What a difference a day makes..

Tom on Black Wednesday at Ty Newydd

Since arriving back from Majorca feeling all keen and as though I might have some functioning climbing ability it has pretty much been raining constantly. One morning out bouldering on the grit and an evening down the Torrs has been the sum total of my outside climbing in the last 3 weeks.
A failed attempt to visit Raventor at the weekend preceded another visit to Awesome Walls in Stockport!

Me on Girls will Perform at Ty Newydd

However yesterday the forecast looked good, Tom was psyched and I even persuaded Ruth to come out of her climbing hibernation to get on some rock. We headed off early(ish) doors to visit some crags I'd never been too in North Wales, limestone sport crags which are in the latest A55 guide book (nice little guide it is too). We headed to the crags near Dyserth as Tom had to be back by 5pm and they are only about an hours drive from Stockport.
First stop was Ty Newydd, a lovely little spot tucked away in a valley which is used to breed phesant, the crag is gently overhanging and has a number of nice routes between 5 and 8a+. The crag was almost bone dry, with a tiny patch of seepage over on the left end which luckily didn't affect the short 7a+ Black Wednesday, fingery at the bottom and quite powerful at the top, it was very kind of Tom to put the clips in for me!

Tom nearly at the top of Black Wednesday

We then decided to head over to Dyserth Waterfall crag, what an idyllic spot - well it was until the person who lives just opposite the crag decided it was the perfect time to chainsaw down a tree - we feared for the blokes limbs as he wielded said chainsaw with abandon and zero apparent concern for his own safety on a steep brambly banking!
The route to try there was Strawberries Man - it's a Chris Doyle route and I can safely say it's pretty flipping tricky and even having now watched him climb it on youTube I'm not at all sure that I can. The 8a, Madness Reigns looks brilliant and with a cafe at the carpark selling proper ice cream I can see a return visit coming on! Thanks Tom for wearing a bright t-shirt Ruth was complaining about my khaki green number!


Just to finish off the day Ruth and I headed out to the Ashton Cycle circuit for the second race of this year's league, our first. As expected it hurt, although not as much as last time, as they're now running a later, shorter race for 4th category and women - perfect! Or at least for the first few. I did find it a bit alarming with quite a lot of inexperienced  racers being a bit wobbly here and there but at least it was a bit slower! Back next week to try and do better, and hopefully with fewer racers - there were 55 this week which on such a narrow circuit is pretty congested, especially once people start getting lapped and not getting out of the way etc. Still the main aim was not to crash or come last - which we both managed! Result!

Tom on Rhubarb Wall at Dyserth Waterfall Crag

Normal weather service has been resumed to day so it'll be back on the plastic tomorrow I expect.........