The River Ringló had its source in a tarn high in the White Mountains, and from there it flowed southwestwards to form a deep valley between two arms of the mountains, to the east of Lamedon. Deep within the Vale was the town of Ethring - presumably the chief town of this region - where the road to Pelargir and Minas Tirith crossed the river. The Ringló itself then left its Vale, and flowed on to the southwest where it eventually reached the Sea at Edhellond.
Politically, it is unclear whether the Vale of Ringló formed its own separate fief of Gondor, or whether it was part of the larger region of Lamedon to the west. Certainly, during the War of the Ring, the Men of this Vale arrived at Minas Tirith independently of their neighbours from Lamedon, and it is strongly implied that they had their own independent lord at that time.
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The full extent of the Ringló Vale is not absolutely clear. The upper course of Ringló ran southwestward through a very distinct valley in the White Mountains, but after it was joined by Ciril about halfway along its length, the river flowed into more open land. The Ringló Vale may have encompassed the entire length of the river, or might have been restricted to the deep valley of its upper course. The rivers Ciril and Morthond each joined Ringló southward of the mouth of its deep valley, and the port of Edhellond lay at the river's mouths, far from its mountain sources. It is therefore difficult to say whether these features belonged to the Ringló Vale in the fullest sense, or where merely associated with the lower course of the river.
Tolkien does offer a (rather broad) explanation in his expanded index to The Lord of the Rings, where he defines the Vale as the 'land about the Ringló'. This is perhaps a little vague to be taken conclusively, but it does seem to imply that the Ringló Vale ran all the way along the river's course as far as its mouths on the Bay of Belfalas.
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- Updated 20 September 2024
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