The hórreos of Combarro

Combarro has around thirty hórreos — the raised stone granaries of Galicia, each with a cross at one end — and what makes it unique is that most of them stand on the rocks at the water's edge rather than behind the houses. At high tide the sea comes up under them; at low tide they sit on weed-covered granite.

The shot everybody comes for is the line of them seen from the small quay to the west, with the village stacked behind and the ría beyond. It faces roughly north-east, so morning light hits them and evening light comes from behind, which turns them into silhouettes against the water — both work, they are simply different pictures.

Behind the hórreos, the Rúa do Mar runs the length of the village: a lane barely two metres wide with granite houses on one side, boat sheds on the other, vine trellises overhead and small squares with cruceiros. It is dim, sheltered and works in rain.

The village is tiny and busy in July and August, with tour groups arriving mid-morning. Parking is above the old part and the walk down takes five minutes. Tide changes the picture completely, so check the tide table if the water under the granaries matters to the frame.