Where is the road of giants. Giants road in northern ireland
In Northern Ireland, on the Causeway Coast, there is an unusual path of 40,000 interconnected giant basalt columns, formed as a result of an ancient volcanic eruption. They call it differently - the Giant's Path, the Giant's Pavement, the Giant's Road.
This natural landmark is located in County Antrim, 4.8 km from Bushmills. The road stretches along the coast for 275 meters and goes into the waters of the Atlantic for another 150 meters. From above, the Giant's Path resembles a huge honeycomb.
According to scientists, 50-60 million years ago, during the Paleogene period, intense volcanic activity took place in this place. Molten basalt formed vast lava plateaus. With rapid cooling, the volume of the substance decreased (this is observed when the mud dries). Time completed the rest. Horizontal compression has affected the shape of the columns of the Giant's Causeway. Most of them are hexagonal, although there are columns with four, five and seven sides.
The columns successfully resist the destructive effects of the winds and rough waves of the Atlantic Ocean, as they consist mainly of hard volcanic rock - basalt rich in magnesium and iron.
It took millions of years for the columns of the Giant's Path to rise from the ground. Today, the height of the columns reaches 6-12 meters.
The columns of the Giant's Way in Ireland form three groups of sites: the Great Trail, the Middle Trail and the Lesser Trail.
The columns of the Great Trail are the largest and start near Antrim Rock. At first they look like a cluster of huge stone steps, some of which reach up to six meters in height. Closer to the water, the steps gradually level off until they begin to form a stone-covered road, the width of which is from 20 to 30 meters.
The pillars of the Middle and Small trails are located near the Big Trail and in shape, rather, they look not like a road, but like barrows. Since each such column has a flat top, it is possible to carefully move from one column to another.
The columns themselves on the Causeway Coast are located around the cliffs, which people later gave original titles. For example, there is a cliff named after the Harp, since the columns from it descend to the coast in a curved line. 60 high straight columns, resembling the pipes of a huge organ, gave the name to another cliff.
There are cliffs with such interesting names, like the Giant's Loom, the Giant's Coffin, the Giant's Cannons, the Giant's Eyes. Here you can also see the Giant's Shoe - a two-meter cobblestone that resembles this shoe. It was calculated that a giant who would wear such an item must be at least 16 meters tall.
around it amazing place Since ancient times, numerous myths and legends have appeared. According to one of the legends, this road is nothing more than a bridge connecting the shores of Ireland with Scotland, which was built by the giant Finn McKumal to fight the ancient one-eyed monster named Hall. With his sword, Finn carved giant columns out of basalt, drove them into the bottom of the Irish Sea and thus built a bridge. Tired of hard work, the giant lay down to rest.
At this time, the terrible Hall quickly crossed the new bridge to deal with his sleeping rival. But Finn's wife decided to outsmart the evil giant. She quickly swaddled her husband and passed him off as a little son, who is still so small that his father is not even up to his waist. Imagining what power the father of this "child" could have, Hall was horrified and rushed to run away, destroying the bridge so that Finn could not catch up with him.
Interestingly, on east coast North Channel, near the coast of Scotland, exactly the same basalt columns are found as in Northern Ireland. These columns are part of the same lava flow that once formed Giant's Causeway. However local residents it is more pleasant to consider that these are the remains of a bridge built by giants. After all, basalt columns in Scotland are located next to the cave of Fingal (another name for Finn McCool).
The Road of the Giants in Northern Ireland gained worldwide fame in the early 18th century when the artist Suzanne Drary (1698-1770) presented watercolors of an unusual coastline to the public.
Since 1986, the Giant's Trail, as well as the Causeway Coast on which it is located, has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
According to the website article
The Giant's Trail is located on the northern coast of Ireland, 100 km northwest of Belfast, about 3 km north of Bushmills and is famous for its unique landscape.
Lots of people around stone pillars forms a semblance of a road that seems to be paved with unusual paving stones. There are many variations of the legend about the origin of the Giant's Path, and we will tell you one of them.
