Exactly How Far Did Sam And Frodo Walk In Lord Of The Rings?

They might have big feet, but with those little legs Hobbits Samwise Gamgee and Frodo Baggins had their work cut out trekking from Bag End to Mount Doom.

One thing that has always enthralled youngsters – and, ahem, grown-ups – when picking up Tolkien’s books is the attention to geography and the maps of Middle Earth.

Well now, thanks to one brilliantly thorough Imgur user called, obviously, Mattsawizard, we can now work out how far those little legs had to go.

Better still he’s contextualised them with the UK. Bravo.

Hobbiton to Bree

This first jaunt to the village of Bree, where Frodo first meets Aragorn, was a reasonably sturdy start, about 193 km and 40 hours walking. London to Nottingham, or thereabouts.

Bree to Rivendell

This second leg was far more challenging, as the pair head to the elven outpost of Rivendell. It’s 482 km, and 90 hours walking. Like Land’s End to London.

Rivendell to Moria

Upping the peril is the journey from Rivendell to Moria, the underground city of the dwarves. This was a tad lighter on the loafers, being 281 km and 60 hours walking. The rough distance from Manchester to London.

Lorien to Amon Hen

This leg was done in a boat, but still, rowing is no joke. This was 482 km, the equivalent of Newcastle to London.

Amon Hen to the Black Gate

From Amon Hen it was on to very gate of Mordor through treacherous swampland. It was 257 km and 50 hours walking, like Cardiff to London.

Black Gate to Minas Morgol

The Black Gate to the not at all fearsome fortress city of Minas Morgol was 177 km and 35 hours walking, like Leicester to London.

Cirith Ungol to Mount Doom

The final leg was, mercifully, the shortest. A hop, skip and jump to Mount Doom being like the 112 km from Swindon to London, 25 hours in all.

Whole Journey

In all, the whole journey end-to-end is the same as walking from London to Niš in Serbia, 2172 and 440 hours on foot.

Worth it in the end, but you can’t help thinking the Hobbitses might have quit the whole thing off had they known the walking involved.

Image credits: New Line/Imgur/Mattisawizard