Standing on the south shore of Loch Venachar looking over the water to the restaurant/café that is Venachar Lochside, it looks very small. It’s a remote location set against the magnificent backdrop of Ben Ledi. A rather splendid and peaceful sight. Don’t be fooled, however, everything is not as it might seem! Below these tranquil waters lies a dreadful beast in the form of an evil waterhorse or kelpie.

Wood of lamentation

Many lochs have these creatures however the one in this loch is, by all accounts, in a league of its own. As a shapeshifter it can appear as a beautiful horse … or even a handsome man. It lures women and children into the water where it drags them under and devours them. Just along the road from the Venachar Lochside café is the woodland called Coille a’ Bhroin (wood of lamentation) which commemorates fifteen women and children who fell foul of this malicious kelpie. Today, there is a car park across the road from the wood, and few who sit in their cars gazing out across the loch have any idea of it’s dark secret.

Handsome man

Given the kelpie’s shape-shifting attributes, and with me being a handsome man, our only worry was that my entrance might spread alarm amongst those already in the café. No one paid a blind bit of notice! Venachar Lochside has been here for almost exactly five years and is a family run concern. We have passed it on several occasions but this was to be our first visit. There is a large eating area downstairs with an open air deck right on the water. Upstairs there is a function room where you can get married if you want? With it being midweek in late October, we thought it would be quiet … but no, it was bustling.

Old fashioned guts

Two cheery young girls were doing a great job coping with the multitudes. It wasn’t long before we were seated and presented with our scones. They were excellent, and with a little jar of jam and a nice tub of cream we had no problem awarding a topscone. It’s just brilliant to see new businesses like this being made to work so well and thriving in relatively isolated areas like this. That has to be attributed to astute business acumen and good old-fashioned guts and determination.

False accusations

The Scottish government gets accused of being unbusinesslike for running up huge deficits. Yet, at the same time, it is required by law to balance the books every year. Something it has done each and every year of it’s existence. Maybe it’s the UK that has the deficit? It also gets criticism for not reducing this deficit, which considering control over: the minimum wage; VAT; corporation tax; fuel duty; oil revenues; immigration; tax avoidance and income tax personal allowances are all held at Westminster, is a pretty tall order. An impossible one.

However, the UK government was dragged kicking and screaming into devolution by the EU. Above all, Westminster never intended the Scottish parliament to be anything more than an expensive talking shop. In looking after the interests of Scotland however, we think that Holyrood takes it’s business very seriously indeed, so it is great to see it starting to by-pass London and open up new ventures directly with other EU countries.  Let’s hope they can be as half as successful as Venachar Lochside.

FK17 8HP          tel: 01877 330011        Venachar Lochside Restaurant