The Giant´s Causeway

The Giant´s Causeway(La Calzada del Gigante)

Where is the Giant´s Causeway?

• The Giant´s Causeway is on the north coast of Northern Ireland

What is it?

• It is an area of around 40,000 basalt columns

• Most of the columns and rocks are hexagonal, that is, they have six sides

The Process

1. About 50 or 60 million years ago, a volcano erupted

2. Lava flowed over the land

1 2

The Process (continued)

3. When the lava arrived to the sea, it cooled very rapidly

4. The lava was converted into rock

3 4

The Process (continued)

5. The lava cooled at different times, sometimes on top of more lava. For this reason, the columns are different sizes

• Some of the rocks are at the sea level

• Some of the columns are enormous – the tallest column is 12 metres high!

Special Shapes

• Because of the wind and the rain, some groups of rocks resemble other objects and they have special names

*resemble = parecerse

The Giant´s Boot

The Chimneys

Pipe Organ

The Legend (leyenda) of the Giant´s Causeway

• Many years ago, there was a giant who lived in Ireland. His name was Finn McCool.

• Finn was the biggest and strongest giant in all the British Isles and he was the best warrior (guerrero) but he was also very kind

• There was another giant who lived in Scotland and his name was Fingal. He was jealous (celoso) of Finn McCool and he wanted to fight Finn and kill him so that he could be the best warrior

• But Finn was very kind and he didn´t want to fight Fingal because he didn´t want to hurt him (hacerle daño)

• One day, Fingal arrived from Scotland and he went to Finn´s house on the north coast of Ireland

• Finn´s wife Una saw Fingal arriving and she said to Finn, “Finn, Fingal is coming! He wants to fight you and kill you! Quick, hide in the bed and I will talk to Fingal.” Una put a blanket (manta) over Finn and she put a baby´s bonnet (gorrito) on his head

• Finn hid in the bed like a baby and Fingal arrived to the house. “Where is Finn McCool?” he roared. “He´s not at home,” responded Una. “But you can wait for him here, I´m preparing his lunch.”

• “Who is in the bed?” asked Fingal. Una answered, “That´s our son, Finn Junior”. “Oh my god, he is so big!” said Fingal. “Yes,” said Una, “just like his father Finn”

• Fingal started to imagine the father of the baby and how big and strong he was. He was suddenly very scared of Finn McCool and he left the house, running and screaming like a little girl.

• But when he arrived to the sea, he remembered that he couldn´t swim so he threw stones into the sea to make a path back to Scotland.

• Una and Finn were laughing at Fingal and Fingal never returned to Ireland because he was so afraid of the great Finn McCool.

Tourists

Tourism

• The Giant´s Causeway is a UNESCO World Heritage Site – this means it is a very special place and it has special protection to preserve it

• It is the most famous tourist site in Northern Ireland and it is a natural wonder (una maravilla natural) of the world

*heritage = patrimonio