Coastline of the Giant's Causeway, Great Britain. Giant's Causeway in Northern Ireland

The coast of Northern Ireland (Great Britain) 3 km from the city of Bushmills is covered with 40 thousand basalt (less often andesite) columns. This place is called the "Giant's Causeway" (Giant's Causeway). The road, and the Causeway Coast on which it lies, was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1986. Most columns are hexagonal, although some have four, five, seven and eight corners. The tallest column is about 12 meters high.
According to a scientific hypothesis, these bizarre stone pillars were formed 50-60 million years ago, when, during a volcanic eruption, hot and very liquid basaltic lava burst to the surface right in the bed of the then existing river. The outer layers of lava quickly cooled under the influence of water and stone columns formed, as if driven into the ground (this effect was achieved due to the mass of lava pressing down the river bottom underneath).

Path to the Giant's Path:

In one of the Celtic myths of the 3rd century AD. It is said that the warrior hero Finn Mac Cumal, who lived in Ireland, was constantly abused by his neighbor, a one-eyed giant named Goll, who lived across the strait from him (in Scotland). One day Finn Mac Kumal decided to teach the giant a lesson, and since he could not swim across the bay, he began building a bridge. For seven days and nights he dragged huge stone rods into the sea and finally the bridge was ready. Tired after backbreaking work, Finn decided to get a good night's sleep before the upcoming battle. At this time, the Scottish giant, seeing the bridge, ran across it to Ireland and began knocking on the warrior’s door. The warrior's wife got scared and came up with a trick: she swaddled him like a baby. In addition, she treated Goll to flat cakes, inside which she baked flat iron pans, and when the giant began to break his teeth on them, she gave the second flat cake, a simple one, to the “baby” Finn, who calmly ate it. Imagining what a giant the father of this rather large “baby” would be, Goll fled in horror, destroying a bridge along the way. Therefore, only the beginning of the bridge, going into the sea, has survived to this day:

The mysterious Northern Ireland is fraught with many wonders. One of them is the amazing Causeway of the Giants. It seems as if an unknown sculptor worked for thousands of years, erecting a road of stone columns. This unique natural attraction was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List, and it is impossible to argue with this decision.

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Tens of thousands of skillfully hewn basalt columns create a unique landscape. Most of them have six corners, but an attentive traveler can find those with four, five, seven or eight. All together they really resemble a giant road. It goes around the cliffs and goes into the sea, and the differences in the height of the columns from 6 to 12 meters give the feeling of a staircase carelessly hewn by giants.

When looking at the Giant's Causeway, it is impossible to believe that its origin can be explained by the most ordinary natural processes, so for romantics and myth lovers there is a legend about this place.

In time immemorial, these harsh lands were inhabited by giants. The gigantic warrior Finn Mac Kumalo had a difficult temperament, and strong rivals did not frighten him. On the contrary, they made us want to compare our strengths. The one-eyed giant who lived overseas was just such a rival. The distance did not stop Finn and he decided to build a bridge, not just a simple one, but a stone one. With his sword, the tireless giant carved out giant columns from basalt and drove them into the ground.

Further folklore differs in opinion. Some say that Finn got tired and fell asleep, and the one-eyed warrior himself came to him. Others believe that upon seeing a powerful rival, the main character was overcome by fear and ran away. But in the finale of both options, Finn's wife becomes the savior.

As is usual in legends, she defeated the one-eyed warrior not by force, but by cunning and ingenuity. The smart woman swaddled her husband like a child, and greeted her opponent with open arms and treats - flatbreads with frying pans baked in them. She herself sat down to lull her baby to sleep and fed him the same delicacy, only without the filling. The uninvited guest, not suspecting anything, saw a giant baby tirelessly chewing iron, asking for more, and realized that it was definitely not worth messing with the father of this child. The frightened opponent ran away headlong. Running away, he destroyed the bridge, and since then the stone columns have been going under water.

Origin

In fact, the origin of the Giant's Causeway has scientific explanation. This area became famous only at the end of the 17th century, and tourists large quantities began to appear here more than a hundred years later. In addition to the unique landscape, visitors also like this place because their movement here is completely unrestricted. Although the Giant's Causeway is a nature reserve, there are no closed areas.

Curious tourists can discover similar formations in other parts of the world, but this is where their largest concentration is located. Therefore, it is not surprising that the Giant’s Causeway is of interest not only to amateurs, but also to scientists. For several centuries they tried to come to a common opinion, putting forward different hypotheses. Some believed that the pillars were crystals that had been growing under the waters of ancient oceans for thousands of years. Others believed that the columns were nothing more than petrified bamboo forest.

Most modern scientists have taken a different point of view. According to their version, millions of years ago, the eruption of an ancient volcano formed a vast lava plain here, the basis of which was basalt. Gradually hardening, it cracked, forming an amazing pattern. As the magma solidified, the cracks gradually deepened and subsequently formed regular hexagonal columns. This is how scientists explained the origin of the Giant's Causeway. But, who knows, maybe a frightened one-eyed giant is still sitting alone on an island in the middle of the cold sea...

