Tolkien Trail, Walk From Hurst Green, Ribble Valley, Lancashire

The Tolkien Trail is a popular walk in the Ribble Valley, Lancashire. The walk starts at the Shireburn Arms in Hurst Green.

In the 1940s JRR Tolkien spent time in the area while visiting his son, John Tolkien. John was studying to be a priest at Stonyhurst College.

It is thought that much of The Lord of The Rings was written while JRR Tolkien was staying the area.

It is believed that the area around Hurst Green could have been the inspiration for The Shire.

There are many similarities. There is a Shire Lane in Hurst Green. The layout of the Hodder, Ribble, and Calder rivers is similar to Tolkien’s map of the Brandywine, Withywindle, and Shirebourne rivers.

The Bucklebury Ferry is thought to have been inspired by the Hacking Ferry, a ferry service on the River Ribble. Brandy Hall could have been based on Hacking Hall and the Brandywine Bridge on Cromwell’s Bridge.

The walk is 6.5 miles long. Sights on the route include:

00:29 Warren Fold, Hurst Green
02:10 Cricket pavilion of Stonyhurst College
02:37 Stonyhurst Observatory
03:06 Hall Barns Farm
03:39 Pendle Hill
03:36 Woodfields (Stonyhurst College staff accommodation)
05:58 Over Hacking Wood
08:11 Hodder Place
10:40 River Hodder
12:22 Cromwell’s Bridge and Lower Hodder Bridge
12:49 Whalley Road
15:52 Winckley Hall Farm
20:58 River Ribble and Hacking Hall
27:46 Aqueduct
28:59 Raid Deep Wood
32:22 Shireburn Arms, Hurst Green

For more information to go:

https://www.visitnorthwest.com/hurst-...
https://www.visitnorthwest.com/sights...
https://www.visitnorthwest.com/walk/t...