Connel
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Connel (Gaelic: Chonghail) is a village in Argyll and Bute, Scotland. It is situated on the southern shore of Loch Etive.
The Lusragan Burn flows through the village and into Loch Etive.
A ferry formerly transported people and vehicles across the loch to North Connel. The Callander and Oban Railway came to Connel in 1880. The station in the village was named Connel Ferry.
The most noticeable feature in the village is Connel Bridge, a large cantilever bridge that spans the loch at the Falls of Lora. It was built to carry the Callander and Oban Railway's branch line to Ballachulish that opened in 1903.
Connel lies on the A85 trunk road that runs between Oban and Perth. The A828 Connel to Ballachulish trunk road joins the A85 at a junction towards the west end of the village. Vehicles turning onto the A828 head south then follow the road on a long left-hand curve as it climbs to Connel Bridge, which crosses over the A85. Connel is just 5 miles to Oban by main road. There is also a minor 'back road' to Oban that runs by way of Ardchonnel and Barranrioch.
The village still has a railway station situated on the West Highland Line to Oban. Now unstaffed, the station is still named "Connel Ferry", somewhat anachronistically.
There is a primary school in the village, called Achaleven Primary School. Other buildings of note include the Falls of Lora Hotel and St. Oran's Church (Church of Scotland). The church is linked with two others. The first is in the nearby village of Dunbeg, the second is on the Isle of Coll. Church services at St Oran's are held every Sunday at 10.30am.
There is a village shop and post office located in the main village. There are two bus stops. One located opposite the post office, the second located on the A85 just south of Connel Bridge Junction, which serves both sides of the road. Restaurants can be found at the Falls of Lora Hotel and at The Oyster Inn. There are also countless B&Bs to be found throughout the village.
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