A lunch on the hill

Thousands, if not millions, of people around the UK and the world, followed the Olympic road race last week. Twisting and turning their way through the Surrey hills, we were all exposed to the overwhelming beauty of the rolling hills and British countryside, so overlooked and merely a stone’s throw away from London. It may be that in the coming weeks you will be inspired and intrepid enough to venture out into the wilds of Surrey (or wherever!) to gaze upon the views and perhaps to take with you that most British of accouterments: the picnic hamper. Taking lunch on a hill is a delight that many people experience only a few times, but here at Snapdragon, we like to think that we have elevated the art of an outdoors lunch to new levels of splendor and grace!

In fact we have only recently delivered the most stunning event deep in the heart of the Surrey Hills for a private client who wanted to surprise someone on a very special day. The National Trust owns many of the most beautiful locations in the country and so we were delighted to collaborate with them on this event, ensuring that we secured not only the best view in the whole of the county but the most exclusive private location, never to be used again. So snap the plastic cutlery in half, throw the paper plates to the wind and let us take you through our ‘Lunch on the Hill’.

Now, our clients sat down for lunch, not on a beautiful rug, but at a perfectly laid table, strewn with the freshest summer flowers from Sophie Hanna and gilt edged place cards from the Wren Press. They were protected from the elements by an elegant gazebo and had piles of cashmere rugs on hand to wrap around themselves if they started to feel the cold. Two rising stars from the Royal Academy of Music (violin and cello) played sweet music from the moment the clients sat down until they had been escorted back to their car.

Hidden in the background, Rhubarb Cranleigh, one of the UK’s top catering companies, prepared and served the freshest and most delicate British summer food in hushed silence, accompanied by hand picked vintage champagne and stunning wines. A butler shimmered in and out of view before the guests even knew that they wanted something, ensuring that the whole afternoon ran like clockwork, with the elegance of a Picnic in Versailles! As the afternoon wore on, storm lanterns and candles lit, the clients were led away from their table to their personally chauffeured Range Rover (how else would you climb to the top of the highest hill?!).

The requests for these sort of outside events have been flooding in and we have been taking great delight in putting them together.