First pick
Cole Harbour Commons
Park or garden
25 ha3.4 km of path
45 minto walk all 3.4 km of path
1.1 km southfrom the centre
Forest Hills Greenway
Directionsto a point inside
Photo: Paulo O · Public domain12%protected within 10 km
Outdoors in Westphal · parks, protected land & trails
Few places match Westphal for protected land nearby: more than nearly 9 in 10 Canadian towns
For a provincial park, Cole Harbour - Lawrencetown Provincial Park lies 0.2 km off. Waverley - Salmon River Long Lake Wilderness Area (8,621 ha) is the biggest, 5.0 km from town. 7 beaches are mapped within 5 km, the nearest Abenaki Canoe Club Beach.
Protected land
12%
of the land within 10 km
Typical Canadian town: 2.3%
Protected areas
14
within 10 km, 14 public
Typical Canadian town: 14
Nearest provincial park
0.2 km
Cole Harbour - Lawrencetown Provincial Park
Walking routes
1
named, within 2 km (OpenStreetMap)
Beaches
7
within 5 km (OpenStreetMap)
Character
Where Westphal stands out outdoors
Each figure against Canadian towns of 2,500+; tap a tile for the detail.
Protected land all round12% of the land within 10 km, more than 89% of Canadian townsBeaches7 beaches within 5 km
Above all, Westphal offers protected land around it, with its beaches close behind.
Against other towns
How Westphal compares with other Canadian towns
Each figure against the 2,611 Canadian towns and neighbourhoods of 2,500+ (not city hubs or reserves), with the town marked and the typical one’s line. This page carries no grade, because Canada’s grading doesn’t cover the outdoors; the comparisons are the point.
Protected within 10 km12%Share of the land and water within 10 km of the town’s edge in a protected or conserved area
Protected in town0.5%Share of the town’s own area in a protected or conserved area
Public protected areas14Areas within 10 km held by a government or an Indigenous nation
Walking routes1Named OpenStreetMap walking and hiking routes with 300 m+ within 2 km
Beaches7Beaches mapped on OpenStreetMap within 5 km
CPCAD 2.9.0 (ECCC, 2026), OpenStreetMap (November 2026). Distances from the town’s outline.
Towns its size
Westphal comes 6th of 40 towns its size for protected land around it
The 40 Canadian towns nearest in population (4,144 to 4,261 residents), by the share of the land within 10 km that is protected. Hover for each one’s figures; click for its page.
Protected within 10 km
Westphal12%
Towns its size1.5%
Towns in Nova Scotia8.7%
Typical Canadian town2.3%
Public protected areas
Westphal14
Towns its size4
Towns in Nova Scotia24
Typical Canadian town4
Walking routes
Westphal1
Towns its size0
Towns in Nova Scotia2
Typical Canadian town0
Against towns its size, Westphal does best for protected land nearby: 5 of the other 39 have more.
