Where In The World Is ... 'The Giant's Causeway'? | Weather.com
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Local legend has it that a giant built a bridge here. Can you guess where in the world this amazing place is?

Chris DeWeese

ByChris DeWeese5 days ago

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United Kingdom, Northern Ireland, Causeway Coastal Route, Antrim County, Giant's Causeway, UNESCO World Heritage Site, coast

(Andrea Pistolesi/Getty Images)

Somewhere in the world, you’ll find a place that looks lifted straight from the pages of an ancient legend. Abutting deep blue waters, tens of thousands of interlocking basalt columns (the remnant of an ancient volcanic fissure eruption) create what local legend has long known as “The Giant’s Causeway.”

Can you guess where in the world it is?

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(Darren Sutherland/Getty Images)

According to the legend, a local giant was challenged by a rival from a distant island. After accepting the challenge, he built a huge causeway to bridge the distance between the two lands. What we now see, the legend posits, are the remains of one base of that bridge.

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In reality, the exceptional landscape of the Giant’s Causeway was born between 50 and 60 million years ago, when intense volcanic activity in the area created a volcanic plateau. Contraction occurred as the lava in the area cooled, leaving pillars of basalt.

the giant's causeway

(Brad McGinley Photography/Getty Images)

Now, this area is a UNESCO World Heritage site. Have you guessed where it’s located? The answer is: the north coast of Northern Ireland! If you want to visit, the site is located just 3 miles from the town of Bushmills, and access to the causeway is free.

Senior writer Chris DeWeese edits Morning Brief, The Weather Channel’s newsletter.