A Peaceful Stay on Scotland’s Only Lake by Hilary Kaiser
Story and photos by Hilary Kaiser
Scotland has some 30,000 “lochs” but only one lake! One explanation is that Lake Menteith was supposedly mistakenly called a “lake” on an 1838 UK ordnance survey, and the distinction has stuck ever since. As for the name Menteith, it is said to evoke the Scottish nobleman, “Menteth”, who appears in the final act of Shakespeare’s Macbeth. Be it a loch or a lake, the setting of Lake Menteith is truly beautiful.
Located within the magnificent Trossachs National Park in the county of Stirlingshire, the lake, which boasts several small islands, is a popular spot for trout and pike anglers, picnickers and “wild” swimmers. Inchmahome, the largest of the islands, is home to an ancient priory, which was historically visited by Robert the Bruce and acted as a refuge for Mary Queen of Scots when she was four years old.
On a recent trip to the Scottish Highlands, my partner and I spent two nights on Lake Menteith, staying at a lovely New England-style country inn on its banks in the hamlet of Port of Menteith. Acquired recently by the international Karma Group, the former Lake Menteith Hotel, now called Karma Lake of Menteith, was once the “manse”, or vicarage, of the parish kirk next door. Converted into an inn as early as 1854, the building has been modernized and remodeled several times.
The Karma Group, founded by English entrepreneur John Spence, intends to continue this tradition of renovation. In the coming year, the Group plans to invest time and money in upgrading the inn, its most recent acquisition among the 44 Karma resort properties it owns on four continents. Karma Lake of Menteith comprises 18 rooms, a pub, a restaurant, and a malt vault. The hotel is about an hour’s drive from Edinburgh and Glasgow airports and only 20 minutes away from the historic city of Stirling with its ancient, hill-top castle. Loch Lomond and Queen Elizabeth Forest Park are close by.
Driving west from Edinburgh, my partner and I first stopped off to visit the Falkirk Wheel, the world’s first and only rotating boat lift that connects the Forth and Clyde Canal with the Union Canal, as well as the charming city of Stirling and its castle. We arrived at Karma Lake of Menteith hotel in mid-afternoon. Since it was warm and sunny and we were tired from our sightseeing, we decided to spend the rest of the afternoon relaxing on the wooden deck and water-front lawn of the hotel and gazing at the natural beauty of Lake Menteith.
“Isn’t looking out over the Lake with the Trossachs in the distance mesmerizing?” Chris Diplock, General Manager of the hotel, asked us. Then he added, “It’s so peaceful and tranquil that you can’t help but feel better when you come here; people find this very important after the trials and tribulations of the last two years.” According to Chris, staying at the Karma Lake Menteith provides the same “holistic experience” that many of the other Karma properties throughout the world offer their guests.
We did indeed find staying at Karma Lake Menteith soothing both to the mind and body. Viewing the lake and the hills, as well as the sheep and cows grazing on the nearby fields and hills, created a wonderful sense of calm. The sparsely populated landscape, the pink and purple rhododendron plants, the yellow Scottish broom shrubs, and the ripples on the water were all pleasing to the eye and spirit. The fishing boats dotting the lake reminded me of some of the paintings I’ve seen in fine art museums of Native Americans duck hunting in their canoes. The scene was so restful I could imagine a yoga retreat taking place on the lawn. I could also imagine myself coming back later in the summer and doing some “wild swimming” (outdoor swimming in a natural pool of water) in the lake when the water warms up. (It was 18°C., or 64.4° F., when we were there.)
The first night we ate at the hotel restaurant, which is in an elegant conservatory looking out on the Lake, and enjoyed haggis “bonbons” with a whisky dip and main dishes of local trout and roast spring lamb. For dessert, we had a yummy Scottish cheeseboard comprised of Tain Brie, Isle of Mull cheddar and Strathdon blue. We also ordered a special 2019 Karma Bordeaux wine, which apparently Karma Group founder John Spence and his father blended together at the Château Lynch Bages vineyards in the Médoc region — hence the name “Père et Fils.”
