Retreat to Craig y Gesail

Crag: Craig y Gesail, Tremadog
Routes: Bramble Buttress (VD:led p.1,3), Princess (VS 4a,4b,4b:led p.1,2,3)
This crag is very much Tremadog's poor relation, and was merely a bad weather retreat for us. The game plan for the day had been to do some big mountain routes on Y Garn (Nantlle). It was dry as we started the steep walk in from Nantlle (rather painful after a fast sub 3:20 intervals session last night) but it began to rain almost immediately. Cue a tricky decision: we decided to continue up to the drystone wall below the crag, waited as the rain got heavier, before finally accepting that to continue would have been miserable. So, a long descent and detour to Penmorfa and quick slog up to Gesail as the weather cleared. Bramble Buttress was still wet as I led the first pitch up a series of blocky steps to a short groove and pinnacle, where I dined on blackberries. Alwyn led through up a nice clean groove to vegetation. The last pitch was lovely: up a little wall, with the rock already drying out, to gain a really delightful and photogenic crack just left of the crest. An ideal route for children and novices I would have thought: very easy indeed, yet still interesting. After a long descent, we jungle bashed through to the start of Princess, further right. I led the first pitch, up peculiar slaty rock on the rib to a traverse right into a groove, then up to a nasty vegetated stance with gorse belay! No difficulty, but rather unpleasant and slightly run-out. I was tempted to retreat, but brought up Alwyn and led the second over more vegetation to gain the arete on the left. Nice climbing up this led to a ledge, followed by a steepish crack to a stance. A short final pitch take the steep corner crack to an easy, open finish. With lots of traffic, shorn of vegetation, this would probably make a nice route: in its current state, it's a rather unpleasant experience. We ran out of time after this, probably this summer's least successful climbing trip!