Today was a day to fall in love with Nature’s bounty. We started with an expedition to a UNESCO World Heritage site, then passed the ruins of the Dunluce Castle – see the photo in the header of this post – and ended up enjoying some really tasty results of Nature’s goodness.

The Giant’s Causeway is a collection of basalt columns, the result of volcanic eruptions. The mostly six-sided columns (though there are seven- and eight-sided columns too) stand at sometimes awesome heights. There are also low columns that have formed stepping stones leading to larger piles that then disappear into the sea. The shoreline is rough with basalt, black where the sea washes the rock and brown mottled with lighter lichen when beyond the high tide line. As always, click on an image to see the full version of the photo.

Stepping stones which felt somewhat hazardous have been worn smoothe by the feet of millionns of tourists. The right hand photo below captures a few basalt columns up close and personal.

Following lunch at Quay’s Bar & Gastropub in Portrush, we received a lesson in brewing and comparative brews. The Lacada Brewery is a community-owned cooperative that has been brewing for most of the past decade and has been winning Ireland- and UK-wide competitions for best new beers. We happily tasted four of them.

Dinner at our hotel provided a relaxing end to the day. We are venturing into another country tomorrow – the Republic of Ireland – with a visit to Glenveagh Castle and National Park. Stay tuned! D’fhéadfadh sé seo a bheith spraoi.