Where is The Celebrity Traitors castle and can I ride the train?

The Celebrity Traitors host Claudia Winkleman with the "Traitors train" in the background

The winner of The Celebrity Traitors was unveiled in a dramatic finale on Thursday night.

The hit BBC series' inaugural celebrity edition featured a line-up of contestants including comedian Stephen Fry, singer Paloma Faith and Olympian Tom Daley.

Host Claudia Winkleman pitted a handful of secret traitors against faithfuls at Ardross Castle, a grand Highland property that is one of the reality TV show's biggest stars - including a challenge on the Strathspey Railway.

Where is The Traitors filmed?

Ardross Castle sits in 100 acres of gardens and parkland

The Traitors is filmed in Ardross Castle, a 19th Century pile about 30 miles north of Inverness.

It is set in about 100 acres of gardens and parkland near the Easter Ross town of Alness.

The property was built more than 170 years ago in a Scottish baronial style, a type of elaborate architecture featuring complex rooflines with turrets and fortress-like battlements.

What's the history of the castle?

Ardross Castle in a photograph taken in 1960

More than 200 years ago - long before the castle was built - the land at Ardross was owned by George Granville Leveson-Gower, the 1st Duke of Sutherland.

He had a hunting lodge on the site where the castle stands today.

The duke was a controversial figure in the Highland Clearances.

In large parts of Sutherland, he had people cleared off land where they had lived for generations to make way for sheep farming and agricultural "improvements".

Some families were moved to coastal villages, while others became emigrants and made difficult journeys to Canada to start new lives there.

There is a statue of the duke on a hilltop north of Ardross.

Known locally as The Mannie, and overlooking Golspie, it has been the target of vandalism and even attempts to topple it.

A statue of the Duke of Sutherland - known as The Mannie - overlooks Golspie

Years later the estate at Ardross was bought by Sir Alexander Matheson.

Matheson made his fortune trading in China. He was an MP and an instrumental figure in the building of railways in the Highlands.

And he had the castle, so familiar to Traitors fans today, constructed.

Ross and Cromarty Heritage Society says that from 1847, about 400 workers were involved in the property's construction.

They built 30 rooms and laid out the castle's extensive grounds.

According to Ardross Castle's website, Sir Alexander also improved estate workers' housing.

After Sir Alexander's death, the country house and its estate was sold to businessman and philanthropist Charles William Dyson Perrins.

His grandfather William Perrins, in partnership with John Wheeley Lea, created the recipe for Worcestershire Sauce.

The Perrins family was also involved in the production of Royal Worcester porcelain.

Charles William Dyson Perrins joined the family business after four years serving in the Highland Light Infantry.

He and his family were annual visitors to Ardross Castle.

The Perrins' ownership came to an end in the 1930s and various parts of the estate was sold off.

Who owns The Traitors Castle and can I stay there?

In 1983, the castle was bought by the McTaggart family and they still own it today.

While not run as a hotel, the property is available as a wedding venue - its popularity undoubtedly boosted by its appearance in The Traitors.

In 2023, Loukas Tsarmaklis, a director of Ardross Castle Enterprises, told The Press and Journal they "try to keep a low profile... but there is no chance now."

"This has put us on the map and helped local B&Bs, tradesmen, taxi drivers, cleaners. It was a big operation for this part of the world," he added.

The castle's owners politely declined to comment on the impact the show has had to BBC Scotland News, but internet searches for the castle have been on the rise.

Ross and Cromarty Heritage Society said views of its page about Ardross increased significantly because of the US show.

Where is the Traitors Train?

Strathspey Railway is a volunteer-run company that operates a 10-mile (16km) route between Aviemore and Broomhill, via Boat of Garten.

The heritage railway's line is part of the former Inverness and Perth Junction Railway, later called the Highland, which linked Aviemore with Forres.

It is one of only a handful of former lines to be preserved following rail closures in the 1960s.

The company has a fleet of steam and diesel locomotives which are run and maintained by a mix of volunteers and a small number of paid staff.

It has frequently been involved in restoration projects, including helping to return a 75-year-old steam locomotive to working order.

The Ivatt Class 2 2-6-0 engine - No. 46464 - was one of five built in Crewe, Cheshire, in 1950.

It spent most of its working life based at Dundee Tay Bridge Steam Shed 62B, operating on services in Angus and Fife.

Last week, Strathspey Railway said it had received a £1m donation from a mystery American donor which secured the railway's long-term future.

The railway runs trips throughout the year and is now operating to a winter timetable, which includes a festive Elf Express.

The Celebrity Traitors set contestants tasks on the Starthspey Railway

Who was in The Celebrity Traitors?

Celebrities were pitted against each other in the new series

Joining Claudia Winkleman in the castle were stars of TV, film, music and sport.

They included comedian Alan Carr, singer and broadcaster Charlotte Church and former England rugby player Joe Marler.

Also, broadcaster Kate Garraway, presenter Jonathan Ross and content creator Niko Omilana.

Among those from the world of acting were Mark Bonnar, Tamela Empson and Celia Imrie.