Skipton West & West Craven

Skipton West & West Craven is a largely rural ward on the western edge of the county. It encompasses several villages, including Barnoldswick, Earby, and Thornton-in-Craven, set within the rolling landscapes at the entrance to the Yorkshire Dales. The area's economy has historically been connected to textiles and engineering. The Leeds and Liverpool Canal runs through the ward, providing a continuous waterway for leisure and linking the communities.

The ward includes sections of the Forest of Bowland, an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, marked by open moorland and gritstone fells. Barnoldswick's Bancroft Mill, with its original steam engine, operates as a museum showcasing the local industrial heritage. This is an area where Pennine topography shapes settlement patterns, with towns and villages positioned along the main transport routes crossing into Lancashire.