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"People refer to this location a mysterious vortex of Transylvania," states a tour guide, his breath creating puffs of vapor in the cold night air. "So many individuals have disappeared here, many believe it's an entrance to another dimension." Marius is leading a traveler on a nocturnal tour through frequently labeled as the planet's most ghostly grove: Hoia-Baciu, an area covering one square mile of ancient native woodland on the outskirts of the Transylvanian city of Cluj-Napoca.

A Long History of the Unexplained

Accounts of strange happenings here go back a long time – the grove is titled for a regional herder who is said to have vanished in the distant past, along with two hundred animals. But Hoia-Baciu gained global recognition in 1968, when a military technician known as Emil Barnea took a picture of what he reported as a flying saucer floating above a circular clearing in the centre of the forest.

Countless ventured inside and never came out. But rest assured," he continues, addressing the visitor with a smile. "Our tours have a perfect safety record."

In the decades since, Hoia-Baciu has attracted yoga practitioners, traditional medicine people, extraterrestrial investigators and ghost hunters from around the globe, interested in encountering the mysterious powers believed to resonate through the forest.

Current Risks

Despite being a top global pilgrimage sites for paranormal enthusiasts, the grove is at risk. The western districts of Cluj-Napoca – an innovative digital cluster of a population exceeding 400,000, described as the tech capital of the region – are advancing, and developers are campaigning for approval to remove the forest to erect housing complexes.

Except for a limited section housing regionally uncommon oak varieties, the forest is not officially protected, but Marius hopes that the company he helped establish – a dedicated preservation group – will assist in altering this, encouraging the authorities to acknowledge the forest's significance as a visitor destination.

Spooky Experiences

As twigs and autumn leaves split and rustle beneath their boots, the guide tells various folk tales and reported supernatural events here.

• One famous story describes a five-year-old girl vanishing during a family outing, only to rematerialise half a decade later with complete amnesia of her experience, showing no signs of aging a moment, her clothes shy of the smallest trace of dust.
• More common reports explain smartphones and imaging devices unexpectedly failing on venturing inside.
• Reactions range from absolute fear to states of ecstasy.
• Various visitors report seeing strange rashes on their skin, hearing unseen murmurs through the trees, or experience palms pushing them, despite being sure they are alone.

Scientific Investigations

While many of the tales may be unverifiable, numerous elements visibly present that is certainly unusual. Throughout the area are plants whose trunks are bent and twisted into unusual forms.

Different theories have been proposed to account for the misshapen plants: strong gales could have bent the saplings, or inherently elevated radiation levels in the ground cause their unusual development.

But formal examinations have discovered insufficient proof.

The Legendary Opening

The guide's tours enable guests to participate in a little scientific inquiry of their own. As we approach the clearing in the trees where Barnea captured his famous UFO images, he passes the traveler an EMF meter which detects EMF readings.

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

The plants suddenly stop dead as the group enters into a complete ring. The sole vegetation is the trimmed turf beneath the ground; it's clear that it hasn't been mown, and seems that this unusual opening is wild, not the work of people.

The Blurred Line

The broader region is a location which fuels fantasy, where the division is blurred between reality and legend. In rural Romanian communities belief persists in strigoi ("screamers") – otherworldly, shapeshifting bloodsuckers, who rise from their graves to haunt local communities.

Bram Stoker's well-known vampire Count Dracula is permanently linked with Transylvania, and the historic stronghold – an ancient structure perched on a stone formation in the mountain range – is actively advertised as "Dracula's Castle".

But even legend-filled Transylvania – literally, "the place beyond the forest" – feels solid and predictable compared to this spooky forest, which appear to be, for reasons related to radiation, atmospheric or purely mythical, a center for fantasy projection.

"In Hoia-Baciu," the guide comments, "the boundary between truth and fantasy is remarkably blurred."