Forests for Traitors and the Faithful

Are you one of the many millions of viewers of the BBC’s hit series The Traitors? You are not alone in wondering where the series was filmed as you admire the stunning scenery of the Scottish Highlands including the beautiful forests of the area. There are multiple forests included in The Forest Guide: Scotland which are fabulous to explore if you are planning to visit the area, and you don’t have to be a traitor to enjoy their reward!

About BBC hit show The Traitors

The hit show The Traitors is filmed in Ardross Castle near Alness, north of Inverness in the Scottish Highlands. Host Claudia Winkleman delights in urging the contests to swim in the loch, run across moorland and explore local woods to reveal treasure to help grow a prize fund, while the 22-strong group grows ever more suspicious of the traitors lurking among them in plain sight.

Some Forests Nearby

Ardross Castle is privately owned but is available to hire for functions and events, including weddings. Meanwhile there are many stunning forest sites nearby which are featured in The Forest Guide: Scotland and free to explore.

No. 162 Fyrish Forest

Immediately to the south of the castle which forms the focus for the BBC series, the dramatic Fyrish Monument sits atop a prominent hill, surrounded by a 766ha conifer forest owned and managed by the Novar Estate. This is site N0.162 in The Forest Guide Scotland. The forest is designated a Special Protection Area and noted for its precious wildlife, including the Scottish wildcat. From the summit, views across the Cromarty Firth are very rewarding. Keep an eye out for goldcrest and mixed flocks of tits in the canopies of the pine and larch trees.

No.169 Fairy Glen

Ash, small-leaved lime, sycamore and wych elm trees crowd this attractive little glen near the coast on the Black Isle to the south-west of Alness, owned and managed by the RSPB.

No.158 Morangie Forest

To the north-east, this large publicly-owned site managed by Forestry and Land Scotland is much loved by local people, providing for a wide range of interests and abilities, from mountain biking on unmarked forest roads, to trails with specially designed bridges to allow access for wheelchairs and wide buggies. Keep a look out for capercallie and pine marten in the Scots pine trees.

No.168 Little Garve

A little distance to the west, Little Garve is a fabulous site offering a beautiful circular walk. Visitors to this large plantation enjoy spectacular falls and the sinuous bends of the very picturesque Black Water, and two old stone bridges including Wade’s Bridge constructed in 1767.

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I hope you enjoyed these short text and photo excerpts from The Forest Guide: Scotland.

Readers of The Forest Guide can enjoy access to an interactive map providing highly-accurate access details and more for the 365 forest sites featured right across Scotland. Access is free for anyone who owns a copy of the book(s). Alternatively, access to The Forest Guide Online can be purchased for a small fee. Find out more

I am pleased to offer signed copies of The Forest Guide: Scotland in my Shop, which is also available from all good bookshops.