- Women only
- Friendship, not dating
- Free to join
- Local guide
- October 21, 2026
Make Friends After 40 in Derbyshire Through a Hobby
Derbyshire is a little light on people in their 40s compared with the region, so a regular hobby group is a dependable route to women your own age.
49,900+
Derbyshire County Council area (Derby excluded): number of women aged 40-49, ONS mid-2025
11.8%
is the 40-49 share of Derbyshire’s population; the East Midlands’ share is 12.3% (ONS figures for mid-2025, excludes Derby)
33%
never-married share of Derbyshire’s over-16s; East Midlands: 36% (Census 2021, ONS, excludes Derby)
Derbyshire libraries are full of clubs
Picking up a pastime in your 40s suits Derbyshire well, because a shared interest does the talking for you. Ashbourne Library has a monthly book group, Belper Library runs a board game club, and the county’s countryside service takes volunteers at sites such as Shipley Country Park. Each meets regularly in a small town setting. Gofrendly helps Derbyshire women find others with the same interests close by.
Derbyshire hobby groups: your questions
Which clubs suit 40-something women in Derbyshire?
Book groups, board game clubs and conservation volunteering are good places to start in Derbyshire: they gather on set dates and the activity breaks the ice for you. The county’s libraries list clubs in towns such as Ashbourne, Belper and Bakewell, so there is usually one nearby.
When does a Derbyshire library book group meet?
Derbyshire Libraries list the Ashbourne Library book group as meeting monthly on a Tuesday, 4.30pm to 5.30pm, and ask you to contact the library for details. Other Derbyshire libraries run clubs too, such as an adult board game club in Bakewell on Wednesday afternoons.
How can Derbyshire women find a hobby buddy?
Gofrendly is a women-only friendship app where Derbyshire women who share a hobby can find each other close to home. A first meeting at a library club keeps things easy, and you will both have a reason to come back next time.
What volunteering does Derbyshire's countryside service offer?
Derbyshire County Council lists countryside roles including estate and conservation work, ranger and warden support, visitor services and wildlife garden volunteering, with sites such as Shipley Country Park and Pleasley Pit Country Park. You apply through an enquiry form on its Derbyshire volunteering page.
Finding friendship in Derbyshire through hobbies
Derbyshire is made up largely of small towns and villages, stretching from the Peak District in the north to the Erewash towns in the south-east, so local clubs are often a better bet than big city venues. In your 40s, a hobby gives you a reason to show up somewhere every week or month. Libraries in towns such as Bakewell, Belper and Ashbourne list regular clubs, so it is worth checking the one nearest you first.
When evenings feel lonely, pick a hobby group within a short drive and commit to a few sessions. Book groups, board game clubs and conservation work all suit people who would rather do something together than make small talk. Derbyshire Adult Community Education also runs non-qualification courses at its centres and in community venues. If you want to make friends after 40 without forcing it, let the hobby set the pace. Bakewell Library also runs an adult board game club on Wednesday afternoons. Places to try:
1
Ashbourne Library’s book group, meeting monthly on Tuesdays from 4.30pm.
2
Belper Library’s board game club, held every fourth Tuesday from 4pm.
3
Derbyshire countryside volunteering, with conservation and ranger support roles at sites including Shipley Country Park.
4
Long Eaton parkrun, a free 5k at West Park Leisure Centre.
5
Buxton Museum and Art Gallery, which opened in its interim home next to Buxton Library in October 2026.
LOCAL TIP
Choose one club near home and give it three meetings before deciding.
How to
Four hobby-led ways to make friends in Derbyshire
1
Join the Ashbourne Library book group and read the next title with the others.
2
Bring a favourite game to the Belper board game club and teach it to someone new.
3
Search Gofrendly for Derbyshire women with the same pastime and arrange a session together.
4
Volunteer with the countryside service and work alongside the same team each month.
A read for your next free evening
Derbyshire hobby page and its writers
Gofrendly founders Claudia Gård and Ulrika Lilja, with the editorial team, put together this Derbyshire guide for hobbyists in their 40s hoping to make friends through what they enjoy.
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.