After landing their forces to the north of Sevastopol, the British set up a base in the narrow harbour of Balaclava, about south of Sevastopol, in September 1854. Most of the land between Balaclava and Sevastopol was a plateau about above sea level. The towns were connected by a road which was little more than a track. This travelled northwards, rising slightly to the village of Kadikoi about from Balaclava. It then turned west, climbing steeply to the plateau via the Col of Balaclava. The French were supplied from the harbour at Kamiesch.