Lets Go Punting Cambridge

Punting along the Cam is what Cambridge does, and Let's Go Punting is where you actually do it. You're stood in a shallow-bottomed boat with a long pole, propelling yourself - or being propelled by someone who knows what they're doing - under the bridge-heavy reaches where the colleges loom above. The river's genuinely lovely, the sort of slow-motion view of the city that photographs can't quite capture.

First thing: if you've never punted before, it's worth knowing this isn't paddling. You're standing at the stern, pole planted on the riverbed, using it to push yourself along. Takes a bit of getting used to, and you'll see plenty of tourists doing an accidental pirouette mid-stream. Book someone experienced to pole you if balance isn't your thing.

Families with older kids get a real kick out of it - under ten and they'll likely be bored within fifteen minutes, if I'm honest. It's the sort of thing that photographs brilliantly and feels like a proper Cambridge experience, which is why everyone does it. Groups of mates go mad for the novelty.

Timing matters. Early morning or late afternoon beats the lunch crowds who arrive by the coachload. Summer weekends are rammed.

Camping options cluster three to four miles south - Cherry Hinton and the Caravanning Club Site are closest if you're based at a local park. Costs vary season to season, so check ahead. Allow an hour to ninety minutes on the water. It's the Cambridge thing, really. Do it once.