We visited Middle Earth over the past two days.

Burkes Garden is a valley surrounded on all sides by mountains. The valley is farmland. It is populated by only a couple hundred people, most of whom are Amish. It reminds me of The Shire.

Today’s hike was on a ridge far above the valley. It was very Fangorn-like.

If you are not tracking with the literary references, please see Peter Jackson’s excellent Lord of the Rings movies: The Fellowship of the Ring (4 Oscars), The Two Towers (2) and The Return of the King (11, including Best Picture).