It was supposed to happen again last Sunday… Full of anticipation and after a long, depraved winter, a hike in the historic beech forest was on the agenda. To catch the limited hours of late winter sunshine, I convinced my hiking partner it would make sense to take the train from Gesundbrunnen at 8h30. It’s a shame when someone sleeps through the alarm and wakes an hour after the planned departure time (which is exactly what I did). Full of remorse, I quickly came up with a new plan. Goodbye UNESCO heritage site Buchenwald, hello Lake Tegel. Why wander far away when good things are so close? We quickly packed homemade energy bars into our bags and took the S-Bahn to Tegel station in less than an hour. During our time together outdoors, my hiking partner and I had a clear idea of what makes a good tour: seclusion, little to no civilization and diverse landscapes. Of course, this tour offers none of that! The circular hike of approximately 15 kilometers leads almost the entire time along settlements, summer houses, landing stages, boat and rowing clubs, restaurants and small beer gardens. But it wouldn’t be the first time our convictions and preferences had been thrown. And it was precisely this Sunday, with cheerful families and strollers, a touch of old Berlin, down-to-earth and anything but hip, that appealed to us so much. While the first brave athletes dared to get into their rowing and sailing boats, it was time to soak up the sun on the shore, wrapped in cozy winter jackets and oversized sunglasses. And this brings me to the next big advantage of this tour: a walk around the lake promises lots of sunshine.

The short section of forest that awaits after the first third of the tour has a lot to offer. The “Burgsdorff Larch”, Berlin’s tallest tree since 2021, stands at an impressive 43 meters. Nearby, the “Dicke Marie” can be found, Berlin’s oldest tree, dating back to 1107. Pause for a moment and think about that. We are talking about the High Middle Ages, the last years of the Romanesque period! From the forest, the tour returns to the shore, following the Havel, which branches off from Lake Tegel in a northerly direction. Along the way, bungalows, futuristic concrete buildings, turn-of-the-century castles, and other fascinating architectural gems appear in rows, each with its front garden, offering plenty to marvel at. This tour should take around four to five hours on foot. If the sky is cloudless, I can almost guarantee sunshine and a clear view for most of the way. A perfect short trip that I had never truly appreciated, despite its proximity to the city center. When do you plan to visit Tegel? I would go again in summer, as the small bays and sandy beaches will be even more beautiful then.

Text & photos: Laura Iriondo

Hiking trail

@fortuna.forest

Craftsmanship meets creativity, color meets material. At SDW Neukölln — an open screen-printing workshop (unexpectedly located in Kreuzberg) — bring your designs to life on paper, fabric, wood and nearly any other surface. Whether you envision large-format art prints, eye-catching posters or even your own fashion line, the possibilities are endless and experimentation is highly encouraged! If you’re new to screen printing, the best way to start is with SDW’s introductory course. This five-hour workshop covers everything from selecting a design and preparing a screen to exposing and printing your creation. After mixing your perfect shade of ink, you’ll reach the highlight of the session: printing on the material of your choice. Once you’ve completed the course, you’ll have full access to the workshop and can book time to work independently while still benefiting from the SDW team’s guidance, technical support and expertise. For those looking to refine their skills, advanced courses are also available, with upcoming dates listed on the SDW website. What makes SDW Neukölln truly special is its non-profit status. More than just a workshop, it’s a space dedicated to creative expression, knowledge-sharing and community building. In addition to offering courses, SDW members take on commissioned projects, collaborating with a diverse range of clients, including non-profit organizations, cultural institutions and artists, as well as brands like 032c, Adidas and Carhartt. So, if you’ve been thinking about trying screen printing or are simply looking for a fresh creative challenge, SDW Neukölln is the perfect place to start.

Text: Arne Meyer / Fotos: SDW Neukölln & Arne Meyer

SDW Neukölln Offene Siebdruckwerkstatt, Taborstr.3, 10997 Berlin–Kreuzberg; map

@sdwsiebdruck

Some materials touch us more than any art on the wall: textiles are not just fabrics, they’re stories, woven from threads and memories. They are garments that allow you to express your identity or a pattern that tells of distant cultures. Especially at a time when sustainability and craftsmanship are as important as they are, handmade textiles are experiencing a renaissance. And if you’re as fascinated by them as I am, you’ll find a new favorite place at Berlin Textile Coop. Sara Diaz Rodriguez and Essi Johanna Glomb are behind the concept: the founders bring their expertise as textile designers and researchers and have a clear vision for the space. They want to strengthen local networks in the industry, promote sustainable processes, and open up new paths for design and production. With projects such as the “Open Source HILO E-Spinning Wheel” or the Prototyping Lab, they show how traditional and modern techniques can be combined. From digital knitting machines to tufting tools and spinning machines, they’re creating a place for research and exchange and access for people who want to approach the topic. The regular workshops are a good way to get a grip on the subject. I recommend the spinning workshop: here you’ll learn how to make yarns (even from home!).

After we start with a short welcome round, Sara introduces the participants to a variety of spinning techniques and lets us playfully discover which fibers are used to make yarn and how to distinguish between them. Without any previous knowledge, we move to the bright open room, where Sara’s HILO e-spinning wheels are waiting for us among many other exciting stations, machines, yarns and books. A little practice and a brief introduction are all it takes to feel confident operating the station, so I can focus on selecting the fibers I want to use to make my yarn. With plenty of new knowledge and project ideas, I stopover at Neumanns Bäckerei (with which Textile Coop shares a house number) after the workshop before heading home with my spun yarn samples.

Text & Photos: Robyn Steffen

Berlin Textile Coop, Weichselstr.32, 10247 Berlin–Friedrichshain; map
Find the next workshops here.

@berlin_textile_coop