Lend me your DIY skills and enjoy my quinta in Póvoa de Midões, Portugal

  • Favourited 60 times
  • Last activity: 14 Jan 2024

Availability

  2024 

 Min stay requested: No minimum

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Details

  • Description

    Description

    I'm Dylan. Hi! I live in probably one of the most beautiful places I've seen. This is a fact. Until recently I’ve been using my Quinta here in Portugal as a base to enjoy life when I'm not away filming music gigs which is my 'day’ job and things have been developing slowly on the land but now I’m away less and looking to pick up the pace of building. My intention is to cultivate a safe and nourishing space to facilitate and host retreats. My current area of interest is with breathwork and I'm training with the organisation Alchemy Of Breath to become a qualified breathwork facilitator. Creating a space to host people takes time and energy which requires more hands than just myself to complete. I’ve been trying to build things on my own which isn't particularly efficient so I'm after some help! Pictures often speak louder than words so I'll post a few to give more of an accurate feel for the place. The quinta is located on Portugal's longest river, the Mondego, and has a private river beach.

    I'm just sharing the space I live in and along with my own objectives am pretty open to ideas about what can be done with the land. Ultimately I’d like the land to be productive and be home to some form of co-existence. The current infrastructure here is good and whilst the land is built into the valley slopes it has already been beautifully terraced and features the most amazing dry stone granite retaining walls built many years ago using only basic tools. I know what I would like from the land but how I get to that goal is constantly open to discussion. Currently I’m finishing a sauna build. I also have an outdoor shower to build, a small stone ruin to renovate, a yoga deck to build, some general landscaping, and a water spring which needs turning into a well. It sounds primitive but this is just land related, I do also have a house with manis electricity and water from elsewhere on the land. Now the time has come to open up the space to others and share what this place has to offer.

    I'd like whoever comes here to enjoy it as much as possible so although there are some projects that need doing there will be more down time than work time. Come hangout here, you'll probably like it, I do.

    A bit more about me: I’m from the UK and moved to Portugal 4 years ago. I’m veggie and a raw food enthusiast. I’m fascinated by the human body and its ability to adapt to the most unbelievable situations. I like to learn about holistic approaches to human healing. I find mushrooms interesting. I love to build stuff. I enjoy slacklining and have two lines setup on the land. Travelling on two wheels is great - I've cycled through Europe on a few occasions. I'm always planning the next step of the revolution. And, of course, I’m currently exploring the avenue of breathwork as a healing modality.

    NOTE: I'm not located in Coimbra as some people seem to think. I'm near a village called Póvoa de Midões which is in the region of Coimbra.

  • Types of help and learning opportunities

    Types of help and learning opportunities

    Art Projects
    Language practice
    Help with Eco Projects
    Gardening
    DIY and building projects
    Farmstay help
    General Maintenance
  • Cultural exchange and learning opportunities

    Cultural exchange and learning opportunities

    Usually a culturally diverse environment is restricted to cities and the countryside is often regarded as being more conservative. This area of Portugal is attracting people from all over the world and is therefore a host to multiple nationalities and all that they have to offer alongside the rural Portuguese community and their traditional ways of living. We're seeing a big shift back to the land at the moment with people moving here to seek out new and innovative ways of living based around self reliance and communal exchange. Local artisan and flea markets are popping up all over and provide a place for individuals to earn a living selling their creations, digital community exchange hubs are helping to keep residents connected, and communal work days on neighbouring lands are helping to keep productivity and morale high.

    I love hosting people and sharing my space for others to enjoy. Staying with me can be a great introduction to the community and the area I live. On my land travellers will have a space to relax in a beautiful natural environment. I can share my knowledge of campervan conversions for those wanting to learn how to build their own DIY campervan, as well as all I'm learning on my path to becoming a breath work facilitator. I can also share information and experiences of my usual job of concert touring video direction having toured the World many times over with artists including but not limited to Beyoncé, Rolling Stones, P!nk, Mumford & Sons, Gorillaz, Tame Impala, Arctic Monkeys, Bastille, Queens Of The Stone Age, Royal Blood and The 1975.

    This is a place for people to simply 'be'. Or it's a place to hang out, somewhere to have fun, somewhere without any obligations. I enjoy having people around and people always enjoy being here.

    I'm a native English speaker so anyone wanting to improve on their English language can practice here with me.

  • Help

    Help

    IMMEDIATE HELP NEEDED TO BUILD OUTDOOR KITCHEN AND FINISH COMPOST TOILET. This accompanies guest caravan accommodation.
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    OLIVE PICKING IN OCTOBER - I have many olive trees and would like to pick, pickle, ferment, and press them this autumn!

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    Hands on skills or an enthusiasm for practical tasks is really needed right now. I have no formal training with building stuff but I have a basic knowledge of how to build a structure that won't fall down and I've converted a number of panel vans into campervans to a high specification as a professional business. I'm happy to lead some of the building projects that need doing but anyone with carpentry or building skills would be a valuable addition to me right now. Creativity and ideas also very welcome.

  • Languages

    Languages spoken
    English: Fluent
    Portuguese: Beginner

    This host offers a language exchange
    I would love to be able to speak Portuguese. I am learning, slowly... I can offer English lessons in exchange for Portuguese lessons!

  • Accommodation

    Accommodation

    Caravan situated under shelter and a bell tent which can be setup on the land or there is space for own tents and vans. There is a toilet and shower in the main house as well as compost toilet on the land.

    I will supply ingredients for all food throughout a persons stay on work days depending on hours worked. Everything is negotiable. I'm up for communal cooking and eating as well as private cooking. Open to discussion and ideas regarding meals as and when is necessary.

  • What else ...

    What else ...

    This is a good place to relax and recharge. There's also local yoga classes available, endless river activities and hikes nearby, mountains and gorges to visit; basically anything nature related.

  • A little more information

    A little more information

    • Internet access

    • Limited internet access

      Limited internet access

    • We have pets

    • We are smokers

    • Can host families

  • Can host digital nomads

    Can host digital nomads

    Internet is sufficient for all daily activities and online video conferencing.

  • Space for parking camper vans

    Space for parking camper vans

    Yeah I definitely have space for a few campervans! I love vans, I actually convert them as a side project!

  • Can possibly accept pets

    Can possibly accept pets

    Dogs with travellers are welcome if living in their own accommodation such as a van or tent :)

  • How many Workawayers can stay?

    How many Workawayers can stay?

    More than two

  • ...

    Hours expected

    Negotiable

Host ref number: 366472162466

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