The Hermits

If you are seeking silence, detox, self developement, and if you are willing to perform hard physical work in (both beautiful and adverse) nature, this is your place.

We are a German couple (62/53) who created a little paradise in the midst of eukalyptus forest. To maintain this wonderful little place it takes a lot of effort, which is why we look for help. We offer an appartment with hot water and heating, ideal for couples but also fine for up to 4 people. The volunteers cook their own meals, while we provide the food. Do not underestimate the physical work please, it can be hard. The location is in the midst of nature, very remote, no community, 1 hr walking distance to the next bus station.

All experiences

Gardening and foresting on sunny mountain with seaview, Algarve

Building & Repairing Gardening

Fornalha, Portugal

Reviews

3.0
(2 reviews)2

Staff & Host

3.0

Hours & Tasks

3.5

Hostel

4.5

Learning & Fun

3.0

United Kingdom

3

Beautiful location, a homestead where they grow a variety of fruit and veg and rear chickens. It didn’t feel like much of a host/volunteer relationship as they live very separately to the volunteers. The project is very remote, so it’s difficult to get anywhere on days off unless you walk an hour each way to the bus stop. I enjoyed the gardening but felt there was a gender divide where the men were given the forestry and building work and the women were assigned gardening and cleaning - it was implied jobs would be taken in turns but this didn’t happen as much as I’d hoped.

over 1 year ago

Ines replied

During your stay with us the forest work consisted of building pathways, which means to hammer stakes into the earth with a sledgehammer and to carve out the wet clay with a hoe. This is extremely hard physical work and is why we did not ask you to work in the forest. For lighter work like pruning trees or even dragging loggs out of the forest, we do actually mix the groups. We did not mean to withhold you from exciting tasks but to protect you from injury and exhaustion. Sorry if that was a wrong approach, we will keep it in mind for the future.

United Kingdom

3

Johannes and Ines are very individual people with a great vision for their land. They are very remote and live, cook and spend freetime completely separately to the volunteers + it’s an hours walk to the nearest bus stop so pack snacks and stuff to do as Ines shops for you. Sometimes the language barrier and cultural differences caused a few communication issues, but work hours were always respected. All the work is gender segregated, which isn’t for me, but for them it’s spiritual. It’s a beautiful area but no local contact, and felt like an employer/employee relationship not host/volunteer

over 1 year ago

Ines replied

I would like to clarify that we do not generally "gender segregate" the work and never due to spiritual reasons (what kind of spirituality should that be?), but because we did not want to impose on you the work with the sledgehammer or chopping out stony clay soil. We had mixed groups in the forest for lighter work than building pathways.
As for spending free time with our volunteers, we offer tantric meditations (which you declined), also we offer the hot pool in the evening, which you visited once only.

Perfect for you if you're looking for

Contact with nature

Rural

Spiritual

Wilderness