No need to look anything up this week - recognised the island straight away. When I was 15, a friend and I set off to walk round the island clockwise, but only got halfway and decided to stay camping in a 'black' village. We eventually gave up on our circumnavigation, and hitched back to the port (begins with B) on just about the only other road, one that crosses the middle. Have also played a few times in three of the village halls - many moons ago!
When a child we used to holiday in L ( facing the first island). In the 80s my father went every year to another B (on the West with fantastic sunsets and a 12 hole golf course which he spent most of his time on). We had a barbecue every year near M ( on the east). I haven’t been back for many years but plan to do so.
Believe it or not, the only time I've ever had heatstroke was on the island, staying on the west coast in a cottage near that golf course (and the standing stones).
I used to love it there. The beach at B (west) is lovely. Sadly the hotel we used to stay at (at one time owned by the parents of a senior politician) is no longer there.
Made an early start on this week's puzzle only to find that I had more than half a cup of the first coffee left by the time I had finished it. As it was quite unremarkable, there was not much, if anything, to post about it.
When you say you played the village halls there, were you perchance a travelling minstrel during your yoof?
Impressive digging, Etch! Shows how much longer - and more interesting - the clues were back then. I wonder how long Chris Fautley has been doing them? Only been given a name check for the past four or five years, I think
As you suggested that you may had forgotten to "answer now" on this thread, I simply wondered, perhaps, whether or not the commentary on the subject of curlers, may have become a distraction on Sunday? :-)