A small, athletic looking sheep that has something of the look of a gazelle about it, the Soay is an exceptionally hardy sheep and can survive in the most adverse conditions. Soay means "sheep island" in Norse which suggests that there have been sheep on the island since at least the time of the Vikings. The meat from the Soay sheep is considered lean, tender and low in cholesterol. It has a strong flavour with a gamey taste in comparison to more common sheep breeds.