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"They call this place a mysterious vortex of Transylvania," remarks an experienced guide, his breath creating puffs of condensation in the crisp dusk atmosphere. "Countless people have gone missing here, it's thought it's a portal to another dimension." The guide is guiding a visitor on a night walk through what is often described as the world's most haunted woodland: Hoia-Baciu, a section spanning 640 acres of old-growth native woodland on the outskirts of the metropolis of Cluj-Napoca.

Hundreds of Years of Enigma

Accounts of bizarre occurrences here extend back a long time – the grove is called after a area shepherd who is believed to have disappeared in the long ago, together with 200 of his sheep. But Hoia-Baciu came to worldwide fame in 1968, when a military technician known as Emil Barnea took a picture of what he claimed was a flying saucer hovering above a oval meadow in the middle of the forest.

Countless ventured inside and failed to return. But don't worry," he states, turning to his guest with a smile. "Our guided walks have a flawless completion rate."

In the years that followed, Hoia-Baciu has drawn yoga practitioners, shamans, UFO researchers and supernatural researchers from across the world, curious to experience the mysterious powers said to echo through the forest.

Contemporary Dangers

It may be among the planet's leading destinations for paranormal enthusiasts, the grove is facing danger. The western suburbs of Cluj-Napoca – an innovative digital cluster of over 400,000 residents, described as the innovation center of eastern Europe – are advancing, and real estate firms are pushing for authorization to cut down the woods to erect housing complexes.

Except for a few hectares containing locally rare specific tree species, the grove is without conservation status, but the guide is confident that the initiative he helped establish – the Hoia-Baciu Project – will help to change that, encouraging the authorities to appreciate the forest's value as a travel hotspot.

Spooky Experiences

As twigs and fall foliage snap and crunch beneath their shoes, Marius tells some of the traditional stories and claimed ghostly incidents here.

• One famous story tells of a little girl going missing during a family picnic, then to reappear half a decade later with no memory of the events, without aging a single day, her clothes lacking the tiniest bit of dust.
• More common reports detail cellphones and camera equipment mysteriously turning off on stepping into the forest.
• Reactions range from complete terror to feelings of joy.
• Some people report seeing strange rashes on their skin, hearing ghostly voices through the forest, or feel hands grabbing them, despite being convinced they're by themselves.

Study Attempts

Although numerous of the accounts may be unverifiable, there are many things visibly present that is definitely bizarre. All around are plants whose trunks are warped and gnarled into bizarre configurations.

Various suggestions have been suggested to explain the deformed trees: that hurricane winds could have altered the growth, or inherently elevated electromagnetic fields in the soil account for their crooked growth.

But scientific investigations have turned up no satisfactory evidence.

The Famous Clearing

Marius's excursions permit guests to engage in a small-scale research of their own. Upon reaching the clearing in the woods where Barnea captured his renowned UFO pictures, he hands the traveler an ghost-hunting device which registers energy patterns.

"We're stepping into the most active part of the forest," he states. "See what you can find."

The vegetation immediately cease as the group enters into a perfect circle. The single plant life is the low vegetation beneath our feet; it's clear that it's naturally occurring, and seems that this unusual opening is wild, not the result of people.

The Blurred Line

The broader region is a location which fuels fantasy, where the line is indistinct between truth and myth. In countryside villages faith continues in strigoi ("screamers") – undead, shapeshifting creatures, who rise from their graves to terrorise nearby villages.

The famous author's renowned vampire Count Dracula is forever associated with Transylvania, and the legendary fortress – a medieval building located on a rocky outcrop in the mountain range – is actively advertised as "Dracula's Castle".

But including folklore-rich Transylvania – actually, "the territory after the grove" – appears solid and predictable versus the haunted grove, which seem to be, for factors radioactive, climatic or purely mythical, a center for creative energy.

"Within this forest," Marius says, "the boundary between reality and imagination is very thin."