Tremadog climbs

Crag: Craig Pant Ifan, Tremadog
Routes: Hogmanay Hangover (HS 4b,4b:led p.2), Holloway p.1 (VS 4c:led), Alcatraz/Bucket Rider (HVS 5a:sec), Scratch Arete (HVS 4c,5a:led p.1)
Low cloud and drizzle forecast for the hills, so a day at Tremadog seemed in order. We didn't arrive until lunchtime, and eased ourself back into climbing after several weeks off with a lead of one of the crag's easy routes which we located from the road. It can be tricky to find the more esoteric routes at Tremadog, so it's worth going for them when you find them. Actually, Hogmanay Hangover does get a bit of traffic and is a nice route. Vic led the first pitch, which goes awkwardly up smooth, slatey rock (reminiscent of parts of Craig y Gesail) until you move round a corner to gain the rib. Then good simple climbing on more typical Tremadog rock goes up a nicely positioned blunt rib to the belay. Vic's friend, Caroline, went up next, before I led through up the top two pitches (merged) on a single 9mm. This involved a simple groove up to a loose flake, then an interesting traverse across a sloping ledge to the arete and a nicely positioned finish. Caroline then left, and we found the start of Holloway. I led up this simple vegetated rib (don't know why it gets 4c) to the start of Alcatraz: the only way to gain the start ledge. Vic then led up Alcatraz, but traversed across into the groove of Bucket Rider (E1 5b). We ended up combining the two routes: awkward bridging up the rounded Bucket Rider groove to moves right into the niche of Alcatraz, quite sustained, before some interesting steep finishing moves up the wall. Finished up with the classic Scratch Arete after cleverly avoiding the crowds earlier on. I led pitch one, which goes scrappily up to a final crack and bulge. This gives surprisingly steep and strenuous climbing to the belay. The top pitch is superb but (I thought) easier than the first. An excellent slab leads across to the arete, then the celebrated move over the overlap. This is surprisingly positive and rough, and gains a large jug quite quickly. Above this, the route follows big flakes in a splendid position to finish up a more awkward jamming crack. Very easy for the grade, but a fine route. We then retired for refreshments in Llan Ffestiniog.