Giant's Causeway by junge1

Photography • Landscape • posted on Apr 06, 2008

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Description

The Giant's Causeway in County Antrim, Northern Ireland was formed by red-hot lava erupting from an underground fissure and crystallised some 60 million years ago into the hexagonal shapes we see today. There are about 37,000 of these shapes, including the ones under water. The Causeway only came to general notice as late as 1740. It is the North's number one tourist attraction (Lonely Planet, Ireland, 1996). This picture was taken in May 1998 and later scanned. Thanks for viewing and commenting on my previous uploads.

Comments (35)

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delaorden_ojeda

4:36PM | Mon, 07 April 2008

it looks like a view fron another planet, stunning nature capture, bravo !

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Richardphotos

7:07PM | Mon, 07 April 2008

totally amazing.I had no idea that lava could crystallize in shapes like these

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jgkane

1:19AM | Wed, 09 April 2008

Hi, Siegried. I hope that you has sensible footwear that day. The darker coloured rocks can be quite slippy, since they are usually under the sea. I used to go for summer holidays in the Glens of Antrim, further along the Causeway Coast, when I was a child, but it wasn't till 2006 that I actually visited the Causeway itself. My ankles were throbbing that day, so I got the wee minibus back up to the visitors' centre. Like me, I am sure that you did not do any climbing of the cliffs, unlike the two US marines who had to be rescued by coastguard helicopter in the summer of 2006. I saw a young American family, all kitted out for rock climbing ( the kids were under 10 years ) starting on the lower section, disregarding the safe designated area signs. They had the agility of the local goats, but thankfully they had the common sense to stay off the sheer cliff face, and returned safely. As a boy I discovered that some of the local cliffs in the Glens were alright to climb up, but too dangerous to go down. I kept well clear of the chalk ones. I expect that my guardian angel had some help in those days. There were no mobile phones then, indeed I reckon there was not even a phone except at the local post office, and at the old coastguard station at Torr Head. I visited Carrick-a-Rede rope bridge on the same day. It wasn't scary at all. The boulders and plants on the wee island were a mini ecology of their own. Regards, John.

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busi2ness

10:27AM | Mon, 21 April 2008

The special shapes and layers immediately caught my attention. I am sure this is very unique as I haven't heard of any such formation elsewhere. Excellent capture.