TunheimsFjørå Lodge was initially supposed to be just a simple Norwegian cabin by the fjord, a private retreat close to Webjørn’s family. Yet, as they bought up a strip of undeveloped land by the water’s edge from one of Webjørn’s former schoolmates, grander plans had started to ferment. If we’re going to build, they reasoned, let’s build properly; let’s create a place that draws people here to Fiskå from around the world, a place that expresses the balance and the harmony of these beautiful surroundings. A blend of passion, imagination and entrepreneurial spirit took hold, and the ideas started to flow.

The couple threw themselves into the creative process, taking inspiration from their own travels and heritage in search of the perfect design. It’s no accident that the lodge’s wooden floors and ceilings resemble the great timbers of a sailing ship. Nor that the small channels of water between the buildings are reminiscent of a Venetian canal. To ground the process, they began consultations with architecture firm Stein Halvorsen, leading designers of close-to-nature dwellings. As they sat together with Stein on the shoreline, looking over the fjord, Webjørn leaned over and gave him a nudge. You couldn’t build these lodges actually hanging out over the water, could you? Four meters overhang? That’s not going to be possible? Is it?

Well. A year later, there they stood. Not too ostentatious, easy on the eye, complimenting, rather than dominating the landscape: three fjord lodges, cantilevered elegantly out over the surface of the Vanylvsfjord. With the heavy work done, what remained were the refinements, the details. Anita is a details professional; working with a dedicated interior architect, she crafted the contents of every room. Her focus was on ironing out all those small inconveniences and disturbances that can disrupt a guest’s experience; she sought to integrate everything from the fabric of the sofa cushions to the quality of the lightbulbs into the lodge’s broader design. Money was not a factor – this had become a passion project; an investment, not of money, but of the heart – and there was no undue hurry. They kept on working until they got it right.

In 2019, at long last, after years of dreaming, planning and preparing, the lodges stood ready. The tourists were not queuing up outside, flashing their cameras and waving – that was never the idea. TunheimsFjørå Lodge is not a tourist resort; it’s a high-end retreat for those who value the natural peace and privacy of the fjord, and can appreciate the countless small refinements that have gone into its construction. In the four years since then – and even through the pandemic – those people have found their way here, and many of them have taken the time to describe their stay at Tunheimsfjørå in writing. You can read for yourself about their experiences here.

Meanwhile, the creative process at Tunheimsfjørå continues apace. Webjørn and Anita are forever trying to find new ways to develop the guest experience, and to integrate TunheimsFjørå Lodge more deeply into the local community. Their latest undertaking is to fully renovate the old pig barn a short distance away, and to transform it into a hunting-lodge style private restaurant for Tunheimsfjørå guests. Through all their hard work and investment, Webjørn and Anita certainly haven’t lost their passion for Tunheimsfjørå; they continue striving to create a beautiful place that will link Fiskå and Western Norway to the wider world for generations to come.