One of Norway's most remote communities, the village of Leknes stands on the Coast of Leka Island off the far north-western coast. It's part of the Lofoten Archipelago that has become a popular tourist destination. This is a pristine environment of jagged mountains, sandy beaches and wooden cabins on stilts. Visitors eat fresh fish, go on bird and whale watching trips, see Viking relics and even play golf and go surfing. It's easier to get around the islands if you hire a car in Leknes and travel through the series of bridges and causeways - the E1 road connects all the islands and the mainland.
At first, the village itself might seem like a very small community fortified against the elements but if you hire a car in Leknes and tour around you'll soon find there's more to see. From the small modern shopping precinct to the trendy surfers' bar, it's now a community geared to receiving visitors - there's a new cruise ship port as well as an airport for example. The visitor highlights include Leka Kirke, a white-washed wooden church built in 1867 standing in a neat graveyard, the white sand beach with a view of the mountains, and a homely museum in an old school.