Soay, St Kilda
| Gaelic name | Soaigh |
|---|---|
| Norse name | so-øy |
| Meaning of name | (Norse) "Sheep island" |
| Location | |
 Soay
Soay shown within the Outer Hebrides
|
|
| OS grid reference | NA064014 |
| Coordinates | 57°50′N 8°38′W / 57.83°N 8.63°W |
| Physical geography | |
| Island group | St Kilda |
| Area | 99 ha (245 acres) |
| Area rank | 150= |
| Highest elevation | Cnoc Glas 378 m (1,240 ft) |
| Administration | |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Country | Scotland |
| Council area | Outer Hebrides |
| Demographics | |
| Population | 0 |
 |
|
| References | |
Soay (Scottish Gaelic: Soaigh) is an uninhabited islet in the St Kilda archipelago, Scotland. The name is from Old Norse Seyðoy, meaning "Island of Sheep". The island is part of the St Kilda World Heritage Site and home to a primitive breed of sheep. It is the westernmost point of land in Scotland, and also the westernmost point in the United Kingdom, excluding Rockall.
Soay lies some 40 miles (64 km) west-northwest of North Uist in the North Atlantic It is about 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) north-west of Hirta, from which it is separated by the narrow Sound of Soay, which is only about 500 metres wide. Two sea stacks, Stac Shoaigh (Soay Stac), 61 metres (200 ft), and Stac Biorach, 73 metres (240 ft), lie between. The island covers about 96.8 hectares (239 acres) and reaches a height of 378 metres (1,240 ft), the cliffs rising sheer from the sea.
The island is formed of a breccia of gabbro and dolerites and is a single mountain peak rising from the sea-bed, without Ice-Age erosion.
Along with the rest of the archipelago, Soay is owned by the National Trust for Scotland, managed by Scottish Natural Heritage as a nature reserve and is included it the St Kilda World Heritage Site. It is unlikely that this island ever had permanent habitation. Men from Hirta would stay for a few days while gathering wool.
...
Wikipedia