Giant's Causeway

Looking down at the top of the columns of rocks.

Before we left Ireland, we went to this amazing place called "The Giant's Causeway."  Look at the pictures of the cool columns of rocks that make up the Causeway.  The rocks are mostly hexagons that meet at regular 120* angles. We had a tour with an expert geologist (person who studies rocks) and he explained how the Giant's Causeway came to be.  There is an older, mythological story that explains the rocks.  I'll tell you both, and let you decide which you prefer. 

Relaxing on the basalt columns

The geological explanation of how the Causeway was formed is that 65 million years ago the landscape was covered in plants.  There were gently rolling hills laying on a bed of limestone.  Then about 60 million years ago the earth’s plates began to move away from each other.  Molten lava from the earth’s core began to pour out through the cracks.  The lava became hard and formed layers of basalt rock.   Some of the lava poured into a river valley where it cooled very slowly.  As it cooled, it cracked evenly, just like mud at the bottom of a puddle.  It formed the regular basalt columns that make up the Causeway.  Like honeycomb, nature tends toward stable structures, such as hexagonal stacks.  

Part of the Giant's Causeway
called the "Giant's Organ."

The legend of the Giant’s Causeway goes something like this:  There was an Irish Giant named Finn MacCool who built a Causeway all the way to Scotland to see his rival, a giant named Benandonner.  When Finn got to Scotland he saw how big Benandonner was and ran all the way home afraid that he could not defeat such a huge giant.  When he explained the situation to his wife, Oonagh, she promptly came up with a solution.  She dressed Finn as a baby and put him in a baby carriage. When Benandonner came knocking at their door, Oonagh explained that Finn was out, but that Benandonner was welcome to come in and wait, so long as he did not wake the baby.  When Benandonner got a glimpse of the huge baby he could only imagine the size of its father, Finn MacCool.  He left promptly, racing back along the Causeway, tearing up the stones as he went, stopping Finn MacCool from following him.  To this day the only Causeway stones that remain visible are those in the North of Ireland and on the Isle of Staffa in Scotland.  

The Cobbler
Do you see me on the rocks?

Me at the Giant's Causeway

The Giant's Causeway was very, very cool.  Since then we have returned to Scotland, where we have been planning the rest of our journey.  We did have time to climb one beautiful hill, called the Cobbler, and I'll put in a photo for you.

Hope you're doing well!

Mrs. McMillan