The Queen's Guide to the Sands is the royally appointed guide to crossing the sands of Morecambe Bay, an ancient and potentially dangerous tidal crossing in northwest England. As of 2011[update], the Guide is Cedric Robinson MBE, who became the 25th guide in 1963. The post is unpaid but the Guide has the use of the 700-year-old Guide's Cottage at Kents Bank, which is owned by the Crown and managed by the Duchy of Lancaster.[1]
Until the building of the railway in 1857, the cross sands route had been a major transport route in the area, with Guides appointed royally since the 16th century. Before that, the monks of Furness at Cartmel Priory had provided guides for crossing the sands. In modern times a crossing of the sands has become a popular challenge walk for charity fundraisers, with Cedric often leading groups of up to 500 people. These walks are typically once a fortnight (from spring to autumn), from either Hest Bank or Arnside over to Flookburgh Point or Kents Bank—tide and river levels (the River Kent has to be crossed at some point) allowing—and are often in support of a charity.