East Anduin Vales

The East Anduin Vales is sparsely populated, running for hundreds of miles along the east bank of the River Anduin in endless green valleys. While there are few people here, the land remembers them. There were kingdoms here, long ago, and armies watered the soil with their blood. Travelers will occasionally come across ruined stone walls or the foundations of ancient buildings of a bygone Age. The remains of ringforts crown most of the large hills in the region, from the Old Ford all the way to the Undeeps, and Elven paths run along the border of Mirkwood for many miles.

The Woodmen of Mirkwood live in this region, and their herds of cattle and sheep can be seen in the open dales. Their villages, however, mostly lie within the comparative safety of the Forest, although the village of Stonyford lies along the east bank of Anduin, and the refuge of Stonehallow is maintained as a place to seek shelter for Woodmen in time of need, when they cannot reach the Forest in time.

Geography

The Eastern Vales consist mainly of grassy valleys and is used for grazing by the Woodmen. There are occasional sparse forests, as well as high hills and caves.

Maps

East Anduin Vales
A visitor to this part of the Vales of Anduin would be forgiven for thinking that this land is empty. The land rolls on for hundreds of miles beside the river, endless green valleys running down to the Great River. To the east is the ever-present shadow of the forest like a black stain on the horizon.
While few people live here, the land remembers them. There were kingdoms here, long ago, and armies watered the soil with their blood. The visitor must clamber over ruined stone walls, or perhaps make camp amid the barely-visible foundations of some old village. The tumbledown remains of ringforts crown every large hill from the Old Ford to the Undeeps and Elven paths run along the border of Mirkwood for many miles.
The Woodmen of Mirkwood live in this region — or at least their herds do. Their villages lie deep in the forest, but they keep herds of cattle and sheep in the open dales. Young men and women tend to the herds with the help of dogs, and run back to the shelter of the forest when threatened.
Stonyford
Stonyford is the southernmost settlement of the Beornings.