Every town in the comparison
| Town | Protected within 10 km | In town | Areas | Routes | Beaches | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | La Pocatière QC | 35% | 0.2% | 11 | 1 | 0 |
| 2 | Anderson Walk BC | 23% | 8.2% | 180 | 8 | 4 |
| 3 | Electoral Area F, Central Kootenay BC | 22% | 2.9% | 13 | 2 | 12 |
| 4 | Electoral Area E, Cariboo BC | 16% | 17% | 10 | 0 | 1 |
| 5 | Victoria County, Subdivision B NS | 12% | 17% | 244 | 1 | 21 |
| 6 | Westphal NS | 12% | 0.5% | 14 | 1 | 7 |
| 7 | Fort Nelson BC | 11% | 9.8% | 36 | 0 | 330 |
| 8 | Carleton-sur-Mer QC | 10% | 0.1% | 26 | 0 | 4 |
| 9 | Merivale Gardens - Grenfell Glen - Pineglen - Country Place ON | 9.5% | 23% | 29 | 0 | 1 |
| 10 | Spring Valley ON | 6.4% | 0% | 12 | 1 | 0 |
| 11 | Balfour ON | 5.7% | 0% | 19 | 1 | 3 |
| 12 | Electoral Area B, Cariboo BC | 5.4% | 4.8% | 10 | 1 | 3 |
| 13 | Electoral Area E, Kitimat-Stikine BC | 4.8% | 0% | 7 | 0 | 0 |
| 14 | Port Hardy BC | 4.1% | 2.2% | 14 | 1 | 0 |
| 15 | Barry's Bay ON | 3.9% | 1.9% | 13 | 0 | 4 |
| 16 | Stellarton NS | 3.1% | 0% | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| 17 | Ormstown QC | 2.9% | 1.6% | 16 | 0 | 2 |
| 18 | Templemead ON | 2.3% | 0% | 15 | 2 | 0 |
| 19 | West River PE | 2.2% | 2.9% | 18 | 8 | 15 |
| 20 | Vermilion AB | 1.5% | 9.3% | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 21 | St. George MB | 1.5% | 0% | 20 | 0 | 0 |
| 22 | Calder AB | 1.4% | 0% | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| 23 | Métabetchouan--Lac-à-la-Croix QC | 1% | 1% | 7 | 0 | 10 |
| 24 | Fraipont MB | 0.7% | 0% | 17 | 0 | 0 |
| 25 | Island Lakes MB | 0.6% | 0% | 17 | 0 | 0 |
| 26 | Banff Trail AB | 0.6% | 0% | 2 | 0 | 3 |
| 27 | Sunalta AB | 0.6% | 0% | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| 28 | Discovery Ridge AB | 0.5% | 32% | 2 | 0 | 1 |
| 29 | Wildwood AB | 0.5% | 0% | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| 30 | Patterson AB | 0.3% | 0% | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| 31 | Callaghan AB | 0.3% | 0% | 3 | 0 | 1 |
| 32 | Jackson Heights AB | 0.3% | 0% | 2 | 0 | 3 |
| 33 | Malmo Plains AB | 0.3% | 0% | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| 34 | East Angus QC | 0.1% | 0% | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| 35 | Crabtree QC | 0.1% | 0% | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| 36 | Napierville QC | 0% | 0% | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 37 | Claresholm AB | 0% | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 38 | Killarney AB | 0% | 0% | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 39 | Mayliewan AB | 0% | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 40 | Ozerna AB | 0% | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0 |
The map
Westphal on the map: green space, protected land and paths
The neighbourhood’s parks, woods, protected land and paths, with its named places numbered.
Green: OpenStreetMap parks, gardens, playing fields and woods. Hatched: CPCAD protected areas.© OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL); CPCAD (OGL-Canada)
Places to walk
16 named parks and woods to walk in near Westphal
Cole Harbour Commons is the largest, at 25 ha; the rest follow by size, numbered as on the map.
16 named parks and woods, 62 ha in all
Parks & gardens 62 ha
The bulk, 52%, is Cole Harbour Commons and Cranberry Lake Park.
Cranberry Lake Park
Park or garden
7.7 ha1.5 km of path
20 minto walk all 1.5 km of path
1.0 km south-westfrom the centre
Forest Hills Greenway
Directionsto a point inside
Humber Park Elementary School Park
Park or garden
4.6 ha
1.6 km north-westfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Cherry Brook Lake Loon Park
Park or garden
3.3 ha
1.8 km northfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Graham Creighton Junior High School Park
Park or garden · 160 m outside town
3.2 ha
1.6 km north-eastfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
All 16 named parks and green spaces
Cole Harbour CommonsPark or garden · 25 ha · 3.4 km of path
DirectionsCranberry Lake ParkPark or garden · 7.7 ha · 1.5 km of path
DirectionsHumber Park Elementary School ParkPark or garden · 4.6 ha
DirectionsRoss Road School ParkPark or garden · 3.6 ha
DirectionsCherry Brook Lake Loon ParkPark or garden · 3.3 ha
DirectionsGorden Bell ParkPark or garden · 3.2 ha
DirectionsGraham Creighton Junior High School ParkPark or garden · 3.2 ha · just outside town
DirectionsCarolyn's Way ParkPark or garden · 3.1 ha
DirectionsJoseph Giles Elementary School ParkPark or garden · 2.2 ha · 0.3 km of path · just outside town
DirectionsForest Hills Greenway ParkPark or garden · 1.5 ha · 0.6 km of path · just outside town
DirectionsAuburn/John Stewart Drive Community ParkPark or garden · 1.8 ha
DirectionsWilliam Ross ParkPark or garden · 1.0 ha
DirectionsMontague Estates ParkPark or garden · 0.7 ha · just outside town
DirectionsSunset Acres ParkPark or garden · 0.7 ha
DirectionsGreely Court ParkPark or garden · 0.3 ha
DirectionsLangdon Drive ParkPark or garden · 0.5 ha · just outside town
DirectionsSource: OpenStreetMap parks, gardens, commons and woods with a name, in the town or within 400 m, © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL. Sizes are the mapped outline’s.
