The Boat Race: Where to Watch

The annual Boat Race will see the Blues battle it out once again at 5pm this Saturday 26th March. It only lasts 20 minutes, but people will be talking about it for months, so the race to find the right place to watch it from starts now.

The Easy Option

If you are a real boatie chat enthusiast, or just want to avoid the weather (although it’s currently promising not to rain – madness), then the best place to watch the race is from the comfort of your sofa. The BBC coverage will guide you through the trials and tribulations of boat race preparation starting at 3.45pm all the way to the finish line.

Offering a veritable smorgasbord of pubs, however, the course itself is the most atmospheric location.

The Start

The Star and Garter is offering tickets for a fiver, and boasts an unrivalled position just past the University Stone. The stone marks the start of the race, and is usually obscured by the crowds on race day, but is nonetheless a precious item of Boat Race history.

Alternatively, just a few metres down the course, The Duke’s Head offers quality food (‘though at London prices) and an excellent selection of ales, all in the atmosphere of a traditional pub, with live bands scheduled to play well into the evening. This is also a local favourite, so be sure to arrive early to ensure a decent view of the action.

The Middle

The middle of the race often offers the most exciting action: it was at this point that Cambridge came back to win the race last year.

The Dove is extremely popular, with numerous bars (including the smallest in England- good fact) and an outside balcony, where the crews can be seen from Hammersmith all the way to Chiswick Eyot.

Be warned: it is chaotic. At the same time, it is also an undoubtedly atmospheric place to watch the spectacle unfold, sporting wooden beams and fires that hark back to 17th Century origins. Previous customers have included Graham Greene and Ernest Hemingway, ticking boxes for those of a literary bent.

If you’re less bookish and more lager and meat-orientated, then The Black Lion offers decent views down the course, as well as a beer garden and a BBQ on race day.

The Finish

Not what is going to happen.

Whether it’s building up to a tight finish or one crew is waltzing out in front, The White Hart offers a prime view of the final stretch from their riverside terrace. The bar opens at 10.00am, so there is no reason not to be cheering loudly at the end, even if O***** are winning. Which they won’t be, obviously. But still: lots of drinks available over a long period, that is the point.

Alternatively, The Ship is located just a few strokes before the finish line and provides the most popular place for either celebratory or consolatory drinking following the race.

The Non-Pub Option:

If pubs aren’t for you, the best places to be are either Bishop’s Park or Furnival Gardens. There will be a giant TV screen, a beer tent and various food stalls, to cater to all your Boat Race needs.

Dubbed ‘The Boat Race in the Park’, this provides an attractive alternative to the chaotic pubs, and you’re free to bring your own booze and food to help calm those race day nerves. Vodka and scotch eggs are recommended angst-busters.

Wherever you watch from, be sure to be cheering the Light Blue crew come Saturday, as Cambridge aim to take their 81st win in the Xchanging Boat Race.