Connel stands astride Loch Etive where it narrows on its approach to the Firth of Lorn and the open sea. The name comes from the gaelic for rough water, the equivalent of today's name for the narrow's; The Falls of Lora. The smooth, glassy surface of the stunning Loch belies the hairy roller coaster ride after a spring tide. Quite often you can see canoeists cavorting in the waves at that time. A rocky shelf causes spectacular rapids here during parts of the tide cycle.
By the late 1600's a village started to develop here where a ferry was in operation. The village was long known as Connel Ferry. Nowadays Connel has a local shop and Post Office, 3 restaurants, a regular train connection and bus service into Oban.
