A surfer traverses a large wave.

Book Self-Catering Holiday Cottages For Active Holidays

Scroll down to find a choice of self-catering cottages suitable for those seeking an active holiday involving sporting or outdoor pursuits. Whether walking in England, climbing mountains in Scotland, riding rapids or zip wires in Wales, the holiday cottages listed here will be near an attractive choice of activities to enjoy in the great outdoors. Many activity cottages will offer on-site facilities such as fishing, swimming pools and tennis courts or will be surrounded by long, bracing walks in the country or along the miles of scenic coastal footpaths. 

Click on the preview description of any cottage to view its main page.

Exterior of a stone-built house overlooking a lawn surrounded by a stone wall and small trees.
Sleeps
9
Bedrooms
4

A Grade II listed semi-detached farmhouse in Parwich, Orchard View, is full of charm and character and situated in peaceful rural surroundings. This large and spacious dog-friendly holiday home in the Peak District sleeps up to nine people.

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A modern semi-detached Cornish holiday cottage with block-paved drive for car.
Sleeps
6
Bedrooms
3

7 Harlyn Cottages is a beautifully furnished, modern holiday home at Harlyn Bay near Padstow in North Cornwall. Within a short walk of a white sandy beach for surfing and rock-pooling, this family-friendly holiday cottage sleeps six and welcomes pets.

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A contemporary cottage with floor-to-ceiling windows facing a courtyard
Sleeps
14
Bedrooms
5

Ddol Helyg Barn is a large rural barn conversion near Caernarfon on the North Wales Coast in the Snowdonia National Park. Sleeping 14 in 5 bedrooms this under-floor heated, pet-friendly holiday cottage in Gwynedd is perfect for seaside and mountain holidays suiting large families or friends.

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Sleeps
8
Bedrooms
4

Families or groups of friends seeking to holiday in the beautiful Yorkshire Dales find the perfect home base for their travels with 9 Navigation Square, a large holiday cottage in Skipton just off the historic High Street. The 4-bedroom house comfortably sleeps eight in spacious accommodation.

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A stone-built riverside cottage in Derbyshire overlook. large lawn.
Sleeps
6
Bedrooms
3

River Lodge served as the gatehouse to the National Trust’s Ilam Hall, and the stone-built rural holiday cottage in the Peak District retains much of its original charm. A river runs by the spacious gardens of the pet-friendly cottage amidst green pastures and far-reaching rural views.

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Sleeps
2
Bedrooms
1

This cosy countryside holiday cottage for couples sleeps two on a peaceful 200-acre farm near Church Stretton in the rural village of Eaton-under-Heywood. Kite’s Nest is a beautiful barn conversion surrounded by South Shropshire’s picturesque countryside, with access to gardens, ponds and woods.

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Remote barn conversion surrounded by open fields and mature trees in The Pennines.
Sleeps
12
Bedrooms
6

Imagine a large holiday home near Ripponden, nestled within the rugged and picturesque Pennine landscape, where rural tranquillity meets pure luxury. Welcome to Top Barn, a spacious and inviting 6-bedroom holiday cottage with a hot tub to bring families and friends closer amidst the stunning West Yorkshire Pennines.

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A tree-lined drive way curves toward a large rendered holiday home in Perthshire.
Sleeps
16
Bedrooms
8

The Duke of Atholl built this large Perthshire holiday cottage as a shooting lodge and offers beautiful rural views from its hillside location near Dunkeld. Riechip now offers pet-friendly self-catering accommodation in 8 bedrooms for up to 16 guests. Perfect for walking or golfing holidays.

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Sleeps
5
Bedrooms
3

Lilliput is tucked away in the quiet Dorset coastal village of Shipton Gorge, a mile or two from Bridport and the Jurassic Coast at Burton Bradstock. This well-maintained holiday cottage will particularly appeal to those seeking lovely walks close to hand and also welcomes pets. nicely

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Activity holidays don't need to involve knuckle experiences. For families with young children or those preferring a 'healthy holiday' without the risk of injury, consider hiring bicycles to explore a Sustrans Cycle route or a cycle path such as the Tarka Trail in North Devon or The Bonsal Trail in Derbyshire. To ensure that a holiday cottage has precisely what you are looking for, e.g. an outdoor shower for washing the salt of wetsuits and surfboards, use the Visit Website button to go to a cottage's website for further information. Alternatively, e-mail or phone the owners direct to check that what you want to do on holiday is precisely the activity accessible at the cottage.