The Falls of Lora is a tidal rapid at the seaward end of Loch Etive near Connel in Scotland.

This naturally occurring phenomenon is generated when the tidal level in the Firth of Lorn drops below the level of the water in Loch Etive.  The Falls of Lora are a narrow sea exit to the loch, where there is a specific feature called a sill. This is a rocky reef which acts as a barrier holding up the tide going in and out.

During big tides, the volume of water being squeezed through the narrows creates a torrent of water.  Circa 66 million cubic metres of water try to squeeze through the falls during each ebbing and flooding tide.  The current on a big ebb tide runs at up to 12 knots – that’s 46,000 tonnes per second!

The falls are a popular destination for kayakers, divers and rescue services to undertaken training exercises which you can see in the video.  They are also a spectacular sight for visitors and photographers. One of the best views of the falls is from the car park viewpoint in Connel village.