Northern Ireland - Part 1

Since October last year I have now been to Northern Ireland 3 times in order to visit the stunning coastline of Country Antrim and the world heritage UNESCO site The Giant's Causeway.  I am truly in love with the place and wish I could be there everyday!  It's a fantastic place, the people are great and the pace of life is so much SLOWER that you feel you really have been on a break from normality.  I believe that visiting the Republic of Ireland is even slower!  The pictures below are from my 2nd trip at Easter as the weather and scenery were really stunning.... The Giant's Causeway is a photographers' dream and I certainly indulged:-

View from the Giant's Causeway visitor centre west 
along the coast.

Aerial view of the Giant's Causeway from 
the Coastal Path - the Causeway was formed 
millions of year ago during a volcanic eruption 
and the unusual form of basalt columns was 
created due the slow cooling of the lava.

A closer look from above.  Apart from the scientific explantion for the Causeway the legend is that Finn McCool the Irish Giant challenged his Scottish adversary Bennandonar to a fight to see who was the strongest.  In order that Bennandonar could get across the sea Finn built the causeway.  When Bennandonar did cross over the Causeway to meet Finn, Finn saw him and took off in a hurry when he saw just how big Bennandonar was!  He fled to his wife Oonagh - quickly Oonagh disguised Finn as a baby and when Bennandonar came looking for Finn he found only Oonagh and "the baby" - upon seeing the size of the baby he took fright, because if the baby was that big then how big was his father?!!  So Bennandonar fled back to Scotland tearing up the Causeway as he went!

The huge basalt columns have a gap in them 
to the left where you see the 
path = "The Giant's Gate"

This is "The Chimney"!

This is the middle Causeway known as 
"The Honeycomb".

At Easter it was good wave weather here 
I captured the back spray - it became 
a mini obsession to try to catch this on camera!  
What you cannot appreciate here though is the 
noise from the waves, it was deafening at times!

The basalt rocks that you walk on atop the 
Causeway - it is easy to navigate The Causeway 
as it is like a series of steps - which all make 
a convenient seat too!  Some have 5 or 6 edges 
others 4 or more and I believe there is one 
with only 3 - find it if you can they say!

Looking back up the Causeway from the far end
low down near the Atlantic Ocean.

Some of the columns near the 
Middle Causeway.

Patience at sunset is rewarded with 
some lovely photos.

Here looking out to sea with a bit of The Honeycomb on the right

And this was taken from atop 
the main Causeway.  The 
pinky glow was lovely!