Beornings - High Pass

Connecting Eriador with the Rhovanion is the High Pass over the Misty Mountains. The eastern side, in Rhovanion, comes out of the mountains a few miles south of the Carrock where the best possible place to ford the Anduin river exists. Another possible place is at the Old Ford where the Old Road continues east into Mirkwood. However, this ford is constantly plagued by orcs and has been mostly washed away. The ford there is about four to five feet deep with strong currents while the one at the Carrock is about three feet or less with lighter currents. The Beornings also make it their business to be sure that no orcs interfere with the route between the Ford and the Pass. The High Pass continues west from there over the Misty Mountains, dangerously close to the Goblin Town mentioned in the Hobbit. While most of the orcs were destroyed in the Battle of Five Armies, there are still constant raids in that area. Again, the Beornings help to keep this factor down to a minimum. Stone-tossing giants, while dangerous, generally leave travellers alone to their own business. The western end of the Pass enters into the river valley of the Bruinen, near the fabled Last Homely Home of Elrond and The Great East Road.