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"People refer to this location the Bermuda Triangle of Transylvania," states a tour guide, the air from his lungs producing clouds of condensation in the chilly dusk atmosphere. "Countless individuals have vanished here, some say it's a portal to another dimension." Marius is guiding a visitor on a nocturnal tour through what is often described as the planet's most ghostly woodland: Hoia-Baciu, a square mile of old-growth local woods on the edges of the Transylvanian city of Cluj-Napoca.

Centuries of Mystery

Stories of bizarre occurrences here extend back centuries – the grove is called after a local shepherd who is reportedly went missing in the long ago, together with 200 of his sheep. But Hoia-Baciu gained international attention in 1968, when an army specialist called Emil Barnea photographed what he described as a flying saucer floating above a round opening in the centre of the forest.

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

In the decades since, Hoia-Baciu has brought in yogis, traditional medicine people, 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 hotspots for paranormal enthusiasts, this woodland is at risk. The western suburbs of Cluj-Napoca – a contemporary technology center of a population exceeding 400,000, known as the innovation center of eastern Europe – are advancing, and construction companies are pushing for approval to clear the trees to build apartment blocks.

Except for a limited section housing locally rare specific tree species, this woodland is not officially protected, but Marius hopes that the organization he was instrumental in creating – a local conservation effort – will contribute to improving the situation, motivating the government officials to acknowledge the forest's value as a tourist attraction.

Chilling Events

While branches and autumn leaves split and rustle beneath their shoes, the guide tells numerous traditional stories and claimed supernatural events here.

• One famous story tells of a five-year-old girl disappearing during a family picnic, only to return half a decade later with no memory of her experience, having not aged a single day, her attire without the slightest speck of soil.
• Regular stories describe smartphones and photography gear inexplicably shutting down on stepping into the forest.
• Emotional responses range from complete terror to states of ecstasy.
• Various visitors state seeing bizarre skin irritations on their arms, hearing disembodied whispers through the woodland, or sense palms pushing them, although convinced they're by themselves.

Study Attempts

While many of the accounts may be hard to prove, there are many things before my eyes that is certainly unusual. All around are plants whose trunks are curved and contorted into fantastical shapes.

Different theories have been suggested to clarify the deformed trees: strong gales could have altered the growth, or typically increased radiation levels in the ground explain their unusual development.

But research studies have discovered no satisfactory evidence.

The Famous Clearing

The guide's excursions enable visitors to take part in a little scientific inquiry of their own. When nearing the clearing in the woods where Barnea took his well-known UFO photographs, he gives the traveler an ghost-hunting device which registers energy patterns.

"We're stepping into the most energetic area of the forest," he comments. "Discover what's here."

The vegetation immediately cease as the group enters into a flawless round. The single plant life is the short grass beneath the ground; it's apparent that it's naturally occurring, and seems that this unusual opening is wild, not the result of people.

Fact Versus Fiction

Transylvania generally is a area which fuels fantasy, where the division is unclear between reality and legend. In traditional settlements faith continues in strigoi ("screamers") – otherworldly, form-changing creatures, who return from burial sites to haunt regional populations.

Bram Stoker's famous fictional vampire is forever associated with Transylvania, and the legendary fortress – a medieval building located on a rocky outcrop in the Carpathian Mountains – is actively advertised as "Dracula's Castle".

But including folklore-rich Transylvania – actually, "the place beyond the forest" – appears tangible and comprehensible compared to the haunted grove, which appear to be, for reasons related to radiation, atmospheric or entirely legendary, a center for fantasy projection.

"Inside these woods," the guide says, "the boundary between fact and fiction is extremely fine."