Water activity / Oxford
Punting
the Cherwell.
The practical guide to choosing a boathouse, hiring the right punt and following the river without spending the whole trip wondering when to turn around.Open the river guide ↓Visitor Essentials & Quick Answers
Is punting worth doing on a first Oxford visit?
Yes if you want to experience the city at river level, with trees, college edges and meadows replacing busy streets. Part of the pleasure is moving slowly. Choose it for time on the water rather than a tour that delivers every famous landmark or a quick means of getting across Oxford.
Magdalen Bridge or Cherwell Boathouse: which should I choose?
Magdalen Bridge starts beside the central college landscape and fits easily into a High Street walk. Cherwell Boathouse begins farther north, closer to University Parks and a more rural stretch towards the Victoria Arms. Choose your starting point for the setting you want, not just whichever boat photograph you recognise.
Should I punt myself or choose a chauffeured punt?
Self-punting makes learning to steer part of the outing; it can be fun if someone in the group wants the challenge. A chauffeured trip lets everyone watch the scenery. Steering and balance can feel awkward at first, so choose help if relaxation matters more to you than trying the technique.
Is punting on the Cherwell the same as boating on the Thames?
No. The Cherwell gives you a narrower, more sheltered river experience. At Folly Bridge, Salter’s operates on the Thames, also called the Isis in Oxford, with a broader river and different views. Decide whether you want the Cherwell’s intimate setting or the more open meadow-and-rowing landscape before choosing a departure point.
01 / Choose the right launch
Two boathouses.
Three different days.
Magdalen Bridge puts you immediately beneath Oxford’s famous skyline and college landscape. Cherwell Boathouse starts further north, with easier access to University Parks and a longer rural route toward the Victoria Arms.
The best choice is not simply the cheapest. Decide how long you have, whether you want city scenery or countryside, and whether anyone in the group actually wants to learn to punt.
Both of those are the Cherwell. There is a third option on a different river: Salter’s at Folly Bridge hires punts onto the Isis, running downstream past Christ Church Meadow towards Iffley. It is wider, more open and busier with other craft — and it is self-drive only, so if you want somebody to punt for you, stay on the Cherwell.
02 / Hire a punt
Start in the
right place.
Magdalen Bridge Boathouse
Under Magdalen Bridge, at the east end of the High Street
- Self-hire
- £35 per hour
- Full day
- Longer hire available; return at least 30 minutes before sunset
- Capacity
- Up to 5 people
- Season
- 1 February–30 November, weather permitting
- Typical hours
- 09:30–21:00, or until one hour before sunset
- Chauffeur
- £50 per 30 minutes for up to 4 passengers
Cherwell Boathouse
50 Bardwell Road, North Oxford, OX2 6ST
- Self-hire
- £25/hour weekdays · £27/hour weekends
- Full day
- £125 weekdays · £135 weekends
- Capacity
- Up to 6 people: 5 seated plus the punter
- Season
- Mid-March–mid-October
- Typical hours
- Generally 10:00 until dusk; seasonal closing times vary from 19:00–22:00
- Chauffeur
- Requested at the punt station; large groups should enquire in advance
03 / Interactive river guide
Choose a route.
Follow the river.
This is not turn-by-turn navigation. It is a spatial guide to launch points, landmarks, realistic turnaround points and the one awkward constraint: the rollers between the upper and lower Cherwell.
04 / The five-minute lesson
How to punt
without the drama.
- 01Stand at the back
Face forward with feet apart and knees soft. Keep your weight centred rather than leaning over the edge.
- 02Drop the pole vertically
Let it reach the riverbed. Do not throw it forward or use it like a paddle.
- 03Walk your hands up
Push the punt past the planted pole, then recover it hand over hand as the boat glides.
- 04Use the pole as a rudder
Trail it behind the punt for small steering corrections. Slow, early adjustments work best.
- 05If it sticks, let go
A lost pole is easier to recover than a person in the river. Operators can explain the safest recovery method.
05 / Before you push off
Keep the day
afloat.
- Check the weatherOperators can suspend hire in poor conditions. Calm, dry days are far more enjoyable.
- Protect phones and bagsBring a waterproof pouch and keep valuables low in the centre of the punt.
- Wear sensible shoesChoose something secure with grip. The punter’s platform will get wet.
- Use a life jacket if neededNon-swimmers should wear one. Ask the operator before launching.
- Watch the return timeLeave enough time for the return current, queues and a less direct journey than planned.
- Age restrictionCherwell Boathouse does not hire to anyone under 16. Confirm supervision rules for your group.