GIANT's CAUSEWAY - IRLAND

Another stop which impressed me very much was the Giant's Causeway ! I had seen quite a lot of nature's strange creations a little bit all over the world, but I had never seen something like that !





The whole area looked as if somebody had cut huge columns shorter or even very short




Under the watchful eyes of guardians people climbed on the columns a special feeling certainly



I preferred to watch (if somebody fell) how people like goats jumped from column to column.



With the blue sea in the back ground it was indeed a very special view ! People sat down and admired the beautiful landscape.

The Causeway was created over 60 million years ago following a volcanic eruption. The formation of the Giant's Causeway was due to intense volcanic activity.

It was included on the World Heritage site list in November 1986. It is on the list as both a cultural and natural site, one of only 25 in the world.

The Giant's Causeway lies at the foot of the basalt cliffs along the sea coast on the edge of the Antrim plateau in Northern Ireland. It is made up of some 40,000 massive black basalt columns sticking out of the sea. The dramatic sight has inspired legends of giants striding over the sea to Scotland. Geological studies of these formations over the last 300 years have greatly contributed to the development of the earth sciences, and show that this striking landscape was caused by volcanic activity during the Tertiary, some 50-60 million years ago.



















Nature's "modern art"











More romantic is of course what the Popular mythology attributes to the creation of the Causeway. An Irish giant named Finn MacCool, to prove his superior strength and status, decided to fight against a rival Scottish giant named Benandonner. As there was no boat large enough to carry huge Finn across the sea to confront Bennandonner, he built his own pathway of stepping stones from Ireland to Scotland. He then was able to walk across the sea without getting his feet wet.

When he crossed the sea, however, he saw just how large Benandonner was. He ran back to Ireland before Bennandonner saw him, but the causeway was built and Bennandonner came to fight. Finn crawled into a crib and when Bennandonner came to the door to fight him, his wife told him not to wake the baby. Seeing just how large Finn's "baby" was, Bennandonner grew afraid and ran back to Scotland, tearing up the causeway as he went to prevent Finn following him.



Inside the visitor center were a screen and seats and you could watch the story as a film with comic figures ! Unfortunately my pictures wouldn't get the first price, but it gives you an idea of the mythic story. Earth eruption - lava floating - water cooling lava off - Bennandonner discovers the other side, tries to get over but failed and Finn won ! Look at his proud face.

The film was interesting and impressive, but I didn't get a nightmare.