Scotland's best ice cream shops to enjoy a cone with dreamy views
Surrounded by scenic Perthshire countryside, this ice cream parlour is a masterclass in farm diversification, with field to fork cleverly becoming cow to cone.
The herd of Holstein Friesians are described as 'the backbone' of the operation at Stewart Tower Dairy, producing the milk used in the gelato-style ice cream which, to date, has been made in more than 250 flavours.
If you love animals, then the views from the Roundhouse Cafe will be bliss. The pygmy goats are great fun to watch as they play in their enclosure, with other farm residents including sheep, pigs and ponies.
For those in the mood to stretch their legs, Kinclaven Bluebell Wood is less than a 10-minute drive away. While it takes its name from the vivid flowers which carpet the ground each spring, it is a joy to visit year-round, home to woodpeckers, pine martens, deer, stoats and red squirrels.
Gerri's Ice Cream Parlour, Stenness, Orkney
Walking in through the door, it's impossible not to smile when greeted with a veritable rainbow of flavours on offer – all Orkney-made ice cream.
We're talking everything from vanilla, strawberry, chocolate, mint choc chip, toffee ripple, coffee, banoffee and lemon curd to Highland Park whisky with marmalade, rhubarb and custard, rum and raisin, blueberry and raspberry swirl.
Gerri's is the perfect pit stop for anyone exploring the Heart of Neolithic Orkney monuments, with the Stones of Stenness and the Ring of Brodgar only a few minutes away – you can stand outside the shop and gaze across the Loch of Stenness to both sites.
It is just round the corner from the Maeshowe Visitor Centre, which hosts fascinating exhibitions about archaeology. The latest, Ness of Brodgar, runs until this autumn. This is also the check-in point for tours of the nearby Maeshowe Chambered Cairn.
The Little Parlour and Loulou's, South Queensferry
The Little Parlour and Loulou's in South Queensferry (Image: The Little Parlour)
A delightful pair of ice cream shops sit diagonally opposite each other on the pretty cobbled High Street in South Queensferry.
Loulou's is a magical mix of traditional sweet shop, coffee house and gelateria, selling Italian recipe ice cream, milkshakes, hot cookie dough, waffles, toasties, sandwiches and cakes.
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The Little Parlour rustles up thrilling flavour combinations for its cones and sundaes – more than 50 in total – alongside yummy toppings and a raft of tempting treats, such as beautifully decorated iced biscuits.
Only a few metres along the road is a pleasant perch to eat, with picture-postcard views of the Forth Bridges and a soundtrack of gently lapping waves.
Aunty Betty's, Stonehaven, Aberdeenshire
Occupying prime real estate overlooking a gorgeous beach and only a short stroll from Stonehaven Open Air Pool – the UK's only art deco, Olympic-sized seawater lido – Aunty Betty's is always a soul-salving spot to spend time.
The imaginative and mouth-watering menu of ice cream flavours includes Scottish tablet, cherry ripple, banana, blue bubble gum, dragon fruit, kiwi, pistachio, salted caramel fudge, birthday cake, peanut butter and watermelon sorbet – the list goes on.
There is a decent selection of gluten-free and vegan options. It is also dog-friendly, with complimentary toppings for four-legged customers.
St Mocha Coffee Shop & Ice Cream Parlour, Balmaha
St Mocha Coffee Shop & Ice Cream Parlour and Balmaha (Image: St Mocha Coffee Shop)
Selling Loch Lomond Ice Cream, made on-site in Balmaha using milk and cream from local farms, the delectable flavours at St Mocha Coffee Shop & Ice Cream Parlour range from wild strawberry to pistachio.
You can pop in before or after a walk, whether a jaunt up Conic Hill, hiking the lower-level forest trails that leave from Balmaha Visitor Centre, a section of the West Highland Way or a daunder along the meandering shoreline, soaking up sweeping panoramas across Loch Lomond.
Susan Swarbrick is a columnist and freelance writer who loves history and the outdoors. Follow her on X @SusanSwarbrick and Bluesky @susanswarbrick.bsky.social
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