Narvik, Norway

NARVIK, six hours from Fauske by bus along the E6, is a relatively modern town established less than a century ago to handle the iron ore brought by train from northern Sweden. It makes no bones about its main function: the iron ore docks are immediately conspicuous, slap bang in the centre of town and totally overwhelming the whole waterfront. Yet, for all the mess, the industrial complex is strangely impressive, its cat's cradle of walkways, conveyor belts, cranes and funnels oddly beguiling and giving the town a frontier, very Arctic feel. Not content with its iron, Narvik has also had a fair old stab at re-inventing itself as a sports centre with the emphasis on the extreme, becoming a popular destination for skiers, paragliders and scuba divers – and developing a good range of guesthouses to match.