Three Captivating Places You Must Visit In Ayr, Scotland

Posted on | October 31, 2008 | Leave a Comment

Ayr is the largest town on the coast of the Firth of Clyde and, for up until the 17th century, it was an important trading center and seaport, amazingly, at one time, it was almost the same as Glasgow in importance and size to the country of Scotland. The towns tourist trade really started in the nineteenth century. These days Ayr is still a popular place for tourists to stay due, in part, to the towns relationship with Robert Burns but also because of the numerous visitor attractions to be discovered in and about Ayr. Below we have listed information about three popular tourist attractions to visit; The Electric Brae, The Auld Brig and Greenan Castle.

Greenan Castle

Roger De Scalebroc built a fortress, during the 12th century which was later the site of Greenan Castle. In 1476, the Lands of Greenan were lost by John, Earl of Ross and Lord of the Isles, for his treason against James III. The Lands of Greenan were then given to William Douglas, who was the son of Archibald, Earl of Angus, by James IV, in 1493. The rectangular tower house was erected in the beginning of the 17th century, by John Kennedy Baltersan, and the original fortess was swallowed up in this construction. Constructed on the edge of a sheer coastal cliff, Greenan Castle is in a picturesque locale, with breathtaking views. Not far from the castle is a large stone, where the Scots and the Picts allegedly signed the peace treaty.

The Auld Brig

The Auld Brig is not the only bridge in Ayr, in fact, over the years there have been three. The other bridges were the New Brig and the old iron footbridge. Years before the Auld Brig was built, in 1470, the only way over the river, and into town, was across a wooden bridge. In 1788, the New Brig was built, but alas was washed away during a flood about one hundred later. Once again the Auld Brig became the main crossing until another New Bridge could be built (1878). A lot of people have heard of the Auld Brig thanks to Robert Burns, who composed the poem, ‘The Brigs of Ayr’.

The Electric Brae

This natural phenomenon can be found in Ayrshire, Scotland. The Electric Brae is a gravity hill, where a stationary car on the road, with the brakes off, will appear to steadily move uphill. This is purely an optical illusion which is because of the way the landscape lies. There used to be metal markers on the road marking the spot, but these have now been substituted with a stone cairn. The stone cairn is also engraved with an explanation of the Electric Brae. Originally people thought the phenomenon was caused by an electric or magnetic force within the Brae, hence the name.

If you are thinking about taking vacation in Scotland and you wish to spend a little time in Ayr you may want to book your accommodation online and you will find Ayr hotel and accommodation listings to be helpful.