21-05-2025
The strange Scottish road where cars appear to defy gravity and roll uphill
The mysterious quarter-mile stretch of road has attracted visitors from across the globe, including Dwight D Eisenhower before he became US President.
Scotland and magic often go hand in hand. From the legendary Loch Ness Monster to our national animal being the mythical unicorn, there's often a touch of the supernatural to our stories.
But there is one very real oddity that you can visit for yourself; a road where cars seem to defy gravity, rolling mysteriously uphill. The curious stretch of road can be found in South Ayrshire.
Known as the Electric Brae, this quarter-mile section on the A719 between Drumshrang and Knoweside, just south of Dunure and not far from Ayr, has baffled visitors for years with vehicles appearing to move against the slope.
It is an optical illusion that truly must be seen to be believed and, for decades, the cause of this strange phenomenon was a complete mystery.
Many people thought it was due to some form of electric or magnetic force, which inspired the unusual name Electric Brae.
However, in truth, it is what experts call a gravity hill. The road actually slopes downhill, but the surrounding landscape cleverly tricks the eye, making the incline seem reversed.
One end of the road, at the bend overlooking Croy Railway Viaduct, sits at 286 feet Above Ordnance Datum, while the other end, near the wooded Craigencroy Glen, is at 303 feet AOD.
Despite this clear upward gradient of one in 86, the configuration of the land on either side creates the illusion that cars are rolling uphill when their hand brakes are off.
Metal road signs once marked the spot but have often been taken by visitors as souvenirs. These signs have since been replaced by a stone inscribed with an explanation of the phenomenon, offering travellers some much-needed insight into the mysterious effect.
The Electric Brae is just one of hundreds of gravity hills found worldwide, where visual illusions, similar to the well-known Ames room effect, make objects appear to defy the laws of gravity.
A suitably free-running vehicle will slowly move off from a complete standstill, seemingly uphill, which continues to intrigue and entertain visitors.
This strange phenomenon has attracted visitors from far and wide. One particularly notable admirer was Dwight D Eisenhower, who stopped by during the Second World War while stationed at nearby Culzean Castle.
If you're keen to witness the Electric Brae yourself, the stretch of road runs from the bend overlooking Croy Railway Viaduct in the west to the wooded Craigencroy Glen in the east.
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South Ayrshire Council has even created a layby where visitors can safely stop and experience the odd sensation firsthand, allowing them to marvel at this roadside curiosity.
The phenomenon is certainly not unique to Scotland. According to the Visit Mourne Mountains website, the Electric Brae effect has also been observed at Spelga Dam in the Mournes.
The term 'Electric Brae' comes from the Scottish word 'brae', meaning hill, and 'electric' was added because people originally believed the strange movement was caused by electric or magnetic forces from the surrounding hills or, in the case of Spelga Dam, from the large reservoir nearby.
The Visit Mourne Mountains website further explains: "Just visualise how two magnets repel each other."
