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Giant's Causeway Review

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Giant's Causeway

Address: 44 Causeway Rd., Bushmills
Phone: 028/2073-1582; 028/2073-2972
www.nationaltrust.org.uk

Category: Geological Sites
Location: Giant's Causeway

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Fodor's Review:

"When the world was moulded and fashioned out of formless chaos, this must have been a bit over—a remnant of chaos," said the great Thackeray about Northern Ireland's premier tourist draw, the Giant's Causeway. Imagine a mass of 37,000 mostly hexagonal pillars of volcanic basalt, clustered like a giant honeycomb and extending hundreds of yards into the sea. Legend has it this "causeway" was created 60 million years ago, when boiling lava, erupting from an underground fissure that stretched from Northern Ireland to the Scottish coast, crystallized as it burst into the sea, and formed according to the same natural principle that structures a honeycomb. As all Ulster folk know, though, the truth is that the columns were created as stepping-stones by the giant Finn McCool in a bid to reach a giantess he'd fallen in love with on the Scottish island of Staffa (where the causeway resurfaces). Unfortunately, the giantess's boyfriend found out, and in the ensuing battle, Finn pulled out a huge chunk of earth and flung it toward Scotland. The resulting hole became Lough Neagh, and the sod landed to create the Isle of Man.

To reach the causeway, you can either walk 1½ km (1 mi) down a long, scenic hill or take a minibus from the visitor center. West of the causeway, Port-na-Spania is the spot where the 16th-century Spanish Armada galleon Girona went down on the rocks. The ship was carrying an astonishing cargo of gold and jewelry, some of which was recovered in 1967. Beyond this, Chimney Point is the name given to one of the causeway structures on which the Spanish fired, thinking that it was Dunluce Castle, which is 8 km (5 mi) west.

Arriving by car at the Giant's Causeway, you first reach a cliff-top parking lot beside the modern Causeway Centre, a visitor center that has displays about the area and a superb audiovisual exhibition explaining the formation of the causeway coast, as well as a crafts shop. The nearby Causeway Hotel is a good place to stop off for lunch after any hunger-inducing walk. Word of warning: dress appropriately by taking a warm jacket and wear sensible walking shoes, as the causeway can be slippery on wet days. Small children will need to be properly supervised.

Cost: Visitor center movie £1, guided tours £2, parking £5
Open: Visitor center Mar.-June, Sept., and Oct., daily 10-5; July and Aug., daily 10-6; Nov.-Feb., daily 10-4:30

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