Category: Punting

Cambridge University

Cambridge University draws crowds from all over the globe.

Did you know that Cambridge is where the hole in the ozone layer and gravity were discovered?

There are so many incredible things that Cambridge/ Cambridge University has contributed to the world.

This city is globally renowned for its creativity, inventiveness, and breath-taking natural surroundings.

Here are the top reasons why you should always choose to go punting in Cambridge rather than any other place.

Cambridge Rules

Cambridge is the birthplace of football and the earliest record of the game dates to 1579.

In 1848, a group of representatives and students from Cambridge drafted a set of rules and pinned them to the trees surrounding Parker’s Piece, which is a massive open park in the centre of Cambridge that you can visit after your punting tour.

The “Cambridge Rules” were then adopted by all the teams in the area.

England’s leading clubs got together to form the Football Association in 1863, and Cambridge Rules was the basis for the new FA rules.

A History of Evolution

Charles Darwin, a naturalist, was a student at Christ’s College in Cambridge and was inspired by his professor, who established the city’s botanic garden.

Darwin founded evolutionary biology, the Theory of Evolution, which shook the world when it was published in “On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection” (1859), which shaped the way future generations learn about human evolution.

IVF Treatments

This medical procedure has been a lifeline for many people around the world who struggle to start a family.

It was developed in Cambridge by Robert Edwards, a decade after he proved the technique by fertilizing an egg outside the womb.

The world’s first test-tube baby was born in 1978, and Edwards received a well-deserved Nobel Peace Prize in 2010.

Artificial Intelligence

If you have not seen the movie “The Imitation Game” starring Benedict Cumberbatch and Keira Knightley, you are seriously missing out.

It is based on the true story of Alan Turing, who was a Cambridge Universtiy Mathematician, and the father of artificial intelligence and computer science.

He had built a computer called Christopher that successfully cracked an unbreakable German Enigma code during the Second World War.

Gravity

Sir Isaac Newton was a famous scholar and student at Cambridge University.

He was sitting on the grounds one day when an apple fell on his head and helped him develop the theory of gravity.

In 1687, he also established the fact that planets revolve around the sun, and gravity is the force that controls this.

This publication became the foundation of modern physics, and the world knew that Cambridge is an unbeatable city when it comes to education and sciences.

A Collection of Nobel Prizes

When you are punting in Cambridge and admiring the beautiful views on the River Cam, remember that this city has ninety-six Nobel Prizes.

These were awarded for outstanding discoveries related to medicine, chemistry, economics, literature, and peace. Thirty-two winners were from Trinity College alone.

There are many more fascinating contributions that Cambridge University has made to the world.

These include the works of Stephen Hawking, Joe Farman, and many famous poets like Sylvia Plath and William Wordsworth.

You should take a Cambridge punting tour with loved ones, and your chauffeur will share more incredible stories about why this city is the best.

Discovery of DNA structure

After your punting tour along the ‘college backs,’ you may want to relax and refresh at The Eagle Pub.

This is not just any pub, it is located opposite one of the science labs belonging to Cambridge University.

In 1953, Francis Crick announced to the pub that he and James Watson had discovered the double helix structure of DNA.

Punting in Cambridge

Punting in Cambridge is the most popular and exciting tourist activity.

Synonymous with the city, punting is a must for first-time visitors or long-term locals alike.  Cambridge and punting go hand in hand. As one of our touts says, it’s like going to Paris and not seeing the Eiffel Tower- that is if you come to Cambridge and don’t go punting!

You can go punting in Cambridge without having to compromise on comfort. You get to sit in a comfortable flat-bottomed boat with a square-cut bow. This boat is designed to show you all the beautiful sights while punting through shallow water and small rivers. Your chauffeur will propel the punt boat by pushing against the riverbed with a long pole known as a quant.

Summer is the best time to go punting in Cambridge, and here are the top reasons why you should book a punting tour to make your trip more magical.

Learn About Cambridge

Your chauffeur will be a Cambridge native or long-term resident, and they will have plenty of historical tales to share with you during the ride.

There will be lots of anecdotes and banter shared, especially if you know Cambridge well!

Some of them are students from Cambridge University. For a laugh, you can ask them to tell you funny secrets about this famous university that was once attended by Stephen Hawking, Alan Turing, Emma Thompson, and Charles Darwin.

