Orme climbing

Crag: Pen Trwyn, Llandudno
Routes: Reading Henry by the Road (f6a+:led), Years of Abuse (f6b+*:sec), Frontiers of Reality (f6a+:led), Absolute Beginners (E2 5c:sec)
Crag: Castle Inn Quarry
Routes: Comeback Kid (f4:sec), Mynydd Marian variant (VS 4c:sec), Indian Summer (f6a+:led), Mynydd Marian (VS 4c:sec), School Mam (f6a:led), Cakewalk Direct (f6b+:sec)
With a little more strength at my disposal than usual, we headed to the Orme for a quick session at the 'End of the Road' as the Bank Holiday crowds began to build. As always, Pen Trwyn packs a punch on even the easiest of routes, which are invariably harder than they look. The 6a+ at the right hand side had a patch of seepage, which didn't help, and my foot slipped off for the obvious crux move over a bulge. A good sidepull is a bit too low, so a hard move to an obvious flat hold is needed. I weighted the bolt, then did it again further right. Good rock, as is the 6b+ to its left, which I found desperate - a series of lunges to tiny calcite pinch holds until, eventually a horizontal hold is gained at the break. Further left is the Small Bore area, another short section of good rock right next to the road. Frontiers of Reality is not quite the route its rather pretentious name suggests - a smooth pocketed groove leads to a hard crux moving left past the second bolt on tenuous smears and bridging moves. Then, a steeper finish on good rock with good holds. To its left, an old trad route with an awkward bulging start to easier climbing up a curving crack. I then failed right at the top of another 6b, before calling a halt to the steepness and retreating to Castle Inn so Steve could do something. Glorious evening sunshine now, at last spring was arriving in time for the Bank Holiday. Warm rock as we romped up a few old favourites, as well as the crackline of Mynydd Marian, which I had no memory of doing before. Both School Mam and Cakewalk Direct were glorious in the sunshine - I've done both numerous times before but they now feel massively overgraded, possibly because extra bolts have been added. I would say School Mam is no more than f5.