The Ford of Bruinen

The Bruinen, called the Loudwater in the Common Speech, rises in the Misty Mountains and flows through the valley of Rivendell before turning south-west to join the Hoarwell and form the Greyflood. Where the Great East Road reaches it, a mile or two below the hidden valley, the river spreads over a stony bed and can be forded by a traveller on foot in ordinary weather. The western bank is low and open; the eastern rises steeply, and a path climbs from it over bare moorland to the edge of Elrond's valley. The Ford is the front door of Rivendell, and the only approach an army could use.

The river itself was under Elrond's command. When enemies tried to cross, the waters could be made to rise in a sudden flood that came roaring down from the mountains, and Gandalf added his own touch to it in the form of white riders and rolling boulders in the foam. The enchantment was the valley's chief defence, and travellers who reached the far side of the Ford were as good as safe.

The Ford's one famous day was October 20, 3018. Glorfindel, who had ridden out from Rivendell to find Frodo, put the wounded hobbit on his horse Asfaloth and sent it galloping for the river when the Nazgûl appeared on the Road behind. Five Riders came in pursuit and four more waited in ambush among the trees by the crossing; the horse outran them all and splashed through the ford with the Nine close behind. On the far bank Frodo, fading fast, turned to defy the Witch-king, who commanded him to return. As the three foremost Riders entered the water, the river rose. The flood took their horses from under them and the rest were driven into it by Glorfindel, Aragorn and the hobbits with fire; their steeds were drowned and the Nazgûl themselves were scattered and unhorsed, and returned to Mordor as shapeless shadows. Frodo fell senseless on the bank and was carried into Rivendell by Elrond's people. The company crossed back over the Ford westward on the way home on October 5, 3019, and again in the following years when Sam rode to the Havens.

The crossing of the Loudwater on the Great East Road, a short distance below the valley of Rivendell; the Trollshaws lie to the west and the moors of the Rivendell approach to the east.