- Women only
- Friendship, not dating
- Free to join
- Local guide
- October 20, 2026
Make Friends in Highgate, from Highgate Wood to Waterlow Park
One in three Highgate households is a single person, and 70 acres of ancient woodland sit five minutes from the tube.
22,900+
residents across the Haringey and Camden Highgate wards (Census 2021)
34%
of Highgate households have one resident, compared with 29% across the capital (Census 2021)
16%
of Highgate residents have passed 65, compared with 12% in London (ONS 2021)
Highgate mornings in the wood
A coffee at the Highgate Wood café is a gentle way to make friends in Highgate, five minutes’ walk from the tube, among about 70 acres of ancient woodland. Hampstead Heath parkrun starts two kilometres away every Saturday at 9am, and Lauderdale House in Waterlow Park has a gallery and a café from 9:30am. Highgate women nearby are on Gofrendly too, if you would like company.
Highgate: the useful answers
Which days does Highgate Library open?
Highgate Library on Shepherds Hill is open 9:30am to 6pm on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday, and 10am to 5pm on Saturday. It is closed on Wednesday, Friday and Sunday, and has computers, Wi-Fi, study spaces and meeting rooms for Highgate residents.
What time does Highgate Wood close in autumn?
Highgate Wood, run by the City of London, closes at 6pm from 19 October 2026 and at 4:45pm from 25 October 2026. Its café, playground and sports field sit near the main paths, and the wood is about a five-minute walk from Highgate station.
Where can I swim outdoors near Highgate?
Park Road Pools & Fitness in nearby Hornsey, south-east of Highgate, has a heated 50m outdoor lido open all year, plus indoor pools. On Hampstead Heath, Kenwood Ladies’ Pond is open all year for competent swimmers, with booking needed only in summer.
Living alone in Highgate: how do I meet friends?
Gofrendly is a women-only friendship app showing Highgate women up and down the hill, and the first message can be yours. With one in three local households a single person, plenty of neighbours share your situation, and a morning coffee in Highgate Wood is an easy first plan.
Highgate, village streets and friendship across ages
Highgate has an older, settled feel for London: over-65s account for 16% of residents, almost half of homes are owned, and single-person households make up a third of the total. About 26% of homes are owned outright, while nearly 30% are rented privately. That mix means a weekly walk or class can bring together women at very different stages of life, from new arrivals to people who have known the village for decades.
Living alone on a quiet hill gets lonely as autumn evenings shorten. Waterlow Park, given in 1889 as a garden for the gardenless, has a kitchen garden, an orchard and terraces, and Jacksons Lane on Archway Road is an arts centre known for circus. Highgate Wood closes at 4:45pm from 25 October 2026, so autumn walks work best in the morning. Lauderdale House itself dates from 1582 and now hosts music and adult classes. Places to start:
1
The café in Highgate Wood.
2
Lauderdale House and Waterlow Park.
3
Highgate Library on Shepherds Hill.
4
Jacksons Lane arts centre.
5
Hampstead Heath parkrun on Saturdays.
LOCAL TIP
Make one Saturday a month a Hampstead Heath parkrun followed by breakfast in Highgate, and invite someone new each time.
How to
Highgate ways to meet new friends
1
Walk the waymarked paths in Highgate Wood and finish at the café.
2
Visit the gallery at Lauderdale House, then explore the Waterlow Park kitchen garden.
3
Book a circus night at Jacksons Lane and bring a new acquaintance.
4
Arrange to meet a Highgate woman from Gofrendly on the Tea Lawn in Waterlow Park.
Before you go, read these
Who wrote this guide to the hill
Highgate’s page comes from Gofrendly co-founders Claudia Gård and Ulrika Lilja and our editors, for women on both sides of the hill hoping to find more friends close to home.
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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