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"They call this place a mysterious vortex of Transylvania," explains a local guide, his breath creating wisps of vapor in the crisp evening air. "Numerous visitors have disappeared here, many believe it's an entrance to a different realm." The guide is guiding a guest on a evening stroll through what is often described as the planet's most ghostly forest: Hoia-Baciu, a section spanning 640 acres of primeval local woods on the outskirts of the Romanian city of Cluj-Napoca.

Centuries of Mystery

Reports of strange happenings here extend back centuries – the forest is named after a area shepherd who is reportedly went missing in the far-off times, together with 200 of his sheep. But Hoia-Baciu came to international attention in 1968, when a military technician named Emil Barnea captured on film what he described as a flying saucer floating above a oval meadow in the centre of the forest.

Numerous entered this place and never came out. But no need to fear," he continues, turning to his guest with a smirk. "Our excursions have a perfect safety record."

In the time after, Hoia-Baciu has attracted yogis, spiritual healers, UFO researchers and supernatural researchers from worldwide, eager to feel the mysterious powers reported to reverberate through the forest.

Contemporary Dangers

Despite being one of the world's premier pilgrimage sites for supernatural fans, this woodland is under threat. The western districts of Cluj-Napoca – a contemporary technology center of more than 400,000 people, described as the Silicon Valley of the region – are advancing, and developers are campaigning for authorization to clear the trees to construct residential buildings.

Barring a few hectares housing locally rare specific tree species, this woodland is lacking legal protection, but Marius believes that the company he helped establish – a dedicated preservation group – will contribute to improving the situation, motivating the local administrators to appreciate the forest's value as a tourist attraction.

Eerie Encounters

While branches and seasonal debris split and rustle beneath their shoes, the guide tells numerous folk tales and reported ghostly incidents here.

• A well-known account describes a five-year-old girl vanishing during a family picnic, later to rematerialise five years later with no memory of the events, showing no signs of aging a moment, her attire lacking the tiniest bit of soil.
• Frequent accounts detail cellphones and photography gear inexplicably shutting down on venturing inside.
• Emotional responses range from complete terror to moments of euphoria.
• Various visitors report seeing strange rashes on their bodies, detecting unseen murmurs through the trees, or experience fingers clutching them, despite being certain nobody is nearby.

Study Attempts

Although numerous of the tales may be hard to prove, numerous elements visibly present that is definitely bizarre. All around are trees whose trunks are bent and twisted into unusual forms.

Various suggestions have been proposed to account for the abnormal growth: strong gales could have altered the growth, or naturally high radiation levels in the earth cause their crooked growth.

But scientific investigations have discovered inconclusive results.

The Famous Clearing

Marius's walks enable visitors to participate in a small-scale research of their own. As we approach the meadow in the trees where Barnea took his renowned UFO pictures, he hands the traveler an ghost-hunting device which detects EMF readings.

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

The plants immediately cease as they step into a complete ring. The single plant life is the short grass beneath our feet; it's obvious that it's not maintained, and appears that this strange clearing is wild, not the result of landscaping.

Fact Versus Fiction

The broader region is a place which fuels fantasy, where the division is indistinct between reality and legend. In rural Romanian communities superstition remains in strigoi ("screamers") – supernatural, form-changing creatures, who emerge from tombs to frighten regional populations.

Bram Stoker's well-known fictional vampire is forever associated with Transylvania, and Bran Castle – an ancient structure located on a cliff edge in the mountain range – is actively advertised as "Dracula's Castle".

But despite legend-filled Transylvania – literally, "the land past the woods" – feels real and understandable versus the haunted grove, which give the impression of being, for causes radioactive, environmental or purely mythical, a hub for fantasy projection.

"Inside these woods," the guide comments, "the division between truth and fantasy is remarkably blurred."