The ice cream shop has been running for four years and sells over 90 varieties, as well as paninis, sweet bakes, teas and coffees
The ice cream shop is located on the edge of a country park(Image: Manchester Evening News)
Just outside Bury town centre, Burrs Country Park is a popular spot for walkers, families and holidaymakers.The River Irwell meanders through this scenic gem, which covers 36 hectares of scenic countryside features woodland, wetland, ponds and waterways.
Head there and you’ll find various paths and trails you can follow and places for a paddle too. Many also visit for a picnic, spot of bird watching and fishing too.
The East Lancashire Railway runs along the edge as well, offering many opportunities to view spectacular steam engines, and for kids there’s beams and climbing equipment too.
There’s also a Caravan Club site based around the Irwell and the two former cotton mills. It can accommodate 80 pitches for caravans and tents.
Burrs Country Park(Image: Manchester Evening News)
Its existence is owed to Bury’s industrial past and Burrs was one of the area’s earliest mill sites. It is also host to some of the works on the Irwell Sculpture Trail, which runs from Salford to the West Pennine Moors. You can follow the trail north from the park to the village of Summerseat or continue on to the market town of Ramsbottom.
While Burrs is home to The Lamppost and its neighbouring Burrs Ice Cream Parlour, both of which are popular with visitors, just before the entry to the park, you’ll find another food and drink spot – one which is particularly popular at this time of year.
Since 2012, Higher Woodhill Farm on Woodhill Road has been the home of Jersey Girls Ice Cream, producing delicious sweet treats from the farm’s herd of Jersey cows, which happily graze in the fields beyond the kiosk.
Jersey cows, as well as being one of the friendliest breeds, are famous for their high quality rich and creamy milk, which as you might expect, is reflected in the ice cream you can buy here.
Jersey Girls in Bury(Image: Manchester Evening News)
“We take the milk directly from the tanker just there,” says Natalie Ward, one of the directors of the business, pointing to a huge silver vessel that overlooks the yard area where tables and chairs are arranged for customers to enjoy their ice creams.
“We then carry it over to the kitchen which you can see into because of the large glass window, and that’s where we make all the ice cream. It’s super local, no footprint.”
All of the ice cream is made on-site at Jersey Girls using the cows milk combined with high quality ingredients.
In terms of the process, the raw milk is passed through the pasteuriser where it is heated to kill any bacteria. It is then added to a batch freezer where the ice cream ingredients are blended, churned, whipped and frozen.
Jersey Girls in Bury(Image: Manchester Evening News)
The ice cream is then piled high into napoli pans using a spatula, and from here the pans are placed in a blast freezer where it is rapidly frozen using fast moving air . This locks everything into place and ensures large ice crystals don’t form.
Around the perimeter of the outdoor space, the barn houses the kitchen and ice cream window where visitors can choose from a truly impressive range of ice creams as well as brownies and cakes baked locally by Luna Bakes, plus hot panninis, and a selection of ManCoCo coffee, teas and soft drinks.
“We have over 90 flavours but we can only stock 13 in the cabinets so the options are constantly changing every day,” adds Natalie.
When asked which is their most popular flavour, there’s no hesitation. “Jersey,” says Natalie with a smile.
The ice cream shop boasts over 90 flavours (Image: Manchester Evening News)
“Definitely the most popular, it’s just a milk ice cream. It’s so creamy we don’t even need to add vanilla.”
Once you arrive at the shop window, you can first decide what kind of cone you want. Options include plane waffle cones as well as ones coated in smarties. Current flavours include strawberries and cream, mint choc ripple, raspberry, Perky Pig, bubblegum, lemon meringue pie and mango too.
You can add a range of hot sauces like Nutella to your ice cream and a variety of different sprinkles too. And, if you’re feeling decadent there’s still an Easter Egg Sundae (£6) available. A single cone with one scoop starts at £3, while a double scoop is £4 and triple scoop is £4.70.
Over the bank holiday weekend they’ll be opening the barn, which sits behind the ice cream shop too for something a little bit different.
Goats at Jersey Girls (Image: Manchester Evening News )
“On busy holiday weekends we have the Smokehouse at the back where we smoke our own meats, and we also have a pizza oven as well, so we switch up what we’re doing.
“We’ve also just had planning granted to develop the barn at the back into a cafe and education centre. At the moment we have a party room too and we hold two hour sessions where we do animal handling, and we do food and drink for the kids.”
The new café building will also enable visitors and school groups to observe some of the animals at the farm – of which you will see there are plenty if you go for a stroll around the site.
As well as the beautiful herd of Jersey cows, the farm and ice cream shop is home to goats, ducks, rabbits, donkeys, a bearded lizard and even two reindeer – one called Jassa, which means snow drift, and the other called Jallu which means brave and bold.
Under supervision of the team at Jersey Girls, children are given a tour of the animals during parties and organised events too.