Tour of Scotland

Loch Lomond and The Trossachs

Port of Mentieth
Inchmahome Priory

Port of Mentieth

West of Aberfoyle the Menteith Hills look down on the Lake of Menteith, the only natural lake in Scotland which is not designated as a ‘loch’. On one of the three islands in the lake stand the ruins of Inchmahome Priory, which was founded in the first half of the thirteenth century for a small community of the Augustinian order (the Black Canons) by the earl of Menteith, Walter Comyn. It would seem that his reason for founding the priory was so that the prayers of the canons would ensure the salvation of his soul. According to legend, the monks who resided here would slip a leash around the neck of a swan, tie a baited line to its foot and then sit quietly in their boats, waiting. When the swan gave some sort of indication that all was not right with its world, the monks knew that they'd caught a fish.

The Chapter House (recently re-roofed) contains several effigies and gravestones, including a rather splendid effigy of Walter Stewart who died in 1295.

Some scenes in the title song of the Bollywood movie Kuch Kuch Hota Hai were filmed at the Priory.

Port of Menteith is a modest little holiday resort on the north-eastern shore of the lake. The Menteith Hills are within the area of the Queen Elizabeth Forest Park which extends from the upper reaches of the River Forth to Loch Lomond.

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