Did Ulmo showed Rivendell to 🧝Elrond?

[Momcilo]

In The Hobbit, when Torin's company approaches the Misty mountains, even Gandalf had a problem finding the location of Rivendell. The dwarves did not see anything out of the ordinary in those areas that would indicate that there was any settlement there. Is it possible that Ulmo showed Elrond the location to found Rivendell as he did with Turgon and Finrod? The fact is that Bruinen is a magical river and it is possible that Ulmo's power secretly resides in it.

 

[Ent]

Well, just a point of clarification...I don't think Turin was in The Hobbit. It was Thorin and company who took 'the burglar' on his grand adventure, with a little assistance (one might even say a bit of a nudge) from Gandalf.

Yes, Gandalf had to look carefully for all the markers to get them where they were trying to go, because Rivendell is indeed called "the secret valley of Rivendell".

There's no doubt Elrond's power (and the power of his ring) had some things to do with how it remained so carefully guarded and preserved.

But in all my reading so far, I don't think I've come across anything telling us how Rivendell was first located and established by Elrond, other than that he was forced to go north by Sauron's armies and ultimately established it as a fortress against Sauron in 1697 Second Age.

So I have to set this question..."did Ulmo assist" for short...squarely in the Great Halls of Speculation. I've just got no facts.

But it would seem to me it's more likely a 'happy accident' in the course of battle for Eriador at the time.

Perhaps some of our real lore-masters can shed light.

 

[Tyelkormo the Fair]

The fact is that Bruinen is a magical river and it is possible that Ulmo's power secretly resides in it.

I think I read in silm that Ulmo's powers resided in all the waters of ME ...

 

[Ent]

Ulmo's powers resided in all the waters of ME

ULMO (Q.: ‘pourer, rainer’) Ainu, second greatest of the Lords of the Valar and one of the Aratar. A lover of water, Ulmo was one of the chief architects of Arda, always in close friendship with Manwë. In Arda he dwells in the Outer Ocean or in the waters under Middle-earth, governing the movement of all waters, from the waves of Belegaer to the dews of dawn. Ulmo does not like to assume a fana, and he rarely comes on land, not even to the councils of the Valar. (Foster, Robert. The Complete Guide to Middle-earth)

"Ulmo is the Lord of Waters. He is alone. He dwells nowhere long, but moves as he will in all the deep waters about the Earth or under the Earth." Tolkien, J.R.R.. The Silmarillion (p. 17). HarperCollins. Kindle Edition.

"But mostly Ulmo speaks to those who dwell in Middle-earth with voices that are heard only as the music of water. For all seas, lakes, rivers, fountains and springs are in his government; so that the Elves say that the spirit of Ulmo runs in all the veins of the world." Tolkien, J.R.R.. The Silmarillion (p. 17). HarperCollins. Kindle Edition.