A long time ago, when giants lived on Earth, the giant Fin McCool, who lives in these parts, wanted to measure his strength with the giant Benandonner and challenged him to battle. The vain Benandonner accepted the challenge, wanting to teach the impudent Fin a lesson and got ready to go.
The rivals were separated by the sea, and in order to be in the possessions of Fin, Benandonner began to drive huge pillars into the seabed, creating a semblance of a bridge. He spent a lot of time and effort, but still got to the other side and decided to take a nap before the upcoming fight.
Finn's wife McCool was walking along the waterfront when she suddenly noticed the sleeping Benandonner. Assessing that her husband's rival is bigger and stronger, she decided to go for a trick and swaddled her giant husband like a baby.
When Benandonner came to their house and saw such a “child”, he was seriously frightened: after all, if this is just a child, then what a powerful father he has ?! And Benandonner had no choice but to flee back to his lands, destroying the bridge of columns along the way.
The origin of the Path of the Giants was able to explain not only local legends, but also scientists. According to them, the abnormally symmetrical pillars formed during a volcanic eruption more than 50 million years ago. As a result of chemical reactions, pressure and layering, the lava turned into regular hexagons, which we can contemplate at the present time.
Another attraction of the Giants' Trail is the so-called "chimneys". Under the influence of erosion and weathering, some pillars began to rise above the rest and from the side resemble the chimneys of an old castle. The Spanish warship "Girona", escaping after the defeat of the "Invincible Armada" in 1588, fired several volleys of cannons at the cliff, as the Spaniards mistook it for an enemy castle.
This is beautiful place inspired creative people of the 19th century: artists, writers and even musicians. The naturalist Joseph Banks, who visited the Giant's Trail more than once, once said: “Compared to this, what are the cathedrals and palaces built by man? Just toy houses."
Video - Giant's Path
Antiquity + modernity = Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four parts of the UK, and quite an interesting part of it. It was founded in 1921, and before that, there were wars and powerful conflicts over the territory for many years.
On an area of \u200b\u200balmost 14 square km, there are 6 counties at once, the capital of this area is beautiful city Belfast. In this country, ancient buildings are combined in an original way with modern buildings, as well as with unique nature– Ireland is rich in forests, water bodies, among which is its own sea, and objects world heritage.
The population of Ireland is very interesting, here you can meet both native Irish Catholics and British Protestants, there are also Anglo-Irish and Scotch-Irish. Accordingly, they speak two languages here - English and Irish.
The climate of this country is temperate, there is quite warm winter and not very hot summer season. At the same time, a lot of precipitation falls throughout the country, the air is almost always humid. Summer average temperature- about +15 degrees, and in winter +5. July is the hottest month when Ireland traditionally has the most tourists.
The public holiday in Northern Ireland is St. Patrick's Day, the patron saint of the country, who expelled snakes from the island and brought Christianity. Once on this holiday, one is surprised by the huge number of people on the streets dressed in national green. Everyone on this day walks, attends beer parties and indulges in the world-famous dark Guinness beer.
Northern Ireland
In terms of food, Northern Ireland is famous for its Ulster breakfast - scrambled eggs with sausages, soda cakes and potato bread. Also here you can taste the amazing taste of meat and oysters, delicious food here as in expensive restaurants, there and in small cafes.
What else is remarkable about Northern Ireland is its numerous legends and myths. Tourists visiting Ireland should definitely visit the "Giant's Road" - this is the main attraction, which is included in the list of UNESCO sites. The unusual embankment consists of countless columns, the largest reaching up to six meters in height. The locals believe in the legend, according to which one hero specially drove large columns into the bottom of the sea to fight the monster and built a bridge out of them. But the giant monster tricked himself into the city over this bridge, and subsequently, being frightened by cunning deceit, he fled back from the city in horror and broke the bridge. As a result, only bizarre columns resembling fragments remained of it.
