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"People refer to this location an enigmatic zone of Transylvania," states a tour guide, his exhalation producing wisps of condensation in the chilly night air. "Countless people have gone missing here, some say it's an entrance to a parallel world." This expert is leading a traveler on a evening stroll through commonly known as the planet's most ghostly woodland: Hoia-Baciu, a section spanning 640 acres of ancient local woods on the outskirts of the Romanian city of Cluj-Napoca.

Hundreds of Years of Enigma

Reports of unusual events here extend back a long time – the forest is titled for a regional herder who is reportedly went missing in the far-off times, accompanied by 200 of his sheep. But Hoia-Baciu gained worldwide fame in 1968, when a military technician known as Emil Barnea photographed what he reported as a UFO floating above a oval meadow in the middle of the forest.

Many came in here and failed to return. But don't worry," he states, turning to his guest with a smirk. "Our excursions have a flawless completion rate."

In the time after, Hoia-Baciu has brought in yoga practitioners, shamans, UFO researchers and supernatural researchers from around the globe, interested in encountering the unusual forces said to echo through the forest.

Current Risks

It may be among the planet's leading hotspots for paranormal enthusiasts, the grove is facing danger. The western suburbs of Cluj-Napoca – an innovative digital cluster of a population exceeding 400,000, called the innovation center of the region – are encroaching, and developers are pushing for permission to remove the forest to erect housing complexes.

Barring a limited section containing area-specific Mediterranean oak trees, this woodland is lacking legal protection, but the guide is confident that the organization he was instrumental in creating – a dedicated preservation group – will assist in altering this, encouraging the authorities to appreciate the forest's value as a tourist attraction.

Spooky Experiences

As twigs and seasonal debris snap and crunch beneath their footwear, Marius describes some of the traditional stories and claimed ghostly incidents here.

• A popular tale recounts a little girl vanishing during a group gathering, later to rematerialise half a decade later with complete amnesia of what had happened, having not aged a day, her clothes without the smallest trace of dust.
• More common reports describe cellphones and photography gear unexpectedly failing on stepping into the forest.
• Emotional responses include full-blown dread to moments of euphoria.
• Some people report observing strange rashes on their skin, perceiving unseen murmurs through the forest, or feel hands grabbing them, although sure they are alone.

Research Efforts

While many of the stories may be unverifiable, numerous elements visibly present that is undeniably strange. All around are trees whose trunks are bent and twisted into unusual forms.

Various suggestions have been proposed to account for the abnormal growth: powerful storms could have shaped the young trees, or inherently elevated electromagnetic fields in the earth account for their unusual development.

But formal examinations have found insufficient proof.

The Legendary Opening

Marius's excursions permit visitors to participate in a modest investigation of their own. As we approach the clearing in the trees where Barnea captured his famous UFO photographs, he hands the traveler an ghost-hunting device which registers energy patterns.

"We're entering the most active area of the forest," he comments. "See what you can find."

The trees abruptly end as we emerge into a perfect circle. The sole vegetation is the low vegetation beneath the ground; it's clear that it's naturally occurring, and seems that this bizarre meadow is wild, not the result of landscaping.

Fact Versus Fiction

Transylvania generally is a location which inspires creativity, where the border is indistinct between fact and folklore. In countryside villages faith continues in strigoi ("screamers") – undead, form-changing creatures, who rise from their graves to frighten regional populations.

The novelist's famous character Dracula is forever associated with Transylvania, and the legendary fortress – an ancient structure located on a rocky outcrop in the mountain range – is keenly marketed as "the count's residence".

But despite folklore-rich Transylvania – actually, "the land past the woods" – feels solid and predictable versus these eerie woods, which give the impression of being, for causes related to radiation, climatic or simply folkloric, a nexus for fantasy projection.

"Inside these woods," Marius comments, "the line between reality and imagination is extremely fine."