Maps of Middle-earth. Part II. The Shire.

In the northwest of Middle-earth, far from worries and battles, lies Shire. At one time, its eastern border was the Brandywine River, but later the hobbits expanded their possessions. 

Frodo's parents, Drogo and Primula, drowned in this river. Hobbits are still debating exactly how this could have happened. Some say that they went on the water after dinner in the moonlight, and it was Drogo's weight as sunk the boat. Others say that Primula pushed Drogo in, and he pulled her in after him. The truth is simple: boats are quite tricky enough for those that sit still without looking further for the cause of trouble.

Look up and to the left.

The Shire was divided into four quarters, the Farthings already referred to, North, South, East, and West. And these again each into a number of folklands, which still bore the names of some of the old leading families.

Forty leagues Shire stretched from the Far Downs to the Brandywine Bridge, and fifty from the northern moors to the marshes in the south.

This map shows Hobbiton, the Brandywine Bridge, the roads, and a lot of interesting things. Words are superfluous here. It's better to just look at the map:

Look at the map!

The origin of some hobbit surnames is connected with geography. For example, Sam's surname Gamgee is derived from the village name Gamwich. It can be concluded that Sam's first ancestors lived in this village. 

The name Merry Brandybuck is directly related to the Brandyduim River. And not just the last name. Unlike most Hobbits, Merry was a good swimmer and knew how to handle a boat. Therefore, when Lord Celeborn presented the Fellowship with a boat in Lorien and mentioned everyone except Hobbits as skilled rowers, Merry could not stand it and protested: "We live on the shore of Brandywine, and for us a boat is not a mad horse, as for other Hobbits."

Let's move on

Gandalf's route to Bag End can be represented something like this: The East Road, the crossing of the Brandywine Bridge, the turnoff to Hobbiton — and he is already knocking on Bilbo's round door. You can see all the roads in the map (red color).

However, this is not only Gandalf's path. If you scroll back the route, you'll get the road that Bilbo took from Bag End, and later Frodo and Sam. And vice versa: if you reverse the direction, it's Gandalf's path again, only this time from Bag End. In short, we have before us the most optimal route from the hobbit's house towards the Bree and vice versa — no matter who is on the way: a wizard or a hobbit with a staff and a pot.

The Shire is the beginning and the end of the journey. Sweet home, always calm and peaceful, it would seem. But no. In the finale of book "The Lord of the Rings", the hobbits return to the Shire and see a terrible picture: their native land has been invaded by Sauron's half-killed henchmen. They have to win it back. So peaceful Shire is also the place of the last battle.

That's all!

The Road goes ever on and on
Down from the door where it bagan.
Now far ahead the Road has gone,
And I must follow, if I can,
Pursuing it with eager feet,
Until it joins some larger way
Where many paths and errands meet.
And wither then? I cannot say.

Good morning!