There is a new hotel in Spain that allows visitors to stay in hobbit holes, just like in the Shire! These hobbit houses can hold up to 6 people, are semi-buried and ecological. You can read more about it here. From the article:
Mi Tresoro, or My Treasure, has three semi-buried, grass-roofed apartments with space for six people each. They are bioclimatic, ecological and integrate perfectly into the natural environment. To complete the full Lord of the Rings experience, visitors can look forward to guided visits to fishing districts, ports, fish markets, brotherhoods and museums in the area. On the lake, customers may also opt for some recreational fishing, paddle surfing, kayaking and much more. Not a bad holiday, all in all—and certainly an easier ride than the poor Bagginses. There are no nasty Orcs or Dark Lords to fear here.
While this new hotel may not be as extensive as Hobbiton in Matamata, New Zealand, the hobbit holes in Spain allow you to not only go inside but spend the night. Time to add another stop to the Tolkien tourism list for after the pandemic!
Ian Holm as Bilbo Baggins in The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
“I thought up an ending for my book: ‘And he lived happily ever after, unto the end of his days.'”
Farewell to Sir Ian Holm, our dear and beloved Bilbo Baggins. May you thrive in the far green country and be at peace. Thank you for sharing your marvelous gifts with us and for bringing to life a character so dear to thousands, if not millions, of hearts. At 88 years old, you were a long-lived hobbit indeed.
Born on September 12, 1931, Holm was an accomplished actor for both stage and screen. Among his accolades are a Tony Award in 1967 for Homecoming and he was nominated for an Academy Award for Chariots of Fire. He graduated from the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in 1953. He was considered a star of the Royal Shakespeare Company.
As a voice actor, he played Frodo in the BBC’s 1981 adaptation of the Lord of the Rings and returned to Middle-earth to play Bilbo Baggins in Peter Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings trilogy. Together with the rest of the cast of The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, he shared a SAG award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture. Holm reprised his role of “old” Bilbo in Jackson’s The Hobbit trilogy.
He is survived by his wife, children, and grandchildren. Our hearts go out to his family and friends for their loss while we also celebrate the life of and work of a very gifted actor.
May the below score by Howard Shore warm your heart as we remember our dear Mr. Baggins.
Mae govannen. Congratulations! You made it! You participated in the races and traversed Middle-earth, following in the footsteps of the Fellowship of the Ring. You emerged triumphant. Thank you for joining us. We hope your journey was both exhilarating and enjoyable. Namárië for now.
Congratulations! You are a true Rider (or runner, or maybe a walker). You answered the call to traverse the miles from Dunharrow to Minas Tirith. Here is your Finisher Certificate. Print it out and share a photo of yourself on our World and Works of J.R.R. Tolkien Facebook page, and tell us a tale of your adventures, or perhaps share a poem or song.
If you complete all four races by May 31, you can download a final additional certificate that shows you completed all four races. Congratulations again! We hope you had fun.
Certificate design/illustration by staff member Mithril (Nancy Steinman). Additional illustration by BSGStudio and freedesignfile.
If you survived the dark and dangerous halls of Moria, congratulations! Here is your Finisher Certificate. Print it out and share a photo of yourself on our World and Works of J.R.R. Tolkien Facebook page, and tell us what you encountered on your run. Perhaps you had to fend off orcs or cave trolls? Did a Balrog singe your sneakers?
There is still time to run the two previous Middle-earth Virtual 5k races. The Shire Sprint and Racing to Rivendell are still up and available for download. The certificates for those races are in the posts.
You have until May 29th to complete all four races to be eligible for the final additional certificate that shows you completed all four races. The next and final race will be posted this Friday, May 22. We hope you’ll join us. Congratulations again!
Whether you have run the previous two races or not, you can still participate in this one, so limber up and join your fellow ringers and take on the 5 Meters Through Moria Challenge. This course will follow the fellowship of the ring’s dark and dangerous journey through the mines of Khazad-dûm. Once prosperous and echoing with song and the ringing of pick-axe, these dark caverns are now inhabited by orcs and cave trolls and something much, much worse. So be on your guard as you make your way to the final bridge and cross once more into daylight.
This Virtual 5k Race (3.1 miles) can be run or walked at any location you choose (please follow your town’s current rules). You can run, jog, walk in your neighborhood or your backyard, use a treadmill, climb the stairs in your home, or use an elliptical – whatever is most convenient and safe for you. 30 minutes of exercise can also count as 1 mile. Run your own race, at your own pace, and time it yourself – our 5k’s are on the honor system.
Before you start each race, download a RACE BIB here or from TheOneRing.net’s “The World and Works of J.R.R. Tolkien” Facebook page. Write your name or nickname and/or race time in the white box, then you can stop by our Facebook page and post a photo wearing your bib, or post in the comments below.
Once you have completed each race, let us know! Download your Finisher Certificate here and share another photo.
Also, check back next Friday for the fourth and final race. If you complete all four races, an additional special certificate can be yours! If you’re so inclined, reading the section in “The Fellowship of the Ring” that corresponds to this race might add a bit of color to your journey. Above all else, have fun. On your mark, get set, go!
If you weren’t able to join the first two races, don’t despair! Click on these links to earn your Shire Sprint and Racing to Rivendell bib and certificate. Complete all four races by May 29 and earn an extra crowning certificate.
Bibs and certificates designed by TORN staff member Mithril, aka Nancy Steinman.
