Bristol, Bath, Wiltshire, Gloucestershire, Somerset, Dorset, Devon and Cornwall
Over 60s dating in Bristol and the South West
Among our members over 55 in the South West, men outnumber women. Good news if you are a woman looking for company your own age.
The one region where older men clearly outnumber older women
Across most of the UK, men and women over 55 on Single 60s are roughly evenly matched. The South West is different. Here, women make up under four in ten of members over 55, which works out at about five older men for every three older women. Most of them are well into retirement: around six in ten members over 55 in the region are 65 or more.
If you are a woman over 60 in Bristol, Bath or the West Country, you are in a strong position. If you are a man, a slightly wider distance and an open mind about age will help, and so will a profile that says something real about you. Our profile tips for over 60s are a good place to start.
South West members by age and sex
Source: our membership records for Bristol and the South West, October 2026. Percentages only, never head counts.
A long region: where the members are
The South West stretches more than two hundred miles from Gloucestershire to Land's End, and the members are not spread evenly. Bristol is the busiest town on profiles, and Swindon, listed by many members as Upper Stratton, is next. Further west, members are scattered through Somerset, Dorset, Devon and Cornwall, often in smaller towns and villages.
So the right distance depends on where you live. In Bristol or Bath, twenty miles covers a lot of people. In Devon or Cornwall, start at forty or fifty and consider the main roads: the M5 and the A30 make Exeter, Taunton and Plymouth easier to reach from each other than the map suggests.
Good first-date spots in the South West
- Bristol Harbourside. M Shed, the city's free museum, sits on the water, and the walk along the harbour has plenty of cafés. Bristol Museum and Art Gallery is also free.
- Clifton. A walk across the Clifton Suspension Bridge and over the Downs, with tea in Clifton Village afterwards.
- Bath. The Royal Crescent, the Circus and Parade Gardens are all within a short level stroll of each other.
- Swindon. Lydiard Park on the west side of town has free parkland, a walled garden and a café.
- Devon and Cornwall. A coastal path walk followed by lunch in a harbour town such as Salcombe, Fowey or St Ives, or Exeter's cathedral green in the city.
Keep the first meeting short and somewhere busy, and tell someone where you will be. Our safety page sets out the steps.
South West questions
Are there more men or women over 60 in the South West?
Among Single 60s members over 55 here, there are about five men for every three women.
Are there members in Swindon?
Yes. Swindon is the second most common town on South West profiles after Bristol.
I am in rural Cornwall. Is it worth joining?
Joining is free, so there is nothing to lose. Set a wide distance, and look at friendship as well as dating if you want company closer to home.