The tale behind the spectacular Traitors monument

A striking landmark among the spectacular scenery of the Scottish Highlands took centre stage in the penultimate episode of The Traitors.

Ardross Castle, near Alness, is a familiar sight to fans of the hugely popular BBC TV show, which pits Faithfuls against secret Traitors.

But Thursday night saw Fyrish monument, an 18th Century structure overlooking the Cromarty Firth, used as a backdrop to a dramatic mission.

And it led to questions from viewers - what is Fyrish monument and why was it built on top of a hill in the Highlands?

The monument is a mock ruin, called a folly, which was built on the summit of Cnoc Fyrish in the 1780s.

It was paid for by local landowner, Gen Sir Hector Munro of Novar, using prize money and pensions he earned serving with the British Army in India.

A series of arches and pillars, it was built to resemble the fortress gates of Nagapattinam - a town in India and the scene of fighting between British and French forces in the 1780s.

Munro was the 8th Laird of Novar and represented the Inverness Burghs as MP for more than 30 years.

According to local legend, he used the folly as a way to create employment in the local area.

Rumour has it that he would roll large boulders back down the hill at night in an attempt to keep the labourers in paid employment for longer.

Now Category B-listed, it was originally painted white.

And from its vantage point on top of the 1,500ft (450m) high hill, it is a favourite of walkers looking for views of the surrounding countryside.

The walk is said to take about two to three hours to complete but if the latest Traitors episode is anything to go by, it's not for the faint-hearted.

In the challenge, the remaining contestants were tasked with carrying pieces of gold to the summit of the Fyrish monument, to fill a so-called "Shield of Fyrish" - which was added for the show.

Faithful James stopped to be sick after running up the hill, while Traitor Rachel branded the climb "harder than childbirth".

The contestants successfully completed the challenge, adding £10,000 to the jackpot for Friday's final.