Orme/Penmaenbach climbing

Crag: St Tudno's, Great Orme
Routes: Pile Driver (f6a:led), Thankyou Johnny (f6a+:sec)
Crag: Penmaenbach, Conwy
Routes: A55 Hole Arete (f5:sec), Jack the Jeffer (f6a:led), Linking Crack (f6a:led), Grandad's Groove (f6a+:sec), Work-Life Balance (f6b+:sec*), Shezurrection 2 (f6a+:led)
More difficult decisions on this short trip. The best forecast of the week - but cloud was draped over central Snowdonia first thing, and a cold north-westerly wind was blowing. The two most feasible options were chalk and cheese: sports climbing around Llandudno, or a mountaineering route on the east face of Tryfan. We went for the former, dropping Kate off and heading round Marine Drive for the very short walk down to St Tudno's. I've never climbed at this crag before, although I've been near it, and some of the routes have recently been retro-bolted. It is just minutes from the car, and indeed the centre of Llandudno, but as with all the crags below Marine Drive, feels miles from anywhere with wonderful views of the sea. Conditions were poor - it was dry, but cold, sunless and very windy as I set off up Pile Driver. This takes a steep juggy groove to a tricky crux traversing left on small holds. This leads to better holds and an easier finish on flat holds up a vague groove further left. My fingers were numb with cold, which doesn't help at the Orme, where I have always found everything just a bit too hard! The 6a+ to the right seemed a tad easier - certainly more positive, up juggy flakes to a technical section at the top. Both quite good climbs, but that was enough - we needed sunshine and shelter, so scampered back to the cars and round to Sychnant. As ever, a lovely walk down to Penmaenbach in glorious clarity of light - but the wind stayed, nagging and persistently cold. We just couldn't escape it, so Steve did the easy arete and I did the more sheltered side slab of Jack the Jeffer at 6a. I did this last year - it has one or two delicate moves but is worthwhile. We then moved down to the middle tier, visited with Peter in April. This time, we made much more of an impact on it. Most of the routes look dire from immediately below, but better and more defined from a distance - and are OK, if not exactly classic, when actually climbing them. Linking Crack is scrappy at first, but a bulge leads to a clean upper wall and enjoyable sharp, slanting crack. This is fairly positive and simple, with hidden footholds, and leads to a steep final wall. A fairly long 22m pitch, as was Grandad's Groove, which has a few tough moves at the start up a steep wall and vague groove with good flakey holds leading to a slabbier section before a similar finish to Linking Crack. The slabby (relatively) wall further right is cleaner and better - and gives good climbing. Steve led the 6b+ without knowing the grade! It has a blank section at mid-height, which I found desperate in my dreadful new shoes - like clogs and not at all what was required. Neither of us did this cleanly. Shezurrection - a 6a+ to its left - was the best route I've done on this section. It takes a nice line up a very vague shallow groove. Generally positive holds and fairly sustained, although never excessively hard. It takes a bit of thought to get the right sequence, and stays interesting right to the top.