List of Middle-earth rivers

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Middle-earth, the setting of J. R. R. Tolkien's legendarium, contains many rivers. Most are described below.

See also: Rivers of Beleriand and Rivers of Gondor


Directory: A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

[edit] A

  • Adorn is a river of Rohan.
It arises in the White Mountains. Together with the river Isen, it forms the western border of the Kingdom of Rohan. The Adorn joins with the Isen about 150 Númenórean miles west of the Gap of Rohan.
The triangle of land between the Isen, Adorn, and the White Mountains was nominally part of the Kingdom of Rohan, but in the late Third Age it was a contested area between the Rohirrim and the Dunlendings.
Main article: Anduin
  • Angren
See Isen

[edit] B

  • Baranduin or Brandywine River is the border river of the Shire.
Main article: Baranduin
  • Bruinen or Loudwater is a river of Eriador.
Main article: Bruinen

[edit] C

  • Carnen or Redwater is a river of Rhovanion.
The Carnen flows southward from the Iron Hills east of the Lonely Mountain until it meets the Celduin about 250 Númenórean miles to the south. From there the rivers flow as one to the Sea of Rhûn, past the land of Dorwinion.
The kingdom of Dale after its refounding extended into the angle between the Celduin and the Carnen. Although not mapped in detail, there are no doubt many villages of Men, as the Men of Dale and Esgaroth and the Wood-elves traded along the rivers.
Location of Celduin in Middle-earth
Location of Celduin in Middle-earth
  • Celduin or Running is a river of Rhovanion.
The Celduin is a 600–Númenórean miles long river that runs from the Lonely Mountain south through the Long Lake, where it is joined by the Forest River, and thence through the eastern outskirts of Mirkwood, then south east through the wide eastern plains of Rhovanion to its confluence with the Carnen and finally in a long south-eastward loop to the great inland Sea of Rhûn, past the land of Dorwinion.
It rises in the eastern Misty Mountains near the East Gate of Khazad-dûm. It then runs through Lórien where it is met by the Nimrodel river, and empties into the Anduin.
The Fellowship of the Ring followed this river when they travelled from Moria to Lórien.
It is called Silverlode in Westron and Kibil-nâla in Khuzdul, the language of Dwarves.
It forms the northern boundary of the Field of Celebrant.

[edit] D

  • Deeping Stream is a river of Rohan.
It flows out of the Glittering Caves past the Hornburg and then through Deeping Coomb, apparently meeting with the Isen later on (the lower course is not mapped).

[edit] E

  • Enchanted River (or Gûlduin) is a river of Mirkwood.
It is a dark running river under a sleeping spell. Its source is in the Mountains of Mirkwood, and it meets the Forest River near Thranduil's Caverns.
In The Hobbit, this river forms an obstacle for the expedition of Thorin Oakenshield.
In the First Age, the Esgalduin was also called the Enchanted River.
  • Entwash is a river of Rohan.
The Entwash, a translation of the Sindarin name Onodló, has its sources in the springs that arise on Mount Methedras, the southernmost peak of the Misty Mountains, near Treebeard's home.
Leaving Fangorn forest, the river flows past the Wold of Rohan, and then heads south, dividing Rohan into the West and East Emnets. At the latitude of Edoras it is joined by the river Snowbourn, and then flows east towards Anduin, which it joins just south of the Falls of Rauros in the huge inland delta known as the Mouths of the Entwash. The Mering Stream met one of the Entwashes' arms there. The influx of water is so great that at the other end of the Anduin the marshes of Nindalf (Wetwang) and the Dead Marshes arose.
The Entwash is named for the Ents (Onodrim) of Fangorn, but the origin of the name was largely forgotten by the Rohirrim by the end of the Third Age.
It is one of the rivers which arises in the Middle-earth, but it is not counted amongst the Seven Rivers of Gondor.
The river begins near Mount Mindolluin in the White Mountains, flowing south through the province of Lossarnach, where it meets the Anduin about 100 Númenórean miles south of Minas Tirith.
During the Kin-strife of Gondor, the Battle of the Crossings of Erui was fought at the Crossings of Erui that were on the way to Pelargir.

