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Middle-Earth Tours
Tour 2: The Places of Middle-Earth
The Lonely Mountain
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The Lonely Mountain, by Rob Alexander |
The lands opened wide about him, filled with the waters of the river which broke up and wandered in a hundred winding courses, or halted in marshes and pools dotted with isles on every side; but still a strong water flowed on steadily through the mist. And far away, its dark head in a torn cloud, there loomed the Mountain! Its nearest neighbours to the North-East and the tumbled land that joined it to them could not be seen. All alone it rose and looked across the marshes to the forest. The Lonely Mountain! Bilbo had come far and through many adventures to see it, and now he did not like the look of it at all. --The Hobbit, "A Warm Welcome" |
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| About middday, creeping behind a great stone that stood alone like a pillar, Bilbo came on what looked like rough steps going upwards. Following these excitedly he and the dwarves found traces of a narrow track, often lost, often rediscovered, that wandered on to the top of the southern ridge and brought them at last to a still narrower ledge, which turned north across the face of the mountain....Silently, clinging to the rocky wall on their right, they went in single file along the ledge, till the wall opened and they turned into a little steep-walled bay, grassy-floored, still and quiet. --The Hobbit, "On the Doorstep" |
The Lonely Mountain, by Alan Lee |
The Lonely Mountain, by Gerd Renshoff and Ron Ploeg |
They did not dare to follow the river much further towards the Gate; but they went on beyond the end of the southern spur, until lying hidden behind a rock they could look out and see the dark cavernous opening in a great cliff-wall between the arms of the Mountain. Out of it the waters of the Running River sprang; and out of it too there came a steam and a dark smoke. Nothing moved in the waste, save the vapour and the water, and every now and again a black and ominous crow. --The Hobbit, "On the Doorstep" |
The Front Gate, by J.R.R. Tolkien |
The Lonely Mountain, by Alan Lee |
Smaug the Magnificent, by Michael Hague |
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Smaug, by Alan Lee |
There he lay, a vast red-golden dragon, fast asleep; a thrumming came from his jaws and nostrils, and wisps of smoke, but his fires were low in slumber. --The Hobbit, "Inside Information"
They buried Thorin deep beneath the Mountain, and Bard laid the Arkenstone upon his breast.
"There let it lie till the Mountain falls!" he said. "May it bring good fortune to all his folk that dwell here after!" --The Hobbit, "The Return Journey" |
Thorin's Burial, by Alan Lee |
For more on Smaug, visit the Dragons page |
Full-size versions of these pictures are on display at Rolozo Tolkien.
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