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Down the Road is a celebration of all things local. Escape to Northland, NZ with Bed and Provisions

10/01/2025

🤍Thank you to all our guests past, present and future🤍 We love sharing our peaceful retreat with you and every time we get to hear about the things you enjoyed while here we feel endlessly grateful.
There's lots of summer days and nights yet to enjoy so click the link in our bio to start planning your escape...

08/01/2025

"Be like a tree. Stay grounded. Connect with your roots. Turn over a new leaf. Enjoy your unique beauty. Keep growing". - Unknown.
A little reminder for us all to take into a new day 🙏🌳✨

Images captured by 🤍

24/12/2024

✨Nature's Xmas Tree! The last of a summer days sunlight creating the most stunning scene so we thought it's the perfect shot to post and wish all our Down the Road community much love and light over the festive season✨
We hope your days are filled with joy, relaxation, and lots of simple pleasures 🤍

17/12/2024

Looking for a peaceful retreat where you can relax with all the creature comforts while sharing it with your favourite furry friend? Like you, we love to take our fur family on holiday with us which is why we make the Orchard Cottage pet friendly 🤍
With loads of outdoor space that's all yours when you stay, there's plenty for you and your curious friends to explore, so why not book your escape? There are still nights available in the new year, but we recommend you be quick to avoid disappointment.
📸Captured by Tegan

14/12/2024

✨Nothing better than starting the day with an early morning walk around the Hatea Loop. If you're an early riser or want to nourish body and soul as a the day stretches ahead of you while on holiday in the North, this is a must-do!
Just a short drive 15min from the Orchard Cottage, being witness to the world awakening as the suns light softly blankets all it touches with golden hues is simply magic.✨

12/12/2024

Summer is blooming🌸Some gorgeous blue-sky days here and the gardens surrounding the Orchard Cottage are loving it! With the rest of the season to enjoy, why not book yourself in for nature retreat?

16/10/2024

🤍 Check out this beautiful story captured by Tegan at Heelstoheeledge and Riparide a few weeks ago:
https://www.riparide.com/stories/2103-blossoms-and-baths-orchard-cottage
We're loving the captures of our little nature escape as she soaked up the serenity, finding time to explore the property and the surrounding areas with her young daughter, and fluffy family members.🥰 Her story is filled with fantastic recommendations for a short nature-based getaway... if you're looking for spot to unwind on your own or with your special ones as the days get longer and warmer, click the link for plenty of inspo 🙏🤍

27/09/2024

🌞On the eve of daylight savings and its a stunner! Feeling very much like an early summer day but lots of spring signs with new green leaves unfurling and pops of blossoms on the fruit trees 🌸
There's still some nights available in October, did you see our last post about Northland's first region wide food and drink festival? Happening throughout the month is going to be a delicious time to explore Northland with over 120 foodie events to get amongst - we'd love to welcome you 🤍

19/09/2024

Calling all foodies south of Northland... this is your chance to win an incredible long weekend filled with food, drink and delicious experiences - make sure you're in to win! 🍌🥂☀️

Savour Northland is Northland's first ever regionwide local food and drink celebration happening all over Northland 4 - 28 October. with over 120 foodie events on the website, there's something for everyone, check out www.savournorthland.com for more.

How do flights, accommodation, and a culinary adventure in the Bay of Islands sound this Labour Weekend? We've got an incredible trip for two to Savour Northland to giveaway to one lucky Coastie! Listen to Coast Days with Lorna to get in the draw 🥂✨

01/09/2024

✨What a beautiful evening to steal ourselves away for a night at the Orchard Cottage. Such a peaceful night, with a simple dinner, a wee game of scrabble, and a soak in the baths 🛁🤍
We try to do this at least once a year, it's our little quality control check, to make sure all is as it's intended for our guests. After a busy day working on the property it was also just what the doctor ordered 🙏😌

