- Women only
- Friendship, not dating
- Free to join
- Local guide
- October 19, 2026
Make Friends in Antrim, where Lough Neagh meets the Castle Gardens
Antrim has a higher share of lone-parent families than the Northern Ireland average, and its Saturday parkrun crosses the Six Mile Water into the Castle Gardens.
25,600+
people counted in Antrim town at the 2021 census (NISRA)
16%
of Antrim households are a lone parent with children, grown-up children included; NI average 14% (NISRA 2021)
15%
of Antrim residents have reached 65, while Northern Ireland stands at 17% (NISRA Census 2021)
Antrim knits on Friday afternoons
The weekly Friday Knit and Natter at Antrim’s Railway Street library, from 2pm to 3:30pm, is a relaxed way to make friends in Antrim with knitting, crochet or cross stitch in hand. The same library runs an adult board games club on Friday mornings, and on Saturdays Antrim parkrun sets off from Loughshore Park for two laps of Antrim Castle Gardens. Through Gofrendly, Antrim women can find company for both.
Antrim: answers before you go
What is on at Antrim Castle Gardens?
Antrim Castle Gardens on Randalstown Road were among the council’s 2026 Green Flag winners, listed with Heritage status. Clotworthy House, the stable block from about 1843, is the visitor hub, open every day, and the Enchanted Winter Garden returns in December, a festive outing for Antrim families and friends.
What route does Antrim parkrun take?
Antrim parkrun starts in Loughshore Park, crosses the Six Mile Water at Deer Park Bridge, then runs two clockwise laps of Antrim Castle Gardens before returning the same way. On 17 October 2026 it had 325 finishers and 18 volunteers, so newcomers are never short of company.
What facilities does Antrim Forum have?
Antrim Forum on Lough Road has two pools, a fitness suite, a spa with sauna, steam room and jacuzzi, squash courts, sports halls, a cycle studio and an eight-lane athletics track. Doors open at 6am on weekdays and 8am at weekends, so Antrim swimmers can find a time that fits round work.
How can lone parents in Antrim meet other women?
Gofrendly, a women-only friendship app, lets Antrim parents and other women browse nearby profiles and get acquainted by message. A Saturday parkrun followed by a walk in the Castle Gardens costs nothing, happens outdoors and is easy to bring children along to, which keeps a first meeting relaxed.
Antrim, a lough-side town for young families
In the Antrim settlement roughly one home in six is a single-parent household and only 15% of people have turned 65, so the town leans younger than Northern Ireland overall. With school runs, childcare swaps and work at both ends of the day, your own social life can end up last on the list. A short, fixed slot each week, a tea at the library or a Saturday lap, is easier to protect than an occasional big night out.
Raising children without another adult at home can feel lonely even on a busy day. Antrim Forum on Lough Road has two pools, a spa and an athletics track, The Old Courthouse in Market Square has a 180-seat auditorium and Mann’s Café, and Antrim Castle Gardens, Antrim Loughshore and the Mill Race Trail all hold Green Flags for 2026. Clotworthy House is the gardens’ visitor hub, and the library adds Mindful Colouring on Wednesday mornings. Where to start:
1
Antrim Library on Railway Street, with Friday Knit and Natter.
2
Antrim Castle Gardens and Clotworthy House.
3
Antrim Loughshore Park on Lough Neagh.
4
Antrim Forum on Lough Road, pools and spa.
5
The Old Courthouse and Mann’s Café in Market Square.
LOCAL TIP
Pull up a chair at Tea and Newspapers on a Thursday morning and let the headlines do the talking for you.
How to
Antrim: four habits for meeting people
1
Try the first-Tuesday Crime Reading Group, a teatime fixture at Antrim Library.
2
Run, walk or marshal at Antrim parkrun on a Saturday morning.
3
Make the fourth-Tuesday Creative Writing Group your monthly fixture.
4
Walk the Enchanted Winter Garden in December with an Antrim woman from Gofrendly.
Two friendships built from nothing
Antrim guide: our writers and why
Claudia Gård and Ulrika Lilja, Gofrendly’s founders, and our editors have written this Antrim page for women balancing young families, work and the wish for a few friends nearby.
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.