There is a real Cornish gem tucked away in the corner of St Ives harbour, a luxury boutique ice cream parlour which also serves afternoon tea. The Moomaid of Zennor combines the modern and fashionable preference for eating locally grown produce with the very best of traditional Cornish farming. Situated between the stunning coastal road to the West of St Ives and the Cornish cliff tops, Tremedda Farm is host to the Moomaids of Zennor, a herd of Friesian cattle that produces all the dairy products for the Moomaid parlour. At only a few miles away from St Ives, local produce doesn’t get any better than this. And it’s great to know that Tremedda Farm is not just local, but it’s also traditional – all the Friesian cows are known by name, and their portraits hang on the walls of the ice cream parlour.

After hearing so many good recommendations of the Moomaid of Zennor from my friends, I decided to give their St Ives parlour a try. When I arrived in St Ives the weather was spectacular, as always. With a glorious sun shining down on us, we decided not to walk around the harbour but rather to walk across the sands. After a glorious walk, we arrived at the Moomaid of Zennor parlour and were greeted by their friendly and helpful staff, who showed us to one of their tables. The parlour is very well situated and its balcony overlooks the sands and harbour of St Ives, with a view of the bay in the distance. You couldn’t ask for a more scenic backdrop for ice cream or afternoon tea.

The Moomaid of Zennor boasts over 30 flavours of ice cream, all freshly produced at Tremedda Farm, and the good news is that there will be around 20 for you to choose from whenever you visit the parlour. I was really impressed by the creative and adventurous flavours on offer, including Cornish clotted cream, rocky road, Belgian chocolate, caramel and hazelnut, fig and mascarpone, almond and amarena cherry, pistachio, Turkish delight, and banana (to name but a few). There’s also a great range of sorbets to choose from including lemon, mango, blackcurrant, rhubarb and orange (can’t wait to try this), dark chocolate, and champagne (this one is a real must!). And if you’re feeling really adventurous, you could try one of their to-die-for ice cream sundaes.

I have to admit that when I visited the Moomaid of Zennor, after a scenic train journey and a walk across the sands, I was in need of a strong cup of tea. So I tried their full afternoon cream tea, and I was not disappointed. A full cream tea brings a very generously sized pot of tea to your table (I think I got three whole cups out of mine), as well as two scones freshly baked by the farmer’s wife. The scones were absolutely delicious, still warm and with a soft, home-made texture. The scones came with a large helping of Rodda’s fresh Cornish clotted cream and a gorgeous dollop of Boddington’s home-made strawberry preserve. The strawberry preserve, with its whole strawberries encased in a smooth jam, was so impressive that I bought several jars before I left parlour! The cream teas served at the Moomaid of Zennor are, in my opinion, the best you will find in Cornwall. Be warned however, this cream tea may be delicious, but it is dangerously filling!

All in all, my trip to the Moomaid of Zennor was one of the highlights of my visit to St Ives, and I can’t wait to go there again.