Photos: Julian Herzog (Website), Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0 King of Hearts, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 Maksim Sokolov (Maxergon), Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo credits
Photos: Julian Herzog (Website), Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0 King of Hearts, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 Maksim Sokolov (Maxergon), Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Along the Backs from Silver Street
Your local guide
Josie Cole
View profile
Highlights
- A punt station at first light
- Colleges rising straight from the water
- Public and private riverside lawns explained
- An open meadow facing King's College
- Grazing rights still held today
About this tour
This session follows the River Cam along the Backs, the green stretch of gardens and meadows running behind six of the historic colleges. It starts at the punt station on Silver Street and ends on the open meadow facing King's College, taking in the riverside architecture along the way. It is told by someone who has lived on this stretch of water for years.
We start with the punts setting off for the morning, then walk the towpath at an easy pace with the colleges rising on one side. Questions about the punting tradition and the riverside land come up naturally, and I answer from years of watching it happen. I close with a short note on the quietest times to walk this stretch yourself.
It suits anyone who wants the classic Cambridge river view explained properly rather than glimpsed in passing. It also suits early risers, since the light and the quiet are both better before the crowds arrive.
Included
- Live video walk with a local guide
- Questions to your guide all the way
- A short list of places to visit later
Not included
- Internet connection
- Travel to the city
Itinerary
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Welcome and sound check 7 min
The guide joins the video call, checks the picture and sound with you, and gives you a quick sense of Cambridge before heading out.
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Silver Street punt station 21 min
The camera opens on the punt station where boats queue to set off, and I explain how the pole is used to push off the riverbed rather than row.
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Queens' College backs 21 min
Walking upstream, you see the college buildings rising directly from the water, and I point out which of the riverside lawns are open to the public and which belong to the colleges.
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King's College meadow 21 min
The route ends on the open meadow opposite King's College, and I explain how grazing rights on this stretch of grass are still formally held by the college today.
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Your questions 14 min
Time to ask anything about Cambridge: prices, safety, food, or whatever you are curious about.
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A short list to keep 6 min
Before you go, the guide sums up with a few things worth remembering: a dish to try: Fish and chips and The Kite, worth a slower look.
Good to know
- A stable wifi or mobile connection makes the picture smoother than a shaky one.
- Any phone, tablet or laptop with a camera works. You watch, the guide does the walking.
- Times are shown in London time, so check the time where you are before you book.
- The session is not recorded, and recording it yourself is not allowed. Feel free to take your own notes.
- Ask questions any time, out loud or in the chat. The guide will pause to answer.
- Sessions run in small groups, up to 10 people, so there is room for everyone to ask something.
Questions about this tour
What will the session cover?
The guide walks through Cambridge, showing you Silver Street punt station and Queens' College backs live on camera, plus whatever else you would like to see.
What happens if my connection drops?
Rejoin with the same link within a few minutes and the guide will catch you up on anything you missed.
Can I ask the guide questions during the session, or is it a fixed script?
Anything, any time. Sessions leave room for your own questions throughout, not just at the end.
How it works
- You get one join link after booking.
- Join from any device: phone, tablet or laptop.
- We connect on a video call from the riverbank, and I keep the phone low and level with the water for most of the walk.
Times shown in London time (GMT)
Cancellation
Flexible
- Cancel up to 24 hours before the start: full refund.
- Cancel less than 24 hours before the start, or no-show: no refund.
- If the guide cancels or the date does not reach its minimum group: full refund.
- Cancel in My Account → Bookings; the refund is calculated from the start time in the tour's local time.
Reviews
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Verified booking
Fine but a bit rushed
Interesting content but we felt rushed and the start was late.
How reviews work
Only travellers who booked and paid through Locals Guide and whose tour took place can leave a review, within 60 days of the tour. Every review is marked "Verified booking". We check reviews before they appear and publish positive and negative ones alike; we remove only reviews that break our rules (insults, personal data, unrelated content). Guides cannot pay for, edit or hide reviews, and ratings are the plain average of all published reviews.
Next: Tue 3 Nov · 10 seats left From 28,00 €
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