- Women only
- Friendship, not dating
- Free to join
- Local guide
- October 19, 2026
Make Friends in Durham, below the cathedral
Nearly three in ten residents of the divisions covering Durham city are 18 to 24, over three times the North East share, so the city is full of people finding their feet.
50,500+
Durham built-up area: the 2021 census headcount (ONS)
29%
of residents in five County Durham divisions covering the city (2022 boundaries) are aged 18 to 24; North East: 9% (ONS, 2021 census)
23%
of households in those Durham divisions rent privately, against 17% regionally (census 2021, ONS)
Durham has a creative drop-in at Clayport Library
Clayport Library on Millennium Place, opposite the Gala Theatre, hosts a Get Creative drop-in on Thursday mornings and two reading groups, which makes it a natural place to make friends in Durham. The Market Hall trades Monday to Saturday, and Durham parkrun starts at Maiden Castle, south-east of the centre, every Saturday morning. Gofrendly is another way for Durham women to connect.
Durham city: friendship FAQ
What groups meet at Clayport Library in Durham?
Clayport Library on Millennium Place in Durham runs a Get Creative drop-in on Thursday mornings, a fortnightly papercraft drop-in on Mondays and two reading groups, one on the last Monday afternoon and one on the first Wednesday evening of each month.
Which parkruns serve Durham city?
Durham parkrun starts at the Graham Sports Centre, Maiden Castle, on the south-east edge of the city, every Saturday at 9am. Ushaw Historic House parkrun runs a few miles west of Durham, so there are two weekly options for runners and walkers.
Does Durham have a covered market?
Yes. Durham Market Hall in Market Place opens Monday to Saturday from 9am, with an outdoor market on Saturdays and monthly food and craft markets. Browsing there regularly lets Durham residents get familiar with the stallholders and fellow shoppers week by week.
How can women who are not students make friends in Durham?
Gofrendly, a women-only friendship app, helps women in Durham find others nearby, students or not. A riverside walk or a reading group at Clayport Library makes a gentle start, and it can soon become a weekly habit for both of you.
Durham, a cathedral and university city
Durham is a small cathedral city on the River Wear, where the cathedral and castle are a World Heritage Site and the university shapes the rhythm of the year. In the five divisions that cover the city, 18 to 24-year-olds make up over 29% of residents and around 23% of households rent privately, far higher than regionally. If you work here or stayed on after university, it helps to find places with regulars who are settled in the city.
A student city can feel lonely when term ends and friends move away. Durham has library groups through the week, a covered Market Hall, riverside walks along the Wear, where Prebends Bridge and the banks below the cathedral make an easy loop, and the Gala Theatre for an evening out. Durham parkrun at Maiden Castle, and Ushaw Historic House parkrun a few miles west, give the weekend a fixed start. Places to start:
1
Clayport Library on Millennium Place, with a Get Creative drop-in on Thursdays and reading groups.
2
Durham Market Hall in Market Place, open Monday to Saturday.
3
Durham parkrun at Maiden Castle, every Saturday at 9am.
4
The Gala Theatre on Millennium Place.
5
Footpaths beside the River Wear, beneath the cathedral.
LOCAL TIP
A Thursday drop-in at Clayport is an easy way in.
How to
Durham: ways to meet women in the city
1
Join a reading group at Clayport Library and stay on to talk about the book.
2
Walk or run Durham parkrun at Maiden Castle with someone new.
3
Arrange through Gofrendly to walk the Wear riverbanks with a Durham woman.
4
See a show at the Gala Theatre and talk about it over a drink nearby.
A true story, and old friends after summer
Durham: the team behind this page
Gofrendly co-founders Claudia Gård and Ulrika Lilja and our editors put the Durham page together for women hoping for friendships that outlast the university year.
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.