Eco-friendly campsite in the Mecklenburger Lake district, Germany

Details

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  Description

  We run a small, family-friendly campsite right on Lake Ellbogensee in northern Germany. If you come in the morning, the lake is often quiet, sometimes misty, and the day starts slowly — with coffee, birds, and the first kids already on their bikes. In summer, the place fills with families, laughter, wet towels on fences, and that familiar campsite rhythm where everything feels a little freer.
  
  Our café serves good espresso and homemade cake, there’s a small organic shop for everyday essentials, and our **new sanitary buildings are now finished** — built with wood, hemp, and clay, and very much part of our idea of doing things thoughtfully and sustainably.
  
  We’re looking for Workawayers not only for the summer season, but also **in spring**, when the campsite slowly wakes up again. Spring work is hands-on and grounding: raking leaves, painting, cleaning, fixing small things, preparing the place so that summer can arrive. In summer, the work shifts more toward people — café & shop, cleaning, and reception (German needed for reception).
  
  What really defines this place is how we work together. We close the café, shop, and reception for lunch so everyone can eat. In the evenings, we often cook together. Conversations happen at the table, not in meetings. It’s not perfect and it’s not a resort — but it’s real, shared, and full of small moments that stay with you.
  
  If you’re looking for a place to be useful, to work with your hands, to be outside, and to be part of a community for a while — we’d love to meet you.

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  Types of help and learning opportunities

  Gardening

  DIY and building projects

  General Maintenance
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  Cultural exchange and learning opportunities

  Cultural exchange here happens naturally, through daily life and working together. Our team comes from different countries and backgrounds, and languages mix easily — at work, over coffee, and around the dinner table. If you’re learning German, you’ll get plenty of real-life practice.
  
  You’ll learn by doing: how a campsite runs through spring and summer, how hospitality works with families, and how sustainability is part of everyday decisions. Evenings and shared meals are where stories, recipes, and experiences are exchanged — simple, unplanned, and meaningful.
  
  What we offer isn’t a program, but a shared way of living and working.

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  Host offers payment in line with the minimum wage

  This host offers accommodation and payment.

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  Help

  In spring, the focus is on getting the campsite ready for the summer season. This includes raking leaves, cleaning outdoor areas, painting, and doing small maintenance jobs around the grounds. For the leaf-raking and grounds work, you need good physical stamina and the ability to work independently.
  
  During the summer season, the work shifts more towards guest-related tasks. This can include helping in the café and organic shop, cleaning sanitary facilities and shared spaces, and assisting at reception. For reception work, spoken and written German is required, as well as basic computer skills.
  
  We pay minimum wage (currently €13,90 per hour).
  
  Please note: If you are not an EU citizen, you can only work with us if you have a valid work permit.

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  Languages spoken

  German: Fluent
  English: Fluent
  Dutch: Fluent

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  Accommodation

  Depending on when you are coming and how long you stay, we provide housing in one of our huts (outside the summer holidays if available), in one of our caravans or in your own tent or campervan if you come for a short time in the summertime.

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  What else ...

  We are located about 8 km from the nearest train station in Fürstenberg/Havel. From there, trains run once an hour to Berlin, reaching Berlin Central Station in about one hour, and once an hour to Rostock in the opposite direction. This makes it easy to visit the city while still living deep in nature.
  
  Having a bike is very helpful while staying with us. Fürstenberg, where the nearest supermarkets and shops are located, is also about 8 km away. We do have a few older bikes on site that can be used, though they may need a bit of care and adjustment to get them running smoothly. In addition, we have a staff car that can be used for shared grocery shopping trips.
  
  The campsite is surrounded by lakes, forests, and protected landscapes. We are very close to Lake Stechlin, one of the clearest lakes in northern Germany, famous for its excellent water quality and deep blue color — perfect for swimming. The path to the lake leads through the Stechlin-Ruppiner Land Nature Reserve, a quiet and beautiful area with old forests, rare plants, and abundant wildlife. The region is ideal for swimming, cycling, hiking, and simply being outdoors in a calm, natural environment.

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  A little more information

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    Internet access

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    Limited internet access

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    We have pets

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    We are smokers

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    Can host families

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  Can host digital nomads

  We have wifi access in our cafe and in our reception.

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  Space for parking camper vans

  We have space to bring your own campervan.

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  Can possibly accept pets

  We can accept workawayers with pets. For workawayers with dogs it is only possible outside the summer period of Juli and August.

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  How many Workawayers can stay?

  More than two

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  My animals / pets

  Jelle (4 years)

  Stabyhoun

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