Queen's Guide to the Sands
Encyclopedia
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
. , 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
.
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.
Morecambe Bay
Morecambe Bay is a large bay in northwest England, nearly due east of the Isle of Man and just to the south of the Lake District National Park. It is the largest expanse of intertidal mudflats and sand in the United Kingdom, covering a total area of 310 km².-Natural features:The rivers Leven,...
, an ancient and potentially dangerous tidal crossing in northwest England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. , the Guide is Cedric Robinson MBE
MBE
MBE can stand for:* Mail Boxes Etc.* Management by exception* Master of Bioethics* Master of Bioscience Enterprise* Master of Business Engineering* Master of Business Economics* Mean Biased Error...
, 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
Kents Bank
Kents Bank is a small village in Cumbria, so named due to its proximity to the River Kent estuary.Part of the historic County Palatine of Lancashire, it is located two miles south-west of Grange-over-Sands...
, which is owned by the Crown and managed by the Duchy of Lancaster
Duchy of Lancaster
The Duchy of Lancaster is one of the two royal duchies in England, the other being the Duchy of Cornwall. It is held in trust for the Sovereign, and is used to provide income for the use of the British monarch...
.
Until the building of the railway
Furness Line
The Furness Line, in North West England, runs from Barrow-in-Furness to Ulverston and Grange-over-Sands, connecting with the West Coast Main Line at Carnforth...
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
Furness
Furness is a peninsula in south Cumbria, England. At its widest extent, it is considered to cover the whole of North Lonsdale, that part of the Lonsdale hundred that is an exclave of the historic county of Lancashire, lying to the north of Morecambe Bay....
at Cartmel Priory
Cartmel Priory
Cartmel Priory is the parish church of Cartmel, Cumbria . The priory was founded in 1190 by William Marshal, later 1st Earl of Pembroke for the Augustinian Canons and dedicated to Saint Mary the Virgin and Saint Michael. It was first colonised by a Prior and twelve monks from Bradenstoke Priory in...
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
Hest Bank
Slyne-with-Hest is a civil parish in the City of Lancaster in Lancashire, England. It had a population of 3,163 recorded in the 2001 census. The parish is north of Lancaster and consists of two villages; Slyne, on the A6 road, and Hest Bank on the coast....
or Arnside
Arnside
Arnside is a village and civil parish in Cumbria, England. It faces the estuary of the River Kent on the north eastern corner of Morecambe Bay, within the Arnside and Silverdale Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty...
over to Flookburgh Point
Flookburgh
Flookburgh is an ancient village on the Cartmel peninsula in Cumbria, until 1974 part of Lancashire. Being close to Morecambe Bay, fishing plays a big part in village life. Cockle and shrimp fishermen still venture out onto the sands every day, nowadays using specially adapted tractors.Flookburgh...
or Kents Bank
Kents Bank
Kents Bank is a small village in Cumbria, so named due to its proximity to the River Kent estuary.Part of the historic County Palatine of Lancashire, it is located two miles south-west of Grange-over-Sands...
—tide and river levels (the River Kent
River Kent
The River Kent is a short river in the county of Cumbria in England. The river originates in hills surrounding Kentmere, and flows for around 20 miles into the north of Morecambe Bay. The Lake District National Park includes the upper reaches of the river within its boundaries.The river passes...
has to be crossed at some point) allowing—and are often in support of a charity.
Further reading
- A useful essay on the Queen's Guide to the Sands and on the Morecambe Bay tidal crossing appeared in hidden europe magazine in 2005. The full reference is Cawley, David [2005]: Time & Tide: Morecambe Bay. In hidden europe magazine, 4 (Sept 2005), pp. 40–44.
- Sand Pilot of Morecambe Bay (1998), Cedric Robinson, Olive Robinson. (ISBN 0-906899-94-X)
- Cedric Robinson: 40 Years on Morecambe Bay (2003), Cedric Robinson (ISBN 0-9544002-2-4)
- Marsh, Terry' Sand Pilots, MA dissertation on the history of the guides to Morecambe Bay Sands, Lancaster University.
- Cedric Robinson: Between the Tides (2007), (ISBN 978-1-905080-33-5)