I Don't Do Mountains! Barbara Henderson

A guest blog today from author, Barbara Henderson, about her new book, 'I Don't Do Mountains', published by Scottish Mountaineering Press

The book's blurb:

A heart-stopping adventure story set in the Cairngorms. Age range: 8–12 years.

Adventures are good things for people in books. But I am not a person in a book. I am Kenzie. I like to READ about adventures, not actually have them.A hillwalking expedition? With a group of strangers AND Sorley Mackay, the most annoying boy in the universe?

Bookworm Kenzie can’t believe her bad luck when her teacher announces plans for a three-day hillwalking expedition into the Cairngorms. She tries everything to get out of the trip, but soon the group heads to the hills with mountain leader Bairdy and set up camp for the night.

Bairdy’s stories of ancient magic fill Kenzie’s mind, but in the cold light of morning, they discover that the mountain leader has vanished, his tent left untouched. They are alone.

GUEST BLOG POST:

What if Things Go WRONG?

HELP! EMERGENCY!

Let’s be clear – only a very small proportion of those heading to the hills get into

serious difficulty. However, with the best will in the world, things can sometimes go

wrong. Here are some good principles for keeping yourself and others safe whilst

enjoying the outdoors:

Before you set out, it is always a good idea to let a responsible person know the

details of where you are going, what you are doing and when you plan to be

back before you leave. Checking a mountain-specific weather forecast is also

crucial, and in winter you must be sure to research snow conditions and avalanche

risks for your chosen area.

If you or someone in your group has an accident, the first rule is to stay calm,

consider your situation and work out what to do next.

Get yourself and others out of immediate danger and use your first aid kit to help

anyone injured. You will then need to decide: Can you get down from the hills safely

yourself? Do you need shelter? Do you need to stay put, or call for help?

If you call for help in the mountains, call 999 or 112, ask for the Police and then

ask for Mountain Rescue. They will want to know where you are (as exact as

possible), how many people are with you and the nature of their injuries.

Scottish Mountain Rescue is a great charity and will respond at any hour, on any day

and in any weather. Their highly trained volunteers carry out a specialist search and

rescue service (often with the help of helicopters with all sorts of cool technology) in

the mountains and remote communities in Scotland. Their aim is to help people if

and when they get into difficulty. In short, they save lives. Why not consider a

fundraiser for their crucial work?

You can find out more about them at https://www.scottishmountainrescue.org/about-us/

Oh, and one last thing: Consider registering your mobile phone with the 999 text

service in case the signal in your location is too weak to support a call - it still may be

enough for a text message.

To do this, go to https://www.mountaineering.scot/safety-and-skills/essential-skills/mountain-rescue/calling-for-help

First Aid: If you head into the hills, you should always carry a first aid kit in case of

injury. This should contain at least the following items:

● Plasters, dressings and bandages

● Tape, scissors and safety pins

● Antiseptic wipes 

● Tweezers and tick-twisters

● Pain relief, e.g. paracetamol or ibuprofen 

● Hand sanitiser 

● Instant ice pack for treating sprains etc.

● Wound closure strips 

● Foil survival blanket

● First aid information booklet 

The St John’s Ambulance have great resources and videos on first aid. Find out

more at https://www.sja.org.uk/get-advice/. You can also download their free first aid

app. It is so much better to be prepared than be caught out in a crisis.

About the author:

Barbara Henderson is the award-winning author of eleven books, including the Young Quills Award-winning novels The Chessmen Thief and The Siege of Caerlaverock, as well as Rivet Boy, winner of the Books for Topics Curriculum Support Award. Her historical and eco-fiction for children is widely studied in schools. Barbara is based in the Scottish Highlands where she still teaches Drama – but she loves to travel and spread the story-love in classrooms across the country. When she gets the chance, she likes to head outside, often to the nearby hills.

Find out more at https://www.barbarahenderson.co.uk/

My thanks to Barbara for the guest piece and to Antonia for the copy of the book.

Order your own copy here:

https://scottishmountaineeringpress.com/product/i-dont-do-mountains/

Post by Rich Simpson (@Richreadalot) March 2025