Hei, hei!
I’m Trine, I am the 4th generation of the Wulff-Nilsen family at Hamnøy. My great grandfather, Rones Olai Nilsen came to Hamnøy from the Norwegian mainland in 1874 with his wife, Marie Anna Wulff, and together they established a general store and traded fish.
It is claimed that my great-grandfather, who was a church singer, was also a good poker player. He is said to have won the fishing village of Hamnøy in a poker game, and gave it to his daughter and son-in-law in a wedding present.
My great-grandfather was a very religious man, so he built a prayer house on the site before he built the main house. He wanted the fishermen to follow their faith even in the long months away from home fishing.
The fishing village became very popular with the long-distance fishermen, mostly due to the good harbour conditions, but also because of the help they received in the form of shelter and access to groceries. They were provided with everything they needed.
My grandparents continued the business, followed by my mother and father.
In addition to fishing and a general store, my family operated a telephone exchange and post office, they sold coal and were also an oil dealer for Shell.
The beginning of tourism on
Hamnøy
In the late 60s the fisheries were in decline, and my parents started an alternative business, renting out the fishermen's houses (the rorbuer) to Norwegians and foreign tourists.
This was the start of tourism in this part of Lofoten, and in the early 70s it was a popular and somewhat exotic destination for English, Italian and French travellers, as well as Germans who enjoyed fishing.
When I was younger, I worked with the tourists. I loved the activity that the influx of travellers created, and I believe that’s what encouraged me to rent out our home in Lurn, Hamnøy.
I love to engage with our guests, and try to make their stay memorable.
Respecting the old, with the new
My family sold the businesses in the 90s, but in 2013 I had the opportunity to buy the land where our holiday home is today.
My husband Ingvar has always wanted to build a place for us on Hamnøya. When we were offered the plot, at first glance it looked both too small and too steep.
But when we saw the spectacular view, we knew that was where our house was going to be. The first idea of what the house should look like came from Ingvar; "It should be modern and practical, but it should not conflict with the surroundings."
We think Lurn Sjøhus blends well into the landscape, with a nice transition from old to new. The angles on the facade are copied from other buildings inside the harbour. The house was completed in December 2016, and we celebrated the first Christmas there. Since then we have enjoyed our holidays here, and we hope you will too.
Welcoming you to Lurn Sjøhus
My friend and part of the family, Ana, lives nearby and takes care of everything on site and ensures that the house is clean and attractive for your stay.
Both she and I are available to answer any questions during your stay and ensure you have a relaxing holiday.