BAG END TO RIVENDELL (458 miles)

 

by Karen Wynn Fonstad

 

Author of The Atlas of Middle-Earth

_________ Total Miles for your Personal Journey thus far

Cumulative
Miles for Walk

Miles from last Mile- Post

Location/description at the Milepost.

Sept. 23 - Day 1: 18 miles - Frodo and Company leave for Rivendell

0

0

Leave Bag End at full dark (ca. 7 p.m.). Go around (W) end, jump hedge.

1

1

Go through gate into a lane. Head west.

2

1

Leave lane, follow hedgerows south.

3

1

Cross The Water on a plank bridge

5

2

Cross The Great Road from the Brandywine Bridge. Enter Tookland.

7.5

2.5

Look back at lights of Hobbiton from first slopes of the Green Hill Country.

9

1.5

Hobbiton hidden as slopes rise and fall.

11

2

Stop in a birch grove. Eat a frugal supper (ca. 10 p.m.).

14.5

3.5

Reach Stock Road

15.5

1

Begin to sing. Walk through a deeply cloven track between tall trees.

17.5

2

Climb a steep slope. Pippins yawns ("Nearly midnight").

 18

0.5

Camp - In a firwood just over top of the hill. Sleep by a large tree. Fox sees them.

Sept. 24 - Day 2: 28 miles

18

 0

Eat at campsite. Water from a stream at the foot of the hill. "A little fall where the water fell a few feet over an outcrop of grey stone." After 10:00 a.m. when leave.

20-28

2-10

Road rolls up and down.

 29

1

Road zig-zigs to top of a steep bank and goes down for the last time. Can see across Woody End to the River. **THEY STOP TO REST, EAT, and REST more! (ca. 1:30-4:30 p.m.) Sun was 'beginning to get low' as they went down the hill.

32

3

Road ahead runs fairly straight and level. Behind them it curves slightly. BLACK RIDER. Sam and Pippin hide in a hollow. Frodo behind tree by road (ca.5 p.m.).

35

3

Keep a stone's throw left of the road...slower going.

37

2

Road splits. Road to Stock bends left and goes down into the lowlands. They take a lane which branches to the right, winding through a wood of ancient Oaks. "Sun down and evening coming on" (ca. 6:30 p.m.). Quite close to the road-meeting they creep inside a huge tree. Eat and rest.

38

 1

Go on in twilight. Begin to sing. (ca. 7:00 p.m.)

41

 3

"And NOW to bed!" Pippin says, when BLACK RIDER is heard again (ca. 9 p.m.). ELVES arrive, RIDER leaves, and Frodo & Co. continue with Elves.

42-44

1-3

Wood more dense, and lane went lower, running in a fold of hills, with hazel on the slopes alongside. Pippin quickly becomes sleepy.

45

1

Turn right off the path on 'a green ride' through thickets.

46

1

Camp - Woody End. A green floor in the wood, roofed by boughs of trees. To the east a steep shoulder falls, and they can overlook the river valley. The lights of the village of Woodhall seen below (ca. 11 p.m.).

Sept. 25 - Day 3: 27 miles

46

0

Sleep late (leaving time ca. 11:00 a.m.). Frodo decides to cut SE to Buckleberry Ferry. Scramble down hill into the thick trees below. It begins to cloud up.

47

1

A deep-banked stream below the hill cuts across their path. Looking back, they see a Black Rider on the hillcrest where they had camped. They force through the bushes alongside the stream.

48

1

Pippin realizes it is the Stock-brook. The banks are low enough now for them to cross. The land on its south bank is wet and reedy.

50

2

They reach a belt of trees, mostly oaks with a few elms and ash. Drops of rain fall.

52

2

Pippin realizes they've turned too far south as they are still in the trees.

54

2

Still in the trees, they stop for lunch (ca. 2:00 p.m.). Their singing is cut by the cry of a Black Rider, and they leave (ca. 3:00 p.m.).

55

1

Wood ends. The land steadily becomes more tame. Sun is shining brightly.

56

1

Reach area of the Marish with fields, meadows, hedges, gates, and drainage dikes.

61

5

Edges of fields worked by Farmer Maggot.

62

1

After a turnip field there is a stout gate to a rutted lane, edged by hedges.    

63

1

Farmer Maggot's house and buildings: brick with thatched roofs, surrounded by a high wall cut by a wooden gate from the lane. Eat. (Est. time there: 5:30 - 7:00 p.m.: full dark when they leave).

