Does Essos Connect to Westeros? the Wild Global Geography Theory Explained
While the circumpolar land bridge makes thematic sense, George R.R. Martin has addressed the concept directly in past correspondence. When asked whether Essos connects to Westeros around the top of the world, Martin stated that Planetos is a round globe, but Westeros and Essos do not connect via a northern land bridge. He compared the relationship of the continents roughly to that of North America and Eurasia: distinct bodies separated by northern waters.
That clarification, however, leaves room for seasonal nuances. Even if no permanent bedrock connects the two continents, an Arctic pack-ice sheet functioning like Earth’s polar cap would allow transit during decades-long winters. When the Long Night descends and temperatures plummet globally, the Shivering Sea freezes solid. For creatures like the Others, an ice bridge spanning open sea is just as passable as dry land.
