famous road
Electric Brae
Famous optical-illusion stretch of the A719 on the Ayrshire coast where cars appear to roll uphill. Drivers have pulled over to test the gravity-defying slope since the 1930s.
30 km · about 35 min drive
Scotland, United Kingdom · Europe
Kilmarnock is worth a stop: 5 minutes from Kilmaurs, 30km from Electric Brae.
Kilmarnock is a town located in Scotland, United Kingdom. With a population of 46,970, it is an important destination in Europe.
On a road trip, Kilmarnock sits in United Kingdom, where you drive on the left. It's in the Europe/London time zone. Below you'll find where to stay, things to do nearby, and everything you need to add Kilmarnock to your route.
Kilmarnock ( kil-MAR-nək; Scots: Kilmaurnock; Scottish Gaelic: Cill Mheàrnaig, IPA: [kʲʰiːʎ ˈvaːɾnəkʲ]), meaning "the church of Mernóc", also colloquially referred to as Killie, is a town and former burgh in East Ayrshire situated in southwest Scotland. The town has served as the administrative centre of EastRead more
Ayrshire Council since 1996, and is the region's main commercial and industrial centre. The town has a total of 284 listed buildings and structures as designed by Historic Environment Scotland, including the Dick Institute, Dean Castle, Loanhead School and the original 1898 building of Kilmarnock Academy, with post-war developments of the controversial 1970s regeneration including the Clydesdale Bank building receiving Category C status in 2026.
The first passenger conveying railway in Scotland originated in Kilmarnock in 1812 as a horse-drawn four-foot-gauge (1.2 m) plateway and became known as the Kilmarnock and Troon Railway. The first printed collection of works by Scottish poet Robert Burns was published in 1786 in Kilmarnock. Poems, Chiefly in the Scottish Dialect, was published by John Wilson, and became known as the Kilmarnock Edition. The whisky Johnnie Walker was established in the town in the 19th century and was produced and bottled at the Hill Street plant until closure in 2012, following an announcement by owners Diageo in 2009 that the plant would close as part of company restructuring.
The town grew considerably during the 1870s and the town's growth subsumed the village of Bonnyton, and by the 1960s, new purpose built suburbs such as New Farm Loch were constructed to accommodate the increasing population of Kilmarnock. By mid-2020, the population of the town was estimated to be 46,970, making Kilmarnock the 14th most populated settlement in Scotland as well as the largest town in Ayrshire by population.
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Kilmarnock offers many attractions including tourist sites, museums, parks, and local restaurants. Explore famous landmarks, scenic roads, and natural wonders on our interactive map and plan your visit.
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Kilmarnock is located in Scotland, United Kingdom, Europe. The coordinates are 55.6117 latitude, -4.4958 longitude.
Kilmarnock has a population of approximately 46,970 people, making it a town in United Kingdom.
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Essential numbers in United Kingdom
112 also works. NHS non-emergency medical advice: 111. National Highways breakdown assistance on motorways: 0300 123 5000.
Full driving guide for United Kingdom3 notable places within an hour's drive.
famous road
Famous optical-illusion stretch of the A719 on the Ayrshire coast where cars appear to roll uphill. Drivers have pulled over to test the gravity-defying slope since the 1930s.
30 km · about 35 min drive
museum
Glasgow's Zaha Hadid-designed transport museum on the Clyde, packed with classic cars, a recreated cobbled street of vintage vehicles, and the tall ship Glenlee moored outside.
31 km · about 35 min drive
natural wonder
Britain's largest freshwater lake by surface area, where Highland mountains meet Lowland shores in a landscape immortalised in song.
54 km · about 60 min drive
May to September
Far northern latitude: short daylight hours outside summer make long drives harder.
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