More than 5.000 years ago, the early inhabitants of the area, used slabs of limestone to build temples and portal tombs, sometimes called dolmens. Poulnabrone Dolmen is probably the most photographed monument throughout Ireland. It lies on the west of the Ireland, in County Clare, in the Burren karst area. A number of these interesting sites are spread throughout the Burren.

The entire structure of Poulnabrone Dolmen consists of 9 m deep burial chamber whose entrance is turned over to the east. Archaeological research in 1985 showed that there were 16 to 22 adults and 6 children buried, including their personal things. Found here such as stone axes, bone pendants, ceramic products and weapons. Poulnabrone Dolmen was therefore an important ceremonial site used in the Bronze Age.

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Jägala Falls are about 8 meters high. The water of Jägala River cuts into the limestone and formed here about 300 feet long valley. It flows into the nearby water reservoir Linnamäe Veehoidla and then to the Baltic Sea. Jägala Falls partially freeze in winter and get a nice icy backdrop.

The oldest known written record of a water mill in Estonia (from the early 13th century) dates from here.

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The core of the park consists of the limestone and dolomite plateau with karst formations. The overall length of karst landscape from the settlement of Červená Skala (part of Šumiac) to the town of Tisovec is about 25 km.

There are more than more than 300 caves, which are inaccessible to the public and 15 abysses. The highest point is Fabova hoľa at 1,439 m AMSL, however, a higher peak, Stolica at 1,476 m is located in the buffer zone. Its terrain is refreshed by sink holes, grikes, canyons, rock towers, and rock windows.

Forests cover about 90% of the area.

Tourist attractions include 300 km of marked hiking trails and two educational trails. The best access to the park is through the surrounding villages and settlements, like villages Tisovec, Muráň and Červená Skala. Attractive places for hiking also include Závadka nad Hronom and saddleback Zbojská.

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Wookey Hole Cave, England, UK by Jim Champion

The cave is mostly known for the Witch of Wookey Hole which can be seen inside of the cave itself. This human shaped figure according to legend was once a Glastonbury monk who was turned to stone by a local witch hundreds of years ago.

The caves themselves have been inhabited for more than 50,000 years. More recently though the caves have been used as a place for the curing of cheddar cheese. The caves maintain a year round temperature of 11°C which makes them perfect for not just curing of cheese, but for keeping someone cold throughout the hot days of summer.

A number of archaeological discoveries have been made in the cave over the years. The last major inhabitants of the cave were hunters back in the Iron Age. However, discoveries have been found in and around the cave that have been dated back to the Roman Empire.

Cheddar Cheese in Wookey Hole Cave, England, UK by stephen jones

The oldest discoveries in the cave were made back in the mid 1850s. William Boyd Dawkins who had only recently moved to the area heard that some workers had found some old bones in the cave and he went to investigate. Soon, the remains of a man that dated back to the Paleolithic were uncovered.

Where the river finally emerges for the last time, an old paper mill was built. Known as the oldest paper mill in Britain, it was originally built back in 1610 and continued to operate until 2008. However, prior to the paper mill, a corn mill was situated in the area. The corn mill was first constructed back in 1086.

Another popular attraction in the area that surrounds Wookey Hole Cave is that of Ebbor Gorge. While the village can get quite busy during the peak season, many people chose to make their way to the gorge which is a more peaceful and tranquil spot to visit.

Since 1973, the mill and the caves in the area have been owned and operated by Madame Tussauds. As a result, tourism to the area has exploded and millions of people make their way to Wookey Hole Cave every year.

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The cove has attracted countless visitors not only because of its beauty, but also because of its mysteries. The rocks that form the walls of the cove consist of bands of rocks which over the years have formed parallel to the coastline.

Lulworth Cove and surroundings, Dorset, England, UK by Arpingstone

The cove entrance is nothing more than a small gap that has been eroded away between some bands of limestone. Since the limestone is the most resilient of the shoreline rocks, it is found most abundantly in the area. The cove itself was once filled with sands and clays which over the millennia have been eroded away by the waves and through water run-off.

Over the years, as the waves started making their way into the cove, they started to reshape it. The uniqueness of the Lulworth Cove’s shape is as a result of what is known as wave diffraction. Needless to say, the cove is a very unique and picturesque geological landmark in the UK.

It is believed that only a few thousand years ago, the Lulworth Cove looked much different than it does today. Only about a kilometre away you will find a site that is known as Stair Hole. Many people believe that the cove started off very similar to the hole before reaching the shape it is known for today.

Anyone who makes their way to the Jurassic Coast has to stop at West Lulworth first. From here, most make their way to the Lulworth Cove before stopping off to see the many other popular sites along the coastlines. Here, where the land has simply folded over on itself time and time again, you will find some of the most amazing geological formations as well as the potential to find some fossils that date back to the day when dinosaurs called the area home.

The area is also importance to the nation as the sand beneath the area where the Lulworth Cove sits is one of the richest oil deposits in the United Kingdom. With the coastline being designated a World Heritage Site, special care must be taken to extract the oil from the seabed without affecting the coastline and the fossils buried beneath.

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