Fingal's Cave:This astonishingly geometric cave has inspired everyone from Jules Verne to Pink Floyd
At 72 feet tall and 270 feet deep, what makes this sea cave so visually astoundingly is the hexagonal columns of basalt, shaped in neat six-sided pillars, that make up its interior walls.
The cave was a well-known wonder of the ancient Irish and Scottish Celtic people and was an important site in the legends. Known to the Celts as Uamh-Binn or "The Cave of Melody," one Irish legend in particular explained the existence of the cave as well as that of the similar Giant's Causeway in Ireland. As both are made of the same neat basalt columns, the legend holds that they were the end pieces of a bridge built by the Irish giant Fionn mac Cumhaill (a.k.a. Finn McCool), so he could make it to Scotland where he was to fight Benandonner, his gigantic rival.
The legend, which connects the two structures, is in effect geologically correct. Both the Giant's Causeway and Fingal's Cave were indeed created by the same ancient lava flow, which may have, at one time formed a "bridge" between the two sites. Of course, this happened some 60 million years ago, long before people would have been around to see it. Nonetheless, the deductive reasoning of the ancient peoples formed the connection and base of the legend that the two places must be related.
The cave was rediscovered when naturalist Sir Joseph Banks visited it in 1772. At the time of Banks' discovery, Fingal, an Ancient Epic Poem in Six Books was a very popular poetic series, supposedly translated from an ancient Gaelic epic by Irish poet James Macpherson. The book was an influence on Goethe, Napoleon, and Sir Banks, who promptly named the Scottish cave, which already had the name Uamh-Binn, after the Irish legend, calling it "Fingal's Cave."
More: http://www.atlasobscura.com/places/fingal-s-cave
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I'd seen pics of the Giant's Causeway, but wasn't aware of Fingal's Cave. 
Cave of the Crystals n Mexico. Be a great place for a Led Zepp or Pink Floyd concert too.
Cave of the Crystals or Giant Crystal Cave (Spanish: Cueva de los Cristales) is a cave connected to the Naica Mine 300 metres (980 ft) below the surface in Naica, Chihuahua, Mexico.
The main chamber contains giant selenite crystals (gypsum, CaSO4·2 H2O), some of the largest natural crystals ever found.[1] The cave's largest crystal found to date is 12 m (39 ft) in length, 4 m (13 ft) in diameter and 55 tons in weight. The cave is extremely hot, with air temperatures reaching up to 58 °C (136 °F)[2] with 90 to 99 percent humidity. The cave is relatively unexplored due to these factors.[3] Without proper protection, people can only endure approximately ten minutes of exposure at a time.[4]
A group of scientists known as the Naica Project have been heavily involved in researching these caverns.[5]
Amazing!
With lots of exposed columnar basalts. Formed 17 to 14 million years ago. Formed by the hot spot that is now under Yellowstone NP.
THe giant post-glacial floods 10,000 yrs ago exposed most of it. The basalt flowed from NW Oregon volcanic fissures.
First of all, it is the way it is because it is how God made it. And, secondly, the world is only 4500 years old. Please delete this travesty.
I teach Earth Science and I love these amazing structures found around the globe.
Thanks for sharing.
It's quite an easy walk, picking your way along the basalt outcrops as many have done before (though I wouldn't want to do it in foul weather), but gets a lot more precarious once you enter the cave itself, though the echo and view of the sea framed by the rock walls makes it worth the clamber.
I even had a gull pose mid-shot.
is impressive. Over 26 miles long so far explored. Cumberland Cavern, TN.
Cheddar Gorge.
Cheddar caves.
Cheddar village
Cheddar cheese from Cheddar, matured in the caves.
