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"People refer to this spot the Bermuda Triangle of Transylvania," explains an experienced guide, his breath creating wisps of vapor in the crisp night air. "So many people have gone missing here, some say it's a portal to a parallel world." This expert is guiding a traveler on a evening stroll through commonly known as the world's most haunted grove: Hoia-Baciu, an area covering one square mile of ancient native woodland on the edges of the metropolis of Cluj-Napoca.

Hundreds of Years of Enigma

Stories of bizarre occurrences here extend back a long time – the forest is titled for a regional herder who is reportedly went missing in the far-off times, along with 200 of his sheep. But Hoia-Baciu achieved global recognition in 1968, when a defense worker called Emil Barnea captured on film what he reported as a unidentified flying object hovering above a round opening in the middle of the forest.

Countless ventured inside and never came out. But no need to fear," he continues, addressing his guest with a grin. "Our excursions have a flawless completion rate."

In the decades since, Hoia-Baciu has drawn yoga practitioners, shamans, extraterrestrial investigators and paranormal investigators from across the world, interested in encountering the unusual forces said to echo through the forest.

Current Risks

Although it is a top global destinations for lovers of the paranormal, this woodland is under threat. The outlying areas of Cluj-Napoca – a modern tech hub of more than 400,000 people, called the tech capital of eastern Europe – are advancing, and real estate firms are advocating for permission to remove the forest to construct residential buildings.

Aside from a few hectares housing area-specific specific tree species, the forest is without conservation status, but Marius hopes that the initiative he co-founded – a dedicated preservation group – will contribute to improving the situation, motivating the authorities to appreciate the forest's value as a visitor destination.

Spooky Experiences

As twigs and autumn leaves split and rustle beneath their shoes, Marius describes various folk tales and claimed supernatural events here.

• A popular tale recounts a young child disappearing during a family picnic, later to reappear half a decade later with no memory of her experience, showing no signs of aging a moment, her clothes lacking the tiniest bit of dirt.
• Regular stories explain smartphones and imaging devices mysteriously turning off on venturing inside.
• Feelings range from full-blown dread to feelings of joy.
• Certain individuals claim seeing strange rashes on their bodies, detecting disembodied whispers through the woodland, or experience palms pushing them, even when sure they are alone.

Research Efforts

Despite several of the stories may be hard to prove, there are many things clearly observable that is certainly unusual. Throughout the area are plants whose stems are bent and twisted into fantastical shapes.

Different theories have been given to explain the abnormal growth: strong gales could have altered the growth, or inherently elevated radiation levels in the earth cause their crooked growth.

But scientific investigations have turned up inconclusive results.

The Legendary Opening

Marius's walks enable participants to take part in a little scientific inquiry of their own. Upon reaching the clearing in the trees where Barnea took his well-known UFO images, he gives his guest an EMF meter which registers EMF readings.

"We're venturing into the most active part of the forest," he states. "Discover what's here."

The vegetation abruptly end as they step into a complete ring. The single plant life is the trimmed turf beneath our feet; it's apparent that it hasn't been mown, and seems that this unusual opening is wild, not the result of landscaping.

The Blurred Line

Transylvania generally is a area which fuels fantasy, where the border is unclear between reality and legend. In countryside villages superstition remains in strigoi ("screamers") – supernatural, appearance-altering vampires, who return from burial sites to haunt regional populations.

The novelist's famous character Dracula is always connected with Transylvania, and Bran Castle – a medieval building located on a cliff edge in the mountain range – is actively advertised as "the count's residence".

But despite myth-shrouded Transylvania – actually, "the land past the woods" – feels tangible and comprehensible compared to the haunted grove, which give the impression of being, for causes nuclear, environmental or simply folkloric, a nexus for human imaginative power.

"Inside these woods," Marius states, "the line between fact and fiction is remarkably blurred."