Éowyn Challenge Pathway Mileage and
Descriptions
RAUROS TO ISENGARD: Aragorn’s Path (470 Miles)
by
Karen Wynn Fonstad
Author of The Atlas of
Middle-earth
The
mileage in this chart
differs from that of The Atlas of Middle-earth between Edoras
and Helm’s Deep. This is a
result of re-comparison of this journey with those from Isengard to
Minas Tirith for Gandalf versus Aragorn.
|
________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.
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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
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Night falls. Camp (ca. 5:30 p.m.).
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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
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Ground begins to rise toward the downs to the north (ca. 3
p.m.).
|
94
|
4
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Trail bends north. Tracks become more faint on the dryer
ground. Land
seems empty.
|
99
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5
|
Camp. Legolas fears orcs have reached Fangorn. Gathering
clouds hide
sliver of moon.
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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
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North face of southern down ridge.
|
127
|
7
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Rising crest of second down ridge.
|
135
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8
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Reach most northerly hill of the Downs. Camp on hill. Cold and
starry.
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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
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Find the orc trail from the East. Aragorn searches. Ride more
slowly.
|
163
|
23
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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.
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Mar. 1 – Day 6: 105 miles
|
165
|
0
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Eat at dawn. Search again.
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165.5
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0.5
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Find mallorn leaf near knife and ropes.
|
166
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0.5
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See faint hobbit prints near river.
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166.5
|
0.5
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See prints of 1 hobbit at edge of trees. Enter Fangorn Forest.
|
168
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1.5
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Clear prints by river of both Merry and Pippin (2 days old).
|
169.5
|
1.5
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Follow hobbits’ trail to foot of Treebeard’s Hill.
|
170
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0.5
|
Climb Treebeard’s Hill.
See old man below. Legolas realizes it is Gandalf!
|
170.5
|
0.5
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Leave Treebeard’s Hill.
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173.5
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3
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Follow the Entwash back out of the forest. Gandalf whistles
for Shadowfax.
Arod and Hasufel also return.
|
176
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2.5
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Go along bank of the Entwash.
|
179
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3
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Wade across the river at a shallow place.
|
186
|
7
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Flat land, treeless and wide. Ride through meads and
riverlands.
|
194
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8
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Hidden pool.
|
204
|
10
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Sedge in treacherous bogs.
|
224
|
20
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As sun settles toward the west, see smoke from Isengard.
|
226
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2
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Sunset.
|
229
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3
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Dusk.
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232
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3
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Full night.
|
250
|
18
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Shadowfax leads as quickly as by daylight.
|
270
|
20
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Stop at last (ca. midnight). Camp only a few hours.
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Mar. 2 – Day 7: 62 miles
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270
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0
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Continue under the moon (ca. 3 a.m.). Long clouds and chill
wind.
|
280
|
10
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Moon sets into clouds of the west.
|
285
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5
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Bitter chill. Dark slowly fades.
|
290
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5
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Dawn. Clear and bright. Legolas can see Meduseld.
|
294
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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
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Cross a small stream.
|
332
|
13
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Dusk. Camp (ca. 6 p.m.).
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Mar. 3 – Day 8: 82 miles
|
332
|
0
|
Rise at dawn. Depart ca. 7 a.m.
|
343
|
11
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Cross a small stream.
|
350
|
7
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No clouds, but hot and hazy. Dark in the east.
|
352
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2
|
Cross a small stream.
|
359
|
7
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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
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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
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Orc bands flee the advancing Riders.
|
412
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2
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Looking back, see torches of Saruman’s army.
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413.5
|
1.5
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Reach Helm’s Dike. It is overcast and dark.
|
414
|
0.5
|
Reach the Hornburg: the fortress of Helm’s Deep.
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Mar. 4 – Day 9: 40 miles
|
414
|
0
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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
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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.
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Mar. 5 – Day 10: 16 miles
|
454
|
0
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Dawn. Make ready to continue. Ride slowly.
|
456
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2
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Enter the south end of the Wizard’s Vale.
|
460
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4
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Pass through a wilderness of weeds and thorns. All trees cut
to stumps.
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464
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4
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Highway becomes a wide street, paved with stones.
|
466
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2
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Pass a tall pillar: the White Hand. Evidence of a flood beyond.
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469.5
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3.5
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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.
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________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
|