What else is worth visiting? Shipyard Harland & Wolff Shipyards - it was here that the Titanic, famous for its sad fate, was built at one time. lovers quiet rest you can advise to see the ruins of Dunluce Castle, and for connoisseurs of alcohol, an excursion to the Old Bushmills Distillery is suitable. Here you can see with your own eyes how the best whiskey is made. Since Ireland is famous for its natural beauty, visiting Ratlin Island, you can admire the many different species of birds that live in natural conditions. But extreme people will appreciate the Carrick Red Rope suspension bridge between two rocks: walking along the 24-meter long bridge, you will see only the endless sea below you.
Northern Ireland is very rich bright places and pleasant experiences. It is quite colorful and constantly attracts tourists from all over the world. Looking here, you can appreciate all the attractiveness and singularity of this place, as well as feel the true Irish culture.
Road of the Giants in Northern Ireland
Giant's Road is the most popular tourist attraction in Northern Ireland. This unique coast appeared due to volcanic intervention. Thanks to an eruption that took place many centuries ago, about 40,000 basalt columns were formed here, going into the sea, like steps for a real giant.
Once here, it will also be interesting for you to climb up and survey the picturesque panorama. In this area, it is possible to rent (or come on an already rented) bike and ride along an equipped route around the area.
The road of giants is a real miracle of nature
The Giant's Causeway (Giant's Path or Giant's Causeway) is a unique coastal area that consists of several tens of thousands of interconnected basalt columns formed as a result of an ancient volcanic eruption.
It is located in the north-east of Northern Ireland, about 3 km north of the Irish whiskey town of Bushmills. The road, as well as the Causeway Coast on which it is located, were declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1986, and national reserve in 1987 by the Department environment Northern Ireland. The tops of the columns form a springboard, which starts at the foot of the cliff and disappears under the surface of the sea. Most of the columns are hexagonal, although some have four, five, seven or eight corners. The highest is about 12 meters.
The Road of the Giants impresses not only with its size, but also with mysterious legends of origin. This impressive place rightfully deserves popularity and admiration.
60 million years ago powerful volcanoes shook the island.
About 60 million years ago, powerful volcanoes shook the area. They raised columns of ash into the sky, and threw them on the surface of the earth. a large number of magma. This event left the Irish a legacy of the mysterious Road of the Giants. According to another legend, the giants themselves actually walked along it.
Once upon a time, a warrior from Irish mythology, Finn Mac Kumalo, was going to compete with a one-eyed giant named Hall. The latter lived across the sea. Finn decided to build a bridge to the other side so as not to get his feet wet. With his sword, he carved and drove into the bottom of the sea a whole series of stone columns. When tired, the warrior lay down to rest and fell asleep.
At this time, a formidable opponent himself came to him precisely along this bridge. But they still couldn't compete. It turned out that Finn had a very cunning wife. She gave her sleeping husband as a little son. Pretending to be waiting for her husband, she began to treat Hall with cakes with iron pans baked in them.
When Finn woke up, his wife gave him the same cakes, only without pans. Hall was very frightened when he saw how quickly the child was eating loaves. He imagined what the father of such a child should be like. Hall started to run. And the bridge from his terrible blows could not stand it and broke.
Giants trail in Ireland
In ancient times, the good giant Fin McCool lived in Ireland with his wife Una, and across the strait from him, in Scotland, lived the evil giant Benadonna. The Scot constantly hurt and offended the Irish. One day, Fin Mak Cool shouted to Benadonna: “If I could swim, I would swim across the strait in a couple of minutes and would pile on you for the most not indulge!”
But the Irishman did not know how to swim. Then he decided to build a bridge across the strait. For seven days and seven nights he did not close his eyes, dragged huge stone rods into the sea and built a bridge across the strait.
In the end, he was very tired and thought: “Before I fight Benadonna, I must have a good rest” and went to bed. At this time, the Scottish giant saw the bridge and ran across it to Ireland.
He began knocking on the giant's door, but Fin MacCool was fast asleep. His wife Una was frightened and came up with a trick: she swaddled him like a baby. Opening the door, she said to Benadonna, “Shhh! My baby is sleeping!”
The Scot looked at the “baby” and thought: “If Fin McCool has a child that big, then what is he like?” Frightened, Benadonna fled back to Scotland, breaking the entire bridge behind him.
