Cruickston Park is a unique space that celebrates those who are drawn to it.  It has extraordinary energy that delights, soothes and heals at a very deep level.  To experience Cruickston Park is to not only ‘see’ it, it’s also about ‘feeling’ it. In fact, it teases all of one’s senses.  

Driving through the entrance gates can trigger a sense of calm with a laneway that moves in and out of thick forest cover.  There is a fresh water creek on the right, a stand of pines on the left.  It’s not unusual to observe deer or wild turkeys crossing while the line between observer and nature thins.  The smells are full of new life and seasonal flavours. During the spring scents are young and fresh.  Visually, the foliage, buds and blossoms explode with fullness as though impatient to leave their winter quiet.  All in all the property invites a deeper sense of awareness as time stands still.

There is significant built heritage at Cruickston Park, representing a range of eras.  We have honoured them all by weaving a delicate balance of old and new.  We treat time as a continuum with focus on the present.  Our water buffalo barn has been recently built; mid 20th Century is represented by the three bungalows, the 1800’s are reflected in the Stone Cottage; the 1700’s produced the Cabin; and The Stables is a mix of 1700’s and 1800’s timelines. Old diaries speak of peoples inhabiting the property from the 1600’s.  The Manor remains a private residence and backdrop to the entire property.  It was completed in 1858 and has since been recognized by the federal government as being ‘historically significant’.  The walled Kitchen Garden era is coincident with the Manor.

Throughout all the years Cruickston Park has maintained its farming infrastructure, tradition, rolling pasture, and extensive acreage. In 1995 the Chaplin family initiated the purchase of Cruickston Park’s 966 acres with a view to its long term preservation.  In order to protect it from regional development the family created a land trust, now called rare.  Their intention and demonstrated commitment is to nurture and protect the property for generations to come. We are Cruickston Park’s stewards, handpicked by circumstance, handpicked by the property.

By the simple act of loving and giving to Cruickston Park, we have unexpectedly learned the relationship between this seemingly inanimate object is actually two-ways.  The property has not only revealed its spirit over the years, it has become the source of very deep teaching.  When we form connections, we form understanding, patience and calm.  This principal can be felt and it has been developed so thoroughly at Cruickston Park, even the unsuspecting visitor takes pause. 

While Cruickston Park may appear to be simply another luxurious place to visit, it’s actually a space that exudes love, honour and peace to all that enters its orb - both animate and inanimate.  We invite you to experience our inner world in hopes that you are inspired to create your own.