It was already nearly as hot as it had been the day before; but clouds were beginning to come up from the West. It looked likely to turn to rain. The hobbits scrambled down a steep bank and plunged into the thick trees below. Their course had been chosen to leave Woodhall to their left, and to cut slanting through the woods that clustered along the eastern side of the hill, until they reached the flat beyond. Then they could make straight for the Ferry over country that was open, except for a few ditches and fences. Frodo reckoned they had eighteen miles to go in a straight line.That is an amazing amount of detail concerning the terrain that is being crossed. And this isn't an isolated example. It's basically what the entire series is about. That and decent folk sharing good conversation -- mostly about the Ring War -- over a light meal, mug of ale, or smoke of the weed (the kind from the Shire, of course).
He soon found that the thicket was closer and more tangled that it had appeared...
But it was not the trolls that had filled the Elf with terror. The ranks of the orcs had opened and they crowded away, as if they themselves were afraid. Something was coming up behind them. What it was could not be seen: it was like a great shadow, in the middle of which was a dark form, of man-shape maybe, yet greater; and a power and terror seemed to be in it and to go before it.Truly, that is good writing and reminiscent of The Heart of Darkness -- to my ear, anyway.