What you'll likely remember about a visit here are the impressive grassy earthworks that cover some 14 hectares (35 acres) of high ground overlooking the confluence of the Annapolis River and Allains Creek. For centuries, First Nations, French, English and Scottish settlers fought fiercely for control of this hotly contested piece of land on the banks of Nova Scotia’s Annapolis River. The French built the first fort here around 1643. Since then, dozens of buildings and fortifications have occupied this site. You can visit the 1708 gunpowder magazine (pictured, the oldest building among all the Canadian National Historic Sites), then look through a museum located in the 1797 British field officers' quarters. The model of this site as it appeared in 1710 is especially intriguing. If you find all the history a bit tedious, ask a guide for a croquet set and practice your technique on the green lawns. A good strategy for visiting is to come during the day to tour the museum and get a feel for the lay of the land. Then return later for the evening sunset, long after the bus tours have departed, to walk the Perimeter Trail, an easy 530m (1/3-mile-long) path that traces along the top of the star-shaped fort and features good river and valley vistas.