69 Ramsgate Royal Esplanade – Stone Bay

The 69 open top bus breezes through Thanet’s glorious coastline with spectacular views, most particularly at Stone Bay and Dumpton Gap. Starting at the Boating Pool at Royal Esplanade Ramsgate, the bus stops off at Ramsgate Harbour, with its lively cosmopolitan feel and the great views of the boats and yachts in the marina. This Cinque Port is the only ‘Royal Harbour’ in the UK.

The bus whisks its way inland on the picturesque route to the quiet, sandy beach at Dumpton Gap and the Western Esplanade, then onwards to Broadstairs, through the charming Victoria Parade and the incredible coastal views below. Broadstairs is the home of 7 sandy beaches. There’s interest aplenty here, at Charles Dickens’ favourite holiday spot, with its fishermen’s cottages, clifftop walks and independent shops.

The 69 continues to the chalk-cliffs of Stone Bay, the setting of John Buchan’s book ’39 Steps’ and also a traditional, but quiet, unspoilt beach, commanding wonderful views into the North Sea and with its many fascinating rockpool, the climax of a fabulous scenic journey.

A walk round Ramsgate with its beautiful Georgian terraces and regency villas is a great start to your adventure on the 69, maybe topped off with a visit to the Maritime Museum or a stroll round the Esplanade Gardens and trip on the boating lake where the bus departs from. Then, it’s on the bus to Broadstairs and a visit to the Dickins Museum and maybe some fish and chips at the renowned Star of the Sea restaurant. Walk the clifftop Victoria Gardens and end up at Bleak House –the lofty spot where Dickens wrote ‘David Copperfield’. There are also 3 art galleries – The Broadstairs Gallery, New Kent Art and The Little Art Gallery, whilst if its raining there’s the Palace Cinema, an independent cinema thatshows the latest arthouse movies.

If the sun’s out then a spot of mini-golf is always fun too at LillyPutt Crazy Golf. Whatever the weather, a visit to retro ice-cream parlous Morrelli’s is a ‘must’ before boarding the bus to Stone Bay and a walk down to the quaint, charming café ‘The Hut’ and if the tide is out, a dabble in the sea and perhaps a peruse of some rock pools before boarding the bus back against towards Ramsgate.

Gateway to Route 60: By train to Ramsgate. www.nationalrail.co.uk