Harlindon

Harlindon, the southern part of Lindon, is a coastal region in the far west of Middle-earth, lying between the Gulf of Lune and the Blue Mountains. It is the remnant of the once-great Elvish kingdom of Beleriand, most of which was drowned at the end of the First Age. In the Third Age, it is a land of quiet green hills and seaward woods, where the Elves who still linger in Middle-earth dwell in peace, though their numbers are dwindling as they depart for the Uttermost West.

Geography and Setting

Harlindon is bounded to the north by the Gulf of Lune, which separates it from Forlindon, the northern part of Lindon. The Blue Mountains (Ered Luin) form its eastern border, while to the west lies the Great Sea. The region is described as a fair and fertile land, with gentle slopes and many streams flowing down to the sea. The Grey Havens (Mithlond), the chief port of the Elves in Middle-earth, lies at the mouth of the Gulf of Lune, serving as the primary point of departure for Elves sailing into the West. The Tower Hills (Emyn Beraid) rise in the east of the region, and from their highest tower, the farsighted could glimpse the sea.

Inhabitants and History

Harlindon is inhabited primarily by the Sindar and Noldor Elves, under the lordship of Círdan the Shipwright, who dwells at the Grey Havens. During the Second Age, Gil-galad, the last High King of the Noldor in exile, ruled all of Lindon from his capital at the Havens. After his fall in the War of the Last Alliance, the Elves of Lindon remained under Círdan's guardianship, but their power waned as the Third Age progressed. By the time of the War of the Ring, few Elves still dwelt in Harlindon, and those who remained were mostly preparing to depart over the Sea.

Narrative Significance

Harlindon is mentioned in the chapter titles of The Lord of the Rings as part of the geographical framework of the story, but it is not a setting for any major events in the narrative. It is referenced in the Prologue as the region where the Elves of the High Kindred still dwelt at the time of the Shire's settlement, and from which the Three Elf-towers on the Tower Hills could be seen. The region is also noted in the Appendices as the home of Círdan and the Grey Havens, and as the place where the last Elven-ships set sail into the West, marking the end of the Third Age and the departure of the Ring-bearers.

The Grey Havens

The Grey Havens (Mithlond), located in Harlindon at the mouth of the Gulf of Lune, is the most significant location in the region. It is the chief haven of the Elves in Middle-earth, from which ships sail to the Undying Lands. Círdan the Shipwright, the keeper of the Havens, is a figure of great age and wisdom, and he is the one who gives the Third Ring, Narya, to Gandalf when the Wizard arrives in Middle-earth. The Havens are the final destination of Frodo, Bilbo, and Gandalf at the end of The Lord of the Rings, where they board a white ship and depart from Middle-earth forever.