Lake of Menteith is famously thought of as the only lake in Scotland but there are others including Pressmennan Lake in East Lothian and the Lake of the Hirsel in Berwickshire.

However, back in the days before health and safety, we local children played in the ruins of Gartartan Castle, on the outskirts of Gartmore.

We were less interested in the mistakes of a mixed up French map maker than in the tales of a secret tunnel which ran from the ruined castle under the lake.

The story went that it was created as an escape route for Mary, Queen of Scots, who sought refuge at Inchmahome Priory, on the lake’s largest island, in 1547.

No one knew if the tales of a tunnel were true, and it seemed unlikely as it would have had to have been five miles long, but that didn’t stop us looking for a secret door in the castle.

A few years ago, I discovered the castle wasn’t built until 1597 – a full 50 years after Mary was at the priory.

Still, sometimes a myth is all we need to spark our imaginations.