We went on the 45-50 minute boat ride. Our guide was very knowledgeable as well as telling us some interesting stories of the rivalries between the various colleges at Cambridge university. I thought it was a bit pricey, but we are glad we did this. read more

What a fantastic way to spend 45 minutes in Cambridge! We booked a group punting tour, which included just us and our excellent guide. It was very scenic and the guide had a ton of well rehearsed tidbits to offer. Also, it is toddler friendly, and there were blankets on the boat (key for a chilly day). Around the river there are a handful of touts from other companies, which I'm sure are fine. But Scudamore's was top notch, and I would highly recommend a tour with them! read more

Select this company as they hire Cambridge students who are professional trained and tested on the history of the area. They also know how to punt properly and make the most of your trip ! read more

Scudamore's Punting - Our wonderful tour guide that was engaging , educated , & a delightful student along our 45 min journey on the Cam River - Boating Near Me - Cambridge, CAM

Punting is definitely not as easy as it appears. This is why I give Scudamore a poor rating. We literally got zero/nada/zip instructions before being pushed off. Once we were adrift, I had no idea even how to steer and resorted to asking other nearby punters for instructions. So after finally figuring out just enough to move down the canal, we came across some low hanging branches. While going under the branches, the pole became caught. Rather than letting it go (as I should have had I received proper instructions), I lost my balance trying to save the pole and took a plunge, with my iPhone in my pocket. It was pretty embarrassing as it was graduation week and bunch of people looking on. Fortunately it was easy enough to climb back on without tipping my family into the canal in the process and I managed to salvage a little dignity by punting around for another 20 minutes or so. But it certainly wouldn't be something I'd ever do again. So because of their utter lack of concern or care, I lost some dignity and the use of my iPhone for the rest of the trip, had to travel back to London completely soaking wet, have to fix or replace my phone. What else could I have asked for? read more

A lovely way to sightsee. The punting boats are flat based boats. You have the option to book a tour, a private ride, or do it yourself. My friend and I opted for a the guided group tour. I'm glad we did. Some of the others who opted for do it yourself seemed to struggle a little. It was not difficult finding the docks. We bought our passes at the information center and had to go to the booth to get our tickets. If you get there when they open there won't be a line. . Our tour guide was Niall and he was very knowledgeable about the history of Cambridge: the university and town. Each bridge you pass has a story and your guide will give you every detail about these bridges. My favorite was the bridge of sighs. Along with bridges you'll hear stories about the university, its past students like Sir Isaac Newton, C.S. Lewis, etc. They also have a little tiff against Oxford. So be prepared to hear some Oxford banter. read more

what an experience! though i was having serious jetlag, i still had tons of fun! oh yeah, our punter was a total hottie, but that's not the point (ok, a bit...)... i see a lot of people chose to do the punting themselves - they were either not moving, almost falling, or crashing into each other... don't waste your energy, trust the professional, plus, they'd tell you the stories behind each buildings, bridges, along the riverwalk... MUST DO if you are there... so relaxing! yes, get a glass of beer before getting on the boat! even nicer! read more

See all

Everybody said, "you have to go punting whilst you're in Cambridge!" I thought it might be corny but it was really beautiful and definitely worth the time and money. There are lots of people trying to get your business - we ended up going with Scudamore's. The standard rate is ~16£ per person but the internet rate (which the guy gave us) is 12.50£ so definitely ask for the internet rate. The boat holds 12 people so you'll be seated with others but the quarters aren't too cramped. Definitely go with a punting expert - after watching the amateur punters going down the river, I was glad for my relaxing ride. The guy who led our trip was very knowledgeable and gave a great tour of Cambridge. The tour is about 45 minutes long. read more

One of the best managed punting tours in Cambridge. Our experience wasn't as good, because it started to rain. However, Scudamores were the only company that provided umbrella's for protection and blankets for warmth. I hope to be able to make this trip again when the weather isn't so bleary. read more

Scudamore's Punting - Boating Near Me - Cambridge, CAM

Fantastic staff, host was really friendly and she was amazing at guiding us through the history of the bridges and university colleges, really appreciate! read more

DO NOT PUNT YOURSELF. A good portion of the point here is the stories and being able to sit back and enjoy them. Tip well. On a sunny day, there is something very cool about sitting on the cushions while someone punts you up and down the river, while regaling you with tales of history about the town, colleges, bridges, and more. Punting is not as easy as you might think... and it is amusing to watch the tourists try to give it a go. read more

Through dubious circumstances, I ended up getting enlisted to do the punting myself. It's a good thing I gave my brand new iPhone 4S to a friend before going on the water. A friend went to hire a guide while I waited in line by the boats, and somehow when she came back there was no guide! Instead, I was supposed to punt myself after a 30-second training session. Needless to say, right in front of the King's College Green I ran into my first pile of muck after several blocks of hitting stone and underwater walls. The punt didn't dislodge from the muck as easily as I anticipated, and I lost my balance! A nearby Japanese tourist laughed really loudly, and I continued on my way. When we were heading back to return the boat, he asked me through his translator whether I was OK. Also, I didn't realize it at the time but my map of Cambridge was hanging half out of my rear jeans pocket, torn and wet, for the rest of my time on the boat. My friends were too busy laughing at me to take any pics, so sorry. read more

