Information about the Giant's Causeway

Giant's Causeway is a spectacular rock formation on the Antrim coast of Northern Ireland. The site consists of some 40,000 basalt columns rising out of the sea. The Giant's Causeway is Northern Ireland's only UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The Causeway was created over 60 million years ago following a volcanic eruption. The formation of the Giant's Causeway was due to intense volcanic activity.

The Giant's Causeway has a "twin" at Fingal's Cave on the Isle of Staffa in the Inner Hebrides off Scotland (near the island of Mull), approximately 150km to the north east across the Atlantic. The close proximity of the two sites is what gave rise to the Myth of Finn MacCool.

Image: Giant's Causeway

The Myth

Popular mythology attributes the creation of the Causeway to an Irish giant named Fionn mac Cumhaill (or Finn MacCool). To prove his superior strength and status, Fionn decided to fight against a rival Scottish giant named Benandonner. As there was no boat large enough to carry huge Finn across the sea to confront Bennandonner, he built his own pathway of stepping stones from Ireland to Scotland. He then was able to walk across the sea without getting his feet wet.

When he crossed the sea, however, he saw just how large Benandonner was. He ran back to Ireland before Bennandonner saw him, but the causeway was built and Bennandonner came to fight. Fionn crawled into a crib and when Bennandonner came to the door to fight him, his wife told him not to wake the baby. Seeing just how large Fionn's "baby" was, Bennandonner grew afraid and ran back to Scotland, tearing up the causeway as he went to prevent Fionn following him.

Entrance

Entry to the Giants Causeway is free, however there are lots of extras that will cost you. Firstly there is a Visitor Center which costs £9. This is a museum about the geology of how it was built. You can visit the causeway without visiting the museum.

Parking in the official car park is only available to people who visit the Visitor Center. To avoid this, either take the free park and ride from Bushmills, or park in the Causeway Railway Car park, on the left as you approach the Visitor Center.

Getting from the Visitor Center to the Giants Causeway is about 1km, and there is a bus that can drop you down and back £1 each way. This is an easy walk for most people.