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"Locals dub this place a mysterious vortex of Transylvania," states an experienced guide, his exhalation producing puffs of vapor in the chilly night air. "Countless people have disappeared here, many believe it's a portal to another dimension." The guide is guiding a traveler on a evening stroll through frequently labeled as the globe's spookiest forest: Hoia-Baciu, a section spanning 640 acres of old-growth local woods on the edges of the Romanian city of Cluj-Napoca.

Centuries of Mystery

Accounts of strange happenings here go back a long time – this woodland is called after a area shepherd who is reportedly went missing in the long ago, along with his entire flock. But Hoia-Baciu achieved global recognition in 1968, when a military technician known as Emil Barnea photographed what he described as a unidentified flying object suspended above a round opening in the heart of the forest.

Numerous entered this place and vanished without trace. But no need to fear," he states, turning to the visitor with a grin. "Our guided walks have a perfect safety record."

In the decades since, Hoia-Baciu has drawn meditation experts, spiritual healers, UFO researchers and paranormal investigators from worldwide, curious to experience the unusual forces believed to resonate through the forest.

Current Risks

Although it is among the planet's leading destinations for supernatural fans, the forest is facing danger. The western suburbs of Cluj-Napoca – an innovative digital cluster of a population exceeding 400,000, described as the innovation center of eastern Europe – are advancing, and developers are advocating for permission to remove the forest to erect housing complexes.

Aside from a small area housing locally rare Mediterranean oak trees, the forest is without conservation status, but Marius is confident that the initiative he co-founded – a dedicated preservation group – will help to change that, persuading the government officials to recognise the forest's importance as a visitor destination.

Chilling Events

When small sticks and fall foliage break and crackle beneath their footwear, the guide describes numerous folk tales and reported supernatural events here.

• A well-known account describes a five-year-old girl going missing during a family outing, only to reappear half a decade later with complete amnesia of her experience, showing no signs of aging a single day, her garments shy of the tiniest bit of dirt.
• More common reports describe cellphones and imaging devices mysteriously turning off on venturing inside.
• Feelings range from complete terror to feelings of joy.
• Various visitors claim observing bizarre skin irritations on their skin, detecting unseen murmurs through the forest, or experience hands grabbing them, despite being certain nobody is nearby.

Study Attempts

Despite several of the tales may be unverifiable, numerous elements before my eyes that is undeniably strange. Everywhere you look are plants whose bases are curved and contorted into bizarre configurations.

Different theories have been proposed to clarify the abnormal growth: powerful storms could have shaped the young trees, or typically increased radiation levels in the ground cause their crooked growth.

But formal examinations have discovered no satisfactory evidence.

The Notorious Meadow

Marius's tours allow guests to take part in a little scientific inquiry of their own. As we approach the opening in the woods where Barnea captured his well-known UFO pictures, he hands the visitor an EMF meter which detects energy patterns.

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

The trees suddenly stop dead as we emerge into a complete ring. The only greenery is the low vegetation beneath the ground; it's obvious that it's naturally occurring, and looks that this bizarre meadow is organic, not the result of people.

Between Reality and Imagination

The broader region is a place which fuels fantasy, where the line is unclear between reality and legend. In countryside villages faith continues in strigoi ("screamers") – otherworldly, form-changing vampires, who emerge from tombs to terrorise local communities.

The famous author's famous fictional vampire is permanently linked with Transylvania, and the historic stronghold – an ancient structure situated on a cliff edge in the mountain range – is heavily promoted as "the count's residence".

But including legend-filled Transylvania – truly, "the land past the woods" – feels solid and predictable compared to this spooky forest, which give the impression of being, for reasons radioactive, environmental or entirely legendary, a nexus for fantasy projection.

"Within this forest," Marius comments, "the line between truth and fantasy is very thin."