Popular tourist site left damaged as people 'want to leave a token of their visit'

Dublin Live

2 days ago

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A popular tourist site is under threat from well-meaning visitors who "leave a token" of their visit.
The Giant's Causeway, located in County Antrim, was Ireland's first UNESCO World Heritage Site - a spectacle which dates back nearly 60 million years and comprises roughly 40,000 hexagonal basalt columns.
According to the National Trust, the Causeway is situated at the base of cliffs on the outer limits of the Antrim plateau by the Atlantic Ocean. It is steeped in legend, has been the source of scientific debate, and has even inspired artists.
It's also a highly popular tourist destination, and holidaymakers have long found their own way of honouring the site - cramming coins into the cracks of the rock for luck or love. However, the National Trust has now warned people not to do this.
(Image: Getty Images)
Dr Cliff Henry, the National Trust's nature engagement officer for the site, told the Telegraph: "We know that visitors really love and cherish the Giant's Causeway, and many form deep personal connections to this special landscape.
"Some may want to leave a token of their visit, but the coins are causing damage and we are urging people to stop the practice and to leave no trace so this natural wonder remains special for future generations."
The issue with the tradition is that the inserted coins rust and expand, meaning they increase the pressure on the rock and contribute to its crumbling. Meanwhile, the NT and partners have hired specialists to remove as many coins as possible, with the costs expected to reach more than £30,000.
Although it's only a minority of the hundreds of thousands of visitors who insert the coins, the NT thinks the practice has escalated over the last ten years or so, reports the BBC.
Dr Kirstin Lemon explained that the advice of the Geological Survey to the NT was to remove as many as they could in an effort to halt any further effects on the area, in addition to tackling any potential effects arising from chemicals.
(Image: Getty Images)
Dr Henry told the broadcaster that once a coin has been inserted into the rock, it rusts at an "accelerated level" due to the area's atmosphere. He added that he's seen parts of the feature where the corners have "popped off."
He said: "And the rusting metal in there is starting to leach. The iron and nickel and copper is leaching out over the rocks and it looks unsightly."
According to the official UNESCO website, the Giant's Causeway and Causeway Coast is an area of worldwide geological importance and has inspired tales of giants stepping over the ocean to Scotland.
It's also been a tourist attraction for around 300 years and is considered a Northern Irish symbol.