Castle Inn climbing

Crag: Castle Inn Quarry, Llysfaen
Routes: Alone With the Moon (f5:sec), Lili Marlene (f5+:sec), Ice Cream and Candy Floss (f5:led), New Route 1 (f4:led), New Route 2 (f3:sec), Comeback Kid (f4:sec), Easypeasy (f3:down), Happy Return (f4+:led), Route 1 (f5:sec), Ffrind (f4:led), Taid (f4:sec), Nain (f4:sec), Wilderness Wall (f5:led), Butterfly Blues (f4:sec), Birthday Boy (f5:sec), Inspiration (f4:sec), Smartie (f5+:led), Appenzeller (f5+:sec)
As the temperature didn't rise above -1C all day, and we could see the snow gully lines on Carnedd Llywellyn in perfect condition from the crag, this was arguably not the most sensible choice of outing. However, time was very limited, as always - far too limited for winter climbing: so we made the most of the couple of hours we had at our disposal by concentrating on the new easy sports climbs that have been developed on the little crags surrounding the main face at Castle Inn. I've been climbing here for over 20 years now, so it's nice to see some of the pressure removed from the main crag - which is a bit battered in places now. Having said that, the other crags are very short and while that was ideal in today's subzero temperatures, the routes are not exactly classics! Mick and I moved as quickly as we could from left to right, doing all the new stuff to increase mileage. The wall at the far left  runs to nice thin cracks with some good climbing, especially my f5 lead up the right-hand crack in a snow flurry. We did two tiny routes on a rough, juggy wall, then the arete left of Indian Summer. Another isolated arete gives Happy Return, a pleasant Severe with a novelty crag top belay. After my 20th (or so!) ascent of Route 1, seconding Mick on the main crag, we continued moving right and I led the pleasantly juggy Ffrind up blocky rock with horizontal breaks, and polished off the other routes on this wall. Further right again, Wilderness Wall is one of the better additions: a nice rough slab of white limestone which gives delicate climbing, as do the other routes here: after another snow flurry we had a brief glimpse of the sun on these routes! Finally, at the far end of the crag two slightly harder routes go at 5+. After 18 climbs, I restored the circulation in my hands and drove to Cadole via St Asaph to join the crew running up Moel Famau: the first time in weeks that it's been dry underfoot, as the ground was frozen solid throughout.