65

2

Farmer Maggot's lane meets the Causeway to Buckleberry Ferry. Ride in wagon.

70

5

Boggy land all around. Foggy. Merry meets them at the Ferry landing. As they reach the other side of the river, they can see a Black Rider on the west shore.

70.5

0.5

Taking the main road north from the Ferry, Buck Hill is on the left and Buckleberry on the right. They take a lane to the right, and climb up and down into the country.

73

2.5

Crickhollow - spend the night. "A Conspiracy Unmasked".

Sept. 26 - Day 4: 25 miles

73

0

Leave Crickhollow soon after 6:00 a.m. Foggy. Ride ponies slowly.

75

3

Enter tunnel under Hedge to reach The Old Forest. Path disappears (ca. 7:15 a.m.).

78

2

The Bonfire Glade - clear path beyond. Sunny, but not yet in clearing (ca. 8 a.m.).

78-86

0-8

On path in the Forest. Path climbs gently.

87

1

Top of knoll in Forest. Hazy. Surrounded by Trees. Eat, rest (11 a.m.-ca.1 p.m.)

88

1

Path veers SE. Company leaves path and tries to turn north.

89-90

1-2

Cross series of deep folds running SE. Keep turning east. Lose direction.

91

1

Enter fold too deep to leave. Follow it SE to Withywindle (ca. 4 p.m.).

93

2

Merry finds path along bank of the River. Follow it east through wetlands.

95

2

Stop by Old Man Willow to rest. (ca. 5:30) Rescued by Tom Bombadil (ca.6:00 p.m.).

98

3

Reach Tom Bombadil's house. Stars are out (ca. 7 p.m.).

Sept. 27 - Day 5 - REST: 0 miles

98

0

Rainy. Spend the day at Tom Bombadil's house.

Sept. 28 - Day 6: 17 miles

98

0

Leave Tom's house and climb zig-zag path to brow of hill on west side of Barrow-downs (ca. 9 a.m.). On ponies go up steep slopes and down long limbs. No trees or water. Turn more east than they intend and enter the Barrow-downs, a place of great dread: inhabited by evil Barrow-wights from Angmar (R. Foster).

112

14

Midday. Stop in a hollow atop a hill. Eat and fall asleep. Wake in fog, sun sinking.

115

3

Try to head north, but lose their way and become separated. Captured by Wights.

Sept. 29 - Day 7: 20 miles

115

0

Frodo sings, Tom rescues and recalls ponies. Leave about 10 a.m. Tom leads.

118

3

Ride north through a gap.

123

5

Reach dike and hedge. Former boundary of Cardolan, part of the North Kingdom of Arnor.

131

8

Return to Great East Road (ca.5:30). Tom departs. Strider sees them, but hides.

135

4

Reach Bree. Stay at The Prancing Pony. Meet Strider. Ponies stolen during night.

Sept. 30 - Day 8 (1st from Bree): 12 miles

135

0

Leave Bree on East Road (ca. 9:30 a.m.).

140

5

Leave road and head north into Chetwood. No living things all day.

147

7

Camp in Chetwood, east of Archet.

Oct. 1 - Day 9 (2nd from Bree): 16 miles

147

0

Head east. Ground dropping slowly. Quiet and peaceful.

163

16

Camp in eastern Chetwood.

Oct. 2 - Day 10 (3rd from Bree): 16 miles

165

2

Come out of the Chetwood.

173

8

Ground becomes damp. Entering western edge of Midgewater Marshes.

179

6

Camp in western part of the Marshes.

Oct. 3 - Day 11 (4th from Bree): 15 miles

194

15

Camp in eastern part of the Marshes. See flashes of light in the east during the night (Gandalf on Weathertop).

Oct. 4 - Day 12 (5th from Bree): 17 miles

198

4

Reach eastern edge of the Marshes. Can see Weather Hills ahead. Land starts to rise. Land drier and very barren. A few birds.

211

13

Camp by a stream, among stunted alder trees. Moon waxing.

Oct. 5 - Day 13 (6th from Bree): 18 miles

211

0

Frost. Very clear. Can see crumbled ruins on Hills ahead.

229

18

Reach foot of the Weather Hills. Camp there.

