Cambridge Punting Tours down the College Backs
What is the College Backs?
The College Backs is the back end of many of the colleges at the University of Cambridge. You can access the backs from some of the walkways but the most incredible way to see it is via punt.
The essential part of any Cambridge experience, for both residents and tourists, is a punt tour through the College Backs with Scudamore’s Punting company. It takes you along one of the most beautiful lengths of the river in England and Scudamore’s award-winning tour offers the perfect introduction to Cambridge.
Why Scudamore’s?
Scudamore’s Punting Company are Cambridge’s oldest and most revered punting company, and the originators of pleasure punting as a leisure activity in Cambridge. Since their foundation circa 1903, they have hired boats and offered tours to both residents and visitors alike. Punting has over recent years become a mainstream activity so choose Scudamore’s to ensure the authentic punting experience.
The VAQAS-award-winning College Backs Punt Tour offers the ideal introduction to Cambridge’s fascinating history. You get to hear how the city has evolved from a medieval market town to a world-class centre for education, all the while enjoying spectacular views from the river.
No one showcases Cambridge quite like Scudamore’s, with fully trained tour guides with a passion for history and a natural talent for sharing it with others.
Our tour guide
The tour guide who will guide you around the college backs will be attired in uniform that matches the requirements of the season.
Our tour guide for the trip was called Nick and he was dressed in a waistcoat and punting hat and was wonderful. Nick was constantly talking to us and informing us about the different buildings as we glided past. He also dropped in some humorous jokes and facts about the people who attended the colleges and the university itself.
Overall he was lovely and such an interesting character. He certainly made the experience more enjoyable and it was nice seeing everyone else from other companies glide past taking photos of our tour guide because he was the best dressed!
DID YOU KNOW: 50% of Nobel prizes won in Physics were from students of the University of Cambridge.
What is included?
On the college backs tour sit back and relax for three quarters of an hour in a comfortable 12 seater punt as you pass Cambridge’s most famous sights, including King’s College Chapel, the Bridge of Sighs, the Mathematical Bridge and the Wren Library.
The shared punt tours along the College Backs can be taken daily from 09:00, departing every 15-20 minutes.
The punts are also dressed with cushions and blankets and the boats come equipped with additional blankets and umbrellas in case the weather changes.
Scudamores also offer the opportunity to have a go at punting yourself so you can hire a punt to head along the famous College Backs from our Quayside Punting Station. Punts can be rented for as short as an hour or as long as the day’s opening hours.
So do you fancy it?
Punting in Cambridge with Scudamore’s has never been so easy to book, you can now book online or you can just turn up on the day! Online E-tickets are open-dated and valid for up to 6 months from the date of purchase.
The e-ticket can be redeemed at either our Mill Lane or Quayside Punting Stations and is easy to use: just present our staff with a print-out or show it on your mobile and they will redeem it for places on the next available tour.
Prices: Adult – £14.00 // Child – £7.00 // Concession – £12.50
Thanks to Scudamore’s for sending me a complimentary trip on one of their College Backs tours. All my opinions are my own.
Will you be heading on a Cambridge Punting Tour?
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