful spot to sit and relax.
There is room for one car on the shared driveway.
The cottage is dog-friendly, although it is worth bearing in mind that it isn’t particularly big, so it may depend on the size and number of dogs you are bringing.
The owners were welcoming and informative, offering recommendations for places to visit and eat. They suggested a local Indian takeaway, which we tried during our stay, and the food was beautiful.
For us, the biggest attraction was the location. We could leave the car parked and head out walking, with Waddington, Clitheroe and some lovely riverside paths all accessible from the cottage.
You can view the cottage, check current prices and availability on Airbnb here.
View Weavers Cottage on Airbnb
Eating Out – The 3 Millstones Pub
Another bonus of staying at this Airbnb is that The 3 Millstones pub is only a two-minute walk away.
We ate here during our stay, and the food was very nice. It was lovely being able to enjoy a meal out without having to drive anywhere afterwards.
With the pub so close to the cottage, it’s a great option for an evening meal after a day exploring the Ribble Valley.
We also enjoyed a lovely Indian takeaway recommended by the Airbnb owners, so there were plenty of options for eating out or enjoying a relaxing evening back at the cottage.
Walking from West Bradford to Waddington
One of our favourite walks from the cottage was into Waddington, a beautiful little village approximately 20 minutes away on foot.
There is a route through a field just behind the Airbnb, but this involves crossing a stile, so we decided to take the country road instead with the dogs.
Waddington is an exceptionally pretty village, with stone cottages and a small stream running through the centre. It’s the sort of place where you can happily spend an afternoon wandering around or stopping for a drink.
There are three pubs to choose from. We didn’t eat in any of them during our visit, but the food looked lovely.
You can also continue walking from Waddington towards Clitheroe, which is what we decided to do.
Waddington Village
Ribble Valley, Lancashire
Approximately 20 minutes on foot from your Airbnb in West Bradford.
Location: Waddington, near Clitheroe, BB7
Riverside Walk from Waddington to Clitheroe
From Waddington, we followed the stream out of the village towards Clitheroe, taking the path alongside the road.
As you reach the bridge, there are some steep steps on the right leading down to the river. This is a lovely spot for a walk or even a picnic if the weather is nice.
At the bottom of the steps, turn right and follow the riverside path in the direction of Clitheroe. Continue beside the river until the path leaves the wooded section and opens into a field.
From here, there are two options for continuing towards Clitheroe.
Option 1 – Riverside Walk to Clitheroe Railway Station
Walk diagonally across the field towards the gate in the far-left corner. Go through the gate and follow the narrow path between the houses.
When you reach the road, turn towards Clitheroe and continue towards the railway bridge. Pass underneath the bridge, then turn right onto Railway View Road, which leads directly to Clitheroe railway station.
From here, you can continue into Clitheroe town centre to explore the shops, cafés and pubs before making your way back.
Option 2 – An Alternative Route into Clitheroe
When the riverside path opens into the field, you can also keep right towards the horses and continue through the allotment area.
The path eventually opens out onto another field. From here, follow the road to the left towards Clitheroe town centre.
Both routes offer lovely countryside and riverside scenery, making this a great way to explore the area without needing to drive.
Useful Information About the Walk
The route includes steep steps, riverside paths, fields and potentially muddy ground, so it may not be suitable for wheelchairs or prams.
Dogs may need to be kept on leads through fields containing livestock. We always take extra care when walking with our dogs around farm animals.
These are general directions based on the paths we explored rather than a detailed walking guide. Some of the turns aren’t clearly signposted, so I would recommend following a map or walking app alongside these directions.
Another Riverside Walk Straight from the Airbnb
River Ribble Circular Walk
There’s also a lovely walk straight from West Bradford that we found while staying at Weavers Cottage. From the cottage, we turned right and walked down through the village towards the River Ribble. Just before West Bradford Bridge, there’s a kissing gate on the left where the riverside walk starts.
From here, turn left and follow the path alongside the River Ribble in the direction of Grindleton. You don’t actually need to walk into Grindleton itself. The route eventually brings you out onto Ribble Lane, where you turn right and walk along the road to cross Grindleton Bridge.
Once over the bridge, you can pick up the footpath on the opposite side of the river and follow it back towards West Bradford, making it into a circular walk.
From the kissing gate, the river circular is around 3.3 miles, or roughly 4 miles if you start and finish at Weavers Cottage.
We had planned to do the full circular, but there were cows in the field on the opposite side of the river. As we had the dogs with us, we decided not to walk through them and turned back instead. It’s something worth being aware of if you’re doing this route with dogs, as livestock may be present.
