Places in Middle-earth
Forts on the Weather Hills
Type: Fortresses, Towers, Defenses
Region: Arnor/Eriador/Lindon
Location: Fortifications along the ridges and passes of the Weather Hills, including Weathertop.
Description:
The [Weather Hills] ... made an undulating ridge, often rising almost to a thousand feet, and here and there falling again to low ... passes leading into the eastern land beyond. Along the crest of the ridge the hobbits could see what looked to be the remains of green-grown walls and dikes, and in the clefts there still stood the ruins of old works of stone. ...
[They] found ... a track plain to see. They ... followed it southwards. It ran cunningly, taking a line that seemed chosen so as to keep as much hidden as possible from the view, both of the hill-tops above and of the flats to the west. It dived into dells, and hugged steep banks; and where it passed over flatter and more open ground on either side of it there were lines of large boulders and hewn stones that screened the travellers almost like a hedge.
'I wonder who made this path, and what for,' said Merry, as they walked along one of these avenues, where the stones were unusually large and closely set. ...
[Answered] Strider[,] 'The Men of the West did not live here; though in their latter days they defended the hills for a while against the evil that came out of Angmar. This path was made to serve the forts along the walls. But long before, in the first days of the North Kingdom, they built a great watch-tower on Weathertop, Amon Sûl they called it.'The Fellowship of the Ring, LoTR Book 1, Ch 11, A Knife in the Dark
In the days of Argeleb..., the kings of Arthedain again claimed the lordship of all Arnor. The claim was resisted by Rhudaur. ... Argeleb therefore fortified the Weather Hills; but he was slain in battle with Rhudaur and Angmar.
Arveleg son of Argeleb..., drove back his enemies from the Hills; and for many years Arthedain and Cardolan held in force a frontier along the Weather Hills, the Great Road, and the lower Hoarwell.The Return of the King, LoTR Appendix A, Annals of the Kings and Rulers: Eriador, Arnor, and the Heirs of Isildur: The North-kingdom and the Dúnedain
Contributors: Elena Tiriel 10Jul06
