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"They call this location an enigmatic zone of Transylvania," remarks a local guide, his exhalation forming clouds of mist in the crisp evening air. "So many people have vanished here, some say there's a gateway to a parallel world." The guide is guiding a visitor on a nocturnal tour through frequently labeled as the globe's spookiest forest: Hoia-Baciu, a square mile of primeval local woods on the edges of the Transylvanian city of Cluj-Napoca.

A Long History of the Unexplained

Stories of strange happenings here go back centuries – the forest is titled for a local shepherd who is reportedly went missing in the far-off times, accompanied by 200 of his sheep. But Hoia-Baciu achieved worldwide fame in 1968, when a military technician called Emil Barnea took a picture of what he claimed was a unidentified flying object suspended above a round opening in the heart of the forest.

Countless ventured inside and never came out. But don't worry," he states, addressing the traveler with a grin. "Our tours have a flawless completion rate."

In the time after, Hoia-Baciu has brought in meditation experts, shamans, ufologists and paranormal investigators from across the world, curious to experience the mysterious powers said to echo through the forest.

Contemporary Dangers

Although it is one of the world's premier destinations for paranormal enthusiasts, the forest is under threat. The western districts of Cluj-Napoca – a modern tech hub of a population exceeding 400,000, described as the tech capital of the region – are expanding, and construction companies are pushing for authorization to clear the trees to build apartment blocks.

Aside from a few hectares home to area-specific oak varieties, the grove is without conservation status, but Marius is confident that the organization he was instrumental in creating – a dedicated preservation group – will assist in altering this, motivating the government officials to acknowledge the forest's significance as a tourist attraction.

Chilling Events

While branches and autumn leaves break and crackle beneath their footwear, Marius tells numerous local legends and alleged paranormal happenings here.

• A well-known account tells of a little girl disappearing during a group gathering, later to return five years later with complete amnesia of what had happened, having not aged a single day, her attire without the tiniest bit of dust.
• Regular stories explain smartphones and camera equipment inexplicably shutting down on venturing inside.
• Feelings range from full-blown dread to states of ecstasy.
• Some people claim noticing bizarre skin irritations on their bodies, detecting ghostly voices through the woodland, or sense palms pushing them, despite being convinced they're by themselves.

Study Attempts

While many of the accounts may be unverifiable, there are many things 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 clarify the deformed trees: powerful storms could have altered the growth, or inherently elevated electromagnetic fields in the earth account for their crooked growth.

But formal examinations have found insufficient proof.

The Notorious Meadow

Marius's walks permit visitors to take part in a little scientific inquiry of their own. When nearing the clearing in the trees where Barnea photographed his renowned UFO images, he hands the visitor an EMF meter which registers EMF readings.

"We're stepping into the most powerful section of the forest," he says. "See what you can find."

The vegetation immediately cease as the group enters into a complete ring. The sole vegetation is the trimmed turf beneath our feet; it's apparent that it hasn't been mown, and looks that this unusual opening is natural, not the work of human hands.

Between Reality and Imagination

The broader region is a location which fuels fantasy, where the line is indistinct between truth and myth. In countryside villages superstition remains in strigoi ("screamers") – supernatural, form-changing creatures, who rise from their graves to frighten local communities.

The famous author's well-known character Dracula is permanently linked with Transylvania, and Bran Castle – a Saxon monolith located on a rocky outcrop in the mountain range – is heavily promoted as "the count's residence".

But despite myth-shrouded Transylvania – truly, "the territory after the grove" – seems solid and predictable versus this spooky forest, which seem to be, for factors related to radiation, atmospheric or entirely legendary, a hub for creative energy.

"Within this forest," Marius states, "the boundary between fact and fiction is remarkably blurred."