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"They call this location a mysterious vortex of Transylvania," explains an experienced guide, the air from his lungs forming clouds of vapor in the crisp night air. "Numerous individuals have vanished here, it's thought there's a gateway to a different realm." Marius is guiding a visitor on a nocturnal tour through what is often described as the world's most haunted forest: Hoia-Baciu, a square mile of ancient indigenous forest on the outskirts of the metropolis of Cluj-Napoca.

Centuries of Mystery

Stories of unusual events here go back centuries – the grove is named after a local shepherd who is believed to have disappeared in the far-off times, together with his entire flock. But Hoia-Baciu achieved international attention in 1968, when a military technician called Emil Barnea took a picture of what he claimed was a flying saucer suspended above a circular clearing in the heart of the forest.

Numerous entered this place and failed to return. But don't worry," he adds, turning to the traveler with a grin. "Our tours have a 100% return rate."

In the decades since, Hoia-Baciu has attracted yoga practitioners, traditional medicine people, extraterrestrial investigators and paranormal investigators from worldwide, curious to experience the strange energies reported to reverberate through the forest.

Current Risks

It may be one of the world's premier destinations for supernatural fans, the forest is facing danger. The outlying areas of Cluj-Napoca – a contemporary technology center of more than 400,000 people, called the innovation center of Eastern Europe – are expanding, and developers are pushing for authorization to clear the trees to erect housing complexes.

Barring a few hectares containing area-specific specific tree species, the grove is not officially protected, but the guide believes that the company he was instrumental in creating – a dedicated preservation group – will contribute to improving the situation, persuading the authorities to acknowledge the forest's significance as a visitor destination.

Eerie Encounters

As twigs and seasonal debris split and rustle beneath their boots, the guide recounts numerous traditional stories and reported ghostly incidents here.

• One famous story recounts a five-year-old girl disappearing during a family picnic, later to reappear after five years with no recollection of what had happened, showing no signs of aging a single day, her garments lacking the slightest speck of dust.
• Frequent accounts describe smartphones and photography gear unexpectedly failing on stepping into the forest.
• Feelings include absolute fear to moments of euphoria.
• Some people state seeing bizarre skin irritations on their bodies, hearing disembodied whispers through the trees, or experience palms pushing them, even when convinced they're by themselves.

Scientific Investigations

Although numerous of the stories may be unverifiable, there is much visibly present that is undeniably strange. All around are trees whose stems are warped and gnarled into fantastical shapes.

Different theories have been suggested to clarify the abnormal growth: powerful storms could have shaped the young trees, or naturally high electromagnetic fields in the ground explain their unusual development.

But formal examinations have found no satisfactory evidence.

The Famous Clearing

The guide's walks allow guests to participate in a little scientific inquiry of their own. When nearing the clearing in the trees where Barnea captured his well-known UFO images, he gives his guest an ghost-hunting device which detects EMF readings.

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

The vegetation suddenly stop dead as the group enters into a complete ring. The single plant life is the short grass beneath their shoes; it's clear that it hasn't been mown, and looks that this unusual opening is natural, not the result of human hands.

Fact Versus Fiction

The broader region is a place which stirs the imagination, where the division is indistinct between fact and folklore. In rural Romanian communities faith continues in strigoi ("screamers") – undead, shapeshifting bloodsuckers, who emerge from tombs to haunt regional populations.

The novelist's well-known fictional vampire is always connected with Transylvania, and the historic stronghold – an ancient structure situated on a stone formation in the mountain range – is actively advertised as "the vampire's home".

But despite legend-filled Transylvania – literally, "the territory after the grove" – seems solid and predictable compared to this spooky forest, which give the impression of being, for causes radioactive, atmospheric or purely mythical, a hub for fantasy projection.

"In Hoia-Baciu," Marius states, "the division between fact and fiction is remarkably blurred."