Looking for ways to stay warm during the Aotearoa New Zealand winter? Visiting Cornwall Park in the cold can be refreshing and inspiring, while also encouraging you to stay active! Despite the chilly weather, there are numerous activities to enjoy in the park. Here are our top five suggestions:

Brisk Morning Walks

Enjoy the quiet misty mornings overlooking our farm paddocks or walk amongst the towering trees along Twin Oaks Drive. The cold air will be sure to wake you up in the morning and the views throughout the park are breath taking. If you are driving to the park, in winter our park gates open from 7am - 6pm.

Staff Top Tip: On a misty morning the view from the top of the Memorial Steps makes you feel like you are in a dreamy film scene.

Warm up with a Hot Chocolate

Whether you are catching up with a friend or taking the family out for a walk in the park, a nice hot chocolate is always a great way to warm up. Check out the Cornwall Park café or head to the Bistro or Creamery (located on the side of the Bistro) for a delicious range of food and drink options.

Staff Top Tip: Take a seat on a beanbag outside the café and watch the park move around you while enjoying your beverage.

Create a Nature Mandala

Crafting nature mandalas are an excellent way to explore and connect with nature in the park. A variety of natural items can be found on the ground including leaves, twigs, feathers, pinecones and flowers. Arrange your items on the ground starting from a centrepoint and from there, work outwards, keeping the pattern symmetrical and as round as you can. Engaging in the meditative process of creating a nature mandala can be great for reducing stress and promoting relaxation.

Staff Top Tip: The best places for foraging are in the Native Arboretum and the big grassy areas beside Pohutukawa Drive. Please note that we do not allow visitors to take home foragables from the park.

Visit our New Arrivals

A little something to warm your heart! Calving season is just around the corner and is a highlight of the year. Our calves are born from mid-July to mid-August, while our lambs begin arriving at the start of August through mid-September. When you’re out in the park during lambing and calving season, please read and follow our rules to ensure the safety of our animals and park visitors.

Staff Top Tip: Some of the best places to views our cows and calves are just off Twin Oak Drive near the wooden BBQ area as well as the paddock to the right as you enter from Green Lane West in the main gates.

Toast Crumpets on the BBQ

Start the morning with a warm breakfast cooked on our wooden BBQ’s. Our BBQ facilities are available all year round and are free to use. Just bring your own food (crumpets with butter and jam are a tasty treat!) and equipment to light the fire. Free wood is provided for the wood BBQs.

Staff Top Tip: Our wooden BBQs work on a first come/first served basis, so cannot be booked individually. They can get busy on fine days during the weekends so it’s best to keep this in mind!