The Cathedrals coast at Ribadeo

At the eastern end of Galicia, near Ribadeo, the sea has carved the cliffs into flying buttresses and pillars. Galicians call this shore As Catedrais, "the Cathedrals": at low tide, you walk beneath stone arches as if through the nave of a Gothic church. At high tide, the sea fills the passages and the site is seen from above, from the path along the clifftops.

That second face is the one this series shows: blocks of layered rock standing in turquoise water, narrow gorges where the foam rushes in, cormorants perched on rocks whitened by guano. Offshore, boats cross a glassy sea, in black and white, and inland, mist drifts over hills covered in eucalyptus.

Protected as a natural monument, the Cathedrals Beach is one of the most visited places in Galicia: in summer and at Easter, access to the beach requires a free booking. These royalty-free photos suit stories about the Atlantic coast, travel in Spain or geology, and can be downloaded for free on Pexels.