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"People refer to this spot the Bermuda Triangle of Transylvania," explains an experienced guide, his exhalation creating wisps of mist in the chilly evening air. "Countless individuals have gone missing here, some say it's an entrance to a parallel world." Marius is leading a visitor on a night walk through what is often described as the globe's spookiest forest: Hoia-Baciu, a square mile of old-growth native woodland on the edges of the metropolis of Cluj-Napoca.

Centuries of Mystery

Stories of unusual events here date back a long time – the forest is titled for a regional herder who is reportedly went missing in the far-off times, accompanied by his entire flock. But Hoia-Baciu achieved international attention in 1968, when a military technician known as Emil Barnea took a picture of what he described as a flying saucer suspended above a round opening in the heart of the forest.

Numerous entered this place and never came out. But don't worry," he adds, addressing the visitor with a smile. "Our guided walks have a perfect safety record."

In the time after, Hoia-Baciu has drawn yoga practitioners, spiritual healers, extraterrestrial investigators and supernatural researchers from around the globe, curious to experience the mysterious powers said to echo through the forest.

Contemporary Dangers

It may be a top global pilgrimage sites for paranormal enthusiasts, the grove is under threat. The western suburbs of Cluj-Napoca – a modern tech hub of over 400,000 residents, described as the innovation center of the region – are expanding, and construction companies are advocating for permission to cut down the woods to erect housing complexes.

Aside from a few hectares home to area-specific Mediterranean oak trees, the forest is without conservation status, but the guide hopes that the company he was instrumental in creating – a dedicated preservation group – will contribute to improving the situation, persuading the government officials to appreciate the forest's significance as a tourist attraction.

Spooky Experiences

As twigs and autumn leaves snap and crunch beneath their shoes, the guide recounts some of the folk tales and alleged supernatural events here.

• A popular tale recounts a young child vanishing during a family outing, only to rematerialise five years later with complete amnesia of what had happened, having not aged a single day, her garments without the smallest trace of dirt.
• Frequent accounts describe mobile phones and camera equipment inexplicably shutting down on entering the woods.
• Emotional responses range from complete terror to moments of euphoria.
• Various visitors claim seeing unusual marks on their arms, detecting ghostly voices through the trees, or experience fingers clutching them, although sure they are alone.

Scientific Investigations

Although numerous of the accounts may be hard to prove, there is much before my eyes that is certainly unusual. Throughout the area are plants whose stems are curved and contorted into unusual forms.

Different theories have been proposed to clarify the deformed trees: strong gales could have shaped the young trees, or inherently elevated radiation levels in the ground cause their strange formation.

But research studies have turned up no satisfactory evidence.

The Legendary Opening

The guide's walks permit guests to take part in a little scientific inquiry of their own. Upon reaching the opening in the woods where Barnea took his famous UFO images, he hands his guest an EMF meter which measures EMF readings.

"We're venturing into the most energetic section of the forest," he says. "Try to detect something."

The plants suddenly stop dead as the group enters into a perfect circle. The sole vegetation is the short grass beneath the ground; it's clear that it's not maintained, and looks that this unusual opening is organic, not the result of human hands.

Between Reality and Imagination

This part of Romania is a place which inspires creativity, where the division is indistinct between reality and legend. In traditional settlements belief persists in strigoi ("screamers") – undead, form-changing vampires, who return from burial sites to terrorise local communities.

The novelist's famous vampire Count Dracula is permanently linked with Transylvania, and Bran Castle – an ancient structure located on a rocky outcrop in the mountain range – is heavily promoted as "the count's residence".

But despite legend-filled Transylvania – truly, "the land past the woods" – feels tangible and comprehensible compared to the haunted grove, which appear to be, for causes related to radiation, atmospheric or simply folkloric, a hub for human imaginative power.

"Inside these woods," Marius states, "the line between reality and imagination is extremely fine."