Windgather climbing

Crag: Windgather, Peak District
Routes: Left Triplet Crack (M:sol), South Buttress Crack (M:sol), Overlapping Wall (S:sol), Face Route 2 (D:sol), Face Route 1 (HVD:sol), Side Face (S:sol), Buttress 2 Gully (M:sol), Rib and Slab (M:sol), Leg Stump (D:sol), The Corner (D:sol), Staircase (M:sol), Heather Buttress (D:sol)
It had rained all day in the Peak, but it was sunny in Chester so I had some optimism it would clear as I drove across to the Shining Tor fell race after work. Sure enough, by Wilmslow the sun had come out so I initiated plan 'A' and stopped for a bit of easy gritstone climbing first. As its name suggests, Windgather dries quickly in the almost constant wind that blows into the face from the hills to the west. Conditions were delightful, and I thoroughly enjoyed soloing up the easy climbs that characterise this crag. I've done most (if not all) of them before, but particularly enjoyed the Face Routes on delightful slabby grit with the sun out, along with Leg Stump and the juggy Corner and Staircase. The pockets were wet after earlier rain but the climbing was all very pleasant. I finished with the isolated Heather Buttress, which gives easy slabby climbing to an intimidating finish up a steep little wall on big holds. I think it is my third time climbing here: famously simple, but a really lovely location with far reaching views over verdant hills and valleys. I could see the route of the fell race to the south, over Shining Tor and Pym's Chair, and that is where I headed after a short bouldering session at the quarry walls (doing most of the traverse and other problems).