Hooray - the sun's out at long last, and it looks like it's going to be sticking around for a while yet.

So what better way to make the most of it by treating yourself to an delicious ice cream in the sunshine?

How lucky are we that Cheshire boasts some of the most delicious ice cream in the country?

If you're out and about in the Chester area and the sun is shining, we've put together a handy guide of the places you can treat yourself to a refreshing and delicious cone (or tub).  

Backford Belles

Acres Farm, Chester Road, Backford, Chester, CH1 6PE

Award-winning Backford Belles serves up more than 20 varieties of real, delicious Jersey ice cream and sorbets for you to enjoy in scoops or to take home in tubs.

The family-run farm make their own delicious, luxury ice cream from the frshest Jersey milk from their  very own herd of cows.

They also offer seasonal special such as 'blood and bones' and 'monster mint' for Halloween, Christmas pudding, Irish belles, chocolate orange and other great flavours for Christmas.

And with a children's park and play area, it's the perfect place to take your kids on a sunny day.

Nicholls at Parkgate

The Parade, Parkgate, Neston, CH64 6SA

A little way out of Chester in Parkgate, Nicholls have been providing tasty ice cream for almost 80 years.

With dozens of scrumptious flavours to choose from, each ice cream is hand-made using the finest Italian flavours. And you can enjoy it with some lovely views of the Dee Estuary too!

As well as various different ice cream flavours, Nicholls also sell beautiul chocolates, sugar mice and a range of mouth watering sweets, jams, marmalades and tasty crumbly biscuits too.

 

Snugburys /Snugburys by the River

Park Farm, Chester Rd, Hurleston, Nantwich CW5 6BU

Snugbury's On the River, Chester

Family-run Snugburys is famous for its ice-cream, so it's no wonder there are two different places you can get it in Cheshire.

The converted barn in Nantwich with a courtyard and canalside walking trail nearby is still going strong more than 30 years after it opened, and there's also the newly opened Snugburys by the River, a little cafe that sits on the banks of Chester's River Dee.

Sisters Hannah, Kitty and Cleo Sadler are now at the helm, after taking over from their parents' who started the business, and they still offer the same mouth watering  ice cream flavours they always did - including flavours like Christmas pudding and Ginger sticky toffee pudding and even Snugpuds in the winter - ice cream topped brownies with hot chocolate and toasted smore topping.

Thorntons

39 Eastgate St, City Centre, Chester

Sample Thorntons' luxury dairy ice cream after a long day of shopping in Chester city centre. It would almost be rude not to.

The chocolate shop features favourites such as chocolate or toffee & fudge to zingy Sicilian Lemon or limited edition salted caramel - but you can guarantee there is a flavour for everyone.

So, if you’re mad about mint, hooked on honeycomb or smitten with strawberry, Thorntons will have something to tickle your tastebuds.

You can even get ice cream sundaes and shakes here - perfect for a hot day.

 

Cheshire Ice Cream Farm

Drumlan Hall Farm, Newton Ln, Tattenhall, CH3 9NE

A life-size magical ice cream tree at the new-look Ice Cream Farm at Tattenhall

The Ice Cream Farm doesn't just boast yummy dairy ice cream, it's also a great family day out. But the ice cream is a big part of it, boasting more than 40 flavours and combinations.

This attraction is in the Guinness World Record's for being the 'Largest Ice Cream Shop' and some of the wild and wonderful flavours include bakewell tart, bubblegum, butterscotch and liquorice and blackcurrant.

And when you've finally chosen between the vast array of flavours and sampled some of the ice cream, the next decision will be what attraction  to try first.

The ice cream farm boasts an enchanting ice cream tree that overflows with giant scoops of melting ice cream, a fudge farm, adventure golf course and a treasure hunt to name just a few.

Icestone Gelato

Icestone Gelato has opened in Bridge Street, Chester.
Icestone Gelato has opened in Bridge Street, Chester.

 

This dessert parlour offers the 'ultimate dessert experience' with a range of gelatos, waffles, crepes and cookie dough - made to a secret recipe.

There's a huge range of choice to satisfy any sweet tooth  - including freakshakes,  iceblasts and gelato soda floats.

And as for the gelato scoop list - you'll have to set aside half an hour just to decide which flavour to go for.

Flavours range from Ferroro Rocher, Nutella, Popping Candy, Reese's Peanut Butter and strawberry cheesecake. And if you're being healthy, there's a range of frozen yogurt too.