08/08/2024

Nothing better to clear the mind and lift the spirit than a wander on the beach in winter🙏👣 Did you know the Orchard Cottage is located within just a short drive of lots of gorgeous beaches?
Whangarei Heads is a nature lovers playground with incredible white sand beaches punctuated against a background of awe inspiring volcanic peaks. Choose between the soothing ocean setting or reach great heights and take in the breathtaking views from one of many beautiful walking tracks ✨

05/08/2024

Sunsets and hot soaks ✨🛀🤍 With the mid-winter sun setting low and right out front of the Orchard Cottage, there's no better time to book an escape that includes not one, but two outdoor baths. Slipping into these generous baths, you can have the water temp just the way you want it because you don't have to share!
Would you choose to have this escape all to yourself or bring one your favourite people and experience it together?

First photo credit: Outdoor Baths NZ

26/07/2024

It's magnolia season🤍 We planted a few evergreen Michelia varieties along the pathways of the Orchard Cottage for their simple beauty and gorgeous fragrance.
When the afternoon sun hits them at this time of year the blossoms fill the air with their sweet scent - just another wonderful reason to book a stay during winter...

19/07/2024

When it's a bit gloomy outside its the perfect reason to light a fragrant candle, flick the heater on and slip into a warm bath🛁🕯️ All the vintage details of the cottage bathroom provide a lovely oasis of calm🤍

14/07/2024

A little PSA - Did you know that winter is peak pineapple harvest season in Northland? 🍍 We're so lucky to have some wonderful growers in the region and if you want to experience some of the most delicious pineapples ever, now is the time!
No filter required here as the colour comes naturally when they're left for a bit in your fruit bowl to reach maximum ripeness. These are nothing like the watery imported alternative NZ is used to. No hard and inedible core, the whole fruit is super juicy and packed with tropical flavour.
To have have this locally grown goodness on hand, we chop up the flesh in chunks and freeze them in single layers so they break off easily and are perfect for eating in about 10 minutes. We're using the skins to make pineapple vinegar and will plant the tops in a sunny spot once they have dried out a little 💛🙌
A little ray of sunshine for this blustery winter's day.

08/07/2024

Plenty of misty magical mornings recently with skies (mostly) clearing to sunny winter days 🍃🤍 Are you feeling the pull for a change of scenery? It's a great time to book 👣

02/07/2024

🍃Welcome to 'Lancewood Ridge' - a new little spot to discover at the Orchard Cottage. Just a short stroll down the bush track you'll find an idyllic platform for yoga, meditation or nature bathing amongst the tree tops 🙏
We recently finished this platform with our guests in mind, it suspends slightly over the ridge taking in the forest canopy views. We named it Lancewood Ridge because there are lots of native Lancewood seedlings popping up here which will one day stretch their architectural branches high into the sky.
If this looks like a spot where you'd like to spend some time head over to our website to book a self care getaway 🤍

Address

641 Owhiwa Road, Parua Bay
Whangarei
0192

Website

http://www.downtheroad.nz/

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Good Morning 2025! We're back online after some R&R but have also welcomed lots of wonderful guests over the festive season. A quick chance to wander in the garden outside the Orchard Cottage this morning and captured these gorgeous bumble bees happy in their work 🌸🌿 #naturesretreat #summerinnorthland #orchardcottage #summergetawaynz

Arriving at the Orchard Cottage, time to unwind and enjoy a blissful stay ✨👣🌿 Lovely scenes from @Selena Wright 🤍

Sweet scenes at dusk as shadows dance in the breeze 🤍 #orchardcottage #holidayvibes #holidayhomenz #northlandnz #airbnbsuperhost

🙌🤍Days like these! . . #northlandwinter #wiinterescape #airbnbsuperhost #northlandnz #shortbreaknorthland

