Places in Middle-earth
Falls of Rauros
Type: Rivers & Lakes
Region: Gondor
Location: The great waterfall at the southern end of the lake Nen Hithoel, where it is drained by the Anduin into the Nindalf marsh.
Description: 'That is well,' said Celeborn. 'Then I will furnish your Company with boats. They must be small and light, for if you go far by water, there are places where you will be forced to carry them. You will come to the rapids of Sarn Gebir, and maybe at last to the great falls of Rauros where the River thunders down from Nen Hithoel; and there are other perils. Boats may make your journey less toilsome for a while. Yet they will not give you counsel: in the end you must leave them and the River, and turn west -- or east.'
The Fellowship of the Ring, LoTR Book 2, Ch 8, Farewell to Lórien
'As you go down the water ... you will come to a barren country. There the River flows in stony vale amid high moors, until at last after many leagues it comes to the tall island of the Tindrock, that we call Tol Brandir. There it casts its arms about the steep shores of the isle, and falls then with a great noise and smoke over the cataracts of Rauros down into the Nindalf, the Wetwang as it is called in your tongue.
The Fellowship of the Ring, LoTR Book 2, Ch 8, Farewell to Lórien
The pent waters spread out into a long oval lake, pale Nen Hithoel, fenced by steep grey hills.... At the far southern end rose three peaks. The midmost stood somewhat forward from the others and sundered from them, an island in the waters, about which the flowing River flung pale shimmering arms. Distant but deep there came up on the wind a roaring sound like the roll of thunder heard far away.
'Behold Tol Brandir!' said Aragorn, pointing south to the tall peak. 'Upon the left stands Amon Lhaw, and upon the right is Amon Hen the Hills of Hearing and of Sight. ... I hear the endless voice of Rauros calling.'
The Fellowship of the Ring, LoTR Book 2, Ch 9, The Great River
Southward [Frodo] looked, and below his very feet the Great River curled like a toppling wave and plunged over the falls of Rauros into a foaming pit; a glimmering rainbow played upon the fume.
The Fellowship of the Ring, LoTR Book 2, Ch 10, The Breaking of the Fellowship
Contributors: Elena Tiriel 22Dec04
