Meet Lucy and Ben from Cornwall, U.K., who have been taking their trusty camper van on an inspiring journey across Europe and Asia. They share their experience of installing a Dwarf stove in their vintage gypsy wagon-themed camper and how it has become an integral part of their off-grid adventures.
Read about their thoughts on the unique benefits of having a wood-burning stove in your tiny space and why they highly recommend it to others looking for a cozy and sustainable lifestyle.
You can follow their adventures on Instagram and their blog.
Who are you? Tell us something about your tiny space!
We’re Lucy & Ben, we’re from Cornwall, U.K. and we’ve been travelling for the past 7 years in our camper van across Europe and Asia.
Where did you install your stove?
We installed a Dwarf stove in our 1979 Bedford CF camper van so that our guests can enjoy it year-round. We spent 5 years restoring and converting the van into a vintage gypsy wagon / woodland themed camper that would enable us to make money to travel full time by renting it out, and give our guests a unique experience of a tiny space. Everyone has loved cosying up by the crackling fire, something not many people from cities have ever experienced before.
We also travel in our own camper van and have recently returned from a trip to the east of Turkey, Georgia and Armenia where temperatures reached -23°C in the Caucasus mountains- we were very grateful for our wood burning stove! And we will now always have one in any future camper vans as we realised we have a particular love for travelling through cold climates.
When did you fall in love with tiny spaces and how did you learn about them?
When we graduated university in 2015 we both knew we wanted to travel, so it was only a matter of time before we decided we would buy a van and travel together. We spent 9 months converting our LDV camper and have been travelling in it on and off for the past seven years, pushing it to its limits and taking it as far east as we could go.
Our reasons for traveling in a van have changed as the years progressed, but first and foremost it’s the sense of adventure and freedom, and the challenges that come with it, that we find ourselves addicted to. If we’re not testing our limits and pushing our van to extremes then we don’t feel like we’re truly making the most of our time on this planet, and we have no intention of stopping travelling any time soon.
How did you decide on a Dwarf stove?
We were looking for a small and unique wood burner that had a large window through which the fire could be enjoyed. We came across someone selling a Dwarf stove they’d previously used in their cabin and immediately snapped it up! It was in need of a little TLC so we decided to paint it to match the theme of our van, first removing the rust and then spraying the body with emerald green stove paint and the door with cream. The result was very vintage and offsets beautifully against the brass handle.
How difficult was the installation process? Did you need any assistance of any kind?
Although we’d never installed a wood burner before, the process was surprisingly simple. Once we found the correct size flue and hole saw the whole thing was installed in less than an hour ready for the first burn. And even better there were no roof leaks!
How has your experience been using the Dwarf? Have you been enjoying having a tiny wood stove in your space?
The Dwarf stove has been the perfect addition to our camper van and provides a real focal point as well as keeping it toasty inside. It’s been easy to use even for novices who have no experience of stoking a fire and is really easy to clean after use. A particular highlight has been using it when it’s snowing outside, a rare occurrence in Cornwall!
We can’t imagine not having a tiny wood stove in any of our camper vans from now on!
Would you recommend a tiny wood stove to others?
We would definitely recommend a tiny wood stove as a perfect addition to any small space. What could be more primal than gathering wood and watching the flames flicker late into the evening? Plus the smell of wood smoke is very homely and the dry heat of a burner helps keep out damp, dry clothes and makes getting dressed in the morning so much easier!
It’s really hard to find a reasonably priced and reasonably sized wood burner for small spaces such as camper vans. They’re either too big or too small and usually you have to sacrifice having a window to watch the fire (the best part). So we’re really happy we found our tiny Dwarf stove as it ticks all the boxes! Thanks Tiny Wood Stove!
Read more about their truck conversion on their blog!
Interested in a small stove for your tiny space? Contact us on the form below and we can help you sort through all the details in getting the perfect stove and installation configuration for your unique space!
