Lochearnhead Hotel in Perthshire  

Lochearn: Loch Earn is a stunningly beautiful fresh water Loch running East-West with a southern shore panorama of two magnificent Munroe Mountains Ben Vorlich and Stuc a Chroin. Sunrises and sunsets turn the loch a golden colour. The Loch is 7 miles long and up to a mile wide. It is 3 times deeper than the North Sea and is the only inland loch with a small tide. The west side at Lochearnhead is sheltered and calm and is ideal for boating pursuits and waterskiing.
Ospreys can frequently be seen fishing in the Loch.

Position: In the lower Central Highlands. Its location in the centre of Scotland makes it a great centre for touring Scotland. Many attractions and towns are within 1/1/2 hour’s drive. From Edinburgh take the M90 to Perth and follow the signs to Crainlarich on the A85. From Glasgow take the M8 to Stirling then follow the A84 to Callander and Crainlarich.
Glasgow: 1hr 15minutes
Edinburgh: 1hr 15minutes
Perth 32 miles 45 minutes
Stirling 32 miles 45 minutes
Dundee 1hr
Oban 1hr 20 minutes
St Andrews 1hr 30 minutes
Loch Lomond 30 minutes
Glencoe 40 minutes

HISTORY:
· Flooded U shaped glacial valley left by last Ice Age on a seismic fault line. Comrie on the east side is referred to as Rumbletown due to the number of earth tremors. There is a station set up there to measure the earths tremors
· Tools and arrowheads found from 7500BC in Lochearnhead. Mesolithic period (Middle Stone Ages). This is the hunter gatherer period prior to Neolithic farming.
· There is also evidence of Roman settlements and the nearest garage today (5 miles away) is called L1X Toll. Pontius Pilate was born in Fortingall in Glen Lyon, the next East West Valley. This is also home to the Oldest tree in Europe a Yew tree over 5000 years old with a 52 feet circumference in1769.



The Loch was the frontier between the resident Picts and the incoming Scots from Ireland in 683AD. Sieged by the Scots in 889AD with the Pictish King Giric killed at Lochearnhead.
· The name Loch Earn comes from the Scottish Gaelic Loch Eireann. Loch of the Irish
· Around 1120 David first King of Scotland( at the time Scotland also included parts of the North of England) introduced feudalism where Lords were given rights over the land which was tenanted by the farmers. The main clans in the area became the Magregors, Stewarts, and the McLarens.
· Ardvorlich House situated on the South side of the Loch at the foot of Ben Vorlich was built by the Stewarts. The gardens today are magnificent and can be seen in full glory in May/June. Edinchip, situated about a mile from Lochearnhead toward Balquidder was built by the Magregors. This house also has magnificent secret gardens planted around 1890.
· In 1870, the Callander to Oban Railway was built through Glen Ogle, and was later extended along the line to St Fillans and Crieff. Queen Victoria described the Glen Ogle Pass as “The Khyber Pass of the North” This led to a boom in tourism. Scotland was a very popular destination in Victorian times to take in the clean air. Several large hotels accommodated this boom with the main Hotel Lochearnhead hotel owned by the famous Camerons. Euan Cameron, the owner was 6ft 7” tall and for many years was the strongest man in Scotland. In 1950, the railway lines closed due to government cutbacks under Beeching followed by a rapid decline in tourism. The famous Lochearnhead hotel burned down in 1982. The original station is maintained in excellent condition by the Scouts of Letchworth Herts who bought the station and the lands around from the Camerons
· Clachan Cottage Hotel was originally 3 cottages several hundred years old in McLaren ownership with the name coming from Clachan meaning a row of cottages. The property was owned by the McLachlans in the 1960’s. In 1960 the lady of the house provided bed and breakfast for some travellers and Mr McLachlan was so impressed with the money that he set about building the hotel the very next day. We have honeymooners from that period who have returned to the hotel and a guest who comes every year for her annual holiday who was a friend of Mr McLachlan. Another McLachlan family now own the current hotel. 

FACT AND FICTION:
· Loch Earn Monster. The people of the area believed in the Loch Monster “Each Uisge” meaning Water Horse. The monster would beckon boaters and swimmers to ride on its back holding onto its neck. The passengers hands would stick to its neck and the monster would dive into the depths. There are still reported sitings to day and it is easy to understand why due to the interplay of the waves and changing light conditions.
· Edinample Castle built in 1588 is a magnificent fully restored Campbell Castle on the south shores in full view of the Hotel. When “Black Duncan” commissioned the architect to build the castle he ordered a parapet to be included. This was omitted by the architect who tried to demonstrate that it was safe to walk on the roof. Black Duncan promptly threw the architect of the roof and saved his fee!! Today the castle is haunted by the architect’s ghost.
· Ardvorlich House (This tale is include in Sir Walter Scott’s “The Legend of Montrose). The house of the Stewarts described above was visited by the Magregors. It was the custom to always provide food and shelter to visitors. If they were unknown then cold meats would be provided (hence the term giving people the cold shoulder) but if they were known friends, a hot dish would be provided. Lady Stewart had some cold meats prepared for the Magregors. Unknown to her, this group had just murdered her brother and when she returned to the room she was met by the site of her brother’s head on the table with his mouth stuffed with the cold meats that had been served to the Macgregors.
· McNeish and the Crannogs. Crannog is a term for an artificial island made from stone or wood where a settlement could be safe and gave them easier access to fish. There are three crannogs in Loch Earn but the famous one now named Neish Island at the East side was once inhabited by the Mc Neish clan. They regularly stole cattle from the Mc Nabs thinking they were safe on their island. The Mc Nabs retaliated by carrying a boat over the mountains and came upon the island during the night killing all the McNeish clan except two children. Until recently the boat was still evident at the top of the mountain left by the McNabs on their return as they tired of carrying the boat back.