Punting in Cambridge

Sometimes when life is getting you down and things are a bit difficult, a day out can do you the world of good especially when it's a place as beautiful as the city of Cambridge. As a few of you may have noticed that I haven't blogged in awhile and the reason behind this is a bout of bad health with my arthritis and a persistent kidney infection. Fortunately I'm back on the mend now and enjoying easing myself back into work and blogging.

A few days ago my dad asked me if I would like a day out in Cambridge to take my mind off everything that I have been going through lately. The past two weeks have been full of hospital tests, fatigue and long hours in bed and one thing I've wanted more than anything is to get out of the house. When my dad asked me, I leaped at the opportunity. I've always wanted to go visit Cambridge and having recently seen the Theory of Everything in the cinema, it was number one on mine and my husbands UK bucket list.

We woke up at 6am to set off to Cambridge and it was a long, freezing day, but totally worth the travel. The buildings were beautiful, I loved the hustle and bustle of the city streets and the Saturday market was a delight. Once we had arrived and grabbed some lunch, James and I went our separate ways from my parents to properly explore the city - first stop the Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology.

The Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology founded in 1884 has collections spanning over 2 million years of human history from Dinosaurs and fossils to precious gemstones and meteorites and is free to enter 7 days a week. The museum also plays host to large archeological collection with pieces dating back to medieval history. Visiting the Museum allowed me to entertain my inner geek and learn more about Charles Darwin who is a focal point in the museum due to some of his collections being housed here.

After all our shopping and exploring we finally retreated to the river where we paid for a chauffeured punt alongside all the infamous Cambridge college buildings.  The tour included a trip alongside Queens' college, Kings College, Clare College, Trinity Hall and Trinity College, St Johns College and the bridge of Sighs based and named after the Sigh bridge in Venice. The tour enables you to learn more about the city of cambridge whilst taking in the tranquil scenery and being wrapped in a cosy knitted blanket. The Chauffeurs are expert punters with a wealth of knowledge about their city and no question is too small to ask - they seem to know almost everything. It was great to learn more about the impact various royals had on the colleges whilst name dropping many prestigious students of Cambridge such as Stephen Hawking.

If you haven't been to Cambridge before, I definitely recommend the visit. It was exactly what I needed after the last week or two and I hope to return in the summer when the weather is warm and bright.

Have you been to Cambridge before?