The Giant's Causeway

The Giant's Causeway is basalt columns, solidified lava from an ancient flow. It was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1986 in recognition of its outstanding geological features. It receives half a million visitors each year (and you can see some of those in the photos below!)

Of course the Irish are great story tellers and they will tell you it is called Finn MaCool's Causeway..he was a giant and wanted to do battle with a rival giant in Scotland. Finn built the stones across the sea so the giant could cross and face a challenge. Seeing him approach Finn fled home and had his wife disguise him as a baby (she must have been creative!) when Benandonner saw the size of the 'baby' he assumed the father must be HUGE and fled in terror ripping up the causeway in case he followed...hence the steps in Antrim, Ireland and similar at Dingal's Cave on the Scottish island of Staffa!

My Dad visited this same spot on a leave pass from the Air Force during WW2 (1942)and sent me copies of some photos of him in his uniform on the same spot we were.