Oct. 6 - Day 14 (7th from Bree): 12 miles

229

0

Follow path south toward Weathertop: path is cunningly hidden and is edged with stones where land is open. Sam recites part of "The Fall of Gil-galad."

239

10

Midday - Near south end of path. Reach dell at western foot of hill.

240

1

Climb to top of Weathertop and enter the ruins of the watch Tower of Amon Sûl. See Black Riders on road below.

241

1

Return to dell. Camp there. Attack of Nazgul at night.

Oct. 7 - Day 15 (1st from Weathertop): 19 miles

241

0

Injured, Frodo is carried on pony. Head south from dell.

251

10

Cross Great East Road and enter thickets on south side. Land slopes south.

260

9

Camp in thickets.

Oct. 8 - Day 16 (2 nd from Weathertop): 19 miles

279

19

Camp.

Oct. 9 - Day 17 (3rd from Weathertop): 19 miles

298

19

Camp - Follow a wide shallow curving valley.

Oct. 10 - Day 18 (4th from Weathertop): 19 miles

317

19

Camp - Continue in valley.

Oct. 11 - Day 19 (5th from Weathertop): 19 miles

336

19

Continue in valley. Land starts to rise. Can see 'huddle of hills' ahead.

Oct. 12 - Day 20 (6th from Weathertop): 19 miles

355

19

Camp not far SW of bridge. Camp is high enough for Merry to see the Loudwater far in the distance!

Oct. 13 - Day 21 (7th from Weathertop): 7 miles

356

1

Return to The Great East Road

358

2

Strider scouts ahead and finds an elf-stone on The Last Bridge. He believes it is a token of safety. Company crosses the River Hoarwell/Mitheithel.

359

1

Turn north from the Road. Enter the steep lands of the Trollshaws. They can see ruined walls and towers frowning down.

362

3

Hills quickly shut them in. Difficult going. Camp.

Oct. 14 - Day 21 (8th from Weathertop): 6 miles

368

6

More climbing.

Oct. 15 - Day 22 (9th from Weathertop): 6 miles

374

6

Weather turns wet during the day.

Oct. 16 - Day 23 (10th from Weathertop): 6 miles

380

6

Hills higher and steeper. They are forced north out of their way. Still raining. Camp on a stony shelf by a shallow cave.

Oct. 17 - Day 24 (11th from Weathertop): 6 miles

386

6

Rain stops. Strider scouts. Start late. Turn SE, scrambling over rocky ground. Find a valley, but it ends in a high ridge. Climb ridge and camp in a saddle at top. COLD. Build a fire under a gnarled pine.

Oct. 18 - Day 25 (12th from Weathertop): 34 miles

387

1

Slope beyond ridge is much easier. Bright, fair day. Strider briefly sees the Loudwater/Bruinen in the distance.

389

2

Reach a trail.

392

3

Find Troll-hole. Continue on level path through woods.

393

1

Stone Trolls. Rest. Sam recites "Old Troll." Continue in afternoon. Woods.

400

7

Return to the Road.

405

5

While looking for a place to camp, hear a horse: Glorfindel.

420

15

March all night. Frodo is on Glorfindel's horse. Camp next to the road at dawn.

Oct. 19 - Day 26 (13sth from Weathertop): 20 miles

420

0

Camp less than 5 hours. Take road with 2 brief rests.

429

9

Cross a small stream. Rest stop.

432

3

Rest stop.

440

8

Camp where road bends right to run down slope toward the River Bruinen.

Oct. 20 - Day 27 (14th from Weathertop): 18 miles

440

0

Leave early morning, hobbling along (ca. 7 a.m.).

447

7

Road running downhill. Much grass on sides.

449

2

Road plunges through a cutting of red stone with tall pines. Glorfindel says "Run!"

449.5

0.5

Hobbits are halfway across grassy flat when Nazgul burst through behind them.

450

0.5

Attack at the Ford (ca. noon). Glorfindel's horse carries Frodo across Ford. Nazgul drown. Frodo falls.

452

2

Company meets Elves sent from Rivendell (est. 2 p.m.). They take Frodo ahead. Rest of company follows on foot.

457

5

Come to the sudden cliff into the valley of Rivendell.

458

1

Frodo reaches Rivendell carried by the Elves (est. 4 p.m.). Others arrive in evening.

458 Miles : Bag End to Rivendell

 

Return to Map
Éowyn Challenge Pathway Mileage and Descriptions