Punting on the River Cam last week - NOT amateur radio

As long as you wrap up well, I guess this time of year is a good time to go punting. The photo shows last Tuesday when it was cold and bright. In the summer the river can be busy.

Punting on the Cam - NOT amateur radio

The photo shows punts on the River Cam in Cambridge outside King's College. Very relaxing too. 

Cambridge punts - NOT amateur radio

For the first time since 2019, I returned to my University of the 3rd Age (U3AC) lectures in Cambridge. I am studying Medieval History, about which I know little! That's what's so nice: learning just for fun. As you can imagine, there is a huge range of courses in Cambridge. It was great to be back.

I had a little time to kill, so I took some photos around Cambridge including this one of the punts being prepared.

Cambridge quiet - NOT amateur radio

Don't think this has been on before (as I post on 365project and FaceBook too), but make no apologies if it has. 

Cambridge is usually busy with overseas visitors, but these are absent this year. Hopefully they will be back in 2022. 

The compensation is we have all these sights to enjoy!

Punts in the rain - NOT amateur radio

This photo was taken earlier this summer.

We had a shower of rain, so all the punt occupants suddenly erected umbrellas! They are on the Cam just outside Kings College.

Cambridge Punts - NOT amateur radio

My wife took this picture earlier today. It shows punts on the River Cam outside King's. For once we had sunshine!

Cambridge punts - NOT amateur radio

Around the centre of Cambridge you will find hawkers trying to get you to sign up to go on punts. Little do they realise I have lived hereabouts for almost 50 years!  At this time of year, especially if it is cold and wet, this must be a thankless job. We have few visitors at this time of year, whereas it gets very busy in the summer.

This is a view of Scudamore's punts, mostly empty. Then it is early February.

Just over the bridge on the right is Magdalene College and the Pepys Library, which houses his entire library.

Archetypal Cambridge - NOT amateur radio

In winter, Cambridge is usually quiet, but at this time of year there are plenty of visitors. This year, we seem to have more Far East visitors, probably because of the good exchange rates. The photo shows punts at Scudamore's boatyard off Silver Street.

Cambridge on a winter day

Cambridge Punts

Every Tuesday I travel into Cambridge for my weekly U3AC course called "Maps in the Computer Age".  I am enjoying the course very much.

Usually I drive to the "Park and Ride" car park at Newmarket Road and get the bus into town. The U3AC course is at the U3AC headquarters in Bridge Street, which is about 30m from where the punts are on the River Cam.  At this time of the year the punts are quiet. Come the summer and this spot is very busy. Cambridge has lots of foreign visitors when the usual students go home. If you see a foreigner with a map wobbling along on a pink bicycle it is a good idea to be well clear!

Round Church - very old building

From the punt place you can punt right up via St John's, Trinity, Clare and Kings College.  Kings College Chapel is lovely from the river.   The secret is not to leave your punt pole behind. It is easily done. Luckily the Cam is not too deep. If you prefer, you can pay someone else to do the punting so you can just sit back and enjoy a timeless Cambridge moment.

Bridge St,  Cambridge

Some of the views have not changed much in centuries. The Backs in Cambridge are very beautiful and it is little wonder people travel from all corners of the Earth to visit this beautiful centre of learning.  It is all too easy just to take it all for granted. Certainly, when I worked in the city, I did.  Now being retired, I properly enjoy it. It is still a very beautiful city with fine very old buildings and the River Cam winding its way up behind the colleges. If you have never been, you are unlikely to be disappointed.

Many years ago I was with a friend who parked at the multi-storey car-park just off Bridge Street. We worked a VK6 (S.W. Australia) from the car on 10m SSB.