My Alexander Technique friend Gerry Foley has recently sent me an article he has written about stretching, its importance or otherwise pre-exercise. The gist of this is that while many people feel that this is important — and engage in some very dramatic stretching exercises — that there is no scientific basis for this.

I thought some of you would be interested in this. The article also links to a paper published in the Journal of Exercise Training which found that pre-exercise stretching had no effect in reducing the risk of injury. A later paper published in 2007 found that pre-exercise stretches had no impact on subsequent muscle soreness.

Over vigorous stretching can, though, lead to injury.

The right exercise for the right muscles, Gerry Foley.

The end of the year finds me pondering the nature of our ancient byways, the ancient trade routes, the drovers routes that have — for generations — helped move livestock from the high ground to the fattening pastures (and to market of course). Over the millennia these routes connected communities, provided them with an economic lifeline, bought news of war, of famine, of birth and of death. Today, many of these routes connect only walkers and riders. But even in this depleted mode the great trade routes are still functioning.

It was last week’s walk on the Portway that transformed me into reflective mode.

The Portway is an ancient trade route that crosses over the Long Mynd, making its way over high exposed ground so as to avoid woodland, streams and bog. This was a route that was critical to the local economy in Neolithic times. The route carried axes. Digs have discovered ancient axes many miles from their origins, perhaps not that strange as these played an important role, not in war, but in the clearance of the land and the promotion of agriculture. The Romans knew this route and in the middle ages it was a Kings Highway. According to Shropshire County Council the Portway is lined by burial mounds some of which may have actually been constructed as route markers. Now there’s a thought!

The Bronze Age saw an increase in the trade of rare and precious metals. The Portway was just one of a series of routes that are known in these parts as ‘ridgeways’. Of course, there are ridgeways elsewhere in the country and these performed much the same function. In the Iron Age the Portway, and its contemporaries, tended to provide important connections for fortifications and forts. These ridgeways are kinds of archaeological time capsules providing important information, and insights, into how our ancient forebears traded and connected with each other.

Over thousands of years their purpose changed again with many becoming drove roads as livestock led to a greater prosperity than the simple production of the axe. The Portway is one such route. A walk along its exposed flanks today will be made in the company of cattle and sheep and often free range pigs can be founded basking in the freedom and the open air.

Like most of you I’ve walked along many ancient trade routes and drove roads this year. In the Cotswolds the routes had much the same function, and much the same history. In the Cairngorms I followed age old routes through valleys or Lairigs that were the economic highways of their times. In North Wales most of the routes are now highways, but it is still possible to stride out on an old track as many have done before.

This year’s most dramatic trade routes were those of France and Spain, a border country that – everywhere – stands witness to age old disputes and skirmishes. Communities might live only a couple of kilometres from each other but the mountains formed dramatic barriers. Over there — on the other side — were men and women of different tongues, of different religions and beliefs, of different cuisines, dance, music and song.

But not all of these Pyrenean routes were dedicated to war. The Marcadau Valley, above Cauterets in the High Pyrenees, means market place. In ages past livestock farmers and traders from both sides of the borders would meet on these grassy banks for an annual fair of proportions — and importance — that we can hardly comprehend these days. Today the valley is mainly quiet, a pathway on the climb to more dramatic higher ground. I often rest here, resting warm feet in the ice cool waters of the river. This is a place of quiet contemplation and more often than not solitary thought. But drop down just a little, to the Pont Espagne and you can imagine the scene. First time visitors to the area are always shocked by the Pont car park, one of the biggest you’ll ever see on a mountain approach. Every so often the Pont plays host to the Tour de France, the car park being large enough to hold all of the paraphernalia of this most majestic – and mad — of sporting events. Next time you’re here just take a few minutes to contemplate ages past when the crowds were trading in more basic commodities.

There is something immensely satisfying in walking the routes of the ancestors.

Maybe you’ll be out this holiday walking the trade routes or the drove roads. Put an ear to the wind and catch an echo of the ancients.

I’ve been meaning to write, for a while now, about the recession and our outdoors world, indeed, I’ve even pitched an idea for an article to a well known magazine (no response though).

Roman in Germany has beaten me to it on his Lighthiker Blog. But he’s got me thinking.

What is very clear is that the recession is deeper and more serious that many envisaged only a few months ago. Despite all of the nonsense that was written about this being a different kind of recession it is now clear that this downturn will hit hardest the same kinds of people who are always at the sharp end. For us, the recession will have an impact on in several ways. It will effect our ability to purchase and it will also have an impact on the choice that is available to us.

It is probably no coincidence that the increase in UK interest in lightweight backpacking has developed at a time when the Pound was very strong against the dollar. This has made it very easy for us to source specialist kit from the US. After all, our market is probably too small to underpin the kind of small, independent gear sector that has sprung up in the States. I wouldn’t mind betting that some producers on the other side of the pond have been surprised in the number of customers they have found over here. Just think about how backpackinglight.com has employed Chris Townsend to great effect.

Much of this flow will now stop. the economic conditions are hitting the US as hard as they are hitting us. I don’t suppose many of the very small, cottage style business (producing Pepsi can stoves and so on) will disappear. I guess that some of those companies that have tried to grow and push towards a more mainstream audience will suffer the hardest. This is not an easy time to finance expansion.

I suspect that walking is one of those activities that will suffer less that others, after all our core activity is free or low cost. Nevertheless, we will see changes that may have an impact on our world.

Travel, for instance, is becoming more expensive. Can I really consider that jaunt in the US next year? Europe is also getting more expensive. I suspect that guidebook companies will do reasonably well but they may see a significant change in the titles they sell. Guides to walking at home will sell in greater numbers. To some extent this a trend that has begun to develop as people worry about their own carbon footprints. I think some companies may have seen this coming, some of them have certainly increased the quality and the diversity of the UK ranges over the last year or so.

I’m interested in how this is effecting you, my readers, individually. Have you changed your plans for 2009? Are you prolonging the life of existing gear?

There’s a fierce, but interesting, thread going on here see Bob Has Just Phoned,

I’m not getting involved in this, but the debate is about the Mountain Marathon that was abandoned a couple of weeks ago.

Much of the controversy here seems to be based on people’s lack of understanding of what a Mountain Marathon is and how this one works. Competitors are experience hill walkers and if they’re in anyway green the event will give them a lot more experience of walking and navigating through high, open, country.

But is this dangerous?

Bob Cartwight makes an important point. Whether on a Marathon or not, he will never take undue risks on the hill. If he feels too challenged he will get off quickly.

Getting off the hill quickly is always important. It’s always a good idea to have a view about how and where you might descend quickly.

I’ve had to do this a number of times over the years, most recently in the Cairngorms when a sudden deterioration in weather — wind, sleet and driving rain — forced me to come down quickly. On that occasion, as on others, I walked out along a kind of spur until I found a small stream descending sharply down hill. A followed the stream, sliding down the heather on my bum. The stream offered quite effective bits of shelter from the wind.

Of course, when I got to the bottom the sun was beginning to shine and it looked as if the weather on the top was clear again. C’est la vie!

The hill will be there next time and given its easy location from Glenmore I’ll no doubt be up it again soon. Bailing out might not have been strictly necessary that day, but I wasn’t really enjoying the walk. I did enjoy the slide down immensely. One loss is another gain.

Always have a view to the quick way off the hill. It’s always part of the game!