A surfer traverses a large wave. Find holiday cottages for active holidays in the open air.

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 sandstone cottage with a courtyard lined by flowering shrubs.
Sleeps
4
Bedrooms
3

Gaze upon gorgeous coastal views or stunning moorlands during your stay at Honey Bee Cottage, a child-friendly holiday cottage in Staintondale. Converted from a former farm building, this charming rural holiday home near Scarborough with exposed timbers sleeps 4. Pets welcome.

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Two-storey brick exterior of a holiday home in Beverley
Sleeps
4
Bedrooms
2

The Old Dairy opens up the North York Moors and Coast for exploration and provides for a comfortable stay in Beverley. The converted barn welcomes pets and sleeps 4 guests and offers an enclosed, lawned garden with a summerhouse, as well as an open-plan design, arched windows and contemporary style.

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Sleeps
2
Bedrooms
1

A charming, modern Lake District holiday apartment for two set in an idyllic rural location, this beautifully decorated property in Bowness-on-Windermere sleeps two and is a perfect base from which to explore the Lake and surrounding countryside.

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Exterior of a converted Devon coach house with a double garage
Sleeps
12
Bedrooms
6

This large holiday cottage in Braunton, within easy reach of fabulous sandy beaches at Saunton, Croyde and Woolacombe, can sleep twelve people in six bedrooms.

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Sleeps
8
Bedrooms
4

Riddings Barn is a delightful stone-built rural holiday cottage in Howgill, a charming hamlet near Sedbergh. The stone-built barn conversion blends tradition with contemporary style and boasts wonderful views over Cumbria and The Lake District, as well as an open-plan design and an abundance of natural light.

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2-storey Victorian town house with bay windows and small front garden
Sleeps
4
Bedrooms
3

A charming and cosy family- and pet-friendly getaway in Marske-by-the-Sea, Victoria Cottage is a delightful balance of historic touches and modern convenience with room for four. This cottage makes the most of its excellent seaside location, offering a family holiday in a warm, comfortable environment.

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Sleeps
5
Bedrooms
3

Heather Croft is a delightfully restored three-bedroom seaside cottage with an open, airy ambience and a balcony with sweeping ocean views. The red-brick cottage overlooks Robin Hood’s Bay on the North Yorkshire Coast and sleeps seven people with family-friendly amenities.

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Sleeps
2
Bedrooms
1

Treat that special person to a relaxing break at Cobbled Corner in Elton. The delightful stone-built property offers one cosy bedroom, blissful tranquillity and a vibrant, pretty garden in a peaceful village in the heart of the Peak District National Park. A gift for walkers and nature lovers.

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Exterior of a 2-storey, stone-built barn conversion overlooking a low-walled garden
Sleeps
6
Bedrooms
3

This is a fabulous stone barn conversion in the Derbyshire Dales village of Edale. Situated on a working sheep farm, it sleeps up to six people in comfort and luxury.

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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.