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The Road Home:  Isengard to Rivendell

Éowyn Challenge Pathway Mileage and Descriptions


THE ROAD HOME: Isengard to Rivendell (693 miles)


by Karen Wynn Fonstad


Author of The Atlas of Middle-earth

________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.

Continue August 22 – Day 34: 17 miles

535

0

Saruman’s Isengard is no more. The Ents have transformed it into the Treegarth of Orthanc. The Tower rises from a mirroring lake, with an east-running stream feeding the Isen. All the circle is filled with trees and orchards. Treebeard tells Gandalf of Saruman’s release. Legolas and Gimli say farewell, and turn east to go home via Fangorn Forest.

535.5

0.5

Pass from the circle of Isengard. Follow the stone-paved road south.

537

1.5

All is green and growing.

539

2

Pass the sapling at the old pillar of the White Hand.

541

2

Stone pavement ends. Highway continues.

545

4

All around are newly planted trees and shrubs.

549

4

Leave the Wizard’s Vale.

551

2

Reach the campsite of the night before. Sunset. Final Separation: Aragorn and his knights ride on toward the Fords. Travellers turn west.

552

1

Camp in the dell next to the south-facing slope of Dol Baran, the last hill of the northern ranges. Here Pippin looked into the palantír.

August 23 – Day 35: 28 miles

552

0

Curve west from Dol Baran around the foothills of Methedras.

580

28

Camp. Still in the Gap of Rohan. White Mountains only ca. 50 miles south.

August 24 – Day 36: 30 miles

580

0

Continue west near foothills.

595

15

Turn slightly north. Open lands widen into wasted plains of Dunland.

610

15

Camp by a small stream.

August 25 – Day 37: 30 miles

610

0

Cross stream. Turn northwest.

625

15

Dunlendings see company and hide.

640

15

Camp at base of an out-thrust hill of Methedras.

August 26 – Day 38: 30 miles

640

0

Continue riding almost due north.

646

6

Cross a small stream.

655

9

Hills draw away to east. Wide plains lie west.

670

15

Reach the remains of the roadway to Tharbad. Camp.

August 27 – Day 39: 30 miles

670

0

Follow the old roadway northwest.

685

15

See woods in the distance across the roadway.

690

5

Snowcapped peak of Methedras rises due east.

700

10

Stop at a small stream. Woods lie to east and north. Camp.

August 28 – Day 40: 30 miles

700

0

Cross stream and enter the woods.

710

10

Woods extend further west, into a valley between two streams.

720

10

A root of Methedras reaches west toward the road.

728

8

Leave wood just before sunset. Overtake Saruman and Grima Wormtongue walking north also. Saruman turns west with Grima.

730

2

Company stops by a stream. Camp.

August 29 – Day 41: 30 miles

730

0

Cross stream. Enter Northern Dunland. Continue on roadway.

745

15

Empty land, though green and pleasant.

760

15

Camp.

August 30 – Day 42: 30 miles

760

0

Continue northwest on roadway.

775

15

Draw farther and farther from the mountains and foothills.

790

15

Camp.

September 1 – Day 43: 30 miles

790

0

Continue northwest on roadway.

800

10

Reach a point where the land drops into the valley of the Greyflood. Turn northeast from the roadway and follow the ridge of the upland shelf. Weather golden.

820

20

Camp in plains. Marshes of the Swanfleet lie to the north.

September 2 – Day 44: 30 miles

820

0

Continue northeast.

835

15

Continue to follow the eastern edge of the upland shelf.

850

15

Camp in plains. Silver night.

September 3 – Day 45: 30 miles

850

0

Continue northeast.

860

10

Can see mists above the fens of the Swanfleet delta.

875

15

Cross the ford of the Swanfleet. West of the ford are falls where the river descends from the upland shelf to the lowlands of the Greyflood, spreading in a broad inland delta.

876

1

Eregion – Turn east and follow the river.

880

4

Camp by river.

September 4 – Day 46: 30 miles

880

0

Continue east next to the river.

910

30

Reach the ruins of Ost-en-Edhil, the former chief city of the Elf-realm of Hollin/Eregion. Camp at the confluence of the Glanduin and the Sirannon.

September 5 – Day 47: 30 miles

910

0

Follow the Moria-road east on the north bank of the Sirannon.

925

15

Valley deepens. Road runs above the valleyway.

940

15

Camp.

September 6 – Day 48: 35 miles

940

0

Continue east on Moria-road. Mountains of Moria rise ahead of them.

965

25

Turn northeast from the road.

975

10

Reach the hill where the Fellowship had sheltered from the Warg attack. Camp.

September 7 - 12 – Day 49 - 54 Company converses.

September 13 – Day 55: 28 miles

975

0

Galadriel, Celeborn, and others from Lórien depart. Travel NE toward the Redhorn Gate. Others watch until see the flash of Galadriel’s ring. Gandalf and the hobbits start for Rivendell. Travel northwest from the hill.

Note: This journey takes only 9 days vs. 20 days for the Fellowship going south. The need for stealth can carry a high price, time-wise – and ponies go faster than hobbits!

1003

28

Camp.

September 14 – Day 56: 28 miles

1003

0

Continue northwest from the hill.

Note: This journey is about 25 - 30 miles west of the path taken by the Fellowship.

1010

7

Open country. Gentle slopes, easier for the ponies.

1031

21

Cross a small stream. Camp. Due east Caradhras glows in sunset.

September 15 – Day 57: 29 miles

1031

0

Turn due north.

1055

24

Reach the foot of Hollin Ridge. Begin to climb, angling west.

1060

5

Camp atop Hollin Ridge among the large smooth towering rocks.

September 16 – Day 58: 28 miles

1060

0

Start down the north side of the ridge. Thread their way between rocks.

1065

5

Reach the base of the ridge. Turn northeast.

1075

10

Cross a small stream.

1088

13

Camp west of a hill.

September 17 – Day 59: 28 miles

1088

0

Continue northeast.

1100

12

Land becomes more rugged to the east.

1116

16

Descend a slope to a small stream valley. Camp by stream.

September 18 – Day 60: 28 miles

1116

0

Cross stream and ride east alongside it.

1117

1

Climb out of stream valley. Continue northeast.

1130

13

Reach crest of a hill. Start down at an angle.

1144

14

Reach a small stream. Marshy area lies to the west. Camp.

September 19 – Day 61: 28 miles

1144

0

Cross the stream and follow valley east-northeast.

1150

6

Climb northeast up a slope. In the west, the marsh ends.

1160

10

Turn north. Start downhill again.

1172

12

Cross a small stream. Camp.

September 20 – Day 62: 28 miles

1172

0

To the west the Loudwater/Bruinen now runs in a deep valley and the surrounding terrain is too rugged to cross easily. Turn northeast again.

Note: Gradually they have returned to the path followed south by the Fellowship.

1185

13

Cross a small stream.

1200

15

Cross a small stream. Camp.

September 21 – Day 63: 28 miles

1200

0

Turn slightly west of north.

1220

20

Reach Ford of Bruinen. Follow stone-marked path NE to Rivendell.

1227

7

Come to the valley of Rivendell and descend zig-zag road.

1228

1

Reach the Last Homely House.

September 22 - October 4 – Days 64 - 76 Stay in Rivendell.

      Note: Sept. 22: Bilbo’s 129th birthday.

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

+693 Miles = The Road Home: Isengard to Rivendell

_________ = Your personal Journey thus far

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