Fresh Air (6a) - Llanberis Slate Climbing

The evenings are getting lighter for longer! We did our first evening route of the year today in the Slate Quarries above Llanberis. But first I had to finish running 'Round Two' of my bouldering competiton.

After a mostly dull and grey start, the colours as we walked into the quarry were fantastic. It's been wet for most of the day, but a final blast of sunshine was drying things out, so we decided to snatch the opportunity and try out our new ropes. I was also glad to get some fresh air in my lungs after the chalk and dust of the climbing wall.

 

It was bright, but the sun was low - we didn't have long!

 

The rock was glowing pink as we got the ropes coiled out at the base of the 'Fresh Air' slab in Never Never Land.

 

We concluded that this must be our first climb on the Slate this year? The rock is so different to anything else we'd climbed recently, that even though we've climbed the route loads in the past, it all felt new. There is a new lower-off at the top of the route, which you can now reach from lower down, so it's probably a bit easier now - previously you had you make a tricky move before reaching safety!

 

We both climbed the route as the light faded and just managed to get packed away and walk out without needing head torches. Got home buzzing. Temperature still double figures too. It's an amazing place to live here, when the weather plays ball!