Cambridge is the home of pleasure punting. Head to our Jesus Green Moorings in Cambridge to take our Visit England accredited punting tour. You’ll find Rutherford’s official moorings a 2 minute walk along the boardwalk from Quayside.

Drive to one of the five Park and Ride sites on the edge of Cambridge to avoid the expensive parking charges. All the Park and Ride sites go into the Drummer Street area, around a 10-15 minute walk from Rutherford’s.

There are beautiful reasons to punt at any time of day and the answer depends on what you mean by best! For quieter periods the morning is best! Another example is that in the summer the later afternoon has the most beautiful light on King’s College Chapel. Perhaps try it a few times and let us know what you think!

Punts and gondolas are very different in both build and usage!

Punts are wide flat-bottomed boats with straight ends. Punters propel and steer using a long pole (quant) by pushing against the bottom of a placid lake or low current river. Punts were initially designed as work boats for a variety of trades such as fishing, catching wild fowl and reed-cutting in the fens. Punts are used as both work boats and pleasure boats around the world today.

In contrast, gondolas are built with a modified V bow (only part flat bottom) and are rowed with an oar by gondola drivers (gondoliers) through Venice’s canal networks. They are more similar to a large canoe, but are usually narrower. The designs are exquisite and they are expensive to build. Gondolas are also now found in Australia as pleasure craft.

Another important difference is that gondolas use a small electric motor, each boat is set at the same speed and the gondoliers use the motors in the same places on the tours to ensure that the flow of traffic is more manageable. This limits the strain on the gondoliers body and also minimises incidents of tendonitis. When boarding your gondola, you’ll spot the charge port on the side of the step and the buttons on the deck, which are stepped on to operate the motor (one forward and one backward).

Our traditional punts comfortably seat 12 people. Groups of more than 12 people will need to book multiple boats.

You can get a taxi straight to Bridge Street, right beside the Quayside in Cambridge. If you follow the boardwalk from the Quay area you’ll find the Rutherford’s Bookings Desk next to the moorings.

Your guide will ensure that you board the punt safely from our moorings. On board you’ll find our punts are dressed with plush cushions and blankets for your comfort. There are cute little tables and on hand we have umbrellas should there be unexpected inclement weather.

Our boats are numbered, rather than named. You’ll find yourself seated on R1, R2, R3, or R4.

Rutherford’s Bookings Desk Quayside Boardwalk, Cambridge CB5 8AQ

Rutherford’s Moorings Jesus Green, Cambridge CB5 8AQ

Rutherford’s Phone Box Quayside, Cambridge CB5 8AB

Rutherford’s Head Office The Studio, 90 Searle Street, Cambridge CB4 3DD

Rutherford’s are open from 9:00am till dusk every day. Excitingly, this means that you can stay on the river much later in the balmy summer evenings.

Our opening hours reflect the seasonal amount of daylight in Cambridge. This means that in summertime you can book a punt experience well into the night at 8 or 9pm. In the depths of winter our last boat leaves around 3:15pm.

Our traditional punts comfortably seat 12 people. Groups of more than 12 people will need to book multiple boats.

You can go punting in Cambridge with Rutherford’s all year around – from 1st January till the 31st December. Please note that Rutherford’s are only closed on Christmas Day.

Rarely, river conditions make it unsafe for our guides to push tours and we therefore close at short notice. We will contact you should this affect your booking.

You can catch any bus to the centre of Cambridge and take a short walk to the Quayside on Bridge Street. Catch bus number 5 or 6 and you’ll stop right opposite the Quayside at the Bridge Street stop.