A new initiative has launched offering holiday-makers at two Scottish locations the chance to hire a personal butler for the ultimate picnic experience.
A collaboration between VisitScotland and Forest Holidays, the service will be offered at the latter's two Scottish locations in Ardgarten, Argyll, and Strathyre, Perthshire.
Jack Black, Scotland's first picnic butler and experienced forest ranger will take guests to extra special places at each location to experience a picnic of local produce, as well as offering guidance on foraging, making fires, spotting wildlife and outdoor survival.
Guests at Forest Holidays' two Scottish locations will be able to choose from a range of picnic butler experiences tailored towards couples or families.
Each of the Forest Holidays locations will source produce from local suppliers for the picnic hampers, including Scottish smoked salmon and Caboc cream cheese bagels, Scottish crisps, Arran cheese and Arran oat cakes, seasonal fruits, Tunnocks tea cakes and caramel logs, Heather Honey tablet, Irn Bru, Scottish spring water and a glass of sparkling wine for romantic walks.
Jack Black, Scotland's only picnic butler, said:
"Having travelled the world exploring and visiting some the highest mountains and greatest wilds, it's only fitting that I am now taking on the greatest challenge of my career - being Scotland's only Picnic Butler.
"Scotland's incredible landscape and the natural larder go hand-in-hand, and the two Forest Holidays locations offer excellent opportunities for picnics and discovering wildlife. It's a pleasure for me to be a part of people's holidays, creating moments they will treasure forever."
Mike Cantlay, VisitScotland Chairman, said:
"I'm sure the Picnic Butler will be a popular addition to Forest Holiday's tourism offering during the Year of Food and Drink 2015.
"Food and drink is an integral part of the visitor experience, couple that with the famous Scottish hospitality and you have a recipe for success.
"This year is all about celebrating our exceptional natural larder, the role food and drink plays in shaping our economic success andthepeople, landscapes and culture that make our food heritage so unique."
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