Montenegro · Northern Montenegro · Prokletije
Lake Visitor
Glacial · natural
~14 kmaway
1,280 metreselevation
Photo: Bruno Rijsman · CC BY 2.0
Hridsko Lake, known as the lake of happiness, lies high on the north-western side of the Prokletije range, at about 2,000 m, and is counted among the most beautiful lakes in Montenegro. It is small, no more than about 160 m wide. Local belief holds that bathing in its clear water brings health and a happy marriage, and that a piece of jewellery thrown in on leaving brings luck. A road leads from Plav, but snow damages the forest track, so the last stretch is better walked. In winter the lake is covered by a thick layer of ice.
How it formed
The lake fills a glacial cirque in Prokletije National Park, beneath the cliffs of Hridski krš and Bogićevica, close to the triple-border peak of Tromeđa. It shrinks in summer, swells with rain and snowmelt and freezes in winter, and a tiny islet rises from it among forested shores of pine and spruce.
History
Locals call it the Pearl of Prokletije and the lake of happiness. Folklore says forest fairies hid from people and bathed here, and those who swim in it are said to find health and luck in marriage; visitors still toss a coin or a piece of jewellery into the water and make a wish.
Visit
Getting there
Nearest settlement: Plav
Swimming
No reliable information
Tips
The usual route starts at Babino polje, about 15 km and half an hour from Plav on a road whose last stretch is rough, so a 4×4 is best. A dirt track leads to Bajrovica katun, where a shepherds’ cottage serves food and has beds in season, and a marked forest path continues to the lake: about 8 km there and back, with a gradual climb on rocky, root-strewn ground. Waymarking is only moderate, so carry a map or GPS. The lake also lies on the Peaks of the Balkans trail.
June to October is the season; snow can linger into late spring. The lake is a strict reserve inside the national park, so stay on the marked routes, and buy a park ticket.
Nearby lakes
Show on mapMontenegro · Northern Montenegro · Prokletije
Rikavačko jezero
Glacial · natural
~35 kmaway
1,313 metreselevation
Photo: BuhaM · CC BY-SA 4.0
Montenegro · Northern Montenegro · Prokletije
Bukumirsko jezero
Glacial · natural
~39 kmaway
1,448 metreselevation
Guides
All guides
Unusual and hidden lakes in the Balkans you probably haven't heard of
Floating islands, a tortoise island, a church standing in the water, a lake that turns into a football pitch and remote Prokletije lakes: seven off-the-beaten-path lake stops in the Balkans.
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Sources & data
- OpenStreetMap: Hridsko Jezero (way 296560289), OpenStreetMap contributors
- Wikidata: Hridsko Jezero (Q20436250), Wikimedia Foundation
- Serbian Wikipedia: Hridsko jezero, Wikimedia Foundation
- Plav: where the Accursed Mountains meet the lake, Montenegro.com
- Prokletije National Park, 360 Monte
- Hrid Lake Trail, Hikelist
- Hrid Lake, Visit Montenegro