[edit] F

  • Forest River (or Taurduin) is a river of Mirkwood.
The Forest River is a great river that flows through northern Mirkwood. It begins in the Ered Mithrin far to the north, and then flows south-east, diverging at points, until it is met by the Enchanted River near Thranduil's caverns. From there it continues eastwards to the Long Lake of Esgaroth, which it meets in the Long Marshes.

[edit] G

  • Gate Stream
See Sirannon
Called Sîr Ninglor (River gold water (flower) = River waterlily) by the Elves, the Gladden is a short but important river of the Vales of Anduin. Beginning as two unnamed arms in the Hithaeglir, it flows eastwards to the Great River Anduin, which it meets in a series of marshes called the Gladden Fields.
After the Last Alliance of Elves and Men, Isildur, heir of Elendil and bearer of the One Ring, was assailed by Orcs near the Gladden Fields, and the One Ring was lost here in the Gladden river.
Much later during the Third Age some Stoors lived near the streams of Gladden, and from them came Sméagol (Gollum), who long held the Ring. Gollum eventually followed the stream up to its source, ending up in forgotten caves near Goblin Town.
Saruman searched for the Ring extensively in the Gladden. He never found it since it was already in the possession of Gollum at the time, but he apparently discovered Isildur's remains.
It is one of the sources of the Gwathló. The name means "border-river", as it once had been the southern boundary of the Elven realm of Eregion
Beginning in the Hithaeglir south of Khazad-dûm, it flows west-north-west until it is met by the Sirannon near the old location of Ost-in-Edhil, the capital of the Noldor of Eregion. Further downstream the Glanduin forms the Swanfleet or Nîn-in-Eilph together with the Mitheithel, the vast marshland north-east of Tharbad. From there on both rivers become the Gwathló.
On some versions of the Middle-earth map the name Swanfleet appears to be an alternative name for the river, but in fact the name refers to the marshes alone.
  • Glanhír
See Mering Stream
  • Greyflood
See Gwathló
  • Greylin is one of the two sources of the Anduin.
    Gûlduin
See Enchanted River
Main article: Gwathló

[edit] H

In the later Third Age it formed the southern border of the contested land of Harondor, South Gondor, and as such formed the southern border of Dúnedain influence. South of the Harnen lay the land of Near Harad.
A good 600 Númenórean miles long, it begins in the Ephel Dúath of Mordor and then flows south-west for about 350 miles, when it bents west and speeds to Belegaer, which it enters in a wide delta. The Great South Road into Harad crosses the Harnen shortly after it bent westwards. This road was used by Sauron's followers late in the Third Age.
  • Hoarwell
See Mitheithel

[edit] I

  • Isen is a river of southern Eriador.
Main article: Isen

[edit] L

Along with Greylin it forms the beginnings of the Anduin river.
On its northern bank was built the city of Framsburg, capital of the Éothéod.
It empties into the Gulf of Lune that breaks through the line of the Ered Luin, and thence into Belegaer.
It has three (unnamed) tributaries: two of them arising in the Ered Luin, and one beginning in the Hills of Evendim north of the capital of Arnor, Annúminas. It is not connected to Lake Nenuial, the origin of the Baranduin (Brandywine) river.
In the First Age, the river had a different, unknown course. The Gulf of Lune was not created until the War of Wrath so the river must have had a different lower course. Possibly it connected with the Baranduin further south.
Its origins are near Treebeard's dwellings. It then runs through northern Fangorn and empties into the Anduin.
It forms the southern boundary of the Field of Celebrant, and was claimed by Celeborn and Galadriel of Lórien as the southern boundary of their realm.
It was also the historic northern border of Gondor, and later of Rohan.
The name is from an Elvish form, but Tolkien provided different explanations of the exact meaning and even language(s) used in the name.[1]

