- Women only
- Friendship, not dating
- Free to join
- Local guide
- October 17, 2026
Make Friends in Stockton-on-Tees Through Clubs and Riverside Walks
One in three Stockton-on-Tees homes is being bought with a mortgage, well above the regional figure, and weekend routines can help you meet women close to home.
207,000+
Stockton-on-Tees residents in the mid-2025 ONS estimate
33%
of homes in Stockton-on-Tees have a mortgage or loan on them, versus the North East’s 28% (Census 2021, ONS)
46%
of over-16s in Stockton-on-Tees are married or civil-partnered; across the North East it is 43% (Census 2021, ONS)
Stockton-on-Tees friendships start on the riverside
To make friends in Stockton-on-Tees, pick a weekly activity and keep returning until faces become familiar. A walk at Preston Park Museum and Grounds, a gig at the Globe or a riverside loop by the Tees Barrage gives you the same setting each time. Yarm, Billingham and Thornaby each have local groups, and Gofrendly helps women across Stockton-on-Tees find others nearby.
Stockton-on-Tees: things women ask
When is the big summer festival in Stockton-on-Tees?
Stockton International Riverside Festival, known as SIRF, takes place each summer in Stockton town centre, with outdoor theatre, circus and street performance. Going with a new friend in Stockton-on-Tees gives you a shared day out and something to talk over for weeks.
How can women in Stockton-on-Tees widen their circle?
Gofrendly, a women-only friendship app, helps women in Stockton-on-Tees discover others nearby and exchange messages before meeting. A regular activity is the other half: a club, choir or class that meets every week gives new contacts a reason to keep seeing each other.
Which walks in Stockton-on-Tees suit a first meet-up?
The riverside paths around the Tees Barrage, the grounds of Preston Park and the trails at Wynyard Woodland Park are all good walks in Stockton-on-Tees. A walk keeps a first meeting relaxed, and once you find a route you both like, repeating it takes no planning at all.
Where can you see live music in Stockton-on-Tees?
The Globe is a restored 1930s theatre on Stockton High Street that reopened in 2021 as a live music and comedy venue. Booking a gig at the Globe with someone you have met recently gives you a fun evening in Stockton-on-Tees and a reason for round two.
Stockton-on-Tees, town by town
Stockton-on-Tees brings together several towns, from Stockton itself to Yarm, Thornaby, Billingham, Ingleby Barwick and Norton. The railway age began here, with the Stockton and Darlington Railway opening in 1825, and the wide high street in Stockton still hosts a regular market. In summer, Stockton International Riverside Festival brings outdoor theatre and street performance to the town centre for a long weekend.
Home ownership is high and 46% of adults are married or civil-partnered, both higher than the North East average. When neighbours appear settled into their routines, finding a way in can be hard, and as a newcomer you may feel lonely for a while, even in a busy town. The trick is to join something with a fixed time, like a running club, a community choir or a dance class, so the same people become familiar each week without you having to arrange anything. Some places to try:
1
Preston Park Museum and Grounds, with a recreated Victorian street and parkland by the Tees.
2
The Globe, a restored theatre on the High Street that now hosts concerts and comedy.
3
The Tees Barrage, with a riverside cycle path and the Tees Barrage International White Water Centre.
4
Wynyard Woodland Park, where an old railway line now runs as a woodland trail.
5
ARC Stockton, an arts centre with theatre, music and comedy.
LOCAL TIP
Choose one and give it a regular spot in your week.
How to
First steps to meeting people in Stockton-on-Tees
1
Join a walking group or running club that uses the riverside paths along the Tees.
2
Book a gig at the Globe or a show at ARC Stockton with someone you’ve just met.
3
Pick out some women nearby on Gofrendly, send a message and plan an afternoon at Preston Park Museum and Grounds.
4
Find a weekly class near where you live, from Yarm to Billingham.
More from our blog
The writers of this Stockton-on-Tees page
Gofrendly founders Claudia Gård and Ulrika Lilja teamed up with our editors to write about Stockton-on-Tees, focusing on the borough’s towns, riverside and culture as everyday routes for women to meet new friends.
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.