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"People refer to this location an enigmatic zone of Transylvania," remarks a local guide, his breath forming wisps of condensation in the cold dusk atmosphere. "So many visitors have gone missing here, many believe it's an entrance to another dimension." This expert is leading a visitor on a evening stroll through commonly known as the world's most haunted grove: Hoia-Baciu, a square mile of primeval local woods on the fringes of the Romanian city of Cluj-Napoca.

Hundreds of Years of Enigma

Reports of strange happenings here date back a long time – the grove is called after a area shepherd who is said to have vanished in the far-off times, accompanied by two hundred animals. But Hoia-Baciu gained international attention in 1968, when an army specialist named Emil Barnea photographed what he claimed was a unidentified flying object hovering above a oval meadow in the centre of the forest.

Many came in here and never came out. But no need to fear," he states, facing the traveler with a grin. "Our guided walks have a 100% return rate."

In the time after, Hoia-Baciu has attracted yoga practitioners, shamans, ufologists and supernatural researchers from around the globe, interested in encountering the unusual forces believed to resonate through the forest.

Modern Threats

It may be a top global hotspots for supernatural fans, the grove is under threat. The western suburbs of Cluj-Napoca – a modern tech hub of more than 400,000 people, known as the tech capital of the region – are advancing, and real estate firms are advocating for permission to remove the forest to construct residential buildings.

Barring a few hectares housing regionally uncommon oak varieties, the forest is without conservation status, but the guide hopes that the initiative he co-founded – a dedicated preservation group – will help to change that, persuading the local administrators to appreciate the forest's significance as a travel hotspot.

Chilling Events

As twigs and fall foliage snap and crunch beneath their footwear, the guide recounts some of the folk tales and claimed paranormal happenings here.

• A popular tale tells of a five-year-old girl going missing during a family picnic, then to return five years later with no recollection of the events, showing no signs of aging a moment, her clothes shy of the tiniest bit of dust.
• Frequent accounts explain cellphones and imaging devices inexplicably shutting down on venturing inside.
• Feelings range from complete terror to moments of euphoria.
• Various visitors state noticing bizarre skin irritations on their arms, perceiving disembodied whispers through the trees, or experience palms pushing them, although sure they are alone.

Research Efforts

Although numerous of the accounts may be impossible to confirm, there are many things clearly observable that is definitely bizarre. Everywhere you look are trees whose trunks are warped and gnarled into fantastical shapes.

Various suggestions have been suggested to account for the abnormal growth: powerful storms could have shaped the young trees, or inherently elevated radioactivity in the ground explain their crooked growth.

But scientific investigations have discovered no satisfactory evidence.

The Notorious Meadow

The expert's walks permit visitors to take part in a modest investigation of their own. As we approach the clearing in the forest where Barnea photographed his famous UFO pictures, he gives his guest an electromagnetic field detector which detects energy patterns.

"We're stepping into the most energetic area of the forest," he says. "Try to detect something."

The vegetation abruptly end as we emerge into a perfect circle. The sole vegetation is the trimmed turf beneath the ground; it's apparent that it's naturally occurring, and seems that this unusual opening is wild, not the result of human hands.

Between Reality and Imagination

The broader region is a place which fuels fantasy, where the line is unclear between truth and myth. In traditional settlements superstition remains in strigoi ("screamers") – otherworldly, form-changing creatures, who emerge from tombs to terrorise nearby villages.

The famous author's renowned fictional vampire is always connected with Transylvania, and the legendary fortress – an ancient structure perched on a rocky outcrop in the Carpathian Mountains – is heavily promoted as "Dracula's Castle".

But despite legend-filled Transylvania – literally, "the place beyond the forest" – seems tangible and comprehensible in contrast to this spooky forest, which give the impression of being, for causes nuclear, climatic or entirely legendary, a hub for creative energy.

"Within this forest," Marius comments, "the boundary between reality and imagination is extremely fine."