[edit] M

Gandalf and Pippin crossing the Mering Stream in The Return of the King
Gandalf and Pippin crossing the Mering Stream in The Return of the King
The Mering Stream or (Sindarin) Glanhír forms the border between the Gondorian province of Anórien and the Rohan province of Eastfold.
The Mering Stream flows through Fírien Forest, which grows about the mountain Halifirien, last of the Warning beacons of Gondor.
  • Mitheithel or Hoarwell is a great river of Eriador.
The source of Mitheithel is in northern Hithaeglir. From there it speeds through the Ettenmoors to bend south after them. The Great East Road crosses it at the Last Bridge, after which it is met by the Bruinen, forming the Angle where the Dúnedain dwelt after the fall of Arnor.
From there the Mitheithel forms the northern border of Eregion, until it is met by the Glanduin at Swanfleet and becomes the Gwathló.
Flowing past Minas Morgul towards Anduin, it is met by the old Númenórean road from Osgiliath to the city in the Ephel Dúath.
It is crossed by the Harad Road with a bridge at the Crossroads where Frodo Baggins and Samwise Gamgee saw an old statue of a King of Gondor which had been defiled by Orcs. They later again followed the road towards the Tower of Cirth Ungol, led by Gollum.

[edit] N

Main article: Nimrodel

[edit] O

  • Onodló
See Entwash

[edit] P

  • Poros is a river in the south of Gondor.
It forms the northern border of the contested land of Harondor, South Gondor, and the southern border of Ithilien. During the later Third Age it was the effective southern border of Gondor.
About 400 Númenórean miles long, it begins in the Ephel Dúath of Mordor and then flows south-west for about 300 miles, when it bents north and meets the Anduin just before the Anduin begins its delta.
The Poros is crossed by the Harad Road at Haudh in Gwanûr.

[edit] R

  • Redwater
See Carnen
See Celduin

[edit] S

  • Sarn Gebir are the rapids of the Great River Anduin.
They appear as the river's course passes between the eastern and western Emyn Muil, above the Falls of Rauros.
Its source is in the uplands of the Green Hill Country of the Eastfarthing, from where it flows south and then southeast. At Willowbottom, it meets the Thistle Brook, and then flows eastwards until the Shirebourn itself meets the Brandywine.
Where it meets the Brandywine it forms the boggy region known as the Overbourn Marshes, opposite the southern end of the High Hay.
  • Silverlode
See Celebrant
  • Sîr Ninglor
See Gladden
Beginning at the Silvertine, it flows past the gates of Moria to Ost-in-Edhil, the ruined old capital city of the Noldor of Eregion, where it is met by the river Glanduin. The Sirannon encounters some falls under the gates of Moria, and its sound can be heard from miles around.
During the War of the Ring the Fellowship of the Ring found that the Sirannon had been dammed by someone or something, and before the gates of Moria there was now a foul lake. In this lake dwelt the Watcher in the Water, who nearly caught the Ringbearer Frodo Baggins.
The Snowbourn arises in the White Mountains under the mountain Starkhorn, flows through Harrowdale where the Rohirrim capital Edoras is built, and then flows east until it meets the river Entwash. It separates Rohan's Eastfold from West Emnet.

[edit] T

  • Taurduin
See Forest River

[edit] W

It is a tributary of the river Brandywine that arises in the Westfarthing of the Shire, and flows eastward to meet the Brandywine just north of the Brandywine Bridge. Hobbiton and Bywater both stand on this river.
A minor tributary of the River Baranduin (Brandywine), it arises in the Barrow-downs and flows past Tom Bombadil's house in the Old Forest.


[edit] References

Most of the information can be found in The Lord of the Rings in the Appendices. Some information comes from Unfinished Tales and The History of Middle-earth series.

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ Helios De Rosario Martínez and Javier Lorenzo Merino. Musings on Limlight. 'Tengwestië'.


Rivers from J. R. R. Tolkien's legendarium during the Third Age
Adorn | Anduin | Baranduin | Bruinen | Carnen | Celduin | Celebrant | Celos | Ciril | Deeping Stream | Enchanted River (Gûlduin) | Entwash | Erui | Forest River (Taurduin) | Gilrain | Gladden | Glanduin | Greylin | Gwathló (Greyflood) | Harnen | Isen | Langwell | Lefnui | Lhûn | Limlight | Mering Stream | Mitheithel (Hoarwell) | Morgulduin | Morthond | Nimrodel | Poros | Ringló | Sernui | Shirebourn | Sirith | Snowbourne | The Water | Withywindle
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