The Story Of A-Frame
On New Year’s Eve 1999, Arne arrived in El Palmar for the first time
He had started surfing six years earlier and began teaching in 1996. Now... here he was.
Throughout his travels he kept returning to The Stormrider Guide, drawn to the Andalusia chapter.
The landscape, the weather and most of all the waves called to him.
He knew he had to go. He knew he wanted to stay.
Arne was at university in Hamburg and working as a surf instructor in France in the summer.
In 2004 he returned to Andalusia for the third time. A year later, the idea for a surf camp in El Palmar took shape.
With the beach at its doorstep, perfect waves and sunny weather almost every day, it was the ideal spot.
Arne shared his vision with Katrin, a yoga teacher, and the surf camp quickly became a surf and yoga camp.
A-Frame in El Palmar is born
Fall 2005. Arne and Katrin take a chance.
They opened A-Frame Surf & Yoga Camp, naming it after the perfect wave that broke right in front.
No one had ever opened a surf camp in El Palmar before... and a surf camp with yoga? No way!
Their motto was: Let’s try it. If no one comes, we’ll just go back to Hamburg.
The first season was humbling. Just the two of them.
Arne taught surfing, managed bookings and did the the shopping. Katrin led yoga classes. As for guests, well, you could count them on one hand.
But the waves kept rolling in and the dream stayed alive.
Arne taught surf theory on the terrace. Sometimes to just one guest. Katrin cooked for small groups in the evening with laughter echoing through the camp.
Both Arne and Katrin felt like pioneers—carving something new from nothing, driven by a passion for freedom and a love for surfing and yoga.
Slowly but surely the camp grew. And in 2007, they could afford to pay a surf instructor.
What started as a dream (or was it a gamble?) had become something real.
A home by the sea, built on waves, community and a belief that on the other side of lets-just-do-it lies true freedom.
"We’ve called El Palmar home since 2005 now. What started as a dream has become something bigger than we ever imagined... a place where guests arrive as strangers and leave feeling at home.
Along the way our family has grown. We now have two children raised on the rhythm of beach life.
A-Frame isn’t just our story anymore. It belongs to everyone who has ever shared a meal here, caught their first wave or found a moment of peace on the yoga mat.
That was always the idea. And it will be for many more years to come!"
- Arne and Katrin
What others have to say
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Tobias_ keller.t
5 months ago
This has already been our second stay at A-Frame and again it was a super relaxed week and overall a holiday that can‘t be much better. We, a family with a toddler, can ony recommend this place to other families who are looking for a relaxed holiday with yoga, surf and amazing food. The people at A-Frame from surf coach to kitchen staff are just super friendly and you feel very much taken care at all times. Thanks so much to the whole team for another great holiday experience. We‘ll be back for sure.
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Victor Lombardi
5 months ago
Pretty much a perfect vacation. I learned to surf, did a lot of yoga, soaked up the beautiful weather, ate delicious food, and met some wonderful people. I don't speak German or Spanish and the staff switched to English to make everything easy for me. El Palmar is a very chill area and from there it's easy to make day trips to Conil, Vejer, and Cádiz.
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Yoav Nassau
a year ago
Thoroughly enjoyed our stayed at A-Frame. Super friendly and helpful staff. We were always received with a smile and welcoming attitude. Shoutout to the kitchen people who were kind, and did an incredible job of serving tasty, healthy, and varied food that we all loved. We came with three small children and they all had a great time - surf lessons, board games, ping-pong table among other fun activities.
The house was spacious, well-kept, and clean. Would definitely stay there again if visiting El Palmar in the future. -
Inga
3 weeks ago
One of the best sufcamps I´ve visited so far. Excellent sufcoaches with a great accomodation and catering nearby the beach.
