Loch is the Scottish Gaelic term for a lake. And while English is the predominant language in the country, we have kept the Gaelic word for our own with every lake in the country being termed a loch – apart from one.
Scotland’s only lake can be found just up the road in Stirlingshire, near the villages of Buchlyvie and Arnprior, and is among the most beautiful bodies of water in the country.
It is not entirely clear why Lake of Menteith isn’t referred to as a loch but there are plenty of theories., which today were being examined by writers on the Scottish Daily Express.
It was designated a lake in an ordinance survey map from the 1830s and the name seems to have stuck. One theory is that the cartographer mistranslated the word ‘laich’ as ‘lake’ when it actually refers to a stretch of low-lying ground.
It’s a grand place for fishing. You might face competition though as the fish also attract osprey to the area. Lake of Menteith is recognised as a ‘must-do’ wild swimming spot while the shallow waters freeze over regularly in the winter.
At this point, it becomes a curling rink for a ‘bonspiel’, an outdoor curling match. The ‘Grand Match’ is often played here between the north and south of Scotland when the conditions allow.
There is only one settlement on the banks of Lake of Menteith, but Port of Menteith boasts one of the best-rated restaurants in the country.
Nicks at Port of Menteith has a perfect five-star rating on TripAdvisor with customers raving about the food and service.
The lake had previously been referred to as Loch on Menteith but since the 1800s, it has been the only natural lake in Scotland, although it is also sometimes referred to as Loch Inchmahome.
Regardless of its definition, Lake of Menteith is as beautiful as any loch in the country and was once a refuge for Mary Queen of Scots who stayed at Inchmahome Priory, found on an island in the lake, for a period as an infant.
Robert the Bruce, Don Roberto and Mary Queen of Scots.
Robert the Bruce also stayed there for a period and while they may have had other things on their mind, they must surely have been captivated by the stunning countryside.
Now on the edge of the Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park, Lake of Menteith is popular with anglers who flock to the banks to try and bag a rainbow or brown trout.