Far out on the Helgeland coast, away from the mainland and towards the open sea, lies the island of Lovund. Here, amidst raw and genuine nature, you’ll find a modern and progressive coastal community, complete with its own city beach, coffee roastery, and the world’s largest one-hole golf course.
Lovund harbors Helgeland’s largest colony of puffins, with approximately 200-300,000 birds. The birds typically arrive on Lundkommardagen, April 14th, and it is a magnificent sight when they fly in from the open sea to nest in the cliffs. Here, they build nests and hatch this year’s chicks, spending most of their days feeding them small fish. Once the breeding season ends in late August when they leave Lovund and spend the fall and winter far out at sea.
Fish has always been the lifeblood for the island’s wingless inhabitants, but today with a modern twist. Namely, it’s salmon farming, and the cornerstone company Nova Sea, that drives the engine in this small island community. Nova Sea is considered a small Norwegian industrial success story, having been in continuous growth and development for 40 years, currently generating billions of Norwegian kroner in revenue.
This forms the foundation for a modern, forward-thinking, and vibrant local community on the island. If you want to learn more about Lovund’s past and present, we recommend a visit to the Coastal Culture Center on the island.
However, the best thing you can do on Lovund is perhaps to simply take it easy. Put away your watch, let time sail its own course, and just savor life. Here, far out on the coast, we humans are small, and the forces of nature rule. Enjoy a fine dinner at Lovund Hotel, the tranquility in the puffin cliff on a long, bright summer night, and the fantastic view from Lovundfjellet. Be prepared for the passing rain showers, enjoy the sun and the fresh sea air, live in the moment, and take the days as they come.
Source: Visit Helgeland