- Women only
- Friendship, not dating
- Free to join
- Local guide
- October 19, 2026
Make Friends in Pontypridd, by the Lido and the Old Bridge
Around 13% of Pontypridd people belong to the 18 to 24 bracket, well ahead of Wales, and the bandstand its parkrun loops turns 100 in 2026.
33,100+
people in the nine wards of the Pontypridd Town Council area (Census 2021, ONS)
13%
of Pontypridd people were 18 to 24 at the last count, against 8% in Wales (Census 2021)
21%
of Pontypridd homes are private lets; Wales 17% (ONS 2021)
Pontypridd swims outdoors
Lido Ponty, the National Lido of Wales in Ynysangharad War Memorial Park, has heated outdoor pools in summer and cold water swims in winter, a bracing way to make friends in Pontypridd. On Saturdays Pontypridd parkrun loops the park’s bandstand and runs past the Lido, and the Market Quarter on Market Street opens six days a week, closed on Sundays. Pontypridd women can line up company for either on Gofrendly.
Pontypridd: helpful questions
What is Lido Ponty in Pontypridd?
Lido Ponty is the National Lido of Wales, in Ynysangharad War Memorial Park in Pontypridd. Its outdoor pools are heated in the main season, with early swims and family sessions, and cold water swims return in winter. The original lido opened in 1927.
What is the Old Bridge in Pontypridd?
The Old Bridge was built by William Edwards and completed in 1756, with a 43-metre span that was believed to be the largest single arch of its time. Three round holes lighten its haunches, and today it is a footbridge beside the 1857 Victoria Bridge in Pontypridd.
What are the Pontypridd Market Quarter opening times?
The Market Quarter on Market Street opens Monday to Saturday, from 8am early in the week and 7am on Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays, closing around 4pm. A market has stood on the site since 1805, and the food hall and arcade make an easy Pontypridd meeting spot.
How can young women in Pontypridd make friends?
Gofrendly, a women-only friendship app, helps Pontypridd women of every age spot women nearby and message back and forth before any meeting. With so many 18 to 24-year-olds in town, a Saturday run round Ynysangharad War Memorial Park or a show at Y Muni is an easy shared plan.
Pontypridd, a Taff valley town with a young crowd
Across the nine Pontypridd wards nearly 13% of residents belong to the 18 to 24 bracket and about 21% of homes are rented privately, both well ahead of Wales overall. If you are among the many young adults and renters here, it pays to choose a group that keeps going through every season rather than one term at a time, and to keep showing up until the regulars learn your name.
Even a lively town can be lonely if you have only just arrived. Ynysangharad War Memorial Park has a sunken garden, the Lido Play adventure playground and the Canolfan Calon Taf community hub, the Old Bridge of 1756 still crosses the Taff, and Y Muni arts centre drew more than 10,000 visitors in its first year after reopening. The library at Llys Cadwyn has free community rooms. The Saturday parkrun carries on all year and Lido Ponty runs a separate cold water season in winter, so there are familiar faces in every season. Places to start:
1
Ynysangharad War Memorial Park and Lido Ponty.
2
The Market Quarter on Market Street.
3
Pontypridd Library at Llys Cadwyn.
4
Y Muni arts centre.
5
The Old Bridge over the Taff.
LOCAL TIP
Sign up for a winter cold water swim at the Lido and the shared shriek may be all the introduction you need.
How to
Pontypridd: meet people at the lido, park and market
1
Run or walk Pontypridd parkrun, three big laps of the park after a small one round the bandstand.
2
Volunteer at Canolfan Calon Taf, the community hub in the park.
3
Book a cold water swim at Lido Ponty with a group.
4
See a show at Y Muni with a Pontypridd contact from Gofrendly.
After the summer, and on screen
Why we wrote about Lido Ponty and Y Muni
Gofrendly’s founders, Claudia Gård and Ulrika Lilja, wrote this Pontypridd page, edited by our desk, for younger women and renters hoping for friendships that outlive a lease.
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.