Merry's Path

Éowyn Challenge Pathway Mileage and Descriptions ISENGARD TO MINAS TIRITH: Merry’s Path (578 Miles) by Karen Wynn Fonstad Author of The Atlas of Middle-earth An interesting point: Merry's journey from Helm’s Deep to Dunharrow totals exactly the same mileage as Aragorn's even though Merry was climbing up and down mountain paths. Aragorn had to go about 8 miles further north from Helm’s Deep to reach the road, stop briefly at Edoras (another 2 miles up and back), then ride 20 miles south to Dunharrow. That 30 miles offsets the estimated distances for Merry's hill journey.
________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.
Mar. 5 – Day 1: 17 miles
0	0	Isengard. Confrontation with Saruman. Gandalf breaks Saruman’s staff. Grima Wormtongue casts down the palantír of Orthanc. Pippin retrieves it, but Gandalf quickly takes it. Leave Isengard (ca. 4 p.m.)
.5	0.5	Pass through the gates of Isengard. Follow the stone-paved road south.
2	1.5	Flooded spots gradually are disappearing.
4	2	Pass the pillar of the White Hand. Ents have broken the hand apart.
6	2	Stone pavement ends. Highway continues.
8	2	Night falls. Waxing moon rises.
10	2	All around are tree stumps, weeds and thorns.
14	4	Leave the Wizard’s Vale. Highway goes SSE toward the Fords.
16	2	Reach the campsite of the night before. Turn west.
17	1	Camp (ca. 10 p.m.). In a dale next to the south-facing slope of Dol Baran, the last hill of the northern ranges. Heather and bracken fern are turning green. While Gandalf sleeps, Pippin takes the palantír and is seen by Sauron. Gandalf plans to ride out at once with Pippin. When a Nazgûl rides over, he warns Théoden not to wait for the dawn to leave.
Mar. 6 – Nt./Day 2: 61 miles
17	0	Aragorn and Merry, Legolas and Gimli ride out with Théoden, Éomer and 20 Riders (ca. midnight).
18	1	Return to the highway and turn south.
33	15	Company crosses the Fords of Isen.
35	2	They are overtaken by the Grey Company: Halbarad Dúnadan and 30 rangers of the North (summoned by Galadriel), plus Elrond’s sons: Elladan and Elrohir. Moon is westering, but shines out through clouds.
48	13	Reach the road to the Deeping Coomb and turn south to Helm’s Deep.
54	6	Climb upward through the Coomb.
57.5	3.5	Pass through Helm’s Dike.
58	0.5	Reach Helm’s Deep (ca. 6 a.m.). Enter the Hornburg. REST. Late morning Legolas and Gimli show Merry around the Deep. Lunch with Théoden and Riders. Aragorn confronts Sauron in the palantír and learns of the Black Fleet of Umbar. After consulting with Théoden, he decides to take the open road and ride for the Paths of the Dead. Merry rides out with Rohirrim (1 p.m.).
58.5	0.5	Riders pass through Helm’s Dike. Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli watch.
59	0.5	Ride down through the Deeping Coomb.
60	1	Turn east on a path that skirts the foothills.
61	1	Path turns south among the hills.
62	1	Reach crest of a ridge.
64	2	Valley.
66	2	Ridge. Far above rise some of the highest peaks of the White Mountains.
72	6	Reach a small stream. Turn north. Merry rides with Théoden.
74	2	Cross stream. Continue east.
78	4	Camp by a stream in a shallow valley.
Mar. 7 – Day 3: 40 miles
78	0	Leave just after dawn. Cross stream and climb hill.
80	2	Reach hillcrest. Turn SW along the crest.
84	4	Leave hillcrest and descend hillslope.
86	2	Reach a small stream. Turn north. Merry rides with Théoden.
88	2	Cross stream. Continue east.
91	3	Ridge. Turn south, climbing onto higher mountainsides now.
97	6	Cross a small stream. Brief stop. Eat.
100	3	Climb a still higher ridge. Reach crest. Turn south along crest.
102	2	Descend steep hillside from the crest. Zig-zag path.
107	5	Reach stream. Cross stream and turn north. Merry rides with Théoden.
108	1	Turn east from valley. Angle ENE up a high mountain ridge.
111	3	Reach crest.
114	3	Angle south down steep slope.
118	4	Dusk. Reach valley. Camp by small stream. Snow on peak above camp.
Mar. 8 – Day 4: 40 miles
118	0	Leave just after dawn. Cross stream and climb a slight rise.
122	4	Reach a swift-flowing mountain stream. Turn NE beside it. Merry rides with Théoden.
128	6	Cross stream. Continue alongside it. Merry rides with Théoden.
