Vantage Pro2 Set to Oversee Glamping at the End of England

Land's End, on the extreme edge of England, is a UK holiday destination.

Go as far southwest as you can in England. Where do you end up? Land’s End, a gorgeous headland in Cornwall, England. Here you’ll find dramatic granite cliffs dropping into the Celtic Sea. You’ll find a place steeped in history, with an inn that dates back to the 17th century. You’re also likely to find runners, cyclist, and walkers celebrating their successful 800-to-950 mile (1300 to 1500 km) "End to End" journey. They start at Jon o Goats, as far north as you can go in Scotland, and then walk, run, or pedal all the way to Land's End to raise funds for charities. (A few have even done the trek in motoroized bathtubs.) Vacationers also flock to Land’s End via more mundane transport. Hikers and mountain bikers enjoy the spectacular views from paths along the coast; surfers and fishermen work the famous waves of Sennen Cove, and everyone enjoys lifting a pint at the aptly named local pub, The First and Last.

Vacationers and End-to-Enders will soon have one more lodging option on this edge of England: glamping. Mark and Tina Bridges are bringing the ultimate glamping (and normal camping) experience to Land’s End with their Land’s End Camp, “the first and last campsite in the country.” Glampers, and the Land’s End community at large, will know exactly what to expect of the Cornish weather because the Bridges already have a Vantage Pro2 overseeing their campsite.

Glampers and campers at Land's End Camp know exactly what's happening with the weather there.

The Bridges are putting the final touches on seven highly insulated “glamping pods,” complete with bathrooms, kitchenettes, balconies, and wood-burning stoves. Once the local authorities sign off on the final okays, guests will be able to enjoy staying cozy and comfy during stormy nights after watching from their balcony as the sun drop into the ocean. It will be a weather-watchers dream.

(The COVID-19 pandemic has added some extra steps to getting open, but the Bridges are following government advice to provide a safe, as well as beautiful, retreat for their guests.)

Weather is always important for any outdoorsy activity, but Mark was already a Weather Nerd long before he and Tina started making this dream venture come true. His first weather station, a gift from Tina, arrived in 2007. It didn’t last long (not a Davis, obviously), but, Mark told us, he “caught the bug.” He upgraded to his first Vantage Pro2 in 2009. That station provided 11 years of service in the harsh sea air environment until he replaced it this year.

“I have gone to great lengths to mount my stations on my roofs to get the best results,” Mark said. “But this year I got really carried away and installed a telegraph pole and mounted the anemometer on top and sensor suite about 8’ from the ground!! I’m very pleased with it!!”

(We are too, Mark. We love it when people take advantage of Vantage Pro2’s feature that allows the anemometer to be mounted separately from the rest of the sensors!)

Mark has installed his Vantage Pro2 with the anemometer separate from the the rain collector and temp/hum sensors.

The Cornwall weather has provided Mark with some fun weather-watching.

“We get quite an eclectic mix of weather from glorious hot Cornish summers ranging in the daytime between 20 to 30⁰C (68 – 86⁰F) to quite mild winters with temperatures rarely falling below 0⁰C (32⁰F). We get some tempestuous weather also with winds regularly hitting 115 -130 kph (70 - 80 mph). We also have thick fog regularly and the three local lighthouses and fog horns are hard worked! Land’s End is renowned for its shipwrecks as the seas get very lumpy here! This stretch of sea is one of the most hazardous in the world.”

Good luck, Mark and Tina! May your Vantage Pro2 watch over Land’s End Camp for many years, keeping visitors informed and safe through all the weather Cornwall can dish out.