Ogwen climbing

Crag: Bochlwyd Buttress/West Face Tryfan
Routes: Two Pitch Route (S 4a:led), Cannon Ridge (S 4a:led p.2,3,4), Jamie's Route p.1 (S 4a:led), Buzzard's Buttress p.1+2 (M:des)
A pleasant day of gentle mountaineering around the lower reaches of Ogwen, which was just as well with an ongoing pulley rupture sustained at Maeshafn. The weather has been absolutely stunning: a sustained period of high pressure with magnificent clarity of light and no end to the dry spell in sight. Steve is still new to Snowdonian climbing, so I took him up to Bochlwyd for a warm-up, leading the delightful two-pitch route. I'm almost certain I've done this before: it is a lovely relaxing climb, a nice long pitch up a series of small grooves with excellent protection throughout. We then ploughed through the awful heather towards the west face of Tryfan. I am gradually ticking off the routes here, and this time we added Cannon Ridge - a pleasant outing with a mountaineering flavour. Steve led a long scrambly pitch up a pinnacled ridge, then I led up a chimney to gain a ramp line and small belay. Then a devious pitch with a mantel and little traverse to a flake before one tricky move up a slabby crack gains easier climbing. To finish, Steve led his first proper trad pitch up the tight chimney. Good climb, albeit contrived and escapeable - although most Tryfan climbing is. An awkward descent down an untracked gully, a quick lunch, and it was time for the first pitch of Jamie's Route, which takes a very attractive and eye-catching slab, probably the best feature on this side of Tryfan. The route takes a rather awkward off-width crack to a chockstone, then climbs a pleasant groove and slabs with sharp little flake holds. I continued up the route for a bit, much easier above, before we descended further right - down the fine scramble of Buzzard's Buttress.