Close to home
A park is within a short walk for 8 in 10 in Westphal
Residents of each 2021 dissemination area, at a point inside it, within 400 m (about a 5-minute walk) of a park or playing field mapped on OpenStreetMap.
Within 400 m (82%)Further (18%)
Westphal82%
Towns in Nova Scotia18%
Typical Canadian town83%
Around 800 residents are further than 400 m from a park. A median Canadian town manages 83%.
Protected areas
14 protected areas around Westphal
Every protected and conserved area in CPCAD within 10 km of the town’s edge: parks, reserves, wildlife areas and conservation land.
Inside Westphal0.5%
Within 10 km12%
Towns in Nova Scotia8.7%
Typical Canadian town2.3%
Each of the 14 is held by a public body. Waverley - Salmon River Long Lake Wilderness Area covers 8,621 ha, the most of any named area.
Old Growth Forest LandsNature reserve · 6.5 ha · reaches Westphal
Cole Harbour - Lawrencetown Provincial ParkProvincial park · 743 ha · 0.2 km from the edge of town
Old Growth Forest LandsNature reserve · 28 ha · 4.8 km from the edge of town
Old Growth Forest LandsNature reserve · 178 ha · 4.8 km from the edge of town
Old Growth Forest LandsNature reserve · 2.6 ha · 4.8 km from the edge of town
Old Growth Forest LandsNature reserve · 4.1 ha · 5.0 km from the edge of town
Waverley - Salmon River Long Lake Wilderness AreaNature reserve · 8,621 ha · 5.0 km from the edge of town
Old Growth Forest LandsNature reserve · 24 ha · 6.2 km from the edge of town
Old Growth Forest LandsNature reserve · 54 ha · 7.2 km from the edge of town
Old Growth Forest LandsNature reserve · 23 ha · 7.4 km from the edge of town
4 more named areas within 10 km are in the figures.
Source: Canadian Protected and Conserved Areas Database (CPCAD) 2.9.0, Environment and Climate Change Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada.
National & provincial parks
The nearest big park: Cole Harbour - Lawrencetown Provincial Park, 0.2 km away
National parks (Parks Canada) and provincial or territorial parks by direction and distance from the town’s edge: every one within 10 km, and the nearest of each within 100 km.
National parkProvincial park
Provincial park
Cole Harbour - Lawrencetown Provincial Park
0.2 km south-east7.4 km²since 1998
Provincial park
McNabs & Lawlor Island Provincial Park
8.0 km south0.6 km²since 2002
Canada’s national parks are all more than 100 km from Westphal, so the parks here are provincial. There are 2 provincial parks within 10 km.
Source: CPCAD 2.9.0 (ECCC): areas and outlines, distances outline to outline; directions from the town’s centre point.
Footpaths and woods
33 km of paths in and around Westphal
OpenStreetMap footpaths, paths, bridleways and steps, and tracks open on foot, in the town and 1 km around it; woods as mapped (landuse=forest, natural=wood).
