Menteith is a large area stretching from the Allan Water to Loch Lomond, including the Doune, Callander and Trossachs districts; and of course the parish of Port of Menteith itself and the Lake thereof--no significance about that appellation of lake, despite the nonsense talked by some about it being the only lake in Scotland. It was called Loch of Menteith until well into the last century. The early Celtic Earls of Menteith were a great force in Scotland, for their territory straddled the waist of the country, and, moreover, held the line between Highlands and Lowlands. Their principal castle was on the island of Inch Talla, in the Loch of Menteith, where they kept up princely state, with the Priory of Inchmahome on the next islet; but when Murdoch Stewart, Duke of Albany, James I's cousin, married the heiress in the early I5th century, he found the island-fortress inconvenient, and built a great new castle at Doune, which thereafter became the capital of Menteith. On his execution, for treason, James split up the earldom, as being too powerful for any one subject, giving Doune and the eastern part to another branch of the Stewarts--who still hold it--and the rest, with the earldom itself, to the Grahams. Certain descendants of the Grahams, also, are still landholders here, though the earldom itself was eventually suppressed by Charles I in shameful fashion. Menteith is half Highland, half Lowland, fertile, scenic, non-industrial, typical indeed of the county as a whole. Being within easy reach of Edinburgh and Glasgow, it is very and deservedly popular with the visitor who has not time to 'do all the Highlands properly'.

Another very attractive road, though a private one, leads from the Kirkton westwards through the Loch Ard Forest to Duchray and beyond, passing by the picturesque wood-girt Lochan Spling. Duchray Castle, actually in Stirlingshire, is a small but interesting tower-house of the late 16th century, with older nucleus, oblong, with a circular stair-tower and angle-turret. Unfortunately someone has 'gothicised' the windows, to ill effect; but the little fortalice is still delightful and kept in good order. In 1528 the laird was Buchanan of that Ilk; but in 1569 it was sold to the Grahams, and remained with that powerful family until modern times. The castle gave shelter to Rob Roy, despite his anti-Graham bias, on an occasion when the two Graham sisters managed to smuggle him out of the back door while entertaining dragoon officers at the front. Earlier, in 1653, Duchray was involved in the Earl of Glencairn's unsuccessful battle against Monk's Cromwellian troops in the Pass of Aberfoyle. After the Forty-five Rising, it was burned; which accounts for the altered roof-line.

The main B.829 road, west of Aberfoyle village, although a dead-end, continues for 15 glorious miles through the mountains, to terminate at Inversnaid on the east shore of Loch Lomond, passing Lochs Ard, Chon, Katrine and Arklet, one of the finest scenic runs in the Southern Highlands.