Giant's Causeway

A trip to the mythical Giant's Causeway, about as North as you can get on the Eastern side of Ireland, provides amazement for all five of us as we took a two day trip to the Coastal Causeway and Glens of Antrim. Here, over 40,000 interlocking basalt columns jut out from the hills and cliffs and into the sea from Ireland toward Scotland. 

The legend of area is among the more entertaining of the fables and stories we've collected on our trip. The visit was even capped off with an animated version of the fable alongside the scientific explanation (if you want to believe those pesky scientists). The trip left us all a wee overtired so we will leave it to those of you interested to use the google or the wikipedia to discover more. Briefly, volcanic eruptions created very similar basalt columns at the Giant's Causeway and across the sea in Scotland. The legend puts Finn MacCool (and is there a cooler name?) up against Benandonner of Scotland. Now, the two giants build these columns across as a causeway for their battle (giants don't like to get their feet wet). Depending on the storyteller, Finn either defeats Benandonner or becomes so frightened when he discovers his size that he retreats to wife, Oonagh, who smartly devises a plan to make Finn look like the baby of the family. A terrified Benandonner fears that if the baby is this size, what must Finn be able to do to him? Thinking he must have met his match, he races across the causeway, stomping and smashing it as he goes to protect himself. Again, there is this sciency story that features volcanoes, but we already did geology with the kids...this was more fun this time around.

The walk down from the stunning new visitors center features a number of impressive features on the way, as well as an audio guide who provides a perfectly succinct and entertaining set of stories.

We approach the causeway. Causeways, actually, as there are three of them according to some distinctions. 

As we made our way down the path, the first signs of the columns emerge from the hillside. You can see their various polygonal shapes  

At the small causeway, we find our first columns to sit on.

As we arrive at the large causeway, Stella finds her first climbing opportunity

There are many thrones to find, room for plenty of Royal Bowies!

We venture out toward the sea as the middle causeway features stunning columns creating a series of uneven steps that offer endless perspectives both into the sea, to the cliffs to the east and west and, as in the picture below, back toward the mountains behind the causeway.

The large causeway spreads out into the sea behind us as we lounge on the middle causeway.

 A panoramic with a surprise ending as I believe it is Finn MacCool himself pointing toward the causeway!

Creeping back toward the sea, the wind picks up and reminds us (at least it cues the wary photographer) that we are no match for elements. As the stones turn black, they are as slippery as you could imagine. On an extremely windy day, one can see that the humans (as Ronan calls them) would choose their steps with extra care.

We slid down to the Western side of the middle causeway where some fantastic waves roared in to give us a spray and, sometimes, a bit of a fright.

No caption needed. A stunning natural wonder (or a stunning legend!)

Holding on rather tight at this point.

Those black stones just below our feet are the point of no return. As Daddy put one shoe on them, there was no way to stand up as the basalt does its best ice skating sheet impression.

As the waves came in, we retreated (or perhaps went for a wee swim?)

"The Organ" is situated on the Eastern side of the large causeway and provides a glimpse of the formation as more of a whole.  

Looking to the east as we passed through the causeway gate, the otherwise stunning shoreline and cliffs along the causeway route can feel almost routine. An effect of the afterimage of the causeway.

Of course, when Ronan heard the legend, he found himself a souvenir shield and sword, then found the real Finn (well, Finn's pub in the town of Bushmills).