Attractions

The columns of the Giant's Causeway form three platforms. The first of them is called the Great Trail and originates from rocky mountains. This platform is a monumental staircase, the steps of which reach a height of six meters. Going down to the sea, the path becomes flatter and looks like a road for giants. The second site is the Middle and Small trails.

The columns from this group are located near the main path, but they no longer resemble a path, but separate mounds. By taking precautions, you can examine them by moving from one pillar to another. The third site is the most mysterious and least visited. This desert island Staffa, which is located 130 km from the coast. Its name translates as “Island of Pillars”. Between the columns the island hides its main attraction - Fingal's Cave, which is about 80 meters long.

The giants laid the beginning of their path along the cliffs. Later, people appreciated their bizarre shape and gave them original names. There is also musical instruments– Harp and Organ, and stone accessories forgotten by the giants – Loom, Cannons and even the Giant’s Coffin. The unknown giant also forgot his shoe here. This is exactly what one of the cobblestones looks like. Curious visitors calculated that the owner of these shoes was at least 16 meters tall.

Separate pillars of the Giant's Causeway not only rise up, but look from the sea like the chimneys of a stern northern castle. A curious incident in the history of the country is connected with this. The “invincible armada” of the Spaniards, having approached the shores, decided to shell the threatened territory and attacked. The only losses suffered were the basalt columns, because there was no castle on the shore. The Spaniards' ship crashed on the rocks, and the army suffered considerable losses in the cold waters. The sunken treasures were raised from the bottom and are still kept in one of the museums in Ireland.

Giant's Causeway (Northern Ireland, UK) - detailed description, location, reviews, photos and videos.

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We can safely say that the Giant's Causeway (or the Giant's Causeway, depending on your preference) is a typically Irish landmark. Ireland is always associated with something mysterious, magical, mystical, and at the same time carefree and cheerful. This bizarre combination is perfectly reflected by stone pillars extending into the ocean, the origin of which is, of course, explained by an ancient legend.

There are many legends and stories surrounding the appearance of these strange stone pillars. Here is the most popular version of the origin of the Giant's Causeway. A long time ago, a mighty Irishman named Finn McCumal lived in these parts, who decided to challenge the giant (and, in addition, one-eyed) monster Goll. But to win, the brave Irishman had to under no circumstances get his feet wet. Possessing considerable strength, Finn drove the columns directly into the bottom of the sea, thereby building himself a kind of bridge. But, despite his excellent physical shape, the hero got tired and fell asleep. Goll took advantage of this and crossed the bridge at that time. Finn's wife actually saved the situation and saved the husband. She said that the sleeping Makkumal was her child, and at the same time baked cakes for the monster, which contained frying pans as a filling. Goll began to eat them and break his teeth, and when Finn woke up, his wife gave him an ordinary flatbread. Seeing how calmly he ate the cake, on which Goll himself broke the teeth of the so-called “baby,” the monster ran away in fear, preferring not to know what his father could do to him.

A long time ago, a mighty Irishman named Finn McCumal lived in these parts, who decided to challenge the giant (and, in addition, one-eyed) monster Goll... Thus begins the legend about the origin of the fantastic Giant's Road.

During its shameful flight, the monster destroyed the bridge, the ruins of which we can see today.

Scientists voice a much more boring version of the origin of the columns. Based on the scientific version of the origin of the columns, they were formed here about 50-60 million years ago as a result of a volcanic eruption, when lava fell directly into the river that flowed here in those distant times. The outer layers of lava cooled quickly, pushing the weight of the river bottom, which gave rise to the shape of the columns.

The Giant's Causeway is located in Northern Ireland, on the Causeway Coast, 3 kilometers from the town of Bushmills. Mostly the columns are hexagonal in shape, but you can also find quadrangular and octagonal ones. Maximum height one column is about 12 meters.

Although the Giant's Causeway has the status of a nature reserve, there are no strict prohibitions or restrictions for visitors. Throughout the entire territory, tourists can walk anywhere (and there are places to walk here). From the coastal cliffs, wonderful sea panoramas open up, which it seems you can admire endlessly. The trail belongs to a non-profit organization that performs the functions of regulating visits to the Road and its protection.

How to visit

The Giant's Causeway can be reached by tourist bus from the capital of Northern Ireland, Belfast - a distance of 100 kilometers, or from Bushmills - only 3 kilometers. It is possible to travel to the Road from Belfast or Londonderry by train. A steam train was built from Bushmills to the Trail. railway.

The Giant's Causeway has several names, including the Giant's Causeway and the Giant's Causeway. The volcanic formations located in Northern Ireland are among the world's natural treasures, which is why a considerable number of tourists seek to look at the unusual cliffs.

Description of the Giant's Causeway

From above, this amazing natural wonder resembles a sloping road that descends from the cliffs and goes into the Atlantic Ocean. Its length on the coast reaches 275 meters, and approximately another 150 meters stretches under water. The size of each column is about six meters, although there are also twelve-meter columns. If you take a photo from above the cliff, you can see honeycombs tightly packed together. Most posts have a hexagonal cross-section, but some have four, seven or nine corners.