See Beautiful Scenery

Even though Cambridge is home to some of the most beautiful historically crooked streets where you can admire the architecture. Seeing it from the rivers on a punt is an entirely unique experience.

Enjoy the majestic River Cam on a chauffeured punt and breathe in the fresh air from all the surrounding greenery and Cambridge landscape.

You will get plenty of picturesque views of the college gardens along the way.

Have Fun in Groups

Punting in Cambridge is very popular among hen parties and corporate groups.

Our punt boats usually allow up to 12 people on board. This could mean bringing a rather large family, or you can make new friends with other tourists.

You can also hire a private tour for your group to celebrate a special occasion. This is a terrific chance to spend time with fun people and share a laugh. You can also bring some drinks on the punt.

Romantic Rides

If you want to spoil your partner with a romantic trip, book a private punting tour in Cambridge just for the two of you.

It will be like a romantic gondola ride in Venice. You can bring a bottle of champagne and have a toast to celebrate love while the chauffeur punts you down the beautiful college backs.

Get a couple’s photo taken on the River Cam with the breathtaking views and surrounding architecture.

Relaxing Atmosphere

After an exhaustingly long day of walking around the city, punting in Cambridge is a great way to kick back and relax without ending your tour.

There is enough space on the boat for you to sit comfortably and be transported along the River Cam.

The punts move at slow speed so you can take plenty of photos along the way.

You will get uninterrupted views of Cambridge from a punt which makes it the perfect way to end a trip and get the most magical photos to share online when you get back to the hotel.

Punting Safety

Punting safety is very important to us. As a whole punting is a very safe activity. It is surprisingly very hard to capsize a punt, however, it is not always that hard to fall in! Especially if you are inexperienced or are unfamiliar with punting safety.

Even though a punt moves through the shallowest of waters if a passenger is not a strong swimmer, it can be a bad experience for them.

Most operators are highly skilled at manoeuvring a punt safely, but there is always a risk of capsizing, especially if the chauffeur is new or if another tourist onboard starts rocking the boat.

Many things can go wrong, and it’s always better to take the necessary precautions before going on your Cambridge punting tour.

Reputable operators organize most punting tours, but some chauffeurs offer self-drive or are inexperienced. This is dangerous because punt boats are significantly heavy and need a lot of practice to navigate and manoeuvre safely, especially around the Cambridge University area where the waterways are extremely narrow.

Many self-punts also crowd the area because they want to make money from tourists. This causes a lot of traffic on the waterways and boats can often hit each other while passing.

 

Punting safety during your tour

It is vital that customers should keep their hands inside the boats because their fingers risk getting crushed anytime another punt boat passes by closely.

Skilled chauffeurs are in no rush to complete tours and pay more attention to safety. If they see a punt boat coming from the other side, they will stop and give it plenty of space to pass and avoid any accidents. Make sure you use an operator who demonstrates patience and has undergone safety training.

If your tour group has any small children or elderly people, they should be seated in the middle of the boat. This way, if any collisions occur, they will not be in danger of tipping overboard and falling in the water. Never sit too close to the edge of your punt because if another boat does hit, you could get hurt.

 

Self-hire punting safety

Keep a watchful eye for weirs and sluice gates. There are two of each on River Cam, and the water is usually low enough for them to be safe. However, try and stay away from them as much as possible because if safety buoys aren’t present, you could get sucked down the water, especially if it rained heavily before your trip.

When there is an increased flow, small waves can form, and they can trap those who are not careful. To avoid a drowning accident, choose the best tour operator who has a lot of experience.

They should be able to identify which routes are the safest and never take risks with people’s lives just to rush through tours or take shortcuts. They should also give you a little safety briefing before the trip and remind everyone to keep their limbs inside and never sit too close to the edge.

If you suspect someone is too intoxicated to be taking a ride, inform your chauffeur because you don’t want to risk having someone who might suddenly move around and tip the boat.

 

Why choose us?

At Tyrrells Punting Company we have been operating for over 15 years, our staff are all highly trained professionals. We specialise in chauffeured guided tours of the ‘college backs’ and we work tirelessely to ensure that our customers have an unforgettable and safe experience with us.

Our tours purposely avoid both weirs on either end of the river so you will be safe with us.

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