The Tolkien Trail...

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Mala591
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The Tolkien Trail...

Post by Mala591 » Sat Oct 23, 2021 12:20 pm

98B5FB7E-6CCB-4C15-A63B-98AE5DF6F7B9.jpeg
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Highly recommended walk starting at Hurst Green (approx 8 miles).

The beautiful surrounding countryside was an inspiration to Tolkien when writing ‘Lord of the Rings’ (his son Christopher studied at Stonyhurst College).

Bosscat
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Re: The Tolkien Trail...

Post by Bosscat » Sat Oct 23, 2021 12:31 pm

Mala591 wrote:
Sat Oct 23, 2021 12:20 pm
98B5FB7E-6CCB-4C15-A63B-98AE5DF6F7B9.jpeg

Highly recommended walk starting at Hurst Green (approx 8 miles).

The beautiful surrounding countryside was an inspiration to Tolkien when writing ‘Lord of the Rings’ (his son Christopher studied at Stonyhurst College).
If you drive over the moors to Lancaster from here you see loads of references to LotR in house names and farm names ... Rivendell etc

BenWickes
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Re: The Tolkien Trail...

Post by BenWickes » Sat Oct 23, 2021 12:35 pm

Am I the only one who opened this thread expecting a suggestion on where Tolkien should play in our starting eleven if he played for us? ;)
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Jel
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Re: The Tolkien Trail...

Post by Jel » Sat Oct 23, 2021 12:37 pm

We did this walk last year and really enjoyed it. Look out for the Swallows nesting in the river bank opposite the beach where the River Calder joins the Ribble. I don't think they'll be there at this time of year but if you go in Summer you'll see hundreds of them.
The walk is fairly easy going and follows a long stretch of the river. It's a bit tricky to follow when you get towards Stoneyhurst but I used OS maps on my phone which really helps.

elwaclaret
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Re: The Tolkien Trail...

Post by elwaclaret » Sat Oct 23, 2021 12:41 pm

While I love the idea Tolkien was inspired by the Ribble Valley, Malvern Hill and Warwickshire have at least as strong a claim. The Hobbit came together while JRR was sending home the Christmas letters from the Western Front… when Chris was a child but had Tolkien really spent enough time in East Lancs around Stoneyhirst to supplant his own upbringing? To me it seems unlikely as Tolkien was clearly massively effected by the need to move into Birmingham after his fathers death… the industrialisation of Hobbiton for example.
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Buxtonclaret
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Re: The Tolkien Trail...

Post by Buxtonclaret » Sat Oct 23, 2021 12:48 pm

BenWickes wrote:
Sat Oct 23, 2021 12:35 pm
Am I the only one who opened this thread expecting a suggestion on where Tolkien should play in our starting eleven if he played for us? ;)
He'd be a magical signing.
In a world of his own.

Bosscat
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Re: The Tolkien Trail...

Post by Bosscat » Sat Oct 23, 2021 1:03 pm

elwaclaret wrote:
Sat Oct 23, 2021 12:41 pm
While I love the idea Tolkien was inspired by the Ribble Valley, Malvern Hill and Warwickshire have at least as strong a claim. The Hobbit came together while JRR was sending home the Christmas letters from the Western Front… when Chris was a child but had Tolkien really spent enough time in East Lancs around Stoneyhirst to supplant his own upbringing? To me it seems unlikely as Tolkien was clearly massively effected by the need to move into Birmingham after his fathers death… the industrialisation of Hobbiton for example.
There are quite a few areas around the country that have connections elwa like you say ... 🙂

elwaclaret
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Re: The Tolkien Trail...

Post by elwaclaret » Sat Oct 23, 2021 1:10 pm

Bosscat wrote:
Sat Oct 23, 2021 1:03 pm
There are quite a few areas around the country that have connections elwa like you say ... 🙂
Indeed there are and all could be genuine, as elements were drawn from various locations; however I base my assessment not least on a couple of interviews Chris gave as he organised the notes of Silmarrilion for publishing while living in France (him not me).
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Bosscat
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Re: The Tolkien Trail...

Post by Bosscat » Sat Oct 23, 2021 1:45 pm

Also places in South Africa like the Drakenburg Mountains etc (Tolkeins birth country) and Oxford and the surrounding areas ... he drew on experiences and places of all the places he lived and worked ... 🙂

RMutt
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Re: The Tolkien Trail...

