October 19, 2026

Make Friends in Poole, by the Park and the Harbour

Poole Park opened beside the harbour in 1890, and close to seven in ten Poole homes are owner-occupied.

Poole friends pushing their bikes on a sunny track, giggling

152,500+

residents in the twelve BCP wards that made up the former borough of Poole (Census 2021, ONS)

69%

owner-occupation in the former Poole borough wards, ahead of the regional 66% (ONS, Census 2021)

11%

of Poole households rent social housing, lower than the regional 13% (ONS, 2021)

Poole gathers on Saturday mornings

Poole parkrun in Poole Park, where 872 finishers crossed the line on 17 October 2026, is a busy and friendly way to make friends in Poole. The park also has a saltwater lagoon, a miniature railway and cafés, Poole Museum on the quay has free entry and reopened in 2025, and Poole Library in the Dolphin Centre runs a Friday board games club. Poole women also meet through Gofrendly.

Poole questions, lagoon to logboat

Poole friends laughing as street lamps light the evening

Do you pay to visit Poole Museum?

No. Poole Museum on the quay has free admission and came back in November 2025 after a seven-year, £10m-plus redevelopment. Its new maritime galleries include the Poole Iron Age Logboat, the largest found in southern Britain, and the Salt Pig café sits in the Old Town nearby.

How big is Poole parkrun?

Poole parkrun in Poole Park is a big one: 872 runners and walkers completed it on 17 October 2026, helped by 53 volunteers. A second Poole parkrun, Upton House parkrun, runs in Upton Country Park, so there is a choice of Saturday start lines.

Which groups can you join at Poole Library?

Poole Library in the Dolphin Centre has a board games club on Friday afternoons every other week, a poetry reading group on the second Saturday morning and Tech Buddy sessions on Tuesdays. Check the Poole Library page for current opening hours.

How do Poole women meet others living nearby?

Gofrendly, a women-only friendship app, lets Poole women see who else lives nearby, from Parkstone to Hamworthy, and arrange to meet after a few messages. A loop of the freshwater lake in Poole Park is a relaxed way to start a new Poole friendship.

How Poole comes together, quay to park

Poole wraps round one of the largest natural harbours in Europe, from the Old Town and quay to the Victorian lawns of Poole Park, with Upton Country Park out towards Hamworthy. In the wards of the former borough, owner-occupiers hold about 69% of homes and only around 11% are social rented. In a town where most homes are owner-occupied, a shared routine is often the easiest way in, and Poole Park’s lagoon path is right there for walking it.

A long, quiet winter by the water can feel lonely, however big the town. Poole Museum opened its doors again in November 2025 after a £10m redevelopment, with maritime galleries and the Iron Age logboat, Poole Leisure Centre on Kingland Road has three pools, and the Friends of Poole Park help care for its lake and lagoon. Poole Park and Upton Country Park both hold Green Flags. Places to begin, all within reach:

Poole Park, with its saltwater lagoon, cafés and miniature railway.

Poole Museum on the quay, free to enter.

Upton Country Park, home of Upton House parkrun.

Poole Library in the Dolphin Centre.

Scaplen’s Court and Garden in the Old Town.

LOCAL TIP

Turn up to Poole parkrun on three Saturdays in a row and see who you recognise.

How to

How to meet people in Poole, step by step

Walk, jog or volunteer at Poole parkrun and stay for coffee in the park.

Join the board games club at Poole Library on a Friday afternoon.

Through Gofrendly, find a Poole woman nearby and meet by the lagoon in Poole Park.

Contact the Friends of Poole Park about lending a hand in the park.

Harbour-side reading

Feeling Lonely Even With Friends? Here’s the Honest Reason Why

Feeling lonely even with friends is more common than you'd think. Here's why it happens, and what actually helps you feel less alone.

Read the story →

Real Friendship Story: Ninni & Hannah’s Genuine Fresh Start

Ninni had just been through a separation and Hannah had just moved. One Gofrendly match later, they talk at least three times a day.

Read the story →

How we wrote the Poole guide

The editorial team and Gofrendly founders Claudia Gård and Ulrika Lilja wrote this Poole guide for harbour-town women who have lived here for decades, moved in recently or would enjoy a few more friends nearby.