- Women only
- Friendship, not dating
- Free to join
- Local guide
- October 19, 2026
Make Friends in Perth, on the North Inch and by the Tay
Perth has more single-person homes than Scotland overall, and its parkrun starts on the North Inch beside the River Tay.
47,800+
usual residents of Perth, Census Locality 2022 (NRS)
41%
of Perth homes house a single resident, against a Scottish 37% (NRS 2022)
17%
of homes in Perth are private lets; Scotland as a whole is 13% (Scotland’s Census 2022)
Perth runs on the North Inch
Perth parkrun, which starts on the North Inch beside the Tay and drew 300 finishers on 17 October 2026, is an easy way to make friends in Perth. The free Perth Museum on St John’s Place, home of the Stone of Destiny, runs highlight tours on Thursdays and Saturdays at 2pm, and the AK Bell Library holds Sew Together sessions. Perth women can find a running or museum partner on Gofrendly.
Perth: questions with short answers
Is there a charge for Perth Museum?
No. Perth Museum on St John’s Place charges nothing to enter and opened in March 2024 after a £27m redevelopment. It is home to the Stone of Destiny, offers free highlight tours on Thursdays and Saturdays at 2pm, and closes for maintenance from 1 to 12 January 2027 in Perth.
Where does Perth parkrun start?
Perth parkrun starts on the North Inch on a broad tarmac path and heads north beside a golf course on a flat pan-and-handle route. Run number 594, on 17 October 2026, had 300 finishers and 18 volunteers, so walkers and new runners in Perth will not be alone.
What is the Lend and Mend Hub in Perth?
The Lend and Mend Hub is at the AK Bell Library on York Place in Perth, where Sew Together sessions run fortnightly on Wednesdays and Saturdays with no booking. The library also has the Soutar Theatre, a coffee point and a monthly creative writing group.
Perth women: where to find new friends nearby?
Gofrendly, a women-only friendship app, shows Perth women nearby members they can message ahead of any meeting. A North Inch parkrun and a coffee, or a museum tour, gives two people something to share while they get to know each other.
Perth, a riverside city in Perth and Kinross
In the Perth locality just over 41% of households have one member and about 17% are private lets, both above the Scottish figures, and around 20% of people have turned 65. With that many people living on their own, and renters who may be newer to the city, evenings can be spent alone unless something is in the diary, so a fortnightly class or a Saturday run is worth more than it looks.
A handsome small city can still be lonely when you know few people in it. The North Inch has a riverside path, the Albert Memorial and a play park with a climbing wall, the South Inch has a pond and all-ability paths, and Perth Theatre and Concert Hall stage a Sleeping Beauty pantomime this winter. Perth Leisure Pool on Glasgow Road has two flumes and Social Aqua Circuits classes, and the AK Bell Library adds a monthly creative writing group with Open Book. Places to start:
1
The North Inch and Perth parkrun.
2
Perth Museum and the Stone of Destiny.
3
AK Bell Library on York Place.
4
Perth Leisure Pool on Glasgow Road.
5
The South Inch and its pond.
LOCAL TIP
Bring a torn hem to Sew Together in the Lend and Mend Hub and you might go home with a new acquaintance as well as a mended skirt.
How to
Perth: how to meet people in a small city
1
Join Creative Writing with Open Book at the AK Bell Library on the second Thursday.
2
Book a free highlight tour at Perth Museum on a Thursday or Saturday.
3
Try a Social Aqua Circuits class at Perth Leisure Pool.
4
Walk the North Inch riverside path with a Perth woman from Gofrendly.
When friendships need a fresh start
Perth guide: from our founders
Our founders Claudia Gård and Ulrika Lilja drafted this Perth guide, then our editors refined it, for readers in the city who live alone or rent and would like friends close by.
Friendship looks different at every stage
More guides for women in this area – each with its own local advice.
Friendship looks different at every stage
More guides for women in this area – each with its own local advice.
Find women near you
See who’s nearby and say hi — it’s free to start.