________Total Cumulative Miles (incl. Bonus miles) for your Personal Journey thus far:

Cumulative

Miles for Leg

Miles from last Mile- Post

Location/description at the Milepost.

Feb. 26 – Day 1: 12 miles

0

0

Breaking of the Fellowship. Boromir slain. Pippin and Merry captured by orcs. Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli return to Parth Galen. Lay Boromir in one of the boats and send it over Rauros Falls. Seeing that Sam and Frodo have gone east, Aragorn chooses to rescue Merry and Pippin.

1

1

The ‘Three Hunters’ return to the glade where Boromir fell and pick up the orcs’ trail (ca. 4:30 p.m.).

6

5

Trail passes along many gullies and ravines which dissect the backslope of the eastern ridge of the Emyn Muil.

10

4

Descend the steep western cliff face.

12

2

Rest briefly about an hour before dawn (ca. 5 a.m.). No Camp.

Feb. 27 – Day 2: 51 miles

12

0

They are in a stony trough between ridged hills. A trickling stream runs through the trough. Aragorn cannot see the trail in the stony land, but decides to look north.

14

2

Legolas finds 5 dead orcs. They search area.

16

2

Aragorn finds orcs’ pathway going up a ravine in the western ridge. The upper stream runs in the ravine.

20

4

Head of the stream. They continue up the ravine.

23

3

Reach crest of western ridge. Dawn. Chill wind. Legolas sees eagle. Also sees the orc company far ahead (ca. 36 miles).

24

1

Trail goes north along ridge.

25

1

Reach a narrow ravine where orcs climbed down. A noisy stream runs through it. The cliff drops ‘20 fathoms’ (120 feet) to a ‘wide and rugged shelf’ – the East Wall of Rohan.

27

2

The sheer cliff drops to the grassy plains on a path like a stony stair.

28

1

Stream disappears amid watercress. Air is warm and fragrant. They run faster.

30

2

Aragorn sees Pippin’s trail to the side and finds the Elven brooch.

32

2

Brief rest.

47

15

Brief rest.

63

16

Night falls. Camp (ca. 5:30 p.m.).

Feb. 28 – Day 3: 36 miles

63

0

Aragorn listens to ground and hears horses galloping away from them. They leave at dawn.

90

27

Ground begins to rise toward the downs to the north (ca. 3 p.m.).

94

4

Trail bends north. Tracks become more faint on the dryer ground. Land seems empty.

99

5

Camp. Legolas fears orcs have reached Fangorn. Gathering clouds hide sliver of moon.

Feb. 29 – Day 4: 36 miles

99

0

A red dawn. East wind.

111

12

11 a.m. Reach the first slopes of the Downs. See trampled grass from the orc camp just west of the slope. Aragorn estimates 36 hours old.

120

9

North face of southern down ridge.

127

7

Rising crest of second down ridge.

135

8

Reach most northerly hill of the Downs. Camp on hill. Cold and starry.

Feb. 30 – Day 5: 30 miles

135

0

Dawn – east wind. Can see the Wold ahead and to the east. 15 miles away they see the Riders of Rohan. Decide to wait there. Meeting with the Riders. Éomer lends them two horses. Aragorn rides Hasufel; Legolas and Gimli: Arod. Leave ca. 11 a.m.

140

5

Find the orc trail from the East. Aragorn searches. Ride more slowly.

163

23

Overcast. Begin to find dead orcs.

165

2

Reach Fangorn and find pyre of orcs (ca. 4 p.m.). Search area. Camp by trees. Build a fire. See Saruman. Horses flee, but meet Shadowfax.

Mar. 1 – Day 6: 105 miles

165

0

Eat at dawn. Search again.

165.5

0.5

Find mallorn leaf near knife and ropes.

166

0.5

See faint hobbit prints near river.

166.5

0.5

See prints of 1 hobbit at edge of trees. Enter Fangorn Forest.

168

1.5

Clear prints by river of both Merry and Pippin (2 days old).

169.5

1.5

Follow hobbits’ trail to foot of Treebeard’s Hill.

170

0.5

Climb Treebeard’s Hill. See old man below. Legolas realizes it is Gandalf!

170.5

0.5

Leave Treebeard’s Hill.

173.5

3

Follow the Entwash back out of the forest. Gandalf whistles for Shadowfax. Arod and Hasufel also return.

176

2.5

Go along bank of the Entwash.

179

3

Wade across the river at a shallow place.

186

7

Flat land, treeless and wide. Ride through meads and riverlands.

194

8

Hidden pool.

