Fingal’s Cave

This eye-catching cathedral-like cave, rising 70m over the sea on the island of Staffa, is made up of hexagonal columns of volcanic basalt that look as if they could have been moulded in a foundry.

The cave was formed at the same time (about 60 million years ago) and from the same lava flow as the Giant’s Causeway across the water in Northern Ireland.

There’s a natural walkway which allows you to wander inside at low tide and experience the acoustics – the sound of waves crashing inside inspired the German composer Mendelssohn to write his Hebrides Overture.