Dating over 50 in the UK if you love being outdoors

Starting again after 50

Starting again after 50 is common, and nobody expects you to be slick about it. Plenty of people reading this haven't dated since cassette tapes. Some are divorced, some widowed, some simply never found the right person and have decided it's time to look properly.

A few things that help:

• Go at your own pace. There's no deadline. A few messages and a coffee is a perfectly good start.
• Be honest about your situation. "Widowed three years ago" or "divorced, two grown-up children" is better said early and plainly. If you're separated but not yet divorced, say so.
• Talk to family if you want to. Grown-up children can be surprisingly protective. Telling them early saves awkwardness later.
• Keep money separate. Houses, pensions and savings are conversations for much later in a relationship. Anyone who raises money early, especially online, is a warning sign.

Clubs or online dating: which suits you?

Clubs suit people who'd rather get to know someone slowly, face to face. Online dating suits people who want to meet more people sooner, and don't mind doing a little more checking. Many people do both.

If you try a dating site, our page on how the site works explains what's free and what isn't, and that profiles are shared with partner sites in the same network.

Where outdoorsy people meet, nation by nation

Walking groups, angling clubs and gardening groups run across the UK, but the organisations and some of the rules change at each border. Here's what's available, from sources we've checked.

Walking. Ramblers says it has more than 500 groups across Britain and runs up to 50,000 led walks a year, graded so you can pick one that suits you. It also runs shorter Wellbeing Walks in many parts of England, and in Scotland Paths for All organises free, short health walks led by volunteers. u3a has over 1,000 local u3as across the UK, with interest groups chosen by members. In Northern Ireland, look for local walking clubs too. Our guide to fishing and walking clubs explains how to join as a newcomer.

Fishing. In England and Wales anyone 13 or over needs a rod licence, even on club waters and private lakes. In Scotland you need permission from the landowner or a club rather than a licence. In Northern Ireland you need a Northern Ireland rod licence and a permit; a Great Britain licence doesn't count.

Gardening. Allotments are usually let by local councils or allotment associations; in England and Wales, GOV.UK points you to your council's application page. Many areas also have garden clubs and community gardens. See gardening groups and allotments.

Paying in dollars from a UK account

Fish for Silver Singles is free to join and browse; reading and replying to messages needs a paid membership. Memberships are priced in US dollars, so your bank converts the charge to pounds on the day and some banks add a small fee. The statement shows the billing name displayed at checkout, and memberships renew until you turn renewal off in Settings > Billing. Full details are on the prices page.

An outdoor dating year, season by season

British weather shapes British dating, so plan with it rather than against it.

A sensible first date in Britain

Short, outdoors, near a café, in daylight. A towpath stroll, a garden open day or a Saturday market all work, and the weather will give you something to talk about whatever it does.

1. Pick a busy, public place you can reach by bus, train or your own car.
2. Choose a fixed end point, such as a café, so the date has a natural finish.
3. Tell a friend where you're going and when you'll check in.
4. Check the forecast and your phone battery before you leave.

Our ten outdoor first dates for over-50s has ideas and a rain plan for each, and meeting a date outdoors safely has the checklist.

Scams, and where to report them

Romance fraud is the risk to take most seriously. Romance fraud is when someone builds a relationship online in order to get money from you. The pattern is the same everywhere: warmth, fast closeness, reasons not to meet, then a request for money. Never send money to someone you haven't met.

If you've lost money or shared bank details, call your bank straight away. Calling 159 connects you safely to banks covering over 99% of UK current accounts. Then report it:

Report the profile through the members' help centre too. Our full safety guide has the warning signs and more reporting routes. If you live in the Republic of Ireland, read dating over 50 in Ireland instead.