Himlad

A land to the northeast of Doriath, formed by the natural boundaries of the river Aros to the west and Celon to the east. In the north, the land rose up in mountains and hills, broken by the Pass of Aglon that led to the wide northern plain of Lothlann. Cold winds blew out of the north through the pass and chilled the central highlands of this region, giving the land the name Himlad, from the Elvish for 'cool plain'. For the most part, the land was bare of trees, though it was wooded in its southern parts where its two bordering rivers flowed together.

Before the return of the Noldor to Middle-earth, Himlad was unpopulated, and it was here that Fëanor's sons Celegorm and Curufin chose to settle. They fortified the Pass of Aglon against attack from the north, and Curufin built his dwelling at the mouth of the Pass.

Across the Celon to the southeast of Himlad lay the forest of Nan Elmoth, home of Eöl the Dark Elf. When Aredhel travelled from Gondolin to visit Celegorm and Curufin, she found them away from their homes, and it was while wandering their southern lands that she found her way across Celon and became enmeshed in the dark forest. There she was wedded to Eöl and bore him a son, Maeglin. Many years later Aredhel and Maeglin escaped out of Nan Elmoth and fled back across the plains of Himlad, passing out of the country by the ford of the Arossiach on its western border.

Himlad remained under the control of Celegorm and Curufin until the time of the Dagor Bragollach. After Morgoth broke the Siege of Angband, invading forces from the North breached the guard on the Pass of Aglon and overran Himlad. Celegorm and Curufin fled southwards along the eastern borders of Doriath, and with their departure Himlad came under the power of Morgoth until the end of the First Age.