Boromir and his search for Rivendell

[Pervinca Took]

30 miles! I didn't realise it was that far. I suppose Glorfindel must have galloped the rest of the way with Frodo on Asfaloth, then ... a few more hours and he would have been beyond their aid, Gandalf said.

[William Cloud Hicklin]

You don't gallop a horse for thirty miles- at least not a real-world one. Just the mile-long sprint to the ford would have blown him!

G in fact tells Frodo that "Elrond's folk met [Aragorn and Glorfindel], carrying you slowly towards Rivendell."

[Mithalwen]

Bill, I am intrigued as to where the note that says it was thirty miles from. The Ford to Rivendell.? It is only a couple in the Journeys of Frodo so is it from HoME?

[William Cloud Hicklin]

Originally Posted by Mithalwen

Bill, I am intrigued as to where the note that says it was thirty miles from. The Ford to Rivendell.? It is only a couple in the Journeys of Frodo so is it from HoME?

It's actually from one of a whole series of time-distance lists Tolkien made (I would guess) while working on "The Hunt For the Ring;" at any rate some of the group are concerned with distances from the Fords of Isen to Sarn Ford etc. There's also some fascinating stuff on Hobbit measurements, which (unsurprisingly) are just as anatomical and impractical as RW Imperial measures. None of it published, at least not yet.

[Pervinca Took]

Gandalf told Frodo that the whole of the valley was under Elrond's command. It would make sense for a wide area (and a Ford 30 miles away) to be under his control; Galadriel protects Lothlorien with the aid of Nenya, and Vilya was the mightiest of the Three.

[Mithalwen]

Thanks. I can forgive myself for not knowing then! I must admit I didn't think the Strachey map quite tallied. With the impression you get from the Hobbit even allowing that Gandalf might not be as familiar as Glorfindel and Aragorn with the route.

[Mithalwen]

Originally Posted by Pervinca Took

Gandalf told Frodo that the whole of the valley was under Elrond's command. It would make sense for a wide area (and a Ford 30 miles away) to be under his control; Galadriel protects Lothlorien with the aid of Nenya, and Vilya was the mightiest of the Three.

When it's not Narya...

[William Cloud Hicklin]

The sprint to the Ford happened "in late afternoon" -say 5 o'clock in October. Given Frodo's condition, I wouldn't think thay would have moved him with anything rougher than a horse-litter, or if necessary on a horse's back at a walk.... 5-6 mph. That would make their arrival circa 10-11 pm, which would certainly count as "that night".

[Pervinca Took]

You don't gallop a horse for thirty miles- at least not a real-world one. Just the mile-long sprint to the ford would have blown him!

G in fact tells Frodo that "Elrond's folk met [Aragorn and Glorfindel], carrying you slowly towards Rivendell."

Yes, but they couldn't have got that far before the aid came. If there were still thirty miles to go, the Elves that met them must have met them pretty soon and had fairly efficient transport. I'm not sure what time of day the flight to the Ford happened, but Frodo was brought to Rivendell on the night of that day, I think it says. A thirty-mile canter, perhaps?

I too had always had the impression that it was only a couple of miles or so. However, the Tale of Years says that, on the way back, they leave Rivendell on 5th October and cross the Ford of Bruinen on the 6th.