Seven Sisters cliffs, England

This view of the Seven Sisters cliffs on the English Channel coast won’t be around forever. While sea defences have been built elsewhere along south-east England’s coastline, this area slips away by about 30 to 40 centimetres every year. Those cliffs are created when large chunks of chalk fall away, leaving behind vertical faces. The sea plays a big part, but rainwater too seeps into the chalk layers, cracking them from within as it freezes. The constant peeling away keeps the cliff face sparkling white which, combined with the pristine coastline, makes it a popular backdrop in films, from ‘Atonement’ and ‘Harry Potter’ to ‘Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves’.
© Paul Daniels/Alamy