Whalley

This Trail explores the attractive historic village of Whalley. The centrepiece of the village is Whalley Abbey, a large and important Cistercian Monastery which moved here in 1296 from Stanlow in Cheshire. The ruins of the Abbey are now open to the public and are protected as an important Ancient Monument and provide a lovely spot for a picnic along the banks of the river on a summer day. The village presents a mix of buildings from all ages - along the main street old cottages mingle with Georgian and Tudor-style buildings and the quiet back streets contain a medieval church and 17th century cottages. The nearby railway viaduct, completed in 1852, was a triumph of Victorian engineering; the 49 arches are constructed from red bricks hand-made on site. The village is an excellent base from which to explore the lovely Ribble Valley and the nearby historic market town of Clitheroe.

This is a walking Trail of 2 miles which should take about 2 hours. It is mainly on pavements around the village but there are steps and uneven sections on footpaths which make it unsuitable for wheelchairs but it is suitable for pushchairs. The Trail finishes with a short section by the River Calder.

FREE ADMISSION TO THE ABBEY : We have partnered with the Abbey to provide FREE admission to the grounds and ruins for one person on presentation of this Trail. The Abbey grounds also contain a cafe, gift shop and exhibition centre.