Stręgacznik — also known as the Triangle Lake — is a charming mountain tarn tucked away in the White Lakes Valley in the High Tatras of Slovakia. Its perfectly triangular outline and boggy, moss-covered shores make it one of the most atmospheric little lakes in the entire range.

Sitting at 1,620 m above sea level in the lower part of the White Lakes Valley, Stręgacznik is the second largest of the valley's lakes. Its shallow waters (just 1.2 m deep) are fringed by peatbog vegetation, cotton grass and lush mosses that soften its moraine-bound shores. The reflections on calm mornings are breathtaking, and in autumn the surrounding terrain turns a warm palette of ochre and rust. The whole valley has a wonderfully peaceful feel — far enough from the main tourist crowds to reward those who make the short detour.

How to get there

• Chata pri Zelenom plese (Green Lake Hut) — red trail (Tatra Magistrale), approx. 35 min return, easy

Practical information

• The lake lies within TANAP (Tatra National Park, Slovakia) — staying on marked trails is mandatory; walking onto the peatbog shores is not permitted.
• The lake's surface area is gradually shrinking due to ongoing peatland succession.

Fun fact: every single language name for this tarn — Slovak 'Trojuholníkové pleso', German 'Triangel-See', Hungarian 'Háromszög-tó' — independently references its distinctive triangular shape, making it one of the most consistently named lakes in the Tatras.