The Party Tree
 

Yes, I know that it only fits the description of Bilbo's Party Tree in that it is a tree, still every time I drive by this tree in the fall, I cannot but help to think of Bilbo's last Shire party.

More pictures
 

I see 'Fog on the Barrow Downs' and 'the Brown Hills.'

" Oh to see mountains again"
 

Several years ago I was living in northern Alabama, and was driving between there and my native Indiana quite a bit. There are places along the way (most notability in northern TN) that take your breath away. Vast stretches of green forest as far as the eye can see. Save for the silver gray line of the highway it reminds me of Bilbo's climb above Mirkwood.

Nice hills, alatar, we don't get hills like that in Alaska, we have mountains instead. Although some of the coasts here make me think of Tuor's journeys when he came to Gondolin. Can't say why though...

Thanks, I guess. Not sure if mountains, as to hills, would be better or worse. What really creeps me out is the lack of anything - hills or mountains - in the horizon.

And it's normal, at least to me, upon seeing certain places to think of a part of a journey of some character within LotR.

Well, this isn't a landscape, but I found out that there's a real life location named after a Tolkien character: Bilbo Baggins Restaurant with Green Dragon Pub. Has anyone who lives near there been there?

There are the pastures behind my house that I've always seen as Rohan, and even more so now that we have horses back there. And there is a dirt road leading into the woods that reminds me of a road Frodo might take on his journey to Rivendell.

Thanks for the find, Esty. If only I could get the kids rounded up for a road trip.

Alaska is fine place to locate Middle-earth. What with our volcanoes, massive mountain ranges, miles of verdant green tundra, and great forests it's a wonder they didn't film the Lord of the Rings films here! Or so I like to think. Here be some evidence of my claims:


The Barrow-downs (not in the film but whatever):

http://i564.photobucket.com/albums/s...IMGP2967-1.jpg

http://i564.photobucket.com/albums/s...n/IMGP2966.jpg

http://i564.photobucket.com/albums/s...n/IMGP2991.jpg

And the Mountains of Shadow:
http://i564.photobucket.com/albums/s...n/IMGP3347.jpg

Absolutely beautiful! It reminds me of how I imagined northern Gondor.

Stunning! The 'Barrow Downs' remind me of parts of Wales where I used to go on vacation some years ago *nostalgic sigh*. And the 'Mountains of Shadow' are quite perfect - isn't that the very road leading south from the Morannon that we see there?

Great pics, Laurinquë!

Yes .. but I think your idea of Downs is a bit rugged for somewhere so close to the Shire perhaps a wilder part of middle earth... There are barrows on downs on the Isle of Wight ( a short ferry ride away from me) . The last Wight walking festival had one event that was "Walk the Barrow Downs"!!!

http://www.megalithic.co.uk/article.php?sid=7055

Thank you so much! I have a lot more photos I could add if you like these, even a few of Mount Doom that I took in Hawaii.

You're probably right, but we Alaskans have to make do with what we have. Earth-covered piles of bones are few and far between here. As are most nice things. :(

Laurinquë, I am *so* jealous (as I live in the east side of Mordor)! Those pictures are absolutely stunning. Thank you for sharing them.

Yeah, great pictures Laurinquë, those are some beautiful vistas!

Can't help to shudder though. It looks cold, windy and desolate. *brrrrrrrr*

Reminds me of that Sean Penn movie, Into The Wild. Seen that one?

Oh I didn't mean to be insulting:o ..the pictures are amazing. We don't get that sort of "Big sky country" here.

I suppose for me that I have always seen the Shire and nearby as being very English and the further landscapes being more imposing or exotic. So in England I see lots of places that make me think Shire but only in the States or Australasia have I got glimpses of say the Misty Mountains.

I'm glad everyone liked my previous pictures so much! In thanks you will receive more pictures! Here they are:

Somewhere on the Plateau of Gorgoroth?
http://i564.photobucket.com/albums/s...b462e65c_b.jpg

If you can think of any particular spot this fits I'd be glad to hear about it. I took these photos whilst on holiday in Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park.

