In Search Of...Hobbit-like walking paths

[Lalwendë]

I've pulled this old thread up because I was just looking at some Alfred Wainwright fellwalking books and they made me think just how 'Hobbity' they are. All 'handwritten' with sketches and fantastic maps drawn by Wainwright himself, together with dry little observations on things you might see on your hikes.

Has anyone else ever been struck by this? You can almost imagine an Alfred Wainwright guide to walking the Ettenmoors or bagging peaks on the Misty Mountains, together with little notes about where to avoid Goblins

Obviously we can't go for any proper walks right now because I don't think a buggy would cope! But as soon as he can walk I'm itching to drag ye childe off to Longshaws - a great 'Hobbity' type walking spot for anyone thinking of visiting the Peak District http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/main...ongshawestate/

That's one of our favourites. Plenty of 'triple-trunked' Beeches and a magical moorland stream, plus the jaw dropping view down towards Hathersage, Mam Tor and 'Orthanc'.

This one on Stanage Edge is good too:
http://www.walkingbritain.co.uk/walk...s/walk_a/1090/
You can pretened to be Keira Knightley or just look for snakes. It's a bit like you imagine the walk from Rivendell to have been. Awesome views.

[Bêthberry]

Originally Posted by Lalwendë

This one on Stanage Edge is good too:
http://www.walkingbritain.co.uk/walk...s/walk_a/1090/
You can pretened to be Keira Knightley or just look for snakes. It's a bit like you imagine the walk from Rivendell to have been. Awesome views.

I don't know, Lal. I think we all imagine Middle earth based on the land we know and for me those English "peaks" just don't say "Misty Mountains."

I've always imagined Rivendell, hidden as it was in the foothills of the Misty Mountains, to be overhung by the mountain range. Part of its hiddenness lies in its inaccessibility. Tolkien's original postcard of Gandalf, the old man hiking in Swiss mountains, probably has something to do with my non-English sense of Rivendell. (I've always imagined Rivendell having hot springs too, for their healing quality, although I know that "baths" aren't particularly English, except for, of course, Bath, which in my experience of Austen has nothing to do with healing. )

Anyhow, here's a peak at my Rivendell walking terrain (which of course has nothing to do with this thread's topic, Hobbity walks): Kootenay Rookies and this one, as the town of Jasper is huddled at the foot of some very tall peaks: Jasper

[Lalwendë]

To me, who thinks the Lake District fells are the ultimate in sublime (especially those around Buttermere), those are what I'd call MOUNTAINS! and are so eye-bleedingly awesome they look like Roger Garland dreamt them up. I'm a bit scared to think that such technicolor marvels even exist How do you scramble up one without the use of a rope?

Though the Lakes can be quite unpleasant and dangerous, don't be fooled by the small-ness of English mountains

Hot springs are all over the place - there's also Harrogate (very un-mountain-y) and Buxton, nestled in the midst of some quite creepy peaks - there are some hills near Earl Sterndale that look uncannily like green dragons asleep. Take a look at Chrome Hill, it freaks me out whenever I go past it: http://choose-film.com/wp-profiles/2...-District..jpg

[Bêthberry]

Well, see, I suppose such places are powerful enough not to need dressing up in dragon-imagination to make them awesome.

And, really, they can simply be climbed and hiked, although this one, Whistlers Mountain, does have a tram for part of the way for those unwilling to take a real hike. You can imagine Bethberry at the top here, as I've hiked it twice, and the glue in my photoalbum won't let go so I can't scan my own pictures and post them.



In fact, you can just about hike the whole chain of the Rocky Mountains, from Jasper to Banff, from Whistlers, ( Jasper Hiking) pretending you're on your way to Rohan, including tramping through a snow storm and imagining those dark shadows of clouds on the distant ground are massing groups of orcs.

[Lalwendë]

Tch. You would be impressed if you saw a hill that looked like a sleeping dragon, you cannot tell me otherwise Plus there's a pub nearby called The Quiet Woman that bears the sign of a headless lady, which is amusing in a sinister kind of League Of Gentlemen way (with the bonus it's frequented by folk musicians and general beardy types)

And for anyone who fancies it, I've found walk details which include both ale house and dragon-like hill:
http://www.derbyshire-peakdistrict.c...rndalewalk.htm
I may even sample that one myself...

Trams up mountains are a good idea - though strangely, more for going down again than going up. Going up just makes you tired and out of breath, but going down gives you vertigo and makes you scared you're going to break your neck. There's some true Lalwende-logic for you

[mark12_30]

If it's mountains we want, I must cast my 'vote' for the Olympics, as seen from Hurricane Ridge.

Hurricane Ridge is both bare enough (and hikable enough) to be hobbity, but, the views of the rest of the Olympics are majestic enough. Misty Mountains indeed.

And the lakes are jewels, Durin.

[Lalwendë]

Actually, that second link makes me think of one thing only - the Firienfeld in Rohan! It's a dead ringer for what's inside my head.

If you want to see something that always makes me think of maybe the approach to Moria, then a walk to Gordale Scar is a good one:
http://www.walkingenglishman.com/dales17.htm

That's probably one of the most walked routes in the UK - I was taken on this one when I was a child and we ended up under a wall with the sheep, sheltering from a sudden thunderstorm. And here's a Romantic painting of said landscape beast:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:James_Ward_001.jpg

Though it's just like a garden feature to you Americans :P

[Azaelia of Willowbottom]

Originally Posted by mark12_30

If it's mountains we want, I must cast my 'vote' for the Olympics, as seen from Hurricane Ridge.

Hurricane Ridge is both bare enough (and hikable enough) to be hobbity, but, the views of the rest of the Olympics are majestic enough. Misty Mountains indeed.

And the lakes are jewels, Durin.

Oooh, yes. I went out to Olympic National Park when visiting my aunt in summer 2006. It really was amazing. The landscape out there that the pictures capture is so very different and beautiful; untamed and so much wilder and fresher than the eastern part of the States, where I'm from.

Along the same thought, on the same trip, we encountered the Hoh rainforest, which I must say reminds me a bit of Fangorn, perhaps: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Ho...Rainforest.jpg
http://3dparks.wr.usgs.gov/olympic/images/oly494.jpg

It really does look like that. Fantastic. I kept expecting to find an Ent around the next turn in the trail. I want to go back there someday.