Maeshafn climbing

Crag: Maeshafn
Routes: Rambler (HS 4a:led), Wilkinson Sword Edge (VS 4b:led), The Minstrel (E1 5b:sec), Puppy Power (VS 4b:led), Flying Block (E1 5a:sec), Sling (HS 4a:led)
A heavy shower swept in just as we were gearing up at the base of the crag. So I changed plans rapidly and nipped up the easy (and overgraded) Rambler in the rain. I've been visiting this crag since 1988, so then deployed some local knowledge and sneaked off to the sheltered Wilkinson Sword Edge as the rain continued and black clouds swept in over Moel Famau. This route is hidden in the trees, and takes a vague arete of very rough limestone. One tricky steep move up to a huge jug at the start, then easy climbing up a nice flake: shame it's so short! The rain eased a little, so we did the classic E1 line of the Minstrel with rope above: rather polished now. The crag dries quickly, quicker than rock boots, so I led the now dry slab taken by Puppy Power in wet shoes. An intermittent line of thin cracks: nice climbing. I've done all these routes many times before, but it was a good choice today in this weather. Flying Block is a bit of a sandbag: E1 5c would be a more accurate grade. Indeed, a curious feature of Maeshafn is that the easier routes tend to be soft touches, while anything above HVS often seems undergraded. Flying Block has a very hard move after about 10ft, particularly in damp conditions. Very little for the feet, smooth and slippery, and a hard pull over a flake. Above, you are in balance and some nice moves lead less steeply to the top. Hayley and I both failed on the even harder Royal Plume: also polished and greasy, felt at least E2/3 6a. All this hadn't taken long (a short evening visit), and the weather was now clearing completely, so we nipped round to the Amphitheatre for the polished crack line of Sling, which I have done many, many times over the years. I was now fading fast, beginning to feel the after-effects of a 12 mile run over Hope Mountain and Pen Llan y Gwr first thing this morning!