Today, on Nerd of the Rings, we’re mapping
the complete travels of Bilbo Baggins - Middle-earth’s most adventurous hobbit. Bilbo was born on September 22, 2890 of the
Third Age to his father Bungo Baggins and his mother Belladonna Took, making him the
grandson of The Old Took. While he was known as a respectable young
hobbit, he also had an adventurous streak. During his childhood, he would attend the
famous parties thrown by the Old Took, during which he would be enthralled by the stories
told by Gandalf the Grey - hearing about adventures and Dragons and Goblins and princesses and
the unexpected luck widow’s sons. After his parents’ deaths - first Bungo
in 2926 and Belladonna in 2934, the 44-year old Bilbo inherits Bag End and comes to be
known as a mostly respectable and admirable hobbit. However, over the next few years, Bilbo starts
leaving his house for days at a time to go on excursions where he would meet strangers
on the road, such as dwarves travelling in the area. When Gandalf comes to the Shire on April 6. 2941, he is pondering the idea of enlisting
Bilbo as the burglar for the Quest of Erebor. He arrives only to find that Bilbo has gone
off once again - this time because it was the Elven new year, and he hoped to come across
elves travelling through Eriador. On April 25, Bilbo is back at home when receives
a visitor - Gandalf, who attempts to convince him to go on the quest. The following day, he is interrupted by a
company of dwarves and the grey wizard, creating an Unexpected Party. Despite his insistence on being like his respectable
Baggins father, his Tookish side wins out and Bilbo agrees to go on the great adventure. He travels to the Green Dragon on the morning
of April 27 and joins the company, who then set out on their journey. They travel east through the shire, to the
lone-lands east of Bree. On May 16, they pass Amon Sul and continue
east to the trollshaws, arriving on May 29. This same day, Bilbo and the dwarves realize
Gandalf is missing. That night, they encounter three trolls who
capture the entire group. Fortunately, Gandalf returns and keeps the
trolls arguing until dawn, when they are turned to stone. From the troll hoard, Bilbo receives an elven
dagger he would carry on the rest of the journey. Their path leads them through the forest and
toward Rivendell. They arrive in the House of Elrond on June
17, where they spend the next couple weeks. On Midsummer’s Day, which comes between
the end of June and beginning of July, Thorin’s company leaves Rivendell, continuing on their
trek to Erebor. Over the next 16 days, they make their way
up into the mountains, where they take shelter in a cave. That night, they’re attacked by
goblins. Bilbo wakes and notices the ponies disappearing
into the back of the cave. His shout gives Gandalf just enough warning
to evade capture. Bilbo and the dwarves are taken to Goblin
Town, where Gandalf kills the Great Goblin. In their escape, Bilbo is separated and becomes
lost in the caves. On July 19, he discovers the One Ring and
meets Gollum, with whom he plays a game of riddles. As Gollum chases Bilbo through the tunnels,
Bilbo inadvertently slips on the ring, becoming invisible and evading his pursuer. Bilbo follows Gollum to the eastern door of
the goblin-tunnels and exits the mountain. Shortly afterward, he reunites with Gandalf
and the dwarves, but keeps the ring a secret for the time being. Soon after, the group hears the howl of a
Warg and are pursued and trapped in the trees. The great eagles come to their rescue, taking
them to their eyrie, where they rest for the night. On July 20th, the eagles fly them to the Carrock. The company climbs down and travels to Beorn’s
house that afternoon. Bilbo, Gandalf, and the dwarves spend the
following two nights in the home of Beorn before continuing their journey on the afternoon
of July 22. They travel for four days, watched over by
Beorn, coming to the west edge of Mirkwood on July 26. Gandalf leaves the company there while Bilbo
and the dwarves press on. They travel through Mirkwood for over three
weeks when they see the campfires of the elves on August 21st, causing them to leave the
path. After three attempts to infiltrate the elf
camp, the woods is plunged into darkness, Thorin is captured, and the group is separated. After falling asleep, Bilbo wakes to find
a spider attempting to wrap him in webbing. Bilbo fights the spider off, naming his sword
Sting after its first kill and goes on to save the dwarves as well. The following day, August 23, the group is
surrounded by elves and taken captive. Bilbo once again uses the ring to disappear
and evades capture. For the next month, the dwarves would be prisoners
in Thranduil’s halls. All the while, Bilbo remains in hiding, sneaking
around the woodland realm attempting to find a way to break out his friends. It wouldn't be until September 7th that Bilbo
finally discovers where Thorin is being held. Two weeks later on September 21st, Bilbo discovers
that the main gates are not the only way out. That afternoon, he makes his move - springing
the dwarves as they make their way down the forest river in barrels. Just one day earlier, Gandalf and the White
Council had attacked Dol Guldur - driving out Sauron. Over the following two days, Bilbo and the
dwarves make their way down the river until September 23 when the company arrives at Lake-town. There, they are welcomed by the Master. As they enjoy their time in Lake-town, Sauron
reappears in Mordor on September 25. Around October 6, Thorin requests supplies
for the dwarves trip to Erebor. Three days later, Bilbo and the 13 dwarves
embark on the final leg of their journey to the Lonely Mountain. They take boats upstream for three days before
