Montenegro · Durmitor · Northern Montenegro

Barno jezero

Directions

Barno jezero, the Swampy Lake, is a small, shallow glacial lake in Durmitor National Park, in pine forest above Žabljak. It is the closest of the mountain lakes to Crno jezero, the Black Lake, and quieter than the famous lakes nearby.

How it formed

The glaciers of the Ice Age left a scattering of small lakes across the Durmitor massif. The geographer Jovan Cvijić, who began studying them in 1899, called them gorske oči, the mountain eyes, and noted how much they differ in origin, size, colour and depth.

Nature

Dense marsh and water plants crowd its shores and conifer forest surrounds it. A peat bog beside it darkens the water, and the lake changes size with the seasons; in dry summers the open water can almost disappear among the vegetation. Folk tales say its water heals skin diseases.

Visit

Swimming

No reliable information

Tips

Barno lies on the Three Lakes Circuit, a walk of about 10 km that links it with Crno jezero and Zminje jezero, the Snake Lake, through pine forest. The lake lies in Durmitor National Park, so keep to the marked trails and the park’s rules.

The ground around the lake is boggy, especially after rain, so wear waterproof boots.