How to punt: a beginner's guide

Before you push off

Wear secure, flat shoes. One hire company does not allow sandals or bare feet on self-hire boats, and asks that anyone under 16 travels with an adult. Life jackets are available on request from that company, so ask yours what it provides. Rules differ between operators. Compare hire and chauffeured trips in the punting guide.

The basic stroke

1. Stand on the end deck with your feet apart and your knees slightly bent.
2. Lift the pole upright, hand over hand, keeping it close to the boat.
3. Let it drop through your hands until it reaches the riverbed, close to your rear foot.
4. Walk your hands up the pole and push, so the punt moves away from it.
5. As the boat glides, let the pole trail behind you in the water and use it as a rudder to steer.

To slow down, plant the pole in the riverbed ahead of you.

If the pole gets stuck

Try twisting it to free it from the mud. If it will not come, let go rather than being pulled off the boat. As one hire company puts it, the pole matters less than the boat.

Sharing the river

Keep to the right. Guidance published by the Magdalene College graduate society adds that the vessel travelling downstream has right of way, and that the vessel nearest a bridge has priority. Near Magdalene Bridge, keep right as well because the water on the left is deep and the pole may not reach the bottom.

Chauffeured commercial punts may carry no more than 13 people including the chauffeur, under the conditions set by the Conservators of the River Cam, and they may only operate from a recognised station.

Punting in rain and winter

Punting runs through the year, conditions permitting. Published operator information mentions blankets and umbrellas on chauffeured trips, trips continuing in the rain, and services stopping when wind, river flow or temperature make it unsafe. Winter days are short, and one operator's last departure moves from the evening in summer to mid-afternoon in winter, so check times before you travel.

Choosing your stretch of river

The route along the College Backs is busy, particularly in summer. The upper river towards Grantchester is a separate stretch with a longer journey, so it needs more time.

Sources: published how-to-punt, visitor and hire information from Cambridge operators; Magdalene College MCR, river fleet; Conservators of the River Cam, punting. Checked October 2026. This is general guidance, not safety training. Follow your operator's briefing.