In the first of a three-part series, Dating, Again, Coast Days host Lorna Riley shares her experiences of dating in her 50s, post-divorce.

“We’re not meant to be alone”, says my dad. Easy for him to say – he’s been happily married to my mum for 63 years. Me? But having been single for the past 18 months since my separation, and having made hot portuguese women it through a hellish year, I decide he’s right; I’m not only ready, but keen to share my life with a special someone once again – the final piece of the jigsaw puzzle that constitutes my life.

I bypass Tinder (rightly or wrongly, I feel like it’s for younger people and perhaps those looking for short-term hook-ups) and install Bumble (where women make the first move – this seems like a safe option) and Hinge: my older daughter tells me this is better for those wanting a relationship

I’d hoped to meet someone organically: I have a busy social calendar, and a wide friend group. But at 55, eligible singles have proved scarce, and so with a heavy inevitability, I realise dating apps may be my best chance to meet Mr Right. I shouldn’t be so reluctant – my younger brother is very happily married to a fabulous woman he met online on an early version of a dating site, while more recently, my eldest brother met his lovely partner via the more modern app. But where to start this somewhat daunting process?

I’ve not been so lucky in love

A good friend suggests Elite Singles, where he had quick success finding love, but it’s a subscription-based model and I’m still not certain this online thing is for me, so I opt initially for a couple of free apps instead. Read more “Bumble dating after divorce: How to navigate the apps as a 50-something”