Dyserth climbing

Crag: Dyserth Waterfall Crag
Routes: Suleiman the Insignificant (f5:led), Diamonds and Pearls (f5:sec), Custard Corner (f5:led), Magnificent Rita (f5:led), Windsor Wall (f6b:sec), Men of Dinorwic Slate (f5:sec), Rhubarb Wall (f6a+:sec), North Wales Guidebook Wars (f5+:sec)
Crag: Dyserth Castle Slab
Routes: Jason and the Aga Nuts (f5:led), Leo Saw us Rex (f4:sec), Tegengle (f6a:led), Purple Ladies versus Godzilla (f6a+:sec)
I've always known there was climbing to be had at Dyserth, having lived there in the past and having scratched around in various dusty quarries many years ago. However, these little crags have now been given a full sports climbing makeover and it was very pleasant indeed to spend a short sunny winter's day sampling them with Mick. It was chilly, to say the least, as we arrived at the delightfully situated Waterfall crag. The cold, combined with fatigue after yesterday's race and Mick's recent flu, curtailed our plans somewhat, so I kicked off by leading an easy line left of the crag before nipping up the slightly harder arete. Mick backed off Custard Corner so I led through: seemed a tad undergraded and not that great. The obvious steep crack taken by Magnificent Rita was far better: a nice steep VS with good, positive holds. Windsor Wall was an eliminate up crisp little edges and positive pockets to the left: nice, technical climbing but a tad overgraded perhaps. Mick led the longer groove further right, in a lovely position just above the river, as the sun finally hit the face. Nice line, as is Rhubarb Wall which breaks out to the steep hanging slab above the overhangs. Finished with the steeper arete line, then headed back to the car to drive round to Castle Slab which lies above the Prestatyn walkway: another nice position, neatly contrasting with the steeper Waterfall crag with views out to sea. Great friction and nice technical moves on these routes, which all seem a bit generously graded! A bitter easterly wind was mitigated by the sunshine and the delicate climbing was very pleasant. Tegengle, in particular, gave a satisfying longer lead of 20m or so, with a couple of short, technical sequences. More like 5+, though, as was the less appealing line to its right. Finished with a short jog to Meliden and back.