204

10

Sedge in treacherous bogs.

224

20

As sun settles toward the west, see smoke from Isengard.

226

2

Sunset.

229

3

Dusk.

232

3

Full night.

250

18

Shadowfax leads as quickly as by daylight.

270

20

Stop at last (ca. midnight). Camp only a few hours.

Mar. 2 – Day 7: 62 miles

270

0

Continue under the moon (ca. 3 a.m.). Long clouds and chill wind.

280

10

Moon sets into clouds of the west.

285

5

Bitter chill. Dark slowly fades.

290

5

Dawn. Clear and bright. Legolas can see Meduseld.

294

4

Ford the Snowbourne. Reach a wide track. Follow it to the uplands.

294.5

0.5

Pass the burial mounds at the foot of the hill and climb to Edoras. Stopped from entering until permission is received.

295

0.5

Climb to Meduseld, the Golden Hall of Edoras. Gandalf heals Théoden. Rainy and windy as they exit the hall, but a shaft of sunlight shines through. Éomer is freed. Grima departs. King orders Riders to prepare to ride. Eat. Leave ca. 1 p.m.

296

1

Recross the Snowbourne.

297

1

Follow a beaten way across the foothills.

319

22

Cross a small stream.

332

13

Dusk. Camp (ca. 6 p.m.).

Mar. 3 – Day 8: 82 miles

332

0

Rise at dawn. Depart ca. 7 a.m.

343

11

Cross a small stream.

350

7

No clouds, but hot and hazy. Dark in the east.

352

2

Cross a small stream.

359

7

Legolas can see darkness with shapes in it near the River Isen: Huorns.

360

1

Cross a small stream.

372

12

Cross a small stream.

382

10

Cross a small stream.

400

18

Dark clouds from east begin to overtake them.

402

2

Sunset. Near the mouth of the Westfold Vale. See a ride in the west.

403

1

Rider arrives. Tells them of the fall of Erkenbrand. Gandalf advises Théoden to ride for Helm’s Deep. Gandalf leaves on Shadowfax.

404

1

Host reaches the road into the Deeping Coomb. They turn south.

406

2

Night falls.

408

2

As climb upwards in the Deeping Coomb, scout reports wolf-riders.

410

2

Orc bands flee the advancing Riders.

412

2

Looking back, see torches of Saruman’s army.

413.5

1.5

Reach Helm’s Dike. It is overcast and dark.

414

0.5

Reach the Hornburg: the fortress of Helm’s Deep.

Mar. 4 – Day 9: 40 miles

414

0

Past midnight. Lightning shows all the vale is filled with Saruman’s army – 10,000 strong at least. Rain begins. Battle of Helm’s Deep. Weather clears (ca. 4:30 a.m.). Uruk-hai blast an opening through the Deeping Wall. Defenders retreat to the Hornburg and the caves.

DAWN. Defenders counterattack. Gandalf arrives with Erkenbrand’s riders. Orcs flee into Huorns and are destroyed. Dunlendings surrender. King’s company rests. Departs for Isengard in afternoon (ca. 3 p.m.).

414.5

0.5

Company stops at burial mounds, then passes through Helm’s Dike.

415

0.5

Reach Huorns. Road continues among the ‘trees.’

423.5

8.5

Reach the end of the Huorns.

424

0.5

Turn west to Fords of Isen. Red after-sunset. See carrion fowl ahead.

432

8

Waxing moon rises.

439

7

Reach Fords (ca. 9:30 p.m.). The Isen is almost dry. Pass the burial mound of Erkenbrand’s riders on an islet in the riverbed.

440

1

Turn north on the highway to Isengard.

454

14

Midnight. 15 miles north of the Fords. Camp beside the river. During the night Huorns pass by. Company wakes. Later the water returns.

Mar. 5 – Day 10: 16 miles

454

0

Dawn. Make ready to continue. Ride slowly.

456

2

Enter the south end of the Wizard’s Vale.

460

4

Pass through a wilderness of weeds and thorns. All trees cut to stumps.

464

4

Highway becomes a wide street, paved with stones.

466

2

Pass a tall pillar: the White Hand. Evidence of a flood beyond.

469.5

3.5

Reach the gates of Isengard (past noon). Meet Merry and Pippin. Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli stay at gatehouse to eat and talk.

470

0.5

Reach Orthanc. Confrontation with Saruman.

________Total Cumulative Miles (incl. Bonus miles) for your Personal Journey thus far:

+484 Miles = Rauros to Isengard: Aragorn’s Path

_________ = Your Personal Journey thus far