Having more or less maxed out our 90 days in Shengen, our return on Easter Sunday coincided with the first flush of spring (almost summer!) Perfect timing to join the Rucksack Club for the first Wednesday evening meet of the year at Hobby (aka Hobson Moor Quarry), where else, rescheduled from the previous week’s washout.

Absolutely glorious weather and great to catch up with the crew.

I know it’s a controversial opinion, but Hobby really is a very fine crag (especially if it is 10mins from your front door).

More sunshine the following week, though not quite as toasty as it looks, and the call of Stanage was too strong to resist. Rather than revisit well-travelled ground, Stan steered the team rightwards from High Neb and I discovered the delights of Titanic Buttress. I kicked off with a Titanic/QE2 mash up (felt HVS), and Stan followed up with Gypsy Moth, E1 5b, which takes a wild swing leftwards under the roof.

We were joined by Andy, Harry and Nick who all swarmed up Titanic too.

Stan led Blockhouse Direct, E1 5b (and packs a punch for a short route!) I thought Genesis, HVS 5a, was pretty decent (probably because it climbed more like quarried grit – ie with actual holds). Here’s Harry setting off, following my recommendation.

… and here’s Andy on Anniversary Arete, E1 5b.

By the time the weekend rolled around, the fine weather that had bathed the whole country had retreated into a corner – happily, that corner was over Anglesey (when isn’t it?!) so Jake and I set off through the inevitable A55 showers to emerge in the land of seaside and sun.

Tides weren’t particularly helpful and overnight rain would take a fair bit of drying out, so we settled on Rhoscolyn as a more reliable bet. We weren’t disappointed…

Jake hadn’t done Mask of the Red Death (although was familiar with the start from Warpath), and made short work of running the two pitches together into a very fine and sustained E3 5c.

That allowed time for the sun to creep around onto Fallen Block Zawn, and for the tide to receed…

A damp start soon led to dry and toasty rock above (which I gazed upon enviously as I shivered in the shade of the eponymous block).

It’s not at all obvious whereabouts you’re supposed to head right into the corner, which is fairly amenable until its top, when a l-ooo-ng reach rightwards is needed to reach the roof.

Having ticked an E3 on each of the main Rhoscolyn sectors we decided to explore a little further up the coast. I can’t believe I’d never taken a look at Porth Saint. Okay, it’s a completely different kettle of fish to your typical Rhoscolyn, let alone Gogarth, experience, but it’s a cracking little venue in its own right and would be a great option for a less committing day to suit the weather or the mood. Routes are never more than 20m tall, and can be accessed via a scramble rather than an ab, but the rock quality makes up for the lack of stature and you still get the seacliff experience.

Here’s another team finishing The Watchtower, HVS, which looked good.

We headed further left for the very unlikely looking Nige’s Arete, E1 5a. This starts boldly, with minimal gear to near the top of the arete, at which point decent cams alleviate the mounting tension allowing the glorious jugfest through the wildly overhanging top-out.

An improving forecast opened up the possibility of an early spring hit in The Pass. For once it was actually possible to find a parking spot in the lay-by beneath the Grochan. The welcome sunshine unfortunately also served to highlight the general drippiness, but we wandered up for a shufty anyway.

Closer inspection confirmed that most of the lines had the odd damp patch, or worse. Here’s Jake trying to piece together the makings of a dry route, or failing that, to evaporate the wet by sheer force of willpower.

… Or alternatively, just do something a bit easier as a soggy warmup – here’s Jake on Kerwandel Wall (I’d forgotten what a tough move it is to head right at the top – worth E1?)

That had the bonus of allowing a sneaky peek at Mural, E4 6a, on the abseil, which Jake duly declared to be “climbable”. Which of course it was, despite the continuing dampness and chill. Chuffed to sketch my way up it. Jake’s logbook entry:

Some good climbing but the line felt a bit uncertain. Tried to stay close to the crack but felt like it would have been easier further left. Lower wall a bit pokey!

Left again, Quasar, E3 6a, seems to get a disproportionate number of ascents on UKC for such a tricky route, although on closer inspection it would be more accurate to say “number of attempts”. The opening groove was hard, cold and wet, and the crux crack was absolutely gopping, though of course Jake had the beans and guile to use the dry non-holds around it.

Tough! Crux crack was wet, thankfully the holds on the right were dry so was just about doable.

I was absolutely nowhere near!

Not a bad haul for a mid-April N Wales hit.

Back in the Peak and the weather has perked up again in time for another evening of Wednesday Rucksack Club fun, and I was astounded to arrive to find Castle Naze bursting at the seams.

There were almost 20 Rucksackers, much to the surprise of the team of three locals who’d come out in search of a quiet evening.

Climbed until sundown (me on Scoop Aréte)

… and off for post-climb refreshments at the Bee Hive.

There really are worse places to be than Britain in Spring!