19 September 2008

giant steps

Giant's Causeway / Bushmills, Northern Ireland
Located on the northeast coast of Northern Ireland just outside of the town of Bushmills (think Irish whiskey) is a natural geological phenomenon known as Giant's Causeway. The area consists of about 40,000 interlocking basalt columns that resulted from an ancient volcanic eruption. These columns range in height from mere inches to upwards of 40 feet. The tops of the columns form stepping stones from land down into the Irish Sea and legend has it that the Irish giant Fionn mac Cumhaill (Finn McCool) built the causeway to walk to Scotland to fight his Scottish counterpart Benandonner. The legend corresponds with geological history in that there is a similar basalt formation from the same lava flow at Fingal's Cave on the isle of Staffa in Scotland.

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