The Giants' Trail - a UNESCO World Heritage Site
Only the very beginning of the Bridge of the Giants, consisting of hexagonal basalt columns, which is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List and is one of the wonders of nature, has survived to this day.
Carrickfergus Castle.
One of the few examples of medieval fortification Northern Ireland, which has survived to this day almost in its original form. The castle is the main and only attraction city of the same name located nearby. Today, Carrickfergus Castle is one of the country's largest centers for the study of the Middle Ages.
The castle arose in the XII century, its appearance became a certain stage in the development british isles. The castle was built by the Anglo-Norman tribes, hence the very unusual name for the fort and the city that arose years later. According to the hypotheses of historians, the founders of the castle were faced with the task of making it as impregnable as possible, which was embodied during the years of construction. The castle was built sheer cliff, which completely excluded at that time the capture from the sea, and Belfast Lough became the most defensive bay in the country. All the towers of the castle were built from the strongest basalt and sandstone mined nearby, relatively high for that time walls of 20 meters reached a thickness of up to four meters, which made the castle invulnerable even to cannon fire. A kind of pride of the castle was a unique defense against ground attacks, nicknamed by the enemies "death hole". The hole is a gateway above the main gate of the castle, disguised as the color of the wall.
At the moment of breaking through the gates or deliberately deceiving the enemy, unsuspecting infantrymen received a stream of boiling resin, oil or a pile of sharp stones on their heads. The path to retreat was cut off by a slamming secret grate. The principle of operation of the "hole of death" is shown to all sightseers, which causes regular applause. In addition to a sightseeing visit to the castle, you can book a walk along the bay, which allows you to view the walls of the fortress from different angles. Also inside the castle, costumed performances on the theme of life in the Middle Ages are very often held. Anyone can take part in them, as well as be in the role of a spectator. City of Carrickfergus this moment completely focused on the tourism business, the flow of tourists from all over the world cannot be called colossal, but due to inexpensive prices for local infrastructure, there is a certain demand. There are many Russians among the visitors of the city and the castle, which forced local entrepreneurs to create printed materials in Russian in souvenir shops - guides, booklets, memorable books about the city and the history of the castle.
Enniskillen Castle is one of the Northern Irish castles that has survived almost in its original form. The castle is located in the county of Fermanagh, which is on the border with Ireland, and is the main sightseeing attraction this region. Despite enough rich history, Enniskillen Castle does not have an exact date of its foundation - all ancient documents were destroyed during numerous military operations in the county. Nevertheless, it is officially accepted that the castle was founded at the very beginning of the 15th century by the Scottish Maguire clan.
The construction of the castle ensured the protection of the whole county from the attacks of hostile neighbors, and for this purpose strong walls and high lookout towers did an excellent job. In the 16th century, the territory of the castle became the epicenter of political intrigues, which resulted in the so-called Nine Years' War, when the confrontation between Elizabeth I and the Spanish crown reached its climax precisely on the territory of Ireland, which was used by Spain as military base. Since that moment, the strategic importance of the castle has increased, and it was rebuilt several times, expanding the arsenal and the number of barracks for military personnel.
Starting from the 17th century, the castle became completely owned by the British crown, and it was already used against numerous skirmishes with the French, the stables and barracks built during that period can be seen today. Now Enniskillen Castle is a huge museum complex, dedicated to the centuries-old history of County Fermanagh. Among several dozen exhibition halls, you can see exhibitions dedicated to both the military affairs of Ireland, starting from the 15th century, and the private life of people who lived in the castle and its environs. In addition to weapons, uniforms and armor, you can see household items, furniture, clothes and much more.
Dunluce Castle is one of the oldest castles Great Britain, located five kilometers from small town Portrush. Currently, the territory of the castle is a relatively safe state for visitors, which, in turn, are included in the list of specially protected by the state historical monuments. Founded in the 13th century, this castle served as an impregnable frontier for many centuries, protecting the coast from attacks from the Atlantic Ocean. According to the meager data that have survived to this day, this castle belonged to several of the richest families, but the last recorded owners are the Scottish McDonalds clan. The castle belonged to this clan until 1690. Shortly before this, very tragic pages began in his history.
