Thread: Your "Shire"
Mata Mata, New Zealand, for obvious reasons
For me, the closest "Shire" experience has been in Wonthaggi, a rural South-Gippsland town in Victoria, Australia.
The countryside is as close to English as anywhere in Australia - very green and hilly. The people are sturdy and take a no-nonsense approach to life. They are fiercely protective of their homes, and immensely proud of their achievements. They don't like outsiders and they have a tendancy to think that their "Shire" is the whole world.
I lived their for two, long years.
The countryside is as close to English as anywhere in Australia - very green and hilly. The people are sturdy and take a no-nonsense approach to life. They are fiercely protective of their homes, and immensely proud of their achievements. They don't like outsiders and they have a tendancy to think that their "Shire" is the whole world.
I lived their for two, long years.
I live in Devonshire, England, 'nuf said. 
I live in America, Iowa.In the country untop of a large hill, so I am living in my own little "shire" . I like to go horse back riding and work on training my foal, chase around cows, give a 'lil TLC to my(our) 4 cats, kick around the roosters to keep them in there place and show 'em whos boss
And on Saturdays I work in the garden, which it ain't my garden but Mom makes sure I get it done non-the-less,& also sweep the porch and walk way.
I could go on, but I dont know if this is what the forums about.
Well thats my "shire"!
. I like to go horse back riding and work on training my foal, chase around cows, give a 'lil TLC to my(our) 4 cats, kick around the roosters to keep them in there place and show 'em whos boss And on Saturdays I work in the garden, which it ain't my garden but Mom makes sure I get it done non-the-less,& also sweep the porch and walk way.
I could go on, but I dont know if this is what the forums about.
Well thats my "shire"!
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I live in Devonshire, England, 'nuf said.
16 miles up the road from where I lived in Boston are the Lincolnshire Wolds. These gently rolling hills are the Shire; the indigenous population have never ventured beyond its borders, and each farm is occupied by a farmer Maggot (Get off my land!!!!). Here they still use stones and pounds, and trade in shillings and farthings. People still huddle around their beers in the local taverns, greeting strangers with ghostly silence, and like the Shire, have no hope of getting Broadband. An old Numenorian fortress now lies in ruin on a hillside, once home to a King (Henry IV Bolinbroke), while Swarvy Men are now encroaching on the borders from a distant land across the sea.I live in Devonshire, England, 'nuf said.
I'm going to build my own little shire! Well, at least that is the plan, it propbably won't happen in many namy years, but I want a hobbit house that is all mine! It would be SO great to build it as a cabin somewhere and spend hollidays there, but it is most likely going to be a small house on (or in) the sheep field next to our house on the farm my boyfriend will be taking over from his grandfather. Maybe it could work as a little guest houseif needed? One day.. you'll see.. it will be so perfect! *drifts away into dreams*
That's beautiful Andrea. (I know that sounds really strange to say, but I think it was beautiful).
I think that in terrms of the atmosphere, the small island I live on is like the Shire. We are friendly but have a certain disregard for the outside world. Landscape-wise the pictures I see of Ireland are very shire-like as well as some picture I've seen of the Czech Republic.
I think that in terrms of the atmosphere, the small island I live on is like the Shire. We are friendly but have a certain disregard for the outside world. Landscape-wise the pictures I see of Ireland are very shire-like as well as some picture I've seen of the Czech Republic.
My "Shire"? As in the most happy and peaceful place ever?
I have no idea...I haven’t travel anywhere outside Skandinavia but I doubt that I (as men in Tolkien’s world) will find rest in this world since I believe that it is something that compells me to go beyond it.....or something like that
I have no idea...I haven’t travel anywhere outside Skandinavia
but I doubt that I (as men in Tolkien’s world) will find rest in this world since I believe that it is something that compells me to go beyond it.....or something like that
I would say that my hometown in Connecticut is like the Shire; it has rolling hills, farmland, and little forests. The inhabitants of my hometown also are trying to resist industrialization, i.e. huge store chains coming in.
But like Tolkien's Sarehole, you can see the industry start to come up the hill. Lots on the edge of farmland are sold off for apartment housing. The rural country's disappearing.
Now, for actual physical elements of the Shire, there was one little reclusive town in Shenandoah Country, Virginia that I thought looked immensely like the Shire.
