One of the most well known landmarks of Northern Ireland is the Giant’s Causeway, situated in County Antrim in the northeastern coast. Formed of 40,000 basalt columns interlocking to form a causeway, this natural wonder is a cause of volcanic eruption that took place millions of years ago. A UNESCO declared World Heritage Site in 1986; the Giant’s Causeway is considered one of the wonders of the world. In 1987, the Department of the Environment for Northern Ireland pronounced it a National Nature Reserve.
The basalt columns that make up the causeway are huge columns with the tallest rising to 12 feet and 28 meters in thickness. The columns that are mainly hexagonal in shape also have other shapes forming the columns. The columns form steps on the top and lead from the cliffs rising and slowly descending into the sea that flows right in front. Tourists have been visiting the Giant’s Causeway for centuries now and enjoy climbing atop these amazing columns that form various structures termed as the Giant’s Eye, Giant’s Boot, Organ, Honeycomb, Chimney Stacks and other shapes.
There is also a legend about the Giant Causeway that goes back to the story of the giant Fionn Mac Cumhaill, who is believed to have built the causeway to cross over to Scotland to fight another giant named Benandonner. However, when he learnt that the other giant was stronger and more powerful than him, Fionn began to think of how he could avoid this fight. His intelligent wife Oonagh hit on a brilliant idea, which was to dress Fionn up in infant clothes and introduce him to Benandonner as Fionn and Oonagh’s son.
When Fionn did not turn up, Benandonner arrived to meet him at his home, but he was told that Fionn was out fetching wood. While Benandonner waited, he saw the infant in his cot and was surprised that a baby should be so huge. Later Oonagh fed him a steak made of stone, which nearly broke the giant’s tooth, while she gave Fionn, dressed as the infant, a real steak. Benandonner couldn’t believe his eyes when he saw how easily the infant ate the steak that he couldn’t even bite into. He ran for his life believing that Fionn must be gigantic and powerful if his little baby was so strong. While fleeing he ripped out columns and flung them into the sea, so that Fionn couldn’t follow him.
Apart from the rock formations, the surrounding landscape offers a scenic view while exotic flora and fauna can be found here too. The whole trip requires two hours for a proper viewing of the Giant’s Causeway. Since it is a popular tourist site, getting to it is not difficult, as you can arrive here by car or coach and also get a guided tour of the place.
Photo by rsphoto provided courtesy of Panoramio.com