In 1639, the owners of the castle hosted a dinner party with guests and musicians. At the height of the fun, the kitchen yard could not withstand the mass of the gathered guests and fell right into the sea, not everyone managed to escape. The remaining part of the kitchen yard is now fenced off from visits for security purposes, but it can be seen from several points of the castle. Half a century after this tragic incident, the MacDonalds clan completely went bankrupt, and the castle was taken as a repayment of debts. The majestic medieval building was not restored, it was decided to gradually dismantle it in order to obtain high-quality building materials, from which some other buildings in the vicinity were later created.
Included in the list of historical and architectural monuments There was a castle in Northern Ireland only at the end of the 19th century, since that time it has become a popular sightseeing object. Currently, tours of the castle are held regardless of the time of year, but you can get here only with a guide, whose services can be ordered in the city of Portrush. A sightseeing minibus will take you to the castle in a matter of minutes, and after the overview lectures, guests can go on a free walk around the surrounding areas.
Viaduct Craigmore
This is an old railway bridge, which is located near the village of Bessbrook, in County Armagh. Locals call their bridge "18 arches", it was built in 1852. As tall as a 14-story building, the Craymore Viaduct provides an excellent vantage point for taking in the surroundings. And by themselves, its granite arches are very beautiful.
Marble Arch Caverns
These caves were opened to tourists relatively recently - in 1985. There are many caves in Northern Ireland and usually they do not arouse much interest among travelers. However, the Marble Arch Caverns are a completely different matter! Under their arches you can sail on a boat, which is much more interesting than just walking.
Lough Neagh is the largest lake in the UK, one of the largest freshwater lakes in Europe. In fact, Northern Ireland owns only 90% of the lake area, its southern part is already on Irish territory. Lough Neagh is called the main freshwater area near Belfast, although the city is remote at a fairly decent distance of 30 kilometers. Despite the shallow depth - a maximum of 31 meters - there are a lot of wells for sampling drinking water used, including for industrial purposes. As for tourism, trips to the lake are consistently popular among guests from other countries.
For a walk along the shore, it is advised to choose a clear day, because during the period of rains and strong winds, the smooth surface of the lake can become the site of a real storm. Regardless of the choice of the vantage point to start the tour, this place will be distinguished by stunning views of both austere and in its own way unique Irish nature. In spring, on the shores of the lake, you can see white swans that have arrived from wintering. local legend about the origin of the lake again refers us to the national hero of Ireland - Finn, also known as Fingal.
The action of the legend refers to the period of regular battles between the Irish and Scottish tribes. Finn, as in most legends, appears here as a powerful hero, able to control nature. According to an old legend, Loch Neagh appeared on the spot where Finn took a piece of land to bring it to Scotland. The earth did not reach Scotland, but fell in the place where it is now famous island Maine, this explains its origin. In addition to national legends, Loch Neagh is famous for much darker stories.
Over decades of study, archaeologists from all over the world have found confirmation that there were several dozen pagan altars around the lake, where the ancient inhabitants of this land worshiped a variety of deities. In addition, it is documented that in the Middle Ages, priests executed heretics on the shore of the lake, which could not but affect the reputation of this place. Paranormal enthusiasts from all over the world come here to capture something unusual.
Residents of the surrounding towns and villages are not too fond of such a reputation for the lake and try not to give rise to stories in dubious magazines.
The path of the giants is known as the Pavement of the Giants or the Path of the Giant. This is natural monument in Northern Ireland, which is a geological rocky formation of about 40 thousand closely adjacent columns, mostly basalt. Flat-topped columns with a diameter of 30 to 50 cm, mostly having 6 faces each (although there are also 4, 5, 7 and 8-sided ones), reach a height of 6 to 12 m and resemble huge honeycombs from above.
The Road of the Giants is located 3 km from the settlement of Bushmills and 100 km from Belfast on the Causeway Coast, with which it became a UNESCO world heritage site in 1986, and a year later - a national reserve of Ireland.
