Penmaenhead climbing

Crag: Penmaenhead, Colwyn Bay
Routes: Ryan's Route (f6a+:led), Clwyd MC (f6a+:sec), Big up the Lizard (f5+:sec), Tan y Lan Kids (f5:sec), Richard II (f6a+:sec), Snowdrop (f6a+:led), Retirement Day (F6a+:sec), Tunnel Vision (f6a+:led*)
A period of superb spring weather: clear skies, cherry blossom, cool nights. But few opportunities for getting out climbing and exploiting any latent 'form' (I use the term loosely) I may have after Spain. So this evening trip - perhaps my fifth trip to this crag below the old Hotel 70 Degrees in Old Colwyn - was a brief bonus. Went for the Expressway wall, partly because I haven't done any routes on it before but also because a group of teenagers lurked below the other walls. It is a strange place to climb, directly above the A55, but the routes are pretty good and the setting sun lit the crag to perfection as I started out up Ryan's Route at 6a+. This turned out well: a nice route, neatly sustained at the grade. Some technical moves up the lower half of the wall, small finger ledges and good friction, led to a long reach and an awkward rest. From here, the route steepens into a groove with good holds which leads to a juggy finish. Good climbing, the grade bang on at 6a+. The route to its left lacks independence but gives good climbing: more sustained than its partner and quite high in the grade. Hard moves away from the second bolt - quite technical and thought-provoking. A good start, so we moved down to the flowstone for Hayley's lead up the 5+ which I've done a few times before. She polished this off comfortably, and we did all three routes. Richard II has a particularly hard move by the second bolt: at least f6b briefly, moving right blindly on tiny holds. The rest is easier - too disjointed. I then led Snowdrop, another f6a+, on the Railway Tunnel Wall, with the sun dipping behind the Orme. This packs a lot of varied climbing into 11 metres! Up a flake crack, quite easy, to ledges and jugs. All going well until I went right after the final bolt, falling from the small crimps. Left is steep but considerably easier - nice positive crimps to the lower-off. Good route, especially given its brevity. A couple of other routes at a similar grade: disappointed to find my strength failing at the top of Tunnel Vision - we found the top move baffling at the grade.