- Women only
- Friendship, not dating
- Free to join
- Local guide
- October 19, 2026
Make Friends in Wallsend, from the fort to the country park
Nearly 37% of Wallsend households have one occupant, above the regional average, so a weekly plan with a neighbour is worth suggesting.
41,700+
residents in the Wallsend, Northumberland, Howdon and Battle Hill wards of North Tyneside, 2022 ward boundaries (Census 2021, ONS)
37%
of Wallsend homes have one occupant; the North East figure is 34% (Census 2021, ONS)
25%
of Wallsend households across these wards have a social landlord; North Tyneside as a whole is at 21% (Census 2021, ONS)
Wallsend has a Roman fort and a park café
To make friends in Wallsend, start with a place you can visit often. Richardson Dees Park has a café, a bandstand, bowls and tennis, Hadrian Leisure Centre on St Peter’s Road has two pools and a climbing wall, and the Rising Sun Country Park nearby has a Saturday parkrun and walking groups. Gofrendly also lets Wallsend women find each other.
Wallsend: questions on making friends
Is Wallsend part of Newcastle?
No. Wallsend is a town in the borough of North Tyneside, just east of Newcastle. The Wallsend figures here are Census 2021 counts for four North Tyneside wards, Wallsend, Northumberland, Howdon and Battle Hill, which together had more than 41,000 residents.
When is the Roman fort in Wallsend open?
Segedunum Roman Fort on Buddle Street opens Monday to Saturday, 10am to 3pm, and is closed on Sundays. It marks the eastern end of Hadrian’s Wall, so it is a memorable outing for two Wallsend women still getting to know each other.
Where is the parkrun near Wallsend?
Rising Sun parkrun takes place in Rising Sun Country Park every Saturday at 9am, with its start listed on Whitley Road on the Benton side. The country park also has cycling and Nordic walking groups, so Wallsend residents can find more than one weekly activity there.
How can women who live alone in Wallsend meet friends?
Gofrendly, a women-only friendship app, lets Wallsend women see neighbours on the app and message first. For anyone living alone, a regular coffee in Richardson Dees Park or a Saturday parkrun together can quickly become a fixture worth looking forward to each week.
The story of Wallsend
Wallsend sits on the Tyne in North Tyneside, where Hadrian’s Wall reached its eastern end at the Roman fort of Segedunum. The town belongs to the borough rather than to Newcastle. Across these four wards, nearly 37% of households have one occupant and a quarter of homes are socially rented, both above the borough figures. If you live by yourself, the most useful step is a weekly habit that brings you back to the same faces, so that one of them can become a friend.
Quiet evenings can stretch out, and a house to yourself can start to feel lonely. Wallsend has a good spread of places with regulars, from the park bowling green to swimming lanes and a country park with organised walking groups. Volunteering with a friends group is another route in, and it gives you something in common to talk about from the first day. Places to start:
1
Richardson Dees Park, with a café, bandstand, community pavilion, bowls and an outdoor gym.
2
Segedunum Roman Fort on Buddle Street, open Monday to Saturday.
3
Hadrian Leisure Centre on St Peter’s Road, with two pools, classes and a climbing wall.
4
Wallsend Community Hub at The Forum, home to the library.
5
Rising Sun Country Park, with a Saturday parkrun, cycling and Nordic walking groups and a café.
LOCAL TIP
Try one this week and book in again for the next.
How to
Meeting new friends in Wallsend
1
Join Rising Sun parkrun on a Saturday at 9am, at walking or running pace.
2
Ask about the Nordic walking or volunteering groups at the Rising Sun Country Park.
3
Ask a Wallsend woman you meet on Gofrendly to join you at the café in Richardson Dees Park.
4
Sign up for a climbing or swim session at Hadrian Leisure Centre on the same evening every week.
Two women who met, and why adult circles shrink
Wallsend: the writers of this page
Gofrendly founders Claudia Gård and Ulrika Lilja created the Wallsend page alongside our editors, thinking of women on Tyneside who live by themselves or are new to the town.
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.