Llanberis slate climbs

Crag: Llanberis Slate
Routes: 362 (f5b:led), Seamstress (VS 4c:led), Seams the Same (E1 5b:sec), One for All (f4c:sec), All for One (f5a:sec), Looning the Tube (E1 5a:led), Maximum Tariff (f6b:led*), Holy Holy Holy (E2 5c:sec), La Famille (f4c:led), Slate Arrivals (f4a:led), Slate Arrivals Left (f5a:sec)
Something of a whistle-stop tour of the quarries. Rather than cleaning up scrappy routes in one area, as we have on previous visits, we focused a bit more on the classics here and had a far more memorable day as a result. Light drizzle was clearing as we arrived, the last remnants of days of rain, which meant several of my intended routes were a bit damp. Headed for the huge slab of Never Never Land where I warmed up on the undistinguished 362, an easy line up the left arete of the slab. The 7m top pitch was soaking wet, so we moved up to Serengeti where I led Seamstress. I have no memory of ever doing this before, which seems extraordinary given its status as the ultimate slate trade route. A splendid pitch up a perfect crack, beautifully sustained at a gentle middle-of-the-grade VS standard and therefore interesting throughout. Satisfying positive little jugs all the way up. Warmed up, I then romped up Seams the Same at E1 5b. Another excellent little pitch - a few awkward moves at the start followed by a juggy romp to a long reach and high step to an easy finish. Alwyn then led a couple of easy routes, very scrappy with loose rock, in a fine position overlooking Never Never Land and the mountains beyond. After lunch, we moved up to California. Looning the Tube is the kind of compelling line that forces you to climb it, and I've wanted to do it since we first came up here last year. The first moves were wet, which made the delicate reach up to the traverse line and first bolt tricky. But then wonderful positive little edges allow the traverse right to the chain to be completed quite comfortably. From here, nice moves up the left-slanting crack lead to a cam placement and awkward crux - a high constricted step off an unhelpful pinched hold. After clipping the second bolt, easier moves gain a wonderful jug and the top. An unusual but excellent climb, tricky to grade although probably a bit soft for E1. I then had a go at Maximum Tariff at 6b but couldn't commit to the final move - good steep climbing though. Finished off by seconding the hopelessly wet Holy, Holy, Holy at Dali's Hole, the corner right of Launching Pad (led in June). A strenuous and fingery layback led quite easily to the central crux section. The crack here was wet, and the wall left is very polished, so this was a desperate struggle which saw me slip twice before gaining the crucial hold and easier climbing to the top. Some pointless scrappy routes and a walk through the tunnels to atmospheric California completed the day.