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"They call this spot the Bermuda Triangle of Transylvania," explains a local guide, his exhalation producing wisps of condensation in the chilly night air. "So many visitors have disappeared here, many believe it's an entrance to a different realm." The guide is guiding a traveler on a evening stroll through commonly known as the planet's most ghostly woodland: Hoia-Baciu, an area covering one square mile of ancient local woods on the fringes of the Romanian city of Cluj-Napoca.

Hundreds of Years of Enigma

Reports of unusual events here date back centuries – the grove is called after a regional herder who is said to have vanished in the distant past, together with his entire flock. But Hoia-Baciu came to international attention in 1968, when a defense worker called Emil Barnea photographed what he claimed was a UFO floating above a circular clearing in the heart of the forest.

Numerous entered this place and failed to return. But no need to fear," he states, facing the visitor with a smile. "Our tours have a perfect safety record."

In the decades since, Hoia-Baciu has brought in yogis, shamans, UFO researchers and ghost hunters from around the globe, eager to feel the strange energies reported to reverberate through the forest.

Modern Threats

It may be among the planet's leading hotspots for lovers of the paranormal, this woodland is facing danger. The outlying areas 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 campaigning for authorization to remove the forest to construct residential buildings.

Except for a small area housing locally rare oak varieties, the grove is not officially protected, but the guide hopes that the initiative he co-founded – a dedicated preservation group – will contribute to improving the situation, persuading the authorities to recognise the forest's importance as a visitor destination.

Chilling Events

While branches and fall foliage snap and crunch beneath their footwear, Marius recounts various folk tales and reported supernatural events here.

• A popular tale recounts a five-year-old girl disappearing during a group gathering, then to reappear half a decade later with no recollection of what had happened, showing no signs of aging a moment, her clothes shy of the tiniest bit of dust.
• More common reports explain cellphones and camera equipment mysteriously turning off on venturing inside.
• Reactions vary from complete terror to moments of euphoria.
• Some people state noticing unusual marks on their bodies, hearing ghostly voices through the forest, or feel palms pushing them, even when sure they are alone.

Study Attempts

While many of the stories may be impossible to confirm, numerous elements clearly observable that is definitely bizarre. All around are trees whose trunks are bent and twisted into unusual forms.

Various suggestions have been given to clarify the deformed trees: that hurricane winds could have bent the saplings, or naturally high radioactivity in the ground cause their crooked growth.

But scientific investigations have turned up no satisfactory evidence.

The Famous Clearing

The guide's tours permit visitors to participate in a modest investigation of their own. When nearing the meadow in the trees where Barnea captured his well-known UFO photographs, he passes the visitor an electromagnetic field detector which detects electromagnetic fields.

"We're stepping into the most energetic section of the forest," he states. "Discover what's here."

The trees immediately cease as we emerge into a complete ring. The single plant life is the trimmed turf beneath their shoes; it's clear that it's naturally occurring, and appears that this bizarre meadow is natural, not the work of human hands.

The Blurred Line

Transylvania generally is a place which inspires creativity, where the border is blurred between fact and folklore. In countryside villages belief persists in strigoi ("screamers") – undead, form-changing vampires, who emerge from tombs to terrorise local communities.

The famous author's famous vampire Count Dracula is forever associated with Transylvania, and Bran Castle – an ancient structure situated on a cliff edge in the mountain range – is actively advertised as "the count's residence".

But even legend-filled Transylvania – actually, "the place beyond the forest" – feels tangible and comprehensible compared to this spooky forest, which give the impression of being, for reasons related to radiation, environmental or simply folkloric, a hub for creative energy.

"Within this forest," the guide comments, "the division between truth and fantasy is very thin."