Churchill

On the western shore of Hudson Bay in Canada's Manitoba province the compact and pretty town of Churchill is surrounded by a diversity of majestic and stunning landscapes. From the glacier-eroded boulders that line the bay, across expanses of arctic tundra where shrubs, grasses and wildflowers punctuate the permafrost, to the areas of spruce forest that lie north of the town, there's no denying that Churchill enjoys an abundance of dramatic natural beauty.

This area of Canada has been inhabited for at least four thousand years, at first by nomadic indigenous tribes which hunted caribou and seals for food and fur and later by European explorers who reached Hudson Bay early in the seventeenth century. British colonists established a prosperous fur trade in the area, setting up the Hudson Bay Company in 1670 and naming their trading post and the local river in honour of the First Duke of Marlborough, John Churchill. In 1731 the company began building the the impressive Fort Prince of Wales, to defend Hudson Bay from French invaders. The fort remains largely intact and today visitors can explore and discover this building's fascinating history.

Churchill's real draw, however, is its wildlife. The polar bears which inhabit the region have become a Churchill icon, but Beluga whales are also a common sight in Churchill's waters and the area is also world-renowned amongst ornithologists for its diverse and often rare birdlife.

Churchill sits on the perimeter of the Arctic Circle which, in addition to its unparalleled arctic wildlife and birds, also makes the town an excellent base from which to observe the phenomenon known as the Aurora Borealis; the 'Northern Lights'. The town itself offers many attractions for visitors including an authentic trading post - the Arctic Trading Company - that has been operating in Churchill for almost forty years and sells traditionally hand-made clothing, stone carvings and other souvenirs.

Churchill's Eskimo Museum, houses one of Canada's largest and most comprehensive collection of Inuit artefacts and other historical items relating to the history and culture of the region and its native inhabitants. Exhibits include the world's largest recorded complete trilobite fossil, narwhal horns, traditional kayaks created from animal hides, intricate stone and ivory carvings and examples of Inuit art both ancient and modern.

St Paul's Anglican Church has a fascinating history. Built between 1890 and 1892 the building features an iron framework to which pre-fabricated panels, among the very first of their kind and shipped in from England, were affixed. This is one of only three buildings of this age constructed in this way in Canada. Although unremarkable from the outside, the church contains many historic and valuable artefacts and the illumination of the interior as daylight passes through the stained-glass windows is unforgettable.

Churchill

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