π Share this article Venturing into this Globe's Spookiest Forest: Twisted Trees, Unidentified Flying Objects and Spooky Stories in Romania's Legendary Region. "Locals dub this location the Bermuda Triangle of Transylvania," remarks an experienced guide, the air from his lungs producing puffs of mist in the cold evening air. "Countless individuals have gone missing here, some say there's a gateway to a different realm." The guide is guiding a traveler on a nocturnal tour through what is often described as the globe's spookiest grove: Hoia-Baciu, a section spanning 640 acres of primeval indigenous forest on the fringes of the Romanian city of Cluj-Napoca. Hundreds of Years of Enigma Reports of unusual events here date back centuries β the forest is named after a regional herder who is said to have vanished in the long ago, accompanied by his entire flock. But Hoia-Baciu gained global recognition in 1968, when an army specialist named Emil Barnea took a picture of what he reported as a flying saucer floating above a round opening in the middle of the forest. Many came in here and never came out. But no need to fear," he states, turning to the traveler with a smirk. "Our tours have a 100% return rate." In the time after, Hoia-Baciu has drawn meditation experts, spiritual healers, UFO researchers and ghost hunters from across the world, interested in encountering the mysterious powers believed to resonate through the forest. Contemporary Dangers Although it is one of the world's premier hotspots for lovers of the paranormal, the forest is under threat. The western suburbs of Cluj-Napoca β an innovative digital cluster of over 400,000 residents, described as the tech capital of eastern Europe β are expanding, and developers are campaigning for authorization to clear the trees to construct residential buildings. Barring a small area housing locally rare Mediterranean oak trees, this woodland is not officially protected, but Marius hopes that the company he co-founded β a local conservation effort β will contribute to improving the situation, persuading the government officials to appreciate the forest's importance as a visitor destination. Spooky Experiences When small sticks and fall foliage break and crackle beneath their shoes, Marius describes various local legends and alleged ghostly incidents here. A popular tale describes a young child going missing during a family outing, then to return five years later with complete amnesia of her experience, without aging a single day, her garments lacking the tiniest bit of dust. More common reports describe smartphones and photography gear mysteriously turning off on stepping into the forest. Feelings range from complete terror to states of ecstasy. Certain individuals claim noticing bizarre skin irritations on their skin, perceiving disembodied whispers through the forest, or sense hands grabbing them, although sure they are alone. Research Efforts Despite several of the stories may be unverifiable, numerous elements visibly present that is undeniably strange. All around are plants whose bases are bent and twisted into unusual forms. Multiple explanations have been given to account for the deformed trees: strong gales could have altered the growth, or naturally high radiation levels in the soil explain their crooked growth. But scientific investigations have turned up insufficient proof. The Notorious Meadow The expert's tours enable guests to take part in a small-scale research of their own. As we approach the clearing in the trees where Barnea captured his well-known UFO pictures, he passes his guest an EMF meter which registers EMF readings. "We're entering the most active part of the forest," he comments. "Try to detect something." The trees immediately cease as we emerge into a flawless round. The only greenery is the short grass beneath the ground; it's apparent that it's not maintained, and appears that this bizarre meadow is natural, not the work of landscaping. Between Reality and Imagination Transylvania generally is a area which inspires creativity, where the border is blurred between fact and folklore. In countryside villages belief persists in strigoi ("screamers") β supernatural, form-changing vampires, who rise from their graves to haunt nearby villages. The famous author's renowned fictional vampire is forever associated with Transylvania, and the historic stronghold β a Saxon monolith located on a rocky outcrop in the Transylvanian Alps β is heavily promoted as "the count's residence". But despite myth-shrouded Transylvania β literally, "the land past the woods" β seems solid and predictable versus these eerie woods, which seem to be, for causes nuclear, atmospheric or entirely legendary, a hub for fantasy projection. "In Hoia-Baciu," the guide states, "the line between fact and fiction is very thin."