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"Locals dub this place a mysterious vortex of Transylvania," explains an experienced guide, his breath forming puffs of mist in the chilly evening air. "Countless visitors have disappeared here, it's thought it's a portal to a parallel world." Marius is guiding a traveler on a nocturnal tour through commonly known as the globe's spookiest woodland: Hoia-Baciu, a section spanning 640 acres of ancient native woodland on the outskirts of the Transylvanian city of Cluj-Napoca.

Centuries of Mystery

Reports of strange happenings here date back hundreds of years – the forest is named after a area shepherd who is reportedly went missing in the long ago, accompanied by two hundred animals. But Hoia-Baciu came to worldwide fame in 1968, when a military technician named Emil Barnea photographed what he described as a UFO suspended above a oval meadow in the heart of the forest.

Many came in here and failed to return. But rest assured," he continues, turning to the visitor with a smile. "Our excursions have a flawless completion rate."

In the time after, Hoia-Baciu has drawn yoga practitioners, spiritual healers, extraterrestrial investigators and supernatural researchers from worldwide, eager to feel the mysterious powers reported to reverberate through the forest.

Contemporary Dangers

It may be among the planet's leading destinations for paranormal enthusiasts, this woodland is under threat. The western districts of Cluj-Napoca – a modern tech hub of over 400,000 residents, called the tech capital of Eastern Europe – are expanding, and construction companies are advocating for approval to cut down the woods to erect housing complexes.

Except for a few hectares home to area-specific specific tree species, the forest is not officially protected, but Marius hopes that the initiative he helped establish – a dedicated preservation group – will assist in altering this, encouraging the local administrators to recognise the forest's importance as a travel hotspot.

Spooky Experiences

While branches and fall foliage break and crackle beneath their footwear, the guide tells some of the folk tales and reported supernatural events here.

• A well-known account tells of a little girl going missing during a family picnic, later to rematerialise five years later with no recollection of her experience, showing no signs of aging a moment, her garments shy of the smallest trace of dust.
• Frequent accounts detail cellphones and photography gear mysteriously turning off on venturing inside.
• Feelings vary from complete terror to moments of euphoria.
• Some people claim observing bizarre skin irritations on their bodies, hearing ghostly voices through the forest, or experience hands grabbing them, although convinced they're by themselves.

Study Attempts

While many of the stories may be hard to prove, there is much clearly observable that is certainly unusual. Throughout the area are trees whose trunks are bent and twisted into unusual forms.

Various suggestions have been given to account for the misshapen plants: that hurricane winds could have shaped the young trees, or typically increased electromagnetic fields in the ground account for their strange formation.

But formal examinations have found no satisfactory evidence.

The Notorious Meadow

The expert's walks allow visitors to take part in a little scientific inquiry of their own. Upon reaching the meadow in the forest where Barnea took his famous UFO images, he hands the traveler an EMF meter which registers EMF readings.

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

The vegetation suddenly stop dead as we emerge into a complete ring. The only greenery is the short grass beneath the ground; it's clear that it's naturally occurring, and seems that this strange clearing is wild, not the work of people.

Fact Versus Fiction

This part of Romania is a place which stirs the imagination, where the division is blurred between reality and legend. In rural Romanian communities faith continues in strigoi ("screamers") – undead, form-changing bloodsuckers, who emerge from tombs to frighten regional populations.

The novelist's renowned character Dracula is permanently linked with Transylvania, and the historic stronghold – a medieval building perched on a stone formation in the Carpathian Mountains – is heavily promoted as "Dracula's Castle".

But even myth-shrouded Transylvania – actually, "the place beyond the forest" – appears tangible and comprehensible compared to this spooky forest, which seem to be, for reasons related to radiation, atmospheric or purely mythical, a nexus for fantasy projection.

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