Old Forest

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Old Forest
Region: Bree-land
Landmark(s): Abandoned Cottage
Angerwood
Bald Hill
Bonfire Glade
The Broken Heart
Creaking Vale
Dark-paw Vale
Dire Glade
East Forest Road
The Forlorn Glade
Goldberry's Spring
Old Barrows Road
Old Forest Tunnel
Old Man Willow
Old Muddyfoot's Hill
The Old Oak's Grave
The Shade Pool
The Shifting Wood
Tom Bombadil's House
Tomnoddy Corner
The Weaver's Den
Weeping Water
Willow Glade
Withywindle Crossing
Connecting
Area(s):
Buckland
Northern Barrow-downs
Southern Bree-fields
Levels: Mainly 16 - 21
Resource tier: Journeyman



The Old Forest is an area within Bree-land in the southern region.

This famous, untamed forest, with its narrow mazes, lies just east of Buckland across the High Hay, south of Southern Bree-fields, and west of Barrow-downs. Entrances are, from the west via the Old Forest Tunnel, from the east via the Old Barrows Road, or from the north via openings or paths such as East Forest Road. For a traveller's essay we recommend A Pleasant Guide to the Old Forest.

The Old Forest provides lower level characters with adventures and challenging explorations of the realms depicted in Tolkien's fictional realm. Try following the path that Frodo and his fellowship might endured not long ago, about September 26, III 3018, from Crickhollow to Tom Bombadil's House: getting lost in the Shifting Wood, eating one's lunch-repast at the Bald Hill and taking a short nap under the sun, getting lost down the Withywindle and resting, completely exhausted, by the trunk of the Old Man Willow, to finally escaping uphill to Tom's place. The southern section rather invites for lots of creature hunting. Or picking flowers hidden at the most difficult locations.

No services are provided within the Old Forest, the closest being within Buckland and at Adso's Camp, both with vendors and stable-masters. There are also quests givers located, mainly at Buckland and Adso's Camp, and mainly for the levels 16 to 21.



Landmarks

Tom Bombadil's House

These landmarks are located within the Old Forest:

NPCs

See list of all NPCs within the Old Forest


Gillemin Brandybuck [33.8S, 59.3W]
Marigold Boffin - (various locations)

Deeds

Quests

Bald Hill
The Weaver's Den

See "starting quests" and the landmarks for more quests

Involving


Mobs

Goldberry's Spring
Bonfire Glade


Maps

Old Forest

Click for larger image Old Forest POIs Old Forest Named Creatures

Bree-land

Map of Bree-land Topographic map of Bree-land

Lore

"A remnant of the great forests of Middle-earth in the Second Age; most of these forests were felled by the Númenóreans, but two isolated woodlands remained. The Old Forest was the northern of these two (the other being Fangorn in the south)." — [lorebook]


"Throughout the ages of Middle-earth the Old Forest has remained an ominous region. Dark tales abound of trees coming to life and misleading those who tread harshly upon their roots. The most sinister of stories is often told to young Hobbits to keep them out of the Old Forest; it speaks of a monstrous tree called Old Man Willow, whose tremendous claw-like branches snatch up unwary travelers. The tales work to keep most folks at bay, coupled with the fact that many who have ventured into the Old Forest—either alone or with companions—have never been heard from again. — These precarious and ancient woods are thought to be the northern remnants of the great forests harvested by the Men of Númenor who ruled during the Second Age." — Hero's Guide
 Old Forest Guide
Originally posted by MadeOfLions:
LOTRO.com Data Center Migration - Tuesday, March 15th
I've always tried to be thorough when it comes to directions, and even with the existence of Quest Guide I still try to include plenty of guidance. On occasion I don't (such as with a couple of Bingo's quests), but generally I try to give you the information that the NPC has who's sending you somewhere. But I wondered if I was remembering the old days wrong, so I looked up one of my early quests, and found the following guidance dated from March 2006, in ' Old Forest Investigation':
"I am something of an expert on the Old Forest, having walked there since I was very young. I hope this small guide - work in progress though it is - will be helpful for those who wish to enjoy a nice stroll in the Forest during the summer months. I hope to get it published when it's done, but for now consider it a personal tour!
BONFIRE GLADE: The Bonfire Glade is right near the entrance. You just come through the tunnel under the hedge and then head east 'till you get there. There are two fairly clear paths at the eastern and southern edges of the cleared space. If you head south, the trees get close on the left, so take the right path and follow it around to the east to Little Bald Hill. Keep moving east - it slopes upward as you go - and ignore any side paths. You'll reach Bald Hill.
BALD HILL: I like to sit underneath the only tree on its crown on sunny days - there's a good breeze up there above the canopy. Be careful if you want to go back to the Bonfire Glade from here - two paths lead westward, the one you probably came from, and another one that's more northerly. I don't usually go up that way, since I once saw a wolf up there and it gave me a fright. The path south of Bald Hill will take you down to the willows.
LITTLE BALD HILL: This isn't so much a hill as it is a big rock sitting in a clearing. It's a good landmark if you've gotten lost, though, since you can usually hear the toads away in the marsh to the south. The Bonfire Glade and Bald Hill are northwest and northeast, respectively, but the paths shift sometimes and it's sometimes hard to find the trails, especially around dusk.
TOAD MARSH: Be careful where you step here, since the mud can get a good grip on your foot - I've squelched back home on many summer days, tracking muddy prints through the whole forest. If you can work your way east and north along the Withywindle, you'll find a cottage, but you're probably better off avoiding it. The Man who lives there isn't very friendly. If you keep bearing northerly, you'll eventually be able to go west to the Bonfire Glade or east to Bald Hill.
COTTAGE: Stillwell isn't very nice, and won't even nod if he sees you passing. I don't think he likes hobbits. I try not to walk too near his cottage, which suits us both fine, I think. It's right on the river, so if you see his cookfire, you can find another path. Be careful if avoiding Stillwell brings you up the slope northwest of his cottage - the trees up there seem distrustful of outsiders, and I haven't managed to find any paths back to familiar places in that direction.
SHADE POOL: I've only found this shady pool once, and the trees seem to be in different places now. It was east and south of Stillwell's cottage, I think, at the bottom of a sloping hill, but the trees have shifted and you can't go that way as easily anymore. I think if you cross the Withywindle south of the cottage and keep your eyes peeled for a path heading east, you can work your way east and eventually north. If the trees cooperate and my sense of direction is working - two things that are unsure inside the Forest - you should be able to hook a left immediately after hitting an open space and work your way west to the shady pool. The dale was very foggy, but it was a pretty place.
WILLOWS: South of Bald Hill and north of Stillwell's cottage is a huge willow tree. This place gives me the creeps, so I usually stay away from here if I can help it."

Gallery

Bear dens in the Old Forest Brandybuck's Camp along the Withywindle Bridge over the Withywindle by the hill to Bombadil's View of the central Old forest Lumber pile in the eastern Old Forest Northern border with the Southern Bree-fields The northern parts, while still dangerous, are the least ominous parts of the forest Pond in the Old Forest The southern sections of the Old Forest are almost entirely overrun by spiders