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"Locals dub this location a mysterious vortex of Transylvania," states an experienced guide, the air from his lungs producing clouds of condensation in the crisp night air. "Numerous individuals have disappeared here, some say there's a gateway to a parallel world." Marius is leading a guest on a night walk through frequently labeled as the globe's spookiest forest: Hoia-Baciu, a square mile of primeval native woodland on the outskirts of the metropolis of Cluj-Napoca.

A Long History of the Unexplained

Stories of unusual events here go back a long time – the grove is named after a local shepherd who is said to have vanished in the distant past, along with two hundred animals. But Hoia-Baciu achieved international attention in 1968, when a defense worker known as Emil Barnea captured on film what he claimed was a unidentified flying object suspended above a circular clearing in the middle of the forest.

Countless ventured inside and never came out. But don't worry," he adds, facing the visitor with a smirk. "Our guided walks have a 100% return rate."

In the time after, Hoia-Baciu has drawn yoga practitioners, shamans, ufologists and supernatural researchers from across the world, eager to feel the mysterious powers reported to reverberate through the forest.

Current Risks

It may be among the planet's leading pilgrimage sites for supernatural fans, the grove is at risk. The western suburbs of Cluj-Napoca – a modern tech hub of a population exceeding 400,000, called the tech capital of eastern Europe – are expanding, and construction companies are advocating for authorization to remove the forest to erect housing complexes.

Barring a limited section home to area-specific Mediterranean oak trees, the grove is lacking legal protection, but the guide is confident that the organization he was instrumental in creating – a dedicated preservation group – will assist in altering this, persuading the authorities to appreciate the forest's value as a tourist attraction.

Chilling Events

When small sticks and autumn leaves break and crackle beneath their shoes, Marius describes various traditional stories and alleged paranormal happenings here.

• A well-known account tells of a little girl disappearing during a family picnic, later to rematerialise half a decade later with no recollection of the events, showing no signs of aging a day, her clothes shy of the slightest speck of soil.
• More common reports detail mobile phones and photography gear unexpectedly failing on venturing inside.
• Emotional responses vary from absolute fear to moments of euphoria.
• Various visitors state seeing unusual marks on their skin, hearing disembodied whispers through the forest, or feel fingers clutching them, even when sure they are alone.

Research Efforts

Although numerous of the tales may be unverifiable, there are many things visibly present that is definitely bizarre. All around are plants whose trunks are curved and contorted into fantastical shapes.

Different theories have been given to account for the misshapen plants: that hurricane winds could have shaped the young trees, or inherently elevated radiation levels in the ground account for their unusual development.

But scientific investigations have turned up inconclusive results.

The Legendary Opening

The guide's excursions enable guests to participate in a modest investigation of their own. When nearing the meadow in the woods where Barnea took his famous UFO pictures, he gives his guest an ghost-hunting device which detects EMF readings.

"We're stepping into the most active section of the forest," he comments. "Try to detect something."

The trees abruptly end as we emerge into a complete ring. The only greenery is the low vegetation beneath their shoes; it's obvious that it hasn't been mown, and appears that this strange clearing is natural, not the work of people.

Between Reality and Imagination

This part of Romania is a location which stirs the imagination, where the division is blurred between reality and legend. In traditional settlements superstition remains in strigoi ("screamers") – undead, shapeshifting bloodsuckers, who emerge from tombs to terrorise regional populations.

The famous author's renowned character Dracula is permanently linked with Transylvania, and the historic stronghold – a medieval building perched on a rocky outcrop in the Carpathian Mountains – is keenly marketed as "the vampire's home".

But including legend-filled Transylvania – truly, "the land past the woods" – appears tangible and comprehensible in contrast to this spooky forest, which appear to be, for factors related to radiation, climatic or purely mythical, a center for creative energy.

"In Hoia-Baciu," Marius comments, "the boundary between reality and imagination is very thin."