The River Cam has been navigable since Roman times. The river is a tributary of the Great Ouse River and runs through the heart of Cambridge City. During the Middle Ages there was a considerable amount of barge traffic but with the coming of the railway in 1845, industrial traffic on the river lessened. The last thirty years have seen a renaissance in its use and there are now more than 2,000 rowers registered at over 30 boathouses in Cambridge. Punting is an extremely popular pass time for visitors to enjoy. Punts were introduced to Cambridge as pleasure craft in Edwardian times. One pioneer on punt hire was Scudamore’s Punting Company which owns a large fleet of punts for hire along two routes. There are also cycle routes and walk ways along the River Cam.