Meliden climbing

Crag: Meliden Quarry
Routes: Hodgson's Groove (f4+:led), Ward's Right Wall (f6b:led), Ward's Left Wall (f6b:sec), Shit No Holds (f6a+*:led), Between the Trees (D:sol), The Steps (D:sec), Grim Rapper (f4:des), First Redpoint (f4:sec)
Finally, a beautiful spring day, and what better place to spend it than a derelict quarry above Meliden? I have never bothered with this place before for good reason, but only had a couple of hours at my disposal as I'd been in work most of the day. So it seemed a good opportunity to tick off the few short routes. The 4+ groove is reasonable, and I then led the right-hand 6b: again, short, but technical climbing on very small but positive holds, with reasonable friction from the relatively unpolished limestone. The 6a+ takes an overhang at the finish, a sharp crux which I did with rope above not wanting to land on the ledge two days before the London marathon! I also did a couple of the easy trad routes, and the two easy routes on the far right. Hot and sunny throughout - the first time I've been in a t-shirt since Cuba.