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"People refer to this location the Bermuda Triangle of Transylvania," explains an experienced guide, his breath forming clouds of condensation in the chilly dusk atmosphere. "So many individuals have disappeared here, some say there's a gateway to another dimension." This expert is guiding a traveler on a evening stroll through commonly known as the planet's most ghostly woodland: Hoia-Baciu, a section spanning 640 acres of ancient local woods on the fringes of the metropolis of Cluj-Napoca.

A Long History of the Unexplained

Accounts of bizarre occurrences here go back centuries – this woodland is called after a area shepherd who is said to have vanished in the distant past, accompanied by 200 of his sheep. But Hoia-Baciu gained global recognition in 1968, when a military technician known as Emil Barnea took a picture of what he claimed was a flying saucer hovering above a circular clearing in the centre of the forest.

Countless ventured inside and failed to return. But no need to fear," he states, turning to his guest with a smirk. "Our excursions have a perfect safety record."

In the decades since, Hoia-Baciu has drawn meditation experts, traditional medicine people, UFO researchers and ghost hunters from around the globe, eager to feel the mysterious powers said to echo through the forest.

Modern Threats

It may be one of the world's premier pilgrimage sites for paranormal enthusiasts, the forest is at risk. The outlying areas of Cluj-Napoca – a contemporary technology center of over 400,000 residents, described as the Silicon Valley of the region – are advancing, and developers are campaigning for permission to clear the trees to build apartment blocks.

Except for a small area housing regionally uncommon oak varieties, the forest is lacking legal protection, but Marius believes that the company he was instrumental in creating – a dedicated preservation group – will contribute to improving the situation, motivating the government officials to recognise the forest's value as a tourist attraction.

Eerie Encounters

As twigs and autumn leaves break and crackle beneath their footwear, the guide describes some of the local legends and reported paranormal happenings here.

• A well-known account recounts a young child going missing during a group gathering, only to reappear after five years with no memory of what had happened, having not aged a single day, her garments lacking the slightest speck of dust.
• Regular stories describe smartphones and photography gear inexplicably shutting down on stepping into the forest.
• Feelings range from absolute fear to moments of euphoria.
• Some people claim noticing bizarre skin irritations on their arms, hearing ghostly voices through the woodland, or experience fingers clutching them, although sure they are alone.

Research Efforts

Although numerous of the stories may be impossible to confirm, numerous elements before my eyes that is definitely bizarre. Everywhere you look are plants whose bases are curved and contorted into unusual forms.

Different theories have been proposed to account for the abnormal growth: that hurricane winds could have shaped the young trees, or typically increased electromagnetic fields in the soil account for their crooked growth.

But formal examinations have discovered insufficient proof.

The Famous Clearing

The expert's excursions enable participants to engage in a modest investigation of their own. As we approach the clearing in the woods where Barnea captured his renowned UFO images, he hands the traveler an ghost-hunting device which measures EMF readings.

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

The trees immediately cease as the group enters into a flawless round. The sole vegetation is the low vegetation beneath their shoes; it's apparent that it's not maintained, and appears that this strange clearing is organic, not the work of human hands.

Between Reality and Imagination

The broader region is a location which stirs the imagination, where the border is blurred between truth and myth. In countryside villages faith continues in strigoi ("screamers") – otherworldly, shapeshifting creatures, who rise from their graves to terrorise nearby villages.

The famous author's famous vampire Count Dracula is permanently linked with Transylvania, and the historic stronghold – a medieval building situated on a rocky outcrop in the Carpathian Mountains – is actively advertised as "the vampire's home".

But including myth-shrouded Transylvania – literally, "the land past the woods" – feels real and understandable versus these eerie woods, which seem to be, for causes nuclear, environmental or simply folkloric, a hub for fantasy projection.

"Within this forest," Marius states, "the boundary between reality and imagination is very thin."