Tiny Campsites with Dixe Wills

Last Saturday we welcomed Dixie Wills to the Courtyard Garden to discuss camping and talk about his book Tiny Campsites. And it just so happened that this was the book reviewed by a guest reviewer on today's BBC Oxford Afternoon Bookclub.

(As always, you can listen to the show here until next Wednesday, 2nd June - you'll need to fast forward to about 1 hour 8 minutes into the show. A list of the books reviewed this month can be found here).

Dixie had cycled to Abingdon on a blistering hot Saturday afternoon - first getting the train to Didcot, then cycling the rest of the way. However, when (by 2pm) he hadn't arrived, I was starting to get nervous, but Dixe soon turned up, having been assisted by a well-meaning but ultimately misguided fellow cyclist who had pointed him in the direction of Wallingford. So, slightly moist after his longer-than-expected bike ride, he then camped out (literally) in the courtyard garden and chatted to people about the joys of camping - specifically the benefits of camping off the beaten track - and the joy of tiny campsites.

As tiny campsites go, the courtyard garden (at about 4m x 4m) definitely fits the bill; Dixe Wills' book defines a tiny campsite as less than an acre, and there are 75 listed in the book - all ones he's personally visited. As he himself says, "I spend more time in a sleeping bag under canvas than nature intended".

With orange squash laid on for thirsty visitors (himself included) a very chilled atmosphere pervaded the garden on a very sultry afternoon. Dixie had a steady stream of visitors, and it was a great complement to our camping and UK holidays book display that has been going very well over the past few weeks. And Dixie gamely posed with said sleeping bag for the obligatory bookshop owner pic...

Hopefully Dixie has fully recovered after his dehydrating cycle sprint up the A415. We really appreciated his presence in the garden, for what was a a great event...