Connel and North Connel

The small settlements of Connel and North Connel sit at opposite ends of the majestic Connel Bridge which spans the sea-mouth of Loch Etive, 5 miles north of Oban.

The steel cantilever bridge was built in 1903 to take the railway line to Fort William but now supports the main A828 into Benderloch.

The main attraction in the area is the ruins of the 13th-century Dunstaffnage Castle which sits on a strategic promontory overlooking the important water crossroads at the mouth of Loch Etive. Changing hands several times during the following centuries, it served as a temporary prison for Flora MacDonald before eventually being destroyed by fire in 1810. With its substantial curtain wall battlements partially intact, Dunstaffnage makes for a fun and safe place to explore, and gives great views across to Lismore and Morvern.