England Guide
East Anglia
Cambridge
The university town of CAMBRIDGE is a much quieter and more compact place than its scholarly rival, Oxford, though what really sets it apart is "The Backs", the green sward of land that straddles the languid River Cam, providing exquisite views over the backs of the old colleges. At the front, the handsome facades of these same colleges dominate the layout of the town centre, lining up along the main streets. You can walk round the centre in an afternoon, but a more thorough exploration, covering more colleges, the excellent Fitzwilliam Museum and a leisurely afternoon on a punt, will take at least a couple of days.
Most of the older colleges date back to the late thirteenth and early fourteenth centuries and are designed to a similar plan with the main gate leading through to a series of "courts", typically a carefully manicured slab of lawn surrounded on all four sides by college residences or offices. Many of the buildings are extraordinarily beautiful, but the most famous is King's College, whose magnificent King's College Chapel is one of the great statements of late Gothic architecture. There are 31 university colleges in total, each an independent, self-governing body, proud of its achievements and attracting – for the most part at least – a close loyalty from its students. Note that the most visited colleges have restricted their opening times and sometimes impose admission charges; during the exam period (late April to early June), most colleges close their doors to the public at least some of the time.
Punting on the River Cam
Punting is the quintessential Cambridge activity, though it is, in fact, a good deal harder than it looks. First-timers find themselves zigzagging across the water and "punt jams" are very common on the stretch of the River Cam beside The Backs in summer. Punt rental is available at several points, including the boatyard at Mill Lane (beside the Silver Street bridge), at Magdalene Bridge, and at the Garret Hostel Lane bridge at the back of Trinity College. It costs around £14 an hour (and most places charge a deposit), with up to six people in each punt. Alternatively, you can hire a chauffeured punt from any of the rental places for about £10 per person per hour.
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