The Great East Road raiders

The Great East Road stretched from the Grey Havens, through the Shire, through Bree to Rivendell and over the Misty Mountains even through Mirkwood.

The Great East Road was originally laid by the Dwarves during the First Age before the first rising of the Sun, probably during the last Age of Stars, and ran from the Iron Hills through Rhovanion to Khazad-dûm, from which it continued across Eriador to the Blue Mountains, and then on into Doriath in Beleriand. The western parts were built to facilitate the passage of companies of dwarf craftsmen (and later, their armed escort) across eastern Beleriand, before the Sack of Doriath by the dwarfs of Nogrod ended their trade.