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"Locals dub this place the Bermuda Triangle of Transylvania," states a local guide, his exhalation creating puffs of mist in the crisp night air. "Numerous visitors have gone missing here, some say there's a gateway to a parallel world." The guide is escorting a visitor on a evening stroll through what is often described as the globe's spookiest grove: Hoia-Baciu, a square mile of primeval native woodland on the fringes of the metropolis of Cluj-Napoca.

A Long History of the Unexplained

Stories of unusual events here date back hundreds of years – the grove is called after a local shepherd who is said to have vanished in the long ago, accompanied by his entire flock. But Hoia-Baciu achieved international attention in 1968, when a defense worker named Emil Barnea photographed what he described as a flying saucer hovering above a circular clearing in the centre of the forest.

Many came in here and never came out. But rest assured," he continues, turning to the visitor with a grin. "Our tours have a perfect safety record."

In the years that followed, Hoia-Baciu has attracted meditation experts, shamans, UFO researchers and ghost hunters from across the world, curious to experience the mysterious powers reported to reverberate through the forest.

Modern Threats

Despite being one of the world's premier hotspots for paranormal enthusiasts, the grove is at risk. The western suburbs of Cluj-Napoca – an innovative digital cluster of over 400,000 residents, described as the tech capital of Eastern Europe – are advancing, and developers are pushing for permission to remove the forest to build apartment blocks.

Except for a limited section housing locally rare specific tree species, the grove is not officially protected, but Marius believes that the company he co-founded – a dedicated preservation group – will contribute to improving the situation, persuading the authorities to recognise the forest's value as a visitor destination.

Spooky Experiences

As twigs and seasonal debris split and rustle beneath their boots, Marius describes some of the local legends and reported ghostly incidents here.

• A well-known account describes a five-year-old girl disappearing during a family outing, only to return half a decade later with no recollection of her experience, without aging a moment, her garments shy of the tiniest bit of dirt.
• Regular stories detail cellphones and imaging devices inexplicably shutting down on stepping into the forest.
• Feelings range from absolute fear to states of ecstasy.
• Various visitors state observing bizarre skin irritations on their bodies, detecting disembodied whispers through the trees, or feel palms pushing them, even when certain nobody is nearby.

Study Attempts

Although numerous of the tales may be hard to prove, there are many things clearly observable that is certainly unusual. All around are vegetation whose bases are bent and twisted into bizarre configurations.

Various suggestions have been proposed to explain the deformed trees: strong gales could have altered the growth, or naturally high radioactivity in the earth explain their strange formation.

But scientific investigations have turned up inconclusive results.

The Legendary Opening

The expert's excursions allow visitors to engage in a little scientific inquiry of their own. Upon reaching the opening in the trees where Barnea captured his famous UFO photographs, he passes his guest an EMF meter which measures EMF readings.

"We're entering the most powerful area of the forest," he states. "Discover what's here."

The trees suddenly stop dead as they step into a flawless round. The single plant life is the trimmed turf beneath the ground; it's obvious that it's naturally occurring, and seems that this strange clearing is organic, not the result of human hands.

The Blurred Line

Transylvania generally is a place which inspires creativity, where the division is unclear between reality and legend. In rural Romanian communities belief persists in strigoi ("screamers") – otherworldly, shapeshifting vampires, who rise from their graves to frighten local communities.

The novelist's famous character Dracula is permanently linked with Transylvania, and the historic stronghold – a Saxon monolith located on a rocky outcrop in the mountain range – is actively advertised as "Dracula's Castle".

But even myth-shrouded Transylvania – truly, "the land past the woods" – appears tangible and comprehensible in contrast to these eerie woods, which seem to be, for reasons radioactive, atmospheric or purely mythical, a nexus for human imaginative power.

"Within this forest," the guide states, "the division between truth and fantasy is remarkably blurred."