reaching the northern shore. They take their ponies the rest of the way,
arriving at the mountain on October 17 to search for the hidden door. The follow day, they discover the door, where
they spend the next four days before the last light of the sunset on Durin’s Day (Oct
22) reveals the keyhole. That day, and the next, Bilbo makes his two
trips down into the lair of the Smaug, leading to the dragon smashing the secret door, and
attacking Lake-town where he would meet his end. Three days later, (Oct 26) Bilbo, Thorin,
and the dwarves finally learn of Smaug’s death from the ravens. As the dwarves fortify the front gate of Erebor,
the survivors of Lake-town and the elves of Mirkwood make their way toward the mountain. On November 9, they make their claim to Thorin
for a share in the treasure within. Over the next 12 days, Bilbo sees the dwarves
prepare for battle and Thorin succumbs to dragon sickness, becoming obsessed with the
treasure. During this time, Thorin gives Bilbo the famous
mithril shirt. Roac the raven brings word to Thorin that
Dain is bringing over 500 dwarves from the Iron Hills and is quickly approaching. That night, Bilbo delivers the Arkenstone
to Bard and Thranduil in hopes of avoiding war. The following day, November 22, Bard and Thranduil
reveal their possession of the Arkenstone to Thorin. A day later, as the men, elves, and dwarves
are preparing to fight, the army of Orcs and Wargs arrives and thus the Battle of Five
Armies ensues. Bilbo would miss the majority of the conflict,
as he is knocked out by a falling stone while invisible. On November 24, Bilbo awakes and is brought
to Thorin on his deathbed, bidding farewell to his friend. The next day, Thorin, the king under the mountain,
is laid to rest in Erebor and Dain is made the new King. Two days later, on November 27, Bilbo and
Gandalf bid farewell to the survivors of the company and begin their return journey. They retrace much of their route to Erebor,
travelling alongside Thranduil and Beorn before accompanying the skinchanger to his home west
of Mirkwood. On December 27, they arrive at Beorn’s house,
where they spend the Yule holiday. They would in fact spend much of the winter
there, finally leaving Beorn in early April of 2942. Ten days later, they reach the very
pass where the goblins had captured the company months earlier. As they make their way toward Rivendell, (April
18) the Master of Lake-town falls to dragon-sickness - dying in the wilderness with stolen gold. On May 1, Gandalf and Bilbo reach Rivendell
once again, where they spend a week. They leave on May 8, retracing their previous
path before finally arriving home in the Shire on June 22, where he would live comfortably
in Bag End. He would be the subject of much intrigue in
the Shire due to his disappearance, unexplained wealth, and that would appear to not age over
the coming years. He would also receive odd visitors like the
grey wizard and dwarves, such as in 2949 when Balin and Gandalf come to Bag End where Bilbo
learns of the prosperity of Dale and Erebor and Balin’s pending mission to reclaim Moria. Bilbo was also known to leave the Shire from
time to time on journeys, perhaps shorter ones like he took prior to his grand adventure. In 2989, Bilbo would embark on another kind
of adventure, as he would adopt his young cousin Frodo Baggins, who had been orphaned
9 years earlier and was being raised by his Brandybuck relatives. Frodo would refer to Bilbo as his uncle, and
would become Bilbo’s heir. In the coming years, Bilbo would begin writing
his memoirs - what would one day become the Red Book of Westmarch. In 3001, Bilbo would celebrate his 111th birthday
with a great party (Sept 22). After his grand disappearance, Bilbo takes
with him Sting, his mithril coat, and his book as he leaves the Shire. He leaves Frodo many of his remaining possessions,
including his home and the ring. A group of three dwarves, who had helped Bilbo
with party preparations, accompanies him as he leaves his home for the last time. Bilbo travels east through Woody End, where
he greets Gildor and his group of elves near Woodhall. Bilbo comes to Rivendell once again, and as
he would later tell Frodo, after a rest he goes with the dwarves to Dale - visiting the
location of his greatest adventure one last time. Bilbo makes his final journey back to Rivendell,
where he would enjoy the twilight of his years. He would remain in Rivendell, working on his
book, translating elvish stories, and writing poetry. Seventeen years later, Bilbo would see his
adopted heir once again, as Frodo brings the One Ring to Imladris. Bilbo attends the Council of Elrond, going
as far to offer to take the Ring to Mount Doom. However, this journey would be undertaken
by Frodo. In an effort to help his nephew on his quest,
Bilbo gives him Sting and the mithril coat. With the destruction of the One Ring, Bilbo
starts to show his age more and more - beginning to look ancient, as Arwen tells Frodo. Gandalf, Elrond, Frodo and the other hobbits
would stop by Rivendell on their way back from their journeys. While the four hobbits would return to the
Shire to liberate it from Saruman’s control, Bilbo would remain in Rivendell for the next
two years. Finally, on September 29, 3021, Bilbo arrives
at the Grey Havens. Now 131 years old, he is officially the oldest
living hobbit in history, surpassing the Old Took. With his cousin Frodo, friend Gandalf, and
some of the great elves of Middle-earth, he sails into the west. There he would live out the rest of his mortal
days in peace. Embarking on the final great adventure. As always, a huge thank you to my Patreon supporters who make this channel possible...