If you find yourself in Cambridge and you have never gone punting, then do it. Quite simply, it is the best way to see a bunch of beautiful colleges from a great perspective. If you love taking tons of photos like I do, then this is your chance. I really can't say too much about the business itself because we were with relatives and friends. They did the punting and tour guide information for us. I'm sure the tour guides would be fine too. It was easy to walk right up, pay and get on the river. Not sure how crowded the water can be during the normal school year, at this point it's mostly grad students so the number of people in town is less than usual. We had no crowding on the water and we were free to go where we wanted to. I thought maybe I would want to give it a go once we got on the water...not so much. The vessel is really shaky and if you don't know what you're doing, you may wind up in the water. If that's OK and you're not holding $1,200 worth of camera equipment, go for it. You definitely won't be disappointed if you appreciate history and brilliant architecture. read more

A great way to experience a relaxing trip down the river, plus a history lesson! We went on a weekday afternoon and there was no line. The river had a lot of activity, even a group filming a documentary. I echo others that discourage self punting. Our trip proved quite memorable... as we were coming back under the Mathematical bridge we heard a splash and noticed the punter in a boat in front of us fell in. Turns out he couldn't swim so our punter got us close enough to fish him out of the water. We were told its about 4 ft deep; despite that he was pretty panicked. read more

Punting in Cambridge is a must-do. I came to town for the day and decided kind of last-minute to go punting, got a ticket for four quid off the full price from the Tourist Information Centre (right next to the Market), and ended up here. I did the tour with a professional punter, of course. It seems that renting a private vessel for punting was also somewhat popular, but I recommend against it unless you have very strong arms and are very confident in your punting ability. We kept getting run into by amateur punters, and one girl got desperate and asked our guide if she could go back to land after a few minutes of running into people. I'd much rather enjoy a relaxing ride and not worry about falling out of the boat! As a solo traveller, I was able to get on a boat with a bunch of other people within a few minutes of getting my scheduled ticket. The guide wasn't super interesting (and said a couple things that weren't really true from what I knew of the university), but he wasn't bad either, and it was such a nice, sunny spring day that I have to give the tour four stars because I was a fan of the experience. Definitely recommended on a day with good weather as a relaxing way to see a bit of Cambridge! read more

I had my doubts initially about punting, but it actually turned out to be a wonderful experience! The punt was actually more stable than I thought, and the tour guide was pretty knowledgeable, full of interesting little stories. The views of the colleges and the river Cam were quite serene and beautiful. After the punting tour, you can also grab a pint or a bite at The Anchor right next to the dock. Self-punters are a menace to themselves and other on the river Cam. During our ~40-minute tour we've run into multiple collisions with the self-punters who couldn't control where they were going. Falling into the water at least earns others a good laugh, but imagine being hit from the back by one of the punts during the collision -- not fun. Unless you are already a punting master, self-punting is not recommended! read more

This review is about our boat punting tour experience in Cambridge, United Kingdom. In November 2017, I visited my girlfriend in London where she was attending university. Keen to get a break from the busy city life, we decided to take a day trip to the famous university town Cambridge. A 2-hour bus ride from Victoria station took us straight to Cambridge. The river Cam, which runs through the entire city of Cambridge, is home to several companies that conduct punting tours up and down the river- a very popular tourist activity. While strolling through the center of town, we were approached by a gentleman from Scudamore's Mill Punting Station who asked if we would like to join one of the tours. The chilly November cold led us to decline, but after witnessing several groups of tourists going up and down the punts we decided to brave the cold for the full 'Cambridge Experience'. Needless to say, we did not regret it. In this review, I will assess several aspects of the tour which contributed to my overall experience. These include the quality and safety of the punts, my interaction with the employees, as well as the cost and the quality of service. I will also discuss the impact the tour left on me and how it has impacted the local area of Cambridge. A punt has a similar shape as a kayak but is much larger, fitting up to 6 people comfortably. On this occasion, we shared the punt with two other couples. It was well maintained and showed no signs of wear, an observation that made us feel immediately safe. Despite the shallow depth of the river, the punt was equipped with life jackets. As well as being safe, the punts were outfitted with cushioned seats, which made the hour-long tour very comfortable. Blankets were also provided, which made all the difference in the cold. Our interactions with the different employees were pleasant. The vendor at the ticket counter was extremely accommodating. Although punts can be hired for use without a guide, the company strongly encourages tourists to join a tour as punting is no easy feat. However, we remained keen to try it for ourselves. The vendor offered to let us use the punt for 20-minute for free after our tour! Each ticket cost £16 and since we had student IDs, we only had to pay £14 since there were student concessions. There were also special promotions for larger groups to hire a whole punt for up to 6 passengers and a punter. For the more ambitious visitors, you could even hire a punt at an hourly rate of £27.50 and try to punt on your own. Canoes and kayaks were also available for rent. I personally would not recommend trying to punt on your own, like the vendor mentioned, as it can be rather difficult, and the experience would not be as enjoyable. It would be better to rent the kayaks or canoes if you wish to explore the river on your own. The company also had employees to help all tourists board the punts as they can be quite unstable. The ride itself was very smooth. Our punter cum tour-guide was friendly and shared interesting facts about the university's history as we cruised by the different colleges. However, the company might want to advise the employees who advertise the tour to be less aggressive when approaching tourists as this leaves a bad first impression. Yet, the excellent service we received subsequently more than made up for it. While talking to our guide, we learnt that the industry has had a positive impact for students as a source of extra pocket money as they would usually work as punters and guides. I would highly recommend the tour as an affordable and relaxing way to see the town. An adult ticket cost £16 and various concessions are available. The river cam runs through the university's colleges and is therefore the best way to experience the sights and history of Cambridge- especially for those who are short of time! read more

