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"They call this spot the Bermuda Triangle of Transylvania," explains a local guide, his exhalation creating puffs of mist in the chilly evening air. "Countless individuals have vanished here, many believe it's an entrance to a different realm." The guide is guiding a visitor on a evening stroll through frequently labeled as the world's most haunted grove: Hoia-Baciu, a section spanning 640 acres of primeval native woodland on the fringes of the Romanian city of Cluj-Napoca.

Centuries of Mystery

Stories of bizarre occurrences here go back centuries – the grove is named after a local shepherd who is reportedly went missing in the far-off times, accompanied by his entire flock. But Hoia-Baciu achieved global recognition in 1968, when a defense worker called Emil Barnea photographed what he reported as a UFO hovering above a oval meadow in the heart of the forest.

Countless ventured inside and failed to return. But rest assured," he states, facing the traveler with a grin. "Our guided walks have a perfect safety record."

In the time after, Hoia-Baciu has drawn yogis, shamans, ufologists and supernatural researchers from around the globe, curious to experience the unusual forces said to echo through the forest.

Current Risks

Despite being a top global destinations for lovers of the paranormal, the grove is facing danger. The outlying areas of Cluj-Napoca – a contemporary technology center of over 400,000 residents, known as the tech capital of Eastern Europe – are advancing, and developers are campaigning for approval to clear the trees to erect housing complexes.

Barring a few hectares housing regionally uncommon Mediterranean oak trees, this woodland is lacking legal protection, but Marius believes that the initiative he co-founded – a dedicated preservation group – will contribute to improving the situation, motivating the local administrators to acknowledge the forest's value as a travel hotspot.

Spooky Experiences

As twigs and fall foliage break and crackle beneath their boots, Marius describes various folk tales and alleged supernatural events here.

• A popular tale recounts a little girl disappearing during a family picnic, only to rematerialise after five years with no recollection of her experience, having not aged a moment, her attire shy of the smallest trace of dust.
• Frequent accounts explain mobile phones and camera equipment inexplicably shutting down on stepping into the forest.
• Reactions vary from complete terror to feelings of joy.
• Various visitors report seeing bizarre skin irritations on their arms, perceiving unseen murmurs through the forest, or feel hands grabbing them, despite being convinced they're by themselves.

Research Efforts

While many of the tales may be unverifiable, there is much clearly observable that is certainly unusual. Everywhere you look are plants whose stems are warped and gnarled into fantastical shapes.

Multiple explanations have been suggested to clarify the abnormal growth: powerful storms could have shaped the young trees, or typically increased radiation levels in the soil cause their crooked growth.

But formal examinations have discovered insufficient proof.

The Notorious Meadow

Marius's walks permit participants to take part in a little scientific inquiry of their own. When nearing the clearing in the trees where Barnea captured his renowned UFO images, he passes the visitor an electromagnetic field detector which registers electromagnetic fields.

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

The vegetation abruptly end as we emerge into a flawless round. The only greenery is the trimmed turf beneath our feet; it's clear that it's not maintained, and looks that this strange clearing is organic, not the creation of human hands.

The Blurred Line

Transylvania generally is a place which fuels fantasy, where the line is blurred between truth and myth. In traditional settlements faith continues in strigoi ("screamers") – supernatural, shapeshifting bloodsuckers, who emerge from tombs to haunt regional populations.

Bram Stoker's well-known fictional vampire is permanently linked with Transylvania, and the legendary fortress – a medieval building located on a rocky outcrop in the Carpathian Mountains – is keenly marketed as "the count's residence".

But despite folklore-rich Transylvania – literally, "the territory after the grove" – appears solid and predictable in contrast to the haunted grove, which appear to be, for factors nuclear, atmospheric or simply folkloric, a center for creative energy.

"In Hoia-Baciu," Marius says, "the boundary between truth and fantasy is very thin."