Penmaen ridge

I've probably driven past this line a thousand times without bothering to investigate further. It's the obvious stepped limestone ridge which rises directly above the A55 west of Conwy. It was an ideal choice today as I had less than an hour free but needed a recovery jog after yesterday's race. I was on my way back from doing radio in Bangor, so parked in Dwygyfylchi and ran through the woods to Pen Pyra after an initial 2 mile warm-up on roads and paths round the village. The ridge is worth a few minutes of anyone's time, a surprisingly worthwhile outing. It gives gentle scrambling (grade II) but is well defined, and contains 3 or 4 steeper sections with good holds throughout. Near the top, a steep wall is taken via a slanting groove to regain the main ridge line. I carried on up scree and heather to the top of Penmaen Bach, which gives brilliant sea views to Anglesey and the Orme. Good running over Allt Wen, dark clouds gathering yet again over the Carneddau, led to the top of the Sychnant Pass and back down to the village.