What Regions look like

[Hermes Serpent]

The highlands are very wet in the west and much less so in the east (all the rain has already fallen) "the north-western coast has about 265 days with rain a year and this falls to the south east to a minimum of about 170 days along the coast to the east of high ground." according to Wikipedia. While "much of eastern Scotland receives less than 870 mm (34.3 in) annually; lying in the rain shadow of the western uplands." also Wikipedia.

The Cumbrian weather is equally wet. The record annual rainfall for Sparkling Tarn was 6528 mm (257 inches) in 1954

[Gwalchmei]

I'm sorry but if you want to see rain come to Wales.

It's one of the few areas where we can claim to be world leaders. That and beaches in a bizarre contradiction.

What about Dartmoor and Exmoor for the Ettenmoors? The Brecon Beacons in my part of the world would also do for the foothills of the Misty Mountains, albeit without the mountains themselves.

Wiltshire would work for the Shire - the West country accent is perfect for Hobbits too!

Whilst we are on the subject I never quite took to New Zealand as Middle Earth. A beautiful land certainly but almost too 'clean' and bright with colours too vibrant for my personal tastes. I've always viewed Middle Earth in my head in a more British palette. But then it's only natural for you to apply your own experiences to your imagination. That's the beauty of a book, it allows you to fill in much of the detail yourself.

[Hermes Serpent]

I'm lucky, I've lived in the Middle East so I know what to think of when Near Harad is mentioned. I've lived in Indonesia so I know what to expect for Far Harad (although the nearest I've been to a mumakil is the London zoo). For the grasslands of Rohan I suppose it's the US Mid-West (having driven from Colorado to the East coast I know flat and boring). The Shire is just up the road in Dorset and Wiltshire. For Bree I think of somewhere like Lavenham in Suffolk or parts of Herefordshire.

The Barrow-downs is definitely Wiltshire's Salisbury Plain as the area has many long barrows and other ancient sites. Mirkwood has to resemble the Black Forest of Bavaria or maybe one of those otehr forested areas in Central or Eastern Europe, Poland maybe as I seem to remember a massive forest there. The valley of the Anduin I think could be represented by the Severn Valley with teh Wye valley taking the place of some of the lesser streams coming form the Misty Mountains.

Now for the Lone-lands I guess back to the US Mid West again. The Grey havens could be represented by the area around perhaps Limerick in Ireland. For the Grey Mountains I'd look to Iceland for scenic inspiration

[Valarian]

Wiltshire would work for the Shire - the West country accent is perfect for Hobbits too!

Nope. The Shire is the Midlands. Definitely the Midlands.

[Gwalchmei]

Nope. The Shire is the Midlands. Definitely the Midlands.

Fair comment (especially for the central part of The Shire) but Green Hill Country in the Southfarthing struck me as being a lot like Wiltshire.

[Halbarad]

@Valarian. Should PJ have cast Noddy Holder as Bilbo Baggins then?

[Valarian]

Tolkien was inspired by the locations around him as a boy.

Hobbiton is Sarehole (now despoiled).
For Green Hill country, the Lickey Hills, Clent Hills or Malvern Hills.
Isenguard - The University of Birmingham (you can see the other "towers" from the clock tower, now closed to students but open in Tolkien's time. These are Perrot's Folly and the Edgbaston Water Works tower. The original University buildings have the "wheel" layout with the clock tower at the centre. The original avenue of trees from the North Gate to the clock tower courtyard will be restored in the current library redevelopment).

[Jon Hodgson]

Not sure if this link will work, but I grew up in Ashton Keynes in Wiltshire. Have a look around. Very Shire-like.

https://www.google.com/maps/@51.646748, ... gebHHg!2e0

Things you don't appreciate as a child - check out the state of that (ex) cross in the centre of the village!: https://www.google.com/maps/@51.645041, ... U-3TjQ!2e0

[Beleg]

I heard once that the Cheddar Gorge supposedly inspired Helm's Deep, which I can easily believe considering how well it seems to fit the books.