Basalt Columns on Staffa, Scotland

The "Amphitheater" appears to be just that. You are nearly surrounded by basalt columns as if they were arranged for you to stand right here.

Columnar Basalt at the base of a roadside cliff in Yellowstone National Park.

Columnar Basalt Landscape at Jungmun Daepo on the island of Jeju, South Korea

On our second day of our 6 day All Ireland tour with Paddywagon Tours, we had a chance to explore the beauty of Northern Ireland, UK.

Without a doubt, the Giant's Causeway is a highlight of any visit to Northern Ireland. Renowned for its natural beauty, dramatic coastline and unique basalt column rock formations, the Giant's Causeway in Northern Ireland is one of the UK's UNESCO World Heritage Sites. We had enough time to explore the site and walk along the coastline.

I did not see the basalt columns in Iceland and felt lucky to be able to see it at the Giant's Causeway in Northern Ireland. Our guide also told us the story about Irish legend Fionn McCool.

You can listen to the "Hebrides Overture" while browsing these images.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hebrides_Overture

As the last bus for the car park leaves at 1845, only a handful of tourists remained until sunset. It provided an opportunity to capture my daughter atop of the Grand Causeway.

Basalt columns of the Giants Causeway Coast.

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The 5-mile stretch of coastline, a World Heritage Site, is famous for its basalt columns. (Ireland -- Rick Steeves)

Staffa

Tiny figures stand atop towering basalt cliffs shaped by ancient volcanic forces somewhere deep within Iceland’s rugged landscape. The dramatic rock formations and immense scale create a powerful contrast between human presence and the raw geology of the island.

Columnar Basalt Landscape at Jungmun Daepo on the island of Jeju, South Korea

Basalt columns of the Giants Causeway Coast.

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View from the clifftop on the Isle of Staffa.

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