The Maidens facts for kids

The Maidens, also called Hulin Rocks, are two small islands and several rocky reefs. They are located in the North Channel off the coast of County Antrim in Northern Ireland. The Eastern Maiden, or Southern Rock, is about 9 kilometers (5.6 miles) from the coast near Ballygalley. The West Maiden, or Northern Rock, is about half a mile further out. Lighthouses were built on both of these rocky islands. The lighthouse on the West Maiden was stopped in 1903. The East Maiden lighthouse became automatic in 1977.

How The Maidens Were Formed

The Maidens are a great example of something called a "dolerite sill." Imagine very hot, melted rock, called magma, pushing its way underground. It squeezes between layers of older rock. This happened a very long time ago, between 66 million and 2.6 million years ago. This was a time when Northern Ireland had lots of volcanic activity.

You might know the Giant's Causeway. It was also made during this same volcanic period. But at the Giant's Causeway, the magma erupted onto the surface. At The Maidens, the magma stayed underground. It cooled down slowly there, turning into a very hard rock. This hard rock was much stronger than the softer rocks around it. Over millions of years, the softer rocks wore away, but the hard rock of the sill remained. This is how The Maidens islands were left standing today. Other similar rock formations nearby include Fair Head and The Skerries.