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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.

A gable-windowed holiday cottage faces a large lawn bordered by bushy shrubs.
Sleeps
4
Bedrooms
2

Garden View is an impressive holiday apartment in Porlock Weir with a gorgeous garden and views over the countryside to the coast of Somerset. Situated within a former Edwardian hunting lodge, the pet-friendly cottage sleeps four. It has a lovely lawned garden with a furnished area for outdoor dining, plus a light and airy interior with an open-plan design.

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A country cottage with a backdrop of mature trees and a large front garden.
Sleeps
4
Bedrooms
2

Beautiful countryside surrounds The Ball Room, a traditional rural cottage set on Cutthorne Farm, Somerset, deep in Exmoor National Park. The 14th-century cottage sleeps four, welcomes pets, and promises seclusion, beautiful views, solid oak floors, country charm, an upside-down design, and a log fire.

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A leafy courtyard with a table and chairs in front of a stone-built Somerset coastal cottage.
Sleeps
4
Bedrooms
2

Yellow Gate Cottage is a gorgeous stone-built Porlock holiday cottage set in the heart of this small town on the West Somerset Coast town within Exmoor National Park. The pet-friendly property sleeps four and lies just minutes from beautiful beaches. It features exposed beams, a galley-style kitchen, an open-plan design and a delightful furnished courtyard.

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Double-fronted cottage exterior overlooks a quiet village street.
Sleeps
4
Bedrooms
2

Syms Cottage is a characterful rural holiday cottage in Cutcombe which boasts wide-reaching views of the Somerset countryside and an inglenook fireplace with wood burning stove and bread oven. The pet-friendly Exmoor holiday cottage blends contemporary style with country charm and offers walks direct from its front door.

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Exterior of a North Devon mill cottage surrounded by gardens in a valley floor.
Sleeps
4
Bedrooms
2

Set amongst mature waterside gardens in a gorgeous secluded location, Bratton Mill Cottage, near the medieval village of Bratton Fleming in Devon, is a pet-friendly 17th-century cottage. It has been recently redecorated yet retains much of the character and charm of the original mill.

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A large stone-built Exmoor cottage surrounded by trees and open fields.
Sleeps
6
Bedrooms
3

Yenworthy Cottage is a stone-built Exmoor holiday cottage set on a working farm in Countisbury, near Lynmouth. The pet-friendly cottage promises lovely ocean views, gorgeous gardens, and contemporary comforts and elements such as a wood burner, beams and slate floors.

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A converted stone-built, remote Exmoor schoolhouse with a lawn and large patio.
Sleeps
13
Bedrooms
5

The School House is a large holiday cottage situated on the North Devon coast near Lynmouth. The pet-friendly cottage features a wood burner and other traditional details and boasts a beautiful garden with a running stream and rural views.

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A stone built Exmoor cottage  faces a lawn containing a sheltered hot tub  and a two outdoor chairs around a tea-table.
Sleeps
2
Bedrooms
1

Hartford Cottage is a beautiful romantic Exmoor holiday home in a moorland village near South Molton in Devon. The pet-friendly cottage with a hot tub enjoys tranquillity, far-reaching views, a generous sunroom, traditional character and access to a tennis court, games room and Exmoor.

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Exterior of a thatched Exmoor cottage overlooking a large lawn.
Sleeps
9
Bedrooms
5

Discover Thorn Cottage, a Winsford holiday home, nestled in the Exmoor National Park. This Grade II listed period cottage offers modern comforts for up to 8 guests, including pets. Enjoy a well-equipped kitchen, cosy living spaces, and a charming cottage garden. Ideal for exploring Exmoor on foot or by car, with picturesque walks and wildlife sightings such as deer and ponies. Don't miss out – explore the full description today!

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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 directly to check that what you want to do on holiday is precisely the activity accessible at the cottage.