3 Cool Visitor Attractions Well Worth A Visit In Ayr, Scotland
Ayr is the largest town on the coast of the Firth of Clyde and, for until the seventeeth century, it was a prestigious trading center and seaport, amazingly, at one time, it was roughly the same as Glasgow in size and importance to the country of Scotland. Ayrs tourist trade really began during Victorian times. More recently Ayr is still a popular tourist town due, in part, to its association with Robert Burns life but also because of the amazing number of visitor attractions to be discovered in and around the town of Ayr. Below we have listed information about three popular places to visit; Greenan Castle, The Electric Brae and The Auld Brig.
Greenan Castle
During the 12th century, Roger De Scalebroc built a fortress, which was later the site of Greenan Castle. In 1476, the Lands of Greenan were lost by John, Lord of the Isles and Earl of Ross, for his treason against James III. The Lands of Greenan were then passed down 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 early 17th century, by John Kennedy Baltersan, and the original fortess was immersed in this construction. Constructed on the edge of a sheer coastal cliff, Greenan Castle is in a beautiful location, with stunning views. Not far from the castle is a large stone, where the Picts and the Scots are rumoured to of 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 others were the New Brig and the old iron footbridge. Long before the Auld Brig was erected, in 1470, the only way to cross the river, and into town, was via a wood built bridge. In 1788, the New Brig was erected, but sadly washed away during a flood about a century later. Once again the Auld Brig became the predominant crossing until another New Bridge could be erected (1878). A lot of people know of the Auld Brig thanks to Robert Burns, who wrote the poem, ‘The Brigs of Ayr’.
The Electric Brae
This naturally occurring phenomenon can be found in Ayrshire, Scotland. The Electric Brae is a gravity hill, where a motionless vehicle on the road, with the brakes off, will appear to move steadily uphill. This is purely an optical illusion which is due to the way the ground lies. There once were metal markers on the road to mark 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 due to an electric or magnetic attraction within the Brae, hence the name.
If you are thinking about having a Scottish vacation and you wish to stay in Ayr you may want to book your accommodation online and you will find listings of hotels and accommodation in Ayr at http://www.ayrhotelscotland.com.
