I see Middle-earth

[Nerwen]

There's a lot of places in South-west Victoria that I think look rather Middle-earth-ish. Here's a couple.

One of these is the view from a hill near my family's house. I forget exactly where the other was taken.

[Mithalwen]

*sighs* part of my heart will belong in Victoria forever ......

The great ocean road could be part of ME's coastline surely .. and I remember being taking to Gippsland and finding it looked very "familiar".

[Nerwen]

Originally Posted by Mithalwen

The great ocean road could be part of ME's coastline surely.

I've always thought so– and now I've actually managed to find some seascapes that don't have me in front of them (my mother's the family photographer, and, well, she thinks a lot of me...)

These places have definitely influenced the way I picture Middle-earth.

[Rune Son of Bjarne]

That last photo of the coastline reminds me of a coast in Odsherrede (herred(e) being the Danish version of (The)Shire), unfortunately I did not have my camera with me when i was there last time. . . and the sky was ever so enchanting !

[Selmo]

I live close to the quiet fields and little rivers of The Shire on one side and to Mordor on the other.

My home area once had very dirty industies: coal and iron mining, iron smelting and steel making, pottery and brick manufacture. The mining and iron works have now gone and the ceramics industry uses cleaner energy for its kilns.
The desolation caused by pollution and coal waste and slag heaps is begining to green over, sometimes naturally and sometimes with the help of mankind. It will be many, many years before the clean-up is finished but I like to think of my home town as Mordor recovering after the fall of Barad Dur.
.

[Mithalwen]

Originally Posted by Nerwen

I've always thought so– and now I've actually managed to find some seascapes that don't have me in front of them (my mother's the family photographer, and, well, she thinks a lot of me...)

These places have definitely influenced the way I picture Middle-earth.

Langstrand on the Gondor coast I'd say - I think Lindon needs the Celtic bluish greh stone of Brittany or Cornwall ... hmm must see if I can scan some pictures in - I am still using film and besides when I was in Aus the first time there was no alternative...

[Aganzir]

When Brinniel was in Finland a couple of weeks ago, we showed her around Helsinki, and to our surprise discovered also new things about places we have known for long. The following pictures were taken by Volo in Suomenlinna, a sea fortress just off Helsinki.

The Barrow-downs
The Barrow-Downs II
The Dead Marshes
Orc-tunnels in the Misty Mountains (originally we thought them to be Moria, but then I was luckily helped to realise that they're most definitely not made by dwarves)
Orc-tunnels in the Misty Mountains II

[Eönwë]

I think that "the Barrow-Downs II" could also be abandoned (movie-style) hobbit holes.

[Groin Redbeard]

Originally Posted by Aganzir

Orc-tunnels in the Misty Mountains (originally we thought them to be Moria, but then I was luckily helped to realise that they're most definitely not made by dwarves)

Nah, dwarves never build such feeble things. Seriously, these pictures are amazing!

[Bêthberry]

Originally Posted by Aganzir

When Brinniel was in Finland a couple of weeks ago, we showed her around Helsinki, and to our surprise discovered also new things about places we have known for long. The following pictures were taken by Volo in Suomenlinna, a sea fortress just off Helsinki.

The Barrow-downs
The Barrow-Downs II

Those pictures of barrows stir my imagination. They suggest that a hobbit hole was surprisingly and interestingly not necessarily very different from barrows. Both are holes in the ground.

[Thinlómien]

And note that these Finnish barrows are seaside barrows. If you have to spend centuries in a tomb, why not have a sea view?