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"They call this location the Bermuda Triangle of Transylvania," states a local guide, his breath producing clouds of vapor in the chilly evening air. "Countless people have gone missing here, some say it's an entrance to a different realm." This expert is guiding a visitor on a evening stroll through what is often described as the globe's spookiest grove: Hoia-Baciu, a square mile of old-growth indigenous forest on the edges of the metropolis of Cluj-Napoca.

Hundreds of Years of Enigma

Accounts of bizarre occurrences here extend back hundreds of years – the forest is called after a regional herder who is believed to have disappeared in the far-off times, accompanied by two hundred animals. But Hoia-Baciu gained worldwide fame in 1968, when a defense worker called Emil Barnea took a picture of what he described as a unidentified flying object floating above a round opening in the middle of the forest.

Countless ventured inside and never came out. But no need to fear," he states, turning to his guest with a smile. "Our guided walks have a flawless completion rate."

In the decades since, Hoia-Baciu has drawn meditation experts, spiritual healers, extraterrestrial investigators and ghost hunters from across the world, curious to experience the unusual forces reported to reverberate through the forest.

Contemporary Dangers

Despite being among the planet's leading hotspots for paranormal enthusiasts, the forest is at risk. The western districts of Cluj-Napoca – a contemporary technology center of a population exceeding 400,000, known as the Silicon Valley of Eastern Europe – are expanding, and real estate firms are pushing for permission to remove the forest to erect housing complexes.

Except for a limited section housing area-specific oak varieties, this woodland is not officially protected, but Marius hopes that the initiative he helped establish – a dedicated preservation group – will contribute to improving the situation, motivating the authorities to appreciate the forest's importance as a tourist attraction.

Eerie Encounters

When small sticks and seasonal debris break and crackle beneath their footwear, the guide describes some of the local legends and reported supernatural events here.

• A popular tale tells of a five-year-old girl disappearing during a group gathering, then to reappear half a decade later with no recollection of the events, without aging a moment, her clothes without the smallest trace of soil.
• Frequent accounts explain mobile phones and camera equipment mysteriously turning off on entering the woods.
• Reactions vary from complete terror to moments of euphoria.
• Some people report observing bizarre skin irritations on their bodies, perceiving unseen murmurs through the woodland, or sense fingers clutching them, even when convinced they're by themselves.

Research Efforts

Despite several of the tales may be hard to prove, there are many things before my eyes that is definitely bizarre. Everywhere you look are vegetation whose stems are curved and contorted into unusual forms.

Different theories have been proposed to clarify the abnormal growth: powerful storms could have shaped the young trees, or naturally high radiation levels in the ground cause their strange formation.

But formal examinations have turned up inconclusive results.

The Legendary Opening

Marius's excursions enable participants to participate in a small-scale research of their own. When nearing the opening in the forest where Barnea took his famous UFO pictures, he passes his guest an EMF meter which detects EMF readings.

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

The vegetation immediately cease as we emerge into a perfect circle. The single plant life is the trimmed turf beneath their shoes; it's obvious that it hasn't been mown, and seems that this unusual opening is natural, not the result of human hands.

The Blurred Line

This part of Romania is a area which inspires creativity, where the division is unclear between fact and folklore. In countryside villages belief persists in strigoi ("screamers") – supernatural, appearance-altering vampires, who rise from their graves to haunt local communities.

The famous author's well-known fictional vampire is always connected with Transylvania, and Bran Castle – a medieval building located on a cliff edge in the mountain range – is heavily promoted as "Dracula's Castle".

But despite legend-filled Transylvania – actually, "the land past the woods" – seems real and understandable compared to this spooky forest, which appear to be, for factors related to radiation, atmospheric or purely mythical, a nexus for fantasy projection.

"Inside these woods," the guide states, "the line between truth and fantasy is extremely fine."