The pillars themselves are quite hard and dense. This is explained by their composition, which is dominated by magnesium and basaltic iron with a quartz content. It is because of this that they are not subject to decay under the influence of winds and waters of the Atlantic Ocean.

Conventionally, the natural structure can be divided into three sections. The first is called the Great Trail. Here the columns have a cascading structure in the form of steps. Towards the bottom they level out into a road up to 30 meters wide. Next are the Middle and Small trails, reminiscent of protruding mounds. You can walk on their tops, as they are flat in shape.

Another unusual area is the island of Staffa. It is located 130 km from the coast, but here you can also see columns similar to those that go under water. Another noteworthy place on the island for tourists is Fingal's Cave, the depth of which reaches 80 meters.

Hypotheses about the emergence of a miracle of nature

During the study of the Giant's Causeway, scientists put forward various hypotheses about where such columns came from. Among the popular versions are the following explanations:

• the pillars are crystals formed on the seabed that was once located in Northern Ireland;
• the columns are petrified bamboo forest;
• the surface was formed as a result of volcanic eruptions.

It is the third option that seems closest to the truth, since it is believed that the magma that has come to the surface, after a long period of cooling, begins to slowly crack, causing the layer to resemble a honeycomb, going far deep into the earth. Due to the basalt base, the magma did not spread over the ground, but lay down in an even layer, which later became like columns.

Despite the fact that this hypothesis seems to scientists the most reliable, it is not possible to test it for truth, since hundreds of years must pass before a similar effect can be repeated in practice.

The Legend of the Giant's Causeway

The story is retold among the Irish of the giant Finn Mac Cumal, who had to fight a terrible foe from Scotland. To connect the island with Great Britain, the resourceful giant began to build a bridge and became so tired that he lay down to rest. His wife, hearing that the enemy was approaching, wrapped her husband in swaddling clothes and began baking cakes.

When the Scotsman asked if Finn was sleeping on the shore, his wife said that it was just their baby, and her husband would soon arrive for the decisive fight. The resourceful girl treated the guest to pancakes, but first baked cast-iron frying pans in them and left only one for Finn without an unusual additive. The Scotsman could not bite a single cake and was extremely surprised that the “baby” ate it without difficulty.

Thinking how strong the father of this child must be, the Scot hastened to escape from the island, destroying the bridge that had been built behind him. The amazing legend is liked not only local residents, but also fuels interest in the Giant’s Causeway among tourists from different parts of the world. They enjoy walking around the area and enjoying the landscapes of Ireland.

Giant's Causeway in Northern Ireland - unique natural phenomenon: interconnected basalt hexagonal columns create amazing landscapes reminiscent of natural pavement. The trail is the result of the activity of an ancient volcano; the ridges formed as the lava flow cooled. There is another version of the appearance of the bizarre trail: the road was built by the hero of Celtic myths, Finn Mac Cumal.

The Causeway of Giants could indeed serve as a road: the columns of different heights (from 6 to 12 meters) seem like a staircase, and the cracks are the result of a sloppy layout of the nature trail.

In 1986, the Giant's Causeway was listed World Heritage UNESCO.

To visit the Giant's Causeway, you should choose comfortable clothes and shoes, preferably with rubberized soles.

It is better to plan a trip to the Causeway of Giants from late spring to autumn. There are no tours along the Giant's Causeway in winter. Be careful: the weather in the north of Ireland is quite changeable. In strong winds and rain, approaching the cliff can be dangerous.

The tourist office is located at 44 Causeway Road, where you can get detailed information about the Giant's Causeway and buy souvenirs. When purchasing a ticket, tourists receive an audio guide in Russian (English, French, German, Spanish, Italian, Polish, Japanese and Mandarin are also available).

How to get there

The Giant's Causeway is located in the north-east of Northern Ireland, 100 km from Belfast. Bus service connects the Giant's Causeway and Belfast: tourist buses run (mainly in summer), can also be reached by bus 252, circular route which runs along the picturesque Antrim coast.

From late spring to early autumn, you can get to the Giant's Causeway by tourist buses from Bushmills, as well as from another attraction in Northern Ireland -. In summer, minibuses also run from the tourist office.

You can also travel from Belfast and Londonderry by Translink trains (www.translink.co.uk). The nearest railway stations to the Giant's Causeway are Portrush and Coleraine, from where regular buses run to the coast.

The steam railway connects Bushmills and the Giant's Causeway; The station is located 200 meters from the main entrance to the natural park.

Travel time from Belfast by car is about one and a half hours. Follow the M2 until the junction with the A26. Turn right and follow until you turn onto the M2. Once past Ballymena, continue along the A26 to Ballymoney. Turn right and follow Ballybogy Road until it meets Priestland Road. Turn right again and continue to Causeway Road.

Location

Giant's Causeway is located in County Antrim.