The Ayrshire ice cream trail

Malcolm Jack
20 March 2015

Ayrshire brown and white cows help supply the region with creamy, fresh milk. Here's where to sample the best of Ayrshire's ice cream

For an area with such a rich history in dairy farming and production, it's perhaps little wonder that ice cream making is booming in Ayrshire.

You can sample scoops in common and exotic flavours galore up and down the region. In the north west there's Nardini's of Largs, and also Geraldo's on Largs High Street, the Lime Tree Larder near Glengarnock, Sorbie Farm Dairies outside of Ardrossan and Wester Highgate Farmhouse Ice Cream near Beith.

In the countryside further south you'll find Woody's Ice Cream based at Killoch Farm, Galston, and Costley's Ice Cream at Souter's Inn in Kirkoswald. In Ayr itself there's the famous veteran Italian family gelato dynasties Renaldo's and Mancini's, while Kilmarnock has one too in the form of Varani's Forum Café.

You can even get a good locally-made lick of ice cream across the Firth of Clyde on Arran, where Arran Dairies operate out of Brodick.

A	Arran Dairies Market Road, Brodick, Isle of Arran, North Ayrshire, KA27 8AU Italian-style ice-cream made in small batches from island milk on the shore of Brodick Bay.
B	Geraldo's 26–28 Main Street, Largs, North Ayrshire, KA30 8AB Geraldo's manufacture their ice-cream on-site and sell handmade chocolates, gift confectionery and premium spirits.
C	Nardini’s The Esplanade Cafe, 2 Greenock Road, Largs, North Ayrshire, KA30 8NF One of Scotland's most famous seaside cafés, Nardini's refurbished Art Deco diner serves up classic Italian ice-cream, sundaes fish teas and lots more in the connected Tony Macaroni Italian restaurant.
D	Sorbie Farm Dairies Sorbie Farm, Ardrossan, North Ayrshire, KA22 7NP Now run by Alan Hogarth, this traditional dairy, previously owned by father and grandfather, has the motto 'From Cow to Door in 24'. They've been producing milk since the 1950s and now, instead of selling to large buyers, they bottle on the farm and…
E	Lime Tree Larder Auchencloigh Farm, Kilbirnie, North Ayrshire, KA25 7LJ Chocolates, ice-cream and preserves made and sold on the farm. Chocolate-making workshops, plus monthly Sundae Weekends.
F	Renaldo's 98 Sandgate, Ayr, KA7 1BX This ice cream parlour is something of an institution in Sandgate. After generations of family ownership since the 1920s, Renaldo’s Old Fashioned Italian Ices is now owned by wife and husband Linda and Silvio Galli. With no additives and 97% fat-free…
G	Mancini's of Ayr 11 - 15 New Road, Ayr, KA8 8DA Scots-Italian company Mancini’s has been in business for more than 100 years and four generations. Now specialising in taking their ice-cream cart to weddings, they have a wide range of dairy and non-dairy ice-cream and fresh fruit sorbets, plus various…
H	Costley's Patisserie & Chocolatier 158 Main Street, Prestwick, South Ayrshire, KA9 1PB Home base for the chocolates, truffles, pastries and ice-cream supplied to the whole Costley chain, with coffee and treats available to sit-in.
I	Wester Highgate Farmhouse Ice Cream Wester Highgate Cottage, Beith, North Ayrshire, KA15 1HX
J	Woody's Ice Cream Ayrshire Glen, Killoch Farm, Galston, East Ayrshire, KA4 8NL Jill Woodburn and family produce over 50 varieties of ice-cream, fresh fruity sorbets and frozen yoghurts, sold around the area and at their new Ice Cream Parlour and Dessert Bar in Mauchline.