But like Tolkien's Sarehole, you can see the industry start to come up the hill. Lots on the edge of farmland are sold off for apartment housing. The rural country's disappearing.
Now, for actual physical elements of the Shire, there was one little reclusive town in Shenandoah Country, Virginia that I thought looked immensely like the Shire.
Having lived in the English countryside for 6 years, and then moving to the suburbs of Detroit, I would have to say my old home there would remind me most of the Shire.
I plan to live like Bilbo, work and study hard, then go out for a little adventure that will take me around the world, retire home to my old town in England. But like Bilbo, I don't suppose I can just stay there after seeing the world. I know now I have trouble spending a whole week at my own home now, I need change.
So really, my "Shire" the place that I feel most comfy and free in, is actually no-where. I can't live like that, I need excitement and adventure. So I guess that means my Shire is the world itself
I plan to live like Bilbo, work and study hard, then go out for a little adventure that will take me around the world, retire home to my old town in England. But like Bilbo, I don't suppose I can just stay there after seeing the world. I know now I have trouble spending a whole week at my own home now, I need change.
So really, my "Shire" the place that I feel most comfy and free in, is actually no-where. I can't live like that, I need excitement and adventure. So I guess that means my Shire is the world itself
You are very right about the Czech Republic Sammie! And the Czech people have many most admirable qualities of the hobbits!
Me, I live in Coimbra, a small city in Portugal. I live on top of a cliff, and I see it as my own Hobbit hole. And it's got the really looking like 'shireling' grass, with small bushes and all.
Yet, the whole Coimbra looks like Hobbiton. Everywhere you look or walk it's like cliff here cliff there cliffs everywhere! It's crazy!
Farewell
Yet, the whole Coimbra looks like Hobbiton. Everywhere you look or walk it's like cliff here cliff there cliffs everywhere! It's crazy!
Farewell
HobbitHomie05
has made 389 posts and is a Hobbit from Hobbiton and is not online.
Posted Thursday 1st January 1970 (12:00am)
has made 389 posts and is a Hobbit from Hobbiton and is not online.
Posted Thursday 1st January 1970 (12:00am)
Renisance Festival in Minnesota, the only reason is because they had a little hobbit hole you could go through and people sitting on top supposed to be hobbits. don't get to excited though it was just go in come out through the back very small and looked like a hobbit hole. but you couldn't go into the rooms even though they were very small. afunny thing they said on a sign inside was warning: don't feed the hobbits!!!! that was pretty good. 
that festival is pretty cool with all the jugglers and acrobatics and stuff 
but i'm still searching 
for a life sized hobbit hole they gotta make one. even better a J.R.R. Tolkien Mueseum!!!! i'm goin to create that when I grow up!!! 
I can't wait!!!!
that festival is pretty cool with all the jugglers and acrobatics and stuff but i'm still searching for a life sized hobbit hole they gotta make one. even better a J.R.R. Tolkien Mueseum!!!! i'm goin to create that when I grow up!!! I can't wait!!!!Cheshire, is very near me (north wales) and it looks very much like 'the shire'
Cheshire is *mine*! I love seeing my name in huge blue letters at the side of the M6.
I drive up there quite often and if one can ignore the M6 the surrounding countryside is beautiful. There is also some gorgeous countryside by the M40.
As for my Shire... with my surname what else could my house be called but The Shire. if only I had a round front door.
I drive up there quite often and if one can ignore the M6 the surrounding countryside is beautiful. There is also some gorgeous countryside by the M40.
As for my Shire... with my surname what else could my house be called but The Shire. if only I had a round front door.
There's a lil place near my village of Ewenny, South Wales - called Merthyr Mawr, its almost a carbon copy tolkien's Shire, Primeaval Deciduous woodland, set in amongst a series of cultivated-valleys, and virtually all the houses are these cute, picturesque thatched roof single-storey cottages... gorgeous part of the world , not far from Bridgend(Pen-y-Bont) if ever your there... Biggest Sand-Dunes in Western Europe too, about two miles down the road on the coast.
*homesick puppy*
*kicks Scotland in the Nutz for not being Wales*
*homesick puppy*
*kicks Scotland in the Nutz for not being Wales*
I live in a suburban area of Chicago so everythings all like "urbanized." I live in a nice neighborhood though so I feel at home.
When I first read LOTR (I was 10) I thought JRRT had to have set the Shire where I live in north Wales on the edge of the Clwydian Range because of the hills and gentle countryside but with Snowdonia just about visible in the distance. It made a lot of sense and I was devastated when I learned that England of all places was supposed to be the Shire. I would think that most people have a place in their minds that resembles the Shire, or just IS in my case. I found myself comparing the countryside they used in the films with the places I know and still think here is the Shiriest.
Tolkien's Shire was Sarehole, but now it's all housing. I've been to Birmingham, and I was born there, but I know it would never bee the SHire. From what I've heard, Worcestershire. (Nowhere I've been would be like the Shire. LEt's just say I cough alot here in Hamilton from the smoke).
I think tht the place where I live, a little village outside of Nis in Serbia is a lot like the shire. There are hills and woods and a few little farms. Evrybodey knows you and it looks like evryone knows evrything that you do there's no way of hidding anything, when there's something to do that you cant do alone, like harvest, evrybodey comes to help, but they expect a great big feast when they are done with lots of beer and wine and of course most of all our national drink "rakija" witch is something like brandy, and that reminds me of Bilbo's birthday feast. We also have a monuement of the last battle that was fought in our village (if you dont count the bombing) when we drove the turks away, in it my great great great grandfather Djora fought.
So when I read about the shire (and the hobbits) it reminded me a lot of the place where I live.
So when I read about the shire (and the hobbits) it reminded me a lot of the place where I live.
The Shire reminds me of where I live, not because it looks so much like it, but because it's such a homely place. When I think about the Shire, I think about a warm home to go to, a nice place to stay and lots of friendly people around, which is an almost exact description of my home. Although it has no hills or holes, no hobbits or pipeweed, my hometown will always be my Shire.
I suppose where I live looks like the Shire a little. It is in the beautiful White Mountains of New Hampshire (the state name has 'shire' in it). But the people are not like any hobbits though, sad to say! I think mostly because alot of the population is from out of state. If anyone wants to see where I live here is a good addy. http://www.visitwhitemountains.com/
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I suppose where I live looks like the Shire a little
I suppose where I live looks like the Shire a little
Indeed, Cerridwen. When I was one of those visitors to the White Mountains last year I found both the Shire and Rivendell there. And even Weathertop. My friend and I took some great pictures of places that reminded us of Middle Earth.
I agree with Rhodry. I have been on many camps at Totara Springs which is in Matamata, and it looks like a carbon copy of the Shire.
Well for those of us who weren't so lucky to go to New Zeland we will have to be happy with our own little "Shires"
Hey Elessarmau !!! Im from Croatia. Anyway...the only way my sorrounding land could be the Shire was if the hobbits there really started to hate those cute hillocks and decided to start living in holes in the flat earth.I live on a BIG field with some marshes. More like Mordor huh?
I'm sorry but all mention of 'Shire' in this thread is a blatant disregard for the Addleheaded Gollard laws of the Internet....
Stop jinxing us.
Where I live has more resemblance to Rohan than to the Shire. But I was born in the Ohio valley and I'd have to say it's the closest thing I've come to the Shire. Everyone is laid back and relaxed, doesn't do much of anything, occasionally someone will feel the need to finally mow that lawn... 
So that would be "my" Shire...
(Ha, Vee! Didja see how many times I said "Shire?" Oh, lookie - there it is again. )
So that would be "my" Shire...(Ha, Vee! Didja see how many times I said "Shire?" Oh, lookie - there it is again.
)even though I have only read of Wales. It seems like a shirelike place.
My shire has to be the harbor of sheeluou in Tawian not much green but peaceful. I grew up there too. Ahh... that refreshing smell of the countryside.
I think addleshaws owns my post.
My shire has to be the harbor of sheeluou in Tawian not much green but peaceful. I grew up there too. Ahh... that refreshing smell of the countryside.
I think addleshaws owns my post.
I would have to say the place where I grew up in northeast Iowa (USA) is my little shire. (If we use that word in lower case, Vee does it still rattle Gollard's cage?) Anyhoo...that part of the state has lots of rolling hills and lovely timbers. Very rural with the landscape dotted with dairy farms (Rhodry would love it there.) I now live in central Iowa where its more flat, but still rural with more cornfields than anything else to speak of. Nice and quiet, laid back way of living.
