Saturday morning was a leisurely affair.  After a busy week of lessons, many enjoyed the chance for a lie-in.  For some, however, there was a very good reason to be up and about, as the first of our two punting groups set off soon after half-past nine, ready to explore the city from a more scenic perspective.

 

Punting is perhaps at its best in the morning, with the river not as busy as it becomes in the afternoon, and the heat not as intense. After our practised counsellor team got the punts out of their moorings and showed our students the ropes, many of them then had the chance to try out wielding the pole for themselves. It’s a classic Cambridge pastime, and one which all who took part enjoyed – thankfully no one got too wet!

 

Our second group left soon afterwards. Punting right through the backs afforded students the chance to see right inside some of the most historic colleges.  Perhaps the highlight was the spectacular view of King’s College, including the magnificent Gothic chapel. Punting never fails to make an impression on our students, and Saturday morning’s trips were no exception.

 

The afternoon was even more relaxed as everyone took the chance to chill out in college, using their free time to chat and do some homework for the week ahead of them.

 

Our debaters were hard at work improving and amending their speeches for Sunday, while other students had essays to write or presentations to prepare.  In amongst this there were trips to the cinema, led by our counsellors, to watch some new releases, while other members of our staff team were on hand to offer help and guidance with any work-related problems that arose. It was the perfect start to the first weekend in this historic city.