Moelwyns climbing

Crag: Craig yr Wrysgan, Moelwynion
Routes: Y Gelynen (VD:led p.1), Y Gelynen Direct Finish (S:led), Cave Arete (VD:led), Daufaen (S:led), Honeysuckle Corner (HS 4b:sec)
Shakedown mode today on a series of easy routes, having not climbed trad since last August. The Moelwyns are always ideal for this purpose: crags I have visited many times over the years. It's been a late spring, but this morning was perfection - that rare combination of ideal temperatures and perfect clarity that you sometimes get in April. We went for Craig yr Wrysgan, and I kicked off with the first pitch of Y Gelynen, which I last did in the early 1990s with Tim (and I have a memory we went off route on it, not sure how!). It is a delightful climb on gentle, warm rock. It is rather bold for the grade, but can be protected with a bit of thought. Easy ledges lead out left to the blunt rib itself, which gives lovely climbing on little incut holds to a small nut placement near the eponymous holly: a lovely 30m pitch. We were climbing on a single rope, so I belayed in a little niche under the holly to prevent too much drag. Vic then led up to Y Borfa via a thin crack, then an overlap taken on good holds to a slab. I then led the alternative finish, which I don't think I've done before. Instead of sidling off to the right, it goes up easy shelves to the obvious corner crack which is steep initially with one tricky move to gain bigger holds and easy climbing to the top: improves the route considerably. From the top, we ambled through the interesting industrial landscape to the Upper Tier. I'd never climbed here before: it is a small crag of rough rock, almost like a gritstone outcrop, giving 30-40m routes. I led up the easy Cave Arete at the far left of the crag, above a remarkable quarried cave which we explored first. The route goes on huge holds to a short chimney, with easy bridging to a ledge. I continued up the next arete pitch: slabby and simple, but in a nice position. All very gentle but well worthwhile: a fine combination of routes at a consistent grade. The descent is always a nice and novel feature of this crag, as it takes the old incline through a tunnel. After lunch, we scrambled up to the ledge below the obvious White Streak slab. We've done this before, so I led Daufaen instead. This is a companion route which takes the left side of the slab. A steep initial crack is short-lived but fun, and leads to the first slab. Slightly dirty after winter, with the whole route less travelled than White Streak. Similar though: characterised by easy, enjoyable climbing on classic Moelwyn pocketed slabs. On the bold side, although some blocks at half height give plenty of gear. I continued on through the second pitch, which takes a slightly steeper slab to the ledge of Y Borfa. Fine climbing, again rather bold with cams in pockets and the like. A fine 35m pitch. A delightful sun-drenched belay on the ledge before Vic led through up old favourite Honeysuckle Corner. Slightly awkward in places, but I've done it before and remembered where the holds were! It goes quite easily and is a fine easy bridging pitch. We shot up the combination in around half an hour, then back down through the tunnel for an early finish. Stunning weather throughout.