The Old Barn Port of Menteith

The Old Barn is a converted barn next to the main farmhouse here at Mondhui. It's on a private estate in the Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park. The cottage is a few hundred years old. It's a single-storey place, so everything is on one level. It sleeps two.

It's up in the hills above the Lake of Menteith. That's Scotland's only lake, incidentally. The view from the cottage is the main thing. You look right out over the water to Inchmahome Priory on the island. You can see it from the covered porch, which is handy if it's raining.

It was all renovated a few years ago. It's done to a good standard. Oak floors, a decent kitchen, a kingsize bed. The bathroom has a shower over the bath. There's a woodburning stove for chilly evenings. Outside, there's a private deck with a barbecue.

You're right on the edge of the Menteith Hills here. You can walk straight from the door up into the hills and join the Rob Roy Way. The area is good for wildlife. We get red squirrels, deer, and a lot of birds. There's a duck pond on the estate.

The local pub and the Lake Hotel, which does food, are about a mile away. The shop is in Thornhill, about four miles. For fishing, the Lake of Menteith Fisheries is just down the road. You can get the boat from there over to Inchmahome Priory, which is run by Historic Environment Scotland.

Within a half hour drive you've got a lot. Aberfoyle and Callander are about ten minutes. You can take the steamship on Loch Katrine from the Trossachs Pier. The David Marshall Lodge in the Queen Elizabeth Forest Park is good for walks and views. Stirling, with the castle, is about twenty minutes away. Loch Lomond is half an hour. Glasgow is under an hour.

It's a 4 Star place. Bedding and towels are included. There's a washing machine, WiFi, and parking right outside. One well-behaved dog is welcome. The cottage is attached to our house, but it's very private.

If you're looking for more information on the area, the Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park site is useful. For the priory and other historic sites, check Historic Environment Scotland.