Even though we didn’t complete the circular, the section we did alongside the River Ribble was lovely and it was great having a walk like this straight from the cottage without needing to drive anywhere.
Walking Through the Sculpture Park
Another route we discovered was to turn right out of the Airbnb and continue across the bridge, heading straight up the hill.
On the right-hand side of the road, there is an entrance to a sculpture park.
We followed the path through the park, eventually coming out near the river, where some steep steps lead down to the riverside walk.
This was a lovely alternative to simply following the road, and it gave us another way to explore the area on foot.
With so many different paths around West Bradford, Waddington and Clitheroe, you can easily spend a few days discovering new places without having to use the car.
A Visit to Stocks Reservoir
During our weekend, I also drove out to Stocks Reservoir in the Forest of Bowland.
It’s approximately a 30–40 minute drive from West Bradford, depending on the route and traffic.
Stocks Reservoir is a beautiful place for a countryside walk, with woodland paths, peaceful surroundings and lovely views across the water.
I’ve already written a separate blog about my walk around the reservoir, including where I parked and the route I followed.
Rather than repeat all the information here, you can read my full Stocks Reservoir walking guide for more details.
Read more: Stocks Reservoir Circular Walk – Parking, Route & Useful Information
Lunch at the Old Vicarage, Tosside
Not far from Stocks Reservoir, in the small village of Tosside, is a lovely little bistro called the Old Vicarage.
It’s a beautiful place to stop for something to eat, with an outside patio offering wonderful views across the surrounding countryside.
The food is homemade, delicious and very reasonably priced.
It’s the sort of place I would happily return to, especially on a sunny day when you can sit outside and enjoy the views.
If you’re visiting Stocks Reservoir, it’s worth considering a stop here for lunch or a coffee.
Exploring Downham – A Beautiful Village at the Foot of Pendle Hill
Another place we visited during our weekend was Downham, approximately a 15-minute drive from our Airbnb.
A local had recommended the village to us, so we decided to head over and have a look.
Downham sits at the foot of Pendle Hill and is one of those villages that feels as though you’ve stepped back in time.
There are no overhead telephone cables or television aerials spoiling the views, and the village has been used as a filming location for productions including Whistle Down the Wind and the BBC drama Born and Bred.
The roads leading into the village are quite narrow in places, but there is a car park close to the centre.
A small stream runs through the village, with a lovely green where you can sit and enjoy the surroundings. It’s also a nice spot for paddling in the water when the weather is warm.
There is a pub and an ice cream shop, making it a lovely place to spend a relaxing afternoon.
We enjoyed wandering around the village and taking in the views of Pendle Hill.
Downham Village
Ribble Valley, Lancashire
Approximately 15 minutes by car from West Bradford.
Parking: Downham Village Car Park, BB7 4BS
For anyone feeling more energetic, Downham is also a starting point for walks up Pendle Hill, although we were quite happy exploring the village itself.
It’s a beautiful little place and somewhere I would recommend visiting if you’re staying in the Ribble Valley.
Useful Information for Staying in West Bradford
| Information | Details |
|---|---|
| Accommodation | Self-contained Airbnb cottage |
| Price we paid | £60 per night |
| Minimum stay | 3 nights (£180 total) |
| Parking | One car on shared driveway |
| Dogs | Dog-friendly, compact cottage |
| Nearest pub | The 3 Millstones, 2-minute walk |
| Waddington | Approx. 20-minute walk |
| Downham | Approx. 15-minute drive |
| Stocks Reservoir | Approx. 30–40-minute drive |
A Few Things Worth Knowing
The cottage is quite small, so consider how much space you will need if travelling with several dogs.
Some of the local walking routes involve stiles, steep steps, fields and livestock. We found alternative routes with the dogs where possible.
There are plenty of places to explore directly from West Bradford, but having a car is useful for visiting other parts of the Ribble Valley.
The narrow country roads around some of the villages are also worth bearing in mind if you are travelling in a larger vehicle.
Would We Stay in West Bradford Again?
Absolutely! This was our second stay in the same Airbnb, and I wouldn’t hesitate to book it again.
We love the Ribble Valley, and West Bradford is a lovely base for exploring the area. Being able to walk straight from the cottage into Waddington, along the river and towards Clitheroe was a big part of why we chose to return.
There are so many beautiful villages, countryside walks and places to eat within a short drive that you could easily spend several days here without running out of things to do.
For us, it was a lovely long weekend away, enjoying some beautiful scenery, discovering new walks and spending time with the dogs.
And with it being less than an hour from home, it’s somewhere we can easily return to when we fancy a little break without taking the campervan.
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