Scotland’s “most haunted” roads have been named.
With Halloween upon us, Scots all over the country will be looking to get their spooky fix. The country is steeped in myths and legends, with its roads being no exception.
Car leasing comparison site LeaseLoco has compiled a list of the Scottish roads said to be haunted by spirits. If you are out driving this Halloween night, these are places you wouldn’t want to break down.
Coming in at number one as “the most haunted road in Scotland” is the A75 in Dumfriesshire. Often called the ‘Ghost Road’, there are two known hotspots of the 95-mile road where you are most likely to encounter supernatural phenomena: the stretch between Annan and Gretna and the well-known Kinmount Straight.
Reports of spooky going-on on these stretches of road go back at least 50 years. As well as an assortment of animals, horsemen, and carriages, some motorists have even been convinced they have run over phantom figures that emerge from the dark.
Following behind in second place on the list is the A87 on Isle of Skye, in particular the Sligachan to Portree road that is believed to be haunted by a phantom Morris Minor car. According to reports that go back to the 1940s, ghostly apparitions of the vehicle with its headlights have been seen on the east side of the island.
Some claim they pulled over to let the old banger overtake them, only for it to vanish into thin air a moment later. It is thought the car is driven by the ghost of a church minister who caused a fatal accident.
The third road on the list, Electric Brae in Ayrshire, isn’t thought to be haunted by a spirit but is rather the site of a very peculiar phenomenon. If you stop your car on this hilly incline and put it in neutral, you will find that it somehow appears to roll up the hill.
This was once thought to be a result of electrical phenomenon, hence its name, but in reality it is an optical illusion. While the slope appears uphill to the naked eye, it is actually downhill.
Meanwhile, the fourth “most haunted” road in Scotland according to LeaseLoco is the A93 in Blairgowrie. Some locals believe the road is haunted by a mythical ‘hellhound’, with the devilish canine said to patrol up and down the side of the road with its glowing red eyes.
If you have dogs, then you will know if the hound is in the area as its presence will make them nervous and jittery. Legend says that if you stare into the demonic pooch’s eyes three times, you will drop dead on the spot.
Elsewhere, the final Scottish roads to appear on the list are the A9 between Falkirk and the Highlands and the Overtoun Bridge in West Dunbartonshire. Drivers on the former have reported seeing a strange ornate coach and a despondent-looking Victorian man on horseback, while the latter is infamous for being where at least 300 dogs have jumped to their deaths for seemingly no reason.
CEO of LeaseLoco John Wilmot commented: “With Halloween just around the corner, we’ve put together a list of Scotland’s most haunted roads for thrill-seekers eager for a chilling adventure. Whether you’re a sceptic or a believer, the eerie legends tied to these routes are sure to send shivers down anyone’s spine.
“From the notorious A75 ‘Ghost Road’ in Dumfriesshire, where drivers claim to encounter phantom figures, to the A93, rumoured to be haunted by a Hellhound with glowing red eyes, these roads are packed with tales that will unnerve even the bravest travellers.”
Scotland’s most haunted roads
- A75, Dumfriesshire
- A87, Isle of Skye
- Electric Brae, Ayrshire
- A93, Blairgowrie
- A9, Highlands
- Overtoun Bridge, West Dunbartonshire
Don’t miss the latest news from around Scotland and beyond – sign up to the Scotland Now newsletter here.