Cumberland

Cumberland

Cumberland (population: 2,762) is located in Comox Valley, just south of Courtenay. It was founded in 1888 by coal baron, Robert Dunsmuir, whose former lavish home in Victoria is now a popular tourist attraction. In its early days, Cumberland was a cultural melting pot of Chinese, Japanese and European immigrants. Reminders of the town’s mining past are everywhere, from ethnic cemeteries and heritage buildings to museum exhibits and Miners’ Memorial Park. Today, Cumberland makes a wonderful base camp for outdoor adventures in the surrounding forest, Strathcona Provincial Park and Comox Lake. It’s also just 20 minutes from the largest skiing and snowboarding facility on Vancouver Island.