Days Out...

Snugburys: Piglets, ice cream and a meercat!

Yesterday I had two mini people accompanying me for the day; my cousins who are aged five and eight. Given their previous visits, I knew expectations of activities to keep them occupied would be high. After a trip to Wacky Warehouse (the easy route I know) we dropped my boyfriend at work and headed off on our mission to find Snugbury's ice cream shop in Hurleston, Nantwich.

I have been there twice before, and both times have thoroughly enjoyed their delicious ice cream, which comes in every flavour known to man. As everyone should know, all kids love ice cream, so it seemed the perfect place to stop before our journey back home. It would have been better had we not got lost on the way there, but then it just made the ice cream upon arrival that bit more tasty.

I had a single scoop in raspberry pavlova flavour, while my cousins played it safe with strawberry and chocolate brownie, but in the past I have also tried Cherry Blizzard (white chocolate ice cream with cherries and oreo cookie pieces) paired with White Mountain (white chocolate with white choc chips) and maple and pecan together with toffee and walnut. They are all reasonably priced; a standard single scoop with a wafer cone is £1.60, with slight differences for two or three scoops or a change to a sugar cone. So far, I would say the best option I've had is the Cherry Blizzard, but I am determined to work my way through a few more flavours before reaching a final verdict!

As well as being an ice cream shop, Snugbury's is also home to some gorgeous new piglets, a few older pigs, and a very inquisitive goat. They are kept in two little fields that we stood by as we ate, carefully guarding our cones from any hungry mouths. The farm is placed amidst the lovely Cheshire countryside, and there are a number of walks through the area incorporating such localities as the Llangollen canal, the market town of Nantwich and Swanley Bridge Marina.

Probably the most quirky aspect of Snugbury's at the moment is the giant meercat made of straw, that looks out onto the road. Thirty six feet tall, it is certainly much bigger than a real one! The farm plays host annually to a new sculpture, that is themed on something from the year; in the past there has been the London Eye, Big Ben, Jodrell Bank and the Angel of the North. Looking at the pictures of the previous models, this summer's tribute to the 'Compare the Market' mascot is definately my favourite!