Day six of a Pennine Way thru-hike was supposed to be a short, easy stretch from Gargrave to Malham in North Yorkshire. It turned into a comedy of navigation errors first, then one of the finest walking days the hiker had experienced so far.

The trouble started early. Running behind schedule after a soaking the day before, the writer grabbed an Uber from the Craven Heifer Inn, asking to be dropped at the Dalesman Café near Gargrave. The driver obligingly drove through the countryside, mystified why anyone would drive so far just to skip three miles of trail. At the drop-off, a sign read "Dalesman Café – temporarily closed." Then came the real problem: the hiker's GPS dot was so far off the mapped route it had disappeared. They weren't in Gargrave at all — they were in Grassington, a completely different town. A second, noticeably grumpier Uber ride twenty minutes later finally delivered them to Gargrave Village Hall, well past noon.

From there, the trail redeemed itself. The sun broke through, the climbs were short and gentle, and stretches of path were even paved — a rarity worth celebrating on the Pennine Way. The route followed the River Aire through the village of Airton, crossing back and forth over stone arch bridges and swapping greetings with day walkers. After days of gray weather, it felt, in the writer's words, like pure heaven.

The day ended in Malham, a village that looks more like a small resort than a farming community — most buildings are inns or B&Bs, and pub patios were packed despite the returning clouds. The writer checked into the Lister Arms and was assigned a room in the Lister Barn, which turned out to be a genuine highlight: it came with a drying room for wet kit, ideal for long-distance walkers. Dinner was a venison burger at the Buck Inn, followed by a bath and a good night's sleep.

For anyone considering the Pennine Way — the 268-mile national trail from the Peak District to the Scottish Borders — this stage is a useful snapshot. Gargrave makes a pleasant rest stop with a busy village hall and walker traffic, the riverside walking to Malham is a gentler day by Pennine Way standards, and Malham itself is a natural base, sitting near the dramatic Malham Cove and Gordale Scar. The practical lesson from the day: double-check your pickup point before booking a taxi in the Dales, because postcodes and place names can take you somewhere entirely wrong. And if your B&B offers a drying room, take it — six days of British weather will make you grateful.

This leg suits casual hikers and first-time long-distance walkers alike, especially those who want the Pennine Way experience without committing to the full three-week trek. Malham's B&Bs and pubs make it easy to walk in comfort, day-pack style, while still sleeping in a converted barn with modern perks.

Original reporting: The Trek