After lunch we were all eager to get to the Ulva Ferry for our afternoon boat trip to Staffa, an incredibly magical and beautiful, uninhabited island known for its magnificent basalt columns. Fingal's Cave (or 'Musical Cave'--named for the effect the basalt columns have on visitors to the island) is a place that has inspired travelers for hundreds of years. In the 19th century a number of well-known people--Alfred Lord Tennyson, Queen Victoria, Jules Verne, Walter Scott, Joseph Turner and Robert Louis Tennyson-- visited Staffa. After Felix Mendelssohn's visit in 1829, while standing in the cave listening to the roar of the waves was inspired to write Hebrides overture ('Fingal's Cave'). It was this piece that gave international renown to Staffa. At the other end of the island were puffins. Watching the puffins and their antics as they were zooming up and down and all around was mesmerizing. So cute! Everyone wanted to stay to the very last second before the boat's departure. Scenery to and from Staffa was beautiful. This boat tour will definitely be a high point of our time here on Mull.
No comments:
Post a Comment