- Women only
- Friendship, not dating
- Free to join
- Local guide
- October 21, 2026
Make Friends After 40 in Wiltshire Through a New Hobby
Its libraries run reading groups in more than a dozen towns, and Wiltshire has over 32,000 women in their forties to fill them.
526,000+
Wiltshire Council area population, Swindon not included (ONS mid-2025)
32,000+
Wiltshire women in their forties; the 40–49 share of 12% equals the South West’s (ONS mid-2025)
28%
of Wiltshire households consist of just one resident, under the 30% regional rate (Census 2021)
Wiltshire hobbies that come with company
Starting a new hobby in your mid-forties in Wiltshire is one of the simplest routes to new friends, because the group does the introducing for you. Wiltshire libraries host evening reading groups in Devizes, Melksham, Trowbridge and Salisbury, and the South Wiltshire Ramblers lead several walks a week. Gofrendly also lists women close to you who are picking up something new.
Wiltshire questions about friendships and hobbies
Which Wiltshire libraries have reading groups in the evening?
Wiltshire libraries list evening reading groups in Devizes on the second Thursday at 7pm, Melksham on the second Thursday at 6.30pm, Trowbridge on first and third Thursdays from 6pm, Salisbury on the first Tuesday at 7.30pm and Corsham on the first Monday at 5.45pm.
Are there walking groups for newcomers in Wiltshire?
The South Wiltshire Ramblers in Salisbury have over 300 members and lead about four walks a week, with shorter routes of four to six miles on Tuesdays, Thursdays and most Wednesdays and longer walks on Sundays. In Wiltshire they also run path volunteering and social gatherings.
Which Wiltshire hobbies come with company for women in their 40s?
Begin with an activity on a weekly or monthly timetable: a library reading group, a Ramblers walk or a Saturday parkrun. Gofrendly, a women-only friendship app, helps you find women in Wiltshire with the same interest, so you can arrive at your first session with a familiar face.
Where can I do parkrun in Wiltshire?
Wiltshire has Saturday parkruns at Monkton Park in Chippenham, King George V Park in Melksham, Churchill Gardens in Salisbury, Southwick Country Park near Trowbridge, Marlborough Common, Tidworth Park and Quakers Walk in Devizes. Each is a timed 5k, and walkers are welcome.
New interests, new friends in Wiltshire
By your forties you may have a clearer idea of what you enjoy, and a little more time to do it now the busiest years have eased. In Wiltshire, with its spread of market towns, a regular hobby can be a steadier start to a social life than a night out. Reading, walking and running all come with a timetable, and a timetable brings repeat faces. When you join a group, arrive early and help with something small; it gets conversations started.
Wiltshire’s 40-something population is the same share as across the South West, and fewer homes here are single-person than regionally, so if friends seem busy with partners and families, look beyond them. Wanting company for your own interests is reasonable, and nobody needs to feel lonely for want of a walking partner. A hobby group is an easy route to make friends after 40. Some good starting points:
1
Trowbridge Library’s reading group, first and third Thursdays from 6pm.
2
The South Wiltshire Ramblers in Salisbury, with short walks on weekdays and longer ones on Sundays.
3
Quakers Walk parkrun in Devizes, a 5k on Saturday mornings.
4
Melksham Library’s evening reading group, at 6.30pm every second Thursday.
5
The Mid Wiltshire Ramblers, walking around Devizes and Pewsey on Sundays and Thursdays.
LOCAL TIP
Pick the one you would do even if nobody came with you.
How to
How to find friends in Wiltshire with a new pastime
1
Ask at your nearest Wiltshire library for this month’s title and join the evening group in Devizes, Melksham, Trowbridge or Salisbury.
2
Try a short weekday walk with the South Wiltshire Ramblers before committing to a long Sunday route.
3
Use Gofrendly to contact two or three women who share the hobby, and meet at Southwick Country Park parkrun.
4
Volunteer for the Ramblers path-clearing days if you like a practical job with a team.
A fresh start in the friendship department
Behind the Wiltshire words
Gofrendly founders Claudia Gård and Ulrika Lilja wrote about Wiltshire hobbies together with our editors, hoping forty-something women find a pastime that brings people with it.
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
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