Lake of Menteith: Difference between revisions

'''Lake of Menteith''', also known as '''Loch Inchmahome''' ([[Scottish Gaelic]]: ''Loch Innis Mo Cholmaig''), is a [[loch]] in [[Scotland]] located on the [[Carse|Carse]] of Stirling]], (the flood plain of the upper reaches of the rivers [[River Forth|Forth]] and [[River Teith|Teith]], upstream offrom [[Stirling]]).<ref name="bathy">{{cite book |last1=John |first1=Murray |last2=Lawrence |first2=Pullar|title=Bathymetrical Survey of the Fresh-Water Lochs of Scotland, 1897-1909 Lochs of the Forth Basin Volume II - Lake of Menteith|url=https://maps.nls.uk/bathymetric/text/page/859|date=1910 |publisher=National Challenger Officer|location=National Library of Scotland|page=16|accessdateaccess-date=12 May 2018}}{{PD-notice}}</ref><ref name="britlakes">{{cite web|title= Lake of Menteith|url=http://www.britishlakes.info/24919-lake-of-menteith-central|website=British Lakes|accessdateaccess-date=12 May 2018}}</ref>

Until the early 19th century, the loch was more usualcommonly known by the Scottish name, of Loch“Loch of MenteithMenteith”, wasalthough, used.on the 1654 On themap, ''Blaeu Atlas of Scotland'', 1654, it is namedidentified as Loch“Loch Inche MahumoMahumo”. The only settlement of any size on the LakeLoch of Menteith is the [[Port of Menteith]].<ref>{{cite journal|magazine=The Scots Magazine|volume=74| publisher=D.C. Thomson |year=1960|page=374|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=MY4eAQAAMAAJ|title=Why is the LakeLoch of Menteith a lakeloch and not a LochLake?}}</ref>

There are a number of small islands in the loch. On the largest, [[Inchmahome]], is [[Inchmahome Priory]], an ancient [[monastery]]. The [[priory]] served as refuge to [[Mary, Queen of Scots]], in 1547. She was only four years old at the time and stayed for three weeks after the disastrous [[Battle of Pinkie Cleugh]] in September of that year. The Lochloch is not particularly deep and can freeze over completely in exceptionally cold winters. If the ice becomes thick enough &mdash;, at least {{convert|7|in|cm}},<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/tayside_and_central/8439865.stm|title=Curlers prepare for 'Grand Match'|work=BBC News|accessdateaccess-date=5 January 2010 | date=5 January 2010}}</ref> &mdash; an outdoor [[curling]] tournament called Thethe [[Bonspiel]] (or the [[Grand Match]]) is held on the loch. The event can attract thousands of curlers despiteeven itsthough rarity.it is held very infrequently. The last Grand Match was held in 1979. The Bonspiel that had been planned 2010for Bonspiel2010 was abandoned on health and safety grounds.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/tayside_and_central/8448669.stm|title=Grand Match off over safety fears|work=BBC News|accessdateaccess-date=9 January 2010 | date=8 January 2010}}</ref>

The Lake of Menteith is often thought of as the only body of water in [[Scotland]] that is referred to as a [[lake]]. Actually, there are several others, some of which arehave been artificialartificially bodiescreated: [[Pressmennan Lake]], [[East Lothian]]; the [[Lake of the Hirsel]], [[Berwickshire]]; Lake Louise (within the grounds of [[Skibo Castle]]), [[Sutherland]]); Raith Lake in, [[KirkcaldyFife]],;<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.raithlake.com/ |title=Raith Lake Trout Fishery |publisher=Raithlake.com |access-date= |accessdate=2012-11-06}}</ref> Upper Lake and Kelly Lake (both near [[Haddo House]]), [[Aberdeenshire]]); Pitfour Lake, and Cally Lake (near [[Gatehouse of Fleet]], [[Kirkcudbrightshire]]). There is also a sea bay near [[Kirkcudbright]] known as Manxman's Lake. Nearly all other major bodies of water in Scotland are known as [[loch]]s.

There was a [[Castra|Roman Fortfort]] at a site associated with the [[Gask Ridge]], to the west of the lake. The Romans may have referred to the site as "Lindon".<ref>{{cite web |title=Gazetteer |url=http://www.theromangaskproject.org/?page_id=39 |website=Roman Gask Project |access-date=30 June 2018}}</ref> It was founddiscovered by David Wilson<ref>{{cite news |title=AARG Conversation N o 3: David Wilson and Rog Palmer: 29 July 1998 |url=http://www.univie.ac.at/aarg/files/03_Publications/AARG%20News/AARG%20News%2017.PDF#page=41 |accessdateaccess-date=30 June 2018 |agency=AARGnews 17 |date=September 1998}}</ref> and [[Kenneth St Joseph]] in 1968 when they were conducting an aerial survey of [[Flanders Moss]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Menteith, Malling Glen Fort and Marching Camps |url=http://roman-britain.co.uk/places/menteith.htm |website=Roman Britain |accessdateaccess-date=30 June 2018}}</ref> FollowingAfter thetaking aerial photographyphotographs, groundthey measurementsassessed ofthe site by measuring resistance and magnetic susceptibility wereat ground takenlevel.<ref>{{cite web |title=Malling |url=https://canmore.org.uk/site/24065/malling |website=Canmore |publisher=Historic Environment Scotland |accessdate=30 June 2018}}</ref> The site may have been known as "Lindon" to the Romans.<ref>{{cite web |title=Gazetteer |url=http://www.theromangaskproject.org/?page_id=39 |website=Roman Gask Project |accessdateaccess-date=30 June 2018}}</ref>

[[File:Gask Ridge.jpg|thumb|center|upright=3|Forts and ''Fortlets'' associated with the [[Gask Ridge]] from south to north<ref>{{cite web |title=Gask Ridge |url=https://www.scribblemaps.com/maps/view/Gask_Ridge/68RAcyNjfG |website=Scribble Maps |accessdateaccess-date=9 June 2018}}</ref> [[Balmuildy]], [[Cadder]], [[Castlecary]], [[Mumrills]], [[Camelon]], [[Drumquhassle]], '''Malling''', [[Doune]], ''[[Glenbank]]'', [[Bochastle]], [[Ardoch Roman Fort|Ardoch]], ''[[Sheilhill]]'', [[Strageath]], [[Dalginross]], ''[[Midgate]]'', [[Bertha]], [[Fendoch]], [[Cargill]], [[Cardean]], '''[[Inchtuthil]]''', ''[[Inverquharity]]'', [[Stracathro]]<ref>{{cite web |title=Gask Ridge Map |url=https://www.heritagedaily.com/gask-ridge |website=HeritageDaily |accessdateaccess-date=9 June 2018}}</ref> ]]

In 2020, the lake was featured in the [[BBC]] programme ''[[Springwatch]]'', presented by wildlife photographer [[Gordon Buchanan]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Springwatch:Episode 8 |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m000jr7q/springwatch-2020-episode-8 |website=Springwatch |accessdateaccess-date=7 June 2020}}</ref>

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