With summer starting to wind down, it’s time to savor those sunny days whenever they come. Luckily, making the most of good weather is what Strandbad Tegelsee is all about. With half a kilometer of sandy beach on the western shore of Tegelsee, this lakeside spot ticks all the boxes for a day outdoors. The Strandbad stood unused for five years until a non-profit social project brought the pine-filled site back to life in May 2021. The place has a faded charm, with modest facilities and a laid back, family-friendly vibe (children under 17 get in free). There’s plenty to explore at the beach: clear water good for swimming and splashing, a beach volleyball court, table tennis tables, a water slide and a diving board. But what makes the Strandbad a little different is its full program of performances, workshops and classes held right by the lake.

This Saturday (04.09.21) Tegelsee’s own radio station – Seeeeradio Shams – will return with music and stories from invited artists. Also in the program are regular workshops where you can learn to draw and collage, plus chess tournaments so you can perfect your cognitive skills. Twice-weekly open-air yoga classes (Wed & Sat, 11h, 14h & 16h) make a day at the beach even more serene. Things are done a bit differently when it comes to the food, too. There’s a vegetarian and fish-focused outdoor canteen, a kiosk serving up Holland-style fries and a stand for proper Italian ice cream. And if the elusive Berlin sun doesn’t come, at least you have a new spot for next summer’s lake list…

Text: Benji Haughton / Credit: Neue Nachbarschaft/Moabit e.V.

Strandbad Tegelsee, Schwarzer Weg 21, 13505 Berlin–Tegel; map
Open for bathing daily, 9–19h. You can check the latest water quality reports online.

“3G” Covid–19 rules apply. The lake is reachable by car or from Alt–Tegel (U6) with the 222 bus followed by a 1km walk.

@strandbadtegelseeee

Many of us have spent the past year discovering just how beautiful Berlin can be away from the busy streets and filled venues. Indeed, they say walking has become the new national sport. So what better time to get more acquainted with the capital’s diverse flora for your next nature trip? At hand is Elke Fiebig, who is always glad to show you the ins and outs of plants. A fashion design graduate, she began dyeing fabrics with natural colors before starting Still garments when her passion for nature became a profession. Now a trained plant educator, she gives guided walks through the picturesque Botanical Volkspark in Pankow letting you discover wild plants and flowers and how you can use them for dyeing. Did you know, for example, that many local medicinal plants such as yarrow and St. John’s Wort produce light yellow shades when you dye fabrics with them?

The possibilities are many: the tanin-rich leaves of oak for instance can produce gray and black tones without the use of synthetic dyes. As part of your tour you also learn the bouquet rule, meaning you can only take a handful of the respective plant at a time so that it can regenerate, leaving enough for both the animal world and other foragers. If you are already acquainted with plant-based dyes, you can put this knowledge to the test at one of Elke’s workshops, the next of which will take place at Mayda Blumenfarm on 15.08.2021. Here you can discover bundle dyeing, an easy-to-learn technique for creating colorful patterns. You will go home with a freshly dyed scarf and some new nature knowledge. The perfect way to give the living world some much-needed appreciation? We think so!

Text: Hanna Komornitzyk / Photos: Elke Fiebig at Still Garments

Still Garments at Studios-ID, Genslerstr. 13-13A, 13055 Berlin-Lichtenberg; map

You can find the workshop dates here.

@still_garments