Llanberis slate climbs

A busy and active day yesterday, started climbing with Alwyn at 9am in the slate quarries with a lead of the splendid Fresh Air (f6a), the interesting slab behind the tower in Never Never Land area. Nice route, delicate but never especially hard. Felt straitforward and slightly overgraded, but lovely moves with the sun gently warming the upper slab. Then led Hawkeye (f5c) round the corner, an odd disjointed route up a juggy arete. We moved up to Australia level (Sidings slab) where I led the smooth pillar of N Gauge (f6a) which felt tough, awkward. I used the top crack to gain the lower off. Seconded Side Line (f4c) to the right, then led the thin and rather tricky slab line of The Mallard (f5c), considerably tougher than the Dali's Hole routes at the same grade. As was Sodor (f5c) which I seconded (up the very thin crack left). Polar Express (f5b) and Ivor the Engine (f5a) completed the routes on this slab in similar, but easier, vein. After Gordon (f3c!), led the interesting arete and groove taken by Choo Choo (f5b) in a nice position above the 'cwm', followed by the stepped groove of Hogwarts Express (f5c) - easy climbing up to a very awkward crux up a narrow groove at the top of the route. We tried some more routes at Bus Stop Quarry (last visited in 1993!) but I was tiring. Then drove to Cadole via K and L in Conwy, then the lanes from Cilcain to join the Colomendy run up Moel Famau in pleasant sunshine. Good views of Eryri from the top. Felt OK on the run, surprisingly, but the beer was appreciated at the end of a long day.