130	2	Turn east from stream. Climb a steep mountainside. Trees more scarce.
135	5	Reach the highest crest thus far. No trees. Merry rides with Théoden.
140	5	Snake down steep slope, pitted by bowl-shaped hollows: old cirques. Eat.
146	6	Cross a rushing stream just below where three mountain rills join, cascading down from glaciers above on the mountain peak.
150	4	Zig-zag up an open mountainside to a steep-cut ridge crest.
158	8	CAMP on the crest of the High Pass. COLD. No water source.
Mar. 9 – Day 5: 40 miles
158	0	Angle SE down the steep-falling slope of the ridge.
170	12	Reach a small stream tumbling down from the peak. Follow valley east. Pines begin to appear.
180	10	A second stream joins the first. Valley deepens and has pine-clad walls. Eat.
186	6	Cross the upland stream and follow the right bank.
192	6	The stream begins to cut a ravine on the left. In places the path climbs away along the valleyside.
196	4	Reach the valley mouth above Harrowdale. Valley is already in shadow and one light shines out. Stream plunges down a waterfall. Path turns SE from the western ravine and descends the steepsided wall of the valley. Fir-woods cloak the valley walls. Starkhorn looms over them on the south, its peak shining red in the sunset (ca. 5:30 p.m.).
196.5	0.5	Ford the Snowbourne. Cross to the valley floor and reach the road from Edoras. Most riders camp in the valley, joining the thousands already waiting there. Théoden’s company continues east to the Hold.
197	0.5	They climb the switchback road ‘Stair of the Hold’ some hundreds of feet up the mountain face. Ancient statues mark each turn of the road: the Púkel-men. A last cutting climbs a short slope.
198	1	Reach the Firienfeld of Dunharrow. Éowyn greets them there. Camp. Theoden’s Pavilion is set north of the standing stone-lined path. Merry has a small tent nearby. As Merry and others eat with the king, a errand-rider of Gondor arrives with ‘The Red Arrow’ – a plea to come to the aid of Minas Tirith.
Mar. 10 – Day 6 – The Dawnless Day: 56 miles
198	0	The dark has already reached Dunharrow when Merry is awakened in the morning (ca. 7 a.m.). Éowyn arms Merry. Théoden’s company leaves the Hold (ca. 9 a.m.). Merry rides Stybba.
199	1	Ride down the ‘Stair of the Hold’ and reach the valley.
199.5	0.5	Road turns north to Edoras. Théoden’s company is joined by 5500 riders fully armed, and many hundreds of other men with horses. Merry notices Dernhelm among the host.
200	0.5	Opposite the waterfalls from the western ravine.
204	4	Hamlet of Underharrow. Peaks of Irensaga are high above.
210	6	Hamlet of Upbourn.
218	8	Leave Harrowdale. Reach the road from the ford of the Snowbourne. Noon. Halt a short while on the road below Edoras. Eat. The Muster of Rohan – 60 more riders arrive, making the muster complete: “6000 spears to Sunlending.” Théoden refuses for Merry to ride with the Rohirrim. Éowyn (disguised as Dernhelm) takes Merry in secret.
220	2	The road curves easterly around the mountain spur behind Edoras.
222	2	The Snowbourne meanders through willow trees left of the road.
232	10	The road curves southeast, hugging the eastern foothills of Irensaga.
240	8	Hills draw away to the south. Road continues through willows.
250	10	Scattered trees broaden into a wide willow thicket where the Snowbourne meets the Entwash.
254	4	Camp in the Willow thicket (ca. 7 p.m.).
Mar. 11 – Day 7: 80 miles (2^nd Day from Dunharrow)
254	0	Leave at first ‘light’ in the gray gloom.
258	4	Willow woods end. Road turns more south, parallels the Entwash.
270	12	Reach the area called the ‘Folde’, tucked against the hills, sheltered from the west and the south. A snowcapped peak rises on the south. North across the river the wide grassy Plains of Rohan can be seen.
280	10	Road turns more to the east.
286	6	Cross a small stream.
297	11	Cross a small stream. Brief stop to eat.
310	13	30 miles north of the road the Entwash, flowing more slowly in the level plains, is choked with vegetation and splits into multiple braided channels.
317	7	Cross a small stream. Enter the area called the ‘Fenmarch’ – a wetter area, especially north of the road where the Entwash becomes sluggish and starts to expand outward into a delta.
334	17	Dusk. Cross a small stream. Camp.
Mar. 12 – Day 8: 80 miles (3^rd Day from Dunharrow)
334	0	Leave at first light. Still dark and gloomy.
