Leaving The Shire

“Not all those who wander are lost”

J. R. R. Tolkien

I didn’t meet a single Elf or Dwarf along the winding route; and there was certainly no fighting Orks or Nazgul. But my walks have taken me from shire to shire; past hills and leafy wood alike; and it was while walking my humble journey, to work, this morning that I passed a mile stone of Hobbit proportions.

This year my walking has taken me to Amon Amarth, the Fiery Mountain, Mountain of Fate.

Leaving The Shire

If you are wondering what I am talking about, well clearly you aren’t Tolkien fans! Yes today my walking has passed the magical distance of 1779 miles. Or the distance Frodo Baggins and Samwise Gamgee walked from Hobbiton to Mount Doom, in their quest to dispose of the One Ring.

Yes as geeky as that may sound, I have tracked my progress along this journey, through the year, of the Lord of the Rings. The distances have all been worked out by A Hobbits Guide to Walking and now I am starting the return leg.

What Lies Beyond Mount Doom

Passing this epic milestone has me thinking though, what other great walks of literature are there?

I can think of a few, but there must be more?

• The Canterbury Tales – 68 Miles (roughly, but sadly you can’t follow the route as the roads are too dangerous now)
• The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry – 627 Miles (Kingsbridge to Berwick-upon-tweed)
• The Long Walk – Not sure on the actual distance but a long way.

If all else fails, and I cannot find more epic journey’s to think about, there is always the walk home. It’s only another 1625 miles, and I can top that up with the walk on to Grey Havens and back, but I think this may take me on into next year.

If you can think of any other great walks in literature please let me know in the comments. Or have you tracked your own epic hobbit journey? I’d love to hear about it, but for now I can hear the shire calling and it’s time for supper.

Dead Marshes