At the end of August 2015 I began my first “Walk to Mordor,” a 1,779 mile journey retracing the steps of Frodo and Sam as they traveled from the Shire to Mount Doom to destroy the One Ring. And by “retracing,” I mean counting the miles they traveled and tracking my own, while reading along in the books as I made progress. The Eowyn Challenge and the late Karen Wynn Fonstad’s Atlas of Middle Earth provide the details of the journey.
The first time it took me almost 16 months, but it gave me such immense joy and satisfaction, (along with constant nerdy motivation to keep moving), that I’m doing it again. Or, you could say, I feel the pull of the Ring, and I know what must be done for the good of all Middle Earth, and that only I can carry this burden. This time my goal is to finish the journey in 12 months, (which requires an average of 5 miles a day). I hope, this year, that this challenge encourages me to continue exercising, get outdoors more often, go on more hikes, and explore more unknowns. I’ll keep you updated throughout the year as I encounter important checkpoints or visit new places.
Having done it before, I can say that walking to Mordor is a great way (for all the LotR nerds out there, at least), to find motivation and fun in walking and living a life in motion. If you’re interested in trying it out, I recommend it wholeheartedly – check out the links above, or check out Nerd Fitness’s post on the subject (another website I love). I would love to hear about your journey!
“The Road goes ever on and on
Down from the door where it began.
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 whither then? I cannot say”
– J.R.R. Tolkien, The Fellowship of the Ring
k. o. b. s. 