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Old family photos laid out on a table

Ireland – Top of the list for Ancestry Tours

Why Ireland is One of the Best Ancestry Tour Destinations Ireland has long been a popular destination for ancestry tours, attracting those looking to trace their family roots and immerse...
castle in northern Ireland

Tom’s Travels: Northern Ireland

Day 1: Belfast After 5 days of business meetings, my wife Beth finally arrived to join me in Belfast. She had been to The Republic of Ireland 4 times but...
Hotel du Vin Edinburgh

Tom’s Travels – Day 5

Day 5 was not the best day of the work portion of my first trip to Scotland in 3 years. After spending more time than expected on some emails and...
Manor House Hotel

Tom’s Travels – Day 4

After a short walk from our Hilltop private home, I enjoyed a great breakfast back in the main building and then I was off visiting properties again. First stop was...
Dramatic landscape of the Scottish Highlands in Inverness, featuring rolling hills, sparkling lochs, and rugged mountains under a moody sky with clouds and mist.

Tom’s Travels – Day 3

The 3rd day of the work portion of my Scotland visit was dominated by time behind the wheel, punctuated by stunning scenery around every corner. Speaking about driving in Scotland ......
pitlochry scotland

Tom’s Travels – Day 2

I didn't want to leave the Fife Arms today. I felt like I wasn't going to see anything better this week so why bother? I was right when I said...
The Fife Arms

Tom’s Travels – Day 1

After a 2 hour delay my flight to Edinburgh arrived mid-day. Unfortunately the delay caused me to have to skip 2 properties that I was looking forward to, Cromlix and...
Ballyfin - Ireland

Where to Stay in Ireland & Scotland

One of our favorite things about traveling abroad is staying in the coolest hotels and inns (and staying in castles and country manors). While the chain hotels have their place,...
Ashford Castle - Ireland

Castles & Country Manors

Any bucket-list trip to Ireland and the British Isles is going to include visits to castles and country manors. But a trip created with Old Sod Travel is bound to include...
Dark Hedges, Northern Ireland, UK - by Jim Zuckerman

Celtic Origins of Halloween Traditions

Did you know that many of the Halloween traditions we use today originated on the Old Sod? In Ireland, the Celtic celebration of Samhain (pronounced saa-win) dates back to before the 10th century when...