The mappings in the linked article have one or two issues themselves. The first map of Europe, for example, represents the Massif Central [0] as linear feature

The mappings in the linked article have one or two issues themselves. The first map of Europe, for example, represents the Massif Central [0] as linear feature at right angles to the Pyrenees, when it is actually a large plateau. In general what Third Age Middle Earth doesn't have is ranges like the Rockies that rise over hundreds of miles to their centres. Tolkien's characters often see lines of peaks on the horizon with minor foot hills, rather that gradual inclines than take weeks to traverse. [Edit] > are actually taken from a real life mountain range, the Carpathian Mountains! I'm not aware that Tolkien explicitly based the mountains that surround Mordor on the Carpathians or anywhere else for that mattter. [0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Massif_Central#/media/File:France_Massif_central.jpg https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Massif_Central#/media/File:Fra...