On our second day at Port of Menteith, we decided to explore some of the surrounding area. Driving to the nearby town of Aberfoyle, we parked behind the Visitors Center, where the friendly staff gave us brochures and indicated the sites. We also visited the adjacent Wool Center, which has a large gift shop with lambswool sweaters and Tartan scarves for sale. Wishing to get some exercise, we left the car in the parking lot and found the 3-mile circular trail leading to magical Doon Hill, where we had a lovely view of the lush surrounding countryside. According to the brochure provided by the Aberfoyle Visitor Center: “[This ancient site], originating from the Gaelic word ‘dùn’, which means a hill fort, has long been associated with the existence of faeries…”
Following our walk, we drove deep into Queen Elizabeth Forest Park, stopping at Loch Katrine, the legendary loch that inspired Sir Walter Scott and brought Victorian tourists to The Trossachs for the first time. It was interesting to learn that ever since 1859 this beautiful loch has been the water reservoir for the city of Glasgow. We toyed with the idea of joining a cruise boat tour of the lake, but by this time it was drizzling, so we decided to drive back to the hotel along the scenic shores of Loch Venachar.
Had we had more time and if the weather had been better, we would have hiked along the Great Trossach’s Path and picnicked at one of the lovely spots on the shores of Loch Venachar. Instead, we returned to our hotel, had some Cullen Skink soup (a Scottish specialty made of smoked haddock, potatoes and onions), and then walked over to the Lake of Menteith Fisheries a short distance down the road. A member of the staff told us the Lake is stocked weekly with rainbow and brown trout that are reared on-site and that the Fisheries rents out some 34 boats. We also learned that the Lake of Menteith is the main venue for the National Fly Fishing Championships in Scotland.
We spent the rest of the afternoon reading and working on our laptops in the hotel lounge with its storybook lakefront view. At one point, Chris Diplock came over and shared with us some interesting information about the location and the hotel.
In addition to hiking, boating and fishing, we learned there is an excellent, scenic golf course in Aberfoyle about 4 miles away from Port of Menteith, and Go Ape Outdoor Activity Centre in Aberfoyle has two of the longest zip lines in the U.K. Pony trekking is offered at Castle Rednock Trekking Center, a 5-minute drive away from the hotel. For those who like to cycle, bikes can be rented at Aberfoyle Bike Hire and Café, and bike tours around Loch Ard Forest will soon be run by a qualified mountain bike leader and cycling coach living in the area. Here’s an interesting piece of information that tells us something about global warming: Over the decades, when the weather was cold enough for its shallow waters to freeze, the Lake of Menteith was the site of an outdoor curling tournament or “bonspiel” between the north and south of Scotland, the last “Grand Match” being in 1979.
As for the hotel, Chris told us the Karma Group will be renovating a number of rooms and bathrooms, refreshing the décor of the common areas, and replacing the wooden flooring and dining tables during the quiet month of November. It will also be redesigning the Malt Vault area, adding Chesterfield sofas and muted lighting, and increasing the hotel’s already extensive range of whiskies.
We also learned from Chris that the hotel uses local food suppliers. For example, their asparagus and berries come from Denmead Farm, their fish from Willie Little in Crieff, their meat from Skinners of Kippen, and their cheese and other produce from Campbells of Stirling. The hotel is currently in discussion with the renowned Scottish chef, Nick Nairn, who lives and works locally, about providing honey from his hives to the Karma honey label.
In the evening, after having cocktails in the bar of our hotel, we drove along the lovely, tree-lined road encircling Lake Menteith and had dinner at Nick Nairn’s restaurant. Attached to his 20-year-old, award-winning Cook School, which is currently closed for refurbishment, “Nick’s” has both inside and outside dining areas. Eating in the inside dining room, we appreciated the low-key, Scandinavian-style furnishings. My partner and I shared two starters: a portion of seafood tempura and a rocket and parmesan salad. His main course was a vegetable risotto with locally-grown asparagus and fresh summer truffles, and I had a delicious seafood linguine with fresh market fish and shellfish from the fishing port of Scrabster. For dessert we shared a scrumptious passion fruit pannacotta.
The next morning, we left Lake Menteith and drove further into The Highlands, going over Glencoe Pass and down to the sea lochs of the west coast. Enchanted by Scotland’s only lake and delighted we’d booked at the Karma Lake of Menteith hotel, we had every intention of someday returning to this lovely spot.
If You Go:
https://karmagroup.com/find-destination/karma-resorts/karma-lake-of-menteith/
https://karmagroup.com/membership/ “Karma Club” membership points allow you to spend nights at any of the Karma Group’s 44 luxury resorts across the globe as well as to access Karma spas, eateries and special events. Several membership options exist, including the “Discovery” package, which, over a three-year period, offers members 21 nights at Karma Group resorts plus additional benefits and discounts.
https://www.visitscotland.com/info/services/aberfoyle-icentre-p234571
https://www.menteith-fisheries.co.uk/
https://www.aberfoylegolf.co.uk/
https://aberfoylebikehire.co.uk/
https://karmacommunity.karmagroup.com/experience-karma/cycle-adventures-in-loch-ard-forest/
