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If Frodo & Sam Had Google Maps Of Middle Earth

12 Comments

Frodo Google maps

Created by Mark Crosby, found via reddit

If Sam and Frodo had had this Google Map of Middle Earth, their journey would likely have been a lot easier than the one in the Lord of the Rings. Created by Mark Crosby the map has all sorts of wonderful additions.

For example:

  • The estimated journey time is 6 months with Orcs or 4 months without.
  • A warning that ‘This route has trolls.’
  • There is an Eagle option (see my comments below)
  • Instead of the Satellite view, there’s a Dragons view.
  • Map data 3018, 3rd age

One thing that’s never made a whole lot of sense about the Lord of the Rings films to me is, if they had Eagles, why didn’t they just use them to fly straight to Mordor. I understand the books and films are supposed to be more about the journey, but you’d think if you’re looking to destroy the One Ring of Power, you’d want to do it as quickly and efficiently as possible.

However, after doing some research, it seems hardcore fans of the series dismiss the Eagle option as pure fantasy. They claim the flying Nazgûl would have easily killed them before they got to Mordor.

In any case, the map above is great no matter whether or not the route taken by Frodo and Sam was the most efficient or not.

You can eve buy a similar map on Etsy.

For more Lord of the Rings see:

Have any comments about the map above? Leave them in the comment section below:

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Comments

    • In the Silimaillion, it is explained that the Eagles were placed in Middle-earth by Manwë, one of the Valar (essentially gods), to live in the mountains north of Beleriand in order to keep watch over Morgoth. Morgoth was one of the Valar who had, through jealousy and hatred, become corrupted and was effectively the source of evil in Middle Earth. Sauron was essentially Morgoth’s lieutenant.
      So, in helping to destroy the ring, the Eagles were fulfilling a part of their purpose – ultimately, to bring about the destruction of Morgoth.

      Reply

    • Harlindon and Forlindon are the areas LOTRO call Ered Luin.
      During the Third Age, its forests, besides that of Mirkwood, were the largest in Middle-earth. In the latter part of the Third Age, the Dwarves settled the Blue Mountains again when Thráin II, his son Thorin Oakenshield and the Dwarven survivors of the Sack of Erebor moved from Dunland and delved a prosperous settlement there. After the War of the Ring and the defeat of Sauron, Elves continued to travel west to Lindon through the gap in the mountains by way of the Gulf of Lune, where they eventually intended to set sail on the Straight Road to the Undying Lands of Aman. After the War of the Ring it is said that many Dwarves from the east migrated back to their ancient homeland and Ered Luin was a prosperous kingdom once more.

      Reply

  9. Minor plot point left out of the movies because it would have been fiddly, but which would have forestalled all this Eagle Taxi Service nonsense:
    Eagles cannot, in fact, carry humans (or even hobbits) all that far. The eagle that rescued Gandalf from Orthanc dropped him off in nearby Rohan, where he borrowed a horse to get to distant Rivendell. In the books the eagles talk, and they have this conversation:
    GANDALF: How far can you bear me?
    EAGLE: Many leagues, but not to the ends of the earth.

    Reply

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