Every summer solo-hikers roam the wilderness in northern Scandinavia; across mountains and rivers; they are in awe of the nature. This thesis explores the question: What do they seek out there? It uncovers their aspirations and experiences with a phenomenological research approach. Sixteen solo-hikers were interviewed in-situ (northern Scandinavia, June to August 2014) to gain immediate insights into the phenomenon. The analysis derived four major experiential themes from their narratives: the solo, the nature, the physical and the inner experience. Accordingly, the solo-hikers seek an individual mixture of experiences often linked to their personal life-paths. The study suggests that the solo-hike is both a journey of distance and closeness. The individuals seek (a perceived, not spatial) distance to common life-spaces and make sense of wilderness as a place that is away. However, they speak about the solo-hike as an experience of closeness to their inner selves. The thesis links to key concepts in human geography (such as place, identity) and central discussions in tourism studies (e.g. solo-travel, travel motivations). Ultimately, it also offers a thorough theoretical discussion of adopting phenomenology in human geography.

The main aim of the present dissertation has been the proposition and the following verification of tourist routes of the Kožlany region, so that they would comply with the pedagogic/recreational needs of first grade pupils. The routes are also eligible for pupils of higher grades, without losing value or meaning. I have chosen the Kožlany region for the vast majority of the tourist routes because of its unusual and picturesque scenery with slight terrain elevation and unpredictable landscape changes, thus being a surprisingly refreshing and interesting region to travel through. Besides differentiated terrain Kožlany is a region with a large wood covered area of remarkable beauty and historical monuments which are rarely mentioned yet deliver an unforgettable experience of history and greatness. Among the most important edifices are the monasteries of Plasy and Marianská Tynice. Although other monuments have lesser historical importance than the mentioned monasteries, they do not fail to captivate with their uniqueness and splendor. Examples of such monuments and historical sites are the ruined fortresses of Krašov and Krakovec, the hunting chateau Angerbach, the Jewish cemetery in Kožlany and others. The town of Kožlany is a small, but on the other hand a very interesting place. Two important historical figures are linked with the town, concretely the Czech king Vaclav I. and the second President of the Czechoslovak Republic, Dr. Edward Beneš. Both personalities are mentioned in the dissertation in concordance with their relevance to the tourist routes. The routes have been conceived for hiking, some of them also for cycling tourism, taking in account the amazing nature around Kožlany. The dissertation further includes a theoretical part which concentrates on the content, forms and especially on the importance of tourism in education. It also deals with the representation of tourism related activities in the instructional basis for the first grade development programs for primary, general and national schools. Each of the designed routes is thoroughly characterized according to its length, difficulty, duration, initial point, target point and the attractiveness of spots which should not be missed on the way. A detailed description of each journey's course with maps and additional photographic materials is to be found in the dissertation. Legends or fairy-tales are included in the case of some routes to make them more pleasant and meaningful for the travelling children, eventually adults. Every route has a specific name to keep a clear overview of all the routes as well as to motivate the possible travellers. The dissertation provides a wide range of materials and facts that will help the teacher orientate in the concrete journey and pass new knowledge to his pupils. A variety of games that could be relevantly played in the course of the journey are offered as well.\\