Roaming Towards Myself

I knew Cambridge was going to be beautiful.

I expected old buildings, grand colleges, cobbled streets, towers, gates, bicycles, and the sort of architecture that makes you keep stopping in the middle of the footpath because another bit of stonework has decided to show off.

What I did not expect was that one of my favourite things would be the thing that made my wallet quietly fall overboard.

Punting.

It cost £100 each for just under an hour on a private punt.

Yes. Each.

Yes. That is exorbitant.

And yes, it was still one of our favourite things we have done.

Seeing Cambridge from the water

Cambridge is gorgeous from the streets, but from the river it becomes something else.

You glide past old college buildings, under bridges, beside stone walls, through patches of green shade and sunlight, and suddenly the whole city feels quieter, older and more unreal.

From the footpaths, you see Cambridge as a visitor.

From the river, you feel tucked inside it.

That sounds dramatic, but honestly, it did feel different.

The views are ridiculous

The backs of the colleges are beautiful.

Old stone buildings. Ivy. Bridges. Trees leaning over the water. People sitting on the grass. Other punts drifting past. Reflections moving around underneath you.

Every few seconds there was another photo.

I kept thinking, this is exactly why people come here.

Not just for the buildings, but for the view of the buildings from the water. It gives the city a completely different shape.

The bridges were my favourite

The bridges are one of the best parts of punting in Cambridge.

You see them from underneath, from a distance, from the waterline, and sometimes with other punts sliding underneath them at the same time.

It is one thing to stand on a bridge and look down.

It is another thing to float under it and look up.

That is where punting really earns its keep. You get angles you simply cannot get from walking around.

It was touristy, obviously

Let’s be honest. Punting in Cambridge is very much A Thing.

There are punts everywhere. Guides everywhere. Tourists everywhere. People taking photos, people waving, people trying not to fall in, people looking extremely pleased with themselves while holding a long pole.

So no, it is not some hidden quiet activity that only three mysterious locals know about.

It is touristy.

But some touristy things are popular because they are genuinely good.

This is one of them.

The guide made a difference

Having someone punt for us meant we could actually relax and look around, instead of spending the whole time trying to avoid becoming a floating traffic hazard.

Our guide did the work, we sat back, took photos, asked questions, and enjoyed the ride.

Could you hire a punt and do it yourself? Yes.

Would I personally want to steer one while surrounded by other boats, bridges, walls, and an audience? Absolutely not.

Some people are built for graceful river confidence.

I am built for sitting down, taking photos, and not causing an incident.

Was it worth £100 each?

This is the awkward bit.

Because £100 each for just under an hour is a lot of money.

There is no pretending otherwise.

It is expensive. Exorbitant, really.

But I also have to be honest: I am glad we did it.

It was one of those experiences where the price stings, but the memory sticks. Cambridge is already beautiful, but seeing it from the river made it feel even more special.

Would I do it every time I visited Cambridge? No.

Would I recommend doing it once if it fits your budget? Yes.

Would I call it cheap? Absolutely not.

Would I call it one of my favourite things we have done so far? Yes.

That is the annoying truth of it.

Best bits of the punting trip

For me, the best parts were:

• seeing the colleges from the river
• floating under the bridges
• the light on the water
• the old walls and trees along the banks
• not having to steer the punt myself
• the feeling of seeing Cambridge from a completely different angle
• having a proper “we are actually here” travel moment

It was one of those experiences that felt bigger than the length of time it took.

Just under an hour, but it gave the day a whole extra layer.

Tips before you go punting in Cambridge

If you are thinking about doing it, I would say:

Check the price before you commit.
Prices can be steep, and you do not want to find that out while already half emotionally attached to the idea.

Go on a clear day if you can.
The river, buildings and trees look beautiful in the sun.

Take photos, but also put the phone down sometimes.
The views are worth photographing, but the feeling of just floating along is part of it too.

Consider a chauffeured punt.
It costs more, but you can relax and enjoy the ride.

Do it once, not necessarily every time.
For me, this felt like a special Cambridge experience rather than something I would need to repeat every visit.

Final thoughts

Punting in Cambridge was expensive.

Very expensive.

But it was also beautiful, memorable and genuinely one of our favourite things we have done.

I still think Cambridge can be enjoyed without spending much money. You can walk the streets, see the college exteriors, explore the market area, find plaques, look at old buildings and soak up the city for free.

But punting gives you something different.

It gives you Cambridge from the water.

And sometimes the paid thing is worth doing, even when your bank card mutters darkly from your bag.

This was one of those times.