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"Locals dub this location the Bermuda Triangle of Transylvania," explains a tour guide, his breath creating puffs of mist in the cold night air. "So many people have disappeared here, many believe it's a portal to another dimension." Marius is escorting a guest on a evening stroll through commonly known as the world's most haunted woodland: Hoia-Baciu, a square mile of ancient native woodland on the fringes of the metropolis of Cluj-Napoca.

A Long History of the Unexplained

Stories of unusual events here extend back hundreds of years – this woodland is called after a regional herder who is reportedly went missing in the long ago, along with 200 of his sheep. But Hoia-Baciu came to worldwide fame in 1968, when a military technician named Emil Barnea photographed what he reported as a UFO hovering above a circular clearing in the centre of the forest.

Numerous entered this place and failed to return. But rest assured," he continues, facing the visitor with a grin. "Our excursions have a flawless completion rate."

In the decades since, Hoia-Baciu has drawn yogis, spiritual healers, extraterrestrial investigators and ghost hunters from across the world, eager to feel the mysterious powers believed to resonate through the forest.

Current Risks

Despite being among the planet's leading destinations for paranormal enthusiasts, the forest is at risk. The outlying areas of Cluj-Napoca – a contemporary technology center of more than 400,000 people, known as the Silicon Valley of eastern Europe – are encroaching, and real estate firms are advocating for permission to remove the forest to build apartment blocks.

Aside from a few hectares home to regionally uncommon oak varieties, this woodland is without conservation status, but the guide is confident that the company he helped establish – a dedicated preservation group – will assist in altering this, encouraging the authorities to recognise the forest's significance as a tourist attraction.

Spooky Experiences

When small sticks and seasonal debris break and crackle beneath their shoes, the guide recounts numerous local legends and reported paranormal happenings here.

• A well-known account recounts a young child disappearing during a family outing, then to return half a decade later with no recollection of what had happened, without aging a moment, her clothes without the slightest speck of dust.
• Regular stories describe mobile phones and camera equipment mysteriously turning off on venturing inside.
• Feelings include absolute fear to feelings of joy.
• Certain individuals claim noticing strange rashes on their skin, hearing disembodied whispers through the woodland, or feel hands grabbing them, despite being certain nobody is nearby.

Research Efforts

Despite several of the stories may be unverifiable, there are many things clearly observable that is definitely bizarre. All around are plants whose trunks are curved and contorted into bizarre configurations.

Various suggestions have been suggested to account for the deformed trees: powerful storms could have bent the saplings, or typically increased radioactivity in the ground account for their strange formation.

But scientific investigations have found no satisfactory evidence.

The Notorious Meadow

Marius's walks enable guests to participate in a little scientific inquiry of their own. When nearing the opening in the forest where Barnea took his famous UFO pictures, he hands the traveler an ghost-hunting device which detects energy patterns.

"We're entering the most energetic area of the forest," he states. "See what you can find."

The plants immediately cease as we emerge into a complete ring. The only greenery is the short grass beneath our feet; it's obvious that it's not maintained, and seems that this bizarre meadow is organic, not the result of human hands.

Fact Versus Fiction

Transylvania generally is a area which stirs the imagination, where the border is unclear between reality and legend. In countryside villages faith continues in strigoi ("screamers") – supernatural, appearance-altering creatures, who rise from their graves to frighten regional populations.

The famous author's renowned character Dracula is forever associated with Transylvania, and the historic stronghold – a Saxon monolith located on a rocky outcrop in the mountain range – is actively advertised as "the vampire's home".

But including myth-shrouded Transylvania – truly, "the territory after the grove" – feels real and understandable compared to this spooky forest, which seem to be, for factors related to radiation, environmental or entirely legendary, a center for fantasy projection.

"Inside these woods," Marius states, "the boundary between truth and fantasy is extremely fine."