Some instant lake karma
Catriona Thomson arrives at the Karma Lake of Menteith hotel at just the right time
A gentle breeze whispered through the reeds that hug the edge of the lake, which caused shimmering ripples to appear. The water’s surface then appeared to turn golden, as two fishermen provided a picture-perfect silhouette and the sun dipped below the horizon. I had arrived at the Karma Lake of Menteith hotel on a two-night winter break at just the right time.
The hotel was originally the manse house for the minister at the Port of Menteith Church, sited next door. The manse was converted first into an inn and it has now morphed into a 16-roomed boutique hotel and bar. In 1979, the lake froze and the hotel hosted a famous Bonspiel or outdoor curling match. Visitors still return here to reminisce about what must have been a magical experience. There are old archive mementos of the event hanging on the walls. In 2010, the lake froze again but the ice wasn’t thick enough for the contest to be revived, so perhaps with global warming, there may never be one again.
The hotel is owned by The Karma Group, which is run by an unconventional character and former band manager to Bananarama and Culture Club, John Spence. After he left the music industry he diversified into the property and hospitality sectors. Today The Karma Group has 44 global destinations, stretching across four continents. Last year he bought this place, his only Scottish offering.
My temporary abode is the spacious Osprey room, with lakeside views, ensuite and a massive and incredibly comfortable bed. The complimentary Tunnocks, shortbread tin and a miniature of whisky are nice touches, but it’s the lakeside view that provides the wow factor.
There are three islands in the lake; Inchmahome, Inch Talla and Dog Isle, and on the largest isle is the ruined Inchmahome priory, which was founded in 1238. This place is awash with history, as Robert the Bruce and Mary Queen of Scots both visited. Sadly due to dangerous high level masonry work Inchmahome priory is currently closed.
Tonight I’m dining in the hotel restaurant. It has a distinctly New England décor vibe, something which is slightly at odds with the fact that we are in the heart of Scotland, but the food is good. Head chef Mike Potts has created a broad international menu to cater for global travellers as well as home-based tourists. The kitchen is a proud champion and supporter of local suppliers, and if you are a meat and game fan you are in for a treat. The dinner menu during my stay featured a Highland wagyu burger, venison pie sourced from nearby Rednock Estate, and Lake of Menteith-sourced trout fillet served with mussels in a beurre blanc sauce.
If you are looking for somewhere else locally to eat, I would recommend Nick Nairn’s place, Nick’s at Port of Menteith just down the road. Breakfast is either a continental buffet which is included in the price or something from the cooked menu. I opted for a full vegetarian platter (£15) to fuel my day of sightseeing, but I made sure to take my time, to drink up more of the views and was rewarded by spying some fish leisurely leaping.
I then headed to nearby Doune, but decided to sidestep a visit to the castle made famous by Monty Python, and instead made my way onto a whisky tour at Deanston distillery. You might recognise some of the locations, as it featured in both Ken Loach’s film, Angels’ Share, and briefly in Outlander. Prior to the 1960s Deanston used to be a cotton mill powered by the nearby river Teith, but its maverick owner Brodie Hepburn decided to change to become a distillery.
After I had soaked up all the smells and atmosphere of the mash room I headed to the nearby town of Callander, to stock up on award winning bread from Mhor bakery. From there it was off into the hills to explore the Trossachs scenery. The area has inspired a veritable who’s who of writers, poets and painters, each captivated by the romantic beauty of the landscape. We’re talking William Wordsworth, Samuel Coleridge, Thomas Carlyle, Hans Christian Andersen, Gerard Manley Hopkins, Jules Verne and Sir Walter Scott – who set his poem Lady of the Lake at Loch Katrine.
A gentle ramble was just the ticket to end my day and to fully experience the Trossachs’ rugged beauty, but the views of the lake and a warm spot by the roaring log fire in the bar were calling to me back to the hotel.
Karma Lake of Menteith, Port of Menteith (07871 179950) karmagroup.com/find-destination/ karma-resorts/karma-lake-ofmenteith; dinner, bed and breakfast, in the Osprey room based on two sharing, costs £220 per night.