The walk of 20th March required a change of plan owing to the road closure. It was therefore decided to go on the Queen's Jubilee Walk at Coalburn, following the road used by the now defunct Dalquhandy Open Cast Mine, which opened in the late 1980's and became the biggest mine in Europe by the early 1990s. Deer were noticed early in the walk and then Wallace's Cave was pointed out. We eventually reached 3R Energy premises where discarded timber is converted to electricity and sold to the grid. We then walked along a newly mown path heading for Weston. Pam pointed out the cinnabar moth with it,s lovely orange colouring. Lunch was taken next to the Poniel Burn where the distinct call of the cuckoo was heard. The Greenshields Graveyard was well tended and then a lovely garden pond was encountered with lots of beautiful pink and white water lilies. The huge Dewar's whiskey bond was noted before reaching the main road and following it past a herd of Alpacas and back to Coalburn. The weather was kind with some drizzle and the walk covered six mies. Cairn Lodge, with its farm shop, provided lovely coffee and cake for the nine waters who had taken part in the walk.
