William Wallace makes a Loch a Lake

Port of Menteith, is located in the heart of the ancient Earldom of Menteith, and the lands of the powerful Clan Graham. Inchmahome Priory, a small Augustinian Priory, is located on an island in the middle of Lake Menteith, The ancient Priory was founded by Walter Comyn, Earl of Menteith in 1238. Sir John Menteith's treacherous role in the capture of Sir William Wallace on the 3^rd August 1305 and his subsequent murder is supposed to be marked in two different ways: on the guardhouse at Dumbarton Castle, a gargoyle with a horribly contorted face is called the "fause (false) Menteith"; and the Lake of Menteith is the only natural water body in Scotland described as a lake, and not as a loch. It is argued that the reason for this was to deliberately isolate a loch associated with a much hated figure who was seen as betraying Scotland.

However, this is likely a myth as it was known as the Loch of Menteith until the 19th century. Its modern name is a Victorian alteration reflecting its rather atypical setting compared to other Scottish lochs and the name of the surrounding area. The 'Laigh' [meaning 'low' with gh pronounced as ch in loch] of Menteith is the low lying land beside the loch. The word laigh may have been mistaken for lake.