There are those places that leave you speechless. You only feel positive energy flowing through your entire body and you can’t hide a smile from your face. You’re in love. Happy. Feelings wake up and you don’t know what to say.

This is how I feel every time I walk through the dense coniferous forests, vast meadows rich with berries and decorated with colorful wild flowers or glistening under the snow, and while watching a rocky cliffs and glacial lakes of Treskavica mountain. Magical!

Every season is different and has its own charm, but for me especially wonderful and can’t be missed are summer and winter.

The Summer Escape – wild berries and lakes

Translated into English Treskavica means ‘Shaky Mountain’ because in the past there were frequent small earthquakes on this mountain. Today, even though there are no earthquakes all your senses will be ‘shaken’ in most wonderful way.

Sights, sounds, smell, taste…all senses are in play.

Don’t bother to bring fruit on your hike, because here you can just pick it for yourself. During summer months picking wild berries such us raspberries, blueberries, cranberries and strawberries is one of the most interesting and delicious things to do at Treskavica. Yummy!

Continuing uphill through the forest and then reaching another world…A colorful meadows covered with beautiful wild flowers and berries and two glacial lakes, just like mountain eyes situated in the middle of what appears to look like a huge natural amphitheater.

After enjoying in tasteful wild berries comes a pleasant swim in the Black lake at altitude of 1.675 m, which is approximately just 100 m higher then Big lake. The lake is of glacial origin and it got its name after a moss at the bottom, which gives that dark, black appearance. During hot summer days temperature of the lake is refreshing but comfortable.

When tourists come to the Black lake they are speechless because of the beautiful landscape and they are surprise there is no people. It’s like you have your private lake. Last summer, one family from Israel told me if this was anywhere else in Europe it would be much more visited. Although I wish more people see the beauties of Treskavica, I’m glad it’s not crowded because now all hikers who visit this mountain can truly get into the heart of the wilderness. See it and feel it in peace and tranquility.

From the Black lake you can see one part of the Great lake and while descending towards it you will have wider perspective and in on point see it completely in its size and beauty. The Great lake is twice the length of the first lake, and years ago a trout was successfully inserted in it, so today it’s a popular place for local fishermen. Beside the lake is a mountain refuge built by Ecological Mountaineering Club “Treskavička jezera”. Perfect spot for stargazing and to enjoy in beautiful sunset and sunrise.

Winter Wonderland

Treskavica is the richest Bosnian mountain when it comes to water. It is said it has 365 springs, one for every day in year. Some of them are forming rivers – Rakitnica, Željeznica, Bistrica and Ljuta river, and others are forming lakes, totally 10 and the most popular are glacial – The Black lake, The Great lake, Platno, The White lake and Zmijsko (Snake) lake.

While walking in the winter you will enjoy in the calming melody of many babbling creeks on your way to the lakes. The path is stunning for those who like winter in the forest and panoramic views of frozen lakes and surrounding peaks.

The snow is glistening around you and crunching under your feet. Just like fairytale!

The best way to enjoy in the beauty of winter season in the mountains is with snowshoes. It will speed up your hike, help you to move easier through the snow and enable you to enjoy more in the mountains in this short days. For me snowshoeing was love from the first attempt.

 On a half way from Turovi settlement, your starting point, towards the lakes, a beautiful wooden mountain hut “Radovan Bjelica” is situated in the coniferous forest and with amazing view of the Siljevice rocky cliffs. The hut is comfy, newly built and you will be welcome by a very friendly host Milovan and his furry friend Cui.

For a great and fulfilling weekend getaway I would recommend to hike to the hut, stay overnight and enjoy in the homemade cuisine and beautiful view. In the morning after the breakfast go for a hike to the lakes and get your batteries charged up by the sun and scenic landscape.

Beautiful and dangerous

As all mountaineers know each mountain has its peculiar character and you need to understand it and respect it. But, Treskavica has something else that makes her more unpredictable and dangerous and because of what you need to be extra careful – land mines!

Unfortunately, during the last war in Bosnia and Herzegovina 1992-95 land mines were placed all over this beautiful mountain. Today, older and well experienced mountaineers and foresters, who know this area very good and which parts of Treskavica are risky of land mines, managed to build and mark safe paths for hikers.

One of those trails and only one I have hiked so far is the trail that goes from Turovi settlement in the foothills of the mountain, beside two mountain huts to the glacial lakes – The Great lake and Black lake. This is a very good marked path, but for the first time is best to go with someone who has been here before.

Some of my friends say this is one of the most beautiful mountains in Bosnia and for others this was their favorite escape in the nature almost every weekend before the war. I often remember my grandad’s stories about his hikes on Treskavica and “Josip Sigmund” mountain hut at Kozja Luka, one of the most beautiful and biggest huts in Bosnia from 60s till 90s, when was on the beginning of the war burned and totally destroyed.

It’s paradox that mines didn’t stop illegal cutting of trees, or better say whole forests to be almost completely destroyed. Three years ago, numerous trees were cut down, machines stood beside the road and sections that are passing beside the gravel road were awfully muddy. Those who hike this trail today can’t even imagine how thick the forest was before the illegal cutting. But, Treskavica is holding bravely and these areas started to recover quickly. Still very beautiful and wild!

It’s sad Treskavica and some other mountains in Bosnia are contaminated with mines, but I hope in the future whole country will be cleared and more national parks will be formed to preserve our natural recourses. The establishment of national park is the only way to stop illegal cutting of trees or even worse deforestation of the beautiful Bosnian mountains.

bhputovanja.ba thanks to the site www.thewildone.me for the article.