337	3	South of the road great oak trees begin to appear – outliers of Firien Wood. On the north mists rise above the fens of the Entwash.
342	5	Lone man, fleeing west, tells of war on the plains and the Wold.
350	8	Northeast across the plain (80 miles away) the East Wall of Rohan and the Western Emyn Muil could be seen if it were clear.
353	3	Cross the Mering Stream: Gondor. Enter the heart of the Firien Wood.
364	11	The beacon of Halifirien lies right of the road on a hill which rises above the trees. Its fires are now extinguished.
375	11	Leave Firien Wood.
377	2	Cross a small stream. Brief stop to eat.
385	8	The snowcapped peak above Calenhad rises to the right.
396	11	The beacon tower of Calenhad stands on a foothill of Calenhad peak.
414	18	Cross a small stream. Camp.
Mar. 13 – Day 9: 80 miles (4^th Day from Dunharrow)
414	0	Leave at first light.
425	11	Cross a small stream. The beacon hill of Minrimmon is on the right.
430	5	To the north the delta of the Entwash has broadened to over 50 miles. Rauros lies beyond, 100 miles due north of the road.
440	10	High above to the south rise the sawtoothed tips of Rimmon – the highest peak in the eastern White Mountains.
457	17	Pass the beacon hill of Erelas. Brief pause to eat.
471	14	Cross a small stream.
482	11	Pass the beacon on Nardol, the ‘Fire Hill.’
488	6	Cross a small stream – the last which empties into the delta of the Entwash. West edge of Druadan Forest south of the road.
493	5	Turn south into Druadan Forest to camp out of sight of the road. Scouts report that trenches and stakes block the road 6 miles east.
494	1	Camp in the pine-woods near the hill of Eilenach Beacon.
Mar. 14 – Day 10: 50 miles (5^th Day from Dunharrow)
494	0	Late in the night Merry is wakeful and hears drums. Follows Elfhelm to Théoden. Ghân-buri-Ghân, chief of the Wild Men, offers to guide the Riders through a hidden way. They depart as quickly as possible.
496	2	The passage south through the woods is slow and pathless.
500	4	kirt the western foot of the hill of Eilenach.
509	9	Reach the west end of Stonewain Valley: the remains of a vast quarry, mined into both sides of an east-running valley. Though overgrown, the road still allows four horses to ride abreast. Move more quickly.
515	6	The valley road descends from west to east. Light more dim than ever.
530	15	East end of Stonewain Valley. Road continues through trees.
536	6	Northeast through openings they can see the beacon hill of Amon Dîn.
540	4	Mindolluin rises to the south. Thickets of the Grey Wood hide road.
544	4	Camp (ca. 4:30 p.m.) in the heart of the Grey Wood. Scouts report.
Mar. 15 – Day 11: 34 miles (6^th Day from Dunharrow)
544	0	Riders move east toward the main road during the night (ca. 3 a.m.).
546	2	Reach the east edge of the Grey Wood.
547	1	Meet the Great West Road. Turn toward the city. Ride quickly.
560	13	Road turns more south nearing the skirts of Mt. Mindolluin. See a red glow on clouds ahead: fires of Minas Tirith.
563	3	Riders spread out on each side of the road. Ride very fast.
565	2	Théoden briefs his three captains and calls out to encourage his Riders.
568	3	Dawn (above the reek). Reach the Rammas Echor: the outwalls of the Pelennor Fields. The enemy has thrown down the walls and the Riders pass through the breaches, killing the few orcs.
570	2	Théoden leads the Riders slightly to the east, moving quietly.
573	3	Stop. Can smell the burning of the city. Merry feels a south wind and can see the clouds breaking far in the south. They see the flash and hear the BOOM from the breaking of the Gates. Théoden cries out to the Rohirrim and blows a great blast on a horn: “Great horns of the North, wildly blowing. Rohan had come at last.” Riders surge forth, with Théoden in the center. The Battle of the Pelennor Fields.
577	4	Théoden is crushed, pinned beneath his steed when the Lord of the Nazgul descends. Éowyn (aided by Merry) slays the Witch King. Éowyn falls.
578	1	Merry follows the litter bearers into the city of Minas Tirith.
Bonus Miles		Pippin finds Merry wandering lost in a lane part way up the hill. Gandalf carries him to the Houses of Healing (1.5 miles).
Bonus Miles		Continue to fight with the Rohirrim during the struggle which lasts throughout the day.
________Total Cumulative Miles (incl. Bonus miles) for your Personal Journey thus far: +578 Miles = Isengard to Minas Tirith: Merry’s Path +________ = Bonus Miles for this part of the Journey _________ = Your Personal Journey thus far