Tremadog

Crag: Craig Bwlch y Moch

Routes: Tro (HS 4a:sec), Llafur (E1 5b:sec), Boo Boo (VD:led p.1,2), Rienetta Variation (VS 4a:led), Merlin Direct (HVS 5a:sec)

Back to old haunts, the first visit to Tremadog for a while. Again, the weather dictated a change of plan this morning and we took a familiar detour in search of dryness. It worked a treat, and the day was far better than I expected after waking up to constant rain (it has been a terrible, wet May so far after a wonderfully dry April). I am still very rusty indeed, so we kicked off at the right-hand end of Tremadog with Tro, which I have done at least twice before - a nice climb which Vic led, completely dry, which has a few crucial pocketed holds allowing steep terrain towards the top to be negotiated comfortably. We then upped the grade dramatically, taking advantage of rope above to do Llafur, a technical E1. This was not wise in terms of using my (currently very limited) arm strength, but was a fine pitch that would have been a shame to miss, and I've never done it before. Crisp moves up a corner lead to a lunge for a jug, then lovely slabby climbing on small positive holds to an overhanging groove. This is strenuous but has decent holds and leads out rightwards to good rough rock and a gently sustained finish. Far too steep for me at present, but I did manage it clean. I then dropped the grade dramatically for Boo Boo, the easiest route on the crag. Even I have never stooped this low before at Tremadog, but it has now come to this. A steep groove leads to a climb through a tree (literally) before sloping shelves lead left. The sun came out for the delightful top slab, which is a little vegetated but very simple and gently angled. After lunch, much better was to come, however, as I led the Rienetta variant first pitch up to the Merlin crack in more glorious sunshine. Again, this is easy (and I've done it before) but it was still refreshing and wonderful to be back climbing properly. It's a decent length too, 30m or more, with a couple of tricky moves up the initial rib, then slabby shelves up to the giant flake belay. Then came Vic's lead of Merlin Direct. I've done Merlin at least twice, and both routes share the initial steep layback crack. But whereas the normal route slinks off to the right, the Direct moves up, then left on to the beautiful headwall. This gives spectacular climbing on perfect little holds and is quite glorious. When it came to my turn, I romped up the crack, then strenuous moves up the top section to gain some technical little shuffles left onto the headwall. This is spectacularly positioned and reasonable until just below the top. The last two moves were hard for me with failing strength - indeed I had to change position awkwardly for one move as my left forearm was pumped. Not too surprising in the circumstances. Time flies in these circumstances, but I was horrified to discover it was not far off 5pm at the car: I had to be in Llangollen for 7pm, and I had to do this via a complicated route in what became another torrential downpour!