The lower quarry has a few very worthwhile routes and has received a complete makeover in the final quarter of 2009 (M. Doyle / M. Burrows ), with the replacement of rusty bolts, removal of turf and loose rock and the installation of lower-offs for the routes on the back wall . Stakes to belay with for the routes on the wings.

There are a few big routes in the upper quarry based on the large slab but some of them require a makeover and the replacement of rusty bolts and pegs.
Does anyone have any info on the first ascentionists or the route names? mjdoyle1@yahoo.com Thanks.


Approach
Come off the A55 at junction 17. Drive over the expressway and railway bridges and immediately turn right. Drive to a layby at the end of this road (a dead-end and the old A55). Cross over the stile into a quarry and turn right up a path. Continue on the path and make for the old winding house on the ridge. The lower quarry is on this level after a few more yards. For the upper quarry stay on the incline.

The Lower Quarry

L - R

1. 5+ The Left Slabby Wall. Stakes to belay / lower off. SS bolts.
2. 6c A poor route. Rusty bolts
3. 6b* New bolts and lower-offs installed.
4. 6a+** New bolts and lower-offs installed.
5. 7a ** The Open Book Groove. A couple of rusty bolts replaced and new lower-offs installed
6. 6a* New bolts and lower-offs installed.

The next 2 routes share a start and the same (new) bolts on the fine but small right hand slab. Stakes to lower-off.
7. 6a* The left hand line.
8. 6a+** The central line.




The Upper Quarry
The main slab L - R. :

1. The Birdman of Minffordd
SS bolts. Belay on trees.
F.A.: D. Lyon, C. Stevenson

2. The Gruffalo
SS bolts. One bolt to lower-off
F.A.: D. Lyon, C. Stevenson

3. Slab Tony Chamonix F7c+
The right hand route on the main slab. Rusty bolts.
F.A.: Neil Dyer. 2nd & 3rd Ascents: P.Robins, Will Perrin.

4. The Shouting Stage E5 6a ** 40ish m
Start to the right of STC and follow the line of weakness between the slab and the broken ground on the right past an old knife blade. Move up and left past old twin bolts, crux, to reach base of shallow bottomless corner, knife blade. Follow corner to top bulge which is taken slightly left past a peg to finish.
F.A.: Fraser Ball 1990ish
Wrongly named 'The Shooting Stage' in the guide. A very good route but very probably in need of a good clean up and regearing. The latter being done on a like for like basis with regard to the position of the fixed gear on the route but replacing the pegs with bolts thus keeping some of the original character of the route. These are the wishes expressed by Fraser. (J.R)

Old quarry above Llanfairfechan
The following route is to be found on the large wall under the old winding shed seen from the A55.

Room to roam E5 6a *
Start at the left of the wall and climb up and right to a cleaned groove. Climb this to a horizontal traverse at about half height. Follow rtis leftwards until hard moves up and slightly right gain the foot of the slanting groove is reached. Follow this boldly but with not to much difficulty to top out. Numerous pegs protect but the could be in a bad way. Same comments aply as for the shouting stage as regards replacement.
F.A Fraser Ball 1990ish