More Plateau of Gorgoroth.
http://i564.photobucket.com/albums/s...6aeaed3f_b.jpg

http://i564.photobucket.com/albums/s...b0d29b57_b.jpg

Eugh! A TRUE plateau of Gorgoroth!! (The first one also made me think a bit of the desolation before Morannon. Posibly from a large part because of the rocks. The third could be a shot from the other side of the Gate, somewhere inside Udun. Ha, in other words: you are a bad photographer, Lauri, why did you not take a picture of the Black Gate, when it's obvious that it is just right there outside the frame! :) )

Lauri I'd rep you again for those photos but unfortunately I don't think I'm allowed. ;) Very beautiful work. And now you've made up my mind for me to stop in Hawaii on my future round-the-world trip.

I live in a huge valley, and the mountains look just like the Misty Mountains right now. I can't get a good picture, though, because the roads/fence/satellite dish/telephone wires keep getting in the way. :mad: Also, the forest behind my house looks very Fangorny. :p

Well, don't they all in Alaska? It's not very Shire like here, but there is always something that catches your fancy, something that looks like Middle-Earth.

Actually, there's a field near my house that does look Shire-esque. Unfortunately, it has no trees, so when the big winds come, you can't drive there for fear of being blown off the road because there's nothing to slow it down. :rolleyes:

Michigan's Upper Peninsula reminds me a lot of Middle Earth.

This is the town of Copper Harbor, which is on the northernmost tip of the Keweenaw Peninsula (of the Upper Peninsula), as viewed from the top of Brockway Mountain in October:

This lighthouse in Manistique, Michigan, on the south coast of the U.P., looks like something from Dol Amroth:

This is the stone harbor wall/pathway that leads to the lighthouse. Very Gondorian, if you ask me:

This is the rest of the wall/path around the 90 degree bend. We took these pictures on vacation a week ago:

Is that near where that fire happened. Every time we drive past those dead trees, I think of Saruman and it makes me sad. The funny thing though, is that those trees have been dead almost as long as I've been alive!:eek:

Wow! Those are some amazing pictures Lauri!

The first three look to me like a stonier version of Rohan, or possibly some of the wilderness in the North, and yes, the fourth does look like the Mountains of shadow to me as well.

I agree with Legate about the last three.

Great photography, Laurinquë!


Well when you have Barrow Downs in the Isle of Wight, it's not too hard to imagine a Tolkienish environment, is it? ;)

No (it's a farm thingi) but I know what you mean, and it does look like something Saruman would do. There's a marsh thing near my house that sometimes looks like the Paths of the Dead. :eek:

Nice. Its always lovely to be able to walk by something that might be a bit creepy.

Thank you! The 'Barrow-downs' pictures were taken at a place called Finger Mountain about 140 miles north of Fairbanks. And I am quite open to interpretations of the whereabouts of these pictures, do feel free to improve on my assumptions.

Thank you very much! And yes, you really should stop in for a visit there! There's no other place like it in the world. ;)

Oh believe me, I would have but alas my camera ran out of battery right then. But perhaps this may interest you:

http://i564.photobucket.com/albums/s...gIsland173.jpg

Ignore those annoying trees, they were just some Ents that were insisting on following me about and getting in the way of my picture.

Ah, all right. Well, good warning for you for the next time - recharge your battery properly, or at least get some backup batteries!

Aren't they getting a bit too bold lately? I mean, attacking Isengard is one thing, but storming the Black Gate itself is quite a daring deed... :eek:

Anyway, very nice!! (if that is the proper word to use for the appearance of Mordor...)

I see Old Man Willow, or at least his kid brother:
http://photos-a.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos..._2502492_n.jpg

ZOMG

How'd I always overlook this cool thread?

There is an old cemetery next door that's Barrow Downs material, especially now that so many graves are completely overgrown.

I'll have to sneak in and take some pictures in the fog sometime.

It's a spooky place, but it ultimately gives off a good vibe. It has a calming effect on me when I stand by the fence and peer in. So maybe it's not too evil - or maybe the evil spirits are my kindred. Hardy har har.

Awwww . . . and filled with cute little hobbits too. :cool:

Alatar, that reminds me of Old Man Willow and its eating of hobbits.

There, I fixded it.

http://i45.tinypic.com/32zny41.jpg