Central Park is vast. It covers 843 acres of land, 80 acres of which are woodland and 106 acres are consumed by the JKO Reservoir. At two and a half miles long by half a mile wide, the park is around six percent of Manhattan’s total land space. Thankfully it’s protected from development.

You may notice a snowy theme to my New York photos. Both of my visits were early in their respective years, and both magically managed to coincide with a sudden bout of blizzard conditions. I’m lucky like that. If you want to avoid New York during a blizzard, basically go any time I’m not there and you should be fine.

Despite the weather, the park was still host to a lot of visitors, some tourist and some local.

The majority of New Yorkers present came for this: a vast and temporary ice rink which is assembled in the park every winter. The skating is leisurely and calm – no crazed high-speed ice rink chases here.

There are stalls dotted through the park this time of year selling hot drinks – chocolate, apple cider, coffee – but also candy floss and popcorn. The Christmas atmosphere lingers on well into the new year.

A blanket of snow makes some areas of the park look pristine and glorious, and others barren and desolate.

This chap decided climbing snow-covered rocks was a good idea.

The barren trees and snow-covered ground made the Dairy Visitor Centre look like a good place to hide in the event of zombie breakout, unlike its more jolly summertime façade.

I’m a sucker for snow. It’s one of the reasons I do a lot of travel during the winter. The park’s cast-iron lamp-posts really added to the experience, though.

There were plenty of people even nuttier than me, taking romantic horse and carriage rides in sub-zero temperatures. The carriage driver provides a blanket, but it didn’t seem to be enough for most of the people popsicles passing by.

Visiting Central Park:

There are several subway stations near and bordering Central Park, including 72nd Street, 81st Street, 86th Street, 96th Street and 103rd Street. I actually walked up from 57th, as that’s where my hotel was.

Admission: Free.