The road of giants is also called the road to nowhere, because in appearance it resembles a springboard that starts at the foot of a cliff, stretches 275 m along the coast and goes 150 m into the waters of the Atlantic Ocean.
Platforms and cliffs
The Road of the Giants consists of three sites: the Big Trail and the mounds of the Middle and Small Trails. The columns are located around the cliffs, which received the original names because of the shape (Cliffs of the Harp and Organ, the Giant's Loom, the Giant's Eyes, the Giant's Coffin, the Giant's Cannons). Also here you can find the Giant's Shoe - a cobblestone 2 m high.
Geological version of origin
According to geologists, the Bridge of the Giants, like, was formed without human intervention. The miracle of nature appeared as a result of the eruption of an ancient volcano about 50-60 million years ago. From the molten basalt, wide lava plateaus were formed, which contracted and cracked as they cooled rapidly.
It took more than one million years for it to rise from the earth. Due to the hardness of the volcanic basalt rock, rich in iron and magnesium, the soil is resistant to the damaging effects of waves and wind.
Mythic version of the origin
According to one of the legends, the Road of the Giants is a bridge between Ireland and Scotland, built by the legendary Celtic hero Finn MacCool to confront the one-eyed gigantic monster Goll. At that time, when Finn, tired of the construction of the bridge, fell asleep, Goll moved to the other side with the aim of reprisal against his sleeping rival.
His wife came to the aid of McCool, swaddled her husband and passed him off as her little son, who supposedly only grew to his father's waist. The monster imagined what size and strength the father of this child could be, and fled in horror, destroying the bridge so as not to be caught up.
It is noteworthy that similar basalt columns are located off the coast of Scotland on the skeleton of Staffa, surrounding the cave of Fingal (second name of Finn McCool). The landmark became known in the 18th century. thanks to the watercolors of the artist Suzanne Drari.
The path of the giants has several names, including the Path of the Giants and the Bridge of the Giants. Located in Northern Ireland, volcanic formations are among the world's natural treasures, which is why a considerable number of tourists seek to look at unusual cliffs.
Description of Road of the Giants
An amazing wonder of nature from above resembles a sloping road that descends from the cliffs and goes into Atlantic Ocean. Its length on the coast reaches 275 meters, and about 150 meters more stretches under water. The size of each column is about six meters, although twelve-meter pillars are also found. If you take a photo from above the cliff, you can see the honeycombs closely adjacent to each other. Most of the pillars are hexagonal, but there are also those with four, seven or nine corners. 
The pillars themselves are quite solid and dense. This is due to their composition, which is dominated by magnesium and basaltic iron with quartz content. It is because of this that they are not subject to decay under the influence of the winds and waters of the Atlantic Ocean.
Conventionally, the natural structure can be divided into three sections. The first is called the Great Path. Here the columns have a cascade structure in the form of steps. To the bottom, they are aligned into a road up to 30 meters wide. Next are the Middle and Small paths, reminiscent of protruding burial mounds. Their tops can be walked on as they are flat in shape. 
Another unusual area is Staffa Island. It is located 130 km from the coast, but even here you can see columns similar to those that go under water. Another notable place for tourists on the island is the Fingal Cave, the depth of which reaches 80 meters.
Hypotheses about the occurrence of a miracle of nature
In the course of studying the Road of the Giants, 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, once located in the territory of 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 with a long period of cooling begins to slowly crack, which makes the layer resemble honeycombs that go 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 similar to 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.
Legend of the Road of the Giants
Among the Irish, the story is retold of the giant Finn McCumal, who had to fight a terrible adversary from Scotland. To connect the island with Great Britain, the resourceful giant began to build a bridge and was so tired that he lay down to rest. His wife, hearing that the enemy was approaching, swaddled her husband and began to bake cakes. 
When the Scot 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 duel. The resourceful girl treated the guest to pancakes, but she first baked cast-iron pans in them and left only one for Finn without an unusual addition. The Scot 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 he had built behind him. The amazing legend is liked not only by the locals, but also feeds the interest in the Giant's Road among tourists from all over the world. They are happy to walk around the neighborhood and enjoy the landscapes of Ireland.
