West Middle Vales
The West Middle Vales were Bilbo Baggins’ first taste
of Wilderland east of the mountains. The area has long
been empty. Men dwelt here, long ago, but plague and
war and goblin-mischief drove them away. Now, they are
returning. The region extends from the Rushdown River
to the Old Forest Road. Pine forests grow in the mountain
valleys, broken by great expanses of bracken and stony
ground.
Three large valleys dominate the western section. The
north valley is bordered by the Rushdown River and the
Rushdown Woods. South of the river, the trees thin out
into a broken land of brambles and bare stones riven by
many caves. The middle valley is called Earnesdene, the
Eagles’ Vale, for their great Eyrie dominates it. The Eyrie
is a soaring pinnacle of rock, the easternmost spire of
the Misty Mountains, with numerous ledges and perches
along its height. Only a flying creature could hope to
reach these high ledges. The valley below is home to many furtive, frightened things who dread the swoop of Eagle’s
wings. This valley is mostly pine forest, with oaks and
elms growing closer to the Great River banks.
The southernmost valley opens into the High Pass (Cirith
Forn en Andrath in Sindarin) and is the only place where
one might reasonably expect to meet another traveller, as
the road to the mountain-path runs through this land.
This valley has been the access to the west since before the
Sun and Moon rose in the sky. Elves climbed these hills on
the way to the Blessed Realm, the Númenoreans built the
road straight and true in days of yore, and Elendil and Gilgalad
marched down this road on the way to Mordor. This
is The Road — the Road to Mirkwood, the Road to the Sea,
the Road to Adventure.
As the hills and valleys give way to flatter ground, the
traveller enters a great green plain that stretches for miles
down to the river.
Wildlife
In the pine forests of the mountains live rabbits, squirrels and mountain foxes. Serpents are a danger in the north valley, near the Rushdown. Closer to the river live otters, beavers and other river-creatures. This territory was Warg-land once, but between the Eagles and the vigilance of the Beornings, the wild wolves only dare cross into this land during the winter or on cloudy nights when the Eagles cannot spot them from afar.
Location under
Included Locations
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