Dinas Mot climbing

Crag: Dinas Mot, Llanberis
Routes: Western Slabs (VS 4b,4b,4c: led p.1+3), Lorraine (VS 4c,4c: led p.1)
Prospects looked very grim as we drove over Pen y Pass in persistant rain, with black clouds threatening a serious soaking. And, although it was only spitting by the time I began the first pitch of Western Slabs, a scything cold wind was also trying its best to ruin the day. I've wanted to do this route for some time, though, and the weather couldn't spoil the enjoyment of the first pitch up a rightward-trending groove to a spike and tricky move up a steepish wall to the belay. Found myself shivering with cold (even in polartec jacket and helly) as I seconded Vic up the excellent slabby second pitch: some light rain as I moved right below the two overlaps to gain the delightful delicate grooves that lead to the belay. I then led the final pitch, traversing down and left to gain an easy groove to a flake: then the steep crux moves, with a finger jam gaining a big hold above and easy climbing to the top. A great route, ultra-safe and enjoyable throughout: marred only by the proximity of Western Gully (and, today, the cold and damp weather). Abbed down a soaking wet gully, then led the easy first pitch of Lorraine (shared with The Cracks). I continued a little way up the second pitch, then followed Vic up a long but superb merged pitch to the big pinnacle stance. Splendid climbing, absolutely characteristic of this wonderful crag, up a slanting ramp-like groove on little positive incut holds, quite delicate and thought-provoking, to the chimney in common with The Cracks. Then followed through up the sharply contrasting sustained corner crack. This is top-end VS, with awkward steep jamming throughout. It seemed familiar - I must have climbed either this pitch or the top pitch in youthful error during my ascent of The Cracks 17 or 18 years ago. I then tried leading the obvious crack above the pinnacle to gain the top mantelshelf pitch of The Cracks. However, the rain began in earnest as I struggled above the first committing pull. Just as well, as the pitch turned out to be the 'vicious crack' of GBH which goes at hard 5c. The heavens then opened, and we were forced to retreat down Eastern Gully - which wasn't quite as unpleasantly aquatic as Western! Disappointing to finish early, but in retrospect we definitely got the best out of a poor day.