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"Locals dub this spot an enigmatic zone of Transylvania," states an experienced guide, his exhalation producing puffs of vapor in the crisp dusk atmosphere. "So many people have gone missing here, many believe there's a gateway to a parallel world." The guide is guiding a guest on a night walk through frequently labeled as the globe's spookiest grove: Hoia-Baciu, an area covering one square mile of primeval indigenous forest on the fringes of the Transylvanian city of Cluj-Napoca.

A Long History of the Unexplained

Reports of unusual events here go back centuries – this woodland is named after a area shepherd who is reportedly went missing in the far-off times, accompanied by two hundred animals. But Hoia-Baciu gained global recognition in 1968, when a military technician named Emil Barnea took a picture of what he claimed was a flying saucer suspended above a round opening in the heart of the forest.

Many came in here and vanished without trace. But rest assured," he adds, turning to his guest with a smile. "Our excursions have a flawless completion rate."

In the time after, Hoia-Baciu has drawn yogis, traditional medicine people, extraterrestrial investigators and supernatural researchers from around the globe, eager to feel the strange energies said to echo through the forest.

Modern Threats

It may be among the planet's leading hotspots for paranormal enthusiasts, this woodland is at risk. The western suburbs of Cluj-Napoca – an innovative digital cluster of a population exceeding 400,000, called the Silicon Valley of Eastern Europe – are advancing, and developers are pushing for approval to clear the trees to erect housing complexes.

Aside from a few hectares containing locally rare oak varieties, the grove is without conservation status, but the guide believes that the company he was instrumental in creating – a dedicated preservation group – will assist in altering this, persuading the government officials to acknowledge the forest's value as a visitor destination.

Eerie Encounters

When small sticks and fall foliage split and rustle beneath their footwear, Marius describes various local legends and alleged supernatural events here.

• One famous story recounts a five-year-old girl vanishing during a group gathering, later to reappear after five years with no memory of what had happened, without aging a day, her attire shy of the smallest trace of dirt.
• Regular stories describe smartphones and imaging devices unexpectedly failing on entering the woods.
• Emotional responses vary from complete terror to feelings of joy.
• Various visitors claim seeing bizarre skin irritations on their skin, detecting unseen murmurs through the woodland, or feel fingers clutching them, even when convinced they're by themselves.

Scientific Investigations

Although numerous of the tales may be unverifiable, there are many things visibly present that is certainly unusual. Everywhere you look are trees whose stems are warped and gnarled into bizarre configurations.

Various suggestions have been suggested to clarify the misshapen plants: powerful storms could have altered the growth, or typically increased radiation levels in the ground explain their unusual development.

But scientific investigations have found insufficient proof.

The Legendary Opening

Marius's walks permit participants to take part in a little scientific inquiry of their own. Upon reaching the meadow in the forest where Barnea captured his renowned UFO images, he passes his guest an EMF meter which registers EMF readings.

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

The trees immediately cease as the group enters into a complete ring. The sole vegetation is the short grass beneath their shoes; it's apparent that it hasn't been mown, and looks that this bizarre meadow is wild, not the result of human hands.

Between Reality and Imagination

The broader region is a location which fuels fantasy, where the border is indistinct between reality and legend. In traditional settlements superstition remains in strigoi ("screamers") – supernatural, appearance-altering creatures, who emerge from tombs to haunt local communities.

Bram Stoker's renowned fictional vampire is forever associated with Transylvania, and the historic stronghold – an ancient structure located on a rocky outcrop in the mountain range – is actively advertised as "the count's residence".

But despite legend-filled Transylvania – truly, "the territory after the grove" – appears real and understandable in contrast to the haunted grove, which give the impression of being, for factors radioactive, environmental or entirely legendary, a hub for creative energy.

"Inside these woods," Marius states, "the division between fact and fiction is extremely fine."