熊磊祥

大自然的鬼斧神工造就了迷人又神秘的“巨人之路”，氣势磅礴，蔚为壮观。它不仅是英国最吸引人的景点之一，更是北爱尔兰引以为傲的世界自然遗产。美丽的传说仍在传诵，但是这道通向大海的巨大天然阶梯，被地质学家们揭开了神秘的面纱。

Situated on the Atlantic coast about 80 km northwest of Belfast inNorthern Ireland， UK， the Giant’s Causeway is a famous natural wonder，which was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1986 and anational nature reserve in 1987 by the Department of the Environment forNorthern Ireland.

The Giant’s Causeway is renowned for its unique 1）geologicalformations， consisting of about 40，000 2）interlocking basalt columns. Thesecolumns were formed around 60 million years ago as a result of volcanicactivity. Around 50 to 60 million years ago， during the Paleogene Period， thisplace was subject to intense volcanic activity， when highly fluid molten basalt3）intruded through chalk beds to form an extensivelava plain. When lava cooled， 4）contractionoccurred. After the wave erosion， theseuneven columns were presented. Mostof these columns are 5）hexagonal inshape， form stepping stones that leadfrom the cliff into the sea. The tallest columns reach up to 12 metersin height. The hexagonal shapeof the columns is particularlyfascinating and has captivatedvisitors for centuries.

According to the locallegend， the Giant’s Causewaywas created by a giant named Finn McCool. It is said that Finn McCoolbuilt the causeway to cross the sea and challenge a Scottish giantnamed Benandonner. The Scottish giant， accepted the challenge andcrossed the causeway to 6）confront Finn. However， upon seeing thesize of Finn， who was disguised as a baby by his wife， he assumed thatFinn， the baby’s father， must be even larger and fled back to Scotland，destroying the causeway behind him so that Finn couldn’t follow him.This legend is still told and adds to the mystery and allure of the site.

Also， the area is a heaven for seabirds such as petrel， cormorant，redshank， guillemot and razorbill. They alway perch here. And theweathered rock formations host a number of rare and unusual plantsincluding sea spleenwort， hare’s-foot trefoil， vernal squill， sea fescueand frog orchid. These creatures offer a unique landscape to the Giant’sCauseway.

Today， the Giant’s Causeway attracts thousands of visitors fromaround the world who come to marvel at its unique geological formationsand stunning coastline. It offers breathtaking views and an opportunity toexplore the rich natural heritage of the region. There are various walking trails and guided tours available， allowingvisitors to learn about the geological historyand 7）folklore surrounding the site.

The Giant’s Causeway is not only apopular tourist destination but also a symbolof Northern Ireland’s natural heritage.Its unique geological formations andfascinating legends make it a must-visit sitefor nature lovers and history enthusiastsalike.

1） geological n. 地質（学）的

2） interlocking v. （使）相互扣住

3） intruded v. 侵入

4） contraction n. 收缩

5） hexagonal adj. 六边形的

6） confront v. 与……对抗

7） folklore n. 民间传说

巨人之路位于英国北爱尔兰贝尔法斯特西北约80 千米处的大西洋海岸，是一处著名的自然奇观，1986 年被联合国教科文组织列为世界遗产，1987 被北爱尔兰环境部门定为国家自然保护区。

巨人之路以其独特的地质构造而闻名，由大约4 万个相互交错的玄武岩柱组成。这些石柱形成于约6000 万年前的火山活动。大约5000～6000 年前的古近纪，此地经历了猛烈的火山活动。当时高度流动的火山熔融玄武岩侵入白垩层，形成了广阔的熔岩平原。熔岩冷却后收缩，经海水侵蚀后，高低不平的石柱便自然形成了。其中大部分石柱呈六边形，宛如通往海中的阶梯。最高的石柱高达12 米。六边形的石柱特别迷人，几个世纪以来一直吸引着游客的目光。

根据当地传说，巨人之路是由一个名叫芬·麦库尔的巨人建造的。据说芬·麦库尔建造了这座通往海上的道路，以挑战一个叫贝南德纳的苏格兰巨人。苏格兰巨人贝南德纳接受了挑战，穿过巨人之路与芬·麦库尔对战。然而，当看见被妻子伪装成婴儿的芬·麦库尔时，贝南德纳认为作为婴儿父亲的芬·麦库尔一定更巨大，于是立马逃回了苏格兰，并摧毁了身后的巨人之路以防芬·麦库尔追击。这个传说至今仍被人们讲述，增加了这个地方的神秘和魅力。

该地区还是海鸟的天堂，如海燕、鸬鹚、红鹬、海鸠、海雀等均在此栖息。而风化的岩层中则生长着许多稀有罕见的植物，如海鞘草、野兔脚三叶草、春刺花、海羊茅和蛙兰等。它们也是巨人之路上一道亮丽的风景线。

如今，巨人之路吸引着来自世界各地成千上万名游客前来观赏其独特的地质形态和壮丽的海岸线。它拥有令人叹为观止的景色，并提供了探索该地区丰富自然遗产的机会。这里有各种徒步步道和导游游览可供选择，让游客了解该地区的地质历史和民间传说。

巨人之路不仅是一个受欢迎的旅游目的地，也是北爱尔兰自然遗产的象征。其独特的地质构造和迷人的传说使其成为自然爱好者和历史爱好者不能错过的地方。