{"id":274247,"date":"2025-06-05T05:21:51","date_gmt":"2025-06-05T05:21:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/peraltafinancing.com\/aerospace\/tourists-are-stuffing-coins-into-the-cracks-of-the-giants-causeway-damaging-the-iconic-site-in-northern-ireland\/"},"modified":"2025-06-05T05:21:51","modified_gmt":"2025-06-05T05:21:51","slug":"tourists-are-stuffing-coins-into-the-cracks-of-the-giants-causeway-damaging-the-iconic-site-in-northern-ireland","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/?p=274247","title":{"rendered":"Tourists Are Stuffing Coins Into the Cracks of the Giant’s Causeway, Damaging the Iconic Site in Northern Ireland"},"content":{"rendered":"


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Authorities are urging visitors to stop wedging pocket change between the basalt columns, which are cracking and crumbling as the coins expand<\/h2>\n
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Sarah Kuta<\/a><\/p>\n

– Daily Correspondent<\/span><\/p>\n

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Many of the coins are from the United Kingom, but some are from as far away as the United States and Asia.
\n National Trust via Facebook<\/a><\/span>
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Small coins are causing giant problems at one of Northern Ireland\u2019s most famous natural sites.<\/p>\n

Authorities are urging visitors to stop jamming pocket change between the basalt columns that make up the Giant\u2019s Causeway, a national nature reserve<\/a> and UNESCO World Heritage Site<\/a> on the coast of the North Atlantic Ocean.<\/p>\n

As the coins rust, they\u2019re expanding to three times their original thickness. This is putting pressure on the surrounding basalt, which, in some instances, is causing the rocks to crack and crumble.<\/p>\n

In addition, as the coins corrode, they\u2019re leaving ugly streaks of copper, nickel and iron oxides on the rocks. They\u2019re corroding rapidly because of the saltwater at the site.<\/p>\n

Officials hired stone conservation specialists to carefully remove the coins at ten test locations. This pilot project was a success, so they hope to expand the work to the rest of the Giant\u2019s Causeway soon.<\/p>\n

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The coins are expanding, which is causing the basalt to crack and crumble.<\/p>\n

National Trust via Facebook<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Removing all of the coins will cost more than $40,000. But authorities hope that if visitors \u201csee fewer coins in the stones and hear appeals to stop the damaging practice, the problem can be solved,\u201d says Cliff Henry, a nature engagement officer with the National Trust, the conservation charity that manages the site, in a statement<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe know that visitors really love and cherish the Giant\u2019s Causeway, and many form deep personal connections to this special landscape,\u201d Henry adds. \u201cWe are urging people to stop the practice and to leave no trace so this natural wonder remains special for future generations.\u201d<\/p>\n

Giant\u2019s Causeway consists of 40,000 hexagonal stones that formed roughly 60 million years ago, after piping hot lava<\/a> flowed out of fissures in the earth. The molten rock cracked as it cooled, forming the interlocking columns.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s the geological explanation. But according to legend<\/a>, the causeway was built by an Irish giant named Finn McCool, who wanted to cross the Irish Sea to square off with a Scottish giant named Benandonner. In another version of the story, McCool built the causeway so he could visit a Scottish maiden he\u2019d fallen in love with.<\/p>\n

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The Giant’s Causeway in Northern Ireland is made up of 40,000 hexagonal stones.<\/p>\n

Jennifer Boyer via Flickr under CC BY 2.0<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Last year, roughly 684,000 individuals visited the Giant\u2019s Causeway. But before the Covid-19 pandemic, the numbers were even higher\u2014close to one million. Some, but not all, of those visitors are unintentionally harming the unique natural landscape.<\/p>\n

Most of the coins are from the United Kingdom and other countries that use the euro. But some are from as far away as the United States and Asia, officials said.<\/p>\n

\u201cPeople see others put coins in, so they copycat,\u201d Henry tells BBC News<\/a>\u2019 Catherine Morrison. \u201cThey take a coin out of their pocket, and they might take a stone off the ground to hammer the coin in. But they might miss and chip the stone itself, so that\u2019s doing damage.\u201d<\/p>\n

Similar issues have arisen at other popular tourist sites around the world. In Paris, amorous visitors made a habit of fastening padlocks to the Pont des Arts pedestrian bridge, then tossing the key into the Seine River below. But part of the bridge\u2019s railings began to collapse under the weight of the locks, so officials had to remove them<\/a> in 2015.<\/p>\n

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Officials estimate it will cost $40,000 to remove all of the coins at the Giant’s Causeway.<\/p>\n

National Trust via Facebook<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

So-called love locks have also caused problems on bridges in Venice<\/a> and New York City<\/a>, as well as at the Grand Canyon<\/a>, where the shiny keys have the potential to harm endangered California condors.<\/p>\n

Last month, officials in Bruges, Belgium, urged visitors to stop stealing cobblestones from its streets. They estimate thieves remove between 50 and 70 stones each month, which creates tripping hazards and other safety risks. It\u2019s also expensive and time-consuming to replace the stones and repair any related damage.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe simply ask for respect,\u201d says Franky Demon, a local politician, to CNN<\/a>\u2019s Lilit Marcus. \u201cWalking through Bruges means stepping through centuries of history. These cobblestones are not just pieces of stone\u2014they are part of our city\u2019s soul. We urge visitors to enjoy Bruges, but to leave its beauty intact for others.\u201d<\/p>\n

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