Photo by Jon Sullivan.

The Benbulben (or Ben Bulben) is an absolute delight on the eye. It was formed during the Ice Age, when Ireland was under glaciers, and originally it was just a ridge; however, the action of the glaciers shaped it into what we see today.

Photo by andrewcparnell.

Ben Bulben is composed of limestones on top of mudstones, approximately 320 million years old; this makes it a perfect environment for fossils, and indeed, it is just swarming with fossilised sea shells and some corals. It also hosts a unique variety of plants, including some organisms found nowhere else in Ireland.

Enjoyed this article? Join 40,000+ subscribers to the ZME Science newsletter. Subscribe now!