While punting is certainly an activity that is done all over the world, it is perhaps the most recognized as being done in England (Cambridge, specifically). A punting boat is a 9-seater shallow, flat bottomed boat that used to be used to carry goods and cargo up and down calm rivers. They are steered solely using punt or quant poles. These are made extra-long in Cambridge to reach the bottom of the river. The guides push the pole off the bottom of the river, steering the boat in the direction that they want it to go and propelling it forwards.
For someone who wants to see many of the most famous sights in Cambridge, but only has limited time, punting is recommended. Through punting, you can see many of the picturesque colleges, Isaac Newton's Mathematic's Bridge, the Bridge of Sighs, and Charles Darwin's house.
Our guide was very knowledgeable and friendly, telling us stories of Cambridge. At the beginning of the tour, he said he could do a tour with cut and dry facts or one that was humorous- we opted for a mix of both. He started us by telling us "legendary" Cambridge stories. Among the Cambridge students' antics were engineering students took apart a professor's car and rebuilt it on the roof overnight- it took the school approximately three days and thousands of dollars to take it apart again and get it off the roof. The students were never caught. Another story is that of a long-running Cambridge prank. In England, universities take fire drills very seriously- requiring students to use the exits that they would use in a legitimate fire. Every year (although it stopped awhile ago), the upperclassmen would rearrange the "Exit" signs so that they all led to a door with a 5 foot sheer drop right into the river before the fire drill. The unsuspecting freshman would then end up following the signs right off the (very small) dock and right into the River Cam. Over time, it became sort of an initiation.
Whether you're looking for a short time off your feet (while still touring the city), you're looking to relax, or you're just looking for a fun way to spend the afternoon, punting is an amazing way to do that in Cambridge.
