Ayrshire's famous Electric Brae has been crowned one of Britain’s weirdest roads in a new study

Marshall Motor Group, one of the UK’s largest motor retailers, analysed UK drivers’ experiences shared across Reddit and driving forums to find Britain's most unusual roads - with Electric Brae, known for its gravity-defying optical illusion, making the list.

The quarter-mile stretch makes cars appear to roll uphill, a phenomenon that one driver described online as: “It has to be experienced to be believed.”

"British drivers face some genuinely unique roads that you simply won't find anywhere else in the world," says Ben Welham, motoring expert at Marshall Motor Group.

"While some are challenging for drivers, others are just plain strange. And many have become destinations in their own right, attracting drivers from seeking to experience the curiosities for themselves."

From gravity hills to houses in the middle of motorways, Britain is home to some truly unusual stretches of tarmac.Marshall Motor Group, one of the UK’s largest motor retailers, has analysed UK drivers’ experiences shared across Reddit and driving forums to find Britain's weird and wonderful roads that baffle motorists.

"British drivers face some genuinely unique roads that you simply won't find anywhere else in the world," says Ben Welham, motoring expert at Marshall Motor Group.

"While some are challenging for drivers, others are just plain strange. And many have become destinations in their own right, attracting drivers from seeking to experience the curiosities for themselves."

Britain's Seven Most Unusual Roads Revealed

1. Zig-Zag Hill, Dorset: Britain's Bendiest Mile

Dorset's Zig-Zag Hill earned the title of 'the windiest mile of road in the UK’ from one Reddit user, and you can see why.  

Drivers are forced around four hairpin bends in tight succession in their Audis, with challenging gradients reaching 13% incline on this stretch of the B3081.

The road's reputation for extreme wear and tear led to major maintenance work in 2019 requiring ‘deep excavation and resurfacing’ due to the constant stress from vehicles navigating its snaking route.

2. Electric Brae, Ayrshire: Scotland's Gravity-Defying Illusion

Electric Brae in South Ayrshire is one of Britain's most disorienting driving experiences, offering an optical illusion that makes cars appear to roll uphill.

A driver on Reddit expresses their amazement after experiencing the phenomenon, saying, "It has to be experienced to be believed.”

The effect occurs because the inland end of the quarter-mile stretch is 17 feet higher than the coastal end, with the slopes of the surrounding landscape creating that unnerving illusion.

3. Swindon's Magic Roundabout: The Multi-Directional Marvel

Officially crowned winner of the UK Roundabout of the Year award last year, Swindon's Magic Roundabout consists of five mini roundabouts encircling a central island, allowing traffic to flow both clockwise and anticlockwise.

Built in 1972, the Magic Roundabout is infamous for its unique design. UK Roundabout Appreciation Society chairman Kevin Beresford said, "Something just amazing happens when you approach it. You're dazzled by all this choreography of cars."

However, drivers remain divided on the design that successfully moves thousands of cars daily through one of the town's busiest areas.

"Lots of people get confused by the magic roundabout in Swindon,” said one user within a Reddit driving forum.

4. M62 at Stott Hall Farm: The House That Split a Motorway

One Reddit user shared an urban myth, “When construction workers building the M62 came knocking, the owner refused to move. In retaliation the workers simply built the motorway around the farmhouse."

However, contrary to urban myths about stubborn owners, the farm was saved due to geological constraints that made building all six motorway lanes impossibly steep on the terrain.

Dating back to 1737, Stott Hall Farm was formerly a shooting lodge and rose to fame in the 1960s when M62 construction began. The result was a working farm in the middle of a major motorway, now one of Britain's most photographed roadside curiosities.

5. Leeds City Centre: The One-Way Labyrinth

Leeds' notoriously complex one-way system has resulted in horror stories of being trapped in endless loops from multiple Reddit users.

"I literally sailed around a series of one-way roads passing the building I wanted and couldn't get to it for 30 minutes," and "Leeds city centre's one-way system is an entire hellscape that should be avoided at all costs," is how drivers described their experiences.

Professional drivers have expressed their annoyance too. Uber drivers describe the city centre as, “one of the most frustrating places to pick up and drop off riders.” And taxi drivers’ journeys are often made much longer with prime locations positioned on one-way systems on loop roads.

6. Coventry Ring Road: The Concrete Collar

Stretching 2.25 miles with nine junctions, Coventry's Ring Road has been called ‘disorientating and terrifying’ and yet remains one of the city's safest roads, according to Coventry City Council.

Describing their first encounter with the ring road, one Reddit user said, "I can remember clearly the first time experiencing what can only be described as a full-size real life Scalextric track."

The unique design of the ring road sees vehicles share the same exit/entry ramps, which drivers find challenging. One contributor to a Reddit driving forum says, "Vehicles sharing the same exit/entry ramp is mental. You get used to it after a while but it's very unnerving when you first use it."

7. Bealach na Bà, Scotland: Britain's Alpine Challenge

Scotland's Bealach na Bà (meaning "Pass of the Cattle") rises from sea level to 626 metres, making it the third highest road in Scotland and the steepest ascent of any road in the UK, with sections reaching up to 20%.

The road, which features extremely tight hairpin bends, was built in 1822 by Thomas Telford with similar engineering principles to those running through the Alps.

"It's a fairly innocent-looking and sounding mountain road up here but it's the steepest ascent in the UK," is how one Reddit user described it.

The single-track road, now part of the North Coast 500 scenic route, offers panoramic views of the Isle of Skye and Raasay and is popular with many who enjoy the challenge of driving along the narrow and twisting road.

Expert Advice: Navigating Britain's Strangest Roads Safely

Ben Welham, motoring expert at Marshall Motor Group, provides some guidance for drivers encountering the unusual road layouts: "These roads remind us of the creativity of British engineering when dealing with our unique geography and urban development.

“The key thing for drivers to remember is the importance of preparation and patience. Take your time on steep gradients, read signage and road markings carefully, and don't rush through complex junctions.

“While some of these roads may challenge drivers, many have become treasured parts of Britain's heritage, attracting enthusiasts from around the world seeking driving experiences that can’t be found elsewhere.”