Wilderness Therapy
Lessons from the Fells of Lapland
by Anna Koikkalainen
Yksinvaeltaja, Gummerus, 2025, 224pp
Trekking advice for those seeking their own path
What is it like to spend a week in the fells of Lapland accompanied only by your own thoughts?
Wilderness Therapy is full of stories, experiences, atmosphere, and practical tips for anyone dreaming of, planning or already enjoying hiking.
It takes the reader to slopes, marshes and streams of Lapland, to hear the call of the golden plover and enjoy the silence of the vast fells. It offers both knowledge and stories about how to manage in the wilderness as a solo hiker, with advice on risk management, route planning, and surviving in demanding conditions.
This inspiring and insightful book is packed not only with useful tips but also with reflections shaped by the trail – on solitude, freedom, and being present, and on the hiker’s relationship with nature, others, and themselves.
RIGHTS SOLD: Finland Gummerus (orig.)
Materials available: Finnish edition, English sample & synopsis
Praise for WILDERNESS THERAPY:
“Never go alone into the fells, instruct the hiker’s rules in Urho Kekkonen National Park. Yet the debut non-fiction author Anna Koikkalainen has done just that, several times. Wilderness Therapy recounts her adventures in Lapland, and offers practical advice for planning and undertaking hikes, especially solo treks. But this is not your typical wilderness guidebook. Koikkalainen focuses on the experience of solitude and observing the nature […] This beautifully meditative non-fiction book holds the reader’s attention, even for those less outdoorsy.”
— Silvia Hosseini, Image magazine
“Koikkalainen describes compellingly the deep sense of calm that the wilderness can bring. As a solo hiker, she faces every challenge on her own – from crossing streams to braving high winds – and shares practical, experience-based tips along the way. Moments of rest and reflection are just as essential as the miles covered.”
— Aarrelehti magazine
“Wilderness Therapy describes what it's like to spend a week alone in the fells of Lapland, accompanied only by your own thoughts. The book explores the profound connection and a sense of unity between humans and nature […] Even those who aren't personally interested in solo trekking, will find the book’s grounded perspective approachable. Wilderness Therapy demystifies the solitude of the trail and shows how being alone in the wild can make you feel more connected than ever.”
— Sari Haarala, Lapinkävijä magazine
“The author has a fascinating hobby: she hikes alone in the fells of Lapland. Every summer, she sets aside at least a week to spend in Lapland, accompanied only by her thoughts and the surrounding nature. Wilderness Therapy compiles her experiences and reflections for readers to enjoy. What makes solo hiking so compelling? How should one prepare for risks? And what happens when you encounter another hiker on the trail?”
— Mervi Alatalo, Kotiliesi magazine
Anna Koikkalainen grew up in Kainuu and now lives in Helsinki, where she works as a civil servant. She has spent over fifteen years hiking in the wilderness and national parks of Finnish Lapland, mostly solo for the past eight years. Koikkalainen enjoys hiking with a slow pace, values rest days and isn’t focused on reaching the highest of peaks. Her interests also include traveling by land, studying, history and reading.
Author photo © Liisa Valonen
