This part of my trip was anchored by a singular goal: visit Fingal’s Cave.
The Legend
Back in 2019 when I was visiting Northern Ireland, I visited the Giant’s Causeway and was blown away by the incredible hexagonal basalt columns. Somehow, I only posted a photo of them on Instagram and didn’t mention them in my travel blog from that trip.
I learned that according to legend, an Irish giant built a causeway (hence the name) to Scotland so he could go fight a giant over there, and the basalt columns are an artifact of that. Evidence supporting this legend is the matching rock formation in Scotland.
Since I was going to be in Europe for a wedding this summer anyways, I decided there was no better opportunity than to see this second half in Scotland for myself! Fingal’s Cave did not disappoint, and I really enjoyed the journey to get there.
Oban
The easiest way to get to Fingal’s Cave seemed to be to leave from Oban, on the west coast of Scotland. I took a bus from the Glasgow airport and found myself in a really adorable seaside town. The calm weather, quiet sunrises and gorgeous sunsets showed up really well on film.
Oban is a port town and is known for having great seafood, I absolutely enjoyed a few fish-n-chips and stopped by one of the local cash-only seafood stands.
Staffa and Fingal’s Cave
Fingal’s Cave is on the island of Staffa, a tiny uninhabited island. From Oban, I booked a tour that took us on a ferry to Mull, and we saw dolphins off that ferry! Then we took a bus across the island, and then another smaller ferry to Staffa.
After the long journey, we got an hour to explore Staffa. Immediate I walked around and found Fingal’s Cave. Compared to the Giant’s Causeway, this formation felt a little more varied.
Wider angle shot, from my phone
First shot after I started a new roll of film on the island
The rest of Staffa was a beautiful grassy island that was also pleasant to walk around.
McCaig’s Tower
One of the big landmarks in Oban is McCaig’s Tower. It was funded by a local landlord who wanted to create something for the town, and the project also kept the stonemasons employed during the winter. It’s visible from all over the town and is just a short walk up the hill.
Oban was a great start to my trip!