The Devil's Elbow (near Johnny Fox's)

Larianne

I've heard about this place a few times but never been. Apparently there is a stretch of road up near Johnny Fox's pub (on the way to Glencree?) called The Devil's Elbow. And that if you stop your car there it rolls up the hill instead of down. It must be some sort of optical illusion or something. I don't know.

Just wondered if anyone has been up there and experienced it?

solas

Don't know it but there are a few places dotted around Ireland with the same claim. We have "the magic hill" in the comeraghs and there's a place I passed through in Killarney with the same feature, as far as I know it is just an optical illusion.

bullock

You've being listening to too much FM104!!!!!

Larianne

bullock wrote:

You've being listening to too much FM104!!!!!

Yeah I know!! :rolleyes:

I remember seeing something like it on a programme in a place in England. Would be interesting to go and see if it's true. I just don't wanna waste my time going all the way there for nothing..

rob1891

Larianne wrote:

I've heard about this place a few times but never been. Apparently there is a stretch of road up near Johnny Fox's pub (on the way to Glencree?) called The Devil's Elbow. And that if you stop your car there it rolls up the hill instead of down. It must be some sort of optical illusion or something. I don't know.

Just wondered if anyone has been up there and experienced it?

I wish my bicycle rolled up that friggin hill. It's fierce steep for just a short strech and then regular steep for a longer strech. Has had me getting sick after going up itonce or twice I always thought the devil bit was just because it was so steep!

c - 13

solas wrote:

Don't know it but there are a few places dotted around Ireland with the same claim. We have "the magic hill" in the comeraghs and there's a place I passed through in Killarney with the same feature, as far as I know it is just an optical illusion.

I thought the one in the comeraghs was something to do with the earths magnetism ?

solas

heh..I've done the one in the comeraghs a few times, no biggie really, you would wonder what all the fuss is about afterwards...or where the hill is exactly.
<edit:c-13> I don't know tbh, I figured it was just an optical illusion.

solas

for the one in the comeraghs, as your comming up the main comeragh drive road toward Mahon falls, there's a "fairy tree" on your left, apparantly if you stop the car there, take off the handbreak and it will roll backwards up the road you just came down for a few feet. But it's not really a noticble incline.

soma

rob1891 wrote:

I wish my bicycle rolled up that friggin hill.

Haha I was thinking exactly the same thing Great area for cycling though.

bullock

Thats happened in Fr. Ted aswell. I remember when Fr. Jacks wheelchair went up the hill.

Gillo

There's one in the Cooleys also, I didn't believe it could could happen until I was in the car and it went up hill.

Just in case anyone tries it, you have to be careful about other cars coming over either side of the hill as they won't expect a car to be just sittign in the middle of the road.

fatherdougalmag

Sure go the whole hog and visit the Seven Wonders of Fore in Meath. Water that doesn't boil, water that flows upwards. Now if only they opened a bank that would mysteriously increase the balance ...

lilulila

Had awful trouble in finding that fairy tree in the comeraghs. Told my little boy we were going to the magic road lol but couldnt find the spot. Aparently there used to be a little bit of tape on a tree to mark the spot but it has since been taken down :mad:

solas

from here

On the way up to the Mahon Valley car park, as you pass through the gates, there is a stunted tree about 500 metres along the road on the left hand side beneath Daymore. If you stop here and put your car into neutral it will roll magically back up the hill. This is a well known and unexplained phenomenon which really does work. Just be careful that there are no cars behind you!

hope that helps.

NickDrake

Anyone know the highest percentage this gets too coming from the Enniskerry side?

Seems crazy steep

Tragamin2k2

previously on amc's the walking thread

Paramad

Been at that magic road loads of times . Go up the dublin mountains from Tallaght , past Devils Glen , and when you see viewpoint on your right , take the elft road fro Johnny Foxes , as soon as you turn onto that road there is what appears to be a hill. Drive your car about half way down, take it out of gear , take off the handbrake , and the car goes up the hill .