Sorry for the random lore question. Just re-reading The Hobbit, and it occured to me that Thorin and company must have travelled west through Mirkwood, after the fall of Erebor, to get to Moria and fight the Goblin army there, yet they seem to be completely mystified by its nature when they travel back east through it on their quest to reclaim Erebor. Is this explained anywhere in the literature?

I would surmise that when the Dwarves departed for the Battle of Azanulbizar, “Mirkwood” was still the Greenwood, not having yet been sickened by the Necromancer. So Thorin would have only remembered a wholesome forest, and would have no knowledge of the corrupted forest’s dangers.

Perusing this article as a refresher, I’d put forth that they most likely came from the north between the wood and the mountains. If they were on a campaign to knock out as many goblin strongholds as possible, they probably went up over the top of Mirkwood past the Grey Mountains and worked their way down.

Thank you both; both very valid arguments to consider.