Ladysmith, situated roughly halfway between Johannesburg and Durban, is known round the world as the site of the 118-day siege chronicled by the budding young journalist named Winston Churchill. From 30 October 1899 to 28 February 1900, a small army of British soldiers, numbering around 10,000, were held siege by the stock farming Boers in this once important transit point for fortune seekers en route to the Transvaal. Local attractions include the Ladysmith Siege Museum and Spioenkop Battlefield. The town also serves as a gateway to the central and northern reaches of the Ukhahlamba Drakensberg Park.