Post by RMutt » Sat Oct 23, 2021 2:00 pm

Jel wrote:
Sat Oct 23, 2021 12:37 pm
We did this walk last year and really enjoyed it. Look out for the Swallows nesting in the river bank opposite the beach where the River Calder joins the Ribble. I don't think they'll be there at this time of year but if you go in Summer you'll see hundreds of them.
The walk is fairly easy going and follows a long stretch of the river. It's a bit tricky to follow when you get towards Stoneyhurst but I used OS maps on my phone which really helps.
I wonder if they were sand-martins? They nest in river banks.
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Funkydrummer
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Re: The Tolkien Trail...

Post by Funkydrummer » Sat Oct 23, 2021 2:21 pm

RMutt wrote:
Sat Oct 23, 2021 2:00 pm
I wonder if they were sand-martins? They nest in river banks.
Stop calling him Martin !

Jel
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Re: The Tolkien Trail...

Post by Jel » Sat Oct 23, 2021 2:55 pm

RMutt wrote:
Sat Oct 23, 2021 2:00 pm
I wonder if they were sand-martins? They nest in river banks.
Could well be, I took a video of them but I'm not sure if I can post it.

beddie
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Re: The Tolkien Trail...

Post by beddie » Sat Oct 23, 2021 4:43 pm

Thanks for that Mala. I noticed we’ve had it printed off for sometime amongst our collection so we’ll make sure we do it soon.The one we have is 5.5 miles -9km which is better for us oldies.

Loyalclaret
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Re: The Tolkien Trail...

Post by Loyalclaret » Sat Oct 23, 2021 5:11 pm

Nice walk, can get a little wet in the winter.

Jakubclaret
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Re: The Tolkien Trail...

Post by Jakubclaret » Sat Oct 23, 2021 5:41 pm

Jel wrote:
Sat Oct 23, 2021 12:37 pm
We did this walk last year and really enjoyed it. Look out for the Swallows nesting in the river bank opposite the beach where the River Calder joins the Ribble. I don't think they'll be there at this time of year but if you go in Summer you'll see hundreds of them.
The walk is fairly easy going and follows a long stretch of the river. It's a bit tricky to follow when you get towards Stoneyhurst but I used OS maps on my phone which really helps.
It is a nice walk I started from Aspinall arms & walked the opposite side of the banking the other banking appears to be mostly farmland & at some point you would need to cross the hodder maybe Cromwells bridge & find a footpath further down I saw some people opposite banking so must be a way of getting down there.

Spiral
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Re: The Tolkien Trail...

Post by Spiral » Sat Oct 23, 2021 11:16 pm

Jumped on the train to Blackburn, got there, looked around, invented Mordor.
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CharlieinNewMexico
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Re: The Tolkien Trail...

Post by CharlieinNewMexico » Sun Oct 24, 2021 5:56 am

Buxtonclaret wrote:
Sat Oct 23, 2021 12:48 pm
He'd be a magical signing.
In a world of his own.
Surely would just be a Tolkien gesture 🤷
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Holmeclaret
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Re: The Tolkien Trail...

Post by Holmeclaret » Sun Oct 24, 2021 2:41 pm

Would love to do this walk. Listening to Fellowship of the Ring on audible at the moment, read by the excellent Andy Serkis.

Jel
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Re: The Tolkien Trail...

Post by Jel » Sun Oct 24, 2021 7:50 pm

Jakubclaret wrote:
Sat Oct 23, 2021 5:41 pm
It is a nice walk I started from Aspinall arms & walked the opposite side of the banking the other banking appears to be mostly farmland & at some point you would need to cross the hodder maybe Cromwells bridge & find a footpath further down I saw some people opposite banking so must be a way of getting down there.
We've walked on that side of the river too. We started in Whalley and got to that point via a path at the side of Blackburns training ground.
That path down the river bank is quite narrow and a bit tricky with tree roots and such.
Again a good walk with lots to enjoy.

Jel
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Re: The Tolkien Trail...

Post by Jel » Sun Oct 24, 2021 8:06 pm

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Here's the guide book we've been using, it's got hand drawn maps and a written guide.
Ours is a bit old hence the confusion sometimes and the need for OS maps.
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LordBob
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Re: The Tolkien Trail...

Post by LordBob » Sun Oct 24, 2021 10:20 pm

Some years ago I took a ride in a hot air balloon, The Pendle Witch, it was a fantastic experience and we floated over the map displayed on this post. I knew the area but only from ground level and what a different view when you're drifting over Stoneyhurst and the surrounding area at height the only noise was the bleating of sheep I (VHS) videoed the whole event, a precious memory.
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Dark Cloud
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Re: The Tolkien Trail...

Post by Dark Cloud » Mon Oct 25, 2021 9:28 pm

Tried it about 8 months ago with a guide book, but we lost our way at the farmyard about 2/3 of the way through and never saw Cromwell's Bridge and had a frantic walk back to Hurst Green as it was going dark!

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