Pack your walking shoes👣 The Orchard Cottage is set overlooking a native bush valley and has it's own walking track that is exclusively yours to enjoy when you stay. It leads you down to a lovely clearing and rocky bottom stream where the air is crisp and clear and you feel immersed in natures goodness. . The journey back up will have your endorphins flowing, ready to start a day of adventures or to simply kick back and relax. There's also loads of incredible walking tracks to choose from within a short drive, whether it's the stunning coastline of Whangarei Heads or some award-winning nature reserves nearby. Is this your idea of a restorative break? . . #naturelovers #bushwalknz #natureescapes #winterescapenz #holidaynz #northlandnz

🔊🎶 Mornings like these... Just a sweet little scan of the dewy outlook this morning as the rising sun reveals watercolour skies and soft pillows of low cloud hugging the treetops 🤍 . Alone but never lonely as the morning chorus greets a new day filled with promise. Swooping and soaring, chatting and singing, our feathered friends are the perfect reminder to listen to our hearts and find our own voice. A wander with nature is sometimes all we need 👣🍃 . . With winter mornings like these, it's a beautiful time to plan your own nature retreat in Northland. We've created a new blog packed with ideas for a couples winter escape, pop over to our website for some travel inspo. . . #dawnchorus #Northlandtravel #northlandnz #morningskies #sunrise #airbnbnz #toptraveltipsnz #couplesretreat #naturebathing #wanderlust #birdlover #naturelovernz

Top Tips for a Couples Winter Retreat in Northland

✨NEW BLOG ✨ Our Top Tips for a Couple Winter Escape in Northland. We love nothing more than sharing our beautiful place in the world, and we thought it was the perfect time to shine a little light on winter. . The 'Winterless North' is known for it's mild climate and subtropical vibe. While we can't guarantee a totally winterless break away, we can offer up a bunch of our 'must-do' experiences that take advantage of all the Northland goodness without the crowds of summer. There's something super special about having the glorious beaches to yourself, reveling in winter sunsets, and soaking in a steamy outdoor bath. . A getaway in Northland wouldn't be complete without loads of great food and drink, so of course we've included just some of our top recommendations. This new blog is just the remedy for those winter wanderlust cravings... check it out for the ultimate getaway inspo.. . . Origin Northland @localtalent_tav Owhiwa Rd Pizza The Old Packhouse Kerikeri Ngawha Springs Waitangi Treaty Grounds Schnappa Rock Restaurant & Bar Smith & Local Parua Bay Hundertwasser Art Centre Whangarei Quarry Gardens The Cove Café Bennetts of Mangawhai Down the Road . #winterescape #traveltipsnorthland #winterholidayideas #travelnorthland #weekendgetawaynz #airbnbsuperhost #northlandnz #couplesretreat #natureholiday #goodfoodnorthland #travellikealocal #downtheroad

All ready for new guests at the Orchard Cottage. Winter is the perfect time to plan a little escape, making the most of quieter moments, slowing down and taking it easy 🤍 . Who would you like to share a winter escape with? . . #slowliving #airbnbsuperhost #winterescape #holidayhomenz #selfcare #yourewelcome #vintagelove

Another beautiful autumn day here at the Orchard Cottage... Need a little recharge? Maybe this is your sign 🤍👣 . #northlandnz #airbnbsuperhost #holidayhomenz #wanderlust #nzholiday #naturebathing #outdoorbaths #escapeintonature

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A Northland Retreat & Local Treasures

Down the Road is a celebration of all things local. An expression of the idea that no matter where you find yourself in this glorious country of New Zealand, you don't need to look very far to discover many local treasures. Whether it's stunning sights, adventures to be had, fabulous food grown or created, or inspiring individuals with unique perspectives and stories to share.

The Orchard Cottage is a self-catering holiday home with plenty of character. Set on 30 acres of regenerating Northland bush, overlooking a small orchard and with vast views over the bush valley. Perfectly positioned close to the many beaches of Whangarei Heads and a short day trip to many other Northland attractions, the Orchard Cottage makes a fantastic holiday retreat.

As we have adventures and discover more to love about this beautiful region, we share our favourite finds with you at www.downtheroad.nz. We also want to hear about your journeys so stay in touch, it’s a love of travel, discovery and food that connects us!