Footpaths
33 km
in and around the town (27.2 km²)
Woodland
45%
about 12.3 km² of mapped woods
Footpaths · km per km²
WestphalTowns in Nova ScotiaTypical Canadian town
Footpaths1.2
012 km per km²
Share of the land · mapped woods and forest
WestphalTowns in Nova ScotiaTypical Canadian town
Woodland45%
0%50%100%
55% of Canadian towns have more footpath per km². It is more wooded than 81% of Canadian towns.
Source: OpenStreetMap, © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL. Mapping varies by place: a dense figure can mean keen local mappers as much as many paths.
Walking routes
1 walking route near Westphal
Named walking and hiking routes on OpenStreetMap with at least 300 m within 2 km of the town, longest first; national routes lead.
Local
Cole Harbour Heritage Trails6.7 km
Source: OpenStreetMap (route relations hiking, foot and walking), © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL. Trans Canada Trail sections as OSM maps them.
When to get out
Get out in Westphal in June to September
Daylight at the town’s latitude and ECCC’s 1991–2020 normals (Shearwater, 7.1 km away). Good months: long days, highs of 15–30 °C, light rain.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daylight (h) | 9.2 | 10.4 | 11.8 | 13.4 | 14.8 | 15.6 | 15.2 | 14.0 | 12.4 | 10.9 | 9.5 | 8.8 |
| High (°C) | 0 | 1 | 4 | 9 | 14 | 19 | 23 | 23 | 20 | 14 | 9 | 4 |
| Rain & snow (mm) | 124 | 114 | 120 | 108 | 115 | 107 | 95 | 94 | 107 | 141 | 135 | 156 |
In August the typical high is 23 °C; in January, 0 °C. For dry weather, August is best (94 mm); December gets 156 mm. A typical year sees 215 cm of snow. The climate in Westphal →
Beaches
7 beaches within 5 km of Westphal
Beaches on OpenStreetMap within 5 km of the town’s edge, nearest first, with directions.
Abenaki Canoe Club Beach2.0 km from town
DirectionsKiwanis Centre Beachsand · 3.6 km from town
DirectionsRainbow Haven Beachsand · 3.9 km from town
DirectionsShubie Beach4.3 km from town
DirectionsSunrise Beachpebbles · 4.4 km from town
DirectionsOpenStreetMap marks 2 as sandy. Unnamed on the map: 2 more. No national or provincial register of beach water quality is published as open data, so check the local health unit before swimming.
Source: OpenStreetMap (natural=beach), © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.
Things to do
Near Westphal: 46 outdoor spots on the map
Viewpoints, peaks, waterfalls, picnic sites, nature reserves, playgrounds, dog parks, campsites and boat launches mapped within 2 km of the town.
The tallest named summit close by is Mount Edward (110 m). The map shows 43 playgrounds, ahead of the rest.
Every named place, with directions
Hills and peaks 1
Mount Edward110 m · 1.3 km from town
DirectionsPicnic sites 2
Plus 2 picnic sites without a name on the map.
Playgrounds 43
Carolyn's Way Playgroundin town
DirectionsBisset Community Playground1.3 km from town
DirectionsMount Edward Elementary School Playground1.6 km from town
DirectionsPlus 40 playgrounds without a name on the map.
Source: OpenStreetMap (tourism, natural, waterway and leisure tags), © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.
Gardens to visit
A garden to visit near Westphal: Halifax Public Gardens, 8.9 km away
Gardens and arboretums within 15 km of the town’s edge, and the historic gardens, parks and estates in the town itself, nearest first.
Halifax Public GardensNational Historic Site · 8.9 km from town
Its pageOne is a National Historic Site.
Sources: OpenStreetMap (leisure=garden), © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL, and Wikidata (CC0), as gathered in TownRatings’ Canadian attractions set; historic places from Parks Canada’s Directory of Federal Heritage Designations, the Canadian Register of Historic Places and Québec’s Répertoire du patrimoine culturel.
Next door
Next to Westphal
The nearest places, coloured by the share of the land within 10 km that is protected; tap one for its outdoors page.
