Staffa from the Old Norse for stave or pillar island, is an island
of the Inner Hebrides in Argyll and Bute, Scotland. The Vikings gave it
this name as its columnar basalt reminded them of their houses, which
were built from vertically placed tree-logs. Staffa lies about 10
kilometers west of the Isle of Mull. The area is 33 hectares and the
highest point is 42 meters above sea level. About similar nature pattern
to Giants Causeway in North Ireland, Staffa Pillars is really amazing!
The island came to prominence in the
late 18th century after a visit by Sir Joseph Banks. He and his fellow
travelers extolled the natural beauty of the basalt columns in general
and of the island’s main sea cavern which Banks re-named ‘Fingal’s
Cave’. Their visit was followed by that of many other prominent
personalities throughout the next two centuries, including Queen
Victoria and Felix Mendelssohn. The latter’s Hebrides Overture brought
further fame to the island, which was by then uninhabited. It is now in
the care of the National Trust for Scotland. See it yourself. Pretty
amazing eh?
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