Leaving aside the question of whether massive double tickmarks on every finger lock are necessary, or even useful, on this route (maybe someone is hard of sight)...
Can you at least brush them off afterwards, as a consideration to the next person who wants to climb the route? The same applies to all routes, but London Wall is a particularly iconic testpiece to a lot of people, and it isn't quickly washed by the rain. Not everyone wants the gloss of someones else's beta plastered all over the rock.
It also looks a mess, and while you may not agree it looks a mess, plenty of other people will. A few minutes brushing isn't much to ask as a gesture of respect to others.
For one moment I wondered if their had been an outbreak of Lyme Disease at The Castle
But you are right. If someone has gone to all the trouble of abbing down with chalk in hand they could at least do the same to clean up.
For goodness sake. What's the place coming to?! If you have to put tick marks up a finger crack to help you climb it, perhaps you're not ready for that particular route just yet.
In one old guidebook it said that this route was 'considered so hard chalk was preplaced by abseil'. May be someone hasn't put the clocks forward and is still in 1976?
Apart from putting tick marks all over it and leaving them looking ugly, I wish people would stop repeatedly top roping it to learn the moves. By the time I am good enough to lead it the bloody thing will be worn out!
(Same goes for Down Hill Racer, much more top roping and it will have to change its name to The Mirror!)
Wtf! I generally don't rail against wall-bred climbers (especially as I am one) but this is insane. I can just about understand marking a crucial hidden hold, but this is climb-by-numbers in the most unimaginative way.
This is not helpful at all. Each tick needs more info e.g. LH for left hand, RF for right foot. Maybe LHf for Left hand finger lock, LHc for left hand crimp etc. And what about gear? R8 for rock 8, F2 for friend 2. That kind of thing. It's not rocket science, is it?
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