Cole HarbourWoodlawnPortland EstatesEast PrestonManor ParkLawrencetownWestphal
Under 1%1–5%5–15%15–40%40%+
| Town | Protected within 10 km | Areas | Routes | Beaches |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Westphal | 12% | 14 | 1 | 7 |
| Cole Harbour 3.4 km | 4.4% | 22 | 2 | 17 |
| Woodlawn 3.6 km | 15% | 27 | 5 | 11 |
| Portland Estates 4.5 km | 4.5% | 19 | 4 | 18 |
| East Preston 4.6 km | 16% | 20 | 1 | 5 |
| Manor Park 5.8 km | 5.3% | 22 | 6 | 21 |
| Lawrencetown 6.0 km | 8.5% | 14 | 2 | 14 |
Manor Park has the most mapped walking routes nearby: 6. No neighbouring place reaches twice Westphal’s protected share.
How to read these numbers
What this data can and can’t tell you
- Beaches. A beach counts when its centre point lies within 5 km of the town’s outline. Names come from the map.
- Walking routes. A route counts when 300 m or more of it lies within 2 km of the town. Coverage of trails on OpenStreetMap varies by region.
- Protected land. The 10 km band starts at the town’s outline, not its centre, so a large municipality reaches further than a small town.
- Private land. Private conservation land is in the totals, not the lists. Many such areas are easements on working farms or woodlots.
- National and provincial parks. A park at 0 km touches or overlaps the town’s outline; directions point from the town’s centre.
Questions about the outdoors in Westphal
What is the biggest park or reserve near Westphal?
Waverley - Salmon River Long Lake Wilderness Area: 8,621 ha, a nature reserve.
What is the nearest provincial park to Westphal?
Cole Harbour - Lawrencetown Provincial Park, 0.2 km away.
What is the best season to get outdoors in Westphal?
June to September, on the 1991–2020 normals and the daylight: long days, highs of 15 °C or more, light rain for the place.
Where can you swim near Westphal?
The nearest is Abenaki Canoe Club Beach, 2.0 km from town.
What walking routes are near Westphal?
The Cole Harbour Heritage Trails, mapped within 2 km.
Is there protected land near Westphal?
Protected areas cover 12% of the land within 10 km.
How far is Westphal from a national park?
None within 100 km of Westphal.
Sources
Sources for this page on Westphal
Protected areas: Canadian Protected and Conserved Areas Database (CPCAD) 2.9.0, Environment and Climate Change Canada, 2026: every area within 10 km and the nearest national and provincial parks, measured outline to outline.
Walking routes and beaches: OpenStreetMap, November 2026: named hiking, foot and walking route relations within 2 km and beaches within 5 km.
Towns: Statistics Canada 2021 Census boundaries and populations; the comparison is the Canadian towns and neighbourhoods of 2,500+, not city hubs or reserves.
When to go: Environment and Climate Change Canada, Canadian Climate Normals 1991–2020, from the nearest station that publishes them.
Gardens: OpenStreetMap (leisure=garden) and Wikidata gardens within 15 km, as gathered in TownRatings’ Canadian attractions set; historic gardens and parks from Canada’s heritage registers (Parks Canada DFHD, the Canadian Register of Historic Places, Québec’s Répertoire du patrimoine culturel).
Green space, paths, woods, things to do: OpenStreetMap (Geofabrik’s Canada extract), November 2026: parks, gardens, playing fields, woods, footpaths, the coastline and things to do in and around each town.
Residents: Statistics Canada 2021 Census dissemination areas (population, boundaries), each at a point inside it.
Walking routes and beaches © OpenStreetMap contributors, available under the Open Database Licence (ODbL).
Not on this page: trailheads and trail grades, and beach water quality. No open Canadian dataset gives these for every town yet.
Adapted from Statistics Canada (Census of Population 2021, population estimates 2025, 2021 census boundaries) under the Statistics Canada Open Licence; this does not constitute an endorsement by Statistics Canada. Neighbourhood names in some cities © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL).