Natural lakes of Slovenia - Ivarčko Lake

Natural Lakes of Slovenia

Ivarčko Lake

Slovenia has many lakes but Ivarčko Lake is notable for being the lowest-lying Alpine lake in the country. Originally a natural lake, it was emptied at some point in the past before being dammed again during the Second World War. A scout troop from Črna na Koroškem who camped here in 1937 and 1938 gave it the nickname Beaver’s Lake. Today this man-made lake with an area of 1.2 hectares lies amid the forested landscape of Podgora, above the village of Kotlje, at an elevation of around 645 metres above sea level, and below the slopes of Uršlja Gora (1,699 m).

The lake and its surroundings are a popular destination for a day out and offer considerable potential for the development of a recreation centre that could operate in all seasons. The Ošven ski resort is located nearby. The birthplace of writer Lovro Kuhar, better known by his pen name Prežihov Voranc (1893–1950), stands on Preški Vrh above Kotlje and has housed a museum dedicated to his memory since 1979.

Janez Bogataj