Scudamore's Punting - Boating Near Me - Cambridge, CAM

See all

If you're in Cambridge, you MUST punt. Scudamore's is the perfect way to do it. The experience of punting down the River Cam and seeing all the ancient bridges, buildings, and architecture is priceless. If you're feeling extra touristy, punt over to Grantchester and stop there for some afternoon tea and freshly baked goodies. Or even if you've already seen all the sights, it's always fun to go just because. Bring a bottle of wine or two and make an afternoon out of it. You can opt to have a guide punt for you, or you can punt for yourself, but can't say it's an easy task for anyone who is a newbie. Your arms may be quite sore the next day. That's why I just make my expert friends who live in Cambridge do all the work. :) However, I can proudly say that I never fell in the murky water while trying! Yes, I know, the thought of me trying to navigate a boat with a gigantor stick....quite hilarious. read more

Scudamore's Punting - Boating Near Me - Cambridge, CAM

See all

Punting in Cambridge! New in town for the day I was told you must go punting. I am so glad I did and you will too. Much like Venice they put you into a Gondola and take you down the river. I really enjoyed it and you will to. So much to see and just take it. I highly recommend this company. Our tour guide was great, I'm sorry but I don't remember his name. Either way just do it, go Punting in Cambridge! Have Fun! read more

So fun, glad we did it, must do in Cambridge. As a party of two we were considering renting our own boat and doing a self-guided tour and we are happy we did not. We had a Romanian guide who told us lots of interesting facts and was very friendly. We sat across from a family that was visiting from Spain and there were several other couples behind us in the same boat. The views are amazing and the facts/stories add to the experience. It's a great way to see the colleges without wearing yourself out. We went to Fitzbillies beforehand for coffee and Chelsea Buns since we had 20 minutes to spare until the next tour. If you sit close to the punter/tour guide you may get several droplets of water on you. Apparently this is the only touring company in town that tests the knowledge of their staff before committing them to be guides. read more

The best punting company in Cambridge! http://www.scudamores.com/cam/index.php [Start at the iron bridge - it's easier!] read more

Fantastic - definitely the best looking punts and chauffeurs on the river. I'd recommend this activity as a must do if you're visiting Cambridge. Enjoy! read more

I was keen to get on the river as dusk settled on a beautiful Cambridge day and was looking forward to a Bat Safari booked on line through Scudamores. However my enthusiasm was knocked for six when a group of 20 students who had been " drinking all day" was escorted on to the punts ( which take 12 people) . They were noisy and obviously not at all interested in Bats and but for the initiative of our chauffeur would have ruined our evening. Great idea and we saw and 'heard' lots of bats but more organisation needed read more

As has been said by many, a must do for tourists to Cambridge. Particularly on a sunny day, you get to see some of the most beautiful parts of Cambridge all from a boat! I enjoyed it despite the fact I nearly fell in several times. read more

probably the biggest of the punting companies in town but not the cheapest (look to trinity punts for cheaper rates). that said, i loved punting along the backs of the colleges, even when the river got a bit overcrowded with other punts (tourists and students just finishing exams). beautiful day, beautiful buildings, beautiful university town, great fun! read more

I took the chauffeured punt tour and had a great time. Our chauffeur/guide was informative, good natured and funny. The river passes through the university grounds and provides a nice view of chapels, libraries and student residences. This tour definitely exceeded my expectations, mostly because our guide did such a great job describing the history and landmarks along the river. read more

Because I consider myself a budget traveler, when I travel, I don't usually do the extras, of which I considered included sailing rivers. But there really is no way, except by air, to better view the majestic and beautifully-designed buildings that make up a big part of Cambridge University. I selected Scudamore because they are an official punting outfit for the uni. The staff even dress in Scudamore apparel which lends a corporate feel. Tickets were purchased in advance online, but it seems as you can ask for the online pricing at the counter (not sure you'll get it). I arrived at 10am for our punting excursion, and sat with 2 other families (5 strangers). When we started, the River Cam was wide open. We heard facts and stories by our dashing punter - Gareth. He tried to involve us in trivia and the like. On the return journey, the punting traffic significantly increased. The other punting outfits were out in force. I actually thought a punting boat driven by an amateur/beginner was going to crash into us. For this reason, I would advise sailing earlier in the day rather than later. Fewer (bad) drivers on the water. Punting is a must. read more