It’s really too bad I have no practical way to get to England this April. I love The Lord of the Rings and have read the books at least biannually since I was a teenager.

Ribble Valley to host ‘Middle Earth Beer Festival’

 The three-day festival, from April 2nd-4th, has been organised and sponsored by The Aspinall Arms, Mitton, and celebrates the Ribble Valley’s position as the official geographical centre of the United Kingdom.

It is thought Lord of the Rings author J.R.R. Tolkien took inspiration for parts of his fictional “Middle Earth” – particularly the rural idyll of “The Shire” – from the countryside around Hurst Green.

Aspinall Arms landlord Simon Forester explained: “J.R.R. Tolkien was a frequent visitor to the Ribble Valley and his eldest son John studied at Stonyhurst College, Hurst Green. While Tolkien was here, he loved walking and roamed the Ribble Valley. The places he visited and their names often found their way into his books.”

More details at the Aspinall Arms website: The Middle Earth Beer Festival