Staffa

Staffa (Scottish Gaelic: Stafa, pronounced [ˈs̪t̪afa], from the Old Norse word for a stave or pillar) is an island of the Inner Hebrides in Argyll and Bute, Scotland. The Vikings gave it the name because its columnar basalt reminded them of their houses, which were constructed using vertical logs. Staffa lies about 10 kilometres (6 miles) west of the Isle of Mull. It is 33 hectares (82 acres) in area and the highest point is 42 metres (138 feet) above sea level. The island came to prominence in the late 18th century after a visit by Sir Joseph Banks. He and his fellow-travellers extolled the natural beauty of the basalt columns and of the island's main sea cavern, which Banks renamed "Fingal's Cave". Their visit was followed by those of many other prominent people during the next two centuries, including John Keats, Queen Victoria and Felix Mendelssohn. The latter's Hebrides Overture brought further fame to the island, which was by then uninhabited. It is now in the care of the National Trust for Scotland.