Fiction thwarts ultimate holiday hunt

Hogwarts will not be found on a UK road map

As holiday destinations they offer stunning scenery, a step back in time and the chance to experience some literary magic.

But one significant drawback is leaving the growing number of travellers trying to book breaks at them disappointed: they do not exist.

According to a travel website more and more people are trying to track down locations immortalised in blockbuster films such as Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings.

Hogwarts locations

Gloucester Cathedral

Lacock Abbey, Wiltshire

Bodleian Library, Oxford

Christ Church College, Oxford

Alnwick Castle, Northumberland

Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry - the school attended by Harry Potter - is portrayed in the films using a variety of real locations around the UK.

Mordor and Rivendell, known to fans of Lord of the Rings as part of Middle Earth, are other popular holiday search terms on Yahoo Travel.

But then Mordor could possibly be every holidaymaker's nightmare, being the dangerous and evil stronghold of the forces of darkness.

Morgan Williams, travel producer at yahoo.co.uk, said: "It is interesting to see the effect that certain films, such as Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings, can have on people's imagination.

"Personally I'd never want to go to Mordor. The film's real location, New Zealand, on the other hand, is a truly magical place."

According to Yahoo, the latest Lord of the Rings film The Two Towers has sparked much interest in genuine places to visit in New Zealand.

That was the hope of the New Zealand government, who expected the trilogy would give the country an economic boost.

It is estimated the films so far have given the capital city Wellington tourist revenue worth £138m.

The government appointed Pete Hodgson as